Criminal Minds: Evolution's Villain Actor Reveals Why Second-To-Last Episode Will Be 'Really Fun' For Viewers

zach gilford as elias on criminal minds: evolution.
(Image credit: Paramount+)

The Behavioral Analysis Unit has been back and better than ever on Paramount+’s Criminal Minds: Evolution and the season has included some things that weren’t done in the original series. One of those things is the fact that there is a season-long UnSub centering around one big case. Friday Night Lights alum Zach Gilford portrays the show’s villain, and he’s revealing what fans can expect in the final episodes of Season 16. 

Criminal Minds: Evolution only has 10 episodes, but with episodes being longer now on Paramount+, there’s still a lot of stories that can fit in a given season. Zach Gilford recently told TVLine that the second-to-last episode is going to be really fun for viewers:

You can tell you’re getting to the end [of the season] because everything’s starting to kind of potentially unravel” in that penultimate episode. People start making decisions they wouldn’t normally make, that I think will surprise the audience but also surprise these characters.

It’s always entertaining to see storylines like the ones done on Criminal Minds come to a close as the cases wrap up and all the pieces are put together. With the storyline involving Elias and the serial killer network taking up the whole season, it’s been really building up to the climax. It seems like fans will be in for quite the ride, and how it all ends will definitely be interesting.

Knowing who the UnSub is and what he’s been doing has been a bit different than what fans are used to, and it’s been a roller coaster. With the way things are going to go down in the penultimate episode, I can only imagine what the finale is going to be like. Now I need them both.

Meanwhile, there are always surprises around every corner, and you never know what could happen. After the premiere episode discussed where Reid and Simmons are, showrunner Erica Messer revealed that fans will be getting more information on the two later in the season, which plays a significant part in the storyline. While it currently looks like Matthew Gray Gubler or Daniel Henney will not be returning, there’s always a possibility in the future. 

Criminal Minds: Evolution is more disturbing than the original series, with more curse words than ever. Making the jump from network to streaming is always intriguing, especially since there’s more that they can include, both story-wise and in general. Criminal Minds: Evolution was a long time coming, and fans were definitely in need of more BAU, however, they get it.

The ninth episode is supposed to premiere on February 2, meaning that there is still a good month to go before everything really starts to unravel for the serial killer network. When new episodes return, though, the team will likely be even closer to cracking the case and figuring out who the mastermind behind it all is.

Don’t miss the return of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Thursday, January 12. All you need to watch it is a Paramount+ subscription. Also, check out the 2023 TV schedule to see what else is premiering this year.

Megan Behnke
Freelance TV News Writer

Passionate writer. Obsessed with anything and everything entertainment, specifically movies and television. Can get easily attached to fictional characters.