Shemar Moore Teases a Potential Return to the ‘Criminal Minds’ Universe

Shemar Moore is certainly, as he puts it, “busy chasing bad guys being the lead and executive producer of S.W.A.T. Exiles,” but with Criminal Minds still going as Evolution, we can’t help but wonder if we could see him as Derek Morgan once again. And so when TV Insider spoke with him about his new series (airing Fridays on Starz), we had to ask him about it.

“If Criminal Minds was to call — and years ago I went back a couple of times. I went back. I haven’t been back in a while because I’ve been busy. But if they asked Derek Morgan to come back, the answer would always be yes,” he told us. “But for right now, I’m busy trying to make sure that people understand what S.W.A.T. Exiles is, and it’s no joke.”

After all, as Moore explained, he likes to pay homage and he doesn’t “forget where [he] came from.” And so that’s why he’s returned to The Young and the Restless (below) since leaving, and he had those aforementioned Criminal Minds appearances after he exited as a series regular. (He has not been back since the series moved over to Paramount+ with Evolution.)

“Malcolm Winters ain’t dead. Derek Morgan ain’t dead. So, I’ll never forget where I came from because without one, there’s not the other. Without Young and the Restless and me finding my way as a young man and growing as a man and growing as an actor, without Young and the Restless, there’s no Criminal Minds. Without Criminal Minds, there’s no S.W.A.T. And without the noise the fans made around the world with S.W.A.T., there wouldn’t be S.W.A.T. Exiles,” he shared. “So, I’ve gone back to Young and the Restless when they’ve asked just part-time, short time, but it’s my way of saying, ‘Thank you. Thank you to my journey.'”

Would you want to see Shemar Moore back as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds: Evolution? What would you want to see if so? Let us know in the comments section below.

Criminal Minds: Evolution, Season 20, TBA, Paramount+