Special Agents Jason Gideon and Aaron Hotchner head up the FBI's most elite profiling team - experts in analyzing criminal minds. Each team member has their specialty. There's Elle Greenaway, who has a background in sexual offences; Derek Morgan, who focuses on obsessional crimes; Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid the smart-but-socially-challenged genius; and Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, the rookie. With each mind-blowing case, they put their lives on the line as they match wits with the most ruthless criminals on earth.

The first season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005 and ended May 10, 2006.

The second season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 20, 2006 and ended May 16, 2007. Lola Glaudini left the show after six episodes, and was replaced by Paget Brewster two episodes later. Having been a guest star for Season 1, Kirsten Vangsness was finally promoted to series regular, coming last in the opening titles after A. J. Cook.

The third season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 26, 2007 and ended May 21, 2008. The third season was originally to have featured 25 episodes; however, only 13 were completed due to the Writers Guild of America strike. Seven more episodes were produced after the strike, bringing the total number of episodes to 20 for the third season. Mandy Patinkin wanted to leave the series, since he loathed the violent nature of it. He was replaced by Joe Mantegna several episodes later.

The fifth season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 23, 2009 and ended May 26, 2010. Episode 18 was a pilot episode for the spin-off series Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.

The sixth season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 22, 2010 and ended May 18, 2011. A.J. Cook appeared as a series regular for two episodes, and as a special guest star in two episodes, due to contract negotiations. Paget Brewster was a regular for eighteen episodes, but returned in the seventh season premiere. Rachel Nichols appeared as a guest star for two episodes and was then promoted as a regular, but departed after the season finale. The opening sequence was changed as of this season, more sound and visual effects were added as well as the theme song itself being amplified, an electric guitar playing being added.

The seventh season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS in the United States on September 21, 2011. On February 15, 2012, Deadline.com reported that Paget Brewster, who plays Emily Prentiss on the show, would leave Criminal Minds, definitively, once the seventh season was over. All other main actors on the show have secured deals to return for an eighth season. The two-hour season 7 finale, which took place on May 16, 2012, revealed Prentiss making the decision to leave the BAU. On March 14, 2012, CBS renewed Criminal Minds for an eighth season, which aired on September 26, 2012.

The eighth season of Criminal Minds premiered on CBS on September 26, 2012. The series was officially renewed for an eighth season on March 14, 2012. In Canada, the eighth season airs one day earlier on CTV than on CBS in the United States.

The ninth season of Criminal Minds will premiere on CBS and CTV, on September 25, 2013. The series was officially renewed for a ninth season on May 9, 2013. It's rumored that Season 9 will contain 22 episodes with the 200th episode being the 12th episode of the season. This new season is said to reveal more on the past of Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau. "We're going to use the serendipitous gift of Season 6 to explain with flashbacks what happened when she was working for the Pentagon and why she came back as a much tougher character. I've never had a chance to flex my acting muscles like this on the show!" said A. J. Cook.

Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyse the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next move before they strike again.