Honestly, if you're a Criminal Minds fan, you’ve probably spent a significant portion of your life wondering if Emily Prentiss is actually gone for good or just pulling another disappearing act. It’s basically a rite of passage for the fandom. You watch her get "killed," you mourn, you find out she’s alive, she leaves again, she comes back for a funeral, she leaves again, and then—boom—she’s the boss.
The short answer? Yes. Does Prentiss come back? She comes back more times than almost any other character in TV history. But the "how" and "why" behind those returns are messy. It’s a mix of behind-the-scenes drama, contract disputes, and a fanbase that simply refused to let her go.
The Season 7 Resurrection: The First Big Return
Let’s talk about the big one. In Season 6, we all watched in absolute horror as Ian Doyle "killed" Emily. I remember the feeling of watching that episode, "Lauren," for the first time. It felt final. We saw the funeral! We saw the team crying!
But then, in the final seconds of that season, we see a mystery woman in Paris. She’s got a passport. She’s got the classic Prentiss vibe.
Emily Prentiss officially comes back in the Season 7 premiere, "It Takes a Village." She didn't actually die. JJ and Hotch faked her death to keep her safe from Doyle. While it was a relief to have her back, it sort of broke the team's trust. Remember Reid’s face? He was devastated. He’d spent ten weeks going to JJ’s house to cry, and she never told him the truth. Prentiss stayed for the duration of Season 7, but then she left again in the finale to run Interpol in London.
The Guest Appearances (Seasons 9 and 11)
For a few years, Prentiss was like that friend who moves abroad but pops in for the holidays.
In Season 9, episode 14 ("200"), she returns to help when JJ is kidnapped. It was a brief, high-stakes guest spot that reminded everyone why she was the BAU's secret weapon. Then, in Season 11, she shows up again in "Tribute" to help track down an international serial killer.
At this point, fans were basically begging for her to stay. Paget Brewster was busy doing comedies like Community and Grandfathered, but the pull of the BAU was clearly still there.
The Full-Time Return in Season 12
This is where things got permanent. Following the departure of Thomas Gibson (Hotch) due to an on-set incident, the show needed a leader.
Prentiss returns as a series regular in Season 12, Episode 3. Initially, she was just coming back to help out for a few cases. But by Episode 6, she was officially named the Unit Chief. She stayed in that role until the original series ended with Season 15. If you’re wondering if she’s in the "modern" version of the show, she’s the backbone of it.
Prentiss in Criminal Minds: Evolution (Seasons 16 and 17)
When the show moved to Paramount+ as Criminal Minds: Evolution, Paget Brewster didn't just come back; she came back with a whole new energy. She’s now the Section Chief, which means she spends as much time fighting FBI bureaucracy as she does fighting serial killers.
In the latest seasons (Season 17, which aired in 2024), we see a much more stressed, "I’m getting too old for this" version of Emily. She’s dealing with the Gold Star mystery and the psychological games of Elias Voit. If you’re worried she might leave again—well, Season 18 has already been confirmed, and Prentiss is still the heart of the operation.
Why Paget Brewster Left in the First Place
It wasn't because she wanted to. This is the part that still makes fans angry.
Back in Season 6, CBS executives wanted to "refresh" the show. That’s corporate speak for wanting younger, cheaper actresses. They fired A.J. Cook (JJ) and significantly reduced Paget’s episodes. The backlash from the fans was so intense that the network had to scramble to bring them both back.
Paget has been very open about this in interviews. She once described the experience as "complicated and lousy." She actually wanted to leave after Season 7 because she was hurt by how the network treated her. But over time, the relationship healed, and she realized how much she loved the character.
How to Watch Her Return Episodes
If you want to skip the filler and just watch the Prentiss "comeback" highlights, here is your watchlist:
- Season 7, Episode 1 ("It Takes a Village"): Her first official "resurrection" from the dead.
- Season 9, Episode 14 ("200"): A guest appearance to save JJ.
- Season 11, Episode 19 ("Tribute"): Helping the team with an Interpol-related case.
- Season 12, Episode 3 ("Taboo"): Her official move back to the BAU as a permanent member.
- Season 16, Episode 1: Her return in the Evolution reboot.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're currently catching up on her storyline, here’s how to get the most out of the Prentiss saga:
- Watch Season 6 and 7 back-to-back. The Ian Doyle arc is much more impactful when you see the "death" and "resurrection" as one long story.
- Pay attention to her hair in Evolution. Paget Brewster decided to go with her natural grey hair for the reboot, which she fought for. It adds a layer of realism to the character’s seniority.
- Check out the Season 17 finale. There is a massive reveal about Emily’s family history (specifically a sibling we never knew about) that is going to be a major plot point in Season 18.
- Follow the cast on social media. Unlike the drama of the early years, the current cast is incredibly close, and Paget often shares behind-the-scenes looks at the BAU office.
The bottom line is that Emily Prentiss is the survivor of the group. She’s faked her death, lived in multiple countries, and outlasted almost every other boss the BAU has ever had. She isn't just back—she is the show now.