The police procedural may be a staple of network TV, but it's finding new life on streaming, as Criminal Minds: Evolution will be going into its third season. It brought back favorite characters such as David Rossi (Joe Montegna), Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Jennifer “J.J.” Jareau (A.J. Cook), Luke Alvarez (Adam Rodrigeuz), and Dr. Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler). Will LaMontagne, Jr. (Josh Stewart) was also among the Criminal Minds: Evolution cast, though he didn't return for season 2.
As a detective working closely with Criminal Minds' Behavioral Analysis Unit, Will once played an important recurring role in the police procedural. He was also romantically involved with J.J., and the father of her child, Henry. Having been a recurring presence since Criminal Minds season 2, Will’s departure from Criminal Minds: Evolution was sudden, with fans scratching their heads as to why Stewart left.
Will Actor Josh Stewart Didn't Give A Reason For Leaving Criminal Minds: Evolution
Showrunner Erica Messer Also Gave A Vague Reason For Stewart's Exit
In January 2024, Josh Stewart confirmed his exit from Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 via X, responding to a question from a fan if he would be returning for another season. “No sadly, my days of Will LaMontagne Jr. are over,” Stewart wrote. “You guys have been the absolute best.” While his brief statement was gracious, Stewart chose not to elaborate on the reason for his leaving the show.
Criminal Minds: Evolution’s showrunner, Erica Messer, commented about Stewart’s exit from the series in an interview with TV Line in May 2024. “We tried to make it work for this year and it just didn’t work out,” Messer explained. “We love Will, JJ loves Will… and that’s always a part of her world and her character.”
It could also be that Stewart is busy with other projects, as the actor has recently been seen in the Apple TV+ series Manhunt.
With these vague responses, it can’t be said for certain why Stewart didn’t return for Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution. One possibility is that the actor’s contract may have simply come to its inevitable end, and he chose not to renew it. It could also be that Stewart is busy with other projects, as the actor has recently been seen in the Apple TV+ series Manhunt, and, according to his IMDb page, has a couple of films on the way.
How Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Dealt With Will's Departure
J.J. Said He Was Busy With Work
In season 1 of Criminal Minds: Evolution, Will makes several brief appearances. The biggest revelation for his character comes in episode 4, “Pay-Per-View,” in which Will goes to the doctor for a physical and learns that he may have cancer. Luckily, it turns out to have been a false alarm. In her TV Line interview, Erica Messer stated, “Next [season], hopefully, he’s going to be OK, but he’s not necessarily out of the woods forever.”
When Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 aired, Will’s absence is explained by J.J. simply saying that he is busy with work. With the team’s focus being on the Gold Star murders this season, it’s a good way to keep the attention off of Stewart’s character. How the show chooses to address the issue in season 3, if they do at all, is unknown, but with Will’s cancer scare in season 1, it’s possible that the show’s writers may have already found a way to write him out.
Criminal Minds: Evolution
- Release Date
- November 24, 2022
- Showrunner
- Erica Messer
- Writers
- Erica Messer
- Franchise(s)
- Criminal Minds
Cast
Joe Mantegna
A.J. Cook
In Criminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford s the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
- Creator(s)
- Erica Messer
- Seasons
- 2
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