Criminal Minds: Evolution Reviews Are In: Finally a Revival Done Right
Critics have already watched the first two episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution and all agree that the reboot is a step up from the original show.
Though there's only one critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes for the Criminal Minds revival so far, the reviews from the critics who have already seen episodes 1 and 2 are showing up all over the Internet.
The long-time fans will be relieved to learn that those reviews are glowing. All critics agree that season 16 of Criminal Minds is truly an evolution in many ways.
Showrunner Erica Messer managed to squeeze everything possible from the transition of the show to a streaming service.
With the network television boundaries gone, the original characters got a chance to be more complicated and deep, the crimes – darker and more intense, the UnSubs – better-developed, the language – juicier, the dynamics – more tense.
Besides the evolution in overall quality and storytelling, the revival raised the format of the show to a new level. Instead of monster-of-the-week episodes, viewers get a continuous plotline with one UnSub as a major antagonist of season 16.
Don't worry, the viewers will still see a case wrapped up in each episode but all these cases will be linked by one mastermind Elias Voit brilliantly played by Zach Gilford. According to critics, Gilford really shines in his role and portrays a slowly-developing UnSub rarely seen on Criminal Minds before.
The original stars were also given more freedom to explore their characters and show the real life of the FBI profilers. The actors didn't lose the connection with the characters they partied with almost three years ago, so the return to the roles is seamless. But both the BAU team and the characters have undergone some changes since we last saw them.
Instead of working as a united team, each profiler is busy with their own case, which opens a possibility for the team to reunite later in the season. There's more time to explore each character's emotions and lives outside the BAU office, which is also a wonderful step forward for Criminal Minds.
Of course, the creators address the elephant in the room and explain the absence of fan-favorite characters of Spencer Reid and Matt Simmons. According to the plot, the agents are on a secret mission and are free to come back any time they want. It is clearly a clever reference to the real-world situation.