"The Inspiration" is the first episode of Season Nine of Criminal Minds, and the first of the two-part season premiere.
Summary
The BAU travels to Arizona to help search for an increasingly devolving killer, while the team speculates that Hotch is in the running to be the new BAU Section Chief following the death of Erin Strauss.
Guest Cast
- Ian Bamberg - Waiter
- J. Omar Castro - Police Officer
- Lauren Lee Denham - Corin Todd
- Kayla Drew - Young Heather Clarke
- Katherine Everett - Emma Coleman
- Leah Garland - Doctor Pat Lewis
- Brianne Howey - Heather Clarke
- JoNell Kennedy - Sergeant Lynne Johnson
- Fred Koehler - Wallace Hines and Jesse Gentry
- Carrie Lazar - Patron
- Natalie Lipka - Morphing Woman
- Bianca Malinowski - Mia Rivera
- Camryn Manheim - Carla Hines
- D.T. Matias - Mini-Mart Clerk
- Vince Melocchi - Erik Cole
- Diane Mizota - Reporter
- Gene Rathswohl - Officer Bachner
- Rob Silverman - Mike Hardy
- Brice Williams - Ben Coleman
Referenced Criminals
Music
- "As Long As I Can Say" (RBN Edition) by Daas Bosh
- "Alot" by Gillian Welch
Bookend Quotes
- David Rossi: "Who knows where inspiration comes from. Perhaps it arises from desperation. Perhaps it comes from the flukes of the universe, the kindness of the muses." Amy Tan
- Aaron Hotchner: Josh Billings once wrote, "There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins."
Trivia
- This episode and the following episode are the first two-part episode (excluding two-hour special episodes) in the show since Season Six's Valhalla and Lauren.