By the end of Criminal Minds season 17, also known as Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, the serial killer show will have aired 334 episodes, and 10 stand out as the best of the best. With Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 confirmed, the series could add even more episodes to the best of all time ranking. Criminal Minds premiered in 2005, and while there have been many ups and downs over the 17 seasons, every Criminal Minds season has its high points that keep viewers coming back for more.Custom image by Yeider Chacon

Two years after Criminal Minds season 15 marked the supposed end of the series, it was revived as Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022 and is still going strong today. The Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 renewal proves there is an audience still eager for more. Part of what keeps viewers tuning in is the Criminal Minds characters, so it’s no surprise that some of the character-centric episodes. With almost 350 episodes, it can be hard to narrow down the 10 best, especially with a great show like Criminal Minds.

10 “Piranha”

Season 17, Episode 7

Criminal Minds: Evolution marked some major changes for the series. The move from network television (CBS) to streaming (Paramount+) meant the seasons were shortened to 10 episodes, and the storylines were able to get even darker and more graphic. Criminal Minds: Evolution also changed the storytelling format, with the focus shifting from individual single-episode cases to longer arcs with one unsub or connected unsubs that unfolded over an entire season. Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 7 marked a return to the original formula.

The story in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 7 briefly shifted away from the “Gold Star” case to follow another unsub. Roger Song’s story was chilling and heartbreaking, as he dealt with psychosis following the deaths of his wife and baby during childbirth in a major plot twist. Criminal Minds season 17, episode 7 also introduced Jill Gideon, Jason Gideon’s ex-wife, and revealed her past affair with Rossi. Due to this, “Piranha” became an instant Criminal Minds classic.

9 “Entropy”

Season 11, Episode 11

Aubrey Plaza was one of Criminal Minds’ best guest stars, playing Cat Adams, also known as “The Black Widow Killer.” She earned the nickname as she was known for seducing the men she was hired to kill. She sometimes even killed her own clients because they wanted her to kill their wives. Cat was extremely manipulative and smart, and she first displayed this in Criminal Minds season 11, episode 11 “Entropy” through a meeting with Spencer in what was supposed to be a setup by the BAU.

Though Spencer ended up winning their mental battle, Cat almost outsmarted him, which would’ve been a great feat. Cat did eventually outsmart him, returning in multiple episodes to get revenge on Spencer, with her obsession with him growing in each Criminal Minds season. “Entropy” kept viewers on their toes because of how unpredictable Cat could be, making it a thrilling, entertaining episode. Criminal Minds season 11, episode 11 might not have been as violent and gory as other episodes, but Cat was terrifying in her own right.

8 “200”

Season 9, Episode 14

As aforementioned, some of the best Criminal Minds episodes are the ones that focus specifically on one character, usually a BAU team member. By Criminal Minds season 9, viewers had already learned a lot about JJ, who was first introduced as the team’s media liaison in the show’s second episode. Criminal Minds season 6, episode 2 was even titled “JJ,” as it was supposed to be her last episode on the show, as AJ Cook (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau) and Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) were fired that season. Fortunately, it wasn’t the last time viewers saw either character.

Criminal Minds season 9, episode 14, the show’s 200th episode, reunited the fan favorites over a season after Emily left again. In “200,” viewers also learned what happened to JJ during her time at the State Department, and it was a devastating storyline. The episode went between flashbacks of JJ’s time with the CIA and the present day, where she’d been kidnapped and tortured. Though it was hard to watch at times, Criminal Minds season 9, episode 14 had a happy ending, with Emily and the BAU team saving JJ just in time.

7 “Revelations”

Season 2, Episode 15

Some of the Criminal Minds episodes that stand out the most are the ones that keep viewers up at night because of how creepy the unsubs are. One of the most memorable Criminal Minds unsubs was Tobias Hankel, played by James Van Der Beek. As Plaza did in “Entropy,” in Criminal Minds season 2, episode 15, Van Der Beek eerily and convincingly slipped into the serial killer role. Van Der Beek’s performance was made even more impressive by him essentially playing multiple characters at once, with Hankel diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Hankel could become one of his alters at the drop of a hat, making him incredibly dangerous, as he didn’t know he had DID or that his abusive father had died. He kidnapped Reid and dosed him with Dilaudid, the drug he was addicted to. Reid narrowly escaped death, killing Hankel himself. The decision tortured Reid, as he felt sorry for Hankel. It also left Reid with a drug addiction in Criminal Minds, though that storyline was mishandled and suddenly dropped.

6 “Profiler, Profiled”

Season 2, Episode 12

Shemar Moore starred as Derek Morgan in the show’s first 11 seasons, and though he hasn’t appeared since Criminal Minds season 13, Morgan is still one of the most beloved characters in the series. Viewers are still hoping Morgan will return in Criminal Minds: Evolution, as he was such a vital part of the series due to his role as a BAU team member and his relationship with his fellow team members. Derek was known as funny, attractive, athletic, and flirty, and Criminal Minds season 2, episode 12, “Profiler, Profiled,” offered a new look at his character.

In “Profiler, Profiled,” the team traveled to Chicago, where Morgan grew up, to try and clear his name when he was accused of murdering a teenage football player. The episode revealed some of Morgan’s deepest, darkest secrets, including the fact that his football coach and mentor, Carl Buford, molested him throughout his childhood. This discovery was heartbreaking for characters and viewers alike and changed the trajectory of his character in Criminal Minds. “Profiler, Profiled” also showed off Moore’s range and further explored the racism his character faced as a Black man.

5 “Lauren”

Season 6, Episode 18

While it took Criminal Minds three seasons to reveal what happened to JJ during her time away from the BAU, they explained Emily’s absence in real time. The Criminal Minds writers had to get creative to find ways to write JJ and Emily out of the show, at least temporarily. Criminal Minds season 6, episode 18, “Lauren”, was the culmination of a multi-episode arc about Emily’s past as a spy for the JTF-12 team assembled by Interpol.

This was a surprising discovery about Emily, with the episode sharing details about her complicated relationship with her target, Ian Doyle, and his son, Declan. “Lauren” referred to the fake name she used while undercover, Lauren Reynolds. The episode and storyline provided great depth to Emily Prentiss, who has one of the most interesting backstories in Criminal Minds. It also led to Criminal Minds faking Emily’s death, which was one of the show’s craziest storylines.

4 “Penelope”

Season 3, Episode 9

Though Penelope Garcia was part of Criminal Minds from the beginning, she didn’t become a main character until season 2. Garcia is also the only character from the pilot who made the jump to Criminal Minds: Evolution. Little details were shared about her character before, but Criminal Minds season 3, episode 9, “Penelope,” was her most important episode. “Penelope” wasn’t just a great episode because it centered around one of the show’s best characters, but because of the case it dealt with.

“Penelope” picked up where the previous episode left off, with her date surprisingly shooting her. Fortunately, Garcia survived, but her attempted murderer, Jason Clark Battle, was still at large. When they finally caught him, JJ, who wasn’t a field agent, was tasked with taking him out. It was a suspenseful episode as the characters anxiously awaited Penelope’s fate, revealing how important she is to the team and its members, and tried to catch her assailant. Criminal Minds season 3, episode 9 also introduced Kevin Lynch, Penelope’s first major love interest.

3 “L.D.S.K.”

Season 1, Episode 6

It didn’t take long for Criminal Minds to find its groove, with the show impressing from the pilot on. While some episodes have lackluster first seasons as actors try to establish their characters, the cast builds chemistry, and writers learn what works and what doesn’t. Criminal Minds season 1, episode 6, “L.D.S.K.” proves that the series was great from the beginning. “L.D.S.K.” stands for “long-distance serial killer,” which is what the episode’s unsub was.

Criminal Minds season 1, episode 6 took viewers through a series of twists and turns to discover who the unsub was, and the episode became even more intense when they found out who he was. The BAU isn’t perfect, and there are multiple episodes in which their profile was off, or they had the wrong suspect. “L.D.S.K.” was one of these episodes, but, as per usual, the BAU came out on top in a thrilling scene between Hotch, Spencer, and the killer.

2 “100”

Season 5, Episode 9

Though Criminal Minds doesn’t kill off its main or supporting characters often, it does happen occasionally. The rarity also makes it shocking and devastating when a character is killed off, as was the case with Haley’s death in Criminal Minds season 5, episode 9, “100.” Like “200,” this milestone episode is one of the show’s best. George Foyet, “The Boston Reaper,” first appeared in Criminal Minds season 4, episode 18, and continued to haunt the characters through “100.” In particular, he went after Hotch, almost killing him and then killing his ex-wife.

Foyet was one of Criminal Minds ’ most ruthless and deranged unsubs, and the viewers and characters knew it wouldn’t end well when he captured Hotch’s ex-wife, Haley, and their young son, Jack. The moment Foyet fires his gun off camera, with Hotch and the others listening through the phone, is one of the show’s most lasting. The viewers shared in Hotch’s pain and anger in “100,” which was combined with the relief that Jack was okay. Foyet and Haley’s death continued to haunt Hotch and the team, with the characters even appearing in visions.

1 “Mosley Lane”

Season 5, Episode 16

Criminal Minds often relies on great performances from guest stars to help keep each episode fresh and interesting. This was the case with Evan Peters in Criminal Minds season 5, episode 16, “Mosley Lane,” and his mother, played by Ann Cusack. Cusack’s character Sarah Hillridge refused to give up on finding her son, Charlie (Peters), who had been kidnapped years before. Though officers usually dismissed Sarah, the BAU team took her claims seriously. In doing so, they saved multiple kidnapped kids.

The Roycewoods renamed the kids, altered their appearances, and abused them. When they reached a certain age, they’d burn them to death in a crematorium. Charlie was an exception, as they used him to kidnap more children. “Mosley Lane” had a bittersweet ending, as while Charlie and others were rescued in a heartwarming scene, another older boy named Stephen was killed just before the BAU found them. When Stephen’s father realized how close he’d been to reuniting with his son, he said the heartbreaking line, “He was alive yesterday?” This moment secured “Mosley Lane” the title of the best Criminal Minds episode.