‘Criminal Minds’: Since He Won’t Be In the Reboot, Here Are the 11 Best Spencer Reid Episodes, Ranked

Over the 15 seasons of the hit CBS display Criminal Minds, lovers fell in love with Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler). A really not going fan-preferred individual because of his neurotic and socially awkward personality, but no different individual had as an awful lot complicated and well-rounded boom. His quirks, insecurities, and improvement from a cute but awkward genius to a assured chief is the most important transformation of all the principle characters. Reid’s difficult upbringing and plenty of annoying activities that he faces at some point of the collection places him on the middle of infinite episodes.

While every of the principle characters at some point of the collection have their particular qualities, Reid changed into the maximum human and complicated, overcoming adversity and displaying proper boom over the 15 years. Criminal Minds completed its run in 2020 after 324 episodes, with a reboot coming to Paramount+ (hopefully) later this year. However, a wonderful absence is Matthew Gray Gubler, having publicly introduced he is prepared to transport on from the individual. With this in thoughts, it’s the ideal time to head again via the first-class Spencer Reid-centric episodes.

“Saturday” (Season 15, Episode 4)

While Reid didn’t have as an awful lot display time as the opposite characters all through this episode, his improvement can’t be disregarded. On a Saturday off, Reid is ordered via way of means of his psychologist to have a communication with a regular character outdoor his international of loss of life and crime. After being accosted via way of means of a younger boy, now no longer not like himself, Reid starts offevolved a communication with the boys’ Aunt Maxine (Rachael Leigh Cook). Maxine acknowledges and pertains to the fractured soul of Reid, which ends up in them speakme and spending the day collectively, bringing out Reid’s an awful lot-disregarded playful side. This amusing episode gives remarkable boom for Reid, who subsequently profits a connection outdoor his BAU international and opens himself up to like after his partner’s loss of life. Maxine is the very last love hobby for Reid, leaving him satisfied and in a courting on the stop of the collection.

“True Genius” (Season 7, Episode 11)

This episode sees the group address a case eerily just like the notorious Zodiac killings. Whilst Reid makes use of his advanced mind to decode the unsubs letters, he ponders if he ought to be doing greater together along with his abilties. After turning 30, Reid has a heartfelt communication with Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) approximately now no longer assembly his very own expectancies which he battles at some point of the episode. Fearing he hasn’t carried out sufficient together along with his genius gift, we see a brand new vulnerability and lack of confidence in Reid, some thing now no longer but shown. The episode additionally ends is a heart-warming scene of the group celebrating Reid’s thirtieth birthday, packed with offers and hugs.

“Memoriam” (Season 4, Episode 7)

Reid embarks on his very own investigation, observed via way of means of David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), into the homicide of a younger boy, Riley Jenkins, in Las Vegas all through his childhood. Believing he has a non-public connection to the boy, Reid searches into his past, even present process hypnotherapy, wherein he believes his father is liable for the homicide. The episode is the primary and handiest direct function of Spencer’s father, William (Taylor Nichols), who deserted Spencer and his mom, Diana (Jane Lynch). It is discovered that their marriage fell aside after the homicide of Gary Michaels, which Diana witnessed, who’s sincerely liable for killing Riley Jenkins and stalking Spencer as a baby. In this episode, we see Reid confront his father, get closure over the motives for his departure, and benefit in addition perception into his protectiveness and love for his mom.

“Somebody’s Watching” (Season 1, Episode 18)

A greater light-hearted Criminal Minds episode (if you may ever name one that!) sees Reid defensive a younger film actress, Lila Archer (Amber Heard), from her stalker. This is the primary (and one in all few) episodes wherein we see Reid with a reciprocated love hobby. Reid protects Lila, saving her existence, and bonding together along with her withinside the process. What connects the 2 is Reid’s empathy, treating Lila like a person rather than a celebrity, together along with her even remarking that she concept he changed into one-of-a-kind as he didn’t need whatever from her. This functions Reid’s first (and handiest till Season 15) on-display kiss, with the 2 locking lips withinside the pool. This is an episode of many firsts for Reid, his first time being the savior and having a romantic reference to some other individual. Although their courting doesn’t development any in addition withinside the collection, it’s miles adorable to peer Reid’s social awkwardness now no longer status withinside the manner of forming a connection.

“Zugzwang” (Season 8, Episode 12)

By some distance the maximum heartbreaking episode for Reid, and one of the maximum tear-jerking episodes of the collection, sees Reid’s girlfriend, Maeve (Beth Jean Riesgraf), killed via way of means of her stalker. After begging the group to assist him discover a kidnaped Maeve, Reid starts offevolved to interrupt down, and display his proper love and vulnerability. The episode ends with the homicide of Maeve, proper in the front of Reid, made even greater heartbreaking because it changed into the primary time the 2 met in actual existence. The episode is really devastating for him, with the following few episodes proposing him in excessive grief and isolation. Nothing withinside the collection had impacted him to the identical extent, and seeing a love ripped brutally from him changed into annoying even for the viewer. Even aleven though this episode initiatives Reid into in addition individual boom and is a superbly achieved episode, it’s miles a tough one to watch. Make positive you’ve got got an abundance of tissues on hand!

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“The Fisher King Part 1 and 2” (Season 1, Episode 22, Season 2, Episode 1)

Ending Season 1 and charting the start of Season 2, this two-element episode isn’t one to be missed. A guy with a connection to Reid’s mom places the group on a treasure hunt-like adventure to rescue a kidnaped girl. We examine loads approximately Reid on this episode, along with his mom’s schizophrenia and site in a sanatorium, and his cappotential to piece collectively complicated riddles. Reid solves the puzzles and in the long run saves the girl’s existence, however handiest after failing to speak the unsub off the threshold of suicide. The episodes provide perception into Reid’s non-public existence and upbringing, in addition to displaying off his genius. The puzzle and riddle-fixing is likewise a amusing new take from the standard format!

“Minimal Loss” (Season 4, Episode 3)

Reid and Prentiss move undercover to research alleged baby abuse at a compound of an underground cult. When a nation police raid at the castle is going wrong, they’re taken hostage via way of means of the cult chief, Benjamin Merva (Luke Perry). Reid charms and manipulates the cult chief into explaining his plan and viewing Reid as an ally. This in the long run lets in for the secure get away of the numerous ladies and kids withinside the compound earlier than it explodes. The episode highlights greater than Reid’s mind, however the development in his humans abilties and communication, wherein, not like preceding seasons, he can use his profiling abilties to narrate to and manage the unsub. This is a turning factor for Reid’s individual, wherein he’s given in addition fieldwork duties and proves himself accordingly.

“300” (Season 14, Episode 1)

Season 14 opens after the kidnappings of Penelope Garcia (Kristen Vangsness) and Reid via way of means of Benjamin Merva’s fans from the identical cult that Reid encountered in “Minimal Loss.” Ironically, it’s miles the believe that Reid constructed with Benjamin that brought about his abduction a decade later to be their three hundredth victim. The three hundredth episode of the collection now no longer handiest forces Reid to control his kidnapers however suggests how some distance he has come as a individual, with electricity and bravado to consider an get away plan and shop others all through his kidnapping. The spotlight comes on the stop of the episode with a heartwarming reunion of the group, proving how an awful lot of a own circle of relatives they’re. We even subsequently discover what occurred on JJ (A.J. Cook) and Reid’s “date”!

“LDSK” (Season 1, Episode 6)

An early spotlight of Reid’s comes whilst he saves Hotch (Thomas Gibson) and plenty of hostages’ lives. After having his gun revoked after failing his qualification early withinside the episode, Reid feels embarrassed, like a “teacher’s aide” and not so good as his colleagues. However, his redemption comes whilst he and Hotch are held hostage via way of means of the unsub. Reid performs along side Hotch’s demeaning insults, even kicking him to permit Reid to seize his 2nd gun. When the unsub is alerted to the plan, Reid kills him simply in time with a super headshot (despite the fact that he changed into aiming for his leg). This is the primary time we see Reid saving his colleagues and hostages, in addition to overcoming his lack of confidence and worry of dealing with a weapon. At the stop of the episode, he has subsequently won self assurance in his abilties outdoor his mind.

“Revelations” (Season 2, Episode 15)

This episode is the primary time we see Reid experiencing actual trauma, as he’s kidnaped and tortured via way of means of Tobias Hankle (James Van Der Beek). With his intellectual and bodily torture streamed to his group members, we see the total impact on every individual’s face, as they witness the ache that the harmless Reid is experiencing. Reid is in the long run capable of manage Hankle and kill him proper earlier than his group arrives to shop him. The episode is a super one, wherein we see Reid’s cappotential to push via his feelings in annoying situations, which handiest improves as time is going on. This in the long run secured the wide variety 2 spot as, even though it units up a completely exciting tale arch of Reid’s dependancy to Dilaudid, it’s miles disappointingly now no longer explored very well at some point of the season, handiest stated some times.

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“Entropy” (Season 11, Episode 1)

No different episode may want to take the pinnacle spot than “Entropy.” The arrival of the habitual and infamous Cat Adams (Aubrey Plaza), who could later ship Reid to prison and in addition torment his existence, sits throughout Reid in an epic struggle of wits. The chemistry is fantastic as Reid is each inspired and disturbed via way of means of Cat’s mind and tact. She is greater than a monologuing killer however boasts genius almost on par with Reid himself. They play thoughts video games and admit painful truths, wherein Cat similarly surprises and manipulates Reid. This is the major, and arguably handiest, habitual unsub who has challenged Reid in my opinion on his highbrow level. Ultimately, his deceit outcomes in her capture, however, it changed into infrequently the stop of her marketing campaign to ruin him. “Entropy” is amusing, quick-witted, and develops Reid’s cappotential to examine and reply to unsubs of his identical genius.