Nearly four years after FBI agent David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) left Criminal Minds, he reunited with former costar Matthew Gray Gubler.
“Had dinner with the guy who’s like a son to me,” Mantegna, 75, tweeted on Wednesday, August 16, alongside a photo of him hugging Gubler, 43, who played Dr. Spencer Reid.
Mantegna left Criminal Minds in 2019 after 12 years on the CBS series.
“As I wrap up my last day of filming Criminal Minds, I can’t help but reflect in awe at what a truly wonderful experience it has been,” he tweeted at the time. “As you know I came to a show already in production. I was welcomed by the cast and crew instantly, making me feel part of the team on day one. The next 12 years would be a wild and wonderful ride. Yes, I will miss playing David Rossi, and I’ll miss the wonderful writing that brought him to life, but mostly I will miss seeing my fellow cast mates and our fantastic crew every day. It may seem like a cliché to say we’re like family, but it’s so very true.”
He continued: “In 15 seasons, we’ve all grown a little older, hopefully a little wiser too. We laughed together, we cried together, and like a family we gained and lost members along the way. Some got married, some got divorced, some had children, some had more than one! … As I pack up my belongings from my trailer and load my car, I am satisfied with what we accomplished and proud of the work.”
Nearly a year later, Criminal Minds — which began airing on CBS in 2005 — wrapped up its final season in February 2020 and Gubler took to social media to reflect on the last 15 years.
“I’ve carried these 3 props with me almost every day for the last 15 years,” he captioned a Twitter photo of his FBI badge, pistol and watch. “After tonight I’ll just carry them in my heart where I will forever keep memories of the best crew, the best cast, and the best fands (fans/friends) a fictional crimefighter could ever have.”
In July 2022, it was announced that the franchise would be back via a 10-episode series titled Criminal Minds: Evolution. The show would include some of the former cast such as Mantegna, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler and Adam Rodriguez. Shortly after its premiere, Paramount announced that Criminal Minds: Evolution had already been renewed for another season.
“We’re thrilled to bring even more twisted storylines to our loyal fans of Criminal Minds: Evolution with the order of another season,” Tanya Giles, the chief programming officer of Paramount Streaming, said in a January statement. “The series has always been a consistent top performer for Paramount+ and fans have quickly embraced this new season with its more serialized elements. There are still many dark twists and turns yet to come for the BAU this season and we can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store.”
