When the long-running CBS show rebooted asCriminal Minds: Evolutionin 2022, we didn’t quite know what to expect. Were they going to stick with their original formula that won so many fans or try something new? Turns out, it was the latter.Evolutionshakes things up by slowly departing from the case-of-the-week structure and introducing ongoing elements, particularly the prolific serial killer and constant antagonistElias Voit(Zach Gilford). The transition was gradual, but if you jumped into the show in Season 3, you would hardly recognize it asCriminal Minds.
While these seasons have been fascinating, providing depth into a serial killer’s mind to the extent we haven’t seen before and impacting our favorite characters in compelling ways,the recent developmentsby the end of Season 3have us questioning ifCriminal Mindsis going down a path it may not be suited for.Evolutionhas managed to stay fairly original, but it’s about to jump into an idea that has been done to death. But more importantly,the progression of Voit’s arcis straying fromCriminal Minds' ethos, and it may be time for the show to revisit its roots.
‘Criminal Minds’ Is Leaning Into Overused Tropes With Voit’s Arc
Throughout Season 3, Voit has amnesia and struggles to reconcile his current morality with his history of homicide, but tries to alleviate this feeling by helping the BAU take downhis Sicarius network of online unsubs. The finale sees him essentially gain the trust of the BAU, while the closing scenes suggest he may be reconnecting with his old serial killer instincts. Since Gilford is slated to reprise his role in Season 4, and through showrunnerErica Messer’sinterview with Entertainment Weekly,we know he will continue to help the BAU in a larger capacity.“You’re going to see him in every episode of season 19,” Messer says. “He is a prisoner again, but in a very different way than he was in season 17. He will be a resource for us.”
It all sounds exciting in theory, butthe show is trekking into the well-worn territory of “bad guy helps the good guys.“Even in the realm of cop procedurals, this is a common concept. It is most famously done inThe Blacklist, whereJames Spader’sReddington, the head of a criminal empire, helps the FBI, or inWhite Collar, whereMatt Bomer’sNeal Caffrey makes a deal with the FBI after being arrested as a con artist. Even inThe Mentalist,we have a former con artist working as a consultant to an investigative agency so he can pursue his own vendetta and consistently bends the law in his favor. They’re all successful in their own right, but different flavors of the same premise, one thatCriminal Mindsdoesn’t need to recycle.
In fact,Criminal Mindshas already used this trope in Season 11. As intriguing as Gilford’s Voit is in the series, he would be up against the incomparableAubrey Plaza’sCat Adams, who was an alluring and unsettling serial killer who unwillingly helped the BAU in a couple of cases while creating a tumultuous relationshipwith Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler). Except, this was a storyline that lasted a few episodes within the show, nestled between episodic cases.In Voit’s case, it would feel like the cliché is being built into the premise. As such, Cat Adams was a fun exploration, while Voit would be recycled material.
‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Needs To Go Back To Its Roots
Apart from the fact thatCriminal Mindsis leaning into an overdone dynamic, having Voit help the BAU more consistently undermines the crux of the show. As the title suggests,the point ofCriminal Mindsis to delve into the psychological landscapes of serial killers, that is, jump into the minds of criminals. Throughout the seasons, we’ve grappled with what makes a serial killer tick, how homicidal tendencies evolve, and how they really are just humans who are reacting to a collection of environmental and genetic factors. The idea of staring into this abyss and trying not to let it take over is also what makesCriminal Mindsso compelling. The cases are more than just the crime; they’re shades of gray, dissecting the past to predict the future and the victims.
WhileVoit “switching sides” sounds like another shade of gray,it stops us from delving into his mind anymore and makes him a gimmicky accessory on the BAU’s arm. As such, the show needs to pivot and remember what its original concept was; otherwise, it is going to struggle to stand out from the wealth of cop procedurals that have already beaten this angle to oblivion. By losing its episodic touch and honing in on Voit’s arc, the show may just lose what makes itCriminal Minds. I’m not suggesting abandoning Voit altogether, but the show needs to find the balance between old and new again.
All episodes ofCriminal Mindscan be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.
Criminal Minds
