TV has become increasingly serialized in recent years, but part of the appeal of "Criminal Minds" appeal was its ability to keep viewers coming back with an old school, case-of-the-week format. Per Deadline, "Criminal Minds: Evolution" abandoned that format, presenting itself more like a limited series, with the plot focused on a single, major case that unfolded over the course of its entire 10-episode run. That's departure is a big part of why "Criminal Minds" was rebranded as a standalone project titled "Criminal Minds: Evolution."
The crime story this time was too big, complex, and harrowing for a single installment of "Criminal Minds." The hunted suspect, or "UnSub," as they're known in show and BAU parlance, is a mastermind who built a collective of serial killers who connected with one another during the pandemic. When the world shut down, they quietly prepared a killing spree in concert and bid their time, waiting for the world to emerge from coronavirus lockdowns so that they could murder on a grand scale. It's up to the BAU team to track down each of these killers and destroy that deadly network.
Meanwhile, per TVLine, the BAU endured some internal political drama, with Emily Prentiss's job as leader of the elite squad called into question by a new deputy director with something to prove.
