The Criminal Minds revival has cast Zach Gilford in a season-long arc, according to a Paramount+ press release. The character description suggests that he will play not only an UnSub but the mastermind of multiple UnSubs. Gilford's villain is called "the greatest threat" the elite team of criminal profilers has ever faced in 15 seasons and counting. While his casting may come across as a bizarre choice, it's actually brilliant because Gilford is still best known for his wholesome role on NBC's Friday Night Lights. The two roles' stark juxtaposition allows Gilford to act against type.
The press release describes Gilford's character Elias Voit as "an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers." Voit could not be more different from Friday Night Lights' Matt Saracen. Where Matt led with kindness and love, this UnSub operates from the opposite. The calculating nature of a criminal UnSub would never have crossed Matt's mind, even in his darkest moments. That contrast gives Criminal Minds fans something to get excited about.
Gilford appeared as Matt throughout Friday Night Lights' run, tracking the character's journey from Dillon High School to the Art Institute of Chicago. The character was a wide receiver and quarterback for the Dillon Panthers, fell in love with Julie Taylor and looked after his grandmother Lorraine, who had dementia. In Season 1, Episode 9, "Full Hearts," Matt pretended to be his deceased grandfather and sang to Lorraine when she locked herself in a closet. It's challenging to envision Voit behaving like that without selfish motives.
Gilford delivered one of his best performances on the series in Season 2, Episode 14, "Leave No One Behind," when Matt painfully admitted to Coach Taylor that he thinks there's something wrong with him because everyone leaves him. Another heavy episode for Gilford was Season 4, Episode 5, "The Son," in which Matt's father died. Gilford showcased an impressive range of talent in Matt's complex emotions about his father and their complicated relationship. While the plots of Friday Night Lights and Criminal Minds: Evolution differ, the show is a fine example of what the actor is capable of -- and how much he'll be playing against type.
But Gilford has a few more recent projects with content more similar to the hit procedural. Recently, Gilford delivered a standout performance as Riley Flynn in Netflix's Midnight Mass, which served as a great representation of vampires as horrific creatures. He will also appear in Mike Flanagan's upcoming horror series The Midnight Club.
Zach Gilford's resume exemplifies an ability to deliver the multi-faceted performance required to challenge the returning members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit (which will not include Jeanne Tripplehorn as Alex Blake). Voit and the UnSubs he leads will have to stand among the ranks of intriguing yet terrifying villains that Criminal Minds acquired over its long run, such Cat Adams, Mr. Scratch and The Reaper. Criminal Minds: Evolution is poised to top that high bar with Gilford's casting, which signals the revival will be the darkest season yet.
Criminal Minds: Evolution is expected to premiere in 2023.