Emily Prentiss

Emily Prentiss is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds, portrayed by Paget Brewster. A longtime member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), Prentiss is characterized by her intelligence, linguistic skills, leadership skills, resilience, and diplomatic upbringing as the daughter of an ambassador. Prentiss plays a central role in the series, eventually becoming Unit Chief in Season Twelve and later Section Chief, a position she holds to this day. Brewster has continued her role in the series after its revival, Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Emily Prentiss
Criminal Minds character
First appearance	S2 E9 "The Last Word" November 15, 2006
Portrayed by	Paget Brewster
In-universe information
Gender	Female
Title	FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent FBI BAU Unit Chief FBI Section Chief
Occupation	FBI Section Chief
Seasons	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

She first appears in Season Two as a replacement for Agent Elle Greenaway, joining the team under unexpected circumstances. Initially facing suspicion due to her diplomatic background and political connections, Prentiss proves herself through her cultural knowledge, profiling expertise, and dedication to the team’s mission. Prentiss’s role in the BAU is marked by multiple departures and returns. In Season Six, she fakes her death to escape Ian Doyle, a dangerous nemesis from her past, and goes into hiding with the help of Hotch and JJ. She returns in Season Seven to assist the team in neutralizing Doyle but departs again at the season’s end to take a leadership position at Interpol in London. She sporadically appears in Season 9 to help the team investigate JJ's kidnapping and in Season 11 to help the team catch a serial-killer. In Season 12, Emily officially rejoins the BAU and assumes the role of Unit Chief following Hotch's resignation.

A major effect of Emily's storyline is that the actress, Brewster, has departed and returned to Criminal Minds two times for "creative, financial, and personal reasons." Her first departure was near the end of Season 6 when she was let go after the first 18 episodes. She was brought back as a guest star in Season 7 due to fan demand, and then left once again to focus on more comedic roles. Completely absent from Season 8 and Season 10, she did made sporadic appearances in Season 9 and Season 11. She reprised her role as a main character in Season 12 after Thomas Gibson, the actor portraying Hotch, was fired. In recent seasons, Paget Brewster has gained attention for embracing her gray hair, which has led to frequent mentions of it on the show in relation to her character, Emily Prentiss.

Character

Backstory

Emily Elizabeth Prentiss was born on October 12, 1970, into a high-profile diplomatic family. Her mother, Ambassador Elizabeth Prentiss, was a prominent U.S. diplomat whose career required frequent relocations to politically sensitive regions, including the Middle East and Europe. As a result, Emily spent much of her childhood living abroad, becoming fluent in multiple languages, including Arabic, Spanish, French, and Italian. Despite her privileged upbringing, Emily experienced emotional isolation, as her mother’s demanding career came alongside a lack of family interaction. The strained relationship with her mother became a recurring theme throughout her life.

During her teenage years in Rome, Emily faced significant challenges, including a rebellious phase characterized by a goth persona and a desire to fit in with her peers. At fifteen, she became pregnant and sought advice from her priest, who warned her against abortion. With the help of her friend Matthew Benton, Emily ultimately had an abortion, which left her traumatized and distressed. Prentiss would later reconcile with her faith, gaining empathy and wisdom from her past experiences.

Before joining the BAU, Emily worked for Interpol, where she operated as an undercover agent infiltrating international criminal organizations. Her most significant mission involved Ian Doyle, a dangerous arms dealer and terrorist. Posing as Lauren Reynolds, Prentiss gained Doyle’s trust and helped dismantle his network, orchestrating the faked death of his son to protect the child from Doyle’s life of violence. After Doyle's arrest and imprisonment, Emily believed the mission was complete, but Doyle later escaped, seeking revenge. This chain of events forced Emily to fake her own death in Season Six, leaving the BAU and her life behind to protect her team. Only two of her colleagues were aware of the plan, and her reappearance in the premiere of Season Seven brought shock, frustration, and confusion to the rest of the team.

Personality

Emily Prentiss is portrayed as a highly intelligent and composed agent, known for her adaptability, cultural knowledge, and careful approach to cases. Her diplomatic upbringing instilled professionalism and the ability to remain calm under pressure, while her multilingual skills and analytical expertise make her an invaluable profiler. Prentiss is deeply empathetic, often forming strong connections with victims and their families, which fuels her determination to bring justice. She is regarded as an influential, caring, and profound leader by her subordinates.

While generally level-headed, Prentiss is not immune to emotional responses, particularly in cases that echo her own past or involve significant injustice. Her sharp wit and dry humor help her bond with her team and diffuse tense situations, but she also has a deeply loyal and self-sacrificing nature. She has repeatedly risked her life to protect her colleagues.

Storyline

Early Seasons (Seasons 2 to 7)

Emily Prentiss is introduced in Season Two as a replacement for Agent Elle Greenaway, joining the BAU unexpectedly. Initially met with suspicion due to her diplomatic background and unapproved transfer, Prentiss establishes herself as a valuable member of the team, demonstrating her multilingual abilities, cultural expertise, and strong profiling skills. Over these seasons, elements of her backstory are revealed, including her experience growing up as the daughter of a U.S. ambassador, her difficult childhood, and her time working with Interpol.

Prentiss’s past plays a central role in Season Six when Ian Doyle, a former arms dealer she helped capture during her Interpol tenure, escapes prison and seeks revenge. Posing as “Lauren Reynolds” during her undercover mission, Prentiss had staged Doyle’s son’s death to protect the child from his father’s influence, sparking Doyle’s vendetta against her. In “Lauren,” Doyle captures and tortures Prentiss, leaving her gravely injured. To protect the BAU, Prentiss fakes her death with the help of Hotch and JJ and goes into hiding. She returns in Season Seven, rejoining the team to neutralize Doyle and ensure the safety of his son, Declan. After resolving the conflict, Prentiss decides to leave the BAU at the end of the season, accepting a leadership position at Interpol’s London office.

Guest Appearances (Seasons 9 and 11)

While Prentiss does not appear in Seasons Eight or Ten, she makes several guest appearances during Seasons Nine and Eleven. In Season Nine’s “200,” she assists the BAU in rescuing JJ from a terrorist group, briefly reuniting with her former colleagues. In Season Eleven’s “Tribute,” she enlists the team’s help in apprehending an international serial killer who has moved from Europe to the United States. During this period, Prentiss is depicted as thriving in her role at Interpol while maintaining her ties to the BAU.

Later Seasons (Seasons 12 to 17)

Prentiss returns to the BAU in Season Twelve following Aaron Hotchner’s departure, stepping into the role of Unit Chief. Her tenure as leader involves managing internal challenges, including conflicts with FBI Assistant Director Linda Barnes, and leading the team through high-profile cases, such as the manhunt for serial killer Peter Lewis (Scratch). In “Wheels Up,” Prentiss is abducted and tortured by Scratch but refuses to compromise her team, highlighting her commitment to the BAU’s mission. She later oversees the resolution of Scratch’s threat.

Prentiss’s leadership is explored further in the later seasons, along with her efforts to balance her professional and personal life. Her romantic relationship with Agent Andrew Mendoza is a recurring subplot, and her candidacy for FBI Director in Season Fifteen reflects her stature within the bureau. Ultimately, Prentiss decides to remain with the BAU, reaffirming her connection to the team. By the end of the fifteenth season, she is promoted to Section Chief, overseeing the BAU and continuing her work within the FBI. Emily Prentiss has continued to appear in the series revival, Criminal Minds: Evolution. She maintains her position as a Section Chief in Seasons 16 and 17, experiencing a major traumatic event at the end of Season 17 during the discovery of the last two suspects relating to "Gold Star."