Aaron Hotchner: High and Tight

[smoker]

20 minutes ago, senin said:

Why?

Why is it that every episode I watch these days seems to be absolutely full of Hotch everywhere??

Just watched "A Place at the Table".(I had already seen it, my son was watching it and, of course, I couldn't avoid joining him)

 The scenes between Hotch and his father-in -law are so... emotional, well acted on both parts,... 

I'm going to miss him sooo much (I have already said this at least a dozen times, sorry)

I've watched it too senin hehe

I do love this Hotch subplot because of the great performance and because I think it pays tribute to Haley better than Route 66.

Moreover, small flaws are always interesting to pick at later xD

• This episode always leaves me wondering where Roy was living. Didn't he own a house where Jessica could move out, instead of looking for another apartament?
• We don't know what happened to his wife. Is Jessica single? Is there any other sibling out there?
• Another interesting subplot would have been: Hotch working in another state and unable to come back. Leaving Jessica on her own, taking care of Jack, her job and unexpected situations, for example, his father illness.

I will miss Hotch terribly.

[senin]

3 minutes ago, smoker said:

I've watched it too senin hehe

I do love this Hotch subplot because of the great performance and because I think it pays tribute to Haley better than Route 66.

 

I had never thought about it this way, being a nice tribute to Haley, and I agree with you!!

Edited September 25, 2016 by senin

[SSAHotchner]

On 9/25/2016 at 6:24 AM, senin said:

Why?

Why is it that every episode I watch these days seems to be absolutely full of Hotch everywhere??

Just watched "A Place at the Table".(I had already seen it, my son was watching it and, of course, I couldn't avoid joining him)

 The scenes between Hotch and his father-in -law are so... emotional, well acted on both parts,... 

I'm going to miss him sooo much (I have already said this at least a dozen times, sorry)

I'm with you. Just watched "Pleasure is My Business" on ION TV today, which is one of my very favorite Hotch episodes. The empathy and tenderness he shows towards the unsub, Megan Kane, gets to me every time. And when she says to him, "How could your wife ever have left someone like you?" I yell "YEAH!!!!" at the TV. I just love him to pieces. 

[smoker]

12 hours ago, SSAHotchner said:

I'm with you. Just watched "Pleasure is My Business" on ION TV today, which is one of my very favorite Hotch episodes. The empathy and tenderness he shows towards the unsub, Megan Kane, gets to me every time. And when she says to him, "How could your wife ever have left someone like you?" I yell "YEAH!!!!" at the TV. I just love him to pieces. 

I absolutely love this episode.

And you can call me crazy, but I love even more the interactions between Hotch and the lawyer. The scene where Gibson and Katherine Dent are standing in the hall is priceless. It's funny and the acting is perfect.

Edited September 28, 2016 by smoker

[MaliceMisel]

I have a question to TG fans here.

Will you watch the premier and episode2 of S12?

As I'm a Reid fan, CBS is all about that new guy, which pissed me off, so I'll happily join,"No Watch" movement until episode11.

But as a Hotch fan, Hotch stays till ep2, so will you watch the first 2 episodes??

Or "No Watch No Hotch" means "no watch S12"??

Edited September 28, 2016 by MaliceMisel

[secnarf]

2 minutes ago, MaliceMisel said:

I have a question to TG fans here.

Will you watch the premier and episode2 of S12?

As I'm a Reid fan, CBS is all about that new guy, which pissed me off, so I'll happily join,"No Watch" movement until episode11.

But as a Hotch fan, Hotch stays till ep2, so will you watch the first 2 episodes??

Or "No Watch No Hotch" means "no watch S12"??

What's so special about episode 11? The new guy is a regular, isn't he?

I suspect some people will watch the first couple, some will stay to see how he's written off, some will continue to watch and some will not watch at all. It's a personal decision.

[ForeverAlone]

Episode 11 is the first episode of the Reid's mom arc. 

[Willowy]

15 minutes ago, MaliceMisel said:

 

As I'm a Reid fan, CBS is all about that new guy, which pissed me off, so I'll happily join,"No Watch" movement until episode11.

 

Happily? So you'll miss all the season, all the story development (that includes Reid in every episode, by the way), up until ep 11 because...? You're mad there's a new guy?

Sorry, I don't understand this 'no watch' stuff. What I wonder, is how you think you're a Criminal Minds fan if you refuse to watch the show unless your best-loved person on the team is front and center. It's a show about a team. Somebody leaves, somebody new fills the hole. Like real jobs do. 

[secnarf]

2 minutes ago, Franky said:

Happily? So you'll miss all the season, all the story development (that includes Reid in every episode, by the way), up until ep 11 because...? You're mad there's a new guy?

Sorry, I don't understand this 'no watch' stuff. What I wonder, is how you think you're a Criminal Minds fan if you refuse to watch the show unless your best-loved person on the team is front and center. It's a show about a team. Somebody leaves, somebody new fills the hole. Like real jobs do. 

Personally, I don't really get it either for this show, but as I said before, it's a personal decision. People can choose not to watch a show, or episodes of a show, if they don't want to, for any reason(s) they choose, and it's not really for anybody else to say if a person is a fan of a show or not. You may disagree with the reasoning - personally, I think the introduction of a new character, which they have done several times before, does not in any way mean that there won't be any Reid in the first ten episodes and so that doesn't make any sense to me, but what's it to me if someone else decides it's not worth their time to watch?

I've said before that I would like if the show ended at the end of the season. Some people have said that that's 'selfish' or means I'm not a 'true fan'. Really, it's my opinion, and I have my own reasons for it, and others don't have to agree, but that's about it. You (general 'you', not any specific person) don't get to judge me for it.

Besides, if a person watched and supported the show for over a decade, shouldn't that count for something? Even if they didn't, IMO it's not so clear cut that another person can say if a person is a "true fan".

Sorry for the rant. I just don't see what's to be gained from all of this discussion over who is a 'true fan', why you should watch if you're a true fan, why you shouldn't watch if you're a fan of X character, etc. It seems kind of childish to me. Everyone can - and should - make their own decisions. If any of you choose not to watch anymore I hope you let us know so we can say goodbye, but IMO there's no need to push others to make similar decisions or imply/state that a 'true fan' would do X.

Also it's not entirely this show that is prompting this semi-rant. I feel like more than half the shows I watch have lost one or more major characters, usually with my favourite character(s) leaving - NCIS, NCIS NOLA, Code Black, CM, Supergirl to some extent, etc. This topic has come up a lot. It's kind of depressing.

[Willowy]

I hear you secnarf, and not judging really, just don't get it.

Also, not sure that all those vowing not to watch, will actually quit the show. Seems to me that their natural curiosity will kick in and everyone will be back watching. Like someone I know said, you can't just dump a show in a day when you've been there for 10 (or more) years. 

[Lebanna]

9 minutes ago, Franky said:

I hear you secnarf, and not judging really, just don't get it.

Also, not sure that all those vowing not to watch, will actually quit the show. Seems to me that their natural curiosity will kick in and everyone will be back watching. Like someone I know said, you can't just dump a show in a day when you've been there for 10 (or more) years. 

I believe that a lot of people said they would quit watching when Patrick Dempsey was killed off on Grey's Anatomy. But the ratings actually went up. So.

I guess we'll have to wait and see. But definitely what people say on the internet and what they do in real life often bear little relation to each other.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Lebanna

[secnarf]

5 minutes ago, Franky said:

I hear you secnarf, and not judging really, just don't get it.

Also, not sure that all those vowing not to watch, will actually quit the show. Seems to me that their natural curiosity will kick in and everyone will be back watching. Like someone I know said, you can't just dump a show in a day when you've been there for 10 (or more) years. 

Some people have been fairly judgy though. I don't remember who said it, but someone did call me selfish for saying I wanted the show to end.

I agree with the natural curiosity though! When Code Black first announced they fired the actors playing my two favourite characters, my knee-jerk reaction was that I won't watch. Throughout the first season, I was definitely on the fence about the show - mostly due to it's high level of drama, which is something I try to avoid - and it was really only those two characters that drew me in and got me to keep watching. With the premiere tonight, though, I'm kind of curious to see what will happen, so I might end up watching just out of curiosity.

I have a hard time seeing how someone could NOT be curious about what happens to Hotch if they're a huge Hotch fan, but other people might just be less curious than I am :P

Anyways, somewhat on-topic, is Hotch supposed to be in the first couple of episodes much anyways? I'm a bit confused as to the timelines of kickgate and Emily coming back and whatnot.
 

[SSAHotchner]

1 hour ago, Franky said:

Happily? So you'll miss all the season, all the story development (that includes Reid in every episode, by the way), up until ep 11 because...? You're mad there's a new guy?

Sorry, I don't understand this 'no watch' stuff. What I wonder, is how you think you're a Criminal Minds fan if you refuse to watch the show unless your best-loved person on the team is front and center. It's a show about a team. Somebody leaves, somebody new fills the hole. Like real jobs do. 

The way I look at is, I was a Criminal Minds fan, but I'm not any longer. And it's not just about Hotch. The writing has steadily declined since season 5. I looked forward to season 7 with high hopes after the whole fiasco with Seaver was over and the rightful team was coming back. And I think there were a handful of good episodes in season 7, but the writing continued to decline. The finale of that season was among the worst of the CM season finales IMO. Anyway, I've been hanging on ever since because I love Hotch and because I have many online friends I've made discussing the show over the years. It's been a habit not so much a love. And I can count on one hand, sometimes on  1 finger, the number of episodes per season starting with season 8 that I thought were any good or would even consider watching again. Now, don't get me wrong, I do like, even love some of the other characters, but the firing of Thomas Gibson was just the last straw for me. But I also recognize that many other people don't feel the same way and will continue to watch. I'm not here, or on any other forum, to berate them for that, and I expect the same courtesy from them when I say I'm no longer going to watch. I will continue to check in to see what others have to say about the program this season. This has mostly been a great place to chat with folks and exchange opinions. I hope it continues to be that way and that posters won't chastise others who don't have the exact same point of view as their own. 

[thewhiteowl]

As a former Hotch fan but still CM fan I will watch. No judgement.  If anyone feels chastised let me know. I thought it was just a question, no one has to answer. 

[SSAHotchner]

2 minutes ago, thewhiteowl said:

As a former Hotch fan but still CM fan I will watch. No judgement.  If anyone feels chastised let me know. I thought it was just a question, no one has to answer. 

I definitely detected a tone in that particular post...an accusatory tone directed at the previous poster. Just wanted to reiterate in my post that everyone is allowed to have and state their own opinion. But I'm done. I promise not to rise to the bait or challenge anyone again, Whiteowl.  

[MMC]

I am going to miss Hotch, but as long as Reid is still there I will still watch maybe not as diligently as I use to. Nowadays it is not unusual for me to miss several episodes per season since I no longer really watch so much for the stories themselves, but instead I watch mainly for Reid. Once upon a time back when the show was better written I might have tried to watch it without him, but no longer. Because to me it is just not worth sitting thru the Unsub show without him. Heck there have been times I have found it hard to sit thru an episode even when him there. Of course those were usually the episodes where I felt he had once again been marginalized.

[ReidFan]

it was worth watching for him tonight MMC :)

[Willowy]

I love that you said, SSAHotchner, that you consider yourself a former fan. That explains it perfectly and seems, if I may, a little sad. Not questioning your decision, of course, because you made it perfectly clear why you feel that way... but as a fan I wish everyone could stay one too and losing one of 'the fam' kind of sucks. Glad you'll still be around to share and offer comments!

In watching Hotch on ION and because of what's happened, I've been kind of laser-focused on Hotch these past days. I'd like to share what I'll miss about him and if you all would like to, that might make us feel better a little?

I'll miss his walk. Hotch Walk. The way he holds his hands away from his body like he's always ready to grab his gun.

His voice.

His insight into each of the team, and his sharing when asked.

His pivoting head whenever they were on site on a case. Whether it be at the LLE station or out in the field. He always had the lay of the land.

His leadership. Strong, but always willing to listen when someone else brought something to the table.

The way he wore the suit.

"Wheels up in 30"

[SSAHotchner]

Franky, I have DVDs for season 1-7 so I can watch any time I want to. I don't watch the DVDs as much as I did when I first got them. But I will tune in when I notice an early episode is on ION or A&E. It always astounds me at the clear differences in the writing of those early seasons. And the characters are truer, more fleshed out and have more differences. Often now it seems that they write the lines and then just go down the list and divvy them out equally rather than thinking which character with which skill set would be the one to pick up on this aspect of the case, this trait of the unsub. Even Gideon adds so much to the case and the feel of the show. Yeah, Mandy turned out to be a dick, but I still enjoy the insight that the Gideon character had. With more recent newbies, they try to hit us over the head with how great these folks are as they step onto the team. You no longer see a learning curve for them and it seems the writers are bent on telling us how great the characters are rather than letting us see them in action using those skills that make them a valuable addition to the team. One of the things I liked about the introduction of Elle and Prentiss was that they asked questions of Gideon and Hotch to learn about how they profiled. 

The relationships between the characters whether at work or a brief social interchange was believable and natural. In later seasons it felt like they threw in social gatherings to force us to believe they were all one big happy family. It wasn't necessary in the early seasons. You felt their respect and caring toward each one. I miss a lot of those exchanges between characters: Gideon mentoring Reid and Elle, Elle propping up Reid and treating him like an adult, Elle and Prentiss both had good relationships with Morgan, Hotch the stern leader not letting anyone get away with anything, but then being kind like with Reid at the end of LDSK, and physics magic. Sorry, I could think of more but the old sleeping pill is kicking in and I feel I may soon be typing gibberish. :)

Have a lovely rest of the evening, All. Come back and tell me what you thought of the episode tonight. 

[smoker]

18 hours ago, SSAHotchner said:

The way I look at is, I was a Criminal Minds fan, but I'm not any longer. And it's not just about Hotch. The writing has steadily declined since season 5. I looked forward to season 7 with high hopes after the whole fiasco with Seaver was over and the rightful team was coming back. And I think there were a handful of good episodes in season 7, but the writing continued to decline. The finale of that season was among the worst of the CM season finales IMO. Anyway, I've been hanging on ever since because I love Hotch and because I have many online friends I've made discussing the show over the years. It's been a habit not so much a love. And I can count on one hand, sometimes on  1 finger, the number of episodes per season starting with season 8 that I thought were any good or would even consider watching again. Now, don't get me wrong, I do like, even love some of the other characters, but the firing of Thomas Gibson was just the last straw for me. But I also recognize that many other people don't feel the same way and will continue to watch. I'm not here, or on any other forum, to berate them for that, and I expect the same courtesy from them when I say I'm no longer going to watch. I will continue to check in to see what others have to say about the program this season. This has mostly been a great place to chat with folks and exchange opinions. I hope it continues to be that way and that posters won't chastise others who don't have the exact same point of view as their own. 

Why mess with perfection?

I do feel the same way and I couldn't say it better.

[SSAHotchner]

Hey, I know that line, Smoker. ;) Diana Reid to Spencer Reid in season 4 Memoriam. 

[smoker]

I haven't read it yet, but I saw it and it made my day!

http://www.tv.com/news/criminal-minds-the-16-best-hotch-moments-ever----ranked-147568358400/

[senin]

Just had a very quick look!! It's good, very good... and of course in the present circumstances, it has a bittersweet taste. 

[Droogie]

Bittersweet and infuriating, since we all know who owns TV Guide...

[smoker]

Damn! I had never payed attention to it. That explains that promo, I though they were only some comercials... Definitely, it explains a lot...

Speechless  :(

Edited October 5, 2016 by smoker

[SSAHotchner]

I would have chosen many of the same, if not all, moments, but the order I would place them in is different. For me my very favorite Hotch moment is him cleaning the blood off of Elle's wall. In the second spot I would have put the scene with Megan Kane. Others would be different, too, but those are my top 2 Hotch moments. And I never would have included scenes from Route 66. While I love that Hotch loved Haley more than Beth, I hated that Virgil turned that whole episode into a Beth love fest when she wasn't even going to be around anymore and IMO TG and BY had zero chemistry on screen. I just hated her giggly, pushy ways. 

[Bookish Jen]

19 minutes ago, SSAHotchner said:

I would have chosen many of the same, if not all, moments, but the order I would place them in is different. For me my very favorite Hotch moment is him cleaning the blood off of Elle's wall. In the second spot I would have put the scene with Megan Kane. Others would be different, too, but those are my top 2 Hotch moments. And I never would have included scenes from Route 66. While I love that Hotch loved Haley more than Beth, I hated that Virgil turned that whole episode into a Beth love fest when she wasn't even going to be around anymore and IMO TG and BY had zero chemistry on screen. I just hated her giggly, pushy ways. 

I agree 100% with this comment!!!

[senin]

Two of my favourite Hotch's scenes are not in the list: the ending scene  of season 4  "sometimes the day, just... ends" and Haley's funeral. I can watch them again, and again, and again....

Editing to add a new scene: the ending scene of Nelson's Sparrow, with Rossi. I think it's one of the very few times we see and hear Hotch laughing. 

Edited October 5, 2016 by senin

[MaliceMisel]

5 hours ago, smoker said:

I haven't read it yet, but I saw it and it made my day!

http://www.tv.com/news/criminal-minds-the-16-best-hotch-moments-ever----ranked-147568358400/

So...Hotch will be in ep2? Good. I was just guessing his scenes would be all deleted.

[smoker]

6 minutes ago, MaliceMisel said:

So...Hotch will be in ep2? Good. I was just guessing his scenes would be all deleted.

That's what they say, but I wont be surprised if you're right and he is only named in the credits. 

[SSAHotchner]

3 hours ago, senin said:

Two of my favourite Hotch's scenes are not in the list: the ending scene  of season 4  "sometimes the day, just... ends" and Haley's funeral. I can watch them again, and again, and again....

Editing to add a new scene: the ending scene of Nelson's Sparrow, with Rossi. I think it's one of the very few times we see and hear Hotch laughing. 

Yes, I love that soliloquy at the end of To Hell...And Back.

[senin]

My small, very small but deeply felt tribute to Aaron Hotchner:

A picture of him is at the moment the wallpaper of my laptop, so I see him everytime I use it. 

I have a list of my favourite scenes of him (from youtube) and I watch them from time to time... almost everyday. 

I still can't believe we won't have him again in CM, and we had so very little in his last episode!!

[SSAHotchner]

37 minutes ago, senin said:

My small, very small but deeply felt tribute to Aaron Hotchner:

A picture of him is at the moment the wallpaper of my laptop, so I see him everytime I use it. 

I have a list of my favourite scenes of him (from youtube) and I watch them from time to time... almost everyday. 

I still can't believe we won't have him again in CM, and we had so very little in his last episode!!

I know. I haven't watched this season because of him leaving, but I still feel like I'm in denial about him being gone. Love him so much! 

[Emma9]

When I accidentally spotted the headline over the summer about Shemar commenting on 'Thomas Gibson's firing', I was shocked, then of course went right to denial (Well, that phrasing is ambiguous, maybe he's talking about someone ELSE who was fired BY Thomas Gibson) and proceeded to avoid spoilers like the plague (which I usually do anyway, but with a vengeance this time).

But after the CBS title cards having Rossi and Garcia replace Hotch, and hearing that Padgett was coming back, I couldn't sustain the head-in-the-sand pose. But I didn't know when. I thought he wouldn't be in (or would quickly die in) the premiere. Then I thought that that was why JJ was so upset at the start of last week's episode. Then I thought 'Okay, well, they're not going to kill him off in JJ's big character episode, so one more week at least'. Didn't realize the actor would be gone between one episode and the next.

After this week, I buckled and read the articles, and the comments here, and well. Shitty for everyone involved. I'm mostly in agreement with 'None of us was there and will never really know everything that happened', but it's sad to think of TG that way when one of Hotch's defining features was how extremely provoked he needed to be before resorting to violence.

If they just stick with the TDY, it would be a pretty lame write-out, but I'd frankly prefer it to the offscreen death that's probably coming instead. A poignant episode of our remaining characters being sad and/or raining hellfire on whichever of the still-at-large serial killers who I'm guessing will take him out? Or the ability to headcanon that he's been reassigned to the New Mexico field office where he can work cases and snark with Blackwolf in perpetuity, and Jack will never lose his dad? I know what I'd pick.

I do wish his last scene had gone differently; I've always enjoyed his and JJ's dynamic, and it felt like he was much colder than he typically is with her in order to set up CSI:Miami-Guy being the one she actually got to have a conversation with on the plane.

(Regarding CSI:M-G in and of himself; I never had any strong feelings about him there, but if they keep throwing in scenes with the dog, hey, I'm easy. Then again Rossi started out with a dog too, ditto Morgan, so Roxy should watch out for whatever black (plot)hole they got sucked into.)

But at least it's more than the fans of Hotch and Prentiss got. I never saw the chemistry there, but it's got to sting that they just missed seeing one last interaction. (Unless PB's hiring was prompted solely by TG's firing. In which case, I'm impressed that they got her a contract, brought her on-set, and wrote her scenes in the episode that fast.)

It was also opined upthread that Hotch, being a tall/stern/handsome/stoic sort, is easily replaceable. I will freely admit to having a type, and that that type tends towards being the same characters that many perceive as boring, so with that in mind, (should CM stick around long enough), CBS could fill the Hotch void by hiring Jim Caviezel, whose show just ended and who it would fit like a glove.

(I'd go so far as to say I'd accept it if they simply declared him the new Darrin and never killed off Hotch at all. Yes, I know this is utter heresy.)

Going forward, I still love JJ and like Prentiss, so I'll keep watching while it lasts.

[Mom x 3]

42 minutes ago, Emma9 said:

I will freely admit to having a type, and that that type tends towards being the same characters that many perceive as boring, so with that in mind, (should CM stick around long enough), CBS could fill the Hotch void by hiring Jim Caviezel, whose show just ended and who it would fit like a glove.

(I'd go so far as to say I'd accept it if they simply declared him the new Darrin and never killed off Hotch at all. Yes, I know this is utter heresy.)

 

I would go for any of that.  I would love to see Caviezel on TV again.  

[smoker]

I saw this a minute ago, I think this is a good place to share it 

 

I love her twitter header by the way :D

[Bookish Jen]

29 minutes ago, smoker said:

I saw this a minute ago, I think this is a good place to share it 

 

I love her twitter header by the way :D

Thanks for sharing this. After Matthew, the CM-related person I would most want to interview is BJ Rogers.

[Droogie]

Yesterday I watched a few eps from S3 on ION (rather than do what I was actually supposed to be doing) and had a couple of thoughts.  These thoughts are sort of extensions of the discussion about Elliot's Pond, but Hotch-specific so I thought I'd put them here.  Really, it's maybe one long thought with an offshoot or two.

What I love (and I mean unequivocally love, not as much as I love Spencer but more than any other television character besides him) is that Hotch's moral code is unshakeable.  Unshakeable.  I think his judgment became clouded with Kate Joyner, and that is honestly the only time I think I saw that.  Well, okay, he did beat George Foyet to death with his bare hands, but Foyet deserved it -- and I didn't see that as a failing.  Foyet had escaped once; Hotch knew he'd do it again and the next time, he would kill Jack.

I don't think Hotch was a lousy husband, either.  I think he made some mistakes (who doesn't?) and truly did think he could be all things to all people, but I think he loved Haley deeply and let her go only because he knew he couldn't please her.  And I also think he didn't understand why she couldn't understand that he had to be in the BAU.

I realize the writers (well, Erica) were over a barrel to write out the character.  I try to buy it as plausible -- of course he would want to keep Jack safe.  But the Hotch I know would do that by eliminating Scratch, not running from him.  The Hotch I know would've put Jack and Jessica and Roy in witness protection and then single-mindedly pursued Scratch until he was nothing but a greasy spot.  

I think Emily will be a perfectly serviceable unit chief.  But she's no Aaron Hotchner.  He really knew each individual on his team.  And I will really, really miss his comeraderie with Reid.  Hotch never teased, never shushed (unless he had to, and then gently, rarely), was never cruel, always supported and always protected.  It's the end of an era and a 10-year+ investment in a great TV character, and I'm sad about it.  Not #NoHotchNoWatch sad, but sad.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Droogie

[Old Dog]

Absolutely agree Droogie. How they wrote him out was so OOC for the Hotch we have seen over 11 seasons. The whole business is terribly sad and has cast a pall over the show. I'm not one of the NHNW group but nonetheless losing Hotch has seemed to take something vital out of the show and, although I am a Reid fan and love MGG to death, I'm not happy with the direction the show has taken and personally cannot see Prentiss as Unit Chief. Probably partly because of the way the female cast, and KV in particular, keep raving about girl power! I'm all for opportunities for women, don't get me wrong, but Hotch was so perfect as the archetypal FBI agent in charge and I miss him. Prentiss Just doesn't cut it for me.

[Danielg342]

The writers were hamstrung by Thomas Gibson's firing, so I think the writers merely did what they had to do and moved on. Plus, there's nothing to say that Hotch couldn't theoretically still hunt Mr. Scratch off-screen.

Also, Hotch did demote himself during Season 5 ad a way to play with Foyet's mind, so that too could be in play here.

[senin]

Droogie's and OldDog's posts reminded me of some things I had heard in one of those "making of" videos which I like to see from time to time. So I checked and found some sentences which I'd like to share, they are from the making of season 1, and the writers and producers are explaining how they created and defined each character:

"Hotch is the central tree that doesn't bend" (Bernero)

"He is a true believer in the FBI" (Bernero)

"If Hotch is to well up and cry, I think we'd be crying before he does" (Simon Mirren)

"The guy probably sleeps in his suit" (BJ Rogers) 

This is the character they created, the one we enjoyed for 11 seasons, and the one we are missing (Droogie, I totally agree/identify with your last sentence, it's mainly sadness) 

[JMO]

I didn't have a problem with the witness protection idea so much as I had a problem with the reactions.  I'm still hoping they'll find a way to do more later in the season, when they've had more time to adjust. It would be nice (and respectful of the fans) to see the characters on screen reflect the loss many (non-NHNW) fans feel.  But I don't think we got that in Elliot's Pond. 

[SSAHotchner]

I agree. I think they probably tried to cram too much into one episode with announcing his leaving, Prentiss being made Unit Chief and then dealing with the case itself. I would have liked to have seen more sadness (yeah, I caved and watched this one to see what they did with Hotch), but they may have felt that would have diminished the team's happiness at having Prentiss back full time. 

[smoker]

On 23 de noviembre de 2016 at 2:54 AM, SSAHotchner said:

I agree. I think they probably tried to cram too much into one episode with announcing his leaving, Prentiss being made Unit Chief and then dealing with the case itself. I would have liked to have seen more sadness (yeah, I caved and watched this one to see what they did with Hotch), but they may have felt that would have diminished the team's happiness at having Prentiss back full time. 

I think is a good vision of the situation, because one episode to deal with  shocking news and grief their boss and (supposed) friend and another to deal with the good news could have made things a lot easier for everybody (writers, actors and some viewers).

this is how it plays in my mind:

• we could have enjoyed with Rossi's craziness, everybody's shock, concern and sadness...
• Garcia trying to track Hotch, if only to make sure he is out of reach and Rossi calling her off. 
• Emily sharing her thoughts about her own experience, her exile and when she came back and didn't feel comfortable in her old life; I can see Prentiss having this chat with Reid.
• To finish the episode, voilà: the section chief, the director, whoever tells Prentiss about Hotch suggestion and offers her the job. End of episode 6.
• Begining of episode 7. Rossi telling Emily or the team he is going to give  the brass the middle finger about being temporary chief just before Prentiss spills the beans xD

 

OMG I think I need a cold beer and a ciggy right now, some season 1 episodes won't hurt me either xP

Edited November 24, 2016 by smoker

[Gbb]

On 9/28/2016 at 7:30 PM, Franky said:

I hear you secnarf, and not judging really, just don't get it.

Also, not sure that all those vowing not to watch, will actually quit the show. Seems to me that their natural curiosity will kick in and everyone will be back watching. Like someone I know said, you can't just dump a show in a day when you've been there for 10 (or more) years. 

Sure you can. I've been a Criminal Minds fan for not quite 10 years. I didn't discover it until a couple of seasons in and then I binge-watched all of them in a couple of weeks and never missed another episode. I love(d) Criminal Minds. Love Hotch, love Spencer, love the chemistry of the unit, even as it has changed over the years and even as the quality of the show changed for the worse starting around season 5 or so. But I still watched every episode. And the change in quality was slow enough that I didn't even think about it much unless I happened to catch an old ep from season 2 or 3 and was jolted by how good it used to be.  Still, it was on my DVR and I faithfully watched every week.

Then Thomas Gibson was fired. I've never been part of a #noHotchnowatch movement, never came here or anywhere else to declare that I'd "never watch CM again until they brought Hotch back." I just couldn't imagine wanting to watch the first couple of episodes of the new season with him in it, knowing he was about to be gone. And I couldn't imagine wanting to watch the one where they had to explain where he'd gone. Or the episodes after that knowing he was never coming back. I couldn't imagine it, but I didn't take CM off of my DVR.

The new season started and there was episode 1 on my DVR. A week went by and I hadn't made time to watch it. Soon there were 2 or 3 episodes waiting on me to watch. I didn't care enough to make time. Then the earlier episodes started dropping off my DVR. I realized it didn't bother me. I miss the show, and the "gang" and I even miss coming here to read everyone's responses, but I miss what the show was, not what it is now. It was just curiosity about what you guys think of this season and how the show is doing without Hotch that brought me here today.

So, yeah, you can dump a show in a day after years of being a fan. If something happens to make you stop caring.

[Mislav]

Sad to see this thread dying... Hotch deserved a happy ending.

[SSAHotchner]

I agree Gbb. I quit watching this season because I don't want to watch without Hotch, but I did tune in the past couple of weeks to see what was going on with Reid who is also a favorite character. Let's face it. The writing has sucked for years. I just kept coming back for my weekly Hotch fix. MGG's performance in the past couple of episodes was worth watching but the cases sucked and the rest of the team appears to be just going through the motions. I'm not sorry I'm not watching either, but I do have a lot of online friends that I keep in touch with here and on other forums. My DVR is also set up to automatically record CM and I don't mind deleting those episodes at all. I hope Gubler gets a good role on another show or in a film because he deserves it. I am happy that in the photos I've seen of Thomas Gibson he looks happier and healthier than he has in years. I hope he will get another great role when he is ready to resume working. 

[smoker]

9 hours ago, SSAHotchner said:

I agree Gbb. I quit watching this season because I don't want to watch without Hotch,

Let's face it. The writing has sucked for years. I just kept coming back for my weekly Hotch fix. MGG's performance in the past couple of episodes was worth watching but the cases sucked and the rest of the team appears to be just going through the motions. I'm not sorry I'm not watching either, but I do have a lot of online friends that I keep in touch with here and on other forums. My DVR is also set up to automatically record CM and I don't mind deleting those episodes at all. I hope Gubler gets a good role on another show or in a film because he deserves it. I am happy that in the photos I've seen of Thomas Gibson he looks happier and healthier than he has in years. I hope he will get another great role when he is ready to resume working. 

Amen!

Edited February 25, 2017 by smoker

[Hotchgirl18]

He's the best character! And played by the best actor. Those from the other place know where I stand, and how sad I am that he is gone.  TG does looks happier and healthier. I hope we see him somewhere soon. I know we will. There is no one like him.

[normasm]

Hey, hotchgirl, yep, i miss him, too.