For the past 10 years, “Criminal Minds” has been a top crime drama on television, despite the original prediction that it would be just another clichéd, predictable show. It most certainly wasn’t.
The crime drama caters to a vast audience, carrying not only the typical bloody murder scenes and psychopathic murderers, but also an elite team of criminal profilers who provide everything from psychoanalysis to humorous interactions between team members. It’s these unique characteristics of the show that provides its continuing success. Not only that, but it’s developed somewhat of a cult following after its debut in 2005, a following that has been kept even with the many new crime shows that popped up afterwards.
While most shows only reach the eighth season or so, “Criminal Minds” has become popular enough to warrant an 11th season in early fall of this year, which will explore Dr. Spencer Reid’s love life. Reid, portrayed by Matthew Gray Gubler, is an eccentric, socially awkward genius with an IQ of 187 and is one of the original main characters of the show, along with tech genius Penelope Garcia and agents Jennifer Jareau, Aaron Hotchner and Derek Morgan, played by Kirsten Vangsness, A. J. Cook, Thomas Gibson and Shemar Moore respectively.
The cases of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI begin after they are called in by local police for cases concerning serial killers or crimes of an extremely violent nature. They analyze the minds of dangerous unknown suspects across the nation in order to prevent them from killing. Evidence accumulated is cross-referenced with previous cases in history and the members of the team make extensive use of their own psychological knowledge to develop an in-depth profile of the perpetrator and his or her preferred victims. The chilling and gruesome scenes are enough to make anyone cringe.
The series is getting yet another spin-off (following “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior)”, called “Beyond Borders,” in the coming weeks, which follows a globe-trotting team rather than remaining within the United States. “Criminal Minds” aired the backdoor pilot episode during the first week of April as the 19th episode of season 10.
The millions of dedicated fans that watch the series are both anxious and excited for the new spin-off, although nothing can take away from the original. The psychoanalyses of the beloved cast will always take precedence and maintain a strong support system for the show. It shows you not only the “who, what, when, where, and how”, but also includes the “why” as to the reasons many criminals commit their crimes, the way the series distinguishes itself from others.
Where “Criminal Minds” is concerned, it’d be criminal not to watch it.