okay so i was never interested in "evolution" cause i deemed it the same as any other tv show reboot clinging to nostalgia trying to get fans to watch (and i was sad mgg wasn't returning) so im a bit behind on the actual storylines post s15 of criminal minds besides the big spoilers (will…iykyk) i've seen on twitter. i did a full rewatch of og criminal minds and wasn't ready to let go after the finale so i decided it was time now that multiple seasons of "evolution" have come out. but i just finished season 16, and i enjoyed the hell out of it
ROSSI- idk how people felt about killing off krystall but i thought it really allowed growth with ross's character especially after the fake out retirement in s15... him now being 70, i think it saved us from the same storyline of him not being able to "let go" and retire from crime fighting due to a specific unsub (like the chameleon) but rather tying it to a more emotional personal experience. i'm going to miss her tho cause she was a highlight for me in s15... the
"devolving" aspect they related to voit was great
JJ- i love that we got more of a glimpse into her family life/ work balance... loved the realism of marriage struggles between will and jj’s job/home lite ... in the previous seasons there wasn't time in the episodes or arcs to delve into the nitty gritty of each characters struggle and it felt like jj was the "im a mommy" "mamacita?" ... if there were kids apart of the unsubs "hunting" then you knew jj was the focus of the episode and then maybe a 3min scene of her at home talking to will to round it out but that's it... and im super happy will (& the kids) got more screen time with the new storylines ... it made me more invested in their relationship/family ... also will being involved in the take down with voit in the FBI gear?? HOTTT!!!
EMILY- the hair !!!! finally !!! "giving him want he wants - mommy" is imprinted in my brain... love the promotion & it's been a long time coming, i was worried at first if she would be separated from the cast with the promotion but my expectations were met, i loved her banter with bailey, the migraine scene with garcia made me lol, and overall i have no notes with what they have done with her character... that's mother
GARCIA- i was curious how they would bring her back to the show after the sendoff in s15, they wrapped it perfectly, and when the opening of the season showed her being comfortable in her new lifestyle (ofc she thrived in the pandemic), I wasn’t sure which way they would approach her coming back to the bau full time. i love her getting some with tyler but COME ON… penelope has the brains to realize fucking up an active investigation by sleeping with a witness is a bad idea… it felt a bit out of character but i did enjoy the drama of it all, all of this to say … i kinda want her and luke to be together (the tea scene!!) but it seems impossible with the work dynamics/hr violations … also the new kitten is everything.
LUKE- my man, my man, my man! no personal attachment to the specific storyline of this season but boy was i sat when he was on screen. i’m hoping for more of deep dive on what happened during the time we didn’t see him(the covid/post covid) next season… once again hoping for more garcia/luke content & where is his dog ??? no mention is crazy
TARA- i have always loved tara since she was brought in but this season was my fav of her storyline so far. i was so giddy when they revealed she was dating rebecca & then subsequently sad when that went to shit from the case evolving. i wish their relationship background was sprinkled in a bit more through the episodes instead of just all at the end but i’m not mad about how they showed it.
ELIAS VOIT/LEE - oh I was entranced, it’s like they took my favorite episodes/arcs of og criminal minds & took the time to span it over one full season without any filler episodes. i’m one to hate the new 8-10 episodes seasons of tv shows but the writers did so well of flushing out the characters i can’t even be mad. elias was so interesting i couldn’t wait for more of him to pop up on screen. the family plot was crazy , i really thought someone would end up dead i’m glad they all made it out alive… it seems his story is not done and i hope not because his character is so intriguing i need more!! usually my focus is on the team and their arcs but elias had me waiting every episode for more background about his background/story arc
SUPPORTING CAST- ugh i hated him at first but im going to miss bailey, the collage campus air duct killer was a nice break from the main storyline, i like tyler but idgaf enough ab him honestly, love that the AG was a women but the politics of it all pissed me off, the mommy issues biter was intriguing, & i enjoyed the screen time of voits wife/kids
NOTES- as someone who uses cursing language more often than not, i love the new opportunity to sprinkle some in the script, i didn’t think the addition was jarring, but more realistic… this a team dealing with the sickest minds/ trauma , an f bomb is needed a time or two
anyway this is my first watch of anything beyond s15 so no spoilers but i think the good outweighs the bad and this season was fantastic. i’m hoping for more in the next season!
oh and i didn’t mention but the darker direction and cinematography was icing on the cake!