BAU confronts new evils, Voit returns

New evils take root in the upcoming season 18 of Criminal Minds: Evolution — and Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive first look.

Set six months after the events of the season 17 finale and the prison attack against Elias Voit (Zach Gilford), the revamped BAU — which now includes Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka) — must once again team back up with the villain when his band of followers on the dark web wreak havoc across the country. Things get full-on Shakespearean as evidenced in the eerie teaser trailer above, which features a familiar line from The Tempest: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”

Speaking of the devil, “I can say that Voit is in a much more vulnerable position this season in a way we haven’t seen before,” showrunner and executive producer Erica Messer tells EW.

Though the BAU must collaborate with Voit once again, the relationship will “look and feel a little bit different than it did last year,” Messer says. “Those who might’ve been his biggest critics go on a journey this year of understanding and empathy that would not have existed in the season prior.”

Can people change? Is there such a thing as rehabilitation? These will be some of the questions faced by Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), JJ Jareau (A.J. Cook), Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez) this time around.

“These experts who have put a lot of hours in with this guy to feel any differently about him is an interesting journey that they have to go on this year,” Messer says. “How could we feel any differently about him? This year we really wanted to explore that.”

Tyler’s addition to the BAU will also layer on new dynamics. “Garcia and Tyler have found a pretty good groove to be exes who are working together this season,” Messer says. “Alvez and Tyler become more [like] brothers [rather] than feuding. What’s best for the team is that we have people who get along and challenge one another.”

One person MIA from the teaser undoubtedly on everyone’s mind? Spencer Reid. Yes, Matthew Gray Gubler is officially reprising his role, returning for one episode.

“Without spoiling anything, when you really need your friends, it’s usually big life things are happening,” Messer teases. “And so I will say that the big life thing is happening and we get to see Spencer.”

Until then, expect a lot of gray areas and growth this season from our core heroes. “It’s not black and white, good and bad,” the showrunner says. “I think that’s where so much story and conflict and character development can happen, in a space that you hadn’t really considered before. Now you’re in those waters, what are you going to do? It makes for a really compelling season for the growth of our heroes.”

Criminal Minds: Evolution returns May 8 on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Watch the exclusive teaser and check out the official key art above.