My love for crime shows started with many variants of NCIS and CSI shows that my parents let my twin sister and I watch during supper time. Our family time consisted of Leroy Jethro Gibs and Gil Grissom solving cases on their respective shows and teams. As time passed, my sister and I grew up; we started watching reruns of Bones, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, Without a Trace, and Law and Order: SVU when we got home from school and during summer break.
Our parents love solving a good mystery. So, it's no surprise we'd follow in their footsteps. My sister had to warm up to Criminal Minds while immediately loving the podcast Crime Junkie. As for me, I fell down a rabbit hole every chance I could to devour crime shows. I've loved crime shows for as long as I can remember, but it took me a bit to love Criminal Minds and its compelling characters and storylines.
Before I was obsessed with Dr. Spencer Reid, I adored Agent Caitlin Todd from NCIS. I own the first two seasons of NCIS DVDs because she's in them, and I avoid the ending of her time on the show due to how sad it makes me. Just like my love for Agent Todd came to an end. Eventually, Dr. Reid left Criminal Minds, and when it rebooted, it felt empty without him, so I'm looking forward to his one-episode return in Criminal Minds: Evolution's third season.
After many years of loving and devouring crime shows, there's no doubt that all these shows are still binge-worthy. Although these series have been airing since my childhood (around 20 or more years), many fans like myself still find themselves rewatching. My love for crime shows started with Gibb's NCIS team, but I've rewatched Hotch's Criminal Minds Behavioral Analyst Unit Team more in the last decade.
Why am I still binge-watching a series that aired when I was nine?
This show has the formula for television scripts down to a science. Criminal Minds wouldn’t be as successful without the overwhelming love from their fans, excellent storylines that keep viewers on their toes until the credits roll, and the vastly interesting lives behind the BAU profilers.
While writing for Study Breaks, I wrote an article about why Criminal Minds is still a great binge-watch, and now, six years later, I still agree with my past self. In my 2018 article, I list four reasons, "the cast embodies the lives and emotions of their characters, jaw-dropping episodes, friendships and relationships inside the BAU, and reruns aren't a terrible pastime." Criminal Minds launched on CBS in 2005 and in 2018 was airing season 14. The top-rated crime show went onto air one more season on CBS before taking a hiatus in 2020 and returning in 2022 as Criminal Minds: Evolution on Parmount+. After 19 years, 300+ episodes, and 15 and counting seasons, Criminal Minds remains the perfect rewatch due to the show writers’ exceptional ability to combine crime drama with the personal lives of their Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) profiler team.
When talking with Smashing Interview Magazine about Criminal Minds and Evolution in November 2022, Joe Mantegna (David Rossi) revealed that the criminal minds of serial killers aren’t the only reason the show has been running for nearly two decades. “It’s called Criminal Minds, but that’s only one aspect of the show. A show doesn’t run 15 seasons because we’re so good at solving crimes. It’s also because the fans are invested in us as characters in our private lives, and that will always be an important aspect of the show.” Although sometimes dark and depressing, the central aspect is love. Criminal Minds thrives by mixing the light and darkness of everyday life at the BAU.
The cast embodies their characters' lives and emotions, creating wholesome and genuine friendships and relationships.
Criminal Minds explores serial killer crimes and the personal lives of the crime fighters that catch them (which sounds like the intro to one of the crime shows above, but I swear I'm not trying to copy anyone)! Many shows use this formula of storytelling, especially with crime shows, but the BAU is my favorite team to root for both in the field and outside of their jobs.
Although I love every BAU team profiler, I want to focus on my top four profilers across the original 2005-2020 series run. As I write this article, I haven't finished all the episodes available because my husband and I are watching the episodes in order before watching any new episodes. It's okay not to be caught up because there are only so many hours a day. My husband works all day, so we only watch episodes during and after supper and then on the weekends. My top three profilers are Dr. Spencer Reid, Derek Morgan, Kate Callahan, and Emily Prentiss.
Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler)
Spencer's character evolution is one of my favorites on the show, in addition to JJ (A.J. Cook). Although both characters go through Hell and back from season 1 through season 15, Reid takes the cake every time. Throughout 15 years, Spencer faces his childhood trauma (S4E7), health issues (S6E12), and drug addiction after being kidnapped and tortured (S2E15), and if that wasn't enough, he went to jail (S12E13) and later watched JJ get tortured alongside him (S14E15). After all those trials, I understand why Reid takes a sabbatical from the FBI BAU at the end of the original run. It's understandable that with Gubler's real-life scheduling conflicts and Reid's tragic character arc, it would take years for us to see him again. However, according to many news articles, "Matthew Gray Gubler has a limited role as Spencer Reid In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3." Like many fans, I am over the moon to see our famous pretty boy again. Despite his tragic storylines and childhood trauma, he is the BAU's beyond-brilliant genius, making us fall in love with him whenever he talks. Even though I don't always understand him, Criminal Minds feels empty without his brilliant rambles and witty remarks.
Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore)
Derek Morgan doesn't start as a sensitive man but a woman magnet who goes through women faster than any other character. At first, it seems the writers didn't know what Morgan would contribute to the team other than the muscular, good-looking agent who kicks down doors. However, he remains those things throughout his time on the show with one massive shift in his demeanor. After a few episodes, he becomes more caring to not only Penelope but also a brotherly love to Reid. Later in Season 11, before his departure, we see him fall in love and have a child with Dr. Savannah Hayes. It's no surprise that fans love him for more than his looks. His departure created a hole for the characters and the fans. The ones who felt it the most had to be Penelope and Reid. My heart aches for them. For that reason, we need Shemar back as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds: Evolution, and according to his TV Insider February 2024 interview, "he's waiting on an invitation to rejoin his BAU team." If we're getting a Reid cameo, we also need Reid and Morgan to reunite, even if it's outside the BAU, where they meet up at Morgan's home.
Kate Callahan (Jennifer Love Hewitt)
Jennifer Love Hewitt's one-season stint, season 10, stands out as the most memorable short-term BAU profilers to join and exit the team. I grew up watching Ghost Whisperer reruns with my mom and falling in love with Jennifer's acting and character. Many years later, I still rewatch Ghost Whisperer's five-season run. I was excited and instantly rooted for her character when she joined the BAU team. Throughout my rewatch of season 10, I kept telling my husband: "Kate's a bad***, she's incredible, and wow, she's a powerhouse. Her storyline makes me so happy and sad." I would have loved it if she stayed for many more seasons or even if she rejoined one day. But, her ending was very well-rounded and wholesome."Just like Kate, Jennifer Love Hewitt wanted to take time out of Criminal Minds. While the door was left open for Callahan to return someday, the character didn't make a comeback for the rest of its run. Maybe with the upcoming Paramout+ revival series Kate could finally make a comeback alongside some other returning characters, but there's no sign of that happening thus far."
Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster)
My love for Emily Prentiss knows no bounds. She's witty, bad***, and brilliant. She's prepared for success from the second she's introduced (S2E9). She was determined to be a part of the BAU, and fans are so glad Hotch and Gideon said yes. Screen Rant takes note of Prentiss' best quotes from Season 7 Episode 24, and this one sticks with me: "I've always heard every ending is also a beginning. We just don't know it at the time. I'd like to believe that's true." Honestly, I think this quote rings true not only for the coming and going of her colleagues but also for herself. She leaves and returns several times, most notably when she fakes her death (S6E18) to save her team from being hunted by her enemies. This plotline destroyed the characters and the fans because of how beloved Prentiss had become on Criminal Minds. Fast forward to my current rewatch (in season 11), Prentiss has been in London for another good chunk of the show, returning once when JJ was kidnapped and tortured in Season 9, Episode 14. Although I know she returns full-time again, the wait is endless, and she's dearly missed.
The jaw-dropping episodes will keep you glued to your seat if the phenomenal characters don't make you reach for the remote. From gripping and maddening serial killers to wholesome team moments, you don't want to miss this crime drama. Watch Criminal Minds Seasons 1-15 on Hulu and Criminal Minds: Evolution episodes on Parmount+.
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