TV television dramas
Michael Yarish/Paramount+
Witharcher sabienna/Updated: March 2, 2023 4:47 am EST
After15 seasonshigh profile procedural drama,"Criminal Minds"ended its run on CBS, with the genius creators and rogue hunters of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit taking down a particularly vicious and cunning "unknown subject" (or UnSub) known as The Chameleon, and then moving on to other police adventures. Almost a year later, forfinal condition, CBS sibling Paramount+ has made moves to revive "Criminal Minds" for a 16th season.
Despite the initial vote of confidence, the "Criminal Minds" revival got off to a rocky start. after a fewstarts, stops and hiccups, with longtime original series star Paget Brewster even declaring a reboot unlikely, if not impossible, "Criminal Minds" is back in a bold new format and available to viewers in a whole new way. The all-new "Criminal Minds: Evolution" premiered on Paramount+ on November 24 - Thanksgiving Day - with new episodes releasing every week until February 2023.
Here's everything you need to know about the latest incarnation of the BAU-based good vs. evil saga,"Criminal Minds: Evolution."
What was the plot of Criminal Minds: Evolution?
CBS
Television has become increasingly serialized in recent years, but part of the appeal of "Criminal Minds" has been its ability to keep viewers coming back with an old-fashioned case-of-the-week format. Perfinal condition, "Criminal Minds: Evolution" abandoned that format, presenting itself more as a limited series, with the plot focusing on a single major case that unfolded over all 10 episodes. That departure is a big part of why "Criminal Minds" was rebranded as an independent project titled"Criminal Minds: Evolution."
The crime story this time was too long, complicated and painful for a single installment of "Criminal Minds". The Hunted Suspect, or "UnSub" as he's known on the show and in BAU parlance, is a mastermind who created a group of serial killers who bonded during the pandemic. When the world shut down, they quietly prepared a killing spree together and bought time, waiting for the world to come out of the coronavirus lockdowns so they could kill on a mass scale. It is up to the BAU team to track down each of these killers and destroy this deadly web.
Meanwhile, fromTVLine, the BAU has suffered some internal political drama, with Emily Prentiss' job as leader of the elite squad challenged by a new deputy director who has something to prove.
Who starred in Criminal Minds: Evolution?
CBS
"Criminal Minds" is as much drama as it is procedural, and any new season or franchise revival should feature at least a few of the familiar faces playing the characters that have anchored the show and kept viewers coming back. episode after episode for a decade and a half. Accordingfinal condition, six longtime members of the "Criminal Minds" cast agreed to return to the series early in pre-production, provided they were available and could secure acceptable contracts. When the series officially got the green light, byfinal condition, all six actors were arrested.
Joe Mantegna will continue to play Senior Supervisory Special Agent David Rossi, Paget Brewster will reprise her role as SSA Emily Prentiss, Adam Rodriguez will return as Fugitive Task Force Agent Luke Alvez, Kirsten Vangsness will return as BAU Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia, A.J. Cook returns as SSA J.J. jareau,Josh Stewartwill play detective William LaMontagne Jr. and Aisha Tyler will reprise her role as forensic psychologist Dr. Tara Lewis. Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights," "Midnight Mass"), caTVLine, will play a new character named Elias Voit, an operations analyst for a cybersecurity firm who also has an obsession with death and a disturbing inner darkness. ANDaccording to the deadline, Nicole Pacent ("Call Me Kat," "Westworld") will play a recurring character named Rebecca, a Justice Department lawyer with bad news for our protagonists.
There are two notable omissions from the 'Criminal Minds' cast list. Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid) likely won't return, as he's looking forward to new roles rather than returning to one he's played for 15 seasons, nor will Daniel Henney (Matt Simmons), due to his Prime Video commitments "A Wheel of Time".
Who was the showrunner of Criminal Minds: Evolution?
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
After working on the writing team of early 2000s TV favorites such as "Alias," "The O.C." and "Charmed," Erica Messer joined "Criminal Minds" in its first season in 2005. She wrote a total of 52 episodes of the series, both as a staff member and head writer on the show, also earning promotions to supervising producer, executive producer and showrunner. Messer remained the main figure in "Criminal Minds" until its long-term end in 2020, but returned in the same way for the revival, "Criminal Minds: Evolution", once again in the position of showrunner.
Messer's contributions are so vital to the creative voice and day-to-day production of "Criminal Minds," both in its original form and in its revamped "Evolution" form, that the show conventionally could not be realized in its preferred form without her. her. . Accordingfinal condition, production studio ABC Signature signed a deal to return to "Criminal Minds" in late 2021, and none of the actors from the original series could sign their contracts until Messer's was finalized.
How are critics and audiences responding to Criminal Minds: Evolution?
Sovereign
Among the top 40 most-watched shows in its first season, "Criminal Minds" would be a top 10 hit in 2010 and still ranks in the top 30 during its fifteenth and final season. It's a lot easier to watch TV shows than it is to find a show on a subscription streaming service, especially a relatively new and unproven one like Paramount+, but "Criminal Minds" fans have flocked to "Criminal Minds: Evolution." Accordingfinal condition, the renewed series quickly established itself as one of Paramount+'s five most-streamed original series. The most ardent fans of "Criminal Minds" seemed to enjoy the new season as well. "Criminal Minds: Evolution" recorded an audience of 81% on the aggregatorrotten tomatoes, a number higher than what the show could muster in its final seasons of airing.
The original "Criminal Minds" was never a runaway critical success or an awards magnet. earned just three Emmy nominations in 15 seasons, all for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. Television writers who reviewed the show found it average and typical, according torotten tomatoes. But not "Criminal Minds: Evolution," a certified critical success with a85% rotten tomatoespunctuation. "'Criminal Minds' accomplishes a difficult feat for any long-form procedural," he wrote.Max Gao do The A.V. Clubein representative criticism. "He finds a way to add new (and somewhat surprising) layers to characters that have graced the screen for over a decade."
Where to watch previous seasons of Criminal Minds
CBS
Accordingfinal condition, a big part of why Paramount wanted to revive "Criminal Minds" specifically for its up-and-coming streaming service Paramount+, isn't just because it was a beloved, long-running show with a huge audience and name. recognition. It's because "Criminal Minds" was a low-key success as a digital offering. The sturdy,324 episodesThe existing library of "Criminal Minds" episodes became one of the most popular shows ever available on Netflix that came from home on a broadcast network.
"Criminal Minds" is no longer available on Netflix, the service that made it a streaming success, but it is easily found. beneficiaryhulu subscribersis inParamount+. "Criminal Minds: Evolution" is available only on Paramount+, the home network streaming sister of the original CBS series.
Will there be more new episodes of Criminal Minds?
Sovereign
Something that is not missing are the episodes of "Criminal Minds". The original series produced over 300 episodes for CBS between 2005 and 2020, not to mention 10 more in the form of the reboot-meets-revival-meets-sequel-meets-spinoff “Criminal Minds: Evolution” exclusively for Paramount+.
"Criminal Minds: Evolution" represented a departure from the previous series' case-of-the-week concept, with a large crime story told throughout the limited series. That experiment apparently worked, because another cycle of "Criminal Minds" episodes, under the specific, standalone "Evolution" banner, has yet to come. In January 2023, before the full season was even revealed to the public, Paramount+ was so pleased with the results that it ordered another season of "Criminal Minds: Evolution," according tofinal condition. Production is set to begin in 2023, and it looks like viewers can expect more from the revamped crime drama. "We're thrilled to bring even more twisted stories to our loyal fans," said Tanya Giles, CEO of Paramount Streaming. "Fans quickly embraced this new season with its more serialized elements. There are still plenty of dark twists for the BAU."
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FAQs
Criminal Minds: Evolution - Everything you need to know? ›
On January 12, longtime viewers received the ultimate surprise when it was announced that Criminal Minds: Evolution got renewed for season 2 on Paramount+. The show's official Instagram later shared a photo featuring Rossi, Prentiss and Tara in the elevator of Quantico.
Is Criminal Minds: Evolution a one off? ›On January 12, longtime viewers received the ultimate surprise when it was announced that Criminal Minds: Evolution got renewed for season 2 on Paramount+. The show's official Instagram later shared a photo featuring Rossi, Prentiss and Tara in the elevator of Quantico.
How is Criminal Minds: Evolution different? ›4 Evolution Has More Creative Freedom On A Streaming Service
Criminal Minds, as a show focused on acts of depravity and violence, has dark themes. However, while there are some episodes that went too far, the violence and dark aspect of the show has been restricted by the fact that it was a cable network series.
Narratively, the profiler decided that it was time to retire and focus on his growing family. In real life, the actor went on to spearhead a different CBS series in SWAT.
Why is Spencer not in Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›In the premiere of Criminal Minds: Evolution, it was briefly explained that Gubler and Henney's characters were off on secret assignments that can't be discussed. In reality, the two actors weren't able to join the new series due to conflicting schedules.
Does Reid appear in Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›But the new storyline also left out one major player: Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), who was last seen in the original CBS drama and not present in the Paramount+ show.
Will Hotch be in Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›While his departure made sense off-screen, Hotchner's sudden disappearance was abrupt in the show. It's unlikely that the actor will ever return to Criminal Minds.
Where does Criminal Minds: Evolution pick up? ›A revival of “Criminal Minds,” “Evolution” picked up where the series left off when it concluded on CBS in 2020 after 15 seasons.
How many years between Criminal Minds and Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›What Is 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' About? Set two years after the end of Criminal Minds Season 15, Evolution returns to the BAU to find the team in a different place in their lives. Some have moved on while others have really found their feet in the team.
What is the new Criminal Minds: Evolution about? ›The sixteenth season of the American police procedural crime drama television series Criminal Minds, subtitled Evolution, follows members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as they are faced with a network of serial killers built during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is Derek Morgan's secret? ›
At the age of ten, Morgan was a witness to the shooting death of his father Hank, a police officer. After his father's death, Morgan struggled somewhat with youthful fighting, earning him a juvenile criminal record. He was taken under the wing of a local youth center coordinator, Carl Buford.
Are Shemar Moore and Matthew GREY Gubler friends? ›The pair starred on the CBS drama for several years before Shemar exited, but their friendship never strictly stayed on the small screen. Instead, these two have been known to take supercute - and superhot - photos together both on and off set.
Why did Morgan replace Hotch? ›The answer to the question of why Morgan became unit chief over Rossi is, as it turns out, simply that Rossi didn't want to. Reddit user u/spencersreed pointed out that Rossi already had his time as team leader when he and Gideon first started the BAU.
Why did JJ and Reid never date? ›After JJ pulled through in the hospital, the pair got another chance to share their feelings, and this time, both parties admitted they were in love with one another. However, JJ said that she also loves her husband, Will, so she and Reid decided that they would continue to be "best friends."
Is Spencer Reid autistic? ›Personality. It is suggested by other people within and outside of the team that Reid is on the autism spectrum, it is confirmed by The Fisher King in Season 1 Episode 22 through to Season 2 Episode 1. He is socially awkward and has a hard time dealing with his emotions.
Why did Penelope leave Criminal Minds? ›After 15 seasons with the team, Penelope announced she was taking a job elsewhere with a non-profit where she could help with the ongoing climate crisis.
Who is Spencer Reid's wife in Criminal Minds? ›| Main Character | |
|---|---|
| Status | Alive but I'm hospital for falling off a building while trying to seduce a unsub |
| Portrayed By | Phoebe Tonkin |
| First Appearance | Ugly |
Matthew Gray Gubler who plays Reid, dislocated his knee while dancing right before season 5. The writers of the show had him get shot in the knee, this way he could stay on the job. For the 1st few episodes he was in a knee brace, and crutches.
Who comes back in Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›The revival saw the return of many of the original Criminal Minds cast members, including Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez), Jennifer Jareau (A.J. Cook), Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) as they faced off against a serial killer who created a network of others like him during the pandemic.
Will there be more Criminal Minds after evolution? ›Evolution is returning with another batch of new episodes! Back in December 2022, Criminal Minds: Evolution showrunner Erica Messer told Decider's Raven Brunner that she and the writers had already started talking about a potential Season 2.
Who did David Rossi lose in Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›
'Criminal Minds: Evolution' Is Telling This Story Yet Again
Additionally, Rossi's wife Krystall (Gail O'Grady) passed away, leaving Rossi more focused on and obsessed with his work than ever.
On the first season of Paramount+'s Criminal Minds: Evolution, our favorite and beloved profilers — sans Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Matt Simmons (Daniel Henney) — from the long-running CBS drama return three years after their series finale.
Who is the longest running character on Criminal Minds? ›Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia then
Pictured here with Patinkin in the Season 1 installment “Riding the Lightning,” Vangsness appeared in 321 Criminal Minds episodes and is thus the show's longest-serving cast member returning for Evolution (unless Gubler makes a surprise reappearance, that is).
The real-life reason for Reid's absence on Criminal Minds: Evolution stems from scheduling conflicts. Initially, it was believed that it was the actor's decision to skip the revival altogether after starring in and occasionally directing episodes of Criminal Minds for 15 years.
Why isn t Matthew Gray Gubler returning? ›In reality, the two actors weren't able to join the new series due to conflicting schedules. Criminal Mind showrunner Erica Messer explained to TV Insider. "We wanted [Gubler and Henny] both back, and they both had other projects, and we only had a very short window to shoot this year.
Who is JJ real husband? › What does Penelope call Derek? ›| Derek Morgan | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Dark Chocolate Thunder, Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Six-Pack, Man Chocolate, Sugar (by Penelope Garcia) |
| Title | FBI BAU Supervisory Special Agent Seasons 1-5, 6-11 Acting Unit Chief 5-6 |
| Occupation | FBI Special Agent |
Shemar Franklin Moore (born April 20, 1970) is an American actor. His notable roles include Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless (1994–2005), Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds (2005–2016), and the lead role of Sergeant II Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson on S.W.A.T. (2017–2024) all on CBS.
What happened to Hotch's girlfriend Beth? ›Hotchner decided to break it off with Beth when she received an offer to run a gallery in Hong Kong and he didn't want to hold her back from such a fantastic opportunity.
Did JJ have a crush on Reid? ›It was the biggest twist of the season. In the finale of Criminal Minds season 14, an emotional episode that saw both a wedding and a hostage situation, JJ Jareau (played by A.J. Cook) told her longtime coworker, Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Grey Gubler) that she had loved him all along. I repeat: JJ loved Reid all along.
Were Reid and JJ in love? ›
Reid has previously shown romantic interest in JJ, which later blossomed into an unbreakable friendship, and he was even made the godfather of JJ and her husband Will's (Josh Stewart) son, Henry.
Who was in love with Spencer Reid? ›In Season 8, Dr. Spencer Reid began a relationship with a woman named Maeve, whom he had never met in person because she lived in fear of a stalker. This star-crossed relationship came to an abrupt—and tragic—end when Maeve was kidnapped by a deranged ex-student of hers.
Why did JJ leave in season 6? ›Jareau was written out of the show after Cook was let go at the beginning of season six, for financial reasons relating to the premiere of the spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.
Who runs the BAU after Hotch leaves? ›Given that serial killers often target FBI agents' families; this is a smart move on the character's part. However, before parting ways with the FBI, the former Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) recommended that none other than Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) take his place.
Was Gideon or Hotch the unit chief? ›He took a six-month medical leave because he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Upon his return from medical leave, he is given the Senior Agent position, as Hotchner is confirmed as Unit Chief.
What did JJ say to Reid in Truth or Dare? ›In “Truth or Dare,” while being held at gunpoint and with lives on the line, JJ told Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), “I've always loved you. I was just too scared to say it before.” Unfortunately, things had just become too complicated for the two. (After all, she is married with children — and Reid is their godfather.)
Does Reid confess his love for JJ? ›Back in season 1, it seemed like something might be brewing when brilliant, but awkward, Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) confessed to having a little office crush on JJ Jareau (A. J. Cook). An attempt at setting the two up was made, but ultimately, romance never blossomed.
Does JJ leave her husband for Reid? ›In the end, JJ did not leave her husband, they didn't get together, and Spencer got a new love interest, so the confession didn't amount to much. Generally, this whole storyline is a sore spot for the fandom.
Is Criminal Minds: Evolution going to have a season 2? ›The BAU will be back to bust criminals as Paramount+ orders another season. Criminal Minds: Evolution has been renewed for another season.
Will there be more than 2 episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›Good news, Criminal Minds fans. Evolution is returning with another batch of new episodes! Back in December 2022, Criminal Minds: Evolution showrunner Erica Messer told Decider's Raven Brunner that she and the writers had already started talking about a potential Season 2.
How many episodes will there be of Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›
How Many Episodes Are In Criminal Minds: Evolution? Criminal Minds: Evolution will feature 10 episodes.
Is criminal minds season 16 the same as Criminal Minds: Evolution? ›The sixteenth season of the American police procedural crime drama television series Criminal Minds, subtitled Evolution, follows members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as they are faced with a network of serial killers built during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Is Derek coming back to Criminal Minds? ›Shemar Moore is heading back to one of his old TV haunts, but the show he's returning to left fans completely surprised.
What does gold star mean Criminal Minds? ›The FBI offices where the BAU is located has a wall with gold stars for agents that have been killed in the line of duty, something the show reflects on in the finale as we saw Bailey added to it, which suggests Gold Star could be linked to deceased agents of the Bureau or agents we think are deceased but could be ...