Paramount+’s Crime Masterpiece Is Dangerously Rewriting the Rules of Serial Killer Shows After 21 Years

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The latest season of Paramount+’s acclaimed crime drama is shaking up the serial killer genre after 20 years. Stories exploring the conflict between good and evil have always captivated audiences, and their continued success on traditional TV, streaming services, and cable demonstrates their lasting popularity. Long-running shows like NBC’s Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU, and CBS’s NCIS, prove this point, as they remain popular after many seasons.

Most popular crime dramas still air on traditional television, but Criminal Minds stands out for successfully moving from a network to streaming. After 15 seasons on CBS, the show was revived by Paramount+ as Criminal Minds: Evolution, a grittier take on the original. With season 19 (or Evolution season 4) about to launch, a new trailer reveals the show is shaking up its format by bringing back its most dangerous villain, Elias Voit – also known as Sicarius – and exploring his path to redemption.

Zach Gilford played a dangerous villain first introduced in season 16 of Criminal Minds: Evolution who was the main suspect in the show’s cases. He wasn’t just a criminal himself, but also built a whole network of other criminals. However, instead of being punished, a health issue led to his recovery and a path to redemption, starting in season 18. By season 19, the BAU team no longer saw him as an enemy, but as a valuable ally.

Why Voight’s Rehabilitation In Criminal Minds: Evolution Needs To Be Earned

Most people enjoy a compelling story about someone turning their life around. However, with the character of Voit, his attempted redemption doesn’t feel believable. He spent years killing people and manipulating others, and he even terrorized members of the BAU team, including Dave Rossi and JJ Jarreau. While season 18 of Criminal Minds: Evolution showed us the trauma he experienced, that doesn’t justify his actions. Even though he’s in prison, it’s risky to prioritize understanding his motivations over holding him accountable for what he’s done.

Criminal Minds is widely considered one of the greatest shows about serial killers. When the series moved from CBS to Paramount+, most of the original writers and producers stayed on board, which has helped it remain consistently good even with some new changes. Fans are hoping the storyline for Voit in season 19 doesn’t diminish the seriousness of his crimes. The show can still use Gilford’s character as a consultant, which aligns with its focus on criminal profiling, but his involvement should be limited – a minimal consequence for the harm he caused.

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2026-05-10 20:13