"Criminal Minds" will return for its eighth season on Wednesday, Sept. 26. with a two-hour premiere and an intriguing storyline.

The preview video features the BAU team visiting a crime scene after learning of a prisoner's escape. When they arrive they find an armed guard in an EMT uniform, but quickly learn the real reason they were really called in: the guard's mouth was sewn completely shut courtesy of one of their notorious murderers, "The Silencer."

As the episode unfolds, viewers learn more background about the as-yet-caught serial killer.

"Criminal Minds" fans will learn The Silencer's time spent in jail is the real reason why he has not had a victim since 2004. The BAU team later learn why he was imprisoned: when he was pulled over for a traffic violation, the arresting officer found a gun in the killer's car with a silencer attached to it. Later, while serving his sentence in federal prison for the gun charge, he killed two men.

The preview clip does not reveal if "The Silencer" will get caught in episode 1. Although fans finally learn why The Silencer was never caught in a previous season, there's a chance the show's creator might want to stretch out his storyline because it is so intriguing and has been a hit with fans.

Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn begins this season as agent Alex Blake. Agent Blake is replacing agent Emily Prentiss Brewster who was played by Paget Brewster for 7 seasons. Brewster announced in February that Season 7 of "Criminal Minds" would be her last.

"It's hard. I'm not going to lie," Brewster said of her exit to TV Guide. "I'm jealous of Jeanne Tripplehorn, which is ludicrous because I decided to leave," she says. "You hear, 'Oh we're doing this this week and these are our guest stars', and there's a little tinge of regret. But I don't ultimately regret it."

Ironically, Brewster will appear in the two hour premier episode of "Law & Order: SVU" also scheduled for Sept. 26 at 9/8 c on NBC. Brewster will be the head of a District Attorney unit.

The two-hour season premiere of "Criminal Minds" airs on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 9/8 c on CBS.

Watch the preview clip below starring new actress Jeanne Tripplehorn with the return of "The Silencer."

Tags
CBS, Criminal Minds