15 Best Criminal Minds Episodes, Ranked

“Criminal Minds,” which ran for fifteen seasons as a procedural juggernaut for CBS, follows the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI, whose job it is to profile, identify, and capture serial offenders (mostly serial killers) throughout the United States. Despite being canceled in 2020, the show returned in the form of a streaming-exclusive continuation called “Criminal Minds: Evolution,” which is running to this day. Over 350 episodes of “Criminal Minds” have aired, which means there are a fair few great ones, many bad ones, and a lot that sit right in the middle. “Criminal Minds” fans have strong opinions about which episodes are the worst, but the mandate of this piece is to unearth the episodes that shine most brightly as examples of the show firing on all cylinders.

It’s important to note that there are many great episodes that didn’t quite make this ranking: We built this list by balancing an episode’s story and short-term impact with long-term character growth. Ultimately, there are no episodes beyond Season 11 that feel essential to the show or the characters, with the most impactful and emotionally resonant stories taking place in the earlier seasons. We want to give a special shoutout to Penelope Garcia’s (Kirsten Vangsness) best episode, Season 4’s “House on Fire,” which didn’t make the list but is still a great watch. But if “House on Fire” didn’t make the cut, then what did? These are the 15 best episodes of “Criminal Minds.”

People have always tuned in to “Criminal Minds” out of love for the characters and because they’re interested in the many fascinating tales of abnormal humanity told in each episode. Season 8’s “The Lesson” is a prime example of what makes the show so absorbing. This episode brings body horror to cable when a serial killer begins churning out victims that are found with their bodies broken into compact sizes. Brad Dourif plays killer Adam Rain, and some fans think his scenes went too far. He’s focused and mission-oriented, detached from the extremely disturbing pain he’s inflicting on his victims, and the episode provides some of the most grotesque imagery in the entire show. Let’s just say you’ll never think about marionettes the same way again.

Season 7’s “Painless” isn’t the most action-packed episode, as much of it revolves around a decade-old school shooting. However, it quickly evolves into a gripping watch that, at the time, felt like unexplored territory for the show. The twist is what makes “Painless” such a memorable entry, but the writers also do an incredible job of painting the unsub (BAU speak for suspect, short for “unknown subject”) as a nuanced individual, which didn’t go unnoticed by fans. The episode ultimately poses interesting questions about school shootings and the way people deal with immediate trauma and fame simultaneously. It’s one of only a small handful of school-based crimes the team ever investigates, and that makes it even more special.

“Criminal Minds” has a long history of memorable guest stars, but few can hold a candle to Mark Hamill, whose unsub John Curtis adopts the moniker The Replicator for an extended arc in Season 8. He is a copycat of multiple unsubs, a skilled former agent, and a man out for revenge against the FBI and Erin Strauss (Jayne Atkinson), the BAU section chief but who once worked with Curtis on a domestic bioterrorism case. Strauss, a cutthroat careerist in her younger years, blamed Curtis and another agent for the case’s disastrous mishandling, preserving her career at their expense. In the Season 8 finale, Curtis finally makes a move against Strauss, and the tale that unfolds makes for one of the greatest “Criminal Minds” episodes ever made.

“Son of the Mask” star Jamie Kennedy is nearly unrecognizable as the chillingly serene unsub Floyd Feylinn Ferell in Season 3’s “Lucky.” The episode takes place in rural Florida and follows the team as they try to locate a young woman who recently went missing while walking a trail. They have to reckon with the deeply ingrained religious ways of a small, southern community, one that is ill-equipped to process the kind of evil that has taken root there. “Lucky” offers one of the most gruesome crimes ever depicted on “Criminal Minds” (which is really saying something), but it’s the episode’s ending reveal — perfectly staged amidst what should be a victorious moment — that makes it unforgettable.

Season 2’s “North Mammon” involves easily one of the most psychologically disturbing crimes in the whole show. The episode finds the BAU in North Mammon, Pennsylvania, where three high school senior soccer girls have gone missing. Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (played by A.J. Cook, who took it hard when the original “Criminal Minds” ended) was once a senior high school soccer player herself growing up in middle Pennsylvania, so the case feels almost personal for her. They have their work cut out for them in tracking down the abductor, who tells the three girls that they must choose which one of them he will kill. The ending of “North Mammon” is very much bittersweet, a memorable finale that lives long in the memory and perfectly caps off one of the best-ever episodes.

Matthew Gray Gubler’s BAU Supervisory Special Agent Spencer Reid has seen his fair share of tragedy in “Criminal Minds,” but “Elephant’s Memory” puts him through a different kind of pain as an empathizing observer. The episode follows the BAU as they attempt to track and apprehend a spree killer in rural Texas. That killer is Owen Savage (Cody Kasch), a sensitive young man who has been beaten down by the world and those around him. Though he never resorted to violence as an outlet for his frustrations, Spencer sees himself in Owen, understanding how desperation drove him to take action against the many abusive forces in his life. Fearing that it will all end with suicide by cop, Spencer does what he can to prevent more death. It’s a great story and Gubler brings his A-game to this unforgettable episode.

“A Beautiful Disaster” was a farewell episode for Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan, who was beloved by fans for his desire to protect his friends. It marked his last episode as a series regular and it’s one of the most uplifting send-offs the show has ever given. But that’s not the only reason “A Beautiful Disaster,” which sees an unsub target the BAU, makes our list. The episode is action-heavy, highlighting the parts of the show where Moore has always excelled, and it’s well-written, reminding viewers that our favorite analysts are open to retaliation from the unsubs they profile. Derek chooses to pursue another kind of life at the end of this episode, and while it was disappointing for fans to see him go, the fact that he went out with such a memorable episode lessened the blow.

Mr. Scratch is one of a small number of unsubs that has made multiple appearances in “Criminal Minds.” Season 10, Episode 21 is his eponymous debut, an episode that finds the BAU investigating first-hand accounts from victims who claim that a hallucinatory figure forced them to murder their loved ones. The figure is Mr. Scratch, not a hallucination but an adopted persona belonging to mathematical genius Peter Lewis (Bodhi Elfman), who wants revenge on a group of adults who wrongly accused his father of inappropriate behavior in their group home as children. When it was proven that Lewis’ father (who gets murdered in prison by other inmates for victimizing children) was falsely accused, he became Mr. Scratch. Note: this is the only episode on the list that includes Jennifer Love Hewitt’s polarizing team member Agent Kate Callahan.

The employees of the show’s fictional BAU suffer from a high rate of personal attacks from vengeful unsubs (just one of many things in “Criminal Minds” that audiences can’t help but question), but Spencer has experienced a level of tragedy that is unmatched by any of his co-workers. In “Zugzwang,” Spencer realizes that his girlfriend — who he’s never been able to meet in person thanks to an aggressive stalker who has been plaguing her for a long time — is missing, so he asks for help from the team to find her. They do find her, but they don’t arrive in time to prevent her death. There’s a great twist that keeps the episode interesting, though it doesn’t distract from Spencer’s trauma. Of all of his many wounds, Maeve’s passing is by far the most difficult to stomach for fans, but it makes for one of the most emotionally impactful episodes of the series.

By now we’ve established that Spencer Reid experiences the most tragedy out of every main character on “Criminal Minds.” He also happens to be one of the most popular characters on the show, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that an episode where Spencer gets to have some fun ranks high on this list. “Somebody’s Watching” follows the BAU in Los Angeles as they investigate stalking and threats made against an up-and-coming actress named Lila Archer, played by a young Amber Heard. While the premise is simple (many procedurals have delivered episodes about stalkers and their victims), “Criminal Minds” offers interesting insight into the impact such crimes have on the mental health of the victim. Heard delivers a great performance as a promising ingénue in danger, and Matthew Gray Gubler plays Spencer’s crush on her with sweetness and depth.

It’s easy to forget that the BAU team is not led by Joe Mantegna’s David Rossi in Season 1 and Season 2 of “Criminal Minds,” but by Mandy Patinkin’s Jason Gideon. He wasn’t a main character for long — Patinkin’s desire to pursue other projects led to Gideon’s departure from “Criminal Minds” — but while he was on the series he brought his signature brand of soft-spoken gravitas. Patinkin played Gideon like a highly sensitive man desperate to protect the innocent from the world’s evils, and the character made an impression in the first two seasons.

Patinkin’s best episode is Season 1’s “Riding the Lightning,” which follows the BAU as they attempt to extract information from a narcissistic serial killer with a penchant for young blonde women. The episode is at its best when Gideon attempts to connect with the killer’s wife-turned-convicted accomplice, Sarah Jean (Jeannetta Arnette). Gideon believes there’s more to the story and that Sarah Jean displays too much remorse and sorrow to have truly committed the crimes for which she was convicted. It’s a complex episode with a satisfying conclusion.

There are a few actors in Hollywood who have such an interesting, off-kilter screen presence that it would be a waste not to see them play an unhinged psychopath at least once in their career. Aubrey Plaza is one of those actors, and while she’s definitely played more than one psychopath, the only time she’s ever played a serial killer is in “Criminal Minds.” Plaza’s killer — a serial contract murderer named Cat Adams — debuts on the show in Season 11’s “Entropy,” in which she engages Spencer Reid in an uncomfortable and intimate game of cat-and-mouse.

Spencer has both an eidetic memory and the kind of intelligent heart that comes from a life spent trying to understand why people are the way they are. He is her ultimate and most worthy intellectual opponent, and it’s not difficult to see why she is drawn to him. “Entropy” is not Cat’s only appearance on the show, but it is her best. Every appearance afterward shows a Cat who is more and more obsessed with Spencer. It becomes uncomfortable to watch eventually, but this one episode stands above the rest. It’s a must-watch entry, not only for “Criminal Minds” fans, but for anyone who loves Aubrey Plaza.

C. Thomas Howell’s George Foyet — aka The Boston Reaper — is one of the most prominent unsubs in the history of “Criminal Minds.” His introduction comes in the Season 4 episode “Omnivore,” which sees Hotch go on a life-altering journey after a serial killer he once hoped to apprehend becomes active again. The Reaper targets the U.S. Marshal assigned to protect Hotch’s ex-wife, Haley (Meredith Monroe), and his son, Jack (Cade Owens), stealing his cell phone and contacting Haley. He pretends to be a Marshal and gains access to her home, where one of the most shocking endings in the history of “Criminal Minds” episodes takes place. “Omnivore” is one of those rare world-building episodes of a procedural where the team isn’t just working on a new case of the week, and it’s definitely one that’s likely to produce some tears, as the best “Criminal Minds” episodes do.

In Season 2’s “Jones,” the BAU team make their way to New Orleans, a city still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, that’s not all the residents have to deal with — a Jack the Ripper-style serial killer was terrorizing New Orleans’ French Quarter before Katrina hit, and now they’re back to claim more victims. The BAU connects with a local officer named Will (Josh Stewart) who has followed in his father’s footsteps to become a detective in New Orleans.

“Jones” is filled with seeds and blooms. We see the start of JJ’s romance with Will, who will eventually become her husband and the father of her children. We also see the start of Emily’s setting aside of politeness and embracing of truthful engagement with her co-workers at the risk of friction. We also see Spencer come to terms with his forced addiction. On top of the episode’s universe-building, it also has a heartbreaking weekly plot, one that approaches sexual violence with more nuance than usual.

When “Criminal Minds” began, the BAU was made up of four male profilers and two support agents. They had a tech expert in Penelope Garcia and a local law enforcement and family liaison in Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, and they also introduced a fifth profiler named Elle Greenaway (Lola Glaudini), but her time on the show was limited. However, almost as soon as Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) entered the show in Season 2, narratives began to gravitate toward her. Her slowly unravelled origin story comes to a head in Season 6, Episode 18, and it makes for the best episode of “Criminal Minds” ever. “Lauren” revisits the titular character during her time undercover as a part of an international terrorist’s inner circle.

“Criminal Minds” tends to ret-con character backgrounds with abandon (to the annoyance of fans), but Prentiss’ time as Lauren feels earned and is sold very well by Paget Brewster, who is fantastic in the role. Despite the fact that she later vanished from the show for a good chunk of time for a number of reasons (here’s why Brewster left “Criminal Minds,” if you want to know more), fans continued to adore her, and that adoration led to her comeback as a series regular: Emily returned to the fold, not just as a member of the team, but as its new leader following Hotch’s exit. However, her best ever episode — and the best in the history of the show — is “Lauren.”