The seventeenth season of the American police procedural crime drama television series Criminal Minds, subtitled Evolution, follows members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as they investigate the mystery of Gold Star. As that conspiracy unfolds, the BAU is met with an unexpected complication when Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody, in the BAU’s own backyard.[1] It is the second season of the revival of the series premiered in 2005 on CBS, which originally ended in 2020.[2] The season premiered on June 6, 2024 on Paramount+ in the U.S.[1] and on Disney+ in other regions on June 7, 2024.
| Criminal Minds | |
|---|---|
| Season 17 | |
 International promotional poster | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Paramount+ |
| Original release | June 6, 2024 – present |
| Season chronology | |
On June 5, 2024, (a day before the season 17 premiere), Criminal Minds: Evolution was renewed for another season.[3]
Cast
Main
- Joe Mantegna as David Rossi[4]
- AJ Cook as Jennifer "JJ" Jareau[4]
- Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia[4]
- Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis[4]
- Zach Gilford as Elias Voit[5]
- Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green[6]
- Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez[4]
- Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss[4]
Recurring
- Nicole Pacent as Rebecca Wilson
- Clark Gregg as FBI Director Ray Madison[1]
- Brian J. White as Vincent Orlov[1]
- Tuc Watkins as Frank Church[1]
- Paul F. Tompkins as Brian Garrity[1]
- Kiele Sanchez as Sydney Voit
Guest
- Felicity Huffman as Dr. Jill Gideon[7]
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title [8] | Directed by | Written by [9] | Original release date [10] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 335 | 1 | "Gold Star" | Doug Aarniokoski | Erica Messer | June 6, 2024 | |
Two weeks after the events of last season's finale, a Bristow, Virginia police officer's wife is murdered. The BAU connects the case to Gold Star, an unsub who removes their victim's eyes and leaves bullets with star markings on them. They discover the DOJ has been consulting with Elias Voit. After the police officer commits suicide during questioning, the BAU calls Tyler Green to help them with the case. | ||||||
| 336 | 2 | "Contagion" | A.J. Cook | Mathew Lau | June 6, 2024 | |
Forced to work with Voit, JJ attempts to trick him into incriminating himself as Sicarius. Rossi and Prentiss investigate after two teachers in Provo, Utah are killed with a similar MO to Gold Star. Lewis and Tyler perform a stake-out but are joined by Tara's DOJ ex-girlfriend Rebecca. | ||||||
| 337 | 3 | "Homesick" | Adam Rodriguez | Sullivan Fitzgerald & Carlton Gillespie | June 13, 2024 | |
The BAU has become the subject of conspiracy theories due to Doug Bailey's death the previous season. While JJ and Alvez attempt to convince Voit's wife to speak with him, Rossi and Lewis investigate a serial killer in Houston, Texas who has been dubbed "The Moving Day Killer". | ||||||
| 338 | 4 | "Kingdom of the Blind" | Joe Mantegna | Chikodili Agwuna & Jayne A. Archer | June 20, 2024 | |
The BAU is faced with more Gold Star killing with the same gruesome M.O. in Jackpot, Nevada. Elias Voit says goodbye to his family. Prentiss wrestles with the fallout of her run-in with Brian Garrity. Garcia hacks the cloned phone brought in by Tyler Green. | ||||||
| 339 | 5 | "Conspiracy vs. Theory" | Sharat Raju | Breen Frazier | June 27, 2024 | |
Using Elias Voit, the BAU arranges a meeting with Gold Star in Davenport, Iowa, but the situation turns for the worse when they send a hostage with a bomb strapped to him. | ||||||
| 340 | 6 | "Message in a Bottle" | Nelson McCormick | Carlton Gillespie & Sullivan Fitzgerald | July 4, 2024 | |
Alvez and Garcia profile who might be targeting Tyler's ex-girlfriend. JJ helps Prentiss work through an existential hangover. When Rossi's Voit delusions reach a breaking point, Rossi confronts Voit and unpack what has truly been haunting him. | ||||||
| 341 | 7 | "Piranha" | Aisha Tyler | Chikodili Agwuna & Jayne A. Archer | July 11, 2024 | |
The BAU zeroes in on a sadistic UnSub in D.C. with a twisted M.O. Prentiss and Rossi dive into the BAU’s history to find connections to Gold Star. Prentiss reaches out to someone from Rossi’s past. Voit utilizes his lawyer to reach out to Damien. | ||||||
| 342 | 8 | "North Star" | Zach Gilford[11] | Charles Dewey & Christopher Barbour | July 18, 2024 | |
| 343 | 9 | "Stars & Stripes" | Bethany Rooney[12] | Christopher Barbour | July 25, 2024 | |
| 344 | 10 | "Save the Children" | Glenn Kershaw[13] | Breen Frazier | August 1, 2024 | |
Production
Development
The seventeenth season of Criminal Minds was announced on January 12, 2023. It serves as a second season to Criminal Minds: Evolution, the name of the main series' continuation.[14][15][16]The first two episodes of the new season was released on June 6, followed by weekly releases.[17] The new season premiered on June 7, 2024 on Disney+ in Canada.[18]
Casting
The entire main cast from the previous season will return, with the additions of Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green and Zach Gilford as Elias Voit who were promoted to series regulars this season, after recurring in the previous season.[6][5]
On January 17, 2024, Josh Stewart revealed that after 16 years, he will not reprise his role as Will LaMontange Jr. this season, stating that his "days of playing Will LaMontagne Jr. are over."[19]
Fans have speculated that Matthew Gray Gubler, the actor of Spencer Reid, may be returning to the show,[20] having not been present in the previous season due to scheduling conflicts.[21] On September 29, 2023, Gubler expressed his willingness to return.[22]
In April, it was announced that Felicity Huffman would guest-star as Dr. Jill Gideon, the ex-wife of Jason Gideon.[7] On May 10, 2024, it was announced that Clark Gregg, Brian J. White and Tuc Watkins will be recurring throughout the season as FBI Director Ray Madison,Vincent Orlov and Frank Church, respectively.[1] Paul F. Tompkins will reprise his role from season 15 as Brian Garrity.[1]
Filming
Filming and production for the seventeenth season of Criminal Minds officially commenced on January 18, 2024.[23] Filming wrapped on May 10, 2024.[24] Cast members Joe Mantegna, Aisha Tyler, A.J. Cook, Adam Rodriguez and Zach Gilford will be directing episodes this season [1]