The second season of Criminal Minds: Evolution premieres today on Paramount+. The police procedural follows the Behavioral Analysis Unit as they hunt down serial killers. Season two picks up as the team of profilers investigate the Gold Star mystery. Meanwhile, serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) is back after negotiating a deal that sees him transferred to local federal custody. 

This season, Voit becomes part of the case when the BAU needs information about Gold Star. According to Gilford, who spoke recently with SciFi Vision, “[Voit] uses anything he can to manipulate everyone for his own benefit.”

According to Adam Rodriguez, who plays Luke Alvez and has a confrontation with the serial killer at the beginning of the season, “Voit just knows how to push buttons.” The actor added that he’s good at eliciting reactions to get them to do what he wants. 

Another character returning this season is Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka), Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness)’s ex. The actress talked to SciFi Vision about Garcia wanting to get him out of her life and how his return is an “endless amount of annoying,” but called it a “smart theatrical device.” 

During the interview, the stars also talked about connecting with their characters. Obviously Gilford plays a murderer, so the role is dark, but it doesn’t get to him. “I don't really go to some dark place and then have to shake it off at the end of the day,” said Gilford. “Very much between action and cut…I'm messing around just being me.”

Rodriguez, on the other hand, admitted that he often wants to joke more than his character. “[T]hat's the hardest part, being as straight as Luke Alvez is all the time,” said Rodriguez. The actor added that he loves to get to banter with Vangsness in scenes, because she’s a “worthy opponent.”

Vangsness said that, like her character, she has a hard time with violence and talks very fast, however, she doesn’t know how to type.

For more, watch the full interview below and be sure to check out the first two episodes, now streaming. New episodes drop every Thursday.