I’ll preface by saying that, here at Fangirlish, we’re fans of a lot of things, and Criminal Minds (and Criminal Minds: Evolution!) is one of those things. So, if I had to choose how people go into this episode of the show, I’d say watch the show first! Or, at least, the new spinoff. There’s no better way to have the background than, well… have the background!
But of course, this show is on Season 19. Criminal Minds had 15 seasons, back when it aired on CBS. And Criminal Minds: Evolution is on its fourth season. So I understand that’s a lot of TV to consume to watch Connor Storrie’s debut on the show. So, considering what we know of his character and his arc, I’m going to do everyone a solid and recap what you need to know if you just want (or have no choice) but to jump into his episode blind.
What Is Criminal Minds: Evolution?
Criminal Minds: Evolution is the continuation of the original police procedural, which spawned 15 seasons. The revival once again brings back members of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) to hunt down highly complex networks of serial killers.
The show stars returning fan-favorite characters such as David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), JJ Jareau (A.J. Cook), Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez).
What’s Connor’s Storyline on Criminal Minds: Evolution?
We don’t know for sure yet, but we know enough. The name of his character is Lance Kingston, and we see him in the trailer during an interrogation scene with Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (A.J. Cook), a scene that has now been released as a sneak peek and that is as captivating as it is disturbing. There’s also another concerning shot of what looks to be him screaming, while tied up somewhere.
He also features in one of the episode stills, or at least a picture of him does! In the still, we see Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Dr. Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), and Elias Voit (Zach Gilford), with Voit having what looks to be a file on Kingston, Connor’s character, in front of him. Plus, Vulture released a couple of new stills that make it clear Kingston is getting kidnapped and tortured, probably by the season’s “big bad.”
That, and what the showrunners said about Connor’s role, calling him “a charming narcissist with a deep sense of entitlement” is enough to not just make us excited, but to make it clear that Kingston’s storyline will have something to do with Voit. And this season, the team is after a Voit copycat. So, why is Voit’s copycat after Kingston? Does he know something worth torturing him for? Or is he just another victim? Both are possible, but to understand what comes next, we have to understand… well, Elias Voit.
Who is Elias Voit on Criminal Minds?
Voit is the connecting thread for the last few seasons of this show. But who is Elias Voit, and what do you need to know about him?
When we first met Voit, in Season 16, he was a seemingly benign family man. Well, a seemingly benign family man who was also a prolific serial killer and ran a dark-web network of serial killers. So, basically, just a psychopath who controlled other psychopaths! Then, of course, the BAU caught him. Game over, right? Nope. In Season 17, Voit was still around, this time helping the BAU dismantle his network of serial killers.
Then, at the end of that season, he was attacked and beaten by the other inmates in jail. Game over? Think again. In Season 18, we find that Voit’s head injury leads to not just amnesia, but a return of his conscience. Yes, they hit him so hard that the empathy center of his brain started working again.
What does that mean? Well, remorse. And a redemption arc that saw him help bring down the killer network he’d built.
That takes us to now, with Voit in federal prison and seeking redemption. Yup, you read that right. He even goes on a podcast to try to convince true-crime enthusiasts that he isn’t a hero anyone should try to emulate. Except, you know, someone is trying to emulate him! And, well, there’s also the fact that this is still a man who did really evil things. Should we take his change at face value?
Where Does Connor Storrie’s Character Fit Into This?
We don’t know, but if Emily and Tara are talking to Voit about him, the character is sure to have some ties to Voit’s copycat. We can probably rule out his actually being the copycat, though this show does like its twists. But, considering the pictures of him tied up and the shot of the trailer of him screaming, there’s likely someone else involved. But why kidnap Kingston and not kill him right away? Maybe he does have a connection to this copycat killer? Or maybe he knows something or has something the killer needs?
Could he become an unsub after being subjected to torture?
Either way, we’ll be seeing Connor Storrie‘s first episode this week, but that won’t be the last we’ll see of him. He’s also set to appear in Episodes 5, 6, and 9. And now that you understand the Voit of it all, hopefully, you can make up your own theories about what exactly his character will be up to and how it all ties to this season’s endgame.
Are There Any Pictures of Connor on the Show?
Yes, we now have some pictures! Here they are:
Watching ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ For Connor Storrie? Here’s What You Need to Know
New episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution are available to stream on Paramount+ on Thursdays.
