Warning: SPOILERS for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 3, “Time to say Goodbye.”Matthew Gray Gubler’s return as Spencer Reid was inevitable, but Criminal Minds: Evolution gave him the most heartbreaking entrance possible. For years, Reid and the rest of an elite team of profilers— among them Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (A.J. Cook), David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler)— went head-to-head with some of Criminal Minds’ most disturbing unsubs until the series finale in 2020. After it was revived as Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022, Reid was noticeably absent from the lineup of FBI agents, analysts, and consultants.
Aside from some iconic names like Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), and Reid, the Criminal Minds: Evolution cast of characters was filled with returning and new characters alike, most notably Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez), Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka), and Rebecca Wilson (Nicole Pacent). JJ’s husband, Will LaMontagne (Josh Stewart), even appeared sporadically throughout the first season. Will’s first (and final) appearance since then came in “The Zookeeper,” but JJ’s husband suddenly collapses and later dies at the end of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 2.
Matthew Gray Gubler Finally Returns As Reid In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3, Episode 3
The Reunion Is Under Less-Than-Ideal Circumstances
Will’s death was a pivotal moment for the series at large, but it was also the reason Reid returned in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3. After Emily and Penelope discuss the ornate flowers at the funeral— sent by Derek, Hotch, and Reid, respectively— the latter himself walks into the church to console JJ and her two sons. Afterward, Reid walks down the row of pews and sits with Emily, Penelope, and Rossi, the three characters he worked most closely with throughout the original 15 seasons of Criminal Minds.
Reid’s reply to JJ is his only line in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 3.
Though he makes a dramatic entrance, Reid is silent until the end of the service. The procession of well-wishers takes turns saying goodbye until it’s just JJ and Reid. JJ expresses disbelief that he’s even there, to which Reid replies “I’m always here for you guys.” Reid then ducks out, finding the BAU lingering for him by the entrance. One by one, Reid hugs his former teammates (with respectful handshakes given to Tyler and Rebecca), and they all leave for the cemetery together. When JJ is the only one left, Reid is the one to get her to walk away.
Where Reid Has Been & What He Has Been Up To
Criminal Minds: Evolution Has Been Inconsistent In Its Lore
The premiere of Criminal Minds: Evolution quickly addressed its Reid problem, with former Deputy Director Bailey (Nicholas D’Agosto) explaining how the bureau split agents up in order to solve cases more cost effectively (“Just Getting Started”). Although Emily (at the time Section Chief) pleaded for his return, Bailey insisted “if and when” Reid would return to Criminal Minds’ Behavioral Analysis Unit, it would be up to the agent himself. Later, in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, episode 7, Emily tells Jill Gideon (Felicity Huffman) that Reid is on sabbatical, meaning he was temporarily away from the FBI.
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Due to the secretive nature of Reid’s special assignment— which Bailey himself says he’s “not at liberty” to discuss— it’s safe to assume that Emily told Jill that Reid was on sabbatical because his true mission is on a need-to-know basis. Yet, the explanation for Reid’s return in “Time to say Goodbye” indicates that Emily at least knows details about his new team, since Reid’s new supervisor gave him the morning off due to previously working with JJ at the state department. Whether Reid is honing in on a single killer like the BAU and Sicarius is unclear.
Will Reid Still Return As A Regular Member Of The BAU?
It’s Unlikely But Not Impossible
”Time to say Goodbye” may have broken the seal, but that doesn’t mean Reid is coming back to Criminal Minds: Evolution as a main cast member. Within the procedural’s narrative, Reid’s special assignment is still ongoing, which implies he may be working towards a big bust for the bureau. If the series ever gives context to the secret mission, there’s a possibility that Reid will return to the BAU (or, depending on how the case turned out, he may take a real sabbatical). Unfortunately, there are real-life obstacles preventing Reid’s return.
Criminal Minds: Evolution is streaming on Paramount+.
Matthew Gray Gubler’s upcoming CBS show, a comedic crime procedural titled Einstein, is currently in development to premiere in the 2026-27 season. In it, Gubler will play the descendant of acclaimed scientist Albert Einstein, but his blasé approach to life will land him in trouble with the law and lead to him solving crimes alongside a detective. The premise, though familiar among contemporaries like High Potential, has promise. If Einstein becomes a new CBS favorite, scheduling conflicts will likely prevent Gubler from joining Criminal Minds: Evolution, even if he wanted to return as Reid full-time.
When Gubler’s Reid Might Appear Again In Criminal Minds: Evolution
“Time to say Goodbye” Was Reid’s Only Episode This Season
Of course, it’s impossible to say with complete certainty that Spencer Reid will never return to the BAU. Now that he’s appeared for the funeral, JJ may want to keep in touch with him. Criminal Minds: Evolution has been ignoring the JJ and Reid romance subplot set up by the original series and, though it would feel out of place and a little disrespectful to Will, JJ may want to move on with Reid eventually. If Criminal Minds: Evolution decides to truly let that old flame die out, JJ may simply want Reid in her life as a friend.
Reid may be approaching the end of his rope with the FBI.
It’s clear the remaining BAU members miss Reid, as evidenced by the conversation between Emily and Penelope at the funeral. Penelope is happy Reid “reached out” to text Emily, which suggests he’s been out of contact with the team for 5 years now. It seems odd that Reid would go radio silent— even if he was on another assignment— but perhaps that’s further proof that Reid may be approaching the end of his rope with the FBI. If he quits the bureau entirely, that would make for an interesting conflict in Criminal Minds: Evolution.
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Similarly, Reid may opt for something lighter duty or become an independent contractor, which could open the door to him consulting the BAU without becoming a full-fledged member again. While many would be overjoyed with Matthew Gray Gubler even occasionally guest-starring, Reid suddenly joining the fold would change everything that Evolution has established. Additionally, though Reid would undeniably change the team’s dynamic with his presence, it’s impossible to speculate whether that would be for better or worse. In any case, Criminal Minds: Evolution’s Reid problem isn’t solved yet, but it honestly may never be.
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Criminal Minds
8/10
- Release Date
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September 22, 2005
- Showrunner
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Erica Messer
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Kirsten Vangsness
Penelope Garcia
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Matthew Gray Gubler
Dr. Spencer Reid
