Summary

• Prentiss will have a personal storyline in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, focusing on the death of Deputy Director Bailey.
• Showrunner Erica Messer teases Prentiss's struggles with Bailey's death, as the new season picks up only two weeks later.
• The new season could explore Prentiss's relationships outside of the BAU, showing a different side to her character.

Thomas Gibson abruptly left Criminal Minds. As she continues to spearhead her team, she will also have her own issues to deal with when Criminal Minds: Evolution returns for season 2.

Production for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has been quietly progressing for several weeks now, and to give the public an idea of what to expect from the new season, showrunner Erica Messer reveals Prentiss' future arc. Speaking with TVLine, she mentions that the unexpected death of Deputy Director Bailey will weigh on Prentiss' shoulders. When asked if Prentiss has a major story, Messer said, "She does!" She then revealed that season 2 picks up two weeks after the season 1 finale, "so Prentiss is struggling with that quite a bit."

Why Prentiss Needs To Be Focused On In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2

Like everyone on the team, there is no doubt about Prentiss' devotion to the cause. That being said, season 1 explored the backstories of some of the Criminal Minds: Evolution characters, catching viewers up on how they have been doing since the CBS series initially wrapped up. Dave Rossi was reeling over the death of his wife, while Penelope Garcia thrived in her new job before having to re the BAU. Meanwhile, there was more focus on JJ and Will's family life. Prentiss' arc, on the other hand, was exclusively tied to her job.

Messer's tease continues that trend, with the death of Bailey being the center of her arc in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2. Hopefully, however, there's more to her storyline than that. It would be great to see Prentiss venture out of the BAU's halls and develop relationships beyond the ones she has with her team. While that could be tricky to execute, considering Criminal Minds: Evolution only has 10 episodes per year, Tara Lewis' latest arc proves that it can be done.

Ultimately, Prentiss needs a life outside of the FBI and BAU. She has dated people in the past, but her last compelling personal arc was when she went undercover and subsequently started a romance with terrorist Ian Doyle. ittedly, it may not happen in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, considering the mystery about Gold Star. However, it needs to happen in the near future.

Watch Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+.

Source: TVLine