For the last 14 years, since it first aired, millions of fans have been following the ‘Criminal Minds’ series on their TV screens and experiencing the thrill of this high-stakes crime drama. But will it reboot for season 16? Let’s find out.
In the year 2005, CBS launched a police procedural drama, ‘Criminal Minds’, which turned out to be a rating hit for the channel. For the last 14 years, since it first aired, millions of fans have been following the series on their TV screens and experiencing the thrill of this high-stakes crime series. The fans are now demanding season 16, and possible a ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 17 as well. Let’s see if the show is up for renewal.
Highlights —
- What is ‘Criminal Minds’ about?
- ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 cast
- Is ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 possible?
With its 15th season coming to an end, fans are curious to know about its future. Will there be a ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16? Who will the ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 cast include? Well, let us answer that for you.

What is ‘Criminal Minds’ about?
The crime drama series chronicles the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) based out of Quantico, Virginia. The BAU remains determined to understand predators’ motive and triggers, in order to stop them before they strike again.
‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 cast
‘Criminal Minds’ had a star-studded cast, which became one of the primary reasons why it was lauded by fans and critics alike. The cast included Mandy Patinkin as Jason, Thomas Gibson as Aaron, and Shemar Moore as Derek. Possibly, the ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 cast will include all their main actors.
While Matthew Gray Gubler played Spencer, A.J.Cook appeared as Jenifer, Lola Glaudini played Elle, and Kristen Vangsness starred as Penelope throughout the series. In the series, we also saw Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss, Daniel Henney as Matt Simmons, Joe Mantenga as David Rossi and many more.
Is ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 possible?
‘Criminal Minds’ season 15 premiered on January 8, 2020, on CBS. After spanning 10 episodes, it wrapped up with a two-hour finale on February 19, 2020.
On January 10, 2019, a leading entertainment portal reported that the show had been renewed for a 15th season. With this, the portal also confirmed that season 15 will be the last instalment for the series. In the same interview CBS’ EVP current programs, said, “It is the quintessential CBS hit. We are so proud to have aired it. It speaks to everything we do best, which is air quality television. It’s been successful not only on air but online, in syndication, internationally for ABC (Studios)”.
She also explained why the last season’s episode number was reduced to 10, “We wanted to make sure Erica had the time and ability to write a season finale that honours the characters and the fans. We discussed wanting to keep the show in continuous production, so 10 felt like the right number for us to roll straight into and give Erica enough episodes to end the series the way she wanted to”.
The reason behind CBS Network’s decision could be that ‘Criminal Minds’ had its share of controversies over the years. In 2016, Thomas Gibson was asked to leave the show after an escalated feud with Virgil Williams. Later, Paget Brewster also had to exit due to budget cuts.
The other thing could be that CBS does not have the luxury of hosting infinite shows like Netflix, Prime, or Hulu. Moreover, the channel might have also considered the need to refresh its schedule with new entries. So, maybe, it thought it is time to wrap up running shows like ‘Criminal Minds’. Even though you can always return to watch the previous season of ‘Criminal Minds’ on Netflix.
Nevertheless, fans of the show have been adamant about its return for not only season 16 but also ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 17. If the showmakers decide to renew the series for more seasons, fans hope that the ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16 cast retains all the actors who have made the show worth watching with their commendable performances. They are waiting eagerly to be given the opportunity to watch ‘Criminal Minds’ Season 16. But whether the makers of the show will allow for this, is yet to be seen.
Is there a possibility of ‘Criminal Minds’ returning in the future?
While nothing is confirmed about season 16 and there’s no update on whether or not it’s in talks of getting a renewal, it seems like there could be a willingness on the part of the cast of the show to return. The show’s finale also suggests possible storylines that can be pursued should the show decide to come back.
Speaking with an entertainment portal, actor Matthew Gray Gubler, who played a criminal profiler in the series stated, “I know that everything has its time and I’m in no way sad that the show is closing because I feel like we’ve done it beautifully, and I feel like there are roots there for it to re-hatch later. I kind of liken it to if you go to a concert, at a certain point the band has to leave the stage in order to have an encore. It’s just the natural progression”.
Whatever the future may hold for the series, at this point we can safely say that ‘Criminal Minds’ has enjoyed a good and successful run. You can also now watch ‘Criminal Minds’ on Netflix. So, while we wait for a positive announcement about the show’s renewal, you can go ahead and binge-watch the earlier seasons. Share your comments with us in the box below.
Is ‘Criminal Minds’ returning in 2020?
An announcement about the end of the show was made in 2019 with the 15th season which aired in January 2020. No other announcement has been made overtaking this one. As the year is coming to an end, it looks like that was all we will get from the show in 2020.
Who died on ‘Criminal Minds’?
There have been many deaths on ‘Criminal Minds’, but the most shocking one was that of Jason Gideon.
The team was called to a cabin, only to discover that Jason Gideon—who served as a key member of the BAU in Seasons 1 through 3—had been shot dead. Luckily, he left behind a series of clues meant to help the team finally catch the one UnSub that had alluded him his entire career.
Which is the saddest episode on ‘Criminal Minds’?
“Mosley Lane” Season 5 Episode 16: This story was one of the saddest purely because of the subject matter i.e., children and the very real issue of abduction. J.J. attempts to help a mom who has a missing child and another case is brought to the team that has very similar circumstances. The episode touches on the hard to think about, but realistic, issues of the real world.
