The Biggest Similarity Between Criminal Minds And The Blacklist

Crime drama continues to be a popular television category, with shows like "Criminal Minds" staying relevant even after the show's end in 2020. "Criminal Minds" follows a team of special agents who work for the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit as they profile, hunt, and put some of the most dangerous criminals behind bars. Other shows, like "The Blacklist," which came out in 2013, have achieved similar popularity with their take on what it is like to track down some of the world's most wanted.

Given that both "Criminal Minds" and "The Blacklist" are police procedural thrillers, some similarities are unavoidable. Both shows may be crime dramas, but they are actually worlds apart when it comes to things like plot and delivery. Each series features its unique form of creativity, character arcs, and thrilling storylines. Yet one reason why "Criminal Minds" and "The Blacklist" are so popular is because of their storyline's involvement with a notorious government agency. 

Both "Criminal Minds" and "The Blacklist" feature main characters with the profession of FBI profiler. In "Criminal Minds," the entire team is made up of highly experienced, trained, and intelligent criminal profilers who learn what makes their suspect tick in order to alert the local authorities as to what kind of person they're looking for.

In contrast, at the beginning of "The Blacklist," Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) has just graduated from the academy and is eager to begin her career as an FBI profiler. Her skills get put to the test as she ends up working primarily with the task force due to the interference of criminal mastermind Raymond "Red" Reddington (James Spader).

The two shows are entirely different from each other as far as the storylines go. "Criminal Minds" has a new case every episode that a trained team of agents study to determine what type of person or persons could be responsible for such a heinous crime. "The Blacklist" uses a more personal approach, focusing on following Agent Keen as she tracks down the world's top criminals while being fed information from Red, who mysteriously claims that he plays a larger role in her life. With his sly direction, Agent Keen can slowly learn more about her past. 

Differences aside, both Keen and the team over at the BAU are intensely focused on trying to get into the mind of the killer so they can track them down and lock them up.