Felicity Huffmanis returning to TV. The actor will recur on the next season ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionin a role that will be familiar to long-time fans of the crime procedural: Dr. Jill Gideon, the ex-wife of the show’s original lead, Jason Gideon.Deadline reportsthat Huffman will guest star in the upcoming second season of the series, which is set to premiere on Paramount+ later this year. As they seek to solve the “Gold Star” mystery teased inlast season’s finale, the Behavioral Analysis Unit needs Gideon’s expertise in biological psychiatry. Although she is initially reluctant to help, given her painful history with the team, she eventually realizes that she may be the only thing that can stop the BAU’s latest quarry.
This will be one of Huffman’s first acting roles since her involvement in the2019 “Varsity Blues” scandal, which saw wealthy parents arrested for attempting to bribe their children’s way into college; the scandal also ensnared fellow actorLori Laughlin. Huffman pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to 14 days in prison, plus a $30,000 USD fine and 250 hours of community service. She made her return to acting in a 2023 episode ofThe Good Doctor, which was meant as a backdoor pilot for a spin-off series,The Good Lawyer; however, it wascancelled by ABCwhile it was still in development.
Who Is Jill Gideon?
WhenCriminal Mindspremiered in 2005, the Behavioral Analysis Unit was headed by Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin). Gideon was divorced; his wife was alluded to in dialogue, but never seen or named. The two had a son, Stephen, who was likewise not seen on-screen during Patinkin’s tenure on the series. Patinkin came to find the series' dark subject matter too disturbing, and left the series after the first two episodes of season three; Gideon was written out, having lost confidence in his abilities and resigning from the FBI.
Gideon’s role in the series was assumed by David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and Patinkin’s character was killed off-screen in the Season 10 episode “Nelson’s Sparrow” by serial killer Donnie Malick (Arye Gross). His and Jill’s son, Stephen, appeared in that episode, where he was portrayed byJames Lentzsch.
Criminal Mindsoriginally ran from 2005 to 2020 on CBS; it followed an FBI team of agents and scientists who attempted toprofile and apprehend serial killers. It was revived last year withCriminal Minds: Evolutionon Paramount+,reuniting much of the show’s cast.
Criminal Minds: Evolutionwill return for a second season on Paramount+;no release date has yet been announced. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds follows the elite team of FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as they analyze and track down the country’s most dangerous serial killers and criminals. Led by experienced agents like Jason Gideon, Aaron Hotchner, and later David Rossi, the team delves into the minds of the perpetrators, using psychological profiling and investigative techniques to anticipate their next moves. Each episode features intense and often chilling cases, while also exploring the personal lives and challenges faced by the team members.
Watch On Paramount+
