Screen Rantinterviewed Joe Mantegna and Felicity Huffman about the seventh episodeofCriminal Minds: Evolution.
Mantegna discussed how this season has explored Rossi’s PTSD and digging into the BAU’s history.
Joe Mantegna: Well, if it’s on the page, it’s on the stage.
I think they did a good job of writing what was going on.
Ironically, I’m very active with our United States military.
I’ve been doing that for many years now.
I host this Memorial Day concert for 23 years now in Washington DC.
So it’s a condition that was not unknown to me or unusual for me to be observant of.
But on the other hand, you got to deal with this thing.
InCriminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
It’s tricky, but like I said, it’s on the page.
Felicity, I absolutely loved your introduction.
Can you talk to me a little bit about playing Jill Gideon?
I mean, they’ve been together as you know, for now 18 years.
Usually when that happens, everyone sort of silos.
I’m guest star number 6 million, and they made me feel so welcome and so kind.
So I love the intro on that level.
The character, I just thought she was really interesting.
It’s always interesting to play a conflicted character that is forced to do things against her desires.
Joe Mantegna: I think we have tapped into the roots of this.
They go into the first 16 years.
There had been references made.
InCriminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
We knew Gideon was married, we knew they had a son, there was the wife Jill.
I mean, so the groundwork was laid.
Remember these kind of people we’ve made reference to?
Well, here she is.
And then you find out there’s some storyline there.
So it’s just great.
Jill Gideon is also tied to the legacy of the BAU not just through her relationship with Gideon.
Joe Mantegna: The fact that we’re bringing Gideon’s former wife, Jill’s character.
And then of course we see some seasons later that his demise.
Now, we get this whole other element.
Here she is, here’s Jill.
It’s like life.
She loves Garcia and Prentiss.
So I think she’s very torn and wouldn’t go back.
So being forced to deal with it again is interesting.
Oh yeah, I kind of love you.
Oh yeah, I kind of hate you.
It’s that dichotomy.
Felicity Huffman: There’s not a whole lot.
She’s responsible for and Gideon’s responsible for.
But she does love her and she has great affection for all of ‘em.
He broke down what about this season and exploring Rossi’s trauma has stood out to him.
This has been especially true with how prominent his vulnerability has been this season as his facade cracks.
And then the now, how do you deal with it?
It’s like that saying, I don’t care how many times you fall down.
Can you get up?
Let’s see where that goes.
Felicity, you mentioned the white pages.
Felicity Huffman: I think she feels very responsible.
I mean, it’s something that they developed 18-17 years ago for the greater good to save children.
And then it was bastardized to actually create socio and psychopaths.
Joe Mantegna: Exactly right.
Makes it all that more intense and affects you more.
New episodes ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionsdebut on Paramount+ on Thursdays.
Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J.
Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster.
Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
