The series was introduced via a backdoor pilot in the Criminal Minds season 5 episode 'The Fight' (April 7, 2010), in which the original BAU team met the new Red Cell team while hunting a San Francisco serial killer.

Discussions about a possible Criminal Minds spin-off were first reported in early 2009 by Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly, and studio producer Ed Bernero confirmed that something was in the works.

The spin-off had an almost entirely new cast, with Kirsten Vangsness being the only actor to reprise her role from the original series, playing Penelope Garcia.

Richard Schiff had a recurring role as FBI Director Jack Fickler in the series.

CBS owned the American rights to the show while ABC held the international rights, mirroring the arrangement for the parent series Criminal Minds.

Due to low ratings, CBS cancelled the series on May 17, 2011, making it the first cancellation among CBS's procedural spinoffs, and CSI: NY was picked up for an eighth season in its place.

CBS released the complete series on September 6, 2011, as a four-disc 'DVD Edition' set including special features, two cast and crew episode commentaries, and the original backdoor pilot episode.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an aggregate score of 42%, with critics noting its plotlines were 'both ludicrous and predictable' and that it suffered from audience overfamiliarity with the franchise's format.