This article contains discussion of PTSD.
Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2.
Summary
Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2, also calledCriminal Mindsseason 17, is exposing longstanding BAU team problems dating back to 2005.Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 1 premiered on Paramount+ on August 01, 2025, just two years afterCriminal Mindsended. The quick revival proved there was still a strong fanbase that wanted to see how the BAU’s story would continue.Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3was confirmed the day before season 2’s premiere.
Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 will likely premiere around the franchise’s 20th anniversary. Some ofthe bestCriminal Mindsepisodesare the milestone episodes, like “100,” “200,” and “300,” andwithCriminal Minds: Evolutionhaving 10-episode seasons, something special could be done for episode number 325, which would be season 3, episode 6.TheCriminal Mindscondition for Reid and Morgan returning is a relief, especially becauseEvolutionhas continued to put its characters through traumatic situations that expose an important past issue.
Why Criminal Minds Ended After Season 15 (Was It Canceled?)
After 15 successful seasons, Criminal Minds ended on CBS. Despite its long time on the air, the reason for its cancelation remains intriguing.
The Criminal Minds: Evolution Characters Never Took Their Government-Mandated Therapy Seriously
The Criminal Minds: Evolution Characters Have Been Through A Lot Of Traumatic Situations
EachCriminal Mindsseason has added more life-changing trauma for the characters and helped unearth old trauma.One ofCriminal Mind: Evolution’sbiggest themes is how trauma affects the brain, and the BAU team members are no exception to having their personalities altered, even if only temporarily, by trauma. With the danger and stress that come with the job, theCriminal Mindscharacters are often made to attend government-mandated therapy sessions.
Unfortunately, they tend to dismiss these therapy sessions, often assuming they know what’s best for themselves or being unwilling to open themselves up to someone outside the team. This has been going on since the series began. For example, beforeElle left the team inCriminal Mindsseason 2, she was skipping her mandatory therapy sessions following a PTSD diagnosis. InCriminal Mindsseason 7, Emily lied to her therapist to be cleared for duty.Despite their aversion to therapy, or perhaps because of it, each character has been diagnosed with PTSDat one point or another.
With their older age and decades of shared trauma, they share even less about what they’re feeling inCriminal Minds: Evolution.
The Criminal Minds: Evolution Characters Aren’t Communicating About Their Mental Health Issues In Season 2
The Lack Of Communication Is Causing Tension & Could Put The Criminal Minds: Evolution Characters In Danger
TheCriminal Minds: Evolutioncharacters bottling up their feelings is nothing new, but typically the team members have been able to talk to each other about it. Hotch was understanding with Emily when he found out she lied to her therapist inCriminal Mindsseason 7. However, in his worry, he became an important sounding board for her. When JJ started experiencing PTSD flashbacks after being tortured by Askari inCriminal Mindsseason 10, Spencer and Emily were there for her. Her hallucination scene with Askari shines an important light on PTSD and how it often affects people.
However,Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2, episode 4showed the team heading in different directions physically, mentally, and emotionally. Elias Voit and the “Gold Star Program” are exposing the trauma they’ve always had issues dealing with. BetweenCriminal Mindsending andCriminal Minds: Evolutionstarting, there was a 3-year time jump where the team was split up. Though they remain close, with their older age and decades of shared trauma, they share even less about what they’re feeling inCriminal Minds: Evolution.
Like JJ with Askari, Rossi has been hallucinating and speaking to Voit inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2. However, whenever someone asks him who he’s talking to, he brushes them off.When JJ tries to talk to Emily about “BAU-Gate,” she tells Emily it’s no big dealdespite her trying to help as BAU Unit Chief. Garcia is still learning to feel comfortable again at the FBI as everyone around her manipulates her to help them. Luke’s issues with anger management, Tara’s breakup with Rebecca, and Emily’s determination to avenge Doug Bailey have caused further mental health issues.
Hotch’s Unresolved Storyline Finally Haunts Prentiss In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2
Emily Prentiss is great as BAU chief, but Aaron Hotchner’s abrupt departure issue finally catches up to her in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2.
Tara Can Play An Important Role In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2
The BAU Team Is Going To Need Someone To Help Keep Everyone Together
Ironically, the same team that has been hesitant to receive proper psychological treatment has a forensic psychologist working with them. Dr. Tara Lewis joined the BAU inCriminal Mindsseason 11 withextensive experience interviewing psychopathic criminals to determine whether they were fit for trial or not. Though not a traditional therapist, Tara was reassigned to be a psychologist to FBI agents whenLinda Barnes split up the BAU team inCriminal Mindsseason 13. The job was treated as a joke, but she has used her therapeutic skills to help the team beyond just cases.
Tara is not immune from repression but can step up at this vital moment inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2. Being forced to work with Voit has triggered the entire team’s PTSD; someone like Tara could keep the team communicating, unashamed of vulnerability. Voit’s belief in “social contagion” and how it’s already affected the BAU has unearthedan age-old fear for the team: being driven into becoming aCriminal Mindsunsub.Hopefully, Tara will remind them that working together helped them survive past trauma inCriminal Minds: Evolution.
Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2 premieres new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+ through July 22, 2025.
Criminal Minds: Evolution
Cast
InCriminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
