Criminal Minds: Evolution Will End With Season 20

Criminal Minds: Evolution will end with its 20th season, and the final season is set to premiere in 2027. The Hollywood Reporter reported the decision on 30 October 2026.

The show is a long-running drama about an FBI team that profiles serial criminals. It began on CBS in 2005 and ran for more than 300 episodes until 2020. CBS ended it after season 15. A year later, the streaming service Paramount+ brought it back under the Evolution name, and that version is now on its fifth season.

The revival has worked differently from the original. Paramount+ seasons have run 10 episodes each. Most seasons on CBS ran 22 episodes or more. The return season is a smaller order, but the story has kept going for several years.

The franchise has also grown beyond the main show. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior ran for one season. Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders ran for two. Both were spinoffs, meaning shows built around characters from the original series.

Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler and RJ Hatanaka lead the Evolution cast. Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster are also part of it. The series is produced by 20th Television and CBS Studios.

Paramount+ had already committed to more episodes before this news. In March 2025, it ordered a 19th season early, ahead of a May debut. Season 19 premiered on 28 May 2026, according to Paramount+.

Season 20 will be the last chance for the cast and crew to bring the story to a planned close. For viewers, the news gives them a clear end point to plan around. The final season arrives in 2027, so there is time to catch up on the earlier seasons before it airs.