Shemar Moore comments on the possibility of him returning as Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds. The BAU is set to return to the small screen just a couple of years after the original show ended on CBS. Officially titled Criminal Minds: Evolution, the project will see the team go after a network of UnSubs who came together during the pandemic. The majority of the cast is returning for the show, although it will be missing SSA Matt Simmons and Doctor Spencer Reid.
This means the BAU will be undermanned when it tackles the new case. Paramount+ has yet to reveal if the show will be adding more profilers to assist the existing team, but it may also be a good idea to bring in some familiar faces to help with their current mission. Morgan is a great candidate for this, as not only does he have years of profiling experience, but he has also maintained a great relationship with many of his old teammates. For context, the character retired from the service to focus on raising his newborn son with his wife back in season 11. Since then, he made a couple of guest appearances on the show, but it's unclear if he will return again in light of the Criminal Minds revival.
The Criminal Minds revival is confirmed for a ten-episode season on Paramount+, which is set to premiere on November 24 with a two-episode special. There is no concrete indication that Moore will be back as Morgan for the project, although showrunner Erica Messer has previously teased some guest stars popping in. Meanwhile, Moore himself is also open to the idea of reprising his profiler character and rejoining the BAU, as he tells ET Online, although there's one thing that's hindering him from returning. Read his full quote below:
Would I go back to Criminal Minds and for my Baby Girl and chase down UnSuBs, sure, alright? But Hondo kinda busy.
How Morgan Can Return For The Criminal Minds Revival
As previously mentioned, Morgan left the BAU on good terms. Despite the massive loss that his absence created, everyone understood why he wanted to leave the service. Similarly, Moore's decision to exit Criminal Minds was also properly communicated to the cast and crew. Even after all of these years, the actor continues to talk fondly about his time on the show, and his latest comments prove that it will be easy to bring him back if his schedule permits. In any case, Morgan can just pop in for a limited time. Since Moore is also busy with SWAT, as he mentioned in the interview, Paramount+ can come up with a way to get Morgan involved without needing the actor to be on set full-time. He could be a remote consultant who pops in sporadically on the Criminal Minds reboot, or he can join the team just to crack this case. Whatever the situation may be, seeing him will definitely be a thrill for longtime fans of the show.
In any case, considering Moore's great relationship with the majority of the cast and crew of the Criminal Minds reboot, it would be fairly easy to convince him to partake in the project. After all, the revival will only have 10 episodes, significantly shorter than the usual seasons on CBS, so working on it wouldn't be as grueling. Then again, if Morgan is really going to be on the revival, chances are that it's being kept under wraps, so it can come as a surprise.
Source: ET Online