Each season's prologues will reference a different serial killer, and BTK won't get caught in the series timeframe.
BTK was historically apprehended in 2005. The first season covers 1977-1979, and shows him beginning his first hyatus (1979-1985) at the end of the season. Fincher has said that the second season will deal with the Atlanta Child Murders (1979-1981) and that there are five seasons planned. Presuming that every season covers two or three years, this means that BTK could not even return before Season 4 or so, and that the show will end with the 80s. However, the prologue format could be kept if they featured a different serial killer each season, such as the aforementioned Atlanta Child Killer, the Night Stalker or the Green River Killer.- One possible killer who was first active in 1979, though far off the FBI's radar, could be Jeffrey Dahmer.
- Jossed for the first part. Season 2 continues showing BTK in the prologues.
Barney will join the BSU in Season 3
Not much of a WMG after being basically an unofficial member for most of Season 2, but everything lines up:- He already applied in the past and Gunn wants to expand the unit.
- He is familiar and in good terms with the founders.
- He is aware of subtleties of African-American and Southern culture that the others struggle with picking in the past.
- He might have it easier to interview black serial killers if they are hostile to white law enforcers (and they'd already pointed they have little info on black serial killers)
- Most importantly, he gets profiling. Both the benefits and the limitations of the current frame.
Smith is closeted gay or bisexual
He's uncomfortable interviewing gay offenders and has referred to homosexuality as a deviancy in the past, but without being overtly hostile to it. Seems to think of it as something that exists but must be kept under wraps... as if he was alredy doing that himself.