I Can’t Forgive ‘Criminal Minds’ for Doing THAT to J.J.

Throughout the three seasons of the rebooted Criminal Minds: Evolution, arguably, SSA David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) has had the roughest overarching storyline compared to his peers. Between prolific serial killer Elias Voit’s (Zach Gilford) keen interest in him and his trauma-induced hallucinations, Rossi’s issues are squarely at the forefront of the series. Meanwhile, SSA Jennifer “J.J.” Jareau (A.J. Cook) has been quietly enduring one of the more painful storylines as well, when AI-generated deepfake pornography of her was released on the internet. The B-plot was hidden away in the folds of the major Gold Star arc of Season 2, but the most recent episode of Season 3 just brought it back. But just as we are reminded of and sympathizing with J.J.’s plight, Criminal Minds shoves in the most devastating twist in recent memory: William LaMontagne Jr. (Josh Stewart), J.J.’s beloved husband, dies.

I Can’t Imagine ‘Criminal Minds’ Without J.J. and Will’s Relationship

I still remember the first time we met the charming Detective Will when he was a guest star in Criminal Minds Season 2, Episode 18, where he was already smitten with J.J. at first sight. He forwardly, yet respectfully, flirted with and teased her with his classic Southern drawl, but this was mixed with the vulnerability of trying to uphold his father’s dying wish. The chemistry between the two was playful and mature at the same time, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who fell in love with their fleeting dynamic. But the episode ended, and we didn’t see the detective for the rest of the season, making me believe he would remain a bittersweet fling of the past until Season 3 reveals they had been in contact all along.

After that, J.J. and Will turned from a wishful episodic ship to a staple romance of the series. Will frequently returned to the screen, either in a professional capacity where he worked with the BAU or as J.J.’s boyfriend, fiancé, and then husband by the Season 7 finale. While many romances have come and gone (many of them tragically), I could always rely on J.J. and Will to affirm my belief in true love despite the BAU’s horrific working hours. While they didn’t have the fantastical excitement of SSA Spencer Reid’s (Matthew Gray Gubler) romances with a woman who was being hunted down by a killer, as well as an actual serial killer later on, J.J. and Will’s grounded and realistic dynamic was comforting. They had the longest and healthiest relationship in the entire series, one that Criminal Minds decided to end brutally in mere seconds.

J.J. Doesn’t Get a Break in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’

The idea of Will’s death is already enough to bring tears to my eyes, but Criminal Minds‘ cruel execution didn’t even allow for that: I’m just shocked and numb, still barely comprehending the loss. During the episode, the BAU finds out that Voit has taught other members of the Sicarius network to use deepfakes, connecting to J.J.’s Evolutions Season 2 storyline. After the case is solved and J.J. returns home, there is a heart-dropping moment when her son Henry’s (Mekhai Anderson) friend is showing Henry something on the phone, and she believes it is the BAUgate pornography. Although it just ends up being an article about her apprehending that episode’s criminal, Cook’s dread-laden and horrified performance reminds us that the arc is still weighing on J.J., even if it isn’t getting as much screentime.

As such, this is the only thing on our (and her) minds when she walks back into the house and enters a quotidian, domestic, and comforting interaction with Will. So, when Will falls to the ground, I am caught unawares. The comfort is brutally snatched away with the loss being hammered in by J.J.’s hoarse words in the closing scenes: “He’s gone”. By essentially tacking it onto the end of the episode, almost like an afterthought, the scene feels more malicious and intended to cause the greatest amount of pain. I appreciate that it mimics the abruptness of a real, life-changing event, one you can’t prepare for, one that doesn’t care if you already have a lot on your plate while also reminding us of the frailty of life. But, as I mentioned before, this was the longest relationship in the entire series. Criminal Minds, you couldn’t even ease us into it? The most heartbreaking thought of all is that we don’t even know if J.J. had the chance to say a proper goodbye.

Will’s Death in ‘Criminal Minds’ Was Inevitable After Stewart’s Exit

As personally attacked as I feel by Criminal Minds, Will’s death, logistically, makes sense. Stewart had already announced in 2024 that he was leaving the series and didn’t have any intention of returning, so seeing him appear in Season 3, albeit because of his character’s death, was a briefly pleasant surprise. However, it probably should have been my first telltale sign. Showrunner Erica Messer explained working around Stewart’s exit in an interview with TVLine: “We tried to make it work for this year, and it just didn’t work out. We love Will, J.J. loves Will… and that’s always a part of her world and her character.” As such, it’s not necessarily a surprise that they decided to kill Will off, since being such an integral part of J.J.’s character and audiences being used to him being involved, him being just a reference wouldn’t feel the same — he had to leave in a meaningful manner.

All that being said, I would have felt perfectly satisfied with an off-camera relationship or the show even using the excuse of a long-distance one. In a series that directly deals with such psychological darkness, knowing that one good thing blossomed out of it and endured for 16 seasons, even if it was only in the background, feels like a beacon of hope among the serial killers lurking in the shadows. Instead, I am left with the expectation of choking on my tears in the next episode, where I assume Criminal Minds is going to reflect on J.J.’s relationship and grief. Will’s death may have been a necessity for the show and the story this season, but recovering from Criminal Minds‘ brutal approach is going to take time for J.J. and me both.