The BEST episodes of Criminal Minds season 17

Every episode of Criminal Minds season 17, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Criminal Minds season 17!

Special Agents Jason Gideon and Aaron Hotchner head up the FBI's most elite profiling team, the Behavioral Analysis Unit, the experts in analyzing criminal psychology. With each mind-blowing case, they put their lives on the line as they travel the country, matching wits with the most ruthless criminals on Earth.

Last Updated: 8/23/2024Network: Paramount+Status: Continuing
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Contagion
star
7.82
265 votes

#1 - Contagion

Season 17 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/6/2024

Following the slayings of the 5-man strike team, the BAU travels to Salt Lake City to investigate a series of killings with the same brutal M.O. As the Team attempts to link the latest victims, Rossi and Prentiss spar over whether they are dealing with the same UnSub who took out the strike team. Meanwhile, Rebecca joins Lewis and Tyler Green on a stakeout. Tyler breaks into a shell company storefront and uncovers a new lead on Gold Star.

Directors: A.J. Cook
Writer: Matthew Lau
Watch Now:Amazon
Gold Star
star
7.79
275 votes

#2 - Gold Star

Season 17 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/6/2024

The BAU probes a deadly Gold Star conspiracy while serial killer Elias Voit's custody transfer leads to a complication in their backyard. Facing their biggest threat yet, the team cannot remain unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.

Watch Now:Amazon
Piranha
star
7.73
231 votes

#3 - Piranha

Season 17 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/11/2024

The BAU zeroes in on a twisted UnSub in D.C. destroying his victims by spraying and submerging them in acid. Prentiss and Rossi dive into the BAU's history to see how they are connected to Gold Star. They soon discover that the only backup files available belong to the wife of a former BAU member. Prentiss goes to her to uncover the truth. Voit utilizes his lawyer to reach out to Damien and gain footing against the BAU.

Directors: Aisha Tyler
Stars & Stripes
star
7.70
215 votes

#4 - Stars & Stripes

Season 17 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/25/2024

With Jade on the run, the BAU continue connecting Gold Star victims to Aida Limited, a private-security firm with government connections. Jade and Dana follow Voit's breadcrumbs to the heart of the "conspiracy." Rossi confronts Voit, while Tyler and Prentiss confront the leader of Aida. Director Madison's true intentions are revealed. Meanwhile, Jade has a disturbing revelation about her own past. Closing in on the truth, the BAU execute a search warrant with deadly consequences.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
North Star
star
7.67
217 votes

#5 - North Star

Season 17 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/18/2024

The BAU tries to get ahead of Jade and Damien who are on a killing spree. Rossi is forced to come to terms with his rocky history with Jill Gideon. Together they must set their tempers aside and dive into the behavioral psych research that led to the Gold Star program. When Jade and Damien gain the upper hand, Rossi dives into the profile to figure out where they’re headed. Tyler and Rebecca work to gain leverage over Elias Voit's lawyer.

Directors: Zach Gilford
Save the Children
star
7.65
203 votes

#6 - Save the Children

Season 17 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/1/2024

As the identity of the last remaining Gold Star member is revealed, the pieces of the puzzle click together and Prentiss finds herself in mortal danger. Rossi pays Voit one last visit, sending the BAU in hot pursuit of the final Gold Stars. A climactic conflict between Prentiss, Jade, and her accomplice leads to the truth behind the "conspiracy," and the Gold Star saga reaches its thrilling conclusion.

Directors: Glenn Kershaw
Message in a Bottle
star
7.64
238 votes

#7 - Message in a Bottle

Season 17 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/4/2024

Tyler Green brings a case to the BAU. Alvez and Garcia work to profile Tyler’s relationship with his ex-girlfriend and figure out who might be targeting her. JJ goes to Garcia’s apartment where Prentiss is hungover. JJ helps Prentiss work through her waning enthusiasm for her job. When Rossi's Voit delusions reach a breaking point, Rossi goes to prison to confront Voit who helps him unpack the true source of his anxiety.

Directors: Nelson McCormick
Conspiracy vs Theory
star
7.60
250 votes

#8 - Conspiracy vs Theory

Season 17 - Episode 5 - Aired 6/27/2024

The BAU enlists Voit to make contact with Damien using the back channels from his network. Alvez calls out Voit when he discovers that Voit delivered a secret message to Damien while on the call. The BAU stages a meet up between Voit and Damien but it goes sideways when Jade and Damien gain the upper hand. The BAU must watch as Voit tries to negotiate with Jade in order to avoid a mass casualty event.

Directors: Sharat Raju
Homesick
star
7.59
270 votes

#9 - Homesick

Season 17 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/13/2024

The BAU is called to Houston to investigate the "Moving Day Murders" and track a ritualistic killer with a twisted method of subduing his victims. JJ convinces Sydney Voit to allow her estranged husband one last meeting to say goodbye to his girls before they are put into witness protection. Tyler goes rogue with the Gold Star investigation by cloning the phone of a person of interest. Prentiss receives intel that she could be in the crosshairs of conspiracy theorists.

Directors: Adam Rodriguez
Kingdom of the Blind
star
7.57
246 votes

#10 - Kingdom of the Blind

Season 17 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/20/2024

The BAU is called to Jackpot, Nevada with another series of Gold Star killings with the same gruesome M.O. Elias Voit says goodbye to his wife and two girls. Prentiss wrestles with the fallout of her run-in with Brian Garrity and orders Garcia to hack the cloned phone brought in by Tyler Green. The intel gets them closer to identifying the killers at the heart of the Gold Star conspiracy. Knowing that one of the killers spoke to Voit, Prentiss is forced to make a deal with him.

Directors: Joe Mantegna