Criminal Minds Bosses Wanted One Character's Personality To Resemble Star Trek: TNG's Data

The creatives behind "Criminal Minds" had specifics in mind when crafting its ensemble cast of characters, and there was one character whom they wanted to have a similar vibe to Data from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." That character was Dr. Spencer Reid, the youngest member of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, played by Matthew Gray Gubler. The actor auditioned for the role during the casting process, and he decided to play the part rather warmly — which was a far cry from what creator Jeff Davis and his team was originally looking for.

"I think I was too gregarious," Gubler told The Hollywood Reporter in 2011 of his audition. "Originally, they wanted the character to be more stoic, like Data from 'Star Trek.' Maybe they were worried I would bring too much weirdness."

Despite the fact that he didn't exactly fit the initial vision for Reid, the casting team told him he was great and called him back to read again. During his callback, the team continued to be wowed by him despite his being the opposite of their original vision. Nevertheless, they kept calling Gubler back — and four or five auditions in, they decided to change their plans and give him the part.

For his part, Data from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was meant to resemble one of the most beloved characters of the entire "Trek" universe: Spock. The Vulcan character is best known as the first officer to Captain James T. Kirk in the original 1966 series, and he was looked at as a wellspring of advice and knowledge for Kirk to confide in and collaborate with. Data, a moral second officer under Patrick Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, is seen similarly — and that character archetype is very similar to the dynamic between Matthew Gray Gubler's Dr. Spencer Reid and the Behavioral Analysis Unit chiefs he serves under throughout "Criminal Minds."

Reid, the youngest member of the team, is something of a prodigy in his field, so his skills and insights are major assets to Mandy Patinkin's Jason Gideon, Thomas Gibson's Aaron Hotchner, and Paget Brewster's Emily Prentiss. The sidekick-style character feels directly inspired by the archetype Spock and Data cultivated, but with Gubler's own wacky personality thrown in to make Reid truly unique.

The character became a fan favorite throughout his 15 seasons and a surprise Season 18 appearance on "Criminal Minds," so it seems the show's creative team made the right choice when they took a chance on casting Gubler.