‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ To End With Season 20 On Paramount+

Criminal Minds will end its run (for now) across two incarnations on two platforms at 20 seasons. The upcoming 20th season of Criminal Minds: Evolution will be the series’ last on Paramount+. I hear the decision was made recently, making this the first official cancellation for the new Paramount+ leadership team under Co-Chair & Chief Content Officer for Skydance Direct to Consumer Casey Bloys. According to sources, the call was made upon recommendation from the previous Paramount+ regime, which in March gave Criminal Minds: Evolution an early Season 20 renewal ahead of the Season 19 debut. The series continues to do well and is currently in Paramount+’s Top 10, so the decision may be tied to the how that performance measures up against cost or the nature of Criminal Minds: Evolution as a broadcast-style series on streaming. It is the last of its kind on Paramount+ following previous Paramount+ continuations of hit network shows, including SEAL Team, Frasier and NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Watch on Deadline Paramount+’s former Head of Originals Jane Wiseman, who exited last week in the wake of the merger, said in August that she and her team were “big fans” of Criminal Minds: Evolution and that she in open to more series in that mold. The streamer obviously has a full slate of broadcast series coming from CBS which it gets next day. New sibling HBO Max has in place a model for series like The Pitt, that borrow broadcast’s larger orders and yearly cadence but keep the content premium. Season 20 of Criminal Minds: Evolution, which will premiere in 2027, wrapped production earlier this fall, so it will not provide fans with proper ending. Longtime Criminal Minds executive producer/showrunner Erica Messer indicated the decision was sudden and likely 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,” she said. “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.” Criminal Minds: Evolution stars Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, and RJ Hatanaka, with Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster Messer executive produces with Breen Frazier, Chris Barbour, Glenn Kershaw, Stacey Hardt, and Mark Gordon also executive producing. The series is produced by 20th Television and CBS Studios.