‘Criminal Minds’ Season 12: Any News On Renewal?


CBS is still on the fence about Criminal Minds Season 12. Since the exit of Shemar Moore, fans are desperate to know whether the crime drama is going to be renewed or not.

So far, CBS has announced a handful of shows that are definitely being renewed. NCIS will lose Michael Weatherly at the end of this season, but it has still been renewed for two more years. That news without Criminal Minds being renewed has led to worries that the show will be cancelled. It is possible that Moore’s exit will make CBS decide it is no longer worthwhile airing the drama.

Design & Trend says that Moore’s exit is not the only thing going against Criminal Minds Season 12 right now. The show is not just CBS’ property, but it is co-produced with ABC Studios. While CBS puts up the cost for the show, ABC is the one that receives the benefits financially. There is no real incentive for CBS to continue with the drama if this continues. ABC would have to make the decision whether to foot the bill to keep the show alive.

Looking at the ratings, Criminal Minds is still doing well. It may have helped that Moore’s exit had been planned for a year, and executive producer Erica Messer was able to lessen the blow by bringing Paget Brewster back for the episode after. It may also help that Moore has not been the only main character on the show. The whole team have fans following them, whether they love Spencer Reid’s brain, Penelope Garcia’s hacking skills, or Hotch’s ability to lead.

The overall storylines tend to be team-focused, even when centered on one particular character. The BAU is a family, and all are there for each other when something happens. This has been seen throughout Criminal Minds’ run, and makes the loss of one team member much easier to deal with for audiences.

The Season 11 finale is expected to be the biggest yet. According to the synopsis, Hotch will be accused of conspiracy, and the team has to work together to prove his innocence. This is very different to the way previous season finales have played out, where one or more team members face possible deaths.

It will not be the first time the Criminal Minds team has been targeted directly. Nor will it be the first time Hotch has directly been targeted. Many fans will assume that Hotch is innocent in this Season 11 finale, and they will want to know who is setting him up and why. The last time he was directly attacked, his ex-wife was killed.

Frances Fisher will come into the show as a serial killer called Antonia Slade, while Rossi’s ex-wife, Hayden Montgomery, will appear again, played by Sheryl Lee Ralph. Fisher was already confirmed as a serial killer for the season and will have a large role in the finale.

There is just over a month for the Criminal Minds Season 11 finale to air, as it was confirmed for May 25. The next few episodes are likely to set up some of the story for this, especially now that Moore’s departure has been finalized.

The upcoming finale date has led to more fear for fans that Criminal Minds has been cancelled. Every other year, the network has usually announced a renewal by now. It is possible that CBS is waiting to see how Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders does but also wants to see how the next few episodes hold up with Moore’s departure. Fans can find out here as soon as an announcement for Criminal Minds Season 12 has been made.

[Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images]

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