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‘Criminal Minds’ Season 11: Who Could Replace Derek Morgan?

By Alexandria Ingham
Published on: 02:13 PST, Apr 4, 2016

Who could possibly replace Derek Morgan in Criminal Minds Season 11, or even going into Season 12? After Paget Brewster left as Emily Prentiss, it was hard enough to find her replacement, so finding Derek’s will be even harder.

It has been just two weeks since Shemar Moore said goodbye to Criminal Minds after 11 years on the show. He decided it was time as an actor to walk away, and executive producer Erica Messer had the time to write the character out effectively and beautifully. She was also able to bring Brewster back for the following episode to make it easier on fans as they said goodbye to the smooth-talking, understanding, and caring FBI agent.

Now the question has been raised about who will replace him. The real answer is that there is no way the character can be replaced. Nobody will take Morgan’s place on the team, just like nobody has been able to take Prentiss’ place. However, someone will have to come in and be a new member and there are fears that it will not work. The Inquisitr has already reported that Criminal Minds may face cancellation rather than a 12th Season.

A new team member in place of Prentiss has failed multiple times, more due to the actresses deciding to leave, although fans have not warmed to the characters. JJ was brought back, but the show has also tried Alex Blake and Kate Callaghan, placed by Jeanne Tripplehorn and Jennifer Love Hewitt, respectively.

NCIS has shown the difficulties in replacing characters. While Cote de Pablo was quickly accepted as the replacement for Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd, it took much longer for Emily Wickersham to be accepted as Pablo’s replacement. Fans are loyal to their favorite characters, and that can make introducing a new character much harder.

It can work successfully. When Shannen Doherty left Charmed after three seasons, fans were able to accept Rose McGowan as a fourth sister on the show. This may have been because the characters were allowed to mourn, so fans had the chance to mourn the loss of their favorite character at the same time.

Other shows have proven that characters cannot be replaced, with some not even trying. The Vampire Diaries is still struggling with the loss of Nina Dobrev’s Elena, while Buffy the Vampire Slayer did not even try to replace Anthony Stewart Head after he left as Giles, and instead brought him back as a guest star now and then.

Enstars reports that Aisha Tyler could come to replace Derek Morgan on the team. The benefit of this is Criminal Minds fans have already gotten to know the actress and her character. She plays Dr. Lewis on the show, and has been a recurring character for some time. Messer has also revealed that she hopes the actress will return for Season 12, hinting that a new year is an option. Messer has not said whether this will be as a guest role or to become the newest member of the series lineup.

Emily Prentiss will be back, but so far it seems just as a guest role. Brewster has not said that she will join the Criminal Minds family full-time again. Fans have taken to Twitter to say that Prentiss could never replace Morgan, because fans want to see both of them on the show.

Fans have also said that Morgan could never be replaced, showing just how difficult it will be for a new actor to come in. It would make it easier for Criminal Minds to bring in a character that fans already know, have some sort of connection to, and accept.

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]

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