It didn't take long after Criminal Minds closed its 15-season cycle for a revival to be announced. After the Behavior Analysis Unit (B.A.U.) helped to trace serial killer patterns every week and saved many lives in the process, cast members and the creative team from the original run are back for Criminal Minds: Evolution. These are the actors you'll get to see again in their previous roles: Paget Brewster, Joe Mantegna, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez, Kirsten Vangsness, and A.J. Cook. Although Matthew Gray Gubler and Shemar Moore were significant to the team in Criminal Minds, they won't be back for the revival. At least not for now. A new addition to the cast is Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights, Midnight Mass), who plays the main villain and possibly the greatest threat the profilers ever had to deal with.
The limited series will expand on the well-known CBS drama by combating a group of murderers on the loose that have joined forces after the COVID-19 pandemic. As the profilers focus all of their attention and analytical skills on this dangerous network of killers, they must also adjust to the dynamic change in the workplace and interpersonal challenges that arise. In case you are looking for all the details on how to keep yourself updated on the revival, here is a breakdown of where and when you get to watch it.
When Is Criminal Minds: Evolution Coming Out?
Thanksgiving is here and so is the release of the series. US viewers will get to watch the first two episodes over the Thanksgiving break, since they will officially come out on November 24, 2022. After this, new episodes will arrive every Thursday until December 15. Once the holiday celebrations are over, the show will return to a weekly release schedule starting January 12, 2023. The season finale will drop on February 9, unraveling all the clues to detain the serial killers.
Where Can You Stream Criminal Minds: Evolution?
Criminal Minds: Evolution is releasing on Paramount+. If you aren't subscribed to the streaming service yet, you can either opt to pay $4.99 per month or $49.99 for the whole year for the Essential plan or get even more access to exclusive content through the Premium plan for $9.99 per month/$99.99 per year. The difference between the basic plan and the premium option is that the latter allows you to watch more live sports coverage and gives you access to live streams of your local CBS station without ads (except for TV commercial breaks). You also have the ability to download episodes/games to watch in your free time. A third bundle to consider is the Paramount+/Showtime one, which also enables subscribers to watch Showtime's programming without commercials. For those interested in this alternative, you can pay $11.99 per month if combined with the Essential plan, or $14.99 per month if combined with the Premium option.
If you're subscribing now, the service has a promotional offer running that lets you get a one-month free trial using the code "EVOLUTION". Here's the link to the show's landing page:
Watch the Criminal Minds: Evolution Trailer Here
The official trailer gives the audience a sneak peek into the investigation that will take place all throughout this season. According to Jay Snow's Collider review, this new chapter is darker, more twisted, and even better than the original. While in the past the series would tackle a new serial killer in every episode, Criminal Minds: Evolution will focus on a group of serial killers that have been hunting people down during the pandemic. In the trailer, it was mentioned that victims from 2005 to 2020 had been found, but the crimes reach their peak when a network of murderers all decide to follow a similar pattern and evolve in their criminal schemes. However, the B.A.U. is always looking to improve their tactics for identifying the killers and they won't back down until justice is made. The stakes seem to be higher than ever when it comes to this case, so viewers can expect to feel the tension build with every episode that comes out.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Joe Mantegna gave further insight on what fans can anticipate about the revival:
"Well, I just think that they should expect it to live up to the name of Criminal Minds: Evolution. That we have evolved to the next level, and hopefully they will enjoy it and appreciate it and absorb it to the same level we have, because we’re all really excited about it. I mean, we really feel we have taken a step forward and upward from where we were. So let’s just see where it goes from there. Hopefully for a long, good amount of time from beyond where we are now."
Where Is the Original Criminal Minds Streaming?
Given that Paramount+ is responsible for the revival, you can also stream Criminal Minds through this streaming platform. All 15 seasons of the original series are also available on Hulu. If you choose to subscribe to Hulu, you have the option of paying for an ad-supported plan at the cost of $7.99 per month/$79.99 per year, or you can pay $14.99 per month for a plan that doesn't have ads. Subscribers to the Disney bundle also have access to the series, given that it includes content on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ combined. Those interested in acquiring the bundle can pay $13.99 per month with ads, or $19.99 per month without ads on Hulu and with ads on ESPN+.
More Shows Like Criminal Minds: Evolution to Watch Next
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (2011): This was the first Criminal Minds spin-off that became part of the franchise. The limited series is centered on the B.A.U. located in San Francisco, who also work hard to identify killing patterns and unveil the mindset of various murderers.
Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016): This second spin-off series is centered on an international unit of the FBI (known as the International Response Team), as they deal with cases involving American citizens in other parts of the world. The crime drama aired for two seasons.
For more recommendations for fans of Criminal Minds, here is a list to check out.