Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 21's Fate Officially Decided By Paramount+

Delving deeper into the central BAU team, the Paramount+ revival picks up roughly where the original series ended in 2020. It began with a chilling look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected serial killers and caused them to change their tactics. Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez, and Aisha Tyler all reprised their roles for the series, in addition to introducing Zach Gilford as the murderous Elias Voit.

Despite a different name and changes to the tone, because of the returning cast and same general setup, Criminal Minds: Evolution is generally thought of as a direct follow-up to the original rather than a separate reboot. That brings the dark crime drama to an impressive tally of 20 seasons and a total of 364 episodes. But it is eyeing the exits.

Criminal Minds will not be back for season 21, concluding its run in the upcoming season 20. The decision to end the popular procedural marks the first cancellation of Skydance, which is the newly merged company that combines Paramount and Warner Bros. A statement from Criminal Minds: Evolution showrunner and executive producer Erica Messer is included below, pointing to the fact the news was unexpected:

“It’s hard to put into words what Criminal Minds has meant to all of us who have been fortunate enough to be part of this extraordinary journey, first on CBS for 15 seasons and then on Paramount+ for five. While suddenly navigating the end of this chapter, I’m filled with gratitude for our remarkable cast, writers, directors and crew who have poured their hearts into this show, and for the incredible fans around the world whose unwavering loyalty has kept Criminal Minds going for two decades. We’re looking forward to sharing season 20 with everyone, and celebrating the legacy of this special show we’ve all built together.”

“It’s hard to put into words what Criminal Minds has meant to all of us who have been fortunate enough to be part of this extraordinary journey, first on CBS for 15 seasons and then on Paramount+ for five. While suddenly navigating the end of this chapter, I’m filled with gratitude for our remarkable cast, writers, directors and crew who have poured their hearts into this show, and for the incredible fans around the world whose unwavering loyalty has kept Criminal Minds going for two decades. We’re looking forward to sharing season 20 with everyone, and celebrating the legacy of this special show we’ve all built together.”

According to reporting from Deadline, the decision was actually recommended prior to the merger. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 20 will debut in 2027, though an exact release date is not yet known. An official reason for wrapping the Paramount+ Original has not been shared.

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 20 finished filming earlier this year. In the eventful ending to season 19, the long-running arc involving Voit is seemingly finally over after being integral to the continuation since season 16. The BAU don’t have too long to rest, though, since they are already on to the next case before the credits roll. This signals that there may not be a lot of closure in the episodes to come.

Criminal Minds: Evolution has been a consistent hit for Paramount+. Put together with the original, it is often featured in the Nielsen Top 10 which is considered a benchmark for which series are the most-watched in the United States. But it may have had a few factors working against it.

Shows typically cost more as they continue. Renewals often come down to a question of cost versus performance. It is also the case, as the reporting mentions, that Jane Wiseman, the former Head of Originals at Paramount+, recently made her exit. She was said to be a supporter of the series when asked, and it is not usual for comedies and dramas to become casualties of big executive changes.

As the statement from Messer points out, Criminal Minds: Evolution being the end of the road doesn’t sound like it was the plan. But the series made its way back from the finish line before. Criminal Minds season 15 was supposed to mark the series finale. Then it was brought back. Perhaps that could happen again. Still, for now, the BAU is taking a step back.

Criminal Minds