We were told “expect one fatality and one possible death — one of which is a character played by a series regular — as Season 8 ends.”

I’m predicting that Erin Strauss is the one who dies.  All of her three children were included in the guest cast yet they were not given any names so I’m assuming they have minor roles or non-speaking roles.  Seems like they make an appearance to mourn for their mother. :(

The “possible death” could be anyone.  All of the series regulars except MGG have yet to sign a contract for next season.  I believe Jeanne Tripplehorn signed a one year deal with an option to sign on for a second.   If Strauss is the one who dies, I’m leaning toward Blake  being in peril.  We learned earlier in the season that these two women have a sour history and The Replicator could be someone from their past.  I’m also assuming it’s Blake because Sharon Lee Watson mentioned in Thursday’s chat that she will be heavily featured in the last two episodes.  In the upcoming episode “6”, Blake’s husband returns with a “life-changing career proposition”.  Sounds like they’re leaving the door open for Blake in case Jeanne doesn’t sign for a second season.

That’s it.  That’s all I got, lol.

Spoilers 8x24 - Guest cast

Emily’s final moments. :’(

Song lyrics from Lily Kershaw’s “As It Seems”

Opening quote: “Fear is met and destroyed with courage” - James F. Bell

7x23/24 - Because she called him “Aaron”

Emily and her eyelashes will be missed. :(

Criminal Minds fans might need to see a psychiatrist as they head into the Season 7 finale. The cast’s fate is completely up in the air. The finale teaser trailer has focused on the fact that one of the team will be “gone” by the end of the two-parter – the episodes are titled “Hit” and “Run” respectively. Couple that with the definite fact that star Paget Brewster is leaving the show (possibly in a body bag?) to pursue other options. Are the two related? Not so fast. Hollywood.com recently spoke with Criminal Minds main man Thomas Gibson, who plays Aaron Hotcher, and he was sure to give fans something to think about for the finale, including a random wedding and possible death. Could two cast members be leaving? The answer is just one of five big reasons to tune in for the finale.

Emily Prentiss Gone Forever?
All the talk leading into the finale has been that Brewster will have the option of coming back to the show for cameos next season. But Gibson asks that we prepare ourselves for the unexpected. “We love Paget and there’s definitely going to be a huge hole once she’s gone,” he says. “It’s too bad. but this is what happens, people move on and do their own thing.”

But can we assume she won’t die? Gibson isn’t so sure: “I wouldn’t anticipate anything really. Just let this thing unfold and see if you were right at the end.” This could be one of the biggest hoaxes in TV history if the cast agreed to keep saying, “Sure, Paget can come back next year,” all the while knowing she’d be killed in the finale. And according to Gibson, that’s not impossible.

A Teammate in Chains
“Well, you’ll have to watch but not unlike what would really happen, we try to send somebody in,” says Gibson. “You try to do as many things as you can, you try to appeal to the rational side of people holding the hostages, but that doesn’t work in this case.”

So, one of the team goes in and Gibson says it’s not him, but that leaves everyone else and with a show like this, it could be anyone. The show saw two people leave the team last year, why not this year as well? “I can definitely say there’s going to be some surprises along the way,” Gibson says. Cryptic much?

There Will Be Blood
“You think you know what you’re dealing with as far as [just] a robbery in progress goes,” says Gibson, adding that in Criminal Minds’ usual patented method, the robbery team, including kick-ass guest star Tricia Helfer (dressed like face cards in a deck), of course kills one person at each stop. “When we discover they are more than bank robbers, that’s when our expertise kicks in,” the actor says.

What’s All This About a Wedding?
Criminal Minds may be the strangest setting for a network TV wedding, but Gibson says one is on the way: “I would say that anybody guessing who is going to end up at the altar at the end of the second part is going to be surprised if you had asked them halfway through who it’s going to be.” Well, that eliminates the obvious choice: JJ and Will. So who could it be? (And this had better be good.) “It’s nice because it’s a slightly different ending than we normally have,” teases the 49-year-old. But how different? Different like a wedding between murderous bank robbers?

Gibson Ditches The Suit
What’s the real scoop about this explosive finale? “I’m not in a suit,” Gibson laughs. Death looms all around like a black cat in an old folks home, and Gibson still has jokes. It’s nice to see all his comedy training from his Dharma & Greg days hasn’t been brutally ripped out of him by some clown killer.

LINK

ONE MORE HOUR!!!

Hit & Run Pics

CTV Promo - “Hit & Run”  

Reid and Mama Jareau! Awww

So excited…

but nervous

“Hit” Press Release

THE BAU GOES UP AGAINST A GANG OF BANK ROBBING SERIAL KILLERS, AND THE STAKES RISE WHEN ONE OF THEIR OWN BECOMES A HOSTAGE, ON THE FIRST PART OF THE TWO-HOUR SEVENTH SEASON FINALE OF “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, MAY 16

CHEAT TWEET:  A bank robbery becomes personal 4 the BAU on pt. 1 of 2-hour season finale, #CriminalMinds 5/16, 9pm #GoodbyePrentiss

 “Hit” – When the BAU goes up against a gang of serial-killing bank robbers in Washington, D.C., the team tries to negotiate the situation unfolding inside the bank, but the stakes rise when one of their own becomes a hostages, on the first part of the two-hour seventh season finale of CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, May 16 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.  Guest stars include Josh Randall (“Ed”) as Hostage Matthew Downs and Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Evan Jones (“October Road”) as bank robbers Izzy Rogers and Chris Stratton.  Returning guest stars include Jayne Atkinson (“24”) as FBI Section Chief Director Erin Strauss, Josh Stewart (“Third Watch”) as Detective William LaMontagne, Jr., Nicholas Brendon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) as FBI tech analyst Kevin Lynch and Sebastian Roché (“Fringe,” “General Hospital”) as Interpol agent Clyde Easter.

WRITTEN BY:  Rick Dunkle

DIRECTED BY:  Michael Lange

GENRE:  CRIME DRAMA, MYSTERY, SUSPENSE

RATING:  To Be Announced

“Run” Press Release:

THE BAU CONTINUES TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE SERIAL KILLING BANK ROBBERS, ONE OF THE TEAM GETS MARRIED AND PRENTISS PONDERS HER FUTURE, ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE TWO-HOUR SEVENTH SEASON FINALE OF “CRIMINAL MINDS,” AT A SPECIAL TIME, WEDNESDAY, MAY 16

CHEAT TWEET:  Wedding bells ring 4 a BAU member & it’s #GoodbyePrentiss - pt. 2 of 2-hour season finale #CriminalMinds 5/16, 10pm

 “Run” – As the BAU team continues to pursue the bank-robbing serial killers, the team determines that the suspects have a bigger target in the Nation’s capital, and with one of the team still a hostage, they must work quickly to diffuse an explosive situation.  Also, wedding bells ring for one of the BAU, and Prentiss ponders her future, on the conclusion of the two-hour seventh season finale of CRIMINAL MINDS, at a special time, Wednesday, May 16 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.  Guest stars include Josh Randall (“Ed”) as hostage Matthew Downs and Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Galactica”) and Evan Jones (“October Road”) as bank robbers Izzy Rogers and Chris Stratton.  Returning guest stars include Jayne Atkinson (“24”) as FBI Section Chief Director Erin Strauss, Josh Stewart (“Third Watch”) as Detective William LaMontagne, Jr., Nicholas Brendon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) as FBI tech analyst Kevin Lynch and Sebastian Roché as Interpol agent Clyde Easter.

SERIES REGULARS:

Joe Mantegna     (David Rossi)

Thomas Gibson     (Aaron Hotchner)

Paget Brewster     (Emily Prentiss)

Shemar Moore     (Derek Morgan)

Matthew Gray Gubler     (Dr. Spencer Reid)

A.J. Cook     (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau)

Kirsten Vangsness     (Penelope Garcia)

GUEST CAST:

Jayne Atkinson     (FBI Section Chief Director Erin Strauss)

Josh Stewart     (Detective William LaMontagne, Jr.)

Nicholas Brendon     (Kevin Lynch)

Bellamy Young     (Beth Clemmons)

Sebastian Roché     (Clyde Easter)

Cade Owens     (Jack Hotchner)

Henry LaMontagne     (Mekhai Andersen)

Josh Randall     (Matthew Downs)

Tricia Helfer     (Izzy Rogers)

Evan Jones     (Chris Stratton)

Gina Garcia Sharp     (Evidence Tech Gina)

Brian Appel     (Agent Anderson)

Marsha Henry     (Annie Young)

Brady Rubin     (Shirley Hamilton)

Augie Riddell     (Ray Hamilton)

Candy Clark     (Sandy Jareau)

D. Elliott Woods     (Medic)

Tara Kirkland     (Kate Bryggman)

Matthew Jones     (Police Officer)

WRITTEN BY:  Erica Messer, one of the series’ executive producers

DIRECTED BY:  Glenn Kershaw

GENRE:  CRIME DRAMA, MYSTERY, SUSPENSE

RATING:  To Be Announced

“Hit” / “Run” — Wedding cake from the season finale of the CBS series CRIMINAL MINDS, schedule to air on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.