One way to bring back Reid is to make him an unsub, creating a season-long case where his former teammates try to uncover his true identity.
Reid could also return as a consultant for the BAU, utilizing his knowledge and expertise without being a series regular.
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Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 has several ways to bring back Matthew Gray Gubler's Dr. Sepncer Reid. Just a couple of years since ending their 15-year stint on CBS, FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is back tackling bigger cases on Paramount+. The freshman year of Criminal Minds: Evolution saw the return of the majority of profilers to take down a whole network of serial killers. Underfunded, Emily Prentiss had to work doubly hard to take on the mission, which they successfully finished. What makes this feat more impressive is the fact that they did it undermanned. The BAU was missing two members: Daniel Henney's Matt Simmons and Gubler's Reid.
The reason for Simmons' absence has been pretty straightforward. Because of Henney's commitment to Amazon's Wheel of Time season 2, he couldn't join Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1. Things are a little bit more complicated with Reid. There is still confusion as to why he didn't partake in the revival. Initially, it was reported that he didn't want to be in it, but later on, it was chalked to a scheduling conflict as well. Regardless, fans and even his co-stars continue to hold onto hope that Gubler will finally be in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2. Luckily, there are several ways to seamlessly incorporate him into its storytelling.
Related: 7 Criminal Minds Characters That Can Still Return In Evolution Season 2
6 Reid Gets Re-Assigned Back To The BAU
In Criminal Minds: Evolution season 1, BAU Chief Emily Prentiss works with a new boss — Deputy Director Bailey, who didn't like her or the BAU. It even seemed like he was undermining the team for his personal gain. In one of their tense conversations, Bailey mentioned how he cannot talk about the whereabouts of both Simmons and Reid, implying that they have been re-assigned elsewhere. Since then, Prentiss and his team had proven themselves once again at the FBI, giving them leverage to get their missing SSAs transferred back into the BAU as they move on to a new case, while also delving deeper into the mystery of Gold Star.
Showrunner Erica Messer revealed that they kept Reid and Simmons' whereabouts as vague as possible. She also emphasized that just because they weren't active in the Sicarius case doesn't mean that they are no longer part of the team. Both of the profilers are still valuable players in the FBI's BAU. This allows them to easily bring them into the fold without so much of a commotion once they can finally be involved in the Paramount+ endeavor. Keeping the door open for both of their returns means that at the very least, Messer and her team have an idea of how to incorporate them back into the BAU moving forward.
5 Reid Becomes An Unsub
Criminal Minds never confirmed if Reid has paranoid schizophrenia and never explicitly said that he is on the autistic spectrum. Despite this, a long-ongoing dark theory is that Reid has what it takes to be an unsub himself because of his traumatic past and implied mental state. If Paramount+ wants to utilize this in Criminal Minds: Evolution, it's also another way to bring back Reid into the revival in an unexpected way.
The BAU's pretty boy could be the suspect in a season-long case that would see his old team trying to figure out his identity. As seen in his stint in jail, Reid actually has the ability to be ruthless and conniving if he wants to. It would be curious to see more of that in Criminal Minds: Evolution and allow Gubler to try something different while reprising his most iconic role. Perhaps, it may pique his interest in coming back to the police procedural.
1 Reid Attends Will's Funeral
One of the biggest plot twists in Criminal Minds: Evolution didn't involve the BAU's Sicarius case. Instead, it was the revelation about Wil — JJ's long-time husband. In episode 4, "Pay-Per-View" he found out that he may have cancer. The narrative didn't really turn for the worst as many expected it to be. By the time season 1 ended, Will and JJ were still happily together, but Messer also subsequently warned viewers that Will isn't totally out of the woods just yet. Depending on how they will handle his arc in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2, he can still die.
Aside from its immediate impact on her and her family, it's also a narrative opportunity to bring back Reid in Criminal Minds: Evolution. If Will unexpectedly dies, it's difficult to imagine that Reid doesn't at least attend his funeral, considering his close friendship with JJ. Regardless of the BAU profilers' divisive romantic arc, which was immediately dropped anyway, they chose to remain friends. Hence, he will do everything to offer her support during this massive loss.
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