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Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan was part of Criminal Minds from the very first episode, but here’s why he left the CBS show during season 11.
Here’s why Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan left Criminal Minds during season 11. CBS’ Criminal Minds is a thriller series that arrived way back in 2005 and followed a team of FBI profilers tasked with tracking and stopping an endless supply of brutal serial killers. Alongside NCIS, Criminal Minds was one of the most popular procedural shows on the air during its run, which came to an end in 2020. It was also popular enough to receive two spinoffs in the form of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.
In addition to its fascinating elements of crime investigation and breaking down killers’ psychological profiles, an integral part of what made the series such a smash hit over the years was its rich and interesting characters. Each member of the BAU’s team added another layer to why it was worth a watch. The first two seasons of Criminal Minds were fronted by cast member Mandy Patinkin as Jason Gideon, but the actor abruptly quit as production was gearing up for season 3. Patinkin later confessed the show was much darker and more disturbing than he was expecting when he signed on, and he quit because he didn’t like the amount of violence.
Amazingly, the series survived Gideon’s surprise exit. In fact, its only natural key cast would leave over its fifteen-year run, with Thomas Gibson famously being fired during season 12. Another major departure came during Criminal Minds season 11 when Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan left the team.
Why Derek Morgan Actor Shamar Moore Left Criminal Minds
Derek Morgan had been part of the long-successful Criminal Minds formula from the show’s first episode, though the character evolved from being relatively lighthearted in early seasons to becoming more weathered as the years rolled by. He also overcame a traumatic childhood that included seeing his police officer father shot dead, and in season 11 he went through some particularly hard times.
In « Derek, » the Shemar Moore-portrayed Criminal Minds character is captured and horrifically tortured, though he does manage to escape and kill his tormenters. Only two episodes later in Criminal Minds’ « A Beautiful Disaster » Morgan’s pregnant wife Savannah is shot. After Morgan helped capture the culprit and Savannah gave birth to their son Hank — named after Morgan’s late father — the special agent says goodbye to the team and quits the BAU. Unlike some other shocking Criminal Minds character exits, there was no behind-the-scenes drama involved with Shemar Moore’s departure, with the actor simply deciding that after eleven seasons it was time to leave.
He felt he’d explored every facet of Morgan as a character and he wanted to pursue other projects. Filming a network show like Criminal Minds is a ten-month commitment every season, which doesn’t leave much time for other movies or shows, and Shemar Moore says he wanted to free up time to focus on his personal life too. Derek Morgan did, however, return for a few episodes in later seasons.
What Shemar Moore Has Done Since Criminal Minds
Staying in the vein of law enforcement acting roles since playing Derek Morgan, Shemar Moore currently fronts CBS action series S.W.A.T. as Sergeant Daniel « Hondo » Harrelson. Since his departure from his well-known Criminal Minds TV role in season 11 (which aired from 2015-2016), Moore has also done some voice acting as Victor Stone (AKA Cyborg) in several animated direct-to-video movies from DC (such as The Death of Superman and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War). In addition, he’s played the character Malcolm Winters in multiple episodes of the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.
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