Reid’s Whereabouts In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Revealed By Show Boss

Summary Spencer Reid's absence in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 is due to scheduling conflicts, but the door is open for his return.

Showrunner Erica Messer confirms Reid and Simmons are working on separate cases while the BAU is chasing down Gold Star.

Reid's Criminal Minds: Evolution mystery case offers creative opportunities for storytelling, potentially leading to a dramatic return to the team.

Showrunner Erica Messer confirms Spencer Reid's whereabouts during the events of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2. Despite Matthew Gray Gubler's intention to reprise his breakout role in the Paramount+ series, he is confirmed to not appear in its upcoming run. There were conflicts about the real reason for the actor's not returning as a member of the core cast of Criminal Minds: Evolution, but ultimately, his continued absence was due to scheduling conflicts. Naturally, the police procedural needs to offer an explanation as to why Reid still has yet to rejoin the BAU.

Ahead of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2's premiere, Messer doesn't wait to confirm where Reid is when the hunt for Gold Star resumes. In a new interview with TV Line, the long-time showrunner of the project reveals that Reid and fellow BAU absentee, Matt Simmons, will still be working on their separate cases, as previously revealed by the late Deputy Director Bailey. Read her full quote below:

When we did the season math, Season 16 was really only about six weeks’ worth of story, and now only two more weeks have gone by, so those guys are still doing what they’re doing.

Will Reid Finally Reunite With The BAU In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3?

Assuming That Paramount+ Will Renew Criminal Minds: Evolution For A Third Season

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With both sides clearly wanting to reunite Reid with the BAU, the door will remain open for Gubler's much-awaited return. It won't happen in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, but assuming that the series gets picked for a third year, there is no doubt that Messer will reach out to the actor again to arrange his potential debut in the Paramount+ revival. Keeping Reid's desk intact in the FBI office will make it fairly easy to reincorporate the fan-favorite character back into Emily Prentiss' team. The same goes for Simmons once Daniel Henney is also clear to come back.

If Messer and her writers want to make Reid's return more interesting, they can craft their next mystery surrounding his absence from the team. When Deputy Director Bailey revealed that the BAU's boy genius was working on a classified case, Criminal Minds: Evolution gave itself the creative opportunity to craft a new storyline that could pave the way for Reid's reunion with his long-time team. There is no scarcity of options when it comes to this matter. The revival can even mine storytelling inspiration from the BAU's long history in the original CBS series.

Related Spencer Reid's Return Is More Unattainable After Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Update An update for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 decreases the chances of Matthew Gray Gubler's Spencer Reid reclaiming his regular spot with the BAU.

Whatever the case that Reid is working on, this update from Messer confirms that the fan-favorite profiler is good and safe. The last time that he went missing, he found himself drugged in Mexico and framed for murder, which resulted in him spending some time in prison. At least this time, in Criminal Minds: Evolution, he is just busy with another FBI case.

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 will premiere on June 6 on CBS.

Source: TV Line