‘Criminal Minds’ Fan Favorites Shemar Moore and Kirsten Vangsness Reunite

Kirsten Vangsness and Shemar Moore have Criminal Minds fans hyped with their recent reunion.

Moore and Vangsness, who co-starred on the CBS procedural as Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia, respectively, met up for a few selfies while attending a Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings game. (See the photos here.)

“The Baby Girl sees the Baby Girls and @shemarfmoore aka Chocolate Thunder,” Vangsness wrote in the caption, referencing the saucy nicknames Garcia and Morgan had for one another on the hit show.

“this healed something in me,” one fan commented upon seeing the former co-stars back together, as another declared their “day made” and a third gushed, “Omg I’m so happy to see this reunion!!”

Moore and Vangsness starred together for 11 seasons, starting in 2005, during the original run of Criminal Minds. In 2016, Moore exited the CBS show to lead the network’s new show S.W.A.T., but he did return for episodes in Seasons 12 and 13.

Moore would go on to star on S.W.A.T. for eight seasons until its series finale in May. The actor is set to reprise his role as Hondo in the upcoming spinoff, S.W.A.T. Exiles.

Vangsness continued on to portray Garcia throughout the entire original run of Criminal Minds, returning for Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022 alongside Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), A.J. Cook (JJ Jareau), Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez), and Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis).

Original Criminal Minds star Matthew Gray Gubler reprised his role as Dr. Spencer Reid in one episode of Season 18, but showrunner Erica Messer told TV Insider that there weren’t any appearances from Gubler or other past cast members, including Moore, that had been locked down yet due to the timing of the writers’ room and scheduling.