‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Star Compares Show’s Cancellation to a ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ Moment

Few television franchises can claim a run as long as this one. The series originally culminated after its 15th season on February 19, 2020, and it was revived and re-titled ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ for its next chapter. Fans got comfortable with the idea that the Behavioral Analysis Unit would always find a way back.

That comfort got a jolt this week. ‘Criminal Minds’ ended its CBS run in 2020 after 15 seasons, but was reborn two years later on streamer Paramount+, and the revival kept delivering for the platform. ‘Criminal Minds’ has been a hit on Paramount+ and one of the most-streamed shows of 2026, per TVLine, which makes the news land even harder.

The franchise will end with its upcoming 20th season, the fifth for the Paramount+ revival series. The season is set to premiere in 2027, though no date has been announced. The cast has been responding publicly, and Variety rounded up the reactions from A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster, Kirsten Vangsness and more.

Vangsness, who plays Penelope Garcia, offered the most memorable response. In a video she shared on Instagram, she said the show is being canceled, then reached for a movie reference to explain how she felt. Her take, as the post shown in the screenshot highlights, compared the moment to the part in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ where Charlie gets the chocolate.

She called the moment bittersweet, comparing it to the scene where Charlie is grateful for the chocolate despite what he is losing. She also pointed out how long the show lasted, saying that kind of longevity doesn’t happen ever. It is a gracious framing for news that clearly stung.

The timing added to the sting. Vangsness revealed that she learned about the cancellation just 90 minutes before the announcement became public. She also revealed in the video’s comments that the cast learned the news at the same time as fans, a detail that has bothered followers who assumed the cast had time to prepare.

Other cast members turned to social media as well. Cook shared a cast photo on her Instagram Stories with a message saying these people own her heart forever and always, and Aisha Tyler described the cast as family for life. Variety’s headline, meanwhile, used the phrase ‘Rest in Peace’ to capture the mood of the reactions.

Vangsness was also quick to leave the door open. She noted that showrunner Erica Messer believes there are many more stories to tell, and that if the team gets to keep telling them somewhere, that would be amazing. Plus, ‘Criminal Minds’ was resurrected once, so it’s always possible it could get the same treatment in the future.

Messer, for her part, struck a reflective tone. She said it’s hard to put into words what ‘Criminal Minds’ has meant to everyone who has been part of the journey, first on CBS for 15 seasons and then on Paramount+ for 5. The cancellation also carries some historic weight, since it marks the first cancellation under the Paramount/Skydance merger.

For now, the focus shifts to the final run of episodes. Season 20 stars Joe Mantegna, Adam Rodriguez, Paget Brewster, Vangsness, Cook, Tyler and RJ Hatanaka, so the core team is set to go out together. Whether the BAU finds a new home elsewhere remains to be seen, but fans have already shown they won’t let this franchise go quietly.