A SHOWRUNNER on Criminal Minds: Evolution has responded to fan criticism about the visual quality of Season 17.
Erica Messer admitted the team is aware of complaints that some scenes are “too dark to see” even though “the show that we’re delivering is not dark.”
“You know, I have heard [about these complaints]. You’re not the first to mention it,” she said in a new interview with TVLine. “And I’ve talked to my DP [director of photography] about it and even [people on] the technical side.”
“The show that we’re delivering, that we’re all [seeing] in the mix stage and we’re all giving the thumbs-up to, is not dark, so I don’t know what’s happening,” Erica admitted.
Fans of the gritty procedural drama have continued to flag the show’s poor lighting that makes some scenes impossible to watch, in comments on social media.
One X user wrote, “Criminal Minds evolution is too dark, every scene is nearly black & it’s a snooze fest. It’s so disappointing.”
“Is it just me or is the lighting for Criminal Minds evolution terrible?” as another comment read, “Why is it so dark?”
A third person quipped “Why is Criminal Minds Evolution so dark? I understand atmosphere, but I’d like to be able to see the actors. Are the BAU [Behavioral Analysis Unit] struggling to pay their electricity bills?”
Addressing the issue, Erica suggested it might have something to do with the video file being compressed when viewers stream the Paramount+ show on their computers.
“I know that when I watch it on my computer it’s darker, because it’s getting compressed But, “When I watch it on [TV] it’s brighter than it is on the soundstage – and it actually annoys me,” she explained.
“I thought, ‘Oh, it’s my TV, maybe there’s some setting [to adjust]….’ But no, because I watch other things on Paramount+ or Apple TV and they’re moody, exactly what they should be,” Erica noted.
She also suggested a majority of the criticism might be coming from fans who watch the show on their laptops, adding, “I know it’s dark on my computer but it’s not dark on my television.
“And I know what we’re delivering is not dark.”
Paramount+ confirmed it had ordered a third season of Criminal Minds’ Evolution revival, days before the Season 2 premiere was aired in June.
It is a continuation of the original Criminal Minds series that ran for 15 seasons until it was concluded in 2020.
Original cast members Joe Mantegna, AJ Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Ryan-James Hatanaka, Adam Rodriguez, and Paget Brewster reprised their roles for the series reboot.
The show that we’re delivering, that we’re all [seeing] in the mix stage and we’re all giving the thumbs-up to, is not dark, so I don’t know what’s happening.
Shemar Moore, who played Derek Morgan, is among the most prominent characters who have not appeared on Evolution during its two season run.
However, a minor detail in the Season 2 finale left fans convinced there’s more to his story, with several people rooting for a comeback.
Viewers were delighted to learn that Derek is still close to Penelope Garcia (played by Kirsten), the BAU’s genius technical analyst, during the episode.
At one point, Elias Voit (played by Zach Gilford) uses Penelope’s computer, when he asks her who “Chocolate Thunder” is.
Chocolate Thunder was one of Penelope’s many nicknames for Derek, who called his friend “baby girl” throughout the initial run of Criminal Minds.
The seemingly inconsequential comment confirmed that Derek and Penelope are still very much a part of each other’s lives, with fans praying for a cameo from Shemar.
In an interview with First For Women, the 54-year-old actor explained why he’s not a part of Evolution, suggesting he hasn’t been asked to return yet.
“If Criminal Minds asked me to come back, I’d go. Because you never forget where you came from. It sounds cliché and maybe cheesy, but it’s also true,” he said.