Criminal Minds season 12
season of television series

The twelfth season of Criminal Minds was ordered on May 6, 2016, by CBS with an order of 22 episodes. The season premiered on September 28, 2016, and ended on May 10, 2017.
Cast
Main
Joe Mantegna as Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi (BAU Senior Agent)
Matthew Gray Gubler as Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid (BAU Agent)
A. J. Cook as Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau (BAU Agent)
Kirsten Vangsness as Special Agent Penelope Garcia (BAU Technical Analyst & Co-Communications Liaison)
Damon Gupton as Supervisory Special Agent Stephen Walker (BAU Agent)
Aisha Tyler as Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Tara Lewis (BAU Agent)
Adam Rodriguez as Supervisory Special Agent Luke Alvez (FBI Fugitive Task Force & BAU Agent)
Thomas Gibson as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner (BAU Unit Chief & Co-Communications Liaison) (Ep. 1–2)
Paget Brewster as Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss (BAU Unit Chief & Co-Communications Liaison) (Ep. 3–22)
Special guest star
Jane Lynch as Diana Reid
Alana de la Garza as Clara Seger
Daniel Henney as Supervisory Special Agent Matt Simmons (BAU Agent)
Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan
Recurring
Bodhi Elfman as Peter Lewis / Mr. Scratch
Angela Robinson Witherspoon as Cassie Campbell
Jeananne Goossen as Fiona Duncan
Harold Perrineau as Calvin Shaw
Richard T. Jones as Officer Lionel Wilkins
Gia Mantegna as Lindsey Vaughn
Aubrey Plaza as Cat Adams
Josh Stewart as William "Will" LaMontagne Jr.
Mekhai Andersen as Henry LaMontagne
Guest
Sherilyn Fenn as Gloria Barker
Pooch Hall as FBI Trainee Clark
Tatum O'Neal as Miranda White
David Otunga as Dwayne Jerrard
Beth Riesgraf as Maeve Donovan
Tracie Thoms as Monica Walker
Production
Development
Criminal Minds was renewed for a twelfth season with an episode order of 22 episodes on May 6, 2016. The season began on September 28, 2016.
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