Criminal Minds: Evolution, seasons 16–19 (Paramount+, 2022–2026): 40 episodes, numbered here as the show’s seasons 16–19.
Season 20: renewed by Paramount+, with no date yet.
Fifteen seasons is a lot of serial killers. Most of them are one-week cases, and the Essentials path above lets those go. It keeps the ones who come back, the team’s arrivals and exits, and the personal stories the later seasons lean on.
Evolution is the same show, not a reboot. The same unit picks up a few years after the season 15 finale, so watch it after season 15. Each Evolution season runs one serial story through all ten episodes, even when a week also has its own case, which is why the path keeps all of them.
Evolution leans on a handful of older storylines, and the path keeps the episodes that set them up. If you jump straight to the revival, expect references you won’t catch.
The spin-offs are optional. Suspect Behavior and Beyond Borders follow separate teams, and the main show never needs them.
Only here for the Reaper? The story guide below covers it in ten episodes.
In October 2026, seasons 1–15 streamed in the US on Paramount+ and Hulu, and Evolution (seasons 16–19) on Paramount+ only. It was not on Netflix in the US; outside the US it streamed mainly on Disney+.
Research sources — linked pages may contain spoilers
In airing order. Faded episodes are the ones The Essentials skips.
Season 122 episodes · 5 in The Essentials
01×01Extreme Aggressor
2005-09-22
01×02Compulsion
2005-09-28
01×03Won't Get Fooled Again
2005-10-05
01×04Plain Sight
2005-10-12
01×05Broken Mirror
2005-10-19
01×06L.D.S.K.
2005-11-02
01×07The Fox
2005-11-09
01×08Natural Born Killer
2005-11-16
01×09Derailed
2005-11-23
01×10The Popular Kids
2005-11-30
01×11Blood Hungry
2005-12-14
01×12What Fresh Hell?
2006-01-11
01×13Poison
2006-01-18
01×14Riding the Lightning
2006-01-25
01×15Unfinished Business
2006-03-01
01×16The Tribe
2006-03-08
01×17A Real Rain
2006-03-22
01×18Somebody's Watching
2006-03-29
01×19Machismo
2006-04-12
01×20Charm and Harm
2006-04-19
01×21Secrets and Lies
2006-05-03
01×22The Fisher King (1)
2006-05-10 · Reid and his mother
Season 223 episodes · 11 in The Essentials
02×01The Fisher King (2)
2006-09-20 · Reid and his mother
02×02P911
2006-09-27
02×03The Perfect Storm
2006-10-04
02×04Psychodrama
2006-10-11
02×05Aftermath
2006-10-18
02×06The Boogeyman
2006-10-25
02×07North Mammon
2006-11-01
02×08Empty Planet
2006-11-08
02×09The Last Word
2006-11-15
02×10Lessons Learned
2006-11-22
02×11Sex, Birth, Death
2006-11-29
02×12Profiler, Profiled
2006-12-13
02×13No Way Out
2007-01-17
02×14The Big Game
2007-02-04
02×15Revelations
2007-02-07
02×16Fear and Loathing
2007-02-14
02×17Distress
2007-02-21
02×18Jones
2007-02-28
02×19Ashes and Dust
2007-03-21
02×20Honor Among Thieves
2007-04-11
02×21Open Season
2007-05-02
02×22Legacy
2007-05-09
02×23No Way Out, Part II: The Evolution of Frank
2007-05-16
Season 320 episodes · 12 in The Essentials
03×01Doubt
2007-09-26
03×02In Name and Blood
2007-10-03
03×03Scared to Death
2007-10-10
03×04Children of the Dark
2007-10-17
03×05Seven Seconds
2007-10-24
03×06About Face
2007-10-31
03×07Identity
2007-11-07
03×08Lucky
2007-11-14
03×09Penelope
2007-11-21
03×10True Night
2007-11-28
03×11Birthright
2007-12-12
03×123rd Life
2008-01-09
03×13Limelight
2008-01-23
03×14Damaged
2008-04-02
03×15A Higher Power
2008-04-09
03×16Elephant's Memory
2008-04-16
03×17In Heat
2008-04-30
03×18The Crossing
2008-05-07
03×19Tabula Rasa
2008-05-14
03×20Lo-Fi
2008-05-21
Season 426 episodes · 7 in The Essentials
04×01Mayhem
2008-09-24
04×02The Angel Maker
2008-10-01
04×03Minimal Loss
2008-10-08
04×04Paradise
2008-10-22
04×05Catching Out
2008-10-29
04×06The Instincts
2008-11-05 · Reid and his mother
04×07Memoriam
2008-11-12 · Reid and his mother
04×08Masterpiece
2008-11-19
04×0952 Pickup
2008-11-26
04×10Brothers in Arms
2008-12-10
04×11Normal
2008-12-17
04×12Soul Mates
2009-01-14
04×13Bloodline
2009-01-21
04×14Cold Comfort
2009-02-11
04×15Zoe's Reprise
2009-02-18
04×16Pleasure is My Business
2009-02-25
04×17Demonology
2009-03-11
04×18Omnivore
2009-03-18 · The Reaper
04×19House on Fire
2009-03-25
04×20Conflicted
2009-04-08
04×21A Shade of Gray
2009-04-22
04×22The Big Wheel
2009-04-29
04×23Roadkill
2009-05-06
04×24Amplification
2009-05-13
04×25To Hell...and Back (1)
2009-05-20 · The Reaper
04×26To Hell...and Back (2)
2009-05-20 · The Reaper
Season 523 episodes · 7 in The Essentials
05×01Nameless, Faceless
2009-09-23 · The Reaper
05×02Haunted
2009-09-30 · The Reaper
05×03Reckoner
2009-10-07
05×04Hopeless
2009-10-14
05×05Cradle to Grave
2009-10-21 · The Reaper
05×06The Eyes Have It
2009-11-04
05×07The Performer
2009-11-11
05×08Outfoxed
2009-11-18 · The Reaper
05×09100
2009-11-25 · The Reaper
05×10The Slave of Duty
2009-12-09 · The Reaper
05×11Retaliation
2009-12-16
05×12The Uncanny Valley
2010-01-13
05×13Risky Business
2010-01-20
05×14Parasite
2010-02-03
05×15Public Enemy
2010-02-10
05×16Mosley Lane
2010-03-03
05×17Solitary Man
2010-03-10
05×18The Fight
2010-04-07
05×19Rite of Passage
2010-04-14
05×20...A Thousand Words
2010-05-05
05×21Exit Wounds
2010-05-12
05×22The Internet is Forever
2010-05-19
05×23Our Darkest Hour
2010-05-26
Season 624 episodes · 12 in The Essentials
06×01The Longest Night
2010-09-22
06×02JJ
2010-09-29
06×03Remembrance of Things Past
2010-10-06
06×04Compromising Positions
2010-10-13
06×05Safe Haven
2010-10-20
06×06Devil's Night
2010-10-27
06×07Middle Man
2010-11-03
06×08Reflection of Desire
2010-11-10
06×09Into the Woods
2010-11-17
06×10What Happens at Home…
2010-12-08
06×1125 to Life
2010-12-15
06×12Corazon
2011-01-19
06×13The Thirteenth Step
2011-01-26 · Prentiss’s past
06×14Sense Memory
2011-02-09 · Prentiss’s past
06×15Today I Do
2011-02-16 · Prentiss’s past
06×16Coda
2011-02-23 · Prentiss’s past
06×17Valhalla
2011-03-02 · Prentiss’s past
06×18Lauren
2011-03-16 · Prentiss’s past
06×19With Friends Like These…
2011-03-30 · Prentiss’s past
06×20Hanley Waters
2011-04-06 · Prentiss’s past
06×21The Stranger
2011-04-13 · Prentiss’s past
06×22Out of the Light
2011-05-04
06×23Big Sea
2011-05-11
06×24Supply & Demand
2011-05-18
Season 724 episodes · 8 in The Essentials
07×01It Takes a Village
2011-09-21 · Prentiss’s past
07×02Proof
2011-09-28 · Prentiss’s past
07×03Dorado Falls
2011-10-05
07×04Painless
2011-10-12
07×05From Childhood's Hour
2011-10-19
07×06Epilogue
2011-11-02
07×07There's No Place Like Home
2011-11-09
07×08Hope
2011-11-16
07×09Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
2011-12-07
07×10The Bittersweet Science
2011-12-14
07×11True Genius
2012-01-18
07×12Unknown Subject
2012-01-25 · Prentiss’s past
07×13Snake Eyes
2012-02-08
07×14Closing Time
2012-02-15
07×15A Thin Line
2012-02-22
07×16A Family Affair
2012-02-29
07×17I Love You, Tommy Brown
2012-03-14
07×18Foundation
2012-03-21
07×19Heathridge Manor
2012-04-04
07×20The Company
2012-04-11
07×21Divining Rod
2012-05-02
07×22Profiling 101
2012-05-09
07×23Hit
2012-05-16
07×24Run
2012-05-16
Season 824 episodes · 11 in The Essentials
08×01The Silencer
2012-09-26 · The Replicator
08×02The Pact
2012-10-10
08×03Through the Looking Glass
2012-10-17
08×04God Complex
2012-10-24
08×05The Good Earth
2012-10-31
08×06The Apprenticeship
2012-11-07 · The Replicator
08×07The Fallen
2012-11-14
08×08The Wheels on the Bus…
2012-11-21
08×09Magnificent Light
2012-11-28 · The Replicator
08×10The Lesson
2012-12-05
08×11Perennials
2012-12-12 · The Replicator
08×12Zugzwang
2013-01-16 · The Replicator
08×13Magnum Opus
2013-01-23
08×14All That Remains
2013-02-06
08×15Broken
2013-02-20 · The Replicator
08×16Carbon Copy
2013-02-27 · The Replicator
08×17The Gathering
2013-03-20 · The Replicator
08×18Restoration
2013-04-03
08×19Pay It Forward
2013-04-10
08×20Alchemy
2013-05-01
08×21Nanny Dearest
2013-05-08
08×22#6
2013-05-15
08×23Brothers Hotchner
2013-05-22 · The Replicator
08×24The Replicator
2013-05-22 · The Replicator
Season 924 episodes · 8 in The Essentials
09×01The Inspiration
2013-09-25
09×02The Inspired
2013-10-02
09×03Final Shot
2013-10-09
09×04To Bear Witness
2013-10-16
09×05Route 66
2013-10-23 · The Reaper
09×06In the Blood
2013-10-30
09×07Gatekeeper
2013-11-06
09×08The Return
2013-11-13
09×09Strange Fruit
2013-11-20
09×10The Caller
2013-11-27
09×11Bully
2013-12-11
09×12The Black Queen
2014-01-15
09×13The Road Home
2014-01-22
09×14200
2014-02-05
09×15Mr. & Mrs. Anderson
2014-02-19
09×16Gabby
2014-02-26
09×17Persuasion
2014-03-05
09×18Rabid
2014-03-12
09×19The Edge of Winter
2014-03-19
09×20Blood Relations
2014-04-02
09×21What Happens in Mecklinburg…
2014-04-09
09×22Fatal
2014-04-30
09×23Angels
2014-05-07
09×24Demons
2014-05-14
Season 1023 episodes · 8 in The Essentials
10×01'X'
2014-10-01
10×02Burn
2014-10-08
10×03A Thousand Suns
2014-10-15
10×04The Itch
2014-10-22
10×05Boxed In
2014-10-29
10×06If the Shoe Fits
2014-11-05
10×07Hashtag
2014-11-12
10×08The Boys of Sudworth Place
2014-11-19
10×09Fate
2014-11-26
10×10Amelia Porter
2014-12-10
10×11The Forever People
2015-01-14
10×12Anonymous
2015-01-21
10×13Nelson's Sparrow
2015-01-28
10×14Hero Worship
2015-02-04
10×15Scream
2015-02-11
10×16Lockdown
2015-03-04
10×17Breath Play
2015-03-11
10×18Rock Creek Park
2015-03-25
10×19Beyond Borders
2015-04-08
10×20A Place at the Table
2015-04-15
10×21Mr. Scratch
2015-04-22 · Mr. Scratch
10×22Protection
2015-04-29
10×23The Hunt
2015-05-06
Season 1122 episodes · 12 in The Essentials
11×01The Job
2015-09-30 · The hitman network
11×02The Witness
2015-10-07
11×03Til Death Do Us Part
2015-10-14 · The hitman network
11×04Outlaw
2015-10-21
11×05The Night Watch
2015-10-28
11×06Pariahville
2015-11-04
11×07Target Rich
2015-11-11 · The hitman network · Reid and his mother
11×08Awake
2015-11-18 · The hitman network
11×09Internal Affairs
2015-12-02 · The hitman network
11×10Future Perfect
2015-12-09 · The hitman network
11×11Entropy
2016-01-13 · The hitman network
11×12Drive
2016-01-20
11×13The Bond
2016-01-27
11×14Hostage
2016-02-10
11×15A Badge and a Gun
2016-02-24
11×16Derek
2016-03-02 · The hitman network
11×17The Sandman
2016-03-16 · The hitman network
11×18A Beautiful Disaster
2016-03-23 · The hitman network
11×19Tribute
2016-03-30
11×20Inner Beauty
2016-04-13
11×21Devil's Backbone
2016-04-20
11×22The Storm
2016-05-04 · Mr. Scratch
Season 1222 episodes · 16 in The Essentials
12×01The Crimson King
2016-09-28 · Mr. Scratch
12×02Sick Day
2016-10-05
12×03Taboo
2016-10-12
12×04Keeper
2016-10-26 · Reid and his mother
12×05The Anti-Terror Squad
2016-11-09
12×06Elliott's Pond
2016-11-16 · Mr. Scratch
12×07Mirror Image
2016-11-30 · Mr. Scratch
12×08Scarecrow
2016-12-07 · Mr. Scratch
12×09Profiling 202
2017-01-04
12×10Seek and Destroy
2017-01-11 · Mr. Scratch
12×11Surface Tension
2017-02-01 · Reid and his mother
12×12A Good Husband
2017-02-08 · Reid and his mother
12×13Spencer
2017-02-15 · Reid and his mother
12×14Collision Course
2017-02-22 · Mr. Scratch · Reid and his mother
12×15Alpha Male
2017-03-01 · Reid and his mother
12×16Assistance is Futile
2017-03-15 · Reid and his mother
12×17In the Dark
2017-03-22 · Reid and his mother
12×18Hell's Kitchen
2017-03-29 · Reid and his mother
12×19True North
2017-04-05 · Mr. Scratch · Reid and his mother
12×20Unforgettable
2017-04-26 · Reid and his mother
12×21Green Light
2017-05-03 · Reid and his mother
12×22Red Light
2017-05-10 · Mr. Scratch · Reid and his mother
Season 1322 episodes · 8 in The Essentials
13×01Wheels Up
2017-09-27 · Mr. Scratch
13×02To a Better Place
2017-10-04 · Reid and his mother
13×03Blue Angel
2017-10-11
13×04Killer App
2017-10-18
13×05Lucky Strikes
2017-10-25
13×06The Bunker
2017-11-08
13×07Dust and Bones
2017-11-15
13×08Neon Terror
2017-11-22
13×09False Flag
2017-12-06
13×10Submerged
2018-01-03
13×11Full-Tilt Boogie
2018-01-10
13×12Bad Moon on the Rise
2018-01-17
13×13Cure
2018-01-24
13×14Miasma
2018-01-31
13×15Annihilator
2018-03-07
13×16Last Gasp
2018-03-14
13×17The Capilanos
2018-03-21
13×18The Dance of Love
2018-03-28
13×19Ex Parte
2018-04-04
13×20All You Can Eat
2018-04-11
13×21Mixed Signals
2018-04-18
13×22Believer
2018-04-18
Season 1415 episodes · 6 in The Essentials
14×01300
2018-10-03
14×02Starter Home
2018-10-10
14×03Rule 34
2018-10-17
14×04Innocence
2018-10-24
14×05The Tall Man
2018-10-31
14×06Luke
2018-11-07
14×07Twenty Seven
2018-11-14
14×08Ashley
2018-11-21
14×09Broken Wing
2018-12-05
14×10Flesh and Blood
2018-12-12
14×11Night Lights
2019-01-02
14×12Hamelin
2019-01-09
14×13Chameleon
2019-01-23
14×14Sick and Evil
2019-01-30
14×15Truth or Dare
2019-02-06
Season 1510 episodes · 7 in The Essentials
15×01Under the Skin
2020-01-08
15×02Awakenings
2020-01-08 · Reid and his mother
15×03Spectator Slowing
2020-01-15
15×04Saturday
2020-01-22
15×05Ghost
2020-01-29
15×06Date Night
2020-02-05
15×07Rusty
2020-02-05
15×08Family Tree
2020-02-12
15×09Face Off
2020-02-19
15×10And in the End
2020-02-19
Season 1610 episodes · 10 in The Essentials
16×01Just Getting Started
2022-11-24
16×02Sicarius
2022-11-24
16×03Moose
2022-12-01
16×04Pay-Per-View
2022-12-08
16×05Oedipus Wrecks
2022-12-15
16×06True Conviction
2023-01-12
16×07What Doesn't Kill Us
2023-01-19
16×08Forget Me Knots
2023-01-26
16×09Memento Mori
2023-02-02
16×10Dead End
2023-02-09
Season 1710 episodes · 10 in The Essentials
17×01Gold Star
2024-06-06
17×02Contagion
2024-06-06
17×03Homesick
2024-06-13
17×04Kingdom of the Blind
2024-06-20
17×05Conspiracy vs. Theory
2024-06-27
17×06Message in a Bottle
2024-07-04
17×07Piranha
2024-07-11
17×08North Star
2024-07-18
17×09Stars & Stripes
2024-07-25
17×10Save the Children
2024-08-01
Season 1810 episodes · 10 in The Essentials
18×01Swimmer's Calculus
2025-05-08
18×02The Zookeeper
2025-05-15
18×03Time to Say Goodbye
2025-05-22
18×04I'm Fine, It's Fine. Everything is Fine.
2025-05-29
18×05The Brutal Man
2025-06-05
18×06Hell is Empty…
2025-06-12
18×07…All the Devils Are Here
2025-06-19
18×08Tara
2025-06-26
18×09CollateRal
2025-07-03
18×10The Disciple
2025-07-10
Season 1910 episodes · 10 in The Essentials
19×01Now and Then
2026-05-28
19×02Cluster
2026-05-28
19×03Body Count
2026-06-04
19×04The Witching Hour
2026-06-11
19×05Friendly Fire
2026-06-18
19×06Proxy
2026-06-25
19×07The Furies
2026-07-02
19×08Requiem
2026-07-09
19×09Special Agent Garrity
2026-07-16
19×10Bad Blood
2026-07-23
Where the story lives
Featured story guides use sourced editorial selections. Other arcs follow this mapping method: Arc membership comes from researched episode lists for each storyline, checked against Wikipedia’s season summaries and episode credits. It shows where a thread is foregrounded, not every episode it touches.
