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If you watched Criminal Minds from start to finish, then you probably want more than just a murder mystery. You want to see how investigators think when they break down the minds of killers. You want cases that feel personal and team members who actually feel like people.
The show delivered that for years, and it built a loyal audience because of it. Now that the main story has ended and the revival continues under Criminal Minds: Evolution, fans are still looking for crime shows that bring that same energy.
Most shows in the genre follow a formula and rely too much on shock value or courtroom drama. That is not what Criminal Minds fans look for. They want something deeper. They want to see what drives the killer and what haunts the profiler. Some shows understand this and deliver it without making the story feel fake. These are the shows that focus on the details and the people behind the work.
If you want to keep watching stories that focus on profiling and complex cases, then these are the shows that should be next on your list. They deliver what makes crime shows interesting without losing sight of the characters doing the work.
7 best shows like Criminal Minds every crime drama fan should watch
1. Mindhunter
Mindhunter shows how criminal profiling began at the FBI. It takes place in the 1970s and follows agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench as they interview real serial killers. These conversations helped form the early Behavioral Science Unit.
What sets this show apart is its quiet intensity. The agents speak to killers like Kemper and Brudos and try to figure out what makes them tick. The approach is not about chase scenes. It’s about slow breakdowns of twisted logic.
The show directly connects to the methods seen in Criminal Minds. This is the early version of the BAU. If you want to understand where profiling began and how it turned into something teams like Hotch’s use every day, this series fills that gap. It does not dramatize violence. It studies it. That makes it more disturbing and more rewarding for anyone who watched Criminal Minds closely.
2. NCIS
NCIS follows a federal team that investigates crimes tied to the Navy and Marines. Its structure mirrors Criminal Minds in how the team works together to solve serious cases each week.
The leader, Gibbs, operates with the same quiet authority that Hotch had. Other agents like Tony and McGee bring a balance of humor and skill. The cases mix procedural crime-solving with strong emotional weight.
Though NCIS does not focus on profiling, it does show how experience and teamwork help agents make quick decisions under pressure. The emotional bonds between agents feel real. They stick with each other through personal loss and professional crises. That’s what makes it familiar. If you’re drawn to team dynamics that feel earned and not forced, then NCIS gives that in every season. Fans who liked both the procedural rhythm and character depth of Criminal Minds will find something lasting here.
3. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI flips the focus away from profiling and instead puts forensic evidence front and center. It’s about the science behind the crime. The team solves each case by analyzing clues left at the scene.
Where Criminal Minds asks why people commit murder, CSI focuses on how they do it. Every scene is a puzzle. Blood stains. Shoe treads. Fingerprints. These are the things that lead to the truth.
The characters rely on logic and physical proof instead of behavioral instincts. It makes the cases feel more like detective work. The show helped make forensics a central part of crime TV. You don’t see the killer’s thoughts. You see their mistakes. That contrast is what makes it work for Criminal Minds fans. If you liked watching Garcia or Reid piece together evidence under pressure, CSI gives you more of that same precision and tension, but from the lab’s point of view.
4. Bones
Bones combines science and criminal investigation through two leads who clash but work well together. Dr. Brennan studies remains. Agent Booth handles fieldwork. Together, they solve deaths that others cannot explain.
The strength of Bones comes from the characters. Brennan is logical but distant. Booth is emotional and grounded. Their contrast mirrors Reid and Morgan or Hotch and Rossi. The team grows over time and handles hard cases with care.
This show focuses more on how people die than why they kill. Still, it digs into the emotional fallout of each case. That’s what brings it close to Criminal Minds. Brennan often studies trauma. Booth often connects with victims’ families. That balance keeps things real. The humor makes the dark cases easier to handle. The science keeps the stakes high. If you liked watching smart people deal with grim work without losing their humanity, Bones fits that need exactly.
5. Hannibal
Hannibal takes everything Criminal Minds hinted at and pushes it into something deeper and more disturbing. The story revolves around Will Graham and Dr. Hannibal Lecter. One is a profiler. The other is a killer.
Will sees things others can’t. He puts himself in the mind of the murderer. That makes him effective. It also makes him unstable. The more time he spends with Hannibal, the more blurred those lines become.
Unlike Criminal Minds, this is not a new case every week. It’s one long spiral into darkness. You watch a profiler get lost inside his own mind. The killings are not just shocking. They are staged with meaning. The impact hits harder. It is not easy to watch. But it shows what happens when the job becomes your identity. If you were ever curious about what Gideon or Reid could have become, this show explores that road.
6. The Mentalist
The Mentalist follows Patrick Jane, a former fake psychic who now helps solve crimes. His tricks worked in the past to fool people. Now he uses those same skills to catch killers.
Jane does not rely on psychology textbooks. He reads body language and picks up on what others miss. He’s not a profiler, but he understands people. That’s what ties him to Criminal Minds.
The show also builds a long-term rivalry with a serial killer named Red John. That arc adds depth. It’s not just about catching bad guys. It’s about closure, grief, and revenge. Jane lost his family. That drives everything. The team works cases, but Jane is always chasing something more. The tone is lighter. The style is clever. But the pain behind the lead makes the show stay with you. If you liked Criminal Minds for its personal stakes, The Mentalist won’t feel far off.
7. FBI
FBI focuses on the agents working in the New York field office. The cases are fast. The threats feel real. The unit deals with everything from kidnappings to terrorism.
This is not a show that leans on profiling. Instead, it highlights instincts built from experience. Each character has a background that shapes how they approach their work. Maggie and OA lead the team. Their bond is built on trust.
What connects it to Criminal Minds is the way the cases affect the people solving them. There is always emotional fallout. Agents break down. Victims stay in their thoughts. The show reminds you that working in federal law enforcement is not just about solving crimes. It is about holding yourself together. If you liked how Criminal Minds never forgot what its agents were carrying, then FBI will give you that again. It’s polished but grounded. That makes it feel real.
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