In an interview with Deadline, "Criminal Minds: Evolution" showrunner Erica Messer was asked about the lengths of the episodes. She pointed out that the episodes on Paramount+ are closer to 53 minutes, roughly 10 minutes longer than the "Criminal Minds" episodes that aired on CBS.
Asked about whether the extended runtime per episode posed any additional challenges, Messer said it was quite the opposite. She elaborated that the shooting times, number of pages per episode script, and total number of scenes have remained unchanged in the jump from CBS to Paramount+.
The increased runtime, however, means that the episodes don't have to be edited as harshly. Messer said that the added runtime allows for the scenes to breathe, letting the show linger in the emotional moments, as well as the horrific ones, to strengthen their impact. The basics of creating each episode, however, remained the same from the show's initial run.
"I feel like our directors cuts are really getting to live in a way that they couldn't before because we couldn't air all 53 minutes," Messer concluded.
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There was one notable change made to the show, however; Messer addressed the swearing that has appeared in "Criminal Minds: Evolution," which was not permitted on CBS. She noted that swearing felt more organic to the characters, given what they were experiencing. She added, however, that she didn't want the show to sound or look different, which meant walking a tricky balance with both the swearing and the display of violence.
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