One of TV’s most addictive crime procedurals has returned with its sixteenth season (Criminal Minds: Evolution), however one crucial character is obviously lacking. It’s shocking (and greater than a little bit disappointing) that the literal genius Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) isn’t returning for the sixteenth season, particularly contemplating how distinguished he was in Criminal Minds correct. There’s a purpose for this Reid-shaped hole within the present (and it’s not simply because he’s a fan favourite).
It isn’t unusual for exhibits with an ensemble forged to have characters with related ranges of significance, however often there are one or two characters specifically who’ve extra developed tales, personalities, or simply extra display screen time and a focus. In the case of Criminal Minds, that character is Dr. Spencer Reid.
Are We Sure There Is a Main Character?
The construction of a narrative isn’t inflexible or one-size-fits all. In idea, it’s very attainable for a narrative to have a number of primary characters or no primary character in any respect. Especially with procedural dramas, the place the present focuses on a brand new prison each week, the primary draw of the story tends to be on the “monster of the week” fairly than those catching the criminals. There are tales that middle principally round sure themes fairly than characters as properly.
Those forms of tales, nevertheless, are typically the exception to the rule and are examples of enjoying with kind in some form of means — not less than, in terms of character-based storytelling. Criminal Minds is a particularly plot-heavy present, however its core forged is just too charming and filled with persona to say that the primary draw are the criminals or the plot. Criminal Minds will also be described as a closely character-based present, particularly in the long term (extra on that later). In normal, character-based tales do have a primary character, even when that reality isn’t at all times clear.
Who Could Be the Main Character?
The revolving door of forged members locations Criminal Minds’ ensemble within the distinctive place of leaving the position of central character for probably the most half undefined. Only two characters have been featured from the primary episode of Season 1 to the final episode of Season 15 (which marks the top of Criminal Minds correct): Reid and resident tech wiz Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness). Other than these two, distinguished characters have come and gone, leaving the present seemingly with out a primary character ever because the departure of Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) to start with of Season 3.
For the primary two seasons, Gideon was arrange as the primary character, because the present adopted his strategies of monitoring down criminals with the occasional aspect storylines from Hotch (Thomas Gibson), Morgan (Shemar Moore), JJ (AJ Cook), Reid, and Garcia, in addition to short-term forged member Elle (Lola Glaudini). It wasn’t lengthy earlier than the fabric of the present grew to become too darkish for Mandy Patinkin, nevertheless, and the present abruptly misplaced its central character. With the addition of Prentiss (Paget Brewster) in Season 2, the questions of the place to seek out the central character grew to become muddier than ever, as Prentiss got here together with her personal mysterious backstory and slow-burn arc.
The case could possibly be made for long-standing founding forged members Hotch and Morgan as primary characters, however Morgan’s story ends in Season 11 and Hotch’s involves an in depth shortly after in Season 12 — nonetheless 4 and three seasons away from the top of the sequence. New forged members like Luke (Adam Rodriguez), Tara (Aisha Tyler), and even Rossi (Joe Mantegna) have their moments however don’t essentially have storylines that stand out prominently. Garcia is one other good contender, however regardless of being current for the entire run, she doesn’t change a lot all through the sequence.
Criminal Minds does undergo character-focused arcs (among the best being Prentiss reckoning together with her previous), however giving a sure character the highlight for a couple of episodes or perhaps a season doesn’t essentially equate to being the central character of the entire present. On the opposite hand, Reid has been current for all 15 seasons, has had a number of distinguished storylines, and has gone via probably the most change.
Long-Term Storylines and Change
Despite the existence of pink herrings like Gideon (who in all probability didn’t begin out as a pink herring however grew to become one after his departure from the present) and Prentiss (who, regardless of having a number of partaking story beats, solely arrived throughout Season 2 and was out and in of the sequence in following seasons), Reid is the clearest contender for central character of Criminal Minds. In order to see this, although, it’s necessary to have a look at the story as a long-term, slow-burn character arc that’s slowly altering its primary character over the course of 15 years.
Reid begins out as an excellent however inexperienced FBI analyst who can barely even preserve maintain of his gun license (he loses it briefly early on and solely wins it again by making a headshot on an unsub — whereas aiming for his leg). He acts as, and is handled as, the little brother of the group, due partially to him being the youngest and most delicate, standing in stark distinction to the hardened and skilled Gideon, his mentor. Gideon turns into an attention-grabbing storytelling system, in that he foreshadows the kind of confidence and expertise Reid will come to be taught.
Through the course of a few years and lots of situations of strife, Reid is slowly formed into the character he was meant to turn out to be (in truth, such a story form appears like a really slow-burn coming-of-age story). In the writing neighborhood, it’s a standard saying that one strategy to establish the primary character is to seek out the one who suffers probably the most. While there are lots of characters within the present that suffer drastically (Hotch being a prime contender), Reid is one who has probably the most constant form to his trials.
Beginning with the trauma inflicted on him from his expertise with Tobias Hankel (James Van Der Beek), Reid begins on the trail of dependancy, self-examination, self-doubt, and ultimately lands on peace. Looking again on the place Reid started his journey, it’s virtually surreal to understand how a lot he’s modified. He has turn out to be an FBI agent with years of discipline expertise paired with genius-level mind and nonetheless sustaining a semblance of his sensitivity.
His interactions, relationships, and expertise coping with (and typically referring to) the numerous unsubs he’s come throughout by the top of the sequence all culminate in a totally modified particular person – a primary character that’s exhausting to establish because of the subtlety of the sequence, however no much less simple resulting from his constantly formed arc and distinguished presence.
Which begs the query: Now that Reid is lacking from Season 16, who’s the primary character of Criminal Minds: Evolution?