The BAU is going to be down at least a couple of team members when Criminal Minds season 11 begins, and filling one of those gaps is Aisha Tyler, who will be recurring as Dr. Tara Lewis, a forensic psychologist.

In the premiere, “The Job,” Dr. Lewis is a just an impressive potential new team member who helps with the latest case, a serial killer leaving distinctive marks on victims’ faces.

Aisha Tyler Joins Criminal Minds Season 11>>>

Watch the promo for “The Job”:

As always, the preview offers a look at the latest “twisted” and “bizarre” case for the BAU. This time, the UnSub overwhelms his victims silently and then injects them, and you can even get a look at what he’s going to be doing to them. Plus, get a look at Dr. Lewis explaining why she wants to be part of the team and a tease about a mole.

Check out a sneak peek from the premiere:

“I think forensic psychologists tend to stand out at the bureau,” Dr. Lewis explains to Hotch. “Other agents like it when I make sure the bad guys they’ve arrested are actually found competent to stand trial.”

While she is the only applicant who has as much clinical evaluative experience as she does, it’s not exactly relevant to what they do. Interviewing serial killers in prison is very different from hunting them, but that’s why she’s there; she wants to catch them instead of just studying them after the fact.

Watch a day in Aisha Tyler’s life as she hosts The Talk and then films Criminal Minds:

“I wanted this to be a very different character than I’ve played before, and a part of that was I wanted a different look,” Tyler says to explain the short hair her character has. 

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Of casting Tyler, executive producer Erica Messer says, “We wanted someone who was authoritative but warm and friendly and smart and funny, and it’s all the things Aisha is naturally.”

Criminal Minds season 11 airs Wednesdays at 9pm on CBS.

(Image courtesy of CBS)

Meredith Jacobs

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV

If it’s on TV — especially if it’s a procedural or superhero show — chances are Meredith watches it. She has a love for all things fiction, starting from a young age with ER and The X-Files on the small screen and the Nancy Drew books. Arrow kicked off the Arrowverse and her true passion for all things heroes. She’s enjoyed getting into the minds of serial killers since Criminal Minds, so it should be no surprise that her latest obsession is Prodigal Son.