"Criminal Minds" stars on longevity of "creepy" series

Stars on the longevity of "Criminal Minds"

Eleven seasons and counting... That's a lot of crime solving.

"Criminal Minds" -- now in its 11th season -- is heating up with a whole new set of crimes to pick away at and solve. This week, the Behavioral Analysis Unit heads to Las Vegas, New Mexico, straight to the location where three restaurant employees were found dead in a presumed robbery and homicide case.

In addition to upping the crime ante, the show is delving deeper into the characters' personal lives this season.

Joe Mantegna, who also portrays David Rossi in the series, told CBS News, "I think the fans, after going on 11 years now -- they deserve that. In other words, if they've invested this much time in a program, it's not just because they like to see crimes get solved. They've grown an attachment to these characters, you know. So we'll hopefully give them a little insight little more insight into all of them."

Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, Shemar Moore as Derek Morgan and Joe Mantegna as David Rossi in "Criminal Minds." CBS

Mantegna first appeared on "Criminal Minds" in 2007, joining a cast that already included Shemar Moore, who has played Derek Morgan since show's start in 2005.

"It's a very creepy, freaky show. But there's a consciousness to it, there's a heart to it. You learn a lot by watching this show. The bad guy gets his or her due. But you also understand what happened to these people, so there's a little bit of compassion involved. So there's all these colors to it," Moore said. "I think the reason it's had staying power I always said that we were the little train that could. And we didn't necessarily know what it was gonna be the first season. I won't say it's the best show on television, but what I will say, it's it's one of a kind...And it's a very smart show," he added.

For more from Mantegna and Moore, check out the video above.

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