Posted in: Paramount+, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: Criminal Minds, criminal minds: evolution, paramount plus, season 3

Criminal Minds: Evolution Renewed: Production Starts Later This Year

A day before its return, Paramount+ has renewed Criminal Minds: Evolution for a new season. Production is set to get underway later this year.

A day before Paramount+'s Criminal Minds: Evolution returns for a new season, how about some excellent news to pass along? Earlier today, the streaming service announced that the series will be back for another season – with production set to get underway later this year. In the wake of last season's shocking finale, the upcoming season picks up as the FBI's elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of "Gold Star." As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU's own backyard.

With the streaming series' two-episode return set for this Thursday, we have some pretty impressive image galleries for the first two chapters: S17E01: "Gold Star" and S17E02: "Contagion."

Now, here's a look at the two image galleries released for the two-episode return this Thursday:

The streaming series stars Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Zach Gilford, and Ryan-James Hatanaka – with Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. For the second season, Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives, Get Shorty), Clark Gregg (Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Snowpiercer), Brian White (Ray Donovan, Chicago Fire), Tuc Watkins (Uncoupled, Black Monday), and the returning Paul F. Tompkins. Now, here's a look back at the original teaser – followed by what we know (so far) about some of the season's new faces:

Huffman has been tapped to portray Dr. Jill Gideon, the ex-wife of Jason Gideon (played initially by Mandy Patinkin). Based on the character description that was released, Dr. Gideon is a brilliant biological psychiatrist who agrees to help the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit investigate a murderous conspiracy theory. Jill is reluctant to return to the bureau's elite team given her complicated history with David Rossi (Mantegna) and her dead ex-husband, Jason Gideon (Patinkin), but soon realizes her specific skill set could help them uncover another clue to the elusive Gold Star mystery.

Gregg is set as FBI Director Ray Madison, who set up the deal to have Voit assist the BAU team. White's Vincent Orlov is Voit's attorney – a shady dealer whom Voit uses to keep the pressure on the BAU team – from a distance. Watkins's Frank Church appears to be an advocate for children – but the BAU is sensing something very wrong with Church's motives. Tompkins returns as Brian Garrity, Emily Prentiss's (Brewster) former neighbor and conspiracy theorist who finds himself being used as a pawn in a much bigger game – one meant to end the BAU's investigation before it's barely begun.

Paramount+'s Criminal Minds: Evolution is produced by ABC Signature and CBS Studios – with Erica Messer (Criminal Minds, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders) serving as showrunner. In addition, Messer, Breen Frazier, Chris Barbour, Glenn Kershaw, and Mark Gordon serve as executive producers.

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