Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2: Release Date, Cast, Spoilers, and Everything to Know

Revived on Paramount Plus after 15 seasons on CBS, Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 continues the beloved procedural for another season under its new title. Following the investigations of the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit, Criminal Minds: Evolution puts criminal profiling at the forefront of its story and explores the psychology of stopping crime. Often praised for its gritty, ripped-from-the-headlines stories, Criminal Minds is unique among the slew of procedural shows because of its clever writing and focus on characters.

Even after a decade and a half on the air, the show proved popular enough to warrant a full-scale revival a few years after its cancelation. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 brought back most of the familiar characters from the original series and continued their arcs. Though the cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution looked the same, the show became a serialized series with 10 episodes. No longer shackled to the structure of network TV’s schedule, Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 was able to put more emphasis on each story, and that trend continues in season 2.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Is Not The Final Season

A Third Season Of Criminal Minds: Evolution Is Coming

In great news, right before Paramount+ began streaming Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, the streaming service announced the show would return for a third season. This announcement came on June 5, just one day before the season 2 premiere, letting fans know they would get more of the popular FBI procedural series. During a podcast episode interview, Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) announced the news and said filming for season 3 starts in August 2024 (via TVLine).

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Release Date And Where To Watch

Season 2 Returned In June 2024

After considerable delays caused by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Criminal Minds: Evolution finally set a release date for its sophomore season. Season 2 of the hit continuation premiered on Paramount+ on Thursday, June 6, 2024. The season consists of 10 episodes that will premiere weekly on the streaming service. The final episode airs on August 1, 2024.

The WGA writer’s strike was resolved on September 27th, 2023, and the SAG/AFTRA strike was resolved on November 9th, 2023.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Cast

The BAU Team Returns For Season 2

Procedural series generally keep the same actors from season to season, and it was confirmed in a report by TV Line that the entire main cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution would be returning. However, that original announcement was seemingly counteracted by the news that Josh Stuart would not return as Will LaMontagne Jr. There are no worries, as he is still alive and with J.J., but his character was “busy,” and that explained why he is not appearing in the new season. Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka) moved up to series regular in his place.

Departing Criminal Minds: Evolution star Josh Stuart now stars in the Apple TV+ series Manhunt .

Desperate Housewives alum Felicity Huffman appears as Dr. Jill Gideon, the ex-wife of former BAU head Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin), and an accomplished biological psychiatrist who assists the team in catching the Gold Star. Other names were added, including returning star Paul F. Tompkins, who reprises his role as conspiracy theorist Brian Garrity. Clark Gregg plays new FBI Director Ray Madison, and Brian White plays Elias Voit’s attorney, Vincent Orlov. Frank Church plays an unnamed children’s advocate.

The known cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 includes:

Did Reid & Morgan Return For Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2?

The Fan-Favorites Were Absent In Season 1

Though Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 cast was essentially a reunion of the characters from the CBS series. However, two notable omissions couldn’t be ignored. Firstly, Matthew Gray Gubler’s beloved Spencer Reid was not included, and Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan was also not mentioned. Though Shemar Moore left Criminal Minds during season 11, the door was left open for the character to appear in Criminal Minds: Evolution. Similarly, Reid left the show when it ended after season 15, and there is no reason why the character couldn’t come back.

The Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 cliffhanger ending didn’t reveal the identity of the agent who was going to interview Voit, and that seemed to indicate that the mysterious figure was a character known to audience members. With Shemar Moore’s series S.W.A.T. soon ending on CBS, the long-time TV star could have stepped back into his role as Morgan. Gubler’s series Dollface ended in 2022, making it possible for him to reprise his Reid role, which he played for over 300 episodes.

Both Shemar Moore and Matthew Gray Gubler said they would return to Criminal Minds .

Neither man appeared in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2. However, both said they would return in the future. “It was filming during a time when I was shooting something else. But I can’t wait — hopefully it will soon work out.” Gubler said about missing out on a return as Spencer Reid. As for Moore, he said, “If Criminal Minds asked me to come back, I’d go. Because you never forget where you came from. It sounds cliché and maybe cheesy, but it’s also true.”

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Story

What Happens Next For The BAU?

The serialized nature of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 was a complete departure from the episodic format of the original series, but the new structure has allowed for bigger ongoing storylines. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 is a hybrid version where some episodes will continue an ongoing story while others won’t (via TV Line). The main running storyline involved an unsub called Gold Star and the BAU’s realization that the DOJ is consulting with last year’s villain, Elias Voit, on the case, and the BAU has to work with him to catch Gold Star.

Rossi realizes that an old paper he wrote with Jason Gideon might have played into the new serial killers

The death of Deputy Director Bailey changes the team’s dynamic, and Rossi’s near-death experience affects the seasoned veteran’s mental health. This fact comes into focus when Rossi realizes that an old paper he wrote with Jason Gideon might have played into the new serial killers being groomed from childhood. The Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 story also sees Prentiss take on a more centralized role. The mixed approach to the Criminal Minds: Evolution story gives the season a quicker pace while slowly unraveling the mysteries of the new killers.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Trailer

Watch The Full Trailer Below

The Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 teaser trailer was released in May 2024. The teaser follows the characters after the conclusion of season 1 and shows that they are still on the Gold Star case. Even as the BAU reels from Voit’s actions, they know he is their only hope of catching the Gold Star.

In a further tease for the second season, Paramount+ dropped another trailer for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, highlighting the team’s struggles. Forced to cooperate with the notorious Elias Voit in the sophomore season, the BAU must compromise its own morals to catch Gold Star.