The long-running procedural franchise “Criminal Minds” will conclude its run on Paramount+ following its upcoming 20th season, ending a two-decade television journey for the FBI profilers of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, outlets reported Friday.
The procedural originally premiered on CBS in September 2005 and aired on network television for 15 seasons before wrapping up in 2020. Paramount+ revived the series under the title “Criminal Minds: Evolution” in late 2022. While Season 19 concluded its broadcast in July, the streaming platform confirmed that the previously announced Season 20 will serve as the show’s farewell installment, according to reports from Variety and Page Six. The 20th season is scheduled to air in 2027, though an exact premiere date has not been announced.
Cast Reacts to Sudden Farewell
The announcement appeared to catch several cast members off guard. Page Six reported that Kirsten Vangsness, who has portrayed technical analyst Penelope Garcia since the series began, addressed fans on Instagram and stated she learned about the cancellation only 90 minutes before the news went public.
Describing the moment as bittersweet, Vangsness reflected on the show’s exceptional longevity in an Instagram video while holding up a copy of the news report. She noted that while she loved her work and felt more stories remained, she was grateful for the 20 seasons they achieved, adding that she wondered whether the show might someday continue elsewhere.
Other longtime cast members also responded to the development online. RJ Hatanaka, who plays FBI agent Tyler Green, published a cast photo on Instagram, calling the group “the finest group of people,” Page Six reported. Co-stars Aisha Tyler and A.J. Cook reposted the image, with Tyler declaring them “family for life” and Cook writing that the team owned her heart forever.
A 20-Year Legacy
In a formal statement shared by Variety, showrunner and executive producer Erica Messer reflected on navigating the conclusion of the franchise across both broadcast television and streaming.
“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,” Messer said.
The franchise follows profilers in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze psychological patterns to apprehend violent criminals. Over its run, the series weathered major cast changes, including the departure of original star Mandy Patinkin in early seasons and the subsequent arrival of Joe Mantegna as David Rossi. The franchise also generated two short-lived broadcast spinoffs: “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior” in 2011 and “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” in 2016.
Despite shifting from traditional network television to streaming, the franchise maintained substantial viewership. Tyler highlighted data showing “Criminal Minds” ranked as the 11th most-streamed title of 2026, totaling more than 13 billion minutes watched, according to Page Six.
The forthcoming 20th season is produced by 20th Television and CBS Studios and will feature Mantegna, Cook, Vangsness, Tyler, Hatanaka, Paget Brewster and Adam Rodriguez. Production details and an official release schedule for the final batch of episodes remain to be announced by Paramount+.
