Warning! Spoilers ahead for Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3, Episode 8, “Tara.” Read at your own risk!
The episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution that just aired on the 2025 TV schedule was a tough one to bear, and fans had been bracing themselves for the worst. It was assumed that Aisha Tyler’s Dr. Tara Lewis was being set up for tragedy, but the end of the June 19 episode was unexpected, because Tara was shot. So, this week’s episode of one of the best shows on Paramount+, aptly named “Tara,” focused on the aftermath of that as she was in surgery and having hallucinations while convinced she was at death’s door. Now, as we look forward, I’m excited for what’s next after hearing Tyler’s comments about it all.
Since the episode was named “Tara,” it was assumed that Tyler’s beloved character would be put through the wringer, as that’s usually the case with episode titles on Criminal Minds named after characters. She was not spared, unfortunately. While in surgery, Tara dreamt of her late mother and was forced to finally process the grief surrounding her death from breast cancer.
However, it had a happy ending. After Tara survived the surgery and was discharged, she wound up proposing to Rebecca in front of the team at the BAU, telling her she was not afraid anymore.
So, amid all that, Tyler spoke to EW about how Tara will move forward from what she went through, and how the proposal was only just a sliver of how differently she’s looking at life:
It makes her feel that life is even more precious. We've learned from people who do this work for real that it's very dark and you could really sink into a fog. We ask 'em, how do you get through it? You have to seize the moment. You have to seize joy where you find it. The work is incredibly important and you're devoted to it, but you need to laugh, you need to be with friends, you need to dance, you need to drink. You need to be alive, because none of us know how long we have. And that's true of all of us.
Going through what Tara did can change a person, and her having that reconciliation with her mother and being able to process that grief that’s probably been building up inside her for years did a number on her. Now, just based on the proposal, Tara certainly seems more alive and like she doesn’t want to take any chances.
Tyler says that although she is pretty driven, she will be a lighter person moving forward:
None of us know how much time we have. I think that's very much something that she takes away from that experience. She is so driven. I love that about her. I think women apologize for ambition far too frequently. Tara does not lose that drive, but it just imbues that drive with even more value and meaning as she moves forward. She'll be a lighter person, but no less dedicated to the work.
Considering all that Tara has been through and all that the team has been through, this storyline is a testament to how precious life truly is. They’ve all been near death on more than one occasion and have had to say goodbye to people close to them; this season is certainly no different. Obviously, there will probably still be a lot of dark moments on Criminal Minds: Evolution because it is Criminal Minds, and the characters’ line of work can get pretty intense. But personally, it seems like Tara will be living life to the fullest, and I'm excited about that.
There will be a lot to look forward to on Criminal Minds: Evolution as the season continues, and following Tara’s near-death experience and proposal, who knows what will happen? Fans will have to tune in to new episodes on Thursdays with a Paramount+ subscription. All episodes of Criminal Minds are also available on the streamer.
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