Criminal Minds: Evolution season 19 has finally finished its run, and hopefully you’ve had some time to process the ten episodes in their full glory. After my annual binge of the full season and some discussion with fans, Paramount’s streaming opus absolutely filled screen time with added humour and action packed cliffhangers. Unfortunately, we can say there are a few things that –if included– would have turned the season beyond perfection. The following is a condensed list of a few storylines that we wish had found their ways onto our screen in season 19. Spoilers ahead.
Table Of Content
More Luke Alvez
As promised by the start of the season, Evolution tends to put focus on at least one character through the ten episodes. Season 19 aimed to showcase Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez). The writers beautifully depict Luke’s loved ones, Roxy and Tom’s deaths, alongside his relationship with Penelope (Kirsten Vangsness). Emotions are high and guttural for the audience and actor. However, there were fewer than three episodes that can be fully attributed to advancing his character or divulging his personal struggles. Some fans are left wanting more details on his grief, especially when compared to the loss of Agent Jareau’s husband.
Whole Team Excursions & Cases
Notably, season 19 is fighting season 16 for its proximity to the original series’ structure. Over the past four years, the CriMi loyalists enjoy the overarching storyline with their one-off episodes independent of the A-plot. The third and seventh installations this year involved that classic Criminal Minds motif. Both cases involved the entire BAU assisting locals with Penelope on-site or off-site. To compare to Evolution‘s usual paradigm, the team is split into pairs between Quantico and the case state, or alternatively, with Voit. In the future, hopefully viewers will be indulged by a true hybrid season.
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The Team’s Immediate Reaction to Penelope’s Confession
High praise is appropriate for the biggest plot twist since Elias Voit, Zach Gilford’s character, having a family. Penelope Garcia’s shocking testimonial. The reveal on behalf of the serial killer threw the team and audience into heated debates on “What/who is right? ”. From the sixth episode into the seventh, there is an undisclosed time skip only showcasing David Rossi’s reaction. Despite this, we felt the loss of Tyler Green’s feelings or even Jennifer Jareau’s shock (RJ Hatanaka and AJ Cook), both characters directly targeted by Voit.
Tara and Rebecca’s Wedding
Finally, taking a hefty rewind to the end of season 18, in Tara Lewis’ namesake episode, Aisha Tyler’s character proposed to her now wife Rebecca Wilson (Nicole Pacent). When the season concluded and the producers informed the audience of the year-long time skip, the following run had many heavily anticipating the union. However, contrary to the expectations, showrunner Erica Messer opted to push the marriage through during the hiatus. It was meant to be reminiscent of a crew member who married during the same period. When season 19 released, many fans were disappointed by the lack of acknowledgement through flashbacks or a dedicated episode closure for the Tarbecca nuptials.
What moment were you missing from season 19?
