| Criminal Minds: Evolution | |
|---|---|
| Season 18 | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Paramount+ |
| Original release | May 8 – July 10, 2025 |
| Season chronology | |
The eighteenth season of Criminal Minds was announced on June 5, 2024, and began filming in August 2024. [1] [2] Season 18 will serve as a renewal ("third season") of Criminal Minds: Evolution, the title of the continuation of Criminal Minds after its revival in 2022. [3]
The season premiered on May 8, 2025, and consisted of ten episodes.
The eighteenth season of Criminal Minds will see the return of every main character from the seventeenth season, including the multi-season suspect Elias Voit.
In January 2024, Josh Stewart announced that he would not return to the show after first appearing as William LaMontagne Jr. in the second season of the show in 2007. [4] Showrunner Erica Messer revealed that the final scene featuring Stewart's character was shot "several seasons ago, long before Stewart's decision to exit the show." [5] Stewart was not credited in episodes 2 and 3 for his appearances.
Many fans have been anticipating and pushing for the return of Spencer Reid, an original character of the series played by Matthew Gray Gubler who last appeared in the fifteenth season. The showrunner, Erica Messer, along with Gubler have both emphasized a willingness for Spencer Reid to return, yet it is unclear if and when that may occur due to scheduling conflicts. [1] He was confirmed to reprise his role in one episode of this season, and returned in the third episode, "Time to Say Goodbye". [6] Aimee Garcia will recur throughout the season as, Dr. Julia Ochoa. [7]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date [10] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 345 | 1 | "Swimmer's Calculus" | Bethany Rooney | Breen Frazier | May 8, 2025 |
| 346 | 2 | "The Zookeeper" | Aisha Tyler | Christopher Barbour | May 15, 2025 |
| 347 | 3 | "Time to Say Goodbye" | Joe Mantegna | Erica Messer | May 22, 2025 |
| 348 | 4 | "I'm Fine, It's Fine. Everything Is Fine" | Anthony Vietro | Jayne A. Archer | May 29, 2025 |
| 349 | 5 | "The Brutal Man" | Nelson McCormick | Sullivan Fitzgerald | June 5, 2025 |
| 350 | 6 | "Hell Is Empty" | Jackeline Tejada | Charles Dewey | June 12, 2025 |
| 351 | 7 | "...All the Devils Are Here" | A. J. Cook | Carlton William Gillespie | June 19, 2025 |
| 352 | 8 | "Tara" | Sharat Raju | Chikodili Agwuna | June 26, 2025 |
| 353 | 9 | "CollateRal" | Doug Aarniokoski | Breen Frazier | July 3, 2025 |
| 354 | 10 | "The Disciple" | Glenn Kershaw | Christopher Barbour | July 10, 2025 |
The season premiered on May 8, 2025, and consisted of ten episodes. [11]