It’s hair-raising, diabolical, and captivating. It’s full of mystery and suspense, with each episode leaving me teetering on the edge of my seat with goosebumps shivering up and down my arms. The popular TV series Criminal Minds has been captivating audiences since 2005, and still continues to today with its new spin-off show, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.

The original show centers around six main characters who leave on and off throughout the seasons; Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (A.J Cook), Penelepe Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), and David Rossi (Joe Mantegna). They all work for the FBI, solving crimes across the country. The crimes range from gruesome killings to overpowering sexual assaults.

In the new spin-off series, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, it stays with the same main point. But, in this show, the agents travel across the world to different countries. It stars Jack Garret (Gary Sinise), Matthew Simmons (Daniel Henney), Russ Mont (Tyler James Williams), Clara Seger (Alana de la Garza), and Mae Jarvis (Annie Funke).

Both shows have characters that really contribute to the overall impressiveness of each series. On the original Criminal Minds, my personal favorite is Derek Morgan. Where do I even begin? First of all, the fanpages cannot stop raving. Aside from his good looks, Derek Morgan is arguably one of the best and most original members of the FBI team. He has been there since the beginning and continues to impress and capture the hearts of many loyal watchers. Another one of my favorite characters is Spencer Reid. He spouts random facts that contribute to answering important cases. He also has a very technical and analytical mind that is very helpful to understanding the suspects of each case.

In Beyond Borders, one of my favorite characters is Mae Jarvis. She is the medical examiner and a special agent with the FBI’s International Response Team (IRT). Her personality is young and spunky, and she adds a lot of attitude and sass to the series.

Although both shows center around solving crimes, they also have an ulterior theme that is really relatable– friendships can be formed by spending a considerable amount of time together. I know that because I spend a lot of time at the dance studio. Because of the abundant amount of time spent at the studio, I have made really worthwhile and long-lasting friends. The same also goes for school relationships. We spend hours on end together, learning and sitting in a classroom. In both series, the characters have formed immeasurable relationships because they spend so much time together.

But before you sit down and binge watch either of these shows, know that they are sometimes disturbing and gory to watch. There are a lot of bloody scenes with violent outbursts.

Whether you watch the original Criminal Minds or the new Beyond Borders, it is bound to be a nail-biter. As an avid Netflix watcher, I would recommend both deplorable shows, because they are both captivating and completely addicting.