Matthew Gray Gubler on ‘Criminal Minds’ Return in ‘Evolution’: ‘It’s a Joy to Get to Tell Stories With People You Love’
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 3 “Time to Say Goodbye.”]
While Criminal Minds: Evolution might be in the middle of a painful arc for JJ (A.J. Cook) right now — her husband Will (Josh Stewart) died suddenly — it did feature the return of a very welcome, very familiar face in the Thursday, May 22, episode: Matthew Gray Gubler as Dr. Spencer Reid.
As the team rallied around JJ and did whatever they could to comfort her (though she was trying to keep it together up until she broke during the eulogy), the show revealed that teammates who had left, like Hotch, Morgan, and Reid had sent flowers. And it was then that Reid showed up in person to be there for JJ, going first to her and her sons for a hug, then joining the rest of his former team in the pews. After, JJ remarked that she couldn’t believe he was there, and he told her, “I’m always here for you guys.” He was also the last one to stand at Will’s graveside with JJ after her husband was buried.
“It’s a joy to get to tell stories with people you love so I will always cherish any moment, big or small, that I get to hug my Criminal Minds family or slip back into my dear friend Spencer’s oversized wingtips,” Matthew Gray Gubler said in a statement obtained by TV Insider.
Though Gubler’s Reid had still been with the BAU when Criminal Minds wrapped its original run, he did not reprise his role when Evolution premiered. Showrunner Erica Messer explained that was due to scheduling. That will likely remain the case, with his new CBS drama Einstein coming as part of the 2026-2027 season.
When we spoke with A.J. Cook about this episode, she said that the very little dialogue between JJ and Reid “was by choice. They didn’t need a monologue. They didn’t need a bunch of dialogue. It’s all in looks. And when we were in the conception phase of this episode, Erica and I — it would feel like something major was missing if we didn’t have Spence, it just would. It would feel weird not having him there.”
She shared that she called Gubler and explained what was happening. “He was just like, ‘Are you kidding me? Of course I’ll be there,’ like a true friend does. You show up in those moments. And we were so lucky to get him back. And yes, it was a brief moment, but it was so impactful and it felt so great having him there, just kind of felt like a homecoming. And my kids love Matthew and Matthew’s like my third kid. It was pretty cute. Seeing him back on set with everybody, it was pretty special.”
What did you think of Matthew Gray Gubler’s return? Let us know in the comments section below.
Criminal Minds: Evolution, Thursdays, Paramount+
Conversation29 Comments
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I bawled like a baby when the camera panned to Spence standing in the church! I love this character, and was so disappointed his scenes were so short. I realize it was a solemn reunion, but I still missed his laugh and talkative manner. Great episode, but hated that he was there one minute, and gone the next. I reran his scenes several times, and will do the same today. Crazy, I know.
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I think….I know Matthew was writing books and doing his thing but …much as I love every actor in Criminal Minds, it’s always less than without him. He was a giant piece in the show and it’s just not the same without him
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It was awesome to see Spencer. I have missed his character so much. He was one of a kind and made the show so much more interesting. I hope we get to see him again in criminal minds if only as a guest. No one can replace the character he played. No one.
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I was surprised and as soon as I saw him is when I started crying. The moment I saw saw him my hands went over my mouth and I said "Spence" and just cried. I wish SO MUCH he would rejoin the team!!! I love him dearly,❣️❣️
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That's it. Come on. We want Spencer Reid back for good. That scene felt more like a goodbye from him. We want the super-smart Spencer back in more episodes, please. It's not the same without him. Without his in-depth conversations about facts only he knows. He would have already undone that Elias.
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Criminal minds just isn't the same without him..it hurts my heart
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I haven’t been able to watch any more since season 15 because they broke my heart. I’ve wanted Spence and JJ together since season 1!! So if there’s a chance they will get together now, then I will binge the show and become the number one fan again!!
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It was so great to see Spence be there for JJ. It would not have been right if Spencer did not show for the funeral given how much he cared for JJ and loves her kids and he cared for Will. Sad that he will not appear in anymore episodes, happy he has a new series of his own.
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I would have appreciated a lot more of Dr. Spencer Reid and a lot less of that boring Unsub, Volt (or whatever his name is).
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I think his return was great and badly needed!! I for one am so upset about Will's death and Spencer being gone, I'm ready to just quit watching. It's not the same without Spencer...
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I wish Spencer would come back full time. The show is not the same without him
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Opens the door for JJ and Reid to get together!
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Please no. They're best as friends, since JJ would often roll her eyes or cut him down with jokes over the years whenever he'd impart info that interested him. How did you not notice?
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YEEEESSSSSSS!!!!! I will be THE biggest fan if they do that!! 😍
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I want want JJ & Reid to finally be a romantic couple! I've watched the show since it's inception and they have chemistry.
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TBH criminal minds evolution isn't quite the same caliber as the original criminal minds simply because of the missing Spencer Reid. They really need to step up their game and put him back in the show!
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He's the only reason I watch. So, it sounds like I can skip Criminal Minds Evolution.
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I think Reid needs to be on the show it's not the same with out him cause i think he makes the show so that is my opinion
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Bring him back. The show is not the same without him.
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Bring back Spencer Reid - he was the glue.
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Would like to see Spence back full time. I always enjoyed Spence and AJ together. It's a great team, but a lot better with him! To be honest- I could not wait to watch "Time to say Good By" and have rewatched this episode 2 additional times.
Would be nice to have him back on a regular basis - let's hope things work out for him and all Criminal Mind fans!!
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I would have appreciated a lot more of Dr. Spencer Reid and a lot less of that boring Unsub, Volt (Voit or whatever his name is).
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I would love to have Spencer back. He was one of my favorites. I always thought him and JJ should have been together. I’m really hoping he comes back full time
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I miss Spencer, he was a XL part of the show....for me....I wish they would bring him back. This thing with Voight I am done watching can't stand the long drawn out episodes , if you are going to pay another regular bring Spencer back and get rid of Tara's lover.....BUT that ist going to happen. I will just continue n ue to watch the OGCM.
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Did you miss the episode where she admitted to him that she always loved him and another where they talked about when in the beginning he thought he was going on a date with her? They always loved each other. It’s nothing new.
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And i cried my eyes out when he left i watched it from the beginning till the end i am a great fan of criminal minds and criminal minds evolution
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Please bring back Spencer full time.. I miss him not being in the show.
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Back 25 years ago when cable started rolling out their own content, but I hated the short 8-12 episode seasons but now I see the wisdom in it. The network 24 episode seasons likely wear everyone out, and you see that with aging shows where people leave to pursue everything from other work projects and family. I believe these short seasons help allieve those issues. Plus network TV mixes new with repeats while cable/streaming release the series with reruns.
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