Matthew Gray Gubler is set to return to CBS, but not for Criminal Minds, as he leads the procedural Einstein. Gubler was notably one of the only long-time Criminal Minds cast members not to reprise his role for Criminal Minds: Evolution, with the news coming as a disappointment to fans who enjoyed his portrayal as Dr. Spencer Reid. Even though the actor has maintained an openness to reprising the role of Dr. Reid, he has largely kept away from TV roles in recent years except for a recurring part on the short-lived Hulu series Dollface. That will soon change.
Deadline confirms that Gubler will lead the Einstein pilot for CBS. The actor will also produce the pilot, which hails from Monk creator Andy Breckman and director Randy Zisk. A procedural with comedic undertones, like Monk, the Einstein pilot will follow the great-grandson of Albert Einstein, who is played by Gubler.
The grandson spends his days as a professor, comfortable in his job, until his wild tendencies get him in trouble with the law. From there, he is pressured into service helping a local police detective solve her most puzzling cases. The character is named Lew Einstein. He’s a popular professor at Princeton, though he does not always show up for his classes. Lew is described as โirreverent and misguided.โ His genius and famous last name puts extra weight on his shoulders, though his new gig may give his life some sense of direction.
Einstein hails from CBS Studios, which co-produces Criminal Minds: Evolution. If it gets picked up to series, that may pave the way for Gubler to appear as Dr. Reid in Criminal Minds: Evolution, since it would be easier to sync up schedules. That remains speculative, but Gubler and Evolution showrunner Erica Messer have both said that scheduling conflicts played a role in Spencer Reid not returning.
More to come…