50 Fun Facts About Hard Criminal Minds

On what date did Criminal Minds premiere on CBS?

Jeff Davis created it, and it ran fifteen seasons before its Paramount+ revival.

On what date did the original CBS run end, after fifteen seasons?

It came back as Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+ in November 2022.

Reid can read how many words per minute?

He also has an IQ of 187 and an eidetic memory, so the reading actually sticks.

Reid graduated at age twelve from a public secondary school in which city?

He went on to PhDs in mathematics, chemistry and engineering plus BAs in psychology and sociology.

Reid's mother Diana was a university professor of what before her illness ended her career?

Jane Lynch plays her, and Spencer committed her to Bennington Sanitarium in Las Vegas when he was eighteen.

In season six Reid suffers from cluster headaches and fears he is developing which illness?

His mother has it, and doctors could not explain the headaches.

Reid spends the second half of which year of the show in prison?

Prentiss was later suspended by Linda Barnes over how she ran the unit during Reid's imprisonment in Mexico.

Who turns out to be Cat Adams's accomplice and girlfriend, posing as Diana Reid's nurse?

Reid recognises her from the Mexico hotel where Mr. Scratch's plot unfolded.

Why did Reid's father William leave the family when Spencer was a child?

A family friend had avenged his own son's killing, and William wanted out.

How did Garcia end up working for the BAU?

She had drawn attention as an underground hacker by illegally accessing Bureau equipment.

Garcia is godmother to which two children?

Morgan named his son after his own father.

Kevin Lynch, Garcia's boyfriend played by Nicholas Brendon, first appears in the season 3 episode named for whom?

He is brought in to search her computer after she is shot; Brendon is best known as Xander from Buffy.

Elle Greenaway is shot by an unsub in which season one finale?

She later murders a suspected serial rapist on a stakeout and resigns, saying it is not an admission of guilt.

What does Elle say as she hands Hotch her badge and gun?

She had shot an unarmed suspect and planted her gun on him.

Why was Thomas Gibson removed from the cast after season 12, episode 2?

Hotch was written out on a temporary assignment, then chose to stay away to focus on his son Jack.

Hotch's wife Haley is killed by George Foyet in which milestone episode?

Jack survives by hiding, and Hotch reaches Haley by phone just before Foyet shoots her.

Where were Haley and Jack revealed to be living in witness protection?

Foyet found them by dialling the speed-dial numbers on US Marshal Sam Kassmeyer's phone.

Hotch's son Jack was born in which year?

Meredith Monroe played Haley, and Haley's sister Jessica Brooks helps raise Jack afterwards.

Prentiss appears to die at the hands of Ian Doyle in which episode?

The final scene shows her alive in Paris with JJ handing over passports and bank accounts.

Prentiss leaves the BAU in the season seven finale to run which posting?

She returned as a regular in season twelve after Gibson's exit and became unit chief.

Prentiss's mother is an ambassador played by which actress?

Elizabeth Prentiss's diplomatic postings explain Emily's fluency in several languages.

JJ is forced to accept a promotion to where in the season six episode named after her?

A secret mission from that stint gets her kidnapped in the 200th episode.

JJ's husband Will LaMontagne is a detective with which police department?

Josh Stewart plays him, and their sons are Henry and Michael.

Rossi took early retirement from the BAU in which year to write books and lecture?

He volunteered to return in 2007, shortly after Gideon walked away.

Rossi's daughter Joy Struthers is the product of his short marriage to whom?

Amber Stevens played Joy across seasons 10, 11 and 14.

How does the Replicator, John Curtis, kill Section Chief Erin Strauss?

He was a former agent left to take the blame for the Amerithrax case; Rossi later escapes his trap using her sobriety chip.

Alex Blake was a linguistics professor at which university alongside her FBI work?

Jeanne Tripplehorn played her for seasons 8 and 9; Strauss had left her to take the fall on Amerithrax too.

Which actress played Kate Callahan, the former undercover agent, in season 10?

Rachel Nichols was cadet Ashley Seaver in season 6 and Aisha Tyler is forensic psychologist Tara Lewis.

Luke Alvez first works with the BAU as a member of what?

He arrives to hunt the serial killers who escaped in the season eleven finale.

Stephen Walker, played by Damon Gupton in season 12, transferred from which FBI unit?

He was a counterintelligence expert with about twenty years' experience.

Matt Simmons joins the BAU from which FBI unit?

That is the Beyond Borders team, led by Gary Sinise's Jack Garrett.

Derek Morgan was a police officer in which city before the FBI?

His speciality is obsessional crimes; Shemar Moore left as a regular after season 11.

Morgan's partner Savannah first appears in which season 9 episode?

She had approached him when he was depressed after a case went badly.

Who played the lead, Sam Cooper, in the spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior?

Janeane Garofalo co-starred and Kirsten Vangsness crossed over as Garcia; it lasted one season in 2011.

The Beyond Borders backdoor pilot in season 10 involves a family kidnapped on holiday where?

Gary Sinise's Jack Garrett led the International Response Team; CBS cancelled the spin-off in May 2017 after two seasons.

Which South Korean network launched a remake of Criminal Minds in 2017?

Lee Joon-gi played the Morgan equivalent, Kim Hyun-joon.

Elias Voit, the Evolution-era serial killer played by Zach Gilford, uses which alias?

He is caught at the end of season 16, and the BAU is forced to work with him the following season.

What did Criminal Minds win in 2017?

It was consistently among CBS's most-watched shows.

Who is the showrunner who confirmed the season 17 cast and killed off Strauss?

She felt Strauss's character had come full circle; season 17 filmed from January 2024 and premiered June 6.

Mandy Patinkin won a Tony for playing which role in the first Broadway production of Evita?

He later played Saul Berenson on Homeland and Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride.

Thomas Gibson earned two Golden Globe nominations for which sitcom role?

He directed two episodes of its final season in 2001.

Shemar Moore hosted which music show from 1999 to 2003?

He was its third permanent host, and he won a Daytime Emmy in 2000 for The Young and the Restless.

Matthew Gray Gubler voices which chipmunk in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films?

He also directed several Criminal Minds episodes and appeared in The Life Aquatic and 500 Days of Summer.

Joe Mantegna won a Tony as Richard Roma in the first US production of which David Mamet play?

He has also voiced Fat Tony on The Simpsons since 1991.

Paget Brewster first got noticed as which recurring character on Friends?

Chandler and Joey both fell for her in season four; Brewster later joined Community's final season.

Kirsten Vangsness was born in which California city?

She grew up in Porterville, where both her parents were teachers, and has written several Criminal Minds episodes.

Ashley Seaver, the season 6 cadet, was played by whom?

Meta Golding was JJ's maternity cover Jordan Todd, and Molly Baker played Hotch's sister-in-law Jessica.

After learning a colleague's death was faked, Reid becomes distrustful of which two team members who covered it up?

JJ was the one in Paris handing Emily her new identities.

On what colour stationery did Penelope Garcia submit her résumé to Hotch?

Garcia, offered a job instead of jail after hacking the BAU, sent Hotch her résumé on pink stationery.

Before joining the BAU, Aaron Hotchner was a prosecutor and then assigned to which FBI field office?

Hotch, a former prosecutor, was originally posted to the FBI's Seattle field office.