The 25 Saddest Criminal Minds Episodes, Ranked

Criminal Minds is a widely-watched police procedural series that revolves around a team of FBI profilers who delve into the minds of serial killers in order to apprehend them. Although the show contains many terrifying and unsettling episodes, it also has touched viewers emotionally with its poignant storylines. Characters such as Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid, and Emily Prentiss have faced numerous hardships that have left viewers feeling distraught and heart-wrenched.

While many heart-wrenching episodes of Criminal Minds focus on storylines impacting the BAU team members, there have been instances where certain ‘unsubs’ (unknown subjects) have left viewers with a soft spot. This could be due to the empathy-evoking reasons behind their criminal acts or because they are unaware of the gravity of their actions. Regardless, these tales can be equally moving and tragic.

Originally penned by Michael Colwander on May 1, 2025: Criminal Minds never fails to touch hearts, leave audiences stunned, and ultimately leave them heartbroken. From the tragic pasts of the unsubs, the ordeals faced by victims, or even emotional goodbyes, there have been numerous tear-jerking episodes throughout its 20-year journey. Fans can anticipate more emotional instalments when Evolution resumes on May 8th. Until then, additional heartbreaking episodes have been included.

Michael Colwander posted an update on May 1, 2025. He explained that Criminal Minds consistently makes viewers feel a range of emotions, from sadness to shock and everything in between. Over the course of its 20-year run, there have been many poignant episodes that left fans emotional. On May 8th, fans can expect more emotional content when Evolution comes back on air. Until then, more tearjerkers have been added to the series.

Gideon Rides Off Into The Sunset, Not Knowing Where The Journey Will Take Him

The long-running series, Criminal Minds, is marked by many emotional departures. Among these, the most poignant farewell might be that of Jason Gideon in “In Name and Blood” or “Birth and Death.” The character was portrayed by actor Mandy Patinkin, who has been transparent about his decision to leave Criminal Minds, but he remains deeply cherished by fans.

In the story “In Name and Blood”, the tragic tale of a father exploiting his child as a decoy for victims is heart-wrenchingly sad. However, it was Gideon’s departure that left viewers in tears. As Reid reads a farewell note from Gideon, we see him at a roadside diner. A waitress asks if he knows where he’s going and he replies he doesn’t have a specific destination. She inquires about how he’ll know when he arrives, to which he ponders aloud. With a final wave, Gideon gets in his car and drives off into the sunset, leaving viewers wondering where he’s headed.

Lucas Did Everything His Brother Said

In the world of cinema critique, it’s rarely easy to empathize with characters who commit heinous acts, especially when their past actions are brought to light. The Season 4 finale of “Lucas,” split across two episodes titled “To Hell and Back,” serves as a chilling reminder of such an antihero. If only Lucas had been born into a kinder family.

In this series, Lucas is depicted as an individual with a mental disability, cruelly exploited by his brother, Mason, to perpetrate abductions and kidnappings of multiple victims. It’s a heart-wrenching portrayal that leaves viewers wishing for a different life for such a troubled soul.

Years later, Lucas, driven by anger, accidentally shoves Mason off a barn, leaving him paralyzed. In an attempt to make amends, Mason persuades Lucas to abduct individuals for experimental purposes, hoping to cure Mason’s condition. Tragically, the bodies of these victims will never be recovered as they were given to pigs for consumption. The story “To Hell and Back” is heartbreaking because Lucas was unaware of the consequences of his actions, eventually leading to his death at the hands of BAU, who underestimated the true danger he posed. Although his actions are indefensible, one can’t help but contemplate the potential good he could have brought to the world if Mason had never been part of his life.

A Disturbing Episode That Will Haunt Viewers For Years To Come

The alarming phone call the Tafferts received seems like every parent’s most dreadful scenario. Initially, it appears as a harmless prank with a voice on the other end saying, “I’m coming for you.” However, this playful tone takes a terrifying turn when their child vanishes and bloodstains are found on their front door, making the call all too real.

It doesn’t take much time before their son is found dead, tragically passing away before they even realize he’s missing. What makes this situation especially painful is that Malcom, the father, was initially suspected as a key person of interest due to a similar case from years ago where he was the prime suspect. The couple takes refuge in a motel room to escape the media frenzy, but Lida herself gets kidnapped. “The Caller” episode is incredibly unsettling, and the finale, which shows the couple sitting silently in the motel room as a phone rings following a series of tense events, is among the most heart-wrenching endings the series has to offer.

Monica Learns What Became Of Her Daughter – In The Worst Way Imaginable

The majority of incidents that reach the BAU’s desk are not personally affecting, but in “Hope,” a case strikes particularly close for a member of Garcia’s victim support group. On the anniversary of her daughter Hope’s disappearance, one of the members, Monica, mysteriously vanishes. The culprit is another member of the group, Bill, who had promised to return Hope to Monica.

It’s revealed that Bill was the perpetrator who kidnapped Hope. Even more appalling is that after Hope took her own life in captivity, he joined a support group for victims. Worse still, Bill kidnapped Monica with the chilling intention of creating a replacement for Hope. To make matters even worse, Monica finds herself subjected to the same dreadful conditions her daughter endured for years and eventually locates her daughter’s remains. This is indeed heart-wrenching and stomach-churning.

Reid’s Frustrating Dilaudid Addiction Begins

As a die-hard fan of “Criminal Minds”, there’s no denying that the character of Reid is one of the show’s finest. The episode “Revelations” was a pivotal moment, offering a deep dive into what shapes Reid, both his strengths and his weaknesses. It also marked the beginning of a series of heartbreaking events that would befall Reid during his time with the BAU.

In the second half of a two-part storyline titled “Revelations,” character Reid gets abducted by Tobias Hankel, a solitary serial killer with a dual personality. During his imprisonment, Hankel administers Dilaudid, a potent opioid painkiller known as Hydromorphone, to Reid; Hankel was previously addicted to this drug himself. Although Reid manages to escape, he carries the lingering impacts of his ordeal and develops an addiction to Dilaudid. This episode not only sheds light on Reid’s history but also signifies the start of a disheartening phase in Reid’s narrative.

The BAU Team Discovers Luke Dolan Suffers From Capgras Syndrome

When the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is summoned to probe a mass killing at an internet security firm, they embark on a quest to track down and halt Luke Dolan. A previous Navy SEAL, Dolan grapples with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), stemming from being instructed to fire upon children who had witnessed a clandestine operation. Through the insights of Spencer Reid, the team deduces that Dolan is also afflicted by Capgras Syndrome, a psychological disorder that makes him perceive the individuals close to him as impostors.

Despite being apart from him, Dolan’s family is placed under protective custody by the team. Simultaneously, Dolan’s delusional imagination causes him to commit murders – taking the lives of his parents, abducting his former supervisor, and killing an FBI agent in order to gain access to BAU headquarters. As his terrifying spree of violence unfolds, viewers are made painfully aware that with appropriate care, this tragic sequence of events might have been prevented. This episode is ranked 20th on the list due to its poignant exploration of this theme.

The BAU Tracks Him Through a Series Of Fatal Exorcisms

In Season 4, Episode 17 of Criminal Minds, the team pursues a renegade priest named Paul Silvano, who’s been conducting lethal exorcisms across the U.S. One of the victims is a childhood friend of Emily Prentiss, Matthew Benton, who died during an exorcism that was actually a heart attack. While investigating his death, Emily uncovers this startling truth.

In this scenario, Silvano suspects that Benton and four others played a role in the murder of a priest whom they both worked with in Galicia, Spain. To carry out his acts of retribution, Silvano tries to secure immunity from the Vatican but is unsuccessful. Instead, he manages to obtain immunity by working for the Italian government. The struggle of the team aiming to strip Silvano of his immunity is matched only by Prentiss’ emotional turmoil over Benton’s death and the guilt that resurfaces as a result.

Strauss’ Redemption Arc Made Her Death a Hard One

In simpler terms, John Curtis is a recurring character in season eight of the story, who became more prominent as time went on, culminating in a dramatic conclusion during the finale titled “The Replicator.” Portrayed by Mark Hamill, John Curtis is an FBI agent based in Washington D.C., driven by revenge following a case that led to his demotion. The individuals who avoided repercussions from this incident were Alex Blake and Erin Strauss.

In a popular TV series known as “Criminal Minds”, Strauss served as the character fans loved to despise. Holding the position of section head, she consistently challenged Dave Rossi in terms of efficiency. However, when she sought help at an alcohol rehabilitation center, her cold demeanor began to melt, and she surprisingly became more endearing. Unfortunately, this transformation was short-lived as Curtis took revenge by poisoning Strauss with spiked wine. The emotional scene shared between Strauss and Rossi during her final moments, coupled with the shocking impact of her death, makes this episode one of the saddest in the series.

Its Visceral Opening Is One Of the Show’s Best

Towards the end of season two, an episode titled “Ashes and Dust” stands out as one of the most gripping openings in Criminal Minds. This episode features a criminal who employs arson as his deadly weapon. Vincent Stiles, a character with a strong disdain for corporate businesspeople, is part of an eco-terrorist group known as the Earth Defense Front. In their acts of terror, they use fire to eliminate not only these businessmen but also their loved ones.

When Stiles torches two homes in San Francisco, resulting in the tragic loss of two families, this grim event draws the interest of the BAU team. The narrative begins by portraying a family desperately fleeing a blazing house, but discovering that their escape routes have been barricaded. Miraculously, one member manages to survive, albeit with extensive burns. With her time running out and overwhelmed by grief for her loved ones, she shares as much information as possible before succumbing in a poignant, tear-jerking moment, revealing crucial details to the BAU.

Nathan Becomes a Suspect In Serial Killings

In “Sex. Birth, Death,” a teen named Nathan initially encounters Spencer Reid at his subway station. Earlier, he had attended one of Reid’s lectures on anger and excitement. This teen then starts asking Reid escalating questions about potential sadistic inclinations that grow progressively concerning before abruptly departing. Simultaneously, a murderer is targeting sex workers in Washington D.C., but it’s eventually determined that the suspect isn’t Nathan.

In the TV series Criminal Minds, portrayed by the late Anton Yelchin, Reid constructs a picture of Nathan and the team interrogates him. Upon examination, they advise Nathan’s mother to seek mental health treatment for her son, which she eventually consents to, leading to his institutionalization. However, Nathan ultimately chooses to end his life as a desperate solution. In a heart-wrenching climax, Reid manages to save the dying teenager from suicide. Throughout this narrative, Nathan’s emotional turmoil due to his disturbing fantasies paints him as a tragic figure in Criminal Minds.

2025-05-04 03:56