Criminal Minds season 14 not planned as final season; CBS’ future plan
Most of the concerns about this upcoming season being the end of the road stem from the smaller, 15-episode order that Criminal Minds received over the past few months. The ratings are down versus past years, but it is also airing a little bit later at night and without as strong of a lead-in. We think that so long as the numbers stay roughly where they are and it generates good DVR / streaming traffic after the fact, the series should be fine. It’s always going to have more of a hurdle than an NCIS given that CBS doesn’t fully own the show (it’s an ABC Studios property), but it does not appear as though they are going to let it go anytime in the immediate future.
CBS programming head Kelly Kahl was asked about the future of the series recently while at TCA, and went on to say the following about the communication that would happen with the creative team (per Deadline) in the event the show was concluding: “We will have an honest discussion with them at the right time.”
Related – Want to vote for Reid and JJ in this year’s Crime Dynamic Duos tournament?
What this means, effectively, is that there will be discussions when there need to be discussions about the future of the franchise, but that’s not happening right now. This means that they will hopefully give the writers and producers of the show plenty of time to figure out what the proper ending of the series is going to be. They’ve already said that there could be more episodes than the initial order, depending on what happens with the schedule.
At this point, our personal hope is mostly just that Criminal Minds manages to get a season 15 so that the show can end on what feels like a great number. If it goes beyond that we would be thrilled since we love this show, but let’s just take this one renewal at a time.
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The Rookie
August 15, 2018 @ 2:14 am
Oh crazy Hotch fans, Thomas Gibson was not an A list actor like you would like to believe. If he were, why hasn’t his show been picked up? CM ratings decline started in season 7, so yes… we will get season 15. Please, crazy Hotchies, find another show to hate.
Stumpy
August 13, 2018 @ 4:15 am
I agree that the ratings has fallen tremendously since the absence of Thomas Gibson. I honestly believe that the viewers who are still watching are maybe hoping to see him return. No knows what happened during that time. There were 2 people and the truth. The viewers will never know and CBS has been trying to throw it under the bus like it doesn’t exist. It doesn’t matter how long this show goes on, it will never be the same. I look at season 1-12, the 1st and 2nd episode religiously. Thomas Gibson will always be the patriarch of this show. I don’t believe there is a viewer out there that look at CM without thinking of “Hotch”. He is well loved and tremendously missed and always will be. I hope the show does as well as can be expected.
Tina Traylor
August 13, 2018 @ 1:17 am
My personal hope is that Criminal Minds ends this season. Since season 12 the poor writing and the loss of incredibly talented Thomas Gibson Criminal Minds has become unwatchable as the ratings bear out. This used to be my favorite must see tv show. Now I don’t even dvr it.
PhillyMD
August 12, 2018 @ 6:29 pm
I agree wholeheartedly with Liz. Criminal Minds was the show that CBS tried to spinoff twice on the strength of its audience and ratings, which used to be some of the highest on Wednesday nights. To whine now that CM itself requires a lead-in is admission of how far it has fallen since Thomas Gibson’s firing, which you have failed to acknowledge in any of your incredulous articles making excuses for CM’s terminal condition as being due to a weak lead in and changed time slot. No matter what EXCUSES you make for the fractional ratings, which led to the time-slot change in the first place; or what CM does to try gain attention, it will never regain the strength or success it once enjoyed without the presence of Thomas Gibson.
Liz
August 12, 2018 @ 4:15 pm
A show that has been on for 13 years certainly does not need a lead in to obtain ratings. For 11 years CM WAS the lead in. With the loss of Thomas Gibson, CM lost millions of viewers and moved them to 10 pm and now a half season. Making excuses for the poor ratings is disingenuous.
Armand
August 12, 2018 @ 8:34 am
Criminal Minds is one of best shows on TV hoping they keep it going just stop
Messing with time slots.