Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episodes 1 and 2 Review: Now and Then / Cluster
While it’s exciting to have Criminal Minds: Evolution back with a slight time jump, Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 1, “Now and Then,” and Episode 2, “Cluster,” continue to fall short of what fans are used to. The excitement that once kept us coming back doesn’t feel the same as the seasons progress, and we continue to be tied to Voit’s storyline.
As the first episode begins, the case the team will work on is introduced with the perfect amount of fear, tension, and adrenaline that we always got when watching the OG Criminal Minds. For a slight moment, we are taken back to a time when episodes focused solely on one (or two) offenders each week, giving the team room to showcase their expertise.
And while we do get a different unsub every episode (at least so far), it all keeps coming back to Voit. It’s as if the BAU no longer existed without Voit’s presence, and, to be honest, it’s getting quite old.
In the same way that Rossi is avoiding a book deal because he doesn’t want to keep talking about Voit, and Prentiss is avoiding a true-crime project, some viewers would like to avoid the Voit storyline altogether. Even though it was interesting at first, it feels like it’s run its course.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 is trying to renew his character by having Voit work with Tara. However, these scenes don’t reveal anything different or new. We know who Voit is because everything has been put on the table already, so why are we still trying to explore this?
His reaction to Brian Garrity’s podcast and the way he confronts him is proof that Voit isn’t really going to change. He might have forgotten a few things, and he might try to be “good,” but the core of who he is is still very much a sociopath.
This is proved further now that we see the tables have turned, and Voit is the one seeing Rossi everywhere he goes. He is using Rossi as the devil on his shoulder, but lying to himself and pretending it’s an angel. The only reason he sees Rossi is to confront the truth: he is planning to escape prison.
Sadly, not even a prison escape would make this storyline interesting again. It’s time for other unsubs to take center stage.
Despite the repetitive Voit storyline, there are a few things the first episodes have done to remind us why viewers keep coming back to this show. The first one is JJ and the boys.
Watching them slowly put the pieces of their lives back together after Will’s death is exactly what fans want. We have loved this family for over a decade, so it’s only fair that they get their time onscreen to show us how they are dealing with everything. The move is a big step for all three of them, and hopefully, this will continue to be explored.
The second one is Penelope. Garcia continues to have the best one-liners on the show, always bringing joy, sarcasm, and humor to an otherwise extremely dark show.
The third one is the cognitive interview. Every time the team does this, they can exploit their skills to the fullest, and it’s actually incredible. These interviews are the perfect combination of questioning, memories, feelings, flashbacks, and clues that lead to inevitably catching the unsub. They are the core of the BAU.
When the show focuses on the storylines of its core characters, it works better. As Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 2, “Cluster,” gives us glimpses of Luke’s personal life, we are reminded of how much we care about these characters.
Watching Luke struggle over the loss of something or someone that hasn’t yet been revealed keeps us engaged with the episode. Finally discovering that he lost Roxy and he’s been dealing with this grief is heartbreaking. Nevertheless, it is a way for viewers to continue connecting with characters they’ve known for many years.
Hopefully, the rest of the season will remember that focusing solely on Voit isn’t what fans signed up for.
What did you think of this episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Criminal Minds: Evolution airs Thursdays at 3/2 am on Paramount+.
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature known as a Media Relations Expert. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Eulalie Magazine, Geek Girl Authority, W Spotlight, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.