What do you feel worked best in that regard, over the course of last season?
ERICA MESSER: Its been a real challenge.
The typical business model is, If its not broken, why fix it?
Image via Paramount+
And certainly, we had 15 years of not being broken, at all.
It was also a six or seven week story, even though it was over 10 episodes.
I was like, I believe that the FBI needed some time to catch this guy.
But over 22 episodes, I wouldnt have believed it took them all season to catch him.
The shorter season allows the serialized part to feel a lot more believable.
Thats been one of the biggest rewards in doing this show this way.
MESSER: Its been really fun and I think the cast is really enjoying it, as well.
The difference is were about 10 minutes longer.
Now, a 55-page script can be a 55-minute episode.
We would maybe have a bookend of the characters, but now we can leave it through.
It doesnt have to just be one episodes worth of stuff.
We can carry it through.
Sometimes subtlety can be powerful.
MESSER: We definitely have an open door where anybody can bring in anything.
Thats how we met every one of his wives and the daughter.
And then, where we go with those is up to us.
What were they made aware of?
In this case, they didnt know what it was, and A.J.
Image via Paramount+
And so, we told them what it was.
And they were like, Really?
Okay, thats weird.
MESSER:We thoughtEvolutionwould basically become a different version of Voit every year, and then we met Zach.
Hes so compelling as this character that we just thought, Theres more story to mine here.
What hes done to this team, by taking our beloved Rossi, were not done with him yet.
Image via Paramount+
He was so wily, saying “Gold Star” to lure out Bailey.
And then, he killed Bailey, so what the hell does Gold Star mean?
That gave us the entire season that we have.
Similarly, did you know that youd bring Tyler Green back and find a way to keep him involved?
He was just really charming, too.
We thought, We have two opportunities this season.
And the other is having a BAU member thats an ex-partner of someone they now have to work with.
These two kept us tuning in season after season.
These characters were all traumatized by Elias Voit, whether directly or indirectly.
Image via CBS
Who will have the hardest time working with him and being forced to seek his help?
MESSER: Without thinking too hard, Id say Rossi because hes seeing him when hes not there.
Its in Rossis head.
MESSER: Just stretching our teams tolerance for things and throwing them curveballs from jump.
It feels like theyre behind, and then the minute they get ahead, they find something else out.
Their job is hard enough, and nowyouve got Voit in there, meddling things up.
Youre gonna learn more about them, as theyre learning more about themselves, all season.
Reboot series showrunner Erica Messer answers whether we’ll see Derek in the upcoming season.
MESSER: Yeah, totally.
But the juxtaposition of that was intentional.
Will We Ever See Spencer Reid Return For ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’?
What are the chances that well see him return, at some point?
MESSER: I know.
We love him so much.
Its been really tricky because the first season, he couldnt do it because he had his own projects.
Butwe love him and we would always welcome him to come back.
Criminal Minds: Evolutionis available to stream at Paramount+.
Check out the trailer:
Watch on Paramount+
