Created by Jeff Davis.
Criminal Minds originally premiered on September 22, 2005.
Distributed by CBS Television Distribution in the United States.
Criminal Minds TV Series Review
Criminal Minds is a popular crime drama that follows a team of FBI profilers who solve dangerous criminal cases.
Seasons 1-5 introduce the BAU team and feature many exciting investigations.
Seasons 6-10 bring new characters and emotional storylines while keeping the suspense strong.
Seasons 11-15 continue with fresh cases, personal challenges, and memorable villains.
Seasons 16-19, known as Criminal Minds: Evolution, tell longer stories and explore bigger threats facing the team.
Throughout all 19 seasons, the series delivers mystery, action, and strong character development.
It remains one of television’s most successful and entertaining crime shows for fans worldwide.
CR Rating: 8/10.
Criminal Minds Actors
Mandy Patinkin as Jason Gideon
DOB: November 30, 1952.
Bio: American actor, singer, and performer born in Chicago, Illinois.
He first gained widespread recognition through his acclaimed stage work, including his Tony Award-winning performance in Evita.
Role: Jason Gideon is one of the founding senior profilers of the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit).
Widely regarded as the team’s most experienced profiler during the early seasons, Gideon relies heavily on intuition, empathy, and psychological insight.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-3 (51 eps).
Interesting facts: Patinkin has publicly stated that he left Criminal Minds because he became uncomfortable with the show’s graphic violence and subject matter.
Notable Works: The Princess Bride, Wonder, Homeland, Chicago Hope.
Thomas Gibson as Aaron Hotchner
DOB: July 3, 1962.
Bio: American actor and director best known for TV authority figures who project calm, precision, and quiet intensity.
Trained at Juilliard, he built a long career in prestige network drama before becoming the face of Criminal Minds’ leadership.
Role: Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner is the BAU Unit Chief and one of the team’s most respected leaders.
A former prosecutor and FBI agent, Hotchner is known for his professionalism, dedication, and willingness to put the team’s safety above his own.
Seasons & Episodes: Seasons 1-12 (258 eps).
Interesting facts: Gibson directed several episodes of Criminal Minds in addition to starring in the series.
In 2016, he was removed from the show following an on-set altercation involving a writer-producer, leading to Hotchner’s departure from the series.
Notable Works: Dharma & Greg, Chicago Hope, Far and Away.
Lola Glaudini as Elle Greenaway
DOB: November 24, 1971.
Bio: American actress with strong dramatic instincts and a background in TV and theater.
She brought a sharper, more vulnerable energy to the original BAU team, which helped the first two seasons feel more unsettled and human.
Role: Elle Greenaway is an FBI Supervisory Special Agent assigned to the BAU and one of the team’s original members.
With experience investigating sexual offenses and crimes against women, Elle is a skilled profiler who often approaches cases with strong empathy for victims.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-2 (29 eps)
Interesting facts: Glaudini is the daughter of playwright Robert Glaudini and actress-writer Nina Rosen.
Notable Works: The Sopranos, Blow, NYPD Blue.
Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan
DOB: April 20, 1970.
Bio: American actor, producer, and former television host born in Oakland, California.
Before Criminal Minds, he became widely known for his Emmy-winning role as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless and for hosting Soul Train.
Role: Derek Morgan is a Supervisory Special Agent with the BAU and one of the team’s most effective field operatives.
A former Chicago police officer and bomb squad officer, Morgan combines physical courage with strong profiling instincts.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-13 (255 eps).
Interesting facts: Moore won a Daytime Emmy Award for his work on The Young and the Restless and has received multiple NAACP Image Awards throughout his career.
Notable Works: The Young and the Restless, S.W.A.T., Soul Train, Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Matthew Gray Gubler as Dr. Spencer Reid
DOB: March 9, 1980.
Bio: American actor, filmmaker, author, illustrator, and former fashion model born in Las Vegas, Nevada.
After studying filmmaking at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, he was discovered as a model before transitioning into acting.
Role: Dr. Spencer Reid is the BAU’s resident genius, possessing an eidetic memory, an exceptionally high IQ, and multiple advanced degrees.
Despite his intellectual gifts, Reid often struggles with social interactions and emotional vulnerability.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-15 & 18 (325 eps).
Interesting facts: Before acting, Gubler worked as a fashion model for major designers including Marc Jacobs.
While attending NYU, he interned for Wes Anderson, which helped launch his film career.
Notable Works: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 500 Days of Summer, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Suburban Gothic.
A.J. Cook as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau
DOB: July 22, 1978.
Bio: Canadian actress who built her name through film and television before becoming one of the most essential performers in the Criminal Minds universe.
She gives JJ a steady, compassionate quality that keeps the team feeling human.
Role: JJ starts as the team’s communications liaison and later becomes a full-fledged profiler and field agent.
Her family life, her bond with Will, and her long-term presence give the show much of its emotional continuity.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-19 (340 eps).
Interesting facts: Cook is married to Nathan Andersen, and their two sons have appeared on the show as JJ’s children. She has said the family connection became one of the sweetest parts of the role.
Notable Works: Final Destination 2, Tru Calling, The Virgin Suicides, Out Cold.
Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia
DOB: July 7, 1972.
Bio: American actress, writer, and playwright born in Pasadena, California and raised in Porterville, California.
Before Criminal Minds, she built a strong reputation in theater and comedy performance.
Role: Penelope Garcia serves as the BAU’s Technical Analyst, specializing in computer forensics, hacking, data retrieval, and intelligence gathering.
Her extraordinary technical skills allow the team to solve cases that would otherwise be impossible.
Seasons & Episodes: S1-19 (359).
Interesting facts: Vangsness was originally hired for what was intended to be a very small role, but producers quickly expanded Garcia’s presence after seeing her performance.
Notable Works: Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.
Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss
DOB: March 10, 1969.
Bio: American actress, voice actress, and comedian born in Concord, Massachusetts.
Before joining Criminal Minds, she became known for memorable television appearances, including recurring roles on Friends and numerous comedy projects.
Role: Prentiss joins the BAU in Season 2 and eventually becomes one of the team’s most important agents, later serving as Unit Chief and then Section Chief.
Her arc includes Interpol, fake-out death, return-to-team drama, and leadership under pressure.
Seasons & Episodes: S2-19 (233 eps).
Interesting facts: Brewster married composer and musician Steve Damstra in 2014, and fellow Criminal Minds star Matthew Gray Gubler officiated the ceremony.
Notable Works: Friends, Community, Grandfathered, Birdgirl.
Joe Mantegna as David Rossi
DOB: November 13, 1947.
Bio: American actor, producer, director, and writer born in Chicago, Illinois.
A highly respected performer with a career spanning theater, film, television, and voice acting, Mantegna won a Tony Award for his work in the original Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross.
Role: David Rossi is a founding member of the BAU and one of the FBI’s most respected profilers.
After retiring and becoming a bestselling author, Rossi returns to the BAU in Season 3 to resolve an unsolved case that has haunted him for years.
Seasons & Episodes: S3-19 (311 eps).
Interesting facts: Mantegna has been married to Arlene Vrhel since 1975, and he is a famously enthusiastic Chicago Cubs fan.
Notable Works: The Simpsons, Airheads, Three Amigos.
Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis
DOB: September 18, 1970.
Bio: American actress, comedian, director, producer, author, and television host born in San Francisco, California.
A graduate of Dartmouth College, she built a successful career across comedy, drama, animation, podcasting, and television hosting.
Role: Tara Lewis is a forensic psychologist who interviews psychopathic criminals and assesses whether they are fit for trial.
She starts as a recurring character and then becomes a full-time BAU member, giving the later seasons a more clinical, psychological lens.
Seasons & Episodes: S11-19 (124 eps).
Interesting facts: Tyler hosted The Talk, won a Daytime Emmy, and has long been one of TV’s most recognizable multitaskers.
Notable Works: Archer, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, The Talk, Ghost Whisperer.
Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez
DOB: April 2, 1975.
Bio: American actor, writer, and director born in Yonkers, New York.
He first gained widespread recognition as Eric Delko on CSI: Miami, a role he played for many years.
Role: Luke Alvez is a former Fugitive Task Force agent who joins the BAU in Season 12 after working with the team on a manhunt.
He becomes one of the franchise’s strongest later additions, bringing field experience, toughness, and a good amount of chemistry with Garcia.
Seasons & Episodes: S12-19 (106 eps).
Interesting facts: Rodriguez originally dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, but a serious injury during his youth redirected him toward acting.
Notable Works: CSI: Miami, Magic Mike, Ordinary Joe, Jane the Virgin.
Daniel Henney as Matthew “Matt” Simmons
DOB: November 28, 1979.
Bio: American actor and former model born in Carson City, Michigan, USA.
He first achieved major fame in South Korea through television dramas before successfully transitioning into Hollywood films and television.
Role: Matt Simmons is a supervisory special agent who first appears through the Beyond Borders world and then joins the BAU as a later-season regular.
He is the last major addition to the original run and helps bridge the franchise into its more international, action-forward era.
Seasons & Episodes: S10, 12-15 (49 eps).
Interesting facts: Henney was born in Michigan, grew up around both American and Korean cultural worlds, and later became a leading face in The Wheel of Time.
Notable Works: Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, The Wheel of Time, My Lovely Sam Soon, Big Hero 6.
More Actors
• Jeanne Tripplehorn as Alex Blake.
• Zach Gilford as Elias Voit.
• RJ Hatanaka as Tyler Green.
• Josh Stewart as William LaMontagne Jr.
FAQ – Criminal Minds TV Series
What is Criminal Minds about?
Criminal Minds follows the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), a team of elite profilers who analyze criminals’ behavior to solve violent crimes and prevent future attacks.
Is Criminal Minds: Evolution a reboot?
No. Criminal Minds: Evolution is a direct continuation of the original series and continues the same storyline and characters.
Will there be a Season 20?
Yes. Paramount+ has already renewed Criminal Minds for Season 20.
How many seasons of Criminal Minds are there?
The franchise currently has 19 seasons overall, including the original 15-season CBS run and the Criminal Minds: Evolution revival seasons on Paramount+.
Where can I watch Criminal Minds?
The original series and Criminal Minds: Evolution are available on Paramount+ in the United States. In some international regions, Evolution is available through Disney+.
Conclusion
Criminal Minds remains one of the best crime dramas on television, combining suspenseful cases, memorable characters, and strong storytelling.
Across 19 seasons, it has continued to entertain viewers with thrilling investigations and emotional character journeys, making it a must-watch for crime and mystery fans.