Summary
Recent news about Paramount+‘sCriminal Minds: Evolution(2022–) makes fan-favorite character Spencer Reid’s (Matthew Gray Gubler) return even more likely. A continuation of the originalCriminal Minds, which aired from 2005 to 2020 on network television,Evolutionserves as the sixteenth season of the once-canceled series. Unlike the franchise’s two incredibly short-lived spin-off series,Criminal Minds: Suspect BehaviorandCriminal Minds: Beyond Borders,Evolutioncenters on many of the original show’s long-standing criminal profilerswho work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).
With just a few exceptions,Criminal Minds: Evolutionretained the cast of charactersmost central to the series, including David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Jennifer Jareau (A.J. Cook), Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez), and Dr. Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler). Notably, two key cast members didn’t joinEvolution’s first season: Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan and Gubler’s Spencer Reid. WithShemar Moore leadingS.W.A.T., hisCriminal Mindsreturnis more complicated. On the other hand,Gubler’s genius FBI profiler has a more plausible avenue for aCriminal Minds: Evolutionreturn.
Criminal Minds: Evolution’s Season 3 Renewal Makes A Spencer Reid Return More Likely
Matthew Gray Gubler & Evolution’s Showrunners Remain Open To The Idea
Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2 began airing on August 12, 2025, and will continue its slim 10-episode run through August 1. While the reappearance of Ryan-James Hatanaka’sTyler Green makes Reid’s BAU return less likelyin the sophomore outing, a recent series update provides a more hopeful outlook. Continuing its impressive run,Criminal Minds: Evolutionwas renewed for season 3, and whileMatthew Gray Gubler has yet to comment on a potential third-season return, the very fact thatEvolutionis continuing increases the odds of viewers seeing Spencer Reid reunite with his BAU pals.
Criminal Minds: Every Episode Matthew Gray Gubler Directed, Ranked
Matthew Gray Gubler hasn’t returned for the Criminal Minds reboot. However, fans can still appreciate the several episodes he directed.
Confirmation of Evolution’s third outing keeps hope alive for Spencer’s eventual comeback.
If Matthew Gray Gubler’s Spencer Reid was going to return forCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 2, the news probably would have come out by now. Unless a surprise Reid appearance is Hollywood’s most well-kept secret, confirmation ofEvolution’s third outing keeps hope alive for Spencer’s eventual comeback. After all, the fan-favorite actor is open to the idea, with scheduling conflicts cited as the key reason Reid hasn’t returned for the beloved series’ sixteenth and seventeenth seasons. However,the longerEvolutioncontinues, the more inevitableReid’s return toCriminal Mindsbecomes.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Accomplishes An Impossible Task After 19 Years (& It Isn’t Good)
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 does something for the first time in its over 19 years of history, and unfortunately, it isn’t a good thing.
How Matthew Gray Gubler Could Return As Reid In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3
Evolution Has Already Set Up Spencer Reid’s Return To The BAU
In the finale of the original run ofCriminal Minds, Reid suffers from intracranial bleeding, causing him to hallucinate. While his condition is touch-and-go for a while, the genius profiler eventually makes a full recovery. Although the character has been notably absent from Paramount+’s continuation of the show,Criminal Minds: Evolutionhinted at Spencer Reid’s return. In “Just Getting Started,“Deputy Director Bailey (Nicholas D’Agosto) reveals that Reid and fellow agent Matthew Simmons (Daniel Henney) are on classified assignments, adding that the characters' decisions to return to the BAU rests solely in their hands.
New episodes ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionwill be released on Thursdays on Paramount+ through June 16, 2025.
Criminal Minds: Evolution
InCriminal Minds: Evolution, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
