The Big Picture

• Detective William LaMontagne Jr. won't return for Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution, leaving fans wondering about his character's future.
• Showrunner Erica Messer explains that the absence of Will in the new season will be addressed by saying he's busy with work.
• Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution premieres on June 6 on Paramount+, continuing the BAU's hunt for the mysterious Gold Star.

In Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution, the BAU will face its biggest threat when they unravel the mystery of Gold Star. But that will happen without Det. William LaMontagne Jr., as Josh Stewart, announced that he wouldn't return for the second season of the revival of the long-running series. Details about the exit have not yet been released, but an interview with TV Line, Criminal Minds: Evolution showrunner Erica Messer revealed the character's future. She talked about attempting to make Will part of the second season, but things didn't work out. "We tried to make it work for this year and it just didn’t work out. We love Will, JJ loves Will… and that’s always a part of her world and her character," said Messer.

Will is an integral part of the cast, and the character is connected to the BAU in more ways than one. Messer talked about how they planned to address the characters' exit from work and home life. She revealed that events in the second season would occur in six weeks, and explaining the character's absence for that period was easy. The show addresses Will's absence in Episode 1 of Season 2 when his wife, JJ, says he's busy with work. Messer confirmed this would be the case all season, saying, "Yeah – again, not much time has passed, and this season is like six weeks of story. It’s just a blip in everybody’s life."

Josh Stewart's 'Criminal Minds' Day Are Over

Stewart joined the series in Season 2 and played the character for the duration of the series' first run on CBS. His character saw tremendous career and personal growth as he started a family with BAU's JJ. Stewart reprised his role in Season 1 of the reboot as the BAU went after their biggest fish, Elias Voit. The character had a cancer scare, but upon further medical inquiry, it was revealed to be a thyroid.

While responding to a fan's question on social media, Stewart revealed that he wouldn't return for Season 2, saying, "No sadly, my days of playing Will LaMontagne Jr. are over. You guys have been the absolute best." He didn't reveal why he had decided to leave the show. Lately, Stewart has been seen in the Apple TV+ series Manhunt.

Will's Space Is Expected To Be Filled By a Familiar Character

With Will's arc not being a part of the story this season, Messer revealed that they pivoted to focus on Tyler, upgrading Ryan-James Hatanaka to series regular. Tyler presents a unique opportunity for the story and the unit. While the show has avoided messing up work relationships with romantic arcs, they decided to jump in this season with Tyler and Kirsten. Tyler will also be present in another capacity, acting as a consultant for the BAU. His status places him in a unique position where he can do things the BAU agents can't because he doesn't have a badge.

"Bringing a romantic relationship into that workspace is something that we never did on the CBS version, so once we jumped off that cliff and did it in Season 16, we thought, “Now what? What if he stays around and becomes a consultant on the team?” That character can do things that the rest of the team can’t really do with their badge and guns." said Messer about the arc.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 premieres on June 6 with two episodes on Paramount+ and a new episode each week. Catch up on Paramount+.

Criminal Minds

Criminal Minds follows the elite team of FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as they analyze and track down the country’s most dangerous serial killers and criminals. Led by experienced agents like Jason Gideon, Aaron Hotchner, and later David Rossi, the team delves into the minds of the perpetrators, using psychological profiling and investigative techniques to anticipate their next moves. Each episode features intense and often chilling cases, while also exploring the personal lives and challenges faced by the team members.

WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+

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