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Paramount+ to end Criminal Minds after 20th season in 2027

Developing story first seen 2 hours ago

Deadline · 2 hours ago

Paramount+ has decided to end *Criminal Minds: Evolution* with its upcoming 20th season, despite the series remaining in the platform’s Top 10. The decision highlights questions about how streaming services weigh a show’s audience against its cost and broadcast-style format.

Season 20 is due to premiere in 2027 and finished production earlier this autumn, so it was not made to provide a newly planned ending. The show had received an early renewal from the previous Paramount+ leadership, and executive producer Erica Messer described the cancellation as sudden. Across its 15 seasons on CBS and five on Paramount+, *Criminal Minds* is tied for fifth among the longest-running drama series.

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In short

*Criminal Minds: Evolution* will end with season 20.
The final season is due in 2027.
The show remains in Paramount+’s Top 10.

How this story developed

1 hour ago The cancellation was reportedly decided recently, after an early renewal by the previous Paramount+ leadership, and showrunner Erica Messer called the end sudden; season 20, due in 2027, had already finished filming and will not have a newly planned finale.
1 hour ago Paramount+ has cancelled Criminal Minds: Evolution after its forthcoming 20th season, despite the series remaining in the platform’s Top 10, with the decision prompting questions about the value of costly, broadcast-style shows.

Full account

Paramount+ is ending Criminal Minds with its upcoming 20th season, due to premiere in 2027. The season is the fifth released under the Criminal Minds: Evolution title and follows the original CBS series’ 15-season run, which began in 2005. Production on the final season has already finished, so the episodes were not made as a planned farewell.

The decision was reportedly taken recently by Paramount+’s new leadership, led by Casey Bloys, co-chair and chief content officer for Skydance’s direct-to-consumer business. Reports say the previous leadership had recommended the show for an early renewal in March, before season 19 began airing. The timing has been described as sudden; showrunner and executive producer Erica Messer’s statement expressed gratitude for the cast, crew and viewers while saying the team was navigating the end of the series.

The cancellation comes despite reports that Evolution remains among Paramount+’s most-watched programmes. Its audience performance may have been weighed against production costs, though no official reason was given in the supplied reports. The series is also the last remaining Paramount+ continuation of a CBS programme in the group discussed by the outlets: SEAL Team, Frasier and NCIS: Tony & Ziva have also ended. Former originals chief Jane Wiseman had previously spoken positively about Evolution and the possibility of similar shows.

Criminal Minds follows FBI profilers investigating violent crimes and the effects of that work on their personal lives. Its move to Paramount+ after CBS ended the original run gave the franchise a further chapter. If the combined run concludes at 20 seasons, the reports place it among the longest-running US drama series, tied for fifth by season count. The series stars Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler and others.

Where outlets differ

From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:

The first report foregrounds possible commercial and strategic explanations, including the balance between audience performance and cost and the show’s broadcast-style format on a streaming service; it presents these as possibilities, not confirmed reasons. The second also mentions the recent Warner Bros. merger as a possible influence, while acknowledging that this is speculation.

The second report gives more background on the premise and popularity of the franchise, while the first focuses more on Paramount+’s leadership changes, its programme strategy and the show’s standing among long-running dramas. Both say the final season was ordered early, has already wrapped filming and was not designed as a series finale.

Steelman: both sides, in good faith

The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.

The case for

Ending the series after 20 seasons could be a reasonable business decision even with its Top 10 standing: streaming services must weigh viewing against production costs, audience retention and the value of allocating resources to other programmes. A planned limit may also help Paramount+ refresh its slate rather than continue a long-running format indefinitely.

The case against

The show’s continued presence in Paramount+’s Top 10 suggests it still draws an audience, so ending it may sacrifice a proven programme and a loyal fan community. Because the decision came after filming had finished and was described as sudden, the final season may lack a story ending shaped to give viewers and cast a considered close to the series.

Explained simply

Criminal Minds is a US crime drama about FBI agents who study the behaviour of serious offenders to help solve cases. The original series ran on the CBS television network for 15 seasons, before a continuation called Criminal Minds: Evolution moved to the Paramount+ streaming service.

The central figures are the agents and their colleagues, alongside showrunner Erica Messer, who oversees the programme’s stories and production. Its long run reflects the continued place of crime dramas in television, while its move from a scheduled broadcast channel to a streaming service shows how established series can change format and home.