'Criminal Minds' Season 14 Premiere Photos Released

By Michael Hein

The Criminal Minds season premiere is less than a month away, and newly released photos show what fans can expect this year.

Criminal Minds is entering its 14th season this fall. It is bringing back the entire cast of the previous season -- Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Matthew Gray Gubler (Spencer Reid), A.J. Cook (Jennifer "JJ" Jareau), Kristen Vangsness (Penelope Garcia), Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lews), Daniel Henney (Matt Simmons), Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez) and Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss).

The upcoming season premiere is particularly special as it will also mark the series' 300th total episode. Written by Erica Messer and directed by Glenn Kershaw, it is titled simply "300." CBS has already released a brief synopsis of the episode.

"When Reid and Garcia are abducted by Benjamin Merva (Michael Hogan), it's up to the rest of the team to find them," it reads. "The BAU finds surprising clues in their own history to solve why the two heroes have been targeted by a mass murderer. It's a race to save them before a "Believers" prophecy is fulfilled."

Criminal Minds season 14 premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. Here is an early look at the debut episode.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

The team does not appear to have missed a beat as they get back to work this year, working to rescue their teammates from a known serial killer.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

Both Aisha Tyler and Paget Brewster are back this year. Tyler first joined the cast in season 11, while Brewster has been on and off the show in various capacities since season 2.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

Emily Prentiss has been plagued by self-doubt over the years, especially among the elite team in the BAU. However, with two of their lives on the line, she appears ready for the challenges ahead this season.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

Mantegna has been portraying Rossi on Criminal Minds since 2007, and is referred to as the "founding father of the BAU."

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

This will be Emily Prentiss' third season as unit chief, adding to the weight of her responsibility over Merva's abductions.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

Benjamin Merva was introduced in season 13 as both a serial killer and a powerful cult leader. He is known for strangling victims in front of a crowd of devotees, then removing their hyoid bones.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

It is clear that season 14 will not be short on action, as plenty of shots show the cast geared up in bullet proof vests and other tactical equipment.

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(Photo: CBS / Cliff Lipson)

While the entire team may be out in the field as soon as the season premiere, there is no telling what they will find. Merva's motivations are still something of a mystery, and finding their co-workers in time will undoubtedly be a challenge.

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