There are God knows how many police procedural TV shows out there that mix crime drama and mystery so well that they go for seasons on end, but one that I’m sure many people have heard of before is Criminal Minds. The series, which ran for fifteen seasons from 2005-2020, was a very popular show for CBS, and now, fans of the franchise are going to be getting a second go at it with Criminal Minds: Evolution, which will be premiering on Paramount+.
But, who is going to be starring on this series? And when is it going to come out? What is it going to be about? For all of your related questions for Criminal Minds: Evolution, here are five quick things we know about the upcoming series.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Will Release On Thanksgiving Day 2022
That’s right, you read that correctly. Criminal Minds: Evolution is literally right around the corner. Confirmed with the latest trailer drop and the press release, Criminal Minds: Evolution is set to release as part of the 2022 TV premiere schedule, on Thanksgiving Day. The series is going to start off with a two-episode drop.
Talk about a great thing – you can stuff your face with turkey and stuffing and then, right after, tune in to watch the new Criminal Minds: Evolution – now that sounds like a great time for all involved.
The First Season Will Have Ten Episodes
This was something that surprised me when I first read about it, but over time, it’s started to make a lot more sense. According to Deadline, the first season is set to have ten episodes, and new ones will drop weekly on Thursdays with a midseason finale on December 15. After that, the show will return on January 12th and continue airing episodes until its finale on February 9th.
The reason why I say I’m surprised is that in the original Criminal Minds series, there were usually about twenty-two episodes per season, give or take a couple of seasons where there were more or less, but usually in the same ballpark. However, the lower episode count seems to be the trend with a lot of streaming shows, so it’s not too surprising overall.
Several Stars From The Original Criminal Minds Will Return
Confirmed with the press release, several stars from the original Criminal Minds cast are set to come back. These include Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Aisha Tyler, Kirsten Vangness, A.J. Cook and Adam Rodriguez, who are all going to be returning to the show in their fan-favorite roles.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, several of the stars talked about how it was only a matter of time before they returned to the franchise. Mantegna, who plays David Rossi, said that he didn’t need to know much, and that he was on board as soon as possible:
I didn't need much of a pitch. I've been in this business, like, 50 years, so my feeling was all based on the experience and people involved. I'd already done this for 13 years, which, outside of doing The Simpsons for 32 years, it's my longest running role. I trusted the experience. I trusted the people. I trusted everything about it. I never even saw a script. I equate a lot of things to sports: You're playing on a team that's done really well and won a lot of championships. You take a few years off, and they say, "You want to play again with basically the same people?" Yeah. Why wouldn't you?
Brewster, who plays Emily Prentiss, was also quick to talk about how she was shocked that the series had been cancelled, so the idea of doing it on a streaming service was something they were really excited for:
We were surprised when it was canceled, so the opportunity to do it streaming is really exciting because there are a couple of things that we can do on Paramount+ that we weren't able to do on CBS. It's a different kind of show, but [it's still] Criminal Minds. We just missed each other and all wanted to do it.
This is so exciting to hear that everyone is ready to get back into the swing of things and return to the characters that they loved, so that makes me even more pumped for Criminal Minds: Evolution.
Other Characters Might Be Back As Well
While we are getting several of the original characters back for the reboot on Paramount+, several stars are likely not going to be returning. For example, Matthew Gray Gubler, who played the fan-favorite Spencer Reid (who is actually on the spectrum within the show), is not confirmed to be come back.
At least not yet.
In the Entertainment Weekly interview, executive producer Erica Messer said that there is always a possibility for other characters to return to the world, and said that they aren’t “gone,” just not there at the present moment:
So their desks will still have stuff on them. They haven't gone away. Shemar's character went away when his son was born. He stepped away from the FBI, so his desk has been empty for a while. But Dr. Reed's desk still has all of his books on it and all of his belongings.
Messer continued to say that while they can’t confirm anything right now for who might return in the future of the series, the hope is that some people just might end up coming back:
It's something we can't really discuss. But if and when they return, it's up to them. It's dependent on their schedules. I can't promise anything right now. But it's the hope.
The Season Will Follow The Characters Looking For An UnSub That Started A Network Of Serial Killers
I know that we are all still trying to heal from the time that was 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, but that’s actually going to be a big focus in Criminal Minds: Evolution.
According to the description for the show featured in the press release, the drama is going to follow the same criminal profilers we’ve always seen, except now, they are dealing with something they’ve never experienced – an UnSub (unknown subject/perpetrator) who created a network of serial killers.
When the world starts to open back up after the COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s up to the team to find them as murders start to increase.
You Can Watch The Trailer For Criminal Minds: Evolution Now
If you haven’t seen the trailer yet for Criminal Minds: Evolution, be sure to check it out down below!
There is so much to look forward to with Criminal Minds: Evolution, and I know for a fact that no matter what, this new reboot is going to be intense. I have my popcorn at the ready and my murder-solving hat on!
