Criminal Minds: Evolution Ends After 20 Seasons

Paramount+ has canceled Criminal Minds: Evolution following its 20th season, bringing an end to the latest iteration of the crime drama franchise. The decision marks the conclusion of a narrative arc that began with the original series in 2005 and continued through recent revivals on CBS and Paramount+. The show had been renewed for a fifteenth and final season in January 2019 before being revived for Season 16 in 2022. Season 19 aired from May to July earlier this year, and the final Season 20 is scheduled to air in 2027.

Actress A.J. Cook marked the announcement with a Halloween photo wearing a tombstone representing her character, Special Agent Jennifer Jareau. She had portrayed the BAU’s media liaison and later profiler since the show’s debut. Cook captioned the image, “Rest in peace JJ (for now) #criminalminds #halloween #stillprocessing.” The use of “for now” reflects the ambiguity in the cancellation notice, which leaves open the possibility of future continuation.

Paget Brewster, who played FBI supervisory special agent Emily Prentiss since Season 2, shared a black-and-white image with the text “Free Agent.” RJ Hatanaka, who joined the cast in Season 16 as agent Tyler Green, posted a group photo of the cast with the caption, “Just the finest group of people.” These social media posts served as immediate public responses to the news, which first broke on Friday.

Kirsten Vangsness, who has played technical analyst Penelope Garcia since Season 1, addressed the news in an Instagram video. She compared the experience to a character receiving a gift, noting that such gratitude is rare. Vangsness stated, “Look at how long, that doesn’t happen ever,” referring to the show’s two-decade run. She added that her boss, Erica Messer, mentioned there are many more stories to tell, and that the cast would be delighted to continue them elsewhere.

In the video caption, Vangsness expressed appreciation for her time on the job and her colleagues. She tagged co-stars Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler, RJ Hatanaka, Adam Rodriguez, and Joe Mantegna. The series also features Mantegna, Tyler, and Rodriguez in leading roles alongside the returning cast from the original run.

The cancellation concludes the current production cycle for the franchise. While the show ended its run at Paramount+, the cast’s comments suggest that the story may not be fully finished. The final season will air in 2027, serving as the definitive endpoint for this phase of the series.