The WORST seasons of Criminal Minds

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

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: 5/16/2025Network: Paramount+Status: Continuing

7.35

77 votes

#1 - Season 17

First Aired 6/6/2024

Evolution season 2 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 is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU's own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.

7.72

126 votes

#2 - Season 15

First Aired 1/8/2020

7.84

131 votes

#3 - Season 14

First Aired 10/3/2018

7.85

137 votes

#4 - Season 16

First Aired 11/24/2022

The FBI's elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time.

7.87

136 votes

#5 - Season 13

First Aired 9/27/2017

7.93

176 votes

#6 - Season 12

First Aired 9/28/2016

8.15

192 votes

#7 - Season 11

First Aired 9/30/2015

8.17

190 votes

#8 - Season 10

First Aired 10/1/2014

8.19

209 votes

#9 - Season 8

First Aired 9/26/2012

8.22

239 votes

#10 - Season 6

First Aired 9/22/2010

8.23

194 votes

#11 - Season 9

First Aired 9/25/2013

8.28

231 votes

#12 - Season 7

First Aired 9/21/2011

8.30

251 votes

#13 - Season 5

First Aired 9/23/2009

8.35

411 votes

#14 - Season 1

First Aired 9/22/2005

8.41

292 votes

#15 - Season 3

First Aired 9/26/2007

8.48

271 votes

#16 - Season 4

First Aired 9/24/2008

8.50

2 votes

#17 - Season 18

First Aired 5/8/2025

The new season picks up six months after fellow inmates attacked the notorious Sicarius Killer, Elias Voit, leading his restless followers on the dark web to begin wreaking havoc all over the country. In order to stop this nefarious group from killing more innocents, the BAU is forced to work alongside an increasingly unpredictable Voit, who of course has his own agenda.