Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) is an original cast member of the hit show Criminal Minds but was missing from Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 when the revival finally landed. Gubler began playing Dr. Reid in Criminal Minds season 1 and continued to play the character until the show ended following Criminal Minds season 15 in 2020. When Criminal Minds: Evolution, the reboot, aired in 2022, Dr. Spencer Reid was noticeably absent.
Along with SSA Jennifer Jareau (A.J. Cook) and Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia (Kristen Vangsness), Gubler is the only consistent cast member who has appeared since Criminal Minds since season 1. Audiences certainly felt Dr. Reid’s absence, but Gubler’s absence from Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 was not by choice. Scheduling conflicts prevented Matthew Gray Gubler from reprising his role as Dr. Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1.
How Spencer Reid Can Return To Criminal Minds
During Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1, Dr. Spencer Reid was mentioned more than once. Though the character did not appear on the show during season 1, his BAU colleagues mentioned him more than a few times. Dr. Reid’s absence was blamed on a different case. When the BAU team came back together in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 episode 1, Reid’s character could not leave the case on which he was working to join his old team.
During Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, writers can possibly bring Dr. Spencer Reid back into the mix without much effort. Writers can explain his return as possible because the case he was working on is now solved. The options for Reid’s return are endless, so a return during season 2 is possible. Gubler did explain that he would have loved to return to Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1 had his work schedule allowed him to.
Why Spencer Reid Needs To Return To Criminal Minds
The reason Spencer Reid needs to return to Criminal Minds: Evolution is complex but also quite simple. Simply put, Reid was always a favorite character. Dubbed “The Boy Genius,” Reid’s mind works quickly and methodically, and he can put together pieces of the puzzle that others on his team cannot see without Reid’s particular brand of genius. The character was an integral part of the original series, which explains why Dr. Spencer Reid is a character viewers notice missing during the reboot.
However, Spencer Reid is also an integral part of the BAU. Reid’s talent is unique, but he also works well with his team. Dr. Spencer Reid is highly respected in his field, and his 15-year storyline on Criminal Minds was always flawlessly written. Complex and interesting, Spencer Reid is a character who should return to Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 because of his large fanbase but also because the character is an integral part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit and his team misses him.
Follow Us
