EW SPOILERS: ‘CRIMINAL MINDS’ BOSS ON GIRLFRIENDS, GIRLS NIGHTS, AND MORE!

As I not so subtly teased in last week's column, I hopped on the phone with Criminal Minds showrunner Erica Messer this week ahead of the 150th episode to get a status on our friends at the BAU. And in the process, she was also kind enough to take on a few of the many, many questions y'all sent in. (If you don't see yours here, maybe I addressed it in the piece earlier this week, which you can read here.) Read on for more:

Hi, would love to know if Hotch love interest Beth is here to stay? Love the character and I hope she is! Thanks! – A Big Hotch Fan

In short, yes, she'll be sticking around. To elaborate, Messer says she hopes that Hotch's joy and excitement over this new relationship is as important to fans as it is to her. “There's no win across the board,” she says. “Finding...

To Read More: Entertainment Weekly

THR: "Criminal Minds Hits 150 Episodes: EP Erica Messer Reflects on Series' Evolution, Reveals Season 7 Secrets (Q&A)"

Reminiscent of the season 4 closer, the showrunner tells THR that the seventh season will close out with a two-hour finale.
8:00 AM PST 1/25/2012 by Philiana Ng

Criminal Minds is hitting another milestone: 150 episodes.

Riding strong in season 7, the CBS procedural has had its share of headline-making news with numerous cast departures -- and subsequent returns. Still, the show -- centered on an eclectic team of profilers in the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) -- continues to average nearly 13 million total viewers per week in its current season and showing no signs of significant ratings deterioration.

"Episode 200 would be during season 9 so bring us back. It's not that far away.," showrunner Erica Messer half-joked to The Hollywood Reporter, referencing network-mate NCIS' big feat airing Feb. 7.

Messer, who has been with Criminal Minds since the very beginning, chatted with THR on two separate occasions -- once in November during filming and again just one day before air -- about the show evolution, details of episode 150 (suspect: serial rapist called The Piano Man) and hints at the season 7 finale (hint: it's two hours).

Erica Messer: The one thing we've been able to continue to do is tell fresh and compelling stories. Early on people were afraid this show wouldn't have enough bad guys to last a year and here we are seven years in. The way we've evolved is really through our characters. We've been able to learn more and more...

To Read More: TheHollywoodReporter.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 7 - 712. Unknown Subject - Thomas Gibson Teases 150th Ep... SPOILER!

By Sandra Gonzalez

After getting a flood of emails from Criminal Minds fans asking me about the 150th episode, I knew I had to toss in a few questions about it when I hopped on the phone with Thomas Gibson literally a few hours ago to chat about Hotch’s upcoming possible romance (more on that soon!). And while details on the case are a little premature to reveal, he did talk about the rumored revealing scene between Hotch and Emily. “It’s a really nice scene, and it touches on where she was in her personal and professional life in the last year when she was dead,” Gibson reveals. “And it also allows Hotch to reveal a little bit to her about what goes on with him. He says at one point that he’s tired of being profiled through his office window, where prying eyes are wondering what’s going on when he’s talking to people… There’s some really great stuff between these two. I’m hoping people will tune in and like it.”

To Read More: TVGuide.com