9 ‘Criminal Minds’ Episodes That Still Haunt Us
Some cases stay with you long after an episode ends.
Such is the case with some of the UnSubs throughout Criminal Minds‘ 15 seasons, whether they’ve been responsible for inflicting pain on one of the members of the BAU or committed such horrifying acts against their victims, you can’t help but shudder just thinking about it.
Thanks to streaming and constant episode marathons on WEtv, fans get to relive the series anytime they want. And now is a better time than any for a catch-up or a rewatch — a revival has officially been ordered at Paramount+! Wondering where to even begin? We’re looking back at some of the more memorable investigations of the procedural drama. Scroll down for TV Insider’s picks for the most haunting cases.
Criminal Minds, Streaming Now, Seasons 1-15 on Paramount+, Seasons 1-12 on Netflix, Seasons 13-15 on Hulu
"The Boogeyman" (Season 2, Episode 6)
It’s always worse when a case involves kids. It’s downright terrifying when the UnSub is a kid. The BAU traveled to a small town to investigate the murders of children, only to find out the person responsible was a child himself. They managed to intervene just in time to save his next intended victim.
"North Mammon" (Season 2, Episode 7)
This has to be up there in terms of the most horrifying episodes of the series, considering the UnSub not only made three friends choose who among them would die, but also made them commit the murder.
"Revelations" (Season 2, Episode 15)
Every Criminal Minds fan knows the name Tobias Hankel (James Van Der Beek). The UnSub abducted and tortured — and almost killed — Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler). The team could only watch the live video until Reid himself gave them clues to his location.
"Scared to Death" (Season 3, Episode 3)
Imagine being so scared of something, you turn to a psychiatrist for treatment, only for the therapist to use those fears against you? That was what the UnSub did in this episode.
"About Face" (Season 3, Episode 6)
“Have you seen me?” The UnSub put up these “Missing” posters with his victims’ faces prior to abducting them.
"100" (Season 5, Episode 9)
While this episode might not have been as scary as others, there was something so horrifying about Hotch (Thomas Gibson) being unable to do anything as he had to listen to recurring serial killer George Foyet (C. Thomas Howell) terrorize his family and kill his ex-wife Haley (Meredith Monroe). Really, it’s hard to forget any episode with the Reaper.
"200" (Season 9, Episode 14)
It’s always worse when the victim is one of the BAU, as was the case in this milestone episode. JJ (A.J. Cook) was kidnapped and tortured, and flashbacks revealed a heartbreaking secret.
"Mr. Scratch" (Season 10, Episode 21)
Peter Lewis (Bodhi Elfman) is one of the most chilling UnSubs in the whole series, but nothing is as disturbing as when he made Hotch think he’d just watched his entire team die at the end of this episode.
"Saturday" (Season 15, Episode 4)
On what was tech analyst Penelope Garcia’s (Kirsten Vangsness) day off, one of the women in her hacking competition turned to her for help with a stalker. He’d been sending her disturbing messages online, but those (including one that read “I will gut the living hell out of you”) weren’t the worst of it. As the team discovered, he’d carved a hole out in her floor and had been living under her bed!
Conversation38 Comments
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C
The one where they fed the victims to the pigs and they found the pile of shoes
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G
I have been obsessed with "100". To me it was the most gripping, heartwrenching episode of the entire 15 seasons. Thomas Gibson's emotions were right on throughout the hour. Who could watch without tears Haley breathing tearfully & with fear while talking to Hotch on the phone before The Reaper pulled the trigger? The shock and subsequent anger causing Hotch to beat the monster to death as history flashed back in his mind was so real. Then, Jack "I was working the case with you Dad." I was an emotional wreck and am drawn to watch this episode whenever it is on. Perfect!
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O
Lol why isn't the marionette one on here. Thats the only episode where I had to look away a couple of times while he dislocated them
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C
"Lucky" is my favorite episode..At the end when they discover a body had been fed to to the search party, in the Bbq..
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R
Mosley Lane still gets me right in the nightmare button.
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C
Riding the Lightning still leaves me sobbing at the end.
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G
Seven seconds, a shade of gray, bloodline, into the woods, foundation, gabby, boxed in, and the boys of sudworth place. It’s the kidnapping ones that are disturbing for me.
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G
that episode made me sick to my stomach... when they found out she was in the food, oh god
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R
What season?
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G
Season 9 episode 14 Rabid. Broke my heart. Having a son similar age and just as sweet made it hard to watch. Plenty others tugged heartstrings but that one and the one were Dr Reid lost his 'girlfriend' while watching helplessly. Was another one. I have a huge soft spot for Reid. Matthew G.G plays him perfectly. Although he is too old to be in my son"s age-group his innocence and worldliness naivety makes him seem so much younger and vulnerable than he is.
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C
the episode corazon gave me odd vibes like i feel like i could watch it 100 times and not get bored
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G
100 is the hardeset for me to watch, Hope is another one. This show was brilliant and 100 times better than any other crime drama out there, period.
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O
The one with the satanic killer guy right?
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C
I stopped watching the show after that, for a while... That really left me scarred "To Hell... And Back"
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P
"Mr. Scratch" was bonkers in the best way possible. I remember the internet fandom going nuts that night. As for the Reaper, I'd say his introduction episode, "Omnivore" ranks right up there. That scene with him on the bus...*Shudders*
Good list in general-certainly can't argue with these picks.
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G
I loved Frank just as much as scratch and the reaper... Carradine was sooo good in it oplaying that cool but psychotic guy
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C
Yeah Frank was kind of sexy..
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G
I live in Boston and never take the #7 bus after seeing that scene, gave me nightmares hahaha but yes Omnivore is my favorite episode ever from any season!
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G
That one was horrifying omg
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O
the scariest episode to me was "fate" for some reason
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G
Happened in New Orleans right after Katrina.
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O
Some of the actors return later on
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R
Oh my goodness! I forgot about that one. That could be so true to life that I prefer to eat my own cooking or that of another family members I don't do that type of eating out anymore not since I saw that show
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R
15-4 wasn't about the lady it was about a boyfriend I remember that very distinctly. But that was really scary the guy sleeping and living under their bed
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O
My two favorite episodes of Criminal Minds are Omnivore with the reaper and Ashes and Dust where the unsub was an arsonist that killed whole families.
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O
Oh DEFINITELY one of the best
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G
The one where the little boy killed his little brother and sat there eating chips like it was nothing, and the one with the mentally challenged adult brother was taking away the senses of his victims, including his niece.
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O
'Angels' and 'Demons' was great too. So was 'Rite of Passage' where that creep was beheading immigrants. That was disturbing.
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O
I like that one but I liked the following episode, 'Penelope' better.
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G
s3 ep8
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G
this episode was brilliant i remember turning to my bf who was eating chilli at the time and just saying be careful what you eat 🤣
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G
Also from childhoods hours and p911!
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R
Oh with out a doubt the reaper episodes were the best I mean come on pony boy that evil the final one were Hotch is on the phone with Hayley is so frightening and so sad imagine a killer in your house with your wife and kid and your on the phone with her and can't get there on time absolutely heart breaking and terrifying criminal minds was the best show on untill they started to get rid of the good ones then I quit watching .
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O
Oh my gosh you should look up William Pickton. He was a Canadian serial killer but I really don't want to spoil the rest for you.
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B
hope is the one episode that haunted me the most ( season 7 episode 8 )
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C
S3 E2 "In Name and Blood" still has me sobbing every time; Gideon left, Haley left, and Strauss pissed me off to no end
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G
Rightttttt
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C
100 and the beginning of Slave Of Duty made me sob
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