To ease that transition, the show convinced actress Paget Brewster to return full-time as Emily Prentiss, and the creative team will be capitalizing on Aisha Tyler’s promotion to series regular as Dr. Tara Lewis.
As well, expect another lead character or two to get introduced in the early part of the season.
Criminal Minds, which brought Rodriguez in to replace Shemar Moore, obviously had more shoes to fill after Thomas Gibson was fired, a situation that occurred following an argument Gibson had with an episode writer during one episode’s filming, which led to Gibson kicking the writer.
(When he was only suspended, showrunner Erica Messer revealed the character would be going on another mission to explain the actor’s absence, and it’s assumed something similar will be used here.)