‘Criminal Minds’ Showrunner Teases the Return of This Fan-Favorite Character

Many will agree that Zach Gilford‘s Elias Voit (born Lee Duval, f.k.a. “Sicarius”) is the revived Criminal Minds’ most interesting character, but how long will he remain on the show? Not to worry, fellow star Aimee Garcia, who just joined the latest season, has provided a much-needed answer. You may recall that Gilford was added to the procedural in Season 16 in a recurring capacity and was promoted to series regular in the next season. He returned in the same capacity for Season 18, in which he’s now a goody two-shoes, dealing with severe amnesia and helping The BAU find some more bad guys.

Criminal Minds has been renewed for a nineteenth season, but Gilford apparently wasn’t featured in the cast photo, prompting questions about his future on the show. Well, fans won’t be free of Voit anytime soon, as Garcia, who portrays his neuropsychiatrist Dr. Julia Ochoa, hinted as much to TVLine, saying:

“Let’s just say that Voit is a beloved character in the same way that Tony Soprano and Dexter were antiheroes that we loved. Voit went from an antihero that we love to a possible key to helping dissuade other antiheroes, so he may be hard to get rid of.”

Gilford’s Criminal Minds: Evolution character was introduced as the main antagonist in the “Just Getting Started” episode of Season 16, in a flashback to 2005, where he butchered a man named John Harris alive. He is described as a prolific and psychopathic serial killer who is now disgusted by his criminal tendencies, after waking up from a six-month coma. So, basically, he’s now a good guy, a pill that’s still hard to swallow; still, he aids the BAU to find members of his infamous Sicarius network, the most recent being a father who buries his victims alive.

Zach Gilford Directs a ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Season 3 Episode

Besides starring in Criminal Minds: Evolution, the Friday Night Lights actor has directed an episode of the show, a role he’s proud of and will return to this season. Gilford first directed Season 2, Episode 8, “North Star,” and now, he has directed Season 3, Episode 7, titled “All The Devils are Here,” which is slated to air today on Paramount+. Speaking about his off-screen duties for this season, he expressed excitement but also admitted to feeling nervous, saying:

“I’m actually more nervous than I was the first time, I think, because the first time went so well, and I lucked out because my script was one where… I mean, literally, of all the scripts I’ve read of Criminal Minds: Evolution, that one I connected to the most, that one was the most like, ‘I know how to do this. I know how to make this episode.’ So I’m nervous.”