Criminal Minds season 13 spoilers: How Daniel Henney’s Matt Simmons arrives

There’s already been some talk regarding why Daniel Henney’s character of Matt Simmons sticks around on Criminal Minds — it seems to have very much to do with the end of the International Response Team. Beyond that though, why does he turn up at the very moment that the BAU needs him? That’s the discussion point for this episode, and that is tied back to the way in which season 12 concluded with that crazy car accident — one that may take the lives of many of the show’s characters.

In speaking on this subject further in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, show executive producer Erica Messer makes more of her thoughts clear in terms of why Simmons shows up, and how he is recruited by and large thanks to one Penelope Garcia:

“Garcia [Kirsten Vangsness] has just learned that her team is in trouble. And the first person she calls is Agent Simmons … He drives them to the site of the last known signal from the team. They discover this horrific car accident. Once they see who is injured, they discover that someone is missing.”

From here, the premiere episode will be all about discovering and finding this said missing person. One way or another, we know that the future is not good for one Stephen Walker — Damon Gupton was written out of the show earlier this summer, so either the character is killed off or decides to depart for greener pastures somewhere else. Matt will come in to help fill that spot on the team. (You can see one of the first photos of him below via the aforementioned website.)

As for how many more new team members beyond Henney we’re going to be seeing this season, that answer is simple: Zero. There are no plans to bring in anyone else as a series regular for the time being, and that makes sense given the overall size of the cast. With Henney, Vangsness, AJ Cook, Matthew Gray Gubler, Adam Rodriguez, Joe Mantegna, and Paget Brewster, you’ve got a decently-sized team with a wide array of different characters. This enables there to be some episodes that lean more on certain cast members than others, while you’re also avoiding a situation where there are so many favorites that people start to fall off the map for a lengthy period of time.

In general, we love Henney so we’re glad to see him on the flagship show — we did like the Walker character, but as we’ve noted with Gupton’s casting over on Black Lightning, everyone is winning out in the end. He gets to go somewhere else for a meaty role, and this show moves forward.

What do you want to see with Matt Simmons on Criminal Minds season 13?

Be sure to share some of your thoughts on that subject below! Meanwhile, head over to the link here in the event you want some additional news and insight when it comes to the series. (Photo: CBS.)