Criminal Minds’ cancelled after 20 seasons; finale to air in 2027

Criminal Minds has been cancelled after running for 20 seasons/. (Instagram

‘Criminal Minds’, an iconic TV show that has been on air since September 22, 2005, is officially set to end soon after completing its 20th season.

‘Criminal Minds’ to end after season 20

Deadline reported that in 2020, after running for 15 seasons, ‘Criminal Minds’ was cancelled; however, it was revived under a new name, ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution,' and managed to continue on for another five seasons.

The report stated that the upcoming season of the show in 2027 will also be its final, as the crew and cast members will finally wrap up their stories. The report also shared that the decision to cancel the show was made quite recently.The announcement comes after Skydance Corporation officially completed its USD 110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on October 6, 2026, combining two of Hollywood's biggest legacy studios along with many of the production names operating under them.Showrunner Erica Messer opened up about the decision and shared how grateful she was to have been a part of something like this. She stated, “It’s hard to put into words what Criminal Minds has meant to all of us who have been fortunate enough to be part of this extraordinary journey, first on CBS for 15 seasons and then on Paramount+ for five.”Messer continued to express her gratitude and mentioned, “While suddenly navigating the end of this chapter, I’m filled with gratitude for our remarkable cast, writers, directors, and crew who have poured their hearts into this show, and for the incredible fans around the world whose unwavering loyalty has kept Criminal Minds going for two decades.”

Season 20, which will premiere in 2027, wrapped production earlier this fall. Some behind-the-scenes and first-look shots of the upcoming season had already been shared prior to the show getting axed.The series currently stars Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, and RJ Hatanaka, with Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster.The final episode of season 19 of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ aired earlier this year on July 23, 2026