Warning: SPOILERS for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 9.There may be many familiar faces inCriminal Minds: Evolution, but Penelope Garcia’s character stands out for all the wrong reasons. Kirsten Vangsness’ technical analyst is one of only twooriginal BAU membersremaining in the reboot series. ThoughCriminal Minds: Evolutionhas introduced new characters to supplement the team, certain dynamics from the original series simply can’t be replaced.
SinceCriminal Mindspremiered in 2005, Penelope Garcia has been the most distinctive character in the cast, with her quirky personality and highly stylized aesthetic making her instantly recognizable. Throughout the unnerving investigations andtragic deaths inCriminal Minds, Garcia was a bottomless source of optimism and hope. Sadly,Criminal Minds: Evolution’s Penelope feels like a different character entirely.
Criminal Minds: Evolution Utterly Fails Penelope Garcia
The Reboot Threw Away Her Character’s Original Happy Ending
InCriminal Mindsseason 15’s finale, Penelope quit the FBI to choose peace and escape her high-stress, high-octane, high-risk work environment.The reboot revokes Penelope’s happy ending by coercing her to rejoin the BAU, a decision that clearly upsets her. Nonetheless, Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) and his network of potential killers created extenuating circumstances that guilt-tripped Penelope until she returned.
Despite dragging her back to the dark world of unsubs and bureaucratic power struggles,Criminal Minds: Evolutionfrustratingly never uses Garcia’s full potential. Instead,Garcia is the most under-utilized character inCriminal Minds: Evolution, which begs whether she would have been better off had Luke (Adam Rodriguez) never shown up on her doorstep in season 16’s premiere.
…Penelope’s unresolved tension with Tyler undercuts her character’s long-held values by jeopardizing her no workplace fraternization rule, the obstacle to her and Luke’s relationship in the original series.
With its new lease on life,Criminal Minds: Evolutioncreated a love trianglebetween Penelope, Luke, and newcomer Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka)— an endless source of awkwardness until its anticlimactic ending. Yet, Penelope’s unresolved tension with Tyler undercuts her character’s long-held values by jeopardizing her no workplace fraternization rule, the obstacle to her and Luke’s relationship in the original series.
Since her half-baked romance fizzled out,Criminal Minds: Evolutionhasn’t known what to do with Garcia. She’s still the genius behind the computer at Quantico, but her actual character has lingered on the sidelines. The reboot’s uncertainty regarding Penelope is only made worse by the mind-boggling decision to exploreGarcia and Voit’s friendship inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3.
Derek Morgan’s Return Could Help Garcia Navigate Her Criminal Minds: Evolution Relationship Woes
Morgan Was Always Garcia’s Closest Companion
The few storylinesCriminal Minds: Evolutionoffers Penelope effectively erase her character’s development. If the procedural doesn’t want to doom its unique character to useless subplots or total stagnation, Garcia needs intervention. While Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) and Jennifer “JJ” Jareau (A.J. Cook) could try to step in, there’s no better option than Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore).
Garcia needs to be reminded of why she joined the Behavioral Analysis Unit in the first place, especially as the Sicarius investigation winds down. The work Penelope does— while disturbing— is invaluable and far too important to let her feelings for Tyler, Luke, or anyone else get in the way. Undoubtedly,Derek would give Garcia the tough love she needs.
Similarly, considering the team’s traumatic history withterrifying unsubs inCriminal Minds,Derek would give Penelope a much-needed reality check regarding her baffling relationship with a prolific serial killer.Voit’s amnesia inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3offers plausible deniability, but it makes no sense for Penelope to seek out the BAU’s nemesis for comfort rather than her tight-knit coworkers.
As the crime drama places Garcia in increasingly ridiculous scenarios,Derek Morgan’s absence inCriminal Minds: Evolutiononly grows more palpable. Based on Penelope’s scarce storylines, it seems as though she’s completely lost touch with herself. Consequently, the only way to bring back the real Penelope is to have the platonic love of her life return to rescue her.
Why Morgan Is The Only Character Who Can Help Garcia In Criminal Minds: Evolution
Their Bond Transcends All Other Relationships
The BAU’s teamwork inCriminal Minds: Evolutionhas had ups and downs, but nobody in the reboot’s cast of characters can understand Penelope even half as well as Derek can. The original series proved thatMorgan and Garcia are platonic soulmates, and they shared a more intimate bond than most romantic couples on television.
When a season 13 case triggers Penelope’s past trauma, Derek comes to comfort her, despiteShemar Moore leavingCriminal Mindstwo seasons prior. Aside from reaffirming that Derek is the most important person to Penelope, it sets a precedent thatin Garcia’s hour of need, Morgan will come running. As such,Criminal Minds: Evolutioncould easily make history repeat itself.
Regardless of how many years have passed since they last saw each other, Garcia will always be Morgan’s babygirl.
Derek and Penelope’s friendship inCriminal Mindswas always the show’s most wholesome aspect. From their flirty over-the-phone banter to Derek calling Penelope his“God-given solace”after a near-death experience, their dynamic is something special that can never be replicated. Regardless of how many years have passed since they last saw each other, Garcia will always be Morgan’s babygirl.
ThoughCriminal Minds: Evolutionhas tried to sell Tyler as a potential Derek replacement, something will always feel missing from Penelope’s character without her first love. Morgan and Garcia were so iconic, it truly feels like part of Penelope’s character left with Derek. By bringing Shemar Moore back for aCriminal Minds: Evolutioncameo, Garcia can finally be whole again.
