‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Is Ending as Paramount+ Closes the Book on the Long-Running BAU Drama
Few crime dramas have lasted as long as ‘Criminal Minds’. The series about the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit ran for 15 seasons on CBS from 2005 to 2020, then came back in 2022 as ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ on Paramount+, which brought back much of its beloved core cast.
The revival has given longtime fans more time with characters they’ve followed for nearly 2 decades. Season 19 ran from May to July, wrapping up the story of Zach Gilford’s serial killer Elias Voit and ending with a slight time jump that left the team’s future wide open.
Now that future has an end date. Paramount+ announced on Friday that ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ will end with Season 20, the fifth and final season of the revival, and released first-look photos from the upcoming episodes.
No premiere date has been set yet, but the final season will air sometime in 2027. According to reports, production on Season 20 had already wrapped earlier this fall, before the decision to end the show was made.
The timing surprised fans. The streamer had renewed the series early, back in March, before Season 19 even debuted, and Deadline reported that the show is in the platform’s Top 10.
Deadline called this the first official cancellation under the new Paramount+ leadership, led by Casey Bloys as co-chair and chief content officer for Skydance Direct to Consumer. The decision reportedly followed a recommendation from the platform’s previous leadership.
‘CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION’ will end with Season 20 on Paramount+ https://t.co/DaHNvDQeFh
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 30, 2026
The outlet also noted that ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ was the last show of its kind on Paramount+, following continuations of ‘SEAL Team’, ‘Frasier’ and ‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’. Even so, Deadline described the franchise’s run as over “for now,” leaving a small door open.
The final season brings back Joe Mantegna as David Rossi, A.J. Cook as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss. Aisha Tyler, RJ Hatanaka and Adam Rodriguez also return.
🚨 NEW TRAILER 🚨 Criminal Minds Season 19 ‼️ https://t.co/YgY72yYBAh
— CherryPie (@cherryxprentiss) May 7, 2026
Several of these actors have been with the show from the very beginning. Cook and Vangsness have been part of the series since its first season, while Brewster joined in season 2, left after season 7, returned as a regular in season 12, and now leads the unit as its chief.
Showrunner Erica Messer has hinted at what’s ahead. She told TV Insider that the final season would probably center on Rossi, and that his story hits especially hard emotionally.
In a statement about the news, Messer said it is hard to put into words what the show has meant to everyone involved. She expressed gratitude for the cast and thanked fans, whose loyalty she credited with keeping the franchise going for 2 decades.
She added that the team is looking forward to sharing the final season and celebrating the legacy of the show they’ve built together. Messer executive produces alongside Breen Frazier, Chris Barbour, Glenn Kershaw, Stacey Hardt and Mark Gordon, with 20th Television and CBS Studios producing.
By the time it ends, the franchise will have reached a milestone few dramas achieve. Martin Cid Magazine noted that its season count ties it for 5th among the longest-running drama series, behind ‘Law & Order: SVU’, ‘Law & Order’, ‘NCIS’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. Fans who want to revisit the full journey can do so now. All 19 seasons of ‘Criminal Minds’ and ‘Evolution’ are available on Paramount+ ahead of the final season’s premiere.
How do you feel about Criminal Minds: Evolution ending with Season 20?
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