Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 has an official release date. After ending its 15-year stint over at CBS and tumultuous road coming back on the small screen, FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) continues to hunt down some of the worst criminals in the country via Paramount+. Its story has revolved around Sicarius and Gold Star thus far, with Elias Voit proving to be a far more nefarious opponent than he originally seemed. Despite being caught in the season 1 finale, he continued to terrorize the BAU in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2.
Beyond the BAU’s professional arc, which has involved dealing with the new FBI boss, Ray Madison (Clark Gregg), the beloved profilers also have ongoing personal storylines. One of the biggest plots during the show’s debut year was JJ and Will’s marital issues, stemming from his unexpected health scare. Despite surviving, Josh Stewart didn’t make an appearance in season 2, raising questions about his character’s fate. To make things worse, JJ remains at the center of BAU-gate. Luckily, viewers won’t have to wait too long to find out what the profilers are up to in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3’s Release Date Has Been Revealed
The FBI’s Best Profilers Are Set To Return This Spring
Per Paramount, the BAU is returning with new episodes for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 on May 8, exclusively streaming on Paramount+. The 10-episode run will release new episodes weekly every Thursday, which has been its usual day slot since the famous procedural moved to the platform from traditional broadcast. The press release includes an official brief for the upcoming season, confirming that Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 will pick up six months after season 2’s ending. Interestingly, Paramount has also announced season 4 as part of the main statement.
Season 18 of CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION picks up six months after prisoners attack the notorious Sicarius Killer, Elias Voit, leading his restless followers on the dark web to begin wreaking havoc all over the country. In order to stop this nefarious group from killing more innocents, the BAU is forced to work alongside an increasingly unpredictable Voit who has his own agenda. CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION stars Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Zach Gilford and RJ Hatanaka with Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster.
As it turns out, Voit will likely remain the primary antagonist of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3. With a fourth year already confirmed, however, it remains to be seen whether this upcoming year will be the final time he will be able to give the Bureau major headaches. Despite still being in jail, Sicarius has somehow been able to mobilize his legion of followers across the country.
What To Expect From Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3
It’s A Mix Of Good & Bad
At the end of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, the BAU was finally able to get to the bottom of the mystery of Gold Star — Elias Voit’s leverage against them. Before that, however, Sicarius was able to sneak in one final demand from the FBI, which was that he be imprisoned with the rest of the general population. Because many things were already happening, the profilers had no time to think about the deal. As expected, Voit was attacked in prison but didn’t die. This sets up what could be his final year as Criminal Minds: Evolution‘s main big bad.
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 will officially see Matthew Gray Gubler’s return as Spencer Reid after missing the show’s first two years.
On top of Voit’s new scheme to terrorize Emily Prentiss and the rest of the BAU, there are other exciting storylines to look out for when the procedural returns. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 will officially see Matthew Gray Gubler’s return as Spencer Reid after missing the show’s first two years. Sadly, however, his return will only be in one episode. It’s also safe to expect that there will be a substantial update about what’s going on with JJ’s personal life in light of Will’s health scare back in season 1.
Our Take On Criminal Minds: Evolution Thriving On Paramount+
The BAU Has Found A New Home
It’s no secret that getting Criminal Minds: Evolution up and running on Paramount+ was no easy feat. At one point, there were reports that the project was dead in the water because of the lack of updates. Somehow, the show has found its footing with its slightly different format and dark storytelling. Paramount’s decision to renew the show for season 4 when season 3 hasn’t even been released yet is a sign of confidence from the streamer.
Related
Criminal Minds Has Easily 10 More Terrifying Unsubs Than Evolution’s Gold Star
Criminal Minds: Evolution is putting in the work to amp up its unsubs, but the antagonists from the original series still set the golden standard.
As it enters its junior year, however, hopefully Criminal Minds: Evolution finds a way to wrap up the Sicarius case and start a new one, considering that it has already been going for over two years. Zach Gilford is a brilliant member of the Criminal Minds: Evolution cast, but at this point, Paramount is running the risk of losing people’s interest in further stretching out his story. Surely, showrunner Erica Messer can craft new and more terrifying unsubs to follow moving forward.
Shemar Moore has been open about wanting to reprise his role as Derek Morgan.
With only just 10 episodes, Gubler’s return may be more than enough to drum up nostalgia for those who have been following the procedural since its days on CBS. That said, one would be hard-pressed to find any other fan who would be opposed to seeing more legacy characters return. Shemar Moore has been open about wanting to reprise his role as Derek Morgan, and with SWAT now cancelled, likely for good, Criminal Minds: Evolution won’t have any excuse to not bring him back.
Source: Paramount
Criminal Minds: Evolution
- Release Date
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November 24, 2022
- Showrunner
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Erica Messer
- Writers
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Erica Messer
