The Best Episodes of Criminal Minds Season 18

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   7.3/10(450 votes)

   #1 - Swimmer's Calculus

   S18:E15/8/2025

   When bodies wash up on the Maryland shoreline, the BAU races to find the UnSub. After surviving a prison attack, Elias Voit has been placed in a medically induced coma while Rossi is investigated for the incident.

   Director:Bethany Rooney

   Writer:Breen Frazier

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   Director:Bethany Rooney

   Writer:Breen Frazier
2. 

   6.9/10(491 votes)

   #2 - The Zookeeper

   S18:E25/15/2025

   Voit awakens from his coma. The team finds videos from a dormant Sicarius Network killer called "The Zookeeper" indicating that the network has reactivated. With Voit still in recovery, the BAU must tackle this reawakened network on their own.

   Director:Aisha Tyler

   Writer:Christopher Barbour

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   Director:Aisha Tyler

   Writer:Christopher Barbour
3. 

   8.2/10(816 votes)

   #3 - Time to Say Goodbye

   S18:E35/22/2025

   Rossi and Lewis enlist the help of Ramona, Voit's sole survivor, to help unlock Voit's memory. JJ and the team say goodbye to Will.

   Director:Joe Mantegna

   Writer:Erica Messer

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   Director:Joe Mantegna

   Writer:Erica Messer
4. 

   7.5/10(378 votes)

   #4 - I'm Fine, It's Fine. Everything Is Fine

   S18:E45/29/2025

   While the team works an organ harvesting case, Voit's recovery process leads him to suspect he is more likely a prisoner than victim. JJ finds a cryptic video posted to the BAU-Gate website of a masked UnSub that could be connected to Voit's network.

   Director:Anthony Vietro

   Writer:Jayne A. Archer

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   Director:Anthony Vietro

   Writer:Jayne A. Archer
5. 

   7.4/10(370 votes)

   #5 - The Brutal Man

   S18:E56/5/2025

   JJ works with Dr. Ochoa to help Voit process the truth about his violent past, and tells him that one of his followers has a message from a mysterious unsub who appears to be organizing the remaining members of Voit's serial killer network.

   Director:Nelson McCormick

   Writer:Sullivan Fitzgerald

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   Director:Nelson McCormick

   Writer:Sullivan Fitzgerald
6. 

   7.5/10(318 votes)

   #6 - Hell Is Empty…

   S18:E66/12/2025

   The team investigates a network killer who buries his victims alive, and Tara confronts Rebecca's ex who has recently re-entered her life. Ronald Graber delivers a message from his Disciple to Voit.

   Director:Jackeline Tejada

   Writer:Charles Dewey

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   Director:Jackeline Tejada

   Writer:Charles Dewey
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7. 

   7.7/10(329 votes)

   #7 - …All the Devils are Here

   S18:E76/19/2025

   Network UnSubs torture and kill hostages as Voit works with the BAU to stop them. Rebecca's ex, Evan Delray, is appointed Voit's new liaison.

   Director:A. J. Cook

   Writer:Carlton Gillespie

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   Director:A. J. Cook

   Writer:Carlton Gillespie
8. 

   5.8/10(493 votes)

   #8 - Tara

   S18:E86/26/2025

   When the team works to hunt down the person who shot Tara, they discover "The Disciple" deliberately had them chasing their tails. While undergoing critical surgery, Tara gets to the root of her relationship issues.

   Director:Sharat Raju

   Writer:Chikodili Agwuna

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   Director:Sharat Raju

   Writer:Chikodili Agwuna
9. 

   7.6/10(277 votes)

   #9 - CollateRal

   S18:E97/3/2025

   The team inches closer to uncovering the identity of "The Disciple", someone they believe is linked to Voit's past, but Voit's unpredictable behavior puts their progress in jeopardy.

   Director:Douglas Aarniokoski

   Writer:Breen Frazier

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   Director:Douglas Aarniokoski

   Writer:Breen Frazier
10. 

    7.1/10(291 votes)

    #10 - The Disciple

    S18:E107/10/2025

    After Voit and Ochoa are kidnapped by "The Disciple", the team races to find them. While in The Disciple's custody, Voit wrestles with keeping the monster inside him at bay.

    Director:Glenn Kershaw

    Writer:Christopher Barbour

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    Director:Glenn Kershaw

    Writer:Christopher Barbour