The seventh season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS in the United States on September 21, 2011. Both A. J. Cook and Paget Brewster were rehired by CBS to reprise their roles as Jennifer Jareau and Emily Prentiss. On February 15, 2012, Deadline Hollywood reported that Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) would leave the series, definitively, once season seven was over. All the other main actors on the show secured deals to return for the eighth season. The two-hour season finale, which took place on May 16, 2012, reveals Prentiss making the decision to leave the BAU. On March 14, 2012, CBS renewed Criminal Minds for an eighth season, which aired on September 26, 2012. Cast Main cast Joe Mantegna as Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi (BAU Senior Agent) Paget Brewster as Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss (BAU Agent) Shemar Moore as Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan (BAU 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) Thomas Gibson as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner (BAU Unit Chief & Co-Communications Liaison) Recurring cast Bellamy Young as Beth Clemmons Jayne Atkinson as Supervisory Special Agent Erin Strauss (BAU Section Chief) Cade Owens as Jack Hotchner Nicholas Brendon as Kevin Lynch Josh Stewart as William "Will" LaMontagne Jr. Mekhai Andersen as Henry LaMontagne Guest stars In the season premiere "It Takes a Village", Timothy V. Murphy reprises as Ian Doyle, and Robin Atkin Downes guest-starred as Lachlan McDermott, an international criminal who seeks vengeance against Doyle for murdering his brother Jimmy. In the episode "Proof", Andy Milder guest-starred as Cy Bradstone, a mentally challenged serial killer who removes his victims' five senses with sulfuric acid. Johanna Braddy guest-starred as Cy's niece, Tammy, and Tracy Middendorf guest-starred as Tammy's mother, Lyla, over whom Cy had a secret obsession. In the episode "Dorado Falls", Max Martini guest-starred as Luke Dolan, a former U.S. Navy Seal suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder and capgras syndrome who goes on a murderous rampage. Sarah Aldrich guest-starred as Luke's wife, Jenna. In the episode "Painless", Eric Jungmann guest-starred as Robert Adams, a survivor of a high school shooting who copied the murders committed by Randy Slade. Julia Campbell guest-starred as Randy's mother, Martha Slade, and Aaron Hill guest-starred as Jerry