Heated Rivalry‘s Connor Storrie has now debuted on Criminal Minds: Evolution, and though the show is much more than this guest arc (and you should absolutely be watching anyway), we can’t deny that it’s been pretty great to watch Connor flex his acting muscles. That interrogation scene? And the setup at the end? Sure, he was enchanting as Ilya Rozanov, but what can we do with a darker role? We can’t wait to find out.
What do we know about his role on the show? Who is he playing? How long will he be around? Here’s all the information you need to know, whether you are a fan of the show from the beginning, or whether you’re going to be watching just for Connor.
Who Is Connor Storrie Playing On ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’?
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 brought Connor Storrie in for Episode 4, playing a character called Lance Kingston. Described as “a charming narcissist with a deep sense of entitlement,” Kingston is questioned by the BAU after his ex Laura (Jessi Case) confirms he took several photos of her that were sent to Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) in prison. Those photos came with threatening messages.
But Laura also gives us some insight into the character, saying that he “started out as this total prince, then turned out to be a complete stalker nut job.” Needless to say, he didn’t take the breakup well and started stalking her. Laura called the cops, and “he went apeshit.” Then, he is brought in for questioning.
The clip of that first interrogation has been released.
The BAU very quickly figures out Lance is not actually the person who sent the pictures to Voit, aka he’s not the copycat they’re looking for. And though they’re very sure about it, Tara still runs a little test, giving him a pen that’s leaking ink to see how he reacts. When he’s not too bothered by it, they’re sure he’s not their man. Which doesn’t mean we won’t see him again, as the episode ends with Kingston getting kidnapped.
We already have confirmation that Connor will appear in Episodes 4, 5, 6, and 9 of this season, and from the brief sightings of him in the Season 19 trailer, the released stills, and context clues, we know he’s likely getting tortured next. And at some point, likely in Episode 6, the BAU will show up to save them. And then? We’ve still got episode 9.
Showrunner Erica Messer told Us Weekly that Storrie’s character’s “story does have something to do with the big bad of the season, but—without wanting to give much away—that’s all I’ll say.”
Messer also told TVGuide Storrie was originally meant to be in just one episode, but everyone in the show was so impressed with him that his role was expanded. “He was shooting a scene with A.J. [Cook] that I believe made our trailer,” Messer said. “There was such a presence about him, super genuine, super talented — so much so that we expanded his character from one episode to four episodes.”
To Vulture, Messer said, “We were very much interested in finding somebody that would stand out a bit. Connor won that, hands down,” adding, “The interesting thing is, none of us knew what Heated Rivalry was. Even if it was on his résumé, I think the conversation was, ‘He’s just finished this thing that hasn’t aired yet.’ It wasn’t anything more than that.”
And if we’re getting more of him, it’s 100% because he was so good. “We were like, ‘Okay, I know he was important for episode four, but we’ve got to make him more integral to the rest of the season,” Messer said. That’s how Storrie’s arc went from one episode to four. “100 percent because he was so compelling.”
That still doesn’t tell us what’ll happen with the character outside of the obvious. What happens after he gets rescued? Will he go looking for revenge? Is he now on the serial killer’s side? Who knows!
What we do know is that the showrunner also teased that if the character does survive, they would love to have him back. “I would just say, on Criminal Minds in general, you never say never.”
Storrie is probably booked and busy at this point, but never say never.
And hey, funnily enough for Heated Rivalry fans, Messer also told Us Weekly that they tried to get Hudson Williams on the show too! “We were like, ‘Is he available?’”
Sadly, the answer was no. “He’s shooting the second season of Heated Rivalry in August, and that’s when we would need them. We tried.”
But next episode, our Connor Storrie journey on this show continues. What will he bring to the table this time?
