Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has Emily Prentiss break Spencer Reid’s seven-year record but in the most annoying way possible. The Behavioral Analysis Unit’s (BAU) work in figuring out the mystery of Gold Star continues. Somehow, however, the case has just gotten so much more complicated due to other things happening with the team. For starters, JJ Jarreau grapples with the discovery that there’s a fake AI site that posts fake compromising photos and videos of her. Dave Rossi continues to be haunted by Elias Voit, while Penelope Garcia struggles with her relationship with Tyler Green.
All these make focusing on the Gold Star case difficult. It doesn’t help that once again, the FBI higher-ups aren’t exactly supportive of the BAU despite its solid track record for decades. Unfortunately, being understaffed is also playing a role in all of this. Since coming back as a revival on Paramount+, the Criminal Minds: Evolution cast is missing a couple of profilers in Daniel Henney’s Matt Simmons and fan-favorite, Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid. Despite the BAU’s golden boy’s absence, the reboot is able to include elements that are reminiscent of him, including Prentiss’ latest arc.
Prentiss Has Her Mugshot Taken In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2
Reid’s Mugshot Was Taken In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 12 After Getting Arrested In Mexico
In Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 4, “Kingdom of the Blind,” Prentiss is arrested after the returning CBS villain, Brian Garrity, framed her for assaulting him during their second parking lot reunion. Despite the BAU’s insistence, not having any identification on her made it easier for the police to take her to the precinct and book her there. With that comes Prentiss’ mugshot being taken — something that a BAU member hasn’t experienced since Reid was framed for murder in Mexico by the conniving Cat Adams all the way back in 2017 in Criminal Minds season 12.
Why Prentiss’ Musghot Story Is So Disappointing After Reid’s Mexico Storyline
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Missed A Compelling Storytelling Chance
While Criminal Minds: Evolution is essentially a continuation of the CBS show, its move to Paramount+ comes with a host of changes. Among the big ones is that being on streaming allows the show for darker and gorier storytelling. That said, instead of an elaborate storyline, Prentiss’ mugshot happens because a conspirator somehow tricked her into helping him. A few hours later, Prentiss is out after her one phone call to Rossi. The whole arc pales in comparison to what the original Criminal Minds did when Reid was framed for a crime and had his mugshot taken.
The idea of targeting Prentiss would have been a great storytelling launching pad, especially as she directly deals with a conspirator like Brian, who seems to have just gotten worse since he was last on Criminal Minds. However, if there’s someone out there manipulating him, it would have been better if Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 is able to draw out the storyline by putting Prentiss in a position where she fights more serious charges the same way that Reid did in the original project. Instead, this arc is now likely to just be a blip in the reboot’s lore.