Why did hotchner step down

RedCaio RedCaio 1, 2 2 gold badges 10 10 silver badges 21 21 bronze badges. He realized that Hotchner was really better qualified and cut out for the job. While Morgan was completely capable, there were responsibilities and aspects that he just didn't want.

EDIT: I just realized the question said "when" and not "why". Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Out of Universe The absence was part of Thomas Gibson's suspension when he allegedly pushed assistant director Ian Woolf and had to attend anger management classes but remained on the show.

Improve this answer. When Hotchner takes over again, is there any acknowledgement in the dialogue? Something like "hey, I'm glad you're back, you're in charge again, ok? I don't recall but Morgan only took over on the condition that he gave the role up when Hotch returned. In one of the most gut-wrenching scenes in the entire series, Hotch speaks with his son and ex-wife on the phone, knowing Foyet has them hostage. Using a code he'd developed with Jack, Hotch tells him to hide and wait for help.

Haley, aware that Foyet will kill her to hurt Hotch, tells her ex to look after their son, to teach him love. As Hotch listens, Foyet shoots and kills Haley.

The murder of Haley forced Hotch to become a much more present figure in his son's life. The next several seasons show that Hotch embraced his role as a father, prioritizing Jack over the FBI on multiple occasions.

Hotch's parenting evolution continued in Season 12 when Jack once again became the target of a killer the BAU was hunting. To keep Jack safe, Hotch resigns from the FBI, and he and his son enter the witness protection program. Though the killer is eventually caught and the two are able to leave witness protection, Hotch decides against returning to the BAU and instead chooses to remain a full-time father.

Though he began as a workaholic parent who couldn't commit the necessary time to his family, Hotch became the family man his wife always hoped he'd become. The TV veteran later opened up about his dismissal to People , sharing his side of the story.

He explained that they were "shooting a scene late one night" when he expressed to the producer that his character had a few contradictory lines that didn't add up. Thomas was frustrated, and claims he returned back to set and was recounting what happened to some other castmates when Virgil appeared. As he brushed past me, my foot came up and tapped him on the leg," Thomas explained.

We had some choice words, for which I apologized the next day, and that was it. It was over. We shot the scene, I went home—and I never got to go back. After the CBS procedural announced it's ending after season 15, fans began to wonder whether Hotch would return to the show for the finale. In an interview with TV Line , showrunner Erica Messer vaguely addressed the question on everyone's mind.

So, Hotch's return has not been confirmed—but it hasn't been entirely ruled out, either. Country Life. Design Ideas.