‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Star Aisha Tyler Teases Matthew Gray Gubler’s Possible Return Following Cameo

Criminal Minds: Evolution star Aisha Tyler is revealing the odds of Matthew Gray Gubler making another surprise appearance.

The actor, who played Dr. Spencer Reid throughout all 15 seasons of Criminal Minds’ original run, made a cameo in the third episode of the current third season, “Time to Say Goodbye.”

The cameo was brief, and he didn’t have many lines, but it was very fitting since it was for Will’s funeral, and he was there for his best friend and his godsons. Gubler was one of the few original cast members who didn’t make the return when the revival initially premiered in 2022 due to scheduling reasons. Showrunner Erica Messer previously shared how they had been trying to get Gubler to return, but it never worked out, while the Einstein star expressed interest in coming back—again, if schedules line up.

Now that Gubler’s long-awaited return has come and gone, will he make another appearance? Tyler teased to PEOPLE when asked, “I can’t tell you that! You tried it! I can’t even talk to my family about what’s going on with him. I’m sworn to secrecy. I love Matthew so much.”

Although Tyler only joined in Season 11 as Dr. Tara Lewis, she quickly grew close to the cast, including Gubler, whom she calls “such a light on set!” and someone who is “such a fun, smart person” to work with.

“We also are always texting with him and, of course, we’re excited to have him back,” Tyler expressed. “He’s obviously somebody that the fans love very much, that we love very much, and so I think what people will feel is just all of that affection and that history. He’s family, do you know what I mean?”

As of now, it’s unknown if Matthew Gray Gubler will be coming back at least one more time during Season 3. However, Season 4 has started filming already. And now that his Einstein series on CBS has been pushed to the 2026-27 season, that does give him a bit more of an open schedule. At the very least, fans were able to see Dr. Spencer Reid again after five years, and even though it wasn’t for very long, it was definitely better than nothing. Viewers will just have to see if he returns in new episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution, dropping on Thursdays on Paramount+.