'Criminal Minds' Most Memorable Season Finales

Season finales are always the most climactic episodes of the seasons. They have the biggest build up, and give the ending a great reaction. Usually, there is great build up to it, and the unsub is one of the best of the season. Some are two-parters, and others are just 45 minutes of pure insanity and great action. Some are amazing, and others are not on the really amazing side of things, to put it lightly. Here is a list of all the season finales, ranked from the least interesting to the best done yet.

#14: Season 14 - "Truth or Dare"

Ok, 13 previous seasons, and this is what we get. Really... this episode was just dull, and then the ending was just predictable. There was no real flare to it. This spree shooter is forcing people to play truth or dare, and if they do not cooperate, then he shoots and kills them. This would have been really great in the beginning of the show, as the simplicity of it all would have fit better than 14 seasons into it. But, for the major twist of one of the last seasons' final episode to be for JJ to tell Reid that she loved him—Just why was this needed this far into the show? JJ is married with two kids, and Reid has been through hell in the later seasons with his mom, and is obviously in a very vulnerable state. This season finale should have been something exciting, and perhaps have been a lead over into the final season of the show. That would have been exciting! There were just so many things that need to be changed in this finale to place it any higher in this list.

#13: Season 1 - "Fisher King Part 1"

This was the first season finale of the show. Not saying that it was poorly done, but from what we see now, it isn't up to par. What was strange in this was the plot, and the fact that, for the first season finale, the second part of the episode was in the next season. I understand how they needed to make the end interesting because it was the beginning of the show, but it would have made things easier if the first part of the two-part finale had a bit more action to it, other than leaving it all in the second part. Yes, the ending was dramatic, with Ell being stabbed. But, really, that was the only interesting part of the episode. The rest of the time was spent just on building up the episode, with not much to show for it. The concept was great for the first finale; having this fictional persona embody the unsub was thrilling and interesting. If they could have added a little more action to the first part, the season one finale would have done a lot better.

#12: Season 6 - "Supply and Demand"

It's not that this season finale was poorly done, because the plot line and the context of the episode was great. The issue is that, just following the drama that happened with Prentiss earlier in the season, this just fell flat. You had all these action-packed episodes with Prentiss dealing with her past, and for the finale to be about a short human-trafficking ring, it just didn't live up to the those episodes. Again, this would have been a great finale without the Prentiss drama leading up to it. It was quite a suspenseful episode, and the unsub is one that is quite unexpected: a small woman who looks to be more submissive than anything. Also, things are always more exciting when there is an FBI integration with an additional unit, and adding in an undercover agent to the plot was a great addition, because it made everything more thrilling. Now, there really are not many negatives to this episode to mention, if it were any other episode besides the finale in Season 6. Any season finale would not list well after following all the drama surrounding Prentiss, unless it was just that.

#11 Season 13 - "Believer"

If this could have been switched with the Season 14 finale, that would have been great! Both would have potentially been ranked higher than what they are now. This episode was really well done though, being that it had the climactic start, middle, and partial end. Anything that involves Garcia is always more dramatic, and the fact that she tried to stop what was going on with the cult, and then gets kidnapped by them, makes it all the better. The fact that this cult even penetrated the FBI was genius and unforeseen. There was a moment when the unsub was a member of the FBI, but not like this. Here, the FBI was just a means of use, in order to be able to get into the system, and be able to work it to their advantage. This was great timing as well, considering that a lot of the season focused on a high-ranking member of the FBI trying to dismantle the BAU unit. It made it really interesting for them to show the potential for corruption in the FBI, and how one person can really make such an impact. So, with that, it was okay for a finale.

#10: Season 11 - "The Storm"

This episode started with a huge bang! Hotch, the beloved leader, and the man we all loved, was arrested by a SWAT Team as they were at Hotch's apartment. Mr. Scratch was back, and framing Hotch from what happened back in Season 10, where Mr. Scratch was first introduced. It was pretty well done. The huge frame job made Hotch look gulity for going to bomb everything. This was when the storm was started: the masterplan that was to release so many serial killers from jail, namely, to get Eric Rawdon. The entire episode was just one thrilling moment after another. It was captivating from start to end, especially, when Hotch was released from custody only to find out that Mr. Scratch, who they had just arrested, was part of the prison break that had occurred. Little did we know, this was the end of the Hotch-era, unfortunately. But leaving, with the possibility that Hotch's return still could happen was the best ending. But this season ending was well done in the fact that it had great shock value, and was entertaining from the start.

#9: Season 10 - "The Hunt"

This was the first-of-a-kind episode for the show. Never before had a member of the team had a child in danger in this fashion. Yes, Jack was in danger with the Foyet episode, but not like this. The scary part of this is that it was something very prevalent in today's world, with all the social apps out there. The lead-up to this episode was great as well; how there were little bits in other episodes leading up to the finale was genius. It made everything more anticipated. The girls getting kidnapped by a stranger who they thought was someone on the internet, and having Kate being at the center of this with her history working in the sex crimes division. How they also played it, that the girls were able to stay alive with the things that Kate had taught Meg in regards to these type of men, and how to behave around them. I thought that was great, because these are things that women need to know, really, to help protect themselves. It was a different change of pace, considering the last abduction of a team member really was back in Season 3, when Reid was abducted by an unsub. Definitely put a nice bow on the season, in regards to Kate wanting to leave the team while also focusing on her baby.

#8 Season 3 - "Lo-Fi"

Now, this episode was unexpected: another two-part season finale, with the second part going over to the following season. The difference though, was that both episodes were equally as action-packed as the other. Plus, they both slightly followed a different storyline. In this episode, the team is looking for what seem to be terrorists attacking the city of New York. At first, they look just like separate shootings, but the team notices that the M.O is all the same, and that they are really just gauging response time of the first responders. The team discovers this, and realizes that this is typically used when planning for a bomb. Which is how the season ends, leaving us in suspense, as the last moments we see are everyone getting into a black SUV, spread out across the city, and then one exploding, leaving us guessing at who it is. This episode was just done well; it seemed that there was too much in the one episode, so it made sense for there to be a second, equally as thrilling episode. All of Season 3 was very well done, and this first part of the season finale was just the icing on the cake, as it were. It also made for a smooth transition into Season 4, tying up the episodes neatly, while having the main focus different, which I liked.

#7: Season 7 - "Hit and Run"

Who would have known that JJ was such a boss mother before this episode? I'm skipping right to the end of the finale, really—but her fight scene with Lady X was amazing, and JJ totally kicked ass. I think this is worse than when they had a season finale split between two seasons, where they ended this one with such a moment of suspense. Pretty much, they had a bomb go off, and then just like that, ended the episode. No one could contain how badly they wanted to know what happened next. It was a week of torture, especially since we had no idea what happened to Will. The team was just about to enter the building, so were some dead? It was insane that they did that, but it made the next episode that much better. I liked how the unsubs—well, true unsubs—made it personal for Will and JJ, kidnapping Will, and then taking Henry hostage, basically. It made it realer, because it showed that JJ was more than just a FBI agent; she was a mother, first and foremost. The ending of this could not be more perfect. For the first time in a while, there was a joyful moment for the team, as Will and JJ finally got married. It was a great way to cap off the season, which was a great season as well. To say it was a touching ending is an understatement!

#6: Season 12 - "Red Light"

This season finale was an emotional one, as was the entire season. Reid comes face to face with the woman who framed him with murder, and it is none other than Cat Adams, back again from Season 11. The stakes of this meeting? He has to ask questions, and if he can't get it right at the end of time, then Reid's mom is killed. Talk about an intense 45-minute episode! To find out that Lindsey, who was in the show way back in Season 4, is helping Cat, was a twist no one saw coming. And then, that ending—This is how you create a good, suspenseful ending to get us excited about the upcoming season. With Morgan coming back, and Mr. Scratch being involved once again, it's quite intense. For Garcia to be hacked and everything is insane, cause it is Garcia who is super careful. It was great seeing Morgan come back; everyone misses him! Now, for the team to be in the SUV, and the last scene be the SUVs getting into a huge accident, and then that is it—that left everyone on the edge of their seats. The use of Mr. Scratch returning was great, as one of the themes throughout the entire episode was their efforts to catch him. This was a vey well-done episode, to tie up old loose-ends, and then create an exciting wait for the next season!

#5: Season 5 - "Our Darkest Hour"

The best part of this finale is the unsub: the actor who plays the Prince of Darkness does it in such a genius way. It is another lead-over episode, but the beginning gives us everything that we need to get hooked. It was hard to think how they were going to make the finale so great, as probably the best episode in the history of the show—Episode 100—is in this season. But, they did a great job with it. It was once again a two-parter, with the second part being the beginning of Season 6. Similar to "Lo-Fi," they had the episodes entirely different from each other yet related. The first episode is about the Prince of Darkness terrorizing the city of LA, with rolling blackouts going around. He would hunt in that area, killing any house he settles on. He would tie the men up, rape the women, and then kill both of them, or leave the wife alive to be tortured for the rest of her life. Then, the twist of all twists: one of victims that he leaves alive is a baby, who, in turn, becomes one of the lead detectives on the case. In a twisted theory, the unsub thinks that he is the reason that detective is who he is. The whole thing was insane and just crazy, to think that they could have almost topped episode 100. It was a great finale.

#4: Season 2 - "No Way Out Part 2"

This season finale was great, because it brought back one of the best killers in the show—Frank—and made things interesting when Gideon was blamed for the death of his friend, Sarah. You know its going to be a great episode as soon as Gideon sees Jane, Frank's lover, in the street. What was so great about this episode was not only that it involved Frank, but also that it involved past survivors from different episodes. It was almost poetic, that both Frank and Gideon went back into each other's past in order to be able to capture them. Frank getting away earlier in the season was something that never sat well. You always hoped that he would come back. And he did here, in such an incredible story. The only downside to this episode was that it basically started the story for the departure of Gideon. But for how interesting and captivating it was, it was worth it. Also, it was the first time that one of the agents was on the run. Yes, Ell had that one episode, but no one really liked her, and Morgan was arrested while Gideon remained on the loose, so it was different. It was just an intense episode, which showed us a very emotional side of Gideon that we never saw before. He usually is the calm one the team, but this time he needed others to calm him down. This season finale definitely showed the Season 1 finale what it should have been like.

#3: Season 9 - "Angels and Demons"

This double-take season finale was great. To end the episode with not one, but two of the team members potentially dying, was almost too much! The first and second episode just flowed so well together. It was so well done, and had us jumping out of our seats. Not only was Morgan shot at, but Reid was shot, and then attempted to be killed again in the hospital. One of those alone would have been good for the finale. That's probably why it was so well done; there was a flow to the episodes. Both were different, yet able to be related in the same big picture. Also, it was great that they incorporated a current topic of corrupt cops. The way that they showed how it can be so deep in the organization was so well done, how just one cop can make the entire station corrupt from its core. It was a good transition for Blake to leave as well, being that it started a while back, to hearing from her husband, requesting for her to take a new job with him, to that story she told Reid about her son. Just a sweet ending for her to leave the team. Unfortunate that she did, as she was a great fit with the team. It was just well done in the way that it almost seemed to push the team to do things that they were uncomfortable with, and at the same time, bring everyone a lot closer together after what was a very trying season of episodes. The depth behind the concept was just great, especially after following up the best season finale, from Season 8.

#2: Season 4 - "To Hell... And Back"

Still to this day, these episodes are probably some of the most disturbing storylines in the show. It is insane to even think how this episode is slightly based on a true event: a paralyzed killer and psychopath, using his mentally-challenged brother to kidnap, and kill homeless people from Detroit over to Canada, all to run experiments on them, in order to try to fix himself. Then, they dispose of the bodies by feeding them to the pigs they have on the farm. The fact that it took a marine veteran to crash into the border to attract attention is insane, and really sad actually. Derek makes a great point, that these people are people as well, and worth being looked into. There is one scene in both episodes that is the worst: when they take out all the shoes from the bin, and line them up. Over 80 pairs of shoes were found in that bin. 80 people murdered for these experiments. The episodes are just disturbing, in the best way possible somehow. And then, after all is said and done, the best lead into another season happens. Hotch is at home, and Foyet shows up. This is still better than any carry-over finale. This sets the stage for the greatest showdown between the FBI and a killer that has ever gone down.

#1: Season 8 - "The Replicator"

This was easily one of the greatest episodes, not to mention season finales, the show has ever had. To start, the backstory of the Replicator began at the start of the season, giving the most dramatic buildup for an episode we have seen to date. Secondly, they had a halfway-point episode, where it looked like they would catch him, but it turned out to be a decoy. Thirdly, he went after the entire team to start, before it seemed that he was focusing in on Blake, so everyone was just as invested. The fact that the episode before kind of led us to this moment with the death of Strauss was a great buildup, and then everything that happened afterwards was incredible. The backstory behind it all—the drama with Rossi being drugged, Blake being kidnapped, and then Rossi saving the day with Strauss's sobriety coin—was just poetic and made the episode flow so smoothly. The only thing that was wrong with this episode was that it really was not a two-parter. It was one that we did not want to end. It was nice too, that at the end, everyone sat around the table, and they were able to talk in memory about Strauss. The last time they had something like that was back in Season 7, so it was a nice touch. Regardless, it is easily one of the best finales of any show.