On September 22, 2005, Criminal Minds began, one of those series that has kept police procedural fans hooked for 19 seasons, plus two spin-offs, a Korean adaptation, and several video games. I mean, it seems like the typical endless series… if it weren’t for the fact that Paramount has just killed it off.
Canceled Minds
Criminal Minds really ended in 2020, but two years later it was brought back for a continuation titled Criminal Minds: Evolution, which has lasted 5 seasons of 10 episodes each. We found out in the strangest way possible: AJ Cook, its star, dressed up for Halloween as a tombstone with the name Jennifer Jareau, her character for the last 21 years. Oof.
That said, all the actors have said the same thing: there are more stories to tell, and Criminal Minds has only ended “for now”. “If we can tell these stories somewhere else, it would be incredible”, Kirsten Vangsness has said. For now, the only thing we know for sure is that the series’ second ending will air in 2027, and there are no spin-offs or sequels on the table. For now.
The odd thing is that Criminal Minds isn’t a failure: its latest episode has spent months in Paramount+‘s top 10… But of course, after Warner’s acquisition they have to save money somewhere, and they’ve decided to do it with one of their most iconic franchises. With any luck, they won’t have any problem finding another home. After more than 350 episodes, Criminal Minds, like grandparents, should live forever.
