Paramount+ confirms the release date for Criminal Minds season 16, properly titled Criminal Minds: Evolution. Just over two years since it first went off the air, the hit CBS procedural has been revived for a 10-episode season that will feature the returns of six original stars. Criminal Minds season 16 will feature nearly the entirety of its previous cast lineup, with only Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid) and Daniel Henney (Matt Simmons) not rejoining their fellow profilers. Paget Brewster’s Emily Prentiss once again leads the Behavior Analysis Unit on their latest investigation.
Criminal Minds: Evolution will find the BAU tracking one UnSub over the course of its entire season. This UnSub has used the coronavirus pandemic to build a network of serial killers, and the team must now hunt down each one on their way to finding the mastermind. In regards to new cast members, Criminal Minds season 16 has added Midnight Mass star Zach Gilford in a key role. It remains to be seen if the revival will feature additional familiar faces.
Per Deadline, Paramount+ has officially announced that the Criminal Minds revival will premiere on Thursday, November 24, or Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The first two episodes will arrive on that day, and then subsequent installments will release weekly on Thursdays. Criminal Minds will go on a brief hiatus after its mid-season finale on December 15; it will then resume on January 12 and run through to February 9.
Though the Criminal Minds revival had a rather slow start at first – to the point where Brewster cast doubt on it even happening – Paramount+ has fast-tracked its production considerably. Filming only just began back in August, and now season 16 is just over two months away from its debut. The speed isn’t entirely surprising, considering how popular the series remains. Criminal Minds has reached a wider audience on streaming, and according to returning star Joe Mantegna, it’s that fan excitement that led to season 16 in the first place. Paramount+ is clearly eager to build upon this passion and deliver the thrilling new season as soon as possible. This also indicates Criminal Minds‘ production remains comparable to how it was on cable; it doesn’t seem to require as much time in post-production.
With a prime holiday debut, the streaming service likely has high hopes for Criminal Minds: Evolution. The series has only been greenlit for 10 episodes, but it already seems likely that it could receive more if season 16 is a hit. Though it is premiering later in the year than it normally does, Criminal Minds‘ Paramount+ schedule is following a similar format to its CBS rollout by taking a mid-season break. This could bode well for the new episodes. With a premiere date now set, the next thing on the way for Criminal Minds season 16 is likely a trailer. Footage of the cast back in action will no doubt drum up even more excitement, so expect Paramount+ to release it within the next month. Perhaps as the Halloween season properly sets in, the streamer will see fit to tease its own terrifying series.
