Criminal Minds Showrunner Justifies That Season 15 Finale Casualty – Looper

One of the familiar hallmarks of “Criminal Minds” was the method of transportation for the BAU: the unit would use a private jet to fly them around while working on investigations. Although it’s technically not the most accurate depiction of lavish police resources, the jet’s constant use made it synonymous with the rest of the team, almost as if it’s a full-fledged character on the show. So what better way to mark its importance and produce a memorable impact than with a fiery sacrifice?

As “Criminal Minds” producer Erica Messer told TV Insider, that was the line of thinking when the jet finally exploded in the Season 15 finale. Messer added that besides giving the show a significant death without using any of the main cast, the timing of using the jet in one final epic moment was just right. “Blow up or crash are things we had talked about with the jet for a long time,” Messer told TV Insider. “It had never felt like the right time to do it, but this felt like we had to do it. It was somebody good, our jet, having to be sacrificed to take out the bad, and once we made that call, it felt right.”

The jet does play the hero in its final moments. While the Chameleon tries to fly away, agents shoot at its leaking fuel, giving “Criminal Minds” an action scene more in tune with the “Die Hard” series. It was also regarded as a tragic moment behind the scenes as Messer noted how sad the “Criminal Minds” team felt while watching the scene in another interview with Entertainment Weekly. Fortunately, the jet — and the BAU team — made a comeback on “Criminal Minds: Evolution.”