As it was, not being able to lean on the narrative crutch of Dr. Spencer Reid's infamous information dumps had another major impact on the "Criminal Minds: Evolution" landscape. Primarily, it allowed series creatives to front the formidable talents of his old teammates. That crew had obviously utilized their crime-solving skills to aid in the capture of one unsub or another over the years, but in "Evolution" — in absence of the boy wonder — their skills were more necessary than ever.
The "Evolution" writing team absolutely thrived in putting them to work. And the cast stepped up to fill the Reid-sized void as well, with regulars A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, and more helping breathe new life into characters they've been playing safe with for the better part of the past two decades. It was Joe Mantegna who really stole the season, with his BAU heavy David Rossi coming out of a well-earned, if maudlin state of retirement to aid in the case. Finally, in what was perhaps the season's best twist of the non-Reid narrative era, it was actually Rossi who broke the case, tracking down the nefarious Elias Voit with a savvy bit of old school detective work.
Had Reid been on the scene, one has to wonder if that refreshing twist would've found its way into an "Evolution" script. However, Reid wasn't around, and the show's writing was all the better because of his absence.
