Criminal Minds Preview: Run For Your Life (Season 12 Episode 4)

It’s a Halloween mystery on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 4, and no, that mystery is not why Aaron Hotchner has really left the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Most of us, if not all, know that Thomas Gibson was fired from the series during shooting for Season 12 Episode 3 and was consequently written out; his absence explained away to a case from the Director of the FBI.

Without him, the series has to adjust to their new team, and attempt to liven the show up since, after all, it has been on the air for 12 seasons. This preview promises, just as the past three episodes have shown, that the writers still have horrible, creepy, killer ideas lingering in their minds for potential serial killer cases.

What happens when you corner an animal? They fight for their survival.

That is exactly what these people are doing as they’re being hunted through the woods. (Also, if the killer is dressing up like a clown and chasing them through the woods, I will actually throw my remote through the television. Don’t even play around here.)

Plus, it seems like Reid is either hiding something, or perhaps the recent reappearance of his mother is causing him some grief on the frightening holiday.

All in all, the reappearance of Emily Prentiss has been a welcome change to the series, and honestly, we aren’t missing Aaron Hotchner that much. It’s definitely different without him, but his dynamic with the team has been the same since Season 1, and it was beyond stale.

Now, there’s new people along with old faces, and someone new will be in charge, so we can experience the BAU under the tutelage of someone other than Aaron Hotchner for once, and see how they hold up in the tensest times.

Criminal Minds continues Wednesday at 9/8c on CBS.

Jay Ruymann

Jay is a freelance writer and a Slytherin, who uses Leslie Knope as a role model, suffering from an addiction to coffee and television that is only encouraged by his professional life. While busy slaving away at the day-to-day, he also enjoys a good binge-watch of Parks and Recreation and Pretty Little Liars.