With the seventh season now at a close, I thought we could talk a bit about next season and some of the storylines/character developments we would like to see take place. For instance, how would you like the show to handle the question of Prentiss’ (Paget Brewster) absence from the BAU? Would you like to see one of the other agents mention Emily and what she has been up to since leaving the team? Or would you prefer the show leave that question unanswered and start season 8 without mentioning an update on Emily?

This season brought many changes for our characters, especially in their personal lives. JJ (A.J. Cook) got married and Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) seemingly ended her relationship with Kevin Lynch. Would you like to see Garcia reunite with Kevin or explore her life as a newly single lady? Now that Will and JJ are married, should we see more or less of JJ’s home life?

In related news, Hotch (Thomas Gibson) introduced his new girlfriend to his son. While all signs pointed to Jack liking Beth, is it possible that could change as she and Hotch become more serious. As for Rossi (Joe Mantegna), this season saw him deal with the death of his first wife. Would you like to learn more about their relationship or maybe meet the other Mrs. Rossi’s?

Morgan (Shemar Moore) brought his kidnapped cousin and her son home to his family. Do you want to see more of Morgan’s family and his cousin’s struggle to re-establish her life after so many years in captivity? With everything else going on, Reid’s (Matthew Gray Gubler) personal life took a bit of a back seat this season, though he did celebrate his 30th birthday and repair his friendships with JJ and Emily. Would you like to see more of Dr. Reid’s off-the-clock activities in season 8?

Now that Strauss (Jayne Atkinson) has returned to duty and appears to have a newfound appreciation for the team, would you like to see more of her in season 8? If so, do you think she makes a better ally or enemy for our agents? Most of you responded to our poll stating that you believed the Rossi-Strauss relationship has been an ongoing thing for several years. Would you like season 8 to confirm that and explore their connection or do you hope it remains in the background?

And what about the cases? In my opinion, some of the best episodes of Criminal Minds have been the arc episodes — mostly notably, episodes featuring George Foyet (aka The Reaper) and Prentiss’ past with Ian Doyle. Would you like to see more arc episodes in season 8 or do you think we need a break from those long-reaching plots?

Are there any other storylines or character developments you would like to see explored when Criminal Minds returns? If so, leave a comment below detailing what you would like to see next season.

Megan Cole
Contributing Writer

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Megan Cole

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV