Zach Gilford Talks Making His Directorial Debut in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 17

On June 6, Paramount+ will release the first two episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 17, a continuation of one of the longest-running crime shows on television. The show concluded with season 15 on CBS but was quickly revealed to be in development during the pandemic. The show gained so much popularity when people were watching from home that it introduced an entirely new audience to the franchise. Season 16 of Evolution debuted in November of 2022 on Paramount+ with most of the original cast, minus Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney as SSA’s Dr. Spencer Reid and Matthew Simmons, respectively.

In anticipation of the newest season, Comicbook spoke with the cast all about what season 17 has to offer. As is tradition with the cast, many of them will return to the directors chair this season — including AJ Cook and Aisha Tyler who directed episodes two and seven. A new face is set to take on the chair this season, though, and that’s Zach Gilford who plays serial killer Elias Voit.

“Yeah, no, it was my directorial debut. Every one of my cast members who directed before were so open and helpful and held my hand through it,” Gilford told Comicbook when asked if he’d be making his directorial debut this season. “I shadowed Doug, the director of the opening episode. I just talked to so many directors that I’ve worked with in the past just because I kind of — I didn’t want to fail. And I worked my ass off, it was so fun. And like these guys, I mean, it’s very intimidating directing the first time and having scenes of Joe Mantegna and Felicity Huffman. But yeah, everyone was just so kind and I learned so much. I think I’m gonna be such a better actor because of it. But it was exciting, it was one of the most exciting times I’ve had in awhile.”

In the wake of last season’s shocking finale which saw Voit get taken into custody by the FBI and a mysterious figure stepping into the room to speak to him, season 17 picks up as the FBI’s elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of Gold Star. Per the synopsis, “As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU’s own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.”

Stay tuned to Comicbook for more on season 17 of Criminal Minds: Evolution.