After Two Decades, 'Criminal Minds' Will End With Its 20th Season, Due in 2027

After a successful run of two decades, the popular crime drama series 'Criminal Minds' is coming to an end. According to a Hollywood Reporter report, the Paramount+ series will conclude with its 20th season, to be released in 2027.

The show's showrunner and executive producer Erica Messer confirmed the news in a statement. She said it was hard to put into words how special the show's extraordinary two-decade journey had been, and that she was deeply grateful to the show's remarkable team and its countless fans, whose love had carried it this far, adding that they looked forward to sharing the 20th season with everyone and celebrating the series' farewell.

Returning for the final season of Criminal Minds are Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, R.J. Hatanaka, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster.

Criminal Minds began airing on the CBS network in September 2005. The series follows the work of officers of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit.

While other crime series usually place more emphasis on forensic evidence or direct action, this series focuses on solving crimes through psychological analysis. In each case, members of the special team analyse unknown offenders' behaviour, motives and mental makeup.

Rather than only asking who the offender is, their main goal is to work out why the offender is committing the crime and what the next step might be, in order to save potential victims in advance. This psychological exploration of serial killers' minds is what made the series so popular with viewers.

Created by Jeff Davis, the series aired on CBS until its 15th season in 2020. It then changed platforms, beginning a new run in 2022 as 'Criminal Minds: Evolution' on Paramount+. Even after the series ends, all of its seasons will remain available for streaming on Paramount+.