Criminal Minds Has a Secret Connection to Another FBI Drama That Debuted 10 Years Later

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of Criminal Minds, which has been rebranded as Criminal Minds: Evolution. As part of that 20th anniversary celebration, Season 18 of the show, which will be airing in May 2025 on Paramount+, is set to deliver some massive moments that pay homage to the rich history of the show. Naturally, it’s time to reflect upon how far this series has come, from a small-scale procedural experiment to the juggernaut it is now known to be today. It’s had its ups and downs, including a cancelation by CBS, but somehow the show has survived, gaining new fans every year. Arguably, the series in its current form has been turning out some of its best episodes to date.

However, with reflection comes a new sense of appreciation too, at what could have been. Plenty of secrets concerning the behind-the-scenes details of the show have been revealed over the years, many of which have made fans think about the many different directions Criminal Minds could have gone in. The show could have had very different casting choices, killed off characters still prominent in the series today, or even been called something completely different. But this strange detail creates a point of connection with another underrated show, which ultimately went on to steal the name from its well-respected predecessor