I can’t be the only one noticing how Doug Bailey’s return in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 undermines the show’s core theme

Paramount+'s Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 returned to the network on May 8, 2025 with new episodes of twisted and deranged unsubs.

And while I was excited to see the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) in action and using unique techniques to develop profiles again, their biggest villain made a comeback.

Season 3 saw the return of Deputy Director Doug Bailey, the embodiment of bureaucratic stonewalling and red tape, who has been torturing the team forever.

While antagonists like Bailey are needed to create necessary internal conflict within the team, his character has been used to a fault. I think Bailey's character undermines the show's theme by not letting the BAU team work and catch criminals (something the show claims).

More on Bailey's return in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 in our story.

I think Doug Bailey's return in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 is unconvincing and repetitive

While internal conflict within the BAU team makes for good television in the Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3, Bailey's character might have become overutilized and repetitive now.

Bailey's character not only hinders the team from working efficiently and prevents them from focusing on their jobs, but it has also become unconvincing.

While the internal conflict of government vs BAU and the political agendas highlighted by Bailey's character have deep connections with red tape in the real world, they have been used to a fault.

In addition, Bailey's resort to illegal measures to stop BAU from working on cases is highly unconvincing. Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 has the potential to tap into more notorious serial killers and show the workings of a criminal's mind, but it instead chose to explore familiar narrative waters with Bailey's return.

It's high time that Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 uses other devices for internal conflict

While Bailey's return is not only frustratingly repetitive, it also hinders the show from exploring other devices of internal conflict. Internal conflict adds another layer to the already charged atmosphere and the show could benefit from effective changes.

Rather than Bailey's usual attempts to dismantle the BAU, Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 can utilize the team to create internal conflict.

Leadership challenges and authority struggles are one untapped area that can be used to perfection. Since Dave Rossi constantly questions Emily Prentiss' leadership and compares her with Hotch, their disagreement over profiling tactics and the investigation at large is a good device to create internal conflict.

Secondly, since Season 3 saw many new and young team members join the BAU, it would be interesting to show the generational gap and miscommunication within the BAU.

Since Prentiss and Rossi have been dealing with the cumulative psychological stress of their profession over the years, it would be interesting to see how that might factor into their relationship with the young team members who are just starting their careers.

Evolution Season 3 returned on Paramount+ on May 8, 2025 and will air weekly episodes every Thursday.

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