Criminal Minds renewed for season 15, will be final season
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In a statement today, CBS confirmed that they are renewing the longtime crime procedural for a season 15 — yet, it will be the final one for the show. This means that the series gets a chance to go out on its own terms, and with a ten-episode batch of episodes that will wrap up the story. Per TVLine, the final season will film this spring and air at some point during the upcoming 2019-20 television season. (There’s no guarantee that it will be back for the fall.)
In a statement per the aforementioned website, here is what showrunner Erica Messer had to say:
“It’s really bittersweet, but I’m so, so grateful to CBS for giving us this heads-up … I think one of my biggest fears was always, ‘Oh man, what if we don’t know’ and then they just don’t bring back the show? But they respect this series and the cast and the crew and the fans enough to end this properly.”
Gratitude is really the best way to look at this final-season news, given the fact that this is a renewal that wasn’t a sure thing. Criminal Minds season 14 is currently averaging a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic, down versus season 13 and on the lower end of ratings averages for some of CBS’ shows. Since they didn’t have full ownership of the program, that made the renewal odds for the series all the more perilous. We’re grateful that the network is allowing the series to go out on its own terms and for fans to have some sort of satisfying conclusion. This is a show with more than 300 episodes and it deserves an opportunity to say goodbye in a fantastic way.
Criminal Minds season 14 will return with new episodes a little bit later this month; AJ Cook has an episode coming as director and more than likely, there is a fantastic finale down the line.
Related News – Be sure to get some other updates on Criminal Minds and what lies ahead
What do you think about Criminal Minds being renewed for a fifteenth and final season? Be sure to share right now in the comments! (Photo: CBS.)