Few TV crime dramas have held viewers’ attention across two decades, but Criminal Minds keeps finding new ways to bring the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit back to the screen. The show originally premiered on CBS in September 2005, and after a brief hiatus, it returned as Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+. Now, the franchise is moving into its 19th season — set to premiere on May 28, 2026 — with a 20th season already confirmed for 2027. This article sorts out what’s fact, what’s still unclear, and what cast changes mean for the series’ future.

Premiere: September 22, 2005 on CBS ·
Genre: American police procedural crime drama ·
Creator: Jeff Davis ·
Active revival: Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+ ·
Featured revival cast: Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness ·
Setting: FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico

Quick snapshot

1The franchise
2The revival
3Confirmed facts
4What’s unclear
  • Whether a standalone season 19 will be produced outside the Evolution branding
  • The exact reason Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) is not in the revival cast
  • The full details of Penelope Garcia’s departure from the original series

The key facts table below distills the franchise’s core data points into a single reference.

Key facts about the Criminal Minds franchise
Label Value
Original network CBS
Premiere September 22, 2005
Creator Jeff Davis
Genre Police procedural crime drama
Revival Criminal Minds: Evolution
Revival platform Paramount+

The pattern: each row represents a fixed attribute of the franchise, unchanged by the move from CBS to streaming.

Will there be a season 19 of Criminal Minds?

Has CBS confirmed a season 19?

  • No, CBS has not confirmed a season 19. The revival is produced exclusively for Paramount+ under the title Criminal Minds: Evolution.
  • Paramount+ officially announced season 19 (branded as Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19) with a premiere date of May 28, 2026 (Paramount Press Express (official press releases)).

What does Paramount+ currently advertise?

Paramount+ lists the 10-episode season as streaming exclusively on its platform. The season will launch with two episodes on May 28, 2026, followed by weekly releases on Thursdays, ending with the finale on July 23, 2026 (Paramount+ (streaming platform)).

The upshot

Season 19 exists — but it is not a CBS season. It is the latest installment of the Paramount+ revival, and the network has already renewed the series for a 20th season in 2027 (Deadline (entertainment news)).

Bottom line: Criminal Minds season 19 is confirmed as Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19, premiering May 28, 2026 on Paramount+. Viewers expecting a traditional CBS broadcast will need to subscribe to Paramount+. The franchise is alive and already renewed for a 20th season.

Is there a new Criminal Minds in 2026?

What is Criminal Minds: Evolution?

  • Criminal Minds: Evolution is the revival series that continues the story of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. It premiered on Paramount+ in 2022.
  • Season 19, which is part of this revival, is the new Criminal Minds content arriving in 2026 (Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)).

What is the latest Criminal Minds release?

Season 19 of Criminal Minds: Evolution is the latest release. It premieres on May 28, 2026, with 10 episodes available on Paramount+ (Paramount+ (streaming platform)).

Why this matters

For fans wondering if 2026 brings a new season, the answer is yes — but exclusively on Paramount+. The shift from broadcast to streaming changes how audiences access the show, and the early renewal for season 20 signals that Paramount+ is betting on the franchise’s longevity.

Bottom line: Yes, a new Criminal Minds installment arrives in 2026. It is Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19, premiering May 28, 2026. The series has already been greenlit for a 20th season in 2027.

Why did Criminal Minds stop?

When did Criminal Minds first air?

  • Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, created by Jeff Davis (Wikipedia (reference encyclopedia)).
  • The original series ran for 15 seasons on CBS, ending in February 2020.

Is Criminal Minds: Evolution a continuation?

Yes. Criminal Minds: Evolution picks up the story after the original series finale. It is a direct continuation with the same characters and setting, but produced exclusively for Paramount+ (Paramount+ (streaming platform)).

The paradox

The show “stopped” on CBS but was revived on a streaming platform. The original cancellation was a business decision by CBS, but the franchise’s move to Paramount+ gave it a second life. The transition from network TV to streaming is the real story behind the so-called cancellation.

Bottom line: Criminal Minds ended its original CBS run in 2020 after 15 seasons. The franchise was revived in 2022 as Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+, where it continues with new seasons.

Who is the longest running cast member on Criminal Minds?

Are JJ and Reid married in real life?

  • No, A.J. Cook (who plays Jennifer “JJ” Jareau) and Matthew Gray Gubler (who plays Spencer Reid) are not married in real life. They are co-stars on the same series, not a married couple.

Which actors are listed in the Criminal Minds: Evolution cast?

The Paramount+ revival features Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), A.J. Cook (JJ Jareau), and Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia) as returning core cast members (Paramount+ (streaming platform)).

Kirsten Vangsness has been with the series since the original 2005 premiere, making her one of the longest-running cast members. Joe Mantegna joined in season 3 (2007) and has been a constant presence through the revival.

The trade-off

The longest-running cast debate depends on how you count: original series vs. combined franchise. Vangsness and Mantegna have the most continuous tenure across both eras, but the revival’s cast is smaller, with some original stars like Matthew Gray Gubler absent.

Bottom line: Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia) and Joe Mantegna (David Rossi) are the longest-running cast members spanning both the original CBS series and the Paramount+ revival. The JJ/Reid marriage rumor is false — A.J. Cook and Matthew Gray Gubler are not married.

Why is Reid not in season 19?

Is Matthew Gray Gubler in Criminal Minds: Evolution?

  • No, Matthew Gray Gubler is not listed in the cast for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19. The featured cast includes Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, and Kirsten Vangsness (Paramount+ (streaming platform)).

What happened to Spencer Reid in the original series?

Spencer Reid was a central character in the original series, played by Matthew Gray Gubler from 2005 to 2020. His character went through significant story arcs, including imprisonment and personal loss. The revival has not provided an in-universe explanation for Reid’s absence.

What to watch

The lack of official comment on Reid’s absence leaves fans speculating. Without a statement from the actor or producers, the reason remains unclear. For now, the revival focuses on the remaining core cast.

Bottom line: Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid is not in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19. No official reason has been given. The revival cast is led by Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, and Kirsten Vangsness.

Why did Penelope leave Criminal Minds?

Did Kirsten Vangsness return for Criminal Minds: Evolution?

  • Yes, Kirsten Vangsness returned as Penelope Garcia in Criminal Minds: Evolution. She is listed as a featured cast member in the revival (Paramount+ (streaming platform)).

What is Penelope Garcia’s role in the BAU?

Penelope Garcia is the BAU’s technical analyst, providing computer forensics and data support. In the original series, she announced her departure from the BAU in the final season, but she returned for the revival without explicit on-screen explanation.

The catch

Penelope Garcia’s departure in the original series was a storyline choice, but the revival brought her back as a core member. The lack of a detailed reunion arc is a point of continuity confusion for fans.

Bottom line: Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) left the BAU in the original series finale but returned for Criminal Minds: Evolution. She is a key cast member in season 19, and her character’s absence from the original ending was brief.

Timeline signal

  • September 22, 2005: Criminal Minds premiered on CBS.
  • Original CBS era: The Jeff Davis-created procedural follows the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.
  • Paramount+ revival era: Criminal Minds: Evolution is the current revival series on Paramount+.
  • May 28, 2026: Season 19 of Criminal Minds: Evolution premieres on Paramount+.
  • July 23, 2026: Season 19 finale scheduled.
  • 2027: Season 20 is confirmed.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005.
  • Criminal Minds is a police procedural crime drama created by Jeff Davis.
  • Criminal Minds: Evolution is a Paramount+ title featuring Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, and Kirsten Vangsness.
  • The series is set in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.
  • Season 19 premieres May 28, 2026, with 10 episodes.
  • Season 20 renewed for 2027.

What’s unclear

  • Whether a season 19 of Criminal Minds will be produced outside the Evolution branding.
  • Whether a new Criminal Minds installment will arrive in 2026 beyond the announced season.
  • Why Spencer Reid is absent from the revival cast.
  • The exact reason Penelope Garcia left the original series.

Quotes from the franchise

“The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit is back for chilling new cases.”

Paramount+ (streaming platform)

“Criminal Minds is an American police procedural crime drama created by Jeff Davis.”

Wikipedia (reference encyclopedia)

“The series follows the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit as they profile and apprehend violent serial criminals.”

IMDb (film database)

“Elite FBI profilers analyze the country’s most twisted criminal minds.”

Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator)

The Criminal Minds franchise has proven its resilience by moving from a broadcast network to a streaming platform, securing a 19th season and a 20th season renewal. For Paramount+ subscribers, the show’s return in 2026 offers a direct continuation of the BAU’s story. The unanswered questions — Reid’s absence, Garcia’s departure arc — remain as gaps that the revival may or may not address. For fans invested in the original cast, the trade-off is clear: the franchise survives, but not all familiar faces return. The decision to watch Criminal Minds: Evolution is a choice to embrace the new era, or to hold out for a reunion that may never come. Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid remains absent, signaling that the revival’s path diverges from the original ensemble.

Additional sources

en.wikipedia.org, paramountplus.com, thetvdb.com, nexttvseries.com, ozfocushub.org, deadline.com, thefutoncritic.com, artthreat.net

Frequently asked questions

What is Criminal Minds about?

Criminal Minds follows the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit as they profile and apprehend serial criminals. The show combines procedural crime elements with psychological profiling.

Who created Criminal Minds?

Jeff Davis created the series. It premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005.

How many seasons of Criminal Minds are there?

There are 15 original CBS seasons and currently 3 seasons of the revival (Criminal Minds: Evolution), with season 19 (the 4th revival season) premiering in 2026.

Where can I watch Criminal Minds?

The original series is available on streaming platforms like Disney+ and Paramount+. The revival Criminal Minds: Evolution streams exclusively on Paramount+.

Is Criminal Minds on Netflix?

Not currently. The streaming rights are held by Paramount+ and Disney+ in various regions.

What is the Behavioral Analysis Unit in Criminal Minds?

The BAU is a division of the FBI that uses behavioral profiling to solve violent crimes. It is the central setting of the series.