A two-decade run reaches its final case
The behavioral analysts of Criminal Minds: Evolution will investigate their last cases in the show's 20th season, which Paramount+ has set as the series' conclusion. The final installment is expected to arrive in 2027. It marks the fifth season produced under the Evolution banner since the drama relocated to the streaming service.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
The franchise launched on CBS in 2005 and stayed there for 15 seasons, accumulating more than 300 episodes before the network brought it to a close. Two shorter spinoffs followed during that period: Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior lasted a single season, while Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders ran for two. A year after the CBS finale, Paramount+ brought the property back with the Evolution label attached.[S1]
A different kind of storytelling on streaming
The move to Paramount+ changed how the series told its stories. Since the revival, Criminal Minds has leaned into season-long arcs rather than the self-contained cases that defined most of its broadcast run. Seasons on the streaming service have consisted of 10 episodes, a sharp reduction from the 22 or more that were typical during the CBS era.[S1]
Messer thanks the team behind the show
Erica Messer, the showrunner and an executive producer, reflected on the series' long history in a statement, describing how difficult it was to capture what the show had meant to those involved across its 15 years on CBS and five on Paramount+. She said she was navigating the end of this chapter while feeling appreciation for the cast, writers, directors and crew, and for the viewers worldwide whose loyalty carried the program through two decades. She added that the team looks forward to sharing season 20 and to honoring what everyone built together.[S1]
Who returns and who makes the show
Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler and RJ Hatanaka make up the Evolution ensemble, with Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster also among the cast. Hatanaka joined for the first Paramount+ season, which was the 16th in the franchise overall, whereas the remaining regulars had each logged appearances across multiple CBS seasons. 20th Television and CBS Studios are the production companies, and Messer serves as executive producer together with Breen Frazier, Chris Barbour, Glenn Kershaw, Stacey Hardt and Mark Gordon.[S1]
