Actor Kirsten Vangsness voiced hope for more stories after Friday’s Criminal Minds cancellation announcement, which confirmed the Paramount+ series will end with its 20th season.
Vangsness, who has played technical analyst Penelope Garcia since season one, addressed the decision in an Instagram video. She described the ending as bittersweet and hoped the series might continue elsewhere.
Referring to showrunner Erica Messer, Vangsness said there were “so many more stories to tell”. She also disclosed in the video’s comments that the cast learned about the cancellation at the same time as fans.
A.J. Cook, who portrays special agent Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, shared a Halloween photograph holding a tombstone for her character.
She also reposted a cast picture on Instagram, expressing her affection for her colleagues. Paget Brewster, who plays special agent Emily Prentiss, posted a photograph describing herself as a free agent.
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RJ Hatanaka, who joined the series in season 16 as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Tyler Green, shared a group photograph praising his fellow performers.
Aisha Tyler, who portrays Dr. Tara Lewis, echoed the tribute and described the cast as family. The ensemble includes Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez.
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“Criminal Minds” originally ran for 15 seasons on CBS before continuing on Paramount+ as “Evolution” for another five seasons. The final season is scheduled to premiere in 2027.
(With input from The Hollywood Reporter)
