The Paramount+ revival of Criminal Minds, subtitled Evolution, changed a lot about the original CBS police procedural. The number of episodes was cut to ten per season. The streaming home made it possible to add gore and swearing. The format went from the unsub-of-the-week to a season-long twisted case, which shifted the focus to the personal lives of the BAU agents.
Change for the Worse
All in all, all of the new features worked well for the revival, and its ratings ensured at least one more season, which is currently in production. But there was one change that didn't sit well with absolutely every original viewer: the absence of Matthew Gray Gubler.
The actor, who played genius team member Dr. Spencer Reid throughout the original series, was unable to join the revival due to scheduling conflicts. And so far, there's no confirmation that he'll return for the second season, though both the showmakers and the actor have expressed hope for a reunion.
In the meantime, it seems that Gubler's return would definitely help Criminal Minds: Evolution to cement itself as a long-running drama. Not only because Reid is the fan-adored and completely unputdownable character, but also because the actor has made his contribution to the show in another role: as a director.
Matthew Gray Gubler as Director
Did you know that our favorite Reid actor majored in film directing at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts? Not only that, but he actually directed 12 Criminal Minds episodes, all of which were highly praised by viewers. Some of them even became the ultimate classics.
Intrigued? Let's not hold our breath any longer. Here is the list of all Criminal Minds episodes directed by Matthew Gray Gubler, ranked by their IMDb score.
- S13E17 The Capilanos (7.6/10) - In this episode, the creators play with the phobia of clowns as two of them rob wealthy homes and kill their occupants.
- S12E6 Elliott's Pond (7.6/10) - When three child cyclists disappear, viewers realize this is one of those kidnapping episodes that will make your blood freeze with a final shocking revelation.
- S8E20 Alchemy (7.6/10) - This episode was certainly difficult to make, as it is one of the few in which the unsub is a woman. She tries to rebuild her dead child with the help of her victims.
- S9E7 Gatekeeper (7.8/10) - In this episode, which revolved around a series of strangulations, Gubler created suspense to die for when Reid had to help a woman give birth.
- S9E20 Blood Relations (7.9/10) - Gubler has a knack for immersing viewers in the macabre, and this disturbing episode about the secrets of two feuding families is proof of that.
- S7E19 Heathridge Manor (8.0/10) - Ritualistic murders bring the BAU to a family that could easily be the center of a gothic novel.
- S8E10 The Lesson (8.3/10) - Remember the unsub who made puppets out of people to work through his childhood trauma? Gubler, as director, certainly did a good job with this story.
- S14E5 The Tall Man (8.3/10) - The BAU investigates the chilling abductions that people believe were committed by a local mythical creature, the Tall Man.
- S11E18 A Beautiful Disaster (8.4/10) - It is the last episode for Derek Morgan as a recurring character. After his pregnant wife is shot, Morgan helps catch the unsub and leaves to be a father. The story was written by current showrunner Erica Messer and Penelope Garcia's actress Kirsten Vangsness. What a beautiful send-off!
- S6E18 Lauren (8.7/10) - The episode where Emily Prentiss goes missing and the BAU hunt down her nemesis Ian Doyle is tense, powerful and makes viewers cry every time they watch it.
- S10E21 Mr. Scratch (8.7/10) - The horror story of a shadow monster who turns out to be an unsub using hallucinogens to make his victims kill their loved ones lives in our heads rent-free.
- S5E16 Mosley Lane (8.9/10) - The famous episode starring Evan Peters as a kid who was abducted many years ago. It left not a dry eye in the house and is rated as the third best episode of the show ever.
Wow, looks like everyone's favorite Criminal Minds star is as talented as his character. He is certainly the best when it comes to creating that creepy atmosphere that makes your hair stand on end. And we sure hope that he will bring this talent back to the procedural.