‘Criminal Minds’ Season 12 Latest News, Update: Decline In Ratings Caused By Thomas Gibson’s Departure? Here Is What We Know So Far

"Criminal Minds" has been filled with controversy as it picked up its 12th season this year. The reason behind is that the fan-favorite Thomas Gibson who gives life to Aaron Hotchner's character was unfortunately removed from the show. However, it seems the status of the popular TV crime drama was also affected by Gibson's exit as its ratings reportedly dropped than the usual numbers.

As per a report from Inquisitr, the loss of Gibson's character in addition to the departure of Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan caused "Criminal Minds" to lose millions of viewers. From an initial 19 million viewers since its debut in 2005, the numbers saw a huge slide and ended with about 8 million for its Season 12. Though the producers have not confirmed that the downfall in ratings was caused by some character exit, it is speculated that the removal of Gibson from "Criminal Minds" is one of the reasons that aggravated the matter.

It can be recalled that fans of the hit crime series had carried out a protest on Twitter with an official hashtag "NoHotchNoWatch. This is to voice out that they no longer appreciate the show especially with the withdrawal of Hotch as the BAU chief. This apparently made an impression on "Criminal Minds" ratings as even those who are not actual fans of the actor were concerned about the continuous trend of characters who are leaving.

For the uninitiated, Gibson had to go after a physical altercation with one of "Criminal Minds" writers, JobsnHire reported. It is also unlikely for him to reprise his role though nothing has been ended definitely for now. "Criminal Minds" Season 12 just saw Hotch leave to join his son in a witness protection program to keep him safe from the serial killer Mr. Scratch.

Meanwhile, a report from Cartermatt pointed out that "Criminal Minds" is left with less number of characters who have been there from the start. Gibson is one of the few original members of the show so it seems unfortunate to see him go. However, the report also claimed that there must be another reason behind the decline in "Criminal Minds" ratings apart from Gibson's departure.

"Criminal Minds" is left with a few more episodes before the current season wraps up in 2017. In the meantime, tell us what you think about Gibson's withdrawal from the show. Are you also oe of the fans who is sad to see him go?