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Criminal Minds, a thrilling CBS show, chronicled the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit investigations and the intricate profiling following each crime, unveiling the darker dimensions of the human psyche.
From intense interrogations to power-packed, twisted finales, the show excelled at crafting arcs that stretched storylines, pushed characters to their limits. Many of the finales made an impact, while others were not as thrilling.
Here is a ranking of the best Criminal Minds season finales, from least to most tense.
Tense, but contained finales that focus on characters
Out of all the Criminal Minds finales, some deep dived into dangerous territories while others brought in deeply personal dynamics, placing more focus on a character's personal journey or a specific, contained crisis.
Season 6: "Supply and Demand"
The finale’s tense plot emerges from a behind-the-screen change. After being forced out of the BAU, Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau finally comes back in the finale, which plunges into a human trafficking ring.
The narrative of the finale had one task in focus: to re-establish the returned character properly. Fans love her return, but the episode's structure was more focused on character-driven angles.
Season 10: "The Hunt"
Season 10’s finale is one of the personal closures from Criminal Minds. It is where the threat follows home. Agent Kate Callahan's niece, Meg, disappears, making BAU face a vicious and evil human trafficking network.
What makes this episode impactful is how the entire team sticks together and offers to help and share the emotional weight of the evil that struck one of their own.
While the case is short-lived and gets resolved in the finale, Kate Callahan also makes her departure.
Season 14: "Truth or Dare"
Season 14’s finale delivered the closure in two ways. It brought pomp and happiness with Agent David Rossi being married to his third wife, Krystall. This introduced a much needed moment of happiness for the team.
The finale also brought a bit of a controversial twist: JJ and Reid are held hostage, and in this tense scenario, JJ confesses her love for him. The shockwave sent by this confession to a long-married character created an intense emotional turning point that left the fandom divided and the characters' future uncertain.
Escalated stakes with finales that left viewers guessing
These finales are high stakes; they build a crisis that bleeds into the next season, forcing the audience to wait on the edge of their seats for the fate of their favorite characters.
Season 3: "Lo-Fi"
The BAU team detours to New York City when a series of random murders plagues the city. As the team investigates deeper, they unveil a chain of serial killings. The episode finishes the story with a classic, shock inducing cliffhanger.
After the case, when the team starts their return in SUVs, one of them explodes, leaving the members’ fate in a desperate cliffhanger.
This finale was an explosive and unforgettable end to the season.
Season 12: "Red Light"
Season 12 marked a return for one of the scariest serial killers, named Cat Adams (Aubrey Plaza), who framed Agent Reid for murder. As Reid confronts her, the team receives a lead on Mr. Scratch, who managed to evade the team.
The episode ends on a high note, as Mr. Scratch causes a massive car accident, putting the lives of the BAU team in danger. The immediate impact of this tragic event hits the BAU team as a team member dies (aftermath shown in the season 13 premiere).
This makes season 12 a thrilling, highly tense finale.
Season 11: "The Storm"
Season 11’s finale doubles in on both professional and personal fronts of the BAU team. Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner is arrested by a SWAT team, a scheme orchestrated by the season's notorious, consistent villain, Mr. Scratch.
The team makes a great effort to clear Hotch's name from the case, but the episode ends with a scary twist: 13 serial killers, all previously captured by the BAU, manage to escape the prison. This small but very dangerous twist opens the plot for riskier arcs ahead in the next seasons.
Season 13: "Believer"
The team, guided by Reid's intuition, proceeds in a tense investigation to hunt for a serial killer. More complexity is brought into the case by the cult leader and a disgraced FBI agent.
Reid and Garcia are abducted in the end, making viewers guess their fate again using a classic Criminal Minds finale hallmark. This intense cliffhanger positions the plotlines in place from which the next season’s high-pitched, intense rescue operations take place.
The intense finales that were defining moments of BAU
These finales were narratively important and extremely thrilling. They steered the course of the show and left an impact on the viewers.
Season 2: "No Way Out, Part II"
This finale is a chilling psychological thriller in its own right. The team's mentor, Jason Gideon, is at the receiving end of torture by a vicious serial killer named Frank Breitkopf, who was freed just some time ago.
Frank's obsession with Gideon leads him to put his loved ones in danger. This episode paved the way for Gideon's departure, as the emotional and psychological trauma crosses all limits. It is at this time that the finale teases a deeply psychological, emotional reaction from viewers, making it one of the most memorable finales of Criminal Minds.
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