The heat goes on and on. Tangled with cancellation rumors, poor ratings and the “unfavorable” new cast members, “Criminal Minds” is undisputedly set for bigger issues following the termination of its crucial actor, Thomas Gibson.
The press, especially the avid fans of the series are not pleased with Gibson being kicked out of the show after his controversial on-set altercation with the program’s writer. A witness of the commotion revealed that the popular kick was not intentional, instead it happened purely out of instinct and for self-defense.
“It wasn’t like [Gibson] punched him. Williams is a boxer and a martial artist, he’s no angel. He can be very aggressive. [Williams] got very aggressive, so Thomas walked away and then he felt like the guy was coming after him. He turned around and kicked just on instinct, like a reflex,” a source said.
The incident was blown out of proportion. It could have been fixed by ABC and CBS. Even the veteran actor was surprised of the turn of events. Then there’s the protest staged by the strong followers of the series. They pledged to not watching “Criminal Minds” not until the showrunners will allow Gibson to reprise his role.
Despite recent reports stating that the boycott may come to a close due to its steady increase in ratings, still the remarkable drop in viewership is but alarming.
The boycott goes on #NoHotchNoWatch #HotchIsOurHero
— nohotchnowatch
Gibson and co-star Shemar Moore were reportedly the foundation of the series’ success throughout the 11 installments and their absence can only conclude the show’s unfortunate downfall. And yes, the boycott is not ending. It’s far from that picture. In fact, it even gets fiercer.
When CBS added Adam Rodriguez (Luke Galvez) and recently Damon Gupton (Stephen Walker), little did the network know that it added more fuel to the fire.
The fans' comments lashed out on the management’s inability to prove that they can do better without Aaron Hotchner. The new characters have zero liabilities with the fateful happening between Gibson and the kicked writer but they are already dragged in a mess that they shouldn’t be part of.
“Stop the new people! Still miss Thomas Gibson! Not the same without him! The new ones so far are ok but shows not quite as good as they were! I know there is not a lot less sick'os out there! But leave show alone don't need new people your ruining a great show!,” Mary Klein fearlessly stated.
"They've already weakened the integrity of the show by letting Hotch go! Now adding another cast member tells me that they are suffering! I hope they realize that they're losing control of their show!!!! Probably their last season!!!!," Sandra Merchant commented.
Klein and Merchant are few of the huge fan base of “Criminal Minds” that is clearly unhappy, dismayed and angered. Only one solution can address the problem: Bring Gibson back to the show.
