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Criminal Minds has been intriguing audiences for 15 seasons. The storylines of this procedural drama are known for being gruesome and disturbing and pushing the envelope for what’s acceptable on the primetime air. Now that a reboot is coming to a streaming platform, fans wonder if these episodes will be even more violent. 

There are laws dictating what can be shown on TV

The Federal Communication Commission dictates what can and cannot be shown on broadcast TV and radio. One thing that definitely cannot be shown is obscene, indecent, and profane content. 

According to the FCC, in a 1964 Supreme Court case, Justice Peter Stewart said, about obscene content, “I know it when I see it.” That statement still dictates what is allowed on TV to this day. Complaints from the general viewing population can determine what is allowed to be shown. 

It is important to understand what the terms obscene, indecent, and profane mean: 

  • Obscene: What is defined as obscene must meet a three-part test established by the Supreme Court. Content must “appeal to an average person’s prurient interest; depict or describe sexual content in a ‘patently offensive’ way; and, taken as a whole, lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”
  • Indecent: Content shows sexual or excretory organs or activities in an offensive way. Anything deemed indecent does not meet the three-part test of obscene. 
  • Profane: Content includes “grossly offensive” language. 

These definitions are important because the nature of questionable material can determine when it is allowed to be aired. For example, indecent and profane content can be shown between 6 am and 10 pm. They can also be shown on subscription services. However, obscene material, which is not protected by the First Amendment, is prohibited at all times of the day and night on cable, broadcast, and satellite TV. 

‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ will be darker, says one actor 

Joe Mantegna of 'Criminal Minds' with moderator Matt Forte discussing the future of the show at Build Studio
Joe Mantegna of ‘Criminal Minds’ | Jim Spellman/Getty Images

The reboot, Criminal Minds: Evolution, aired on Paramount+ on Thanksgiving Day, 2022. 

According to MSN, Joe Mantegna says the reboot will be more disturbing than the original series. The 10-episode show will tell the story of the well-known Behavioral Analysis Unit, or BAU, chasing down a network of unsubs created during the pandemic. The team dispersed after the end of the original series but is forced to come together to solve this new slew of heinous crimes. 

Criminal Minds never shied away from the gory and unsavory parts of crimes. It did not hesitate to fully show the victim and the true nature of the crime. Now, Criminal Minds: Evolution may be even gorier and more disturbing thanks to the show moving from network TV to the subscription-based streaming platform. This gives the show more creative licenses. Actors can use inappropriate words they couldn’t in the previous show, and the crime scenes can be more graphic. 

Some ‘Criminal Minds’ episodes were more disturbing than others 

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When fans of Criminal Minds discuss the long 15-year run, there are a few episodes that stand out as the most disturbing. Do you remember these episodes? 

  • “North Mammon” (Season 2, Episode 7): The unsub kidnaps three friends and puts them in a basement, where he makes them choose who will die so the other two can live. 
  • “Revelations” (Season 2, Episode 15): This episode is tough to watch because it involves Dr. Spencer Reid being kidnapped, drugged, and tortured. The BAU team is forced to watch on a video feed. 
  • “About Face” (Season 3, Episode 6): The unsub terrorizes his victims by posting “Missing” flyers of them before he abducts and kills them. 
  • “Lucky” (Season 3, Episode 8): The BAU chases down a psychotic and cannibalistic killer who serves the remains of previous victims to his current victim. The killer also serves a stew of one of the victims to the search party searching for her. 
  • “The Lesson” (Season 8, Episode): The unsub wakes up from being in a coma and reverts to a childlike state. He abducts his victims, changes their appearances by dislocating their joints, and then hangs them up to create a marionette show.
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