Read all about the comeback of one of the most popular television shows in history.
When Criminal Minds got canceled in February 2020, the cast and fans were devastated. After fifteen seasons of the show, views and ratings started to fall, causing CBS to cancel the series. However, two years later, it was rumored that plans were being developed for a reboot of the series. Then, in July of 2022, Paramount+ announced that it had picked up the show, and would renew it for a final season, titled Criminal Minds: Evolution.
Criminal Minds first debuted in 2005. In 2021, the series was the most viewed television show on Netflix, with an estimated 33.9 billion minutes watched by American viewers, as tracked by Nielsen. The show was taken off Netflix earlier this year, as it was picked up by Paramount+ for the reboot. Criminal Minds: Evolution will be a ten-episode long season where the team will work on the same case for the entirety of it. This was a shock to fans, as in the past, every episode of the previous seasons featured a new case and new villains for the team to track down. The new episodes will include the pandemic in the storyline, with an UnSub who used the pandemic to collaborate with other serial killers. The reboot will consist of almost the entire cast from the final season, including Paget Brewster, AJ Cook, Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, and Adam Rodriguez. Cast member Matthew Gray Gubler will not be returning to the show, as he indicated he is finished with the role. Daniel Henney will also not be returning for the reboot, as he is currently filming another role.
Filming for the reboot officially started in August of 2022. On August 8th, Brewster, who plays Emily Prentiss, tweeted, “Oh, hi Guys!! This is my first @criminalminds hair and makeup from this morning…. I hope you’re all excited for a slightly older, sassier, no filters, grey-haired Prentiss. And if you aren’t, that’s cool, just tell someone else.” (Brewster). The show is anticipated to conclude filming in December.
Criminal Minds: Evolution will release its first two episodes on November 24th on Paramount+, where the rest of the series is currently available for streaming.