Paramount+ will end “Criminal Minds: Evolution” after its 20th season, closing the book on a crime procedural that has run for two decades across two platforms. The streamer confirmed the decision Friday, and the final episodes will arrive in 2027.
Cast members absorbed the news publicly over the weekend. A.J. Cook, who has played FBI agent Jennifer “JJ” Jareau since the show debuted in 2005, posted a Halloween photo of herself holding a tombstone for the character. Paget Brewster, who plays Unit Chief Emily Prentiss, shared a selfie captioned “Free Agent.” RJ Hatanaka, who joined in Season 16, posted a cast photo and praised “the finest group of people.”
Kirsten Vangsness, who plays analyst Penelope Garcia, struck a more hopeful note in an Instagram video. She pointed to the wording of the announcement, which describes the series as ending “for now.” Showrunner Erica Messer thanked the cast, writers, directors, crew and fans worldwide whose loyalty sustained the franchise, and described the abruptness of the ending.
The timing surprised many viewers. Season 19 premiered May 28 and wrapped July 23, and TVLine ranked the series among the most-streamed shows of 2026. Paramount+ renewed it for Season 20 only in March. The cancellation is the first since Skydance took control of Paramount, according to industry reports.
The franchise has a history of outlasting its obituaries. “Criminal Minds” ran 15 seasons on CBS before ending in February 2020, then returned in November 2022 as “Evolution,” a streaming revival built on shorter 10-episode seasons and longer story arcs. Joe Mantegna, Aisha Tyler and Adam Rodriguez also star. Wayne Brady and Selma Blair are set to guest in the final season.
Not every observer sees the ending as permanent. Some commentators note that a show brought back once could return again, particularly with every episode still available to stream and the brand’s audience intact. Paramount+ has not announced any plans for a spinoff or another revival. For now, the cast has one more season to film. All 19 existing seasons remain on Paramount+, where the platform expects viewers to revisit the Behavioral Analysis Unit before the finale.
