Jill Gideon Is Exactly What ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Needed
Though Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 is the franchise’s most unrecognizable yet, it also delivers a blast from the past through the introduction of a character who has been mentioned but never seen. After all these years, we finally meet Jill Gideon (Felicity Huffman), who is the ex-wife of the late Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin), one of the forefathers of the BAU and the original lead of the series. And she is not what we expected. She has an inherent sweetness and tenderness that is reminiscent of Jason, but, this is hidden by a hardened exterior that is nailed together with world-weariness and sarcasm. With most of our original Criminal Minds comrades fallen, the mercurial and eye-rolling Jill breathes some much-needed energy, drama, and nostalgia into the series.
Jill Gideon Is a Dose of Nostalgia for ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’
Jill’s appearance immediately calls back to the first couple of seasons of Criminal Minds, where she was frequently referenced in relation to Jason. We find out that Jill and Jason had divorced just before creating the BAU, and as a biological psychologist, she had a heavy hand in forming the BAU alongside David Rossi (Joe Mantegna). However, Jason had kept her as a silent partner in order to protect her, which ended up clearly being a clever move as he was later killed by a serial killer who was obsessed with him in Season 10. Because of her history with the BAU, it almost feels like an original cast member coming back, even if we’ve never actually seen her on-screen before.
Jill’s new involvement also brings along waves of nostalgia for viewers who were around for the first couple of seasons. Her exhaustion from seeing the terrible things humans do to each other coupled with her concealed compassion almost becomes an extension of Jason himself. They had also both left the BAU on their own accord, with Patinkin exiting the show during Season 3. Her “return” also makes for a tremendously heartwarming episode, as her initial questions to Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) involve asking how each member of the team is doing — characters who have long since left the show. When Jill steps into the BAU, she also lovingly stops at Spencer Reid’s (Matthew Gray Gubler) desk, one that had remained untouched with his plaque still shining, reminding us that he was still open to returning to the series; it’s just a matter of “all the stars aligning.”
Felicity Huffman Seamlessly Fits Into the ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Cast
Within the span of one episode, Jill herself has proven that she will fit into the team dynamics seamlessly. Throughout the show’s run, many newcomers have come and gone, not necessarily making an impact nor being memorable, but Huffman’s portrayal of Jill is already compelling. Introduced as simply a voice through a door, Huffman pours so much sarcasm and wit into her intonations that we can practically see the exasperated look on her face, mixed with a cheeky gleam. When we do meet her, it is clear that the years away from the BAU have put a spring in her step, though she is still clearly weathered by her experience there. As she banters with Emily, flicking out quick retorts and touching smiles, we know she will find her place in the found family at the BAU.
It is also refreshing to have a character introduced who is not yet tainted by the Gold Star program nor Elias Voit’s (Zach Gilford) prolonged stay on the show, though this abruptly changes in her second episode. Jill’s tender yet spunky edge essentially replaces that of Rossi, who is currently wracked with hallucinations of Voit and has only recently moved on from the grief of losing his wife. Criminal Minds: Evolution has offered a more sour and morbid atmosphere that hangs over every aspect of the show, unraveling characters and bringing solemn undercurrents to even lighter scenes. Prentiss’ interaction with Jill outside the BAU is a welcome tonal reprieve, returning the heartfelt ideas of family and closeness back into the show, even if it is just momentarily.
However, Episode 8 displays a very different side to the character, as the final scene sees Jill’s knees buckling and her facial expression wrought with torment when she fears she is the cause of the Gold Star program. As she turns from a quick-witted, spry, and languid character to a guilt-wracked shadow within the span of two episodes, it plays into the series’ grievous atmosphere in the BAU. But we do admire Jill’s backbone and ambition to use a profile to “take the gun out of [an unsub’s] hand,” and can only hope she will become a mainstay like Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka).