A “Criminal Minds” revival is in the works, and 6 previous stars have agreed to return: Joe Mantegna, Adam Rodriguez, Aisha Tyler, Kirsten Vangsness, A. J. Cook, and Paget Brewster. With all these stars returning, fans are left to wonder, will Shemar Moore take a break from “SWAT” to reprise his role on the Paramount+ revival/
Shemar Moore has settled into CBS’ “SWAT” for the past 5 seasons. The next episode airs on February 27, after the Olympics end. As for Moore leaving “SWAT” to join up with “Criminal Minds” again, it seems unlikely. He has a good gig currently, and left “Criminal Minds” on his own terms. He cited wanting to explore more creative endeavors and spend time with his family. Season 11 was his last as a main character, and Morgan’s send-off felt right for the character.
As for other stars, Matthew Gray Gubler is busy with film roles, so he likely won’t be with the cast. Additionally, Thomas Gibson left the show abruptly in the 12th season after a physical altercation; even if he was interested, fans probably shouldn’t expect to see him back on “Criminal Minds.”
The cast for the “Criminal Minds” revival is already impressive without Reid, Morgan, or Hotch. It will be interesting to see how the team has been handling life in the few years since the show ended. We know Garcia moved on to another job, but what about Rossi, JJ, and Prentiss? Have they been holding down the fort since we last saw them? Still catching criminals and profiling killers? We’ll have to wait and see.
‘Criminal Minds’: Could Revival Fall Back Into Old Patterns?
The revival toes the line between a good and a bad idea; there hasn’t been a lot of time between when the show ended and this new revival. Is there enough interest in it for it to succeed? And what about the premise of the new series? If it follows the same rules and formulas as the old show, it falls into its own trap; it’ll just be a repeat of the original series, and nothing new. That will hold audience’s interest for a while, but it may get old quickly.
The show may need to consider a revamped formula. Something that matches the new team and feels fresh and interesting. “Criminal Minds” was great as it was, and it’s possible that repeating the same show with missing characters will feel dated. The revival should give us some new tech, new mysteries, new problems for our characters to encounter. It should feel like a new show, but elicit nostalgia for the old. When a revival can make you feel like you’re watching the old show without straight up giving you the old show on a platter, you’ve got a success.
The remaining “Criminal Minds” cast is thrilled to be back at the BAU, and I think we should get excited for it as well. It’s sure to be interesting, at least.
