Long-running procedural drama Criminal Minds has seen a more than fair amount of cast turnover in its 15 seasons. There's a fan-favorite cast member, however, that has stood the test of time -- Matthew Gray Gubler.
Criminal Minds premiered on CBS in 2005, and its seasons had many ups and down as they followed the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. Given its impressive run, the series was bound to see a variety of different cast lineups as the characters chase "unsubs" and navigate the challenges in their own personal lives.
Who Was Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds?
Matthew Gray Gubler portrayed young cerebral prodigy Dr. Spencer Reid. Joining the BAU at the young age of 22, Dr. Reid has a eidetic memory, which essentially means his memory is not only exceeding in capacity, but also in accuracy. He's the resident genius in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and his quick logical calculations were incredibly beneficial to the team in almost every episode. Definitely odd, fans found his social awkwardness endearing, though the series hinted at, but never confirmed, a few mental disorders that Reid might have.
His complete stay throughout the series allowed for a thorough character development for young Dr. Reid, though his most endearing qualities remained throughout. His relationship with his mentally ill (and institutionalized) mother developed into something incredibly touching. Fans had a somewhat mixed relationship with wanting to see Reid with a lover, but after a murdered girlfriend and a botched love story with fellow profiler JJ (A.J. Cook), the series ended without a romance for Reid -- and that seemed to be for the best.
Why Matthew Gray Gubler Never Left Criminal Minds
In short: why would he? Gubler starred in more episodes than any other cast member, and was an original main cast member from the very first episode. One might bring up Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) as a comparison, but she was only recurring in Season 1, not promoted to main cast until Season 2, making her starring episodes one less than Gubler.
Gubler came to love his character and also got to stretch other creative muscles as he directed 12 episodes throughout the show's extensive run. Though he isn't coming back for the show's limited series revival, it is not from any ill will towards the character or the series. He told TVLine in a 2020 interview that though the series was in his life for 15 years, it was "kind of beautiful" rather than sad upon its close.
Fifteen years is a long time to play a character. Thankfully, Matthew Gray Gubler's Dr. Spencer Reid was so adored that audiences never quite tired of him, and neither did he. Since Criminal Minds' close, Gubler has undergone many new projects, including guest starring in Hulu's Dollface and publishing a children's book Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself.