Paget Brewster

Prentiss is back!

Paget Brewster is returning to Criminal Minds for the show's 200th episode later this season, TVGuide.com has learned.



"Our 200th episode is going to be a special show," executive producer and showrunner Erica Messer said in a statement. "We can't imagine telling this story without Paget being present."

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The 200th episode will shed light on JJ's ( A.J. Cook ) year in the State Department during Season 6 and the case she worked on with new BAU section chief Matt Cruz ( Esai Morales ), who will make his debut in the fourth episode. "[Episode] 200 is flashback-heavy, but with things fans who've watched all 199 will be happy with," Messer told TVGuide.com last week . "Our goal is to reward everyone who's been with us for 200 episodes."Brewster left Criminal Minds at the end of Season 7 with Prentiss having left the BAU for an Interpol job in London. She briefly departed the show the season before after CBS reduced her episode count and she chose instead to leave to film a comedy pilot. However, CBS rehired Brewster, along with Cook who had been dropped, for Season 7 after her pilot wasn't picked up.Are you excited for Prentiss to return?Criminal Minds airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on CBS. The 200th episode will air in February.(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by CBS.)