The long-running procedural drama Criminal Minds is back with another season following its revival by Paramount+ after a 15-year stint on CBS.
Rebranded as Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022, season 2 of the series, created by Erica Messer, is set to premiere next month.
The first two episodes will premiere on June 6, with the remaining eight releasing on Thursdays on a weekly basis. TVLine confirmed that the complete cast from Criminal Minds: Evolution will be returning for the second season. Tyler Green has been given a meatier role in season 2 and will become a series regular following his supporting stint in season 1. There have been rumors about Josh Stuart not returning as Will LaMontagne Jr., although the studio hasn’t confirmed it yet.
Here’s the full list of cast members that audiences can expect to see in season 2: Joe Mantegna as David Rossi, Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss, AJ Cook as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, and Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvarez.
There has been a major pivot in terms of storytelling structure compared to the original. Criminal Minds followed the episodic format when it was on CBS, but has taken a more serialized approach after the shift to Paramount+. Season 2 of Evolution is expected to be more of a hybrid between the two, and on-set images suggest the team will have to enlist Voit’s help to catch Gold Star.
Other major plot lines are likely to include Prentiss’ reaction to Deputy Director Bailey’s demise in season 1 and the change in Rossi’s actions following a close call with death. Paget Brewster will be a central character in season 2, and the cliffhanger conclusion of the first season, which showed a mysterious agent scheduled to interview Voit, might be another plot point that the writers could potentially shine more light upon.
Season 2 of Criminal Minds: Evolution will be available to stream on Paramount+.
