Another season of Criminal Minds: Evolution has come and gone. The third season of this iteration of the franchise (and the 18th season overall) wrapped up amid the 2025 TV schedule just last week. During the season, fans were treated to surprises, heartbreak, cameos and nerve-wracking storylines. While it’s time to look forward to the fourth season of Evolution, the show’s newest cast member, Aimee Garcia, is fondly looking back at her time on set, and I am loving all the BTS content she's sharing in the process.
The Lucifer alum joined the Criminal Minds revival last fall in the role of Dr. Julia Ochoa, a neuropsychiatrist who is assigned to Voit as he was recovering from his brain trauma. Ochoa proved to be a formidable asset when it came to understanding the serial killer, who had amnesia, and she nearly got herself killed over it. In celebration of Evolution’s Season 3 finale, Garcia took to her Instagram this week to share a series of behind-the-scenes photos and videos from throughout her time filming, and they’re pretty great:
Considering Criminal Minds is usually dark and filled with despair and scary moments and cliffhangers, it’s nice to see a much lighter-looking atmosphere off camera. Garcia's photos show plenty of smiling faces, and they provide a glimpse into her unique experiences on set. What's particularly awesome is that the actress is a self-professed fan of the franchise so, for her, working on the show was seemingly a dream come true.
I'm definitely living vicariously through Aimee Garcia right now. At this point, it’s unknown if she’ll return for Season 4. However, given that Dr. Ochoa was still alive by the end of the third season, I'd say there's at least a chance that she could reappear.
Paramount+ renewed Criminal Minds: Evolution for Season 4 before Season 3 even premiered, and production officially kicked off in May. A BTS picture confirmed the returning cast, with everyone on the BAU accounted for. At least, those who have been appearing regularly on the revival, which is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.
As for guest stars, that subject remains somewhat murky. Showrunner Erica Messer got real about landing guest stars, noting how difficult it can be to make actors' schedules work, which I totally understand.
A premiere date for Season 4 of Evolution has not been released, and, since productions still appears to be ongoing, it might be a while until that is revealed. With that, I'm hoping that the wait for new episodes is ultimately worth it. In the meantime, I'm down for even more BTS content from Garcia and/or the rest of her castmates.
While waiting for Season 4, fans can catch up on the first three seasons of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount+, along with all 15 seasons of Criminal Minds’ original run. The franchise's darker elements may give some viewers pause. However, if you become overwhelmed while watching, just keep Aimee Garcia's lighthearted photos and clips in mind.
