Summary
By the end ofCriminal Mindsseason 17, also known asCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2, the serial killer show will have aired 334 episodes, and 10 stand out as the best of the best. WithCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 confirmed, the series could add even more episodes to the best of all time ranking.Criminal Mindspremiered in 2005, and while there have been many ups and downs over the 17 seasons,everyCriminal Mindsseasonhas its high points that keep viewers coming back for more.
Two years afterCriminal Mindsseason 15 marked the supposed end of the series, it was revived asCriminal Minds: Evolutionin 2022 and is still going strong today. TheCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 renewal proves there is an audience still eager for more.Part of what keeps viewers tuning in istheCriminal Mindscharacters, so it’s no surprise that some of the character-centric episodes. With almost 350 episodes, it can be hard to narrow down the 10 best, especially with a great show likeCriminal Minds.
1
22
2
23
3
20
4
26
5
6
24
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
June 30, 2025–June 13, 2025
Why Criminal Minds Ended After Season 15 (Was It Canceled?)
After 15 successful seasons, Criminal Minds ended on CBS. Despite its long time on the air, the reason for its cancelation remains intriguing.
10“Piranha”
Season 17, Episode 7
Criminal Minds: Evolutionmarked some major changes for the series. The move from network television (CBS) to streaming (Paramount+) meant the seasons were shortened to 10 episodes, and the storylines were able to get even darker and more graphic.Criminal Minds: Evolutionalso changed the storytelling format, with the focus shifting from individual single-episode cases to longer arcs with one unsub or connected unsubs that unfolded over an entire season.Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2, episode 7 marked a return to the original formula.
The story inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2, episode 7briefly shifted away from the “Gold Star” case to follow another unsub. Roger Song’s story was chilling and heartbreaking, as he dealt with psychosis following the deaths of his wife and baby during childbirth in a major plot twist.Criminal Mindsseason 17, episode 7 also introduced Jill Gideon, Jason Gideon’s ex-wife, and revealed her past affair with Rossi. Due to this, “Piranha” became an instantCriminal Mindsclassic.
Criminal Minds Finally Reveals An Unseen OG Character After 19 Years
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 7 featured the first appearance of a character with a long history with the series and its characters.
9“Entropy”
Season 11, Episode 11
Aubrey Plaza was one ofCriminal Minds’ best guest stars, playing Cat Adams, also known as “The Black Widow Killer.” She earned the nickname as she was known for seducing the men she was hired to kill. She sometimes even killed her own clients because they wanted her to kill their wives. Cat was extremely manipulative and smart, and she first displayed this inCriminal Mindsseason 11, episode 11 “Entropy” through a meeting with Spencer in what was supposed to be a setup by the BAU.
Though Spencer ended up winning their mental battle, Cat almost outsmarted him, which would’ve been a great feat. Cat did eventually outsmart him, returning in multiple episodes to get revenge on Spencer, with her obsession with him growing in eachCriminal Mindsseason. “Entropy” kept viewers on their toes because of how unpredictable Cat could be, making it a thrilling, entertaining episode.Criminal Mindsseason 11, episode 11 might not have been as violent and gory as other episodes, but Cat was terrifying in her own right.
Aubrey Plaza’s 10 Most Underrated TV & Movie Roles
While viewers may recognize Aubrey Plaza for her most famous roles, she’s had plenty of other underrated performances across film and television.
8“200”
Season 9, Episode 14
As aforementioned, some of the bestCriminal Mindsepisodes are the ones that focus specifically on one character, usually a BAU team member. ByCriminal Mindsseason 9, viewers had already learned a lot about JJ, who was first introduced as the team’s media liaison in the show’s second episode.Criminal Mindsseason 6, episode 2 was even titled “JJ,” as it was supposed to be her last episode on the show, asAJ Cook (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau) and Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) were fired that season. Fortunately, it wasn’t the last time viewers saw either character.
Rookie agent Ashley Seaver replaced JJ at the BAU for the rest ofCriminal Mindsseason 6. When JJ returned inCriminal Mindsseason 7, she was promoted to profiler.
Criminal Mindsseason 9, episode 14, the show’s 200th episode, reunited the fan favorites over a season after Emily left again. In “200,” viewers also learned what happened to JJ during her time at the State Department, and it was a devastating storyline. The episode went between flashbacks of JJ’s time with the CIA and the present day, where she’d been kidnapped and tortured. Though it was hard to watch at times,Criminal Mindsseason 9, episode 14 had a happy ending, with Emily and the BAU team saving JJ just in time.
7“Revelations”
Season 2, Episode 15
Some of theCriminal Mindsepisodes that stand out the most are the ones that keep viewers up at night because of how creepy the unsubs are. One ofthe most memorableCriminal Mindsunsubswas Tobias Hankel, played by James Van Der Beek. As Plaza did in “Entropy,” inCriminal Mindsseason 2, episode 15, Van Der Beek eerily and convincingly slipped into the serial killer role. Van Der Beek’s performance was made even more impressive by him essentially playing multiple characters at once, with Hankel diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).
Hankel could become one of his alters at the drop of a hat, making him incredibly dangerous, as he didn’t know he had DID or that his abusive father had died. He kidnapped Reid and dosed him with Dilaudid, the drug he was addicted to. Reid narrowly escaped death, killing Hankel himself. The decision tortured Reid, as he felt sorry for Hankel. It also leftReid with a drug addiction inCriminal Minds, though that storyline was mishandled and suddenly dropped.
Criminal Minds: Every Time Spencer Reid Was Almost Killed
Reid is one of the most beloved characters in Criminal Minds, but there are many life-threatening situations he’s put in during his fifteen seasons.
6“Profiler, Profiled”
Season 2, Episode 12
Shemar Moore starred as Derek Morgan in the show’s first 11 seasons, andthough he hasn’t appeared sinceCriminal Mindsseason 13, Morgan is still one of the most beloved characters in the series. Viewers are still hopingMorgan will return inCriminal Minds: Evolution, as he was such a vital part of the series due to his role as a BAU team member and his relationship with his fellow team members. Derek was known as funny, attractive, athletic, and flirty, andCriminal Mindsseason 2, episode 12, “Profiler, Profiled,” offered a new look at his character.
In “Profiler, Profiled,” the team traveled to Chicago, where Morgan grew up, to try and clear his name when he was accused of murdering a teenage football player. The episode revealed some of Morgan’s deepest, darkest secrets, including the fact that his football coach and mentor, Carl Buford, molested him throughout his childhood. This discovery was heartbreaking for characters and viewers alike and changed the trajectory of his character inCriminal Minds. “Profiler, Profiled” also showed off Moore’s range and further explored the racism his character faced as a Black man.
Why Shemar Moore Left Criminal Minds During Season 11
Derek Morgan was on the Criminal Minds team from season 1 until season 11. Here’s why Shemar Moore left Criminal Minds, and if he’ll return.
5“Lauren”
Season 6, Episode 18
While it tookCriminal Mindsthree seasons to reveal what happened to JJ during her time away from the BAU, they explained Emily’s absence in real time. TheCriminal Mindswriters had to get creative to find ways to write JJ and Emily out of the show, at least temporarily.Criminal Mindsseason 6, episode 18, “Lauren”, was the culmination of a multi-episode arc about Emily’s past as a spy for the JTF-12 team assembled by Interpol.
This was a surprising discovery about Emily, with the episode sharing details about her complicated relationship with her target, Ian Doyle, and his son, Declan. “Lauren” referred to the fake name she used while undercover, Lauren Reynolds. The episode and storyline provided great depth to Emily Prentiss, who has one of the most interesting backstories inCriminal Minds. It also led toCriminal Mindsfaking Emily’s death, which was one of the show’s craziest storylines.
Why Paget Brewster’s Emily Left Criminal Minds And Returned (Twice)
Criminal Minds said goodbye to Paget Brewster’s Emily Prentiss on two occasions, and she left and returned to the BAU for different reasons.
4“Penelope”
Season 3, Episode 9
Though Penelope Garcia was part ofCriminal Mindsfrom the beginning, she didn’t become a main character until season 2. Garcia is also the only character from the pilot who made the jump toCriminal Minds: Evolution. Little details were shared about her character before, butCriminal Mindsseason 3, episode 9, “Penelope,” was her most important episode. “Penelope” wasn’t just a great episode because it centered around one of the show’s best characters, but because of the case it dealt with.
Penelope was also a main character in the short-livedCriminal Mindsspinoff,Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.
“Penelope” picked up where the previous episode left off, with her date surprisingly shooting her. Fortunately, Garcia survived, but her attempted murderer, Jason Clark Battle, was still at large. When they finally caught him, JJ, who wasn’t a field agent, was tasked with taking him out. It was a suspenseful episode as the characters anxiously awaited Penelope’s fate, revealing how important she is to the team and its members, and tried to catch her assailant.Criminal Mindsseason 3, episode 9 also introduced Kevin Lynch, Penelope’s first major love interest.
Why Criminal Minds' Penelope Quit At The End (Then Came Back In Evolution)
Penelope Garcia quit the BAU in Criminal Minds, but when the threat of Sicarious came up in Evolution, she was forced to rejoin her old team.
3“L.D.S.K.”
Season 1, Episode 6
It didn’t take long forCriminal Mindsto find its groove, with the show impressing from the pilot on. While some episodes have lackluster first seasons as actors try to establish their characters, the cast builds chemistry, and writers learn what works and what doesn’t.Criminal Mindsseason 1, episode 6, “L.D.S.K.” proves that the series was great from the beginning. “L.D.S.K.” stands for “long-distance serial killer,” which is what the episode’s unsub was.
Criminal Mindsseason 1, episode 6 took viewers through a series of twists and turns to discover who the unsub was, and the episode became even more intense when they found out who he was. The BAU isn’t perfect, and there are multiple episodes in which their profile was off, or they had the wrong suspect. “L.D.S.K.” was one of these episodes, but, as per usual, the BAU came out on top in a thrilling scene between Hotch, Spencer, and the killer.
5 Things Criminal Minds Got Wrong About Criminal Profiling (& 5 It Got Right)
A lot of Criminal Minds fans ask ‘what does unsub mean?’ and ‘is it used in the show accurately?’ Here’s how accurate the series is about profiling.
2“100”
Season 5, Episode 9
ThoughCriminal Mindsdoesn’t kill off its main or supporting characters often, it does happen occasionally. The rarity also makes it shocking and devastating when a character is killed off, as was the case with Haley’s death inCriminal Mindsseason 5, episode 9, “100.” Like “200,” this milestone episode is one of the show’s best. George Foyet, “The Boston Reaper,” first appeared inCriminal Mindsseason 4, episode 18, and continued to haunt the characters through “100.” In particular, he went after Hotch, almost killing him and then killing his ex-wife.
Foyet was one ofCriminal Minds’ most ruthless and deranged unsubs, and the viewers and characters knew it wouldn’t end well when he captured Hotch’s ex-wife, Haley, and their young son, Jack. The moment Foyet fires his gun off camera, with Hotch and the others listening through the phone, is one of the show’s most lasting. The viewers shared in Hotch’s pain and anger in “100,” which was combined with the relief that Jack was okay. Foyet and Haley’s death continued to haunt Hotch and the team, with the characters even appearing in visions.
25 Criminal Minds Episodes Based On Real Cases
There are Criminal Minds episodes that are both reasonably straight copies of real killers as well as episodes using real-life cases as a reference.
1“Mosley Lane”
Season 5, Episode 16
Criminal Mindsoften relies on great performances from guest stars to help keep each episode fresh and interesting. This was the case withEvan Peters inCriminal Mindsseason 5, episode 16, “Mosley Lane,” and his mother, played by Ann Cusack. Cusack’s character Sarah Hillridge refused to give up on finding her son, Charlie (Peters), who had been kidnapped years before. Though officers usually dismissed Sarah, the BAU team took her claims seriously. In doing so, they saved multiple kidnapped kids.
A year after appearing onCriminal Minds, Evan Peters had his breakthrough television performance inAmerican Horror Story: Murder House.
The Roycewoods renamed the kids, altered their appearances, and abused them. When they reached a certain age, they’d burn them to death in a crematorium. Charlie was an exception, as they used him to kidnap more children. “Mosley Lane” had a bittersweet ending, as while Charlie and others were rescued in a heartwarming scene, another older boy named Stephen was killed just before the BAU found them. When Stephen’s father realized how close he’d been to reuniting with his son, he said the heartbreaking line, “He was alive yesterday?”This moment secured “Mosley Lane” the title of the bestCriminal Mindsepisode.
Criminal Minds
Cast
Criminal Minds follows an elite team of FBI profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they analyze the nation’s most complex criminal minds, led by experienced agent David Rossi. The team works to anticipate and prevent crimes by understanding the behavior of these dangerous individuals.
