The ending of Criminal Minds appears to have caught some of the people behind the series by surprise. Showrunner and executive producer Erica Messer has responded, reflecting on the show’s run across CBS and Paramount+ and thanking those who helped make it a success.
“It’s hard to put into words what Criminal Minds has meant to all of us,” Messer said. She noted that the series ran for 15 seasons on CBS before continuing on Paramount+ for five more. Her comments suggested the writers had not entered season 20 expecting it to be the last.
Messer said she was grateful to the cast, writers, directors and crew, as well as the fans whose loyalty supported the show over two decades. She added that the team was looking forward to sharing the upcoming season and celebrating the series’ legacy.
Criminal Minds premiered in 2005 and follows FBI profilers in the Behavioral Analysis Unit. After its original conclusion in 2020, Paramount+ revived the show as Criminal Minds: Evolution. Several original cast members returned, including Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Matthew Gray Gubler has also appeared as Reid.
Vangsness, who has played Penelope Garcia throughout the show’s 20 seasons, addressed the news in an Instagram video on October 30. She described the cancellation as bittersweet and said she would welcome the chance to continue telling the characters’ stories elsewhere.
Season 20 is expected to premiere in 2027.
Sources: Us Weekly.