Shemar Moore and Kirsten Vangsness delighted Criminal Minds fans with a recent reunion that took place during a Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings basketball game. The two actors, known for their roles as Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia, shared several selfies together, igniting excitement among longtime viewers of the CBS procedural.
Actors Rekindle Chemistry With Playful Memories
Vangsness posted on social media referring to their iconic nicknames from the show, writing,
“The Baby Girl sees the Baby Girls and @shemarfmoore aka Chocolate Thunder,”
celebrating the playful bond their characters shared. Fans expressed heartfelt joy, with comments such as
“Omg I’m so happy to see this reunion!!”
and others describing the moment as healing and uplifting.
Career Paths and Continued Roles After Criminal Minds
Moore and Vangsness originally starred together for 11 seasons starting in 2005. Moore left Criminal Minds in 2016 to take on the lead role in CBS‘s S.W.A.T., which he starred in for eight seasons until its conclusion in May. He will return as Hondo in the new spinoff series, S.W.A.T. Exiles. Meanwhile, Vangsness portrayed Garcia throughout the original run and returned for Criminal Minds: Evolution in 2022, joining original cast members such as Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, and A.J. Cook.
Future Appearances and Series Developments
Although Matthew Gray Gubler appeared as Dr. Spencer Reid in one episode of Season 18, showrunner Erica Messer informed TV Insider that other past cast members—including Moore—have not yet been confirmed to return due to scheduling and writers’ room timing. Fans continue to hope for more reunions as the series evolves and new projects like S.W.A.T. Exiles develop.
