Each year, plenty of shows come along looking to find a spot in a crowded rotation to start something that can last for years. The truth is that for every Friends, The Office, or Netflix smash, there are tons of forgotten show that sometimes only last a few episodes. It takes a lot to make a show thrive for years, and fans of Criminal Minds know that the show found just the right touch when it debuted.
For the majority of the series, Thomas Gibson starred as the character Hotch, but he was eventually fired from the smash hit show. Fans were quite surprised that this took place, and questions about his firing immediately began to surface.
Let’s take a look back at why Thomas Gibson lost his spot on Criminal Minds.
He Starred On The Show From 2005-2016
It’s not every single day that a talented performer like Thomas Gibson is canned from a successful television series, but there was a lot going on here. What truly caught people off guard was that his firing came on the heels of being on Criminal Minds since the very beginning.
A quick look at IMDb shows that Gibson was cast on the first season of the series back in 2005 and had appeared in 256 episodes of the show. Most shows are lucky just to get picked up for a second season, but by the time Thomas Gibson lost his role, he has been on the show for 12 seasons.
Gibson was no stranger to television, and prior to landing Criminal Minds, he had already appeared on multiple shows that had lengthy runs on the small screen. Gibson starred on both Chicago Hope and Dharma & Greg, meaning that he was a television mainstay for over a decade before landing the biggest role of his career.
Hotch might not have been the most popular character from Criminal Minds, but he was an integral part of the series, having been there since day one and having developed relationships with everyone else on the show. So, when it was announced that Gibson was being fired, fans quickly grew suspicious of what was going on.
Once the details of his firing came to light, fans immediately knew that the right decision had been made by the studio.
He Was Fired For A Violent Altercation
Working on set should be a safe and healthy environment for all, and when a physical altercation takes place, it needs to be dealt with accordingly. This is what led to Thomas Gibson being canned from Criminal Minds.
It has been reported that Gibson kicked producer Virgil Williams, which is childish and immature behavior that has no place on set. For Gibson, this actually marked the second time that a violent outburst took place, with the first one occurring back in 2010. This type of repeated behavior was not sitting well with the brass, who made the decision to fire him.
Gibson eventually released a statement, saying, “I love ‘Criminal Minds’ and have put my heart and soul into it for the last twelve years. I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that won’t be possible now. I would just like to say thank you to the writers, producers, actors, our amazing crew, and, most importantly, the best fans that a show could ever hope to have.”
Aside from these violent outbursts, Gibson had other troubles while starring on the show. According to Variety, Gibson also had some friction with other members of the cast and had been arrested for DUI at one point, as well. These repeated offenses ultimately cost him his job.
Despite the initial shock of it all, fans of the show knew that everything still had to continue on with the overall story.
The Show Continued On Without Him
One thing that Criminal Minds has done well with over the years is continuing on even after a member of the cast has left. Despite Gibson being a lead on the series, Criminal Minds would simply carry on without him.
According to IMDb, the show would have several more seasons on the air before reaching its conclusion in 2020. Even though Gibson did not stick around until the very end like he had hoped, the show was just fine without him on set.
Gibson has not taken on too many roles since being fired from Criminal Minds, and one has to wonder if this is by choice or by studios being unwilling to work with someone who has a violent past.
Thomas Gibson’s firing just goes to show that being a television star does not excuse poor behavior.
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