Criminal Minds season 13 premiere date: When could it return to CBS?
Let’s start with the facts — there will be a Criminal Minds season 13 first and foremost. It was ordered by CBS a little earlier this year as a major vote of confidence. While the live ratings may be lower, the show still draws a substantial viewership and is big in syndication. It’s the sort of show that is a schedule anchor and there is zero reason for the network to get rid of it. Do we hope that there is less cast turnover in season 13 and the show can just settle in? Absolutely, since there is a good group there now anchored by Paget Brewster’s Emily Prentiss as the new Director of the BAU.
Now, let’s get back to the premiere date. Season 12 of the show premiered on September 28. Meanwhile, season 11 of the show first came on the air on September 30. The trend for the show is for it to come on one week later than the first Wednesday of the fall season, largely because Big Brother tends to air its finale after the Survivor premiere — this at least has been the cast for the past several years, and we don’t see that changing.
With all of this in mind, we would project the Criminal Minds season 13 premiere date to be Wednesday, September 27 — if the schedule gets shifted back a week, then maybe the premiere will air on October 4. It is our expectation that the season will run for 22 episodes again, as the days of it getting 23 or 24-episode seasons seem to be now gone. Season 10 was the last time there was more than 22; meanwhile, season 4 so many years ago had a whopping 26, which must have exhausted the cast to no end. The only season with fewer episodes than 22 was season 3, and that was largely because of the writers’ strike that happened and cut the order down to 20. The strike was averted, and with that, we expect to see things be fairly normal this fall.
We presume that the precise premiere date for the new season will be announced this summer. Be sure to keep checking back.
When do you want the Criminal Minds season 13 premiere date to be? Share in the comments below!
Meanwhile, be sure to head over to the link here in the event you do want to get some further news right away when it comes to the show. (Photo: CBS.)