Criminal Minds: "Open Season" starring Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Matthew Gray Gubler and Mandy Patinkin. Written by Erica Messer and Debra J. Fisher. Directed by Felix Enriquez Alcala.
**Beware of spoilers**
** This is the original spoiler thread for the episode.**
81 comments:
That opening bar scene is CLASSIC. So much fun:)
I hate commercials. It is good so far. Real good.
I like how Prentiss pulled that off. Maybe she isn't so bad.
This one was really good. There was great character development, and they did a great job with Prentiss. The team also interacted really well.
BEST VICTIM EVER
I was cheering so damn loudly that my brother got frustrated because he couldn't hear anything.
I loved this episode!
especially the beginning. when the girl made that guy feel like crap!
that was priceless! Call me crazy but I felt for the brothers. I almost cried when they died!
Alright to begin let me say that was an outstanding well written episode. I enjoyed seeing the Prentiss parts a lot. I LOVED seeing the girls hanging out, that was nice. As usual, not enough Reid, I hold my breath until each new episode and never feel fulfilled.
But a few things that bother me:
1. Please lets not fall into the CSI opening with Gideon. Don't make him say some cliche thing right before opening credits, its just silly.
2. Lets just stop letting Gubler pull a gun. Honestly, he is so long its down by his knees and again, its just silly. I realize he has killed the most people on the show so far, but I "giggle" everytime he pulls that gun.
Lee :)
Actually, lee, someone did a body count a while back, and right now, Elle is still in the lead for deaths. Followed by Hotch and Reid tied in second, and then Morgan. As far as I remember, Gideon hasn't shot anyone.
I mean, yeah, there's Boston. But I don't think that counts.
Wow. I really liked this episode. It's nice to get Prentiss payoff (and backstory!) without, you know, the Russian mob all over the place. Plus, the ending is classic Criminal Minds. The people who've been hunting all these people, terrifying and killing them, are dying slow, painful deaths...
...and we're feeling for them.
-BeatriceEagle
Damn I just love that AJ! She is sooooo pretty. I like how she is getting more air time each week. AJ Rules!!
I really liked this episode. Yeah Garcia and Prentiss won big points with me tonight. I felt like we had our show back.
Wow, this was one HELL of an episode! The blonde girl ROCKED. I must give kudos to her. The acting was great in this episode =)
I thought Gideon showed wonderful compassion and he seemed like he was back to being really sharp again. Seems like the fog around him has lifted.
I liked this episode. The opening was precious.
The girls "got" the guys at both ends of the episode!
Prentiss is emoting! I sense she is getting why the other act like they do.
Good episode.
I think Morgan just tied it up with Elle. And I'm giving Prentiss .5 for that one: I didn't see either of them pull the trigger, but there were three shots.
I really liked this episode. It advanced some character arcs nicely, gave Gideon, JJ, Garcia, and Prentiss some brilliant moments, and if it was thematically a little heavyhanded in a couple of places, I am willing to forgive.
Also: love the victims that do not quit.
The scene at the beginning was absolutely incredible. It was also really great to see J.J. get more screen time. The scene with Prentiss and Morgan talking on the plane was great. They haven't really interacted with each other in awhile. I really liked this episode. Gideon was much more focused and Garcia is perfection defined.
A hunting we will go... Oh, that was just in bad taste.
Thank god--Hotch/Reid together in Spokane...not that they...interacted a lot but I'm still happy. Nice caps await me. *G* (Thank you CM writerly type people)
This was so much better than the atrocity that was HAT.
The opening scene in the bar was brilliant. The girls asking aobut the FBI id, and Prentiss saying "Does it look like this?" And the other two following suit. FBI girls rock.
The team split up, Gideon, Prentiss!Sue (my grandfather lived on a mountain in france, blah blah blah--I guess she didn't notice the bear, at least.) and Morgan going to Idaho, Hotch/Reid and JJ going to Spokane.
Like JJ helping that sheriff get through his first death notification. Nice touch.
And lots of Hotch/Reid tonight...did I mention that. Heh.
Gideon angst...which, well, never really does a lot for me, but I'm sure Gideon fans will like it.
The unsubs: those boys never had a chance.
Also when Hotch was talking about how they'd been raised by their uncle--well, slight Reid parallels, perhaps?
Gideon's gentleness with the younger boy...nice touch.
Okay, I love that cm often empowers the vics--and Bobbi rocked--I loved her. (Although I had the thought when she was stabbing the younger one that I probably would've slit his throat. And honestly, I'm not that blood thirsty). Loved what she said to the older one at the end.
Apparently I missed some JJ and Reid on the plane at the end, thank god--although I'm sure i"ll see it when I cap. But sleeping Hotch. Awww.
I liked the convo between Morgan and Prentiss at the end...she was actually insightful. wow.
And did I mention there was Hotch/Reid. After a long dry spell....was nice *sigh* Although, I dunno, they seemed a little off.
I really was relieved that CM is back to their usual standards for this ep. I missed the preview, as usual.
Okay, body count.
Elle kills Vogel in 1x01
Reid kills Dowd in 1x06
Hotch kills the unsub in 1x17
Elle and Morgan share the kill in 1x20
Elle kills Lee in 2x05
Reid kills Tobias in 2x15
Morgan and Emily share the kill in 2x21
I think that still puts Elle firmly in the lead.
I thought tonight's episode was really good. Especially the bar scene in the beginning with the girls.
Next week's episode looks creepy but good at the same time.
Really liked the show. I agree that the opening scene could not have been any better. It is amazing to me how the writers can get us to feel sympathy for an unsub. I will rewatch it again tomorrow and try to catch all the little things I missed this time around. I am happy.
Thank you for the body count! :)
I LOVED the woman who played Bobbi..she was on The 4400 which is one of my favorite shows.
Bobbi was also on All My Children =)
I enjoyed seeing JJ at work in this episode. Garcia was her normal fab self and Prentiss was even good. Great time for the gals.
Yay! Our team is back!
The opening scene with JJ, Garcia and Prentiss was priceless! You've got to see it!
The premise of the story is kind of creepy, hunting humans, but the final victim, Bobbi rocked. She wasn't going to let them kill her without taking out at least one of them! What a fighter.
Although the team was split up, they worked together really well. I loved the interaction with Garcia and Hotch.
Hotch: You're the man!
Garcia: No, you are!
Cute.
The scene at the garage was a little creepy when they started opening storage compartments and finding cars that belonged to previous victims, and then panned to the yard of the garage with it looked like hundreds of storage compartments!
Of course, since I am a Gideon girl, I loved his empathy with Johnny, one of the unsubs, when he was dying at the end. Stroking his face, telling him everything was going to be ok, and then the patented Gideon Angst. LOVED IT!
I liked the interaction at the end with Prentiss and Morgan. Prentiss couldn't find a compartment for this one (from Revelation: I guess I am good at compartmentalizing things) and was troubled by what they do--hunt people, much like the unsubs in the episode.
I agree with many of you who felt for the unsubs--they learned to hunt people from their uncle who kept them isolated from the rest of society and didn't know anything else.
Boy, this show always gives you something to think about.
We have our show back again. Now we can put Honor Among Thieves behind us and move forward. The writing was good. I loved the locations and the hunting for people was spooky weird and totally scary but I really liked the episode. Is it me or is Gideon losing weight?
I didn't see this show tonight, I guess I watch it over the summer. but as far as the count on who shot who (unsub) did Morgan shot the one guy on the roof of the mall in the terrist show?
Really excellent episode! The bar scene was just priceless -- I about fell off my chair when Garcia said she was going to blog about it later. I love inside jokes when we're on the inside. Brilliantly written, brilliantly played. Just too wonderful!
Gideon with the younger unsub was just beautiful. I love the way he lets his heart shine through when he gets the chance.
Nice nice blend of the whole team this week. Everybody had something to contribute. Felt like my 'old' show again. And I especially love it when Garcia gets to add so much.
Prentiss was really well-done in this ep. She finally feels like she really belongs. The bar scene helped immensely. But throughout, she felt like she fit.
As others have said, I love it when the victims aren't helpless. But seeing Laura Allen on "Dirt" just a few weeks ago kinda gave me character-whiplash. I kept expecting Courtney Cox to wander into the shot. Maybe if she'd had long hair or something it would have helped.
(And BTW, if you want to see fabulous network websites for shows, go check anything on FX. They rock! We seriously need an update. A kickin' show needs a hot website.)
Excellent plotting to this -- I loved the backstory of the unsubs, so cleanly explained. Everything fit together. Well done!
Morgan gets one in Lessons Learned, too. *g*
You guys are right. So that puts Morgan...well, it depends. Are we giving him full or half credit for Paul? If it's full credit, he's tied with Elle for the lead. If it's half, he's tied with Hotch and Reid in second.
-BeatriceEagle
I thought Hotch sleeping in the plane was so sweet. The opening scene was my favorite and I am staying out of the woods forever.
Did you count Hotch killing the guy in A Real Rain?
Yup. That's 1x17. Although I missed the kid Hotch killed in 1x16, "The Tribe."
-BeatriceEagle
Sorry, that last one was me. I don't know the eps by their number.
anon
1x17 IS a Real Rain...
Glad to see our show back! I have a guest and not a lot of time, but I loved Bobbi, and I had no, make that no, sympathy for the unsubs. Sure their uncle was a psychotic killer who isolated the boys, but I don't believe that they were clueless that they were doing something wrong.
Although I don't remember the show, several years ago i saw a very similar plot, although the hunted people were barefoot. What goes around comes around (or whatever). Did anyone else see that one?
Good to see Prentiss' continued personalization (is that the right word?).
Well written show. The story was focused and the cast was sharp. I really liked the episode. Prentiss, and I never thought I would say this, is growing on me. Hotch was adorable. JJ was really good. I really felt like this was a well thought out episode. Yeah for team CM.
Did anyone else love how Garcia talked about Myspace and Blogging?
It was nice to see Prentiss not be perfect and cold for a change. I liked her in this one. Loved the episode.
I liked the episode but the plot did seem rather familar to me as some of you have already said. I loved the Gideon scenes but then I am a true Gideon gal.
I liked the episode. There were a few holes but nothing I can't overlook. I would like to know why they didn't just get out of the woods.
I loved the scene on the plane. Sleeping angels.
Tanya:
That's a very big woods.
Loved it! The girls' night out scene was just priceless. I'd love to see more of that - seeing what the team is doing when they get the call, rather than just already being at the BAU.
I loved all the characters in this one. Loved Prentiss not being untouchable, and JJ showing off her unique skill set, and that whole plane scene at the end.
I'm a happy fan tonight! (Although I still wish we'd seen 'Doubt' first...)
Yeah, they said that the woods were ove 3 million acres.
I enjoyed this episode of Criminal Minds. The show has definately redeemed themselves from "Honor Amoung Theives". The scene at the beginning (Does your badge look like this?) was perfect! I absolutely loved it! It was awesome with the JJ explaining how to break the news thing. It gave us a clearer picture of what she does.
I thought it was interesting that this episode we learend more about Emily than in H.A.T., and her mother was in that one!
The Gideon empathy was good, and I thought we could have seen maybe a bit more Morgan, but hey, there's always next week. The Reid/JJ ship fan inside me jumped at the end when they were sitting next to each other, adn the rest of the scene with Morgan and Emily was really good. We haven't had a plane scene in a while; nice to see it again.
Now, while Bobbi may have been one of the most resillient victims, which makes her an awesome and smart one, there were some strange acting things with her and the other victims. Unless you got hit in the lung, you probably have a few minutes until you fall down and pass out. But the other camping victims didn't look like they were shot in the lung. Then again, I'm not a doctor, so I could be wrong. I thought the whole jumping-out-of-tree thing was somewhat whack, but it did work.
The plot seemed to be really similar to "The Most Dangerous Game" to me. That's a good, and disturbing story. This episode, while sad, and somewhat disturbing was pretty good. Not the best, but definately an improvement.
I liked it. I've already written up my full commentary elsewhere, but my favorite parts were:
-the bar scene, naturally. Love girls destroying the illusions of guys who think they're the cat's silk pajamas. That dude was long overdue for a reality check. Liked Garcia's comment about blogging it. Throwing a bone to the real fans :)
-Mandy watching over the younger brother as he died. At that point, he was just a scared kid facing the only thing his brother couldn't protect him from. He needed someone there. Gideon really fit the bill. God, the look on his face when he was saying "it's ok," over and over. Funny how that's the only thing we can think of to say when everything is as not ok as it could possibly be.
And the show-stealer is... *drumroll*
-Congratulations for the grossest crime scene to date, in my opinion. Hope Emily washed her face. And her hair...eww.
-Good philosophical wanderings, if a little on the brick-dropping side.
Anonymous said...
The plot seemed to be really similar to "The Most Dangerous Game" to me.
Your brain went there, too? Woohoo! I'm not the only one.
I love that story. I still remember it vividly, although I haven't read it since high school. It's one of those soul-shaking things that lodges way down inside you.
I actually read "The Most Dangerous Game" in middle school. I don't think I understood everything, so it's probably time for a reread.
Okay, thinking back, I just have to say, wow. Bobbi was awesome. And we rooted for her and sympathized with her so much more because she was the victim for the entire episode. We saw her story alongside with the BAU's story, and we had enough time to get to like her. Similar to North Mammon.
-BeatriceEagle
I thought the episode last night was very good. Obviously the ladies ruled in this one. That was nice to see. Gideon's compassion including dying unsubs was no surprise. My favorite scene was the plane. Their own little safe zone.
Yeah, that forest is something like three times the size of RHODE ISLAND.
I would not want to get lost there.
HI, I just found this. I loved this episode of CM. Awesome. I agree that the plotline was familiar. I think there was a Patricia Cornwell or Lisa Gardner book a few years back that used essentially the same plotline--a killer releases his "prey" into the woods and then hunts them. But, our team, of course, makes the story so much better!
And Bobbi. Seriously, I was thinking at the end that they should offer her a spot on the team! She was gutsy.
I didn't have much sympathy for the killers, but then, I was working while watching the episode, so I probably missed some of the finer points in the episode. Can't wait to watch it again later on TiVo.
Judy
I thought the episode was good. Not great and not bad. I had some problems with some of the little things. Garcia and the opening scene could not have been more fun. Can we nominate her for Goddess?
The interaction between Morgan and Prentiss is interesting. They seem to have a weird understanding. It was nice to have the old Reid back. The gals were great all the way around in this one. I liked the story. It was a good night for Criminal Mindss.
I thought she turned into a really strong take charge woman. I liked her.
I thought the women were really strong in this episode. I would include Bobbi in this. I thought Bobbi showed real strength. It is was so nice to see JJ teaching compassion or at the least explaining it. It gave you a real sense of what her role within the BAU is and I liked that. Good episode.
I didn't know what to feel or think about the brothers. Gideon showed more compassion than I would have. That much I know.
I like character development and this episode had a bit.
Garcia flexed some muscle in this episode. It felt like she was more a team member than support staff.
Prentiss let her team "in" to her personal life and thoughts (a little). This is the onion peeling process. We amateur profilers now have some information to work with when looking at her character.
I knew the types of things JJ had to do in her job but this was a good reminder. She has rebounded pretty well from her dog experience.
Reid has changed. He is normalizing. This can be good or bad. I liked his uniqueness, and if he becomes just an agent, I won't be as interested in his character.
Gideon has always been empathetic. This was obvious in this episode.
Morgan might be seen as a counselor, but if I went to him, and he said "suck it up" every time, I might not ask again. I am sure he thinks anything can be overcome, and his responses reflect that philosopy.
Hotch was Hotch. He did his job.
Damn but college is kicking my ass right now. I'm finally on here. I liked last night's episode. Loved the beginning with the girsl hanging out. It made like Prentiss a little more. As usual Reid looked very normal and very put together. Coulda wished for a little more Garcia but I liked her and Morgan on the plane. And I loved teh dead panned Hotch "Garcia, you're the man." It's just like he's talking about some random fact. I found it funny. I felt bad for the brothers. They were just going by what they learned and they really loved each other. And I adored the fact that Gideon was being so gentle with the younger even when they realized he was the unsub. My heart broke when he died. I would have with the older but the victim getting in his face kinda spoiled it. Though she did have a right to. I think that was the first time we've ever seen Hotch sleep on the plane. He looked uncomfortable. But then I probably would to if I was in that situation. I liked Reid and JJ sitting there readig the journal. It was friendly and comfortable. It worked. The ending was nice liked the fact that Prentiss showed her human side. All in all I give it an 8.9.
AWESOME...!!!!
This episode is an award-winning performance for our C.M.
Everybody shined, everybody was included, everybody performed "top notch"...well, everybody wonderful!
There was so much to take in. Every word or action meant something. The music was penetrating. The great writing hit some deep points, especially about the "psyche" of criminals...I need to rewatch tonight.
Aspects of personalities, emotions, of not only the Team, but guests as well were brought out into the "open" (no pun!). The Team struggled with trying to find some answers of their own as to the "whys" and "how does this happen" of criminal behavior.
Lots of FBI and profiling information gived to us in this great ep. A wealth of info!
This will be a hard one to top.
CONGRATS TO THE WRITERS, CAST, AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN "OPEN SEASON"..!!
Joyce
Note: Yes, Slash, I loved seeing Hotch as much as possible, too!!!
I liked the show.
I thought it was very classic CM. The characters stayed very much in character. I was pleased that Reid was back to normal. Seems we are done with the drug/drug? storyline which thrilled me. The story was clear and crisp. No complaints.
There seems to already be someone posting that shares my name. I posted the last post and I am over the top on lj.
Hmm, liked this one.
I liked the following:
I felt sorry for the bad guys at the end
Prentiss became more of a real person
Hotch and Reid spent a fair bit of time together
The girls rocked in the bar and blogging was mentioned!
Bobbi was not going down without a fight
Daytime woods are just as scary as nighttime woods
Hotch looks adorable but yet still pristine whilst asleep
Interesting discussion between Morgan and Emily at the end - I thought it was going down the route of anybody being capable of evil and the very fine line between the perpetrators and the hunters.
Good stuff - almost erased the memory of the carnival of arse that was Hono(u)r Among Thieves.
All this info is making me very excited to be watching! It airs Sunday here for me...can't wait!
I have a solution to the HAT disaster. Even with losing Doubt until next season we will still be one show up on the season. If we erase HAT from the equation then we will have had 22 episodes. I think this could work. We all just need to forget it ever happened and get ALL references to it off of every site on the web. lol
such a creepy episode! i was freaking out the entire time!
i looooved the opening. that was based on an incident that happened to a real fbi agent, who prentiss is based on. except in the real story, only the one fbi agent flashed her badge. it was paget brewster's idea for all of them to flash their badges, charlie's angels style. LOVED IT!
I felt like we were getting a wink from Kirsten for loyally reading her blog. The scene was as fun as you thought it would be. I loved the episode. CM rules.
I rewatched it earlier tonight and I liked it even better the second time. It is a really good episode. No gimmicks or games. A straight forward BAU case with all our team members acting just how we have come to expect them too. I loved the strength of the women in this one. And yes the first scene totally rocked.
My hubby informed me last night that our street was flooded half way up our yard, the manhole had popped off, causing a small geyser in front of our house and that a tree had just floated down the street and all I could think of was, “So What! Our electricity is out and I’m missing my show!” LOL! Fortunately I was able to watch a taping of the show today.
I’d have to agree with everyone else that this was a much needed improvement over Honor Among Thieves. It wasn’t my favorite episode yet, but it was very good. I liked how they were able to give all of the members of the team something meaningful to do, especially JJ, as she doesn’t seem to get focused on as much as the others. Considering how many characters there are on the show, I imagine that is a difficult task for the writers. I also liked the scene in the bar, with just the girls, and the Myspace and blog references were very cool. I also can’t help myself, but you all have me noticing Garcia’s pens in each of her episodes now. LOL! My favorite scene would have to be the ending scene in the airplane between Morgan and Printess though. Their conversation was very thought provoking and it was good to get a peek into who Printess is as a person. (I noticed Gideon was still wearing that wedding ring. LOL!)
The only previous comments that I would have to somewhat disagree with would be the empathy everyone seems to have had for the brothers at the end. While I LOVE seeing Mandy in dramatic scenes like that, I just couldn’t really feel it myself. Maybe seeing flashbacks of the brothers as kids or something, would have driven home what these guys went through and made me feel more sorry for them. Instead, my reaction was more like the victim’s was…“How could these guys do something like this?” and “How does it feel, you son of a b*tch?”
Jaclyn, what FBI agent is that?
Good episode.
Very good episode. I enjoyed it and it was nice to have a new one. Only a few more left. :(
Upon rewatching:
We definitely see Morgan pull the trigger, and it looks like all the shots come from his direction.
I still feel for those brothers. At the very least for the younger one. It really creeps me out.
Bobbi is still awesome.
Running with the instinct/animal/hunt scene, does anyone else remember Morgan's comment in "Jones" about antelope? That's what I keep thinking of.
-BeatriceEagle
VEEEEERY good episode, it changes from the *shiver* last one. Prentiss has all my heart, Gideon is a wonderful, wonderful guy to have near you when you are dying...
BUT
WHY REID IS SO NOT THERE????
I mean...ok,I know, I'm a Reidgirl and wish Reid was ALWAYS under the spots....but frankly, he is amost NOT EXISTING, lately... COME ON!!!!
I'm UPSET!!!!
I need my Reidfix and this is not ENOUGH!!!
Paola wrote:
BUT
WHY REID IS SO NOT THERE????
Um, hello, did we see the same episode?
In case you missed it? The show is called "Criminal Minds" NOT "The Spencer Reid Show". He was in a fair bit of this episode.
And it is an ENSEMBLE cast which means that, gee, the other actors have to be allowed some screen time as well, so, uh, build a bridge and get over it. Reid was in a fair bit of the ep last night.
Oh, wait, I know what it was, the story didn't focus on him. Well, you know what? Most of the time the story doesnt' focus on him.
Now, you want a Reid-less ep? Ashes and Dust would be one...but Open Season? Wasn't Reid-less, not by a LONG shot.
I thought this episode gave us all the cast including KV and I was thrilled by that aspect of it.
Reading all these comments shows what a great group we have. We sure covered a lot of territory.
I will add an additional, of which most of you will disagree.
I felt the same as respectanimals wrote...I could NOT feel empathy for the brothers at the end.
No matter what past excuses for their killing behavior, blaming their uncle, etc., that's all they were taught, etc...when they were killed at the end, it was "poetic justice" to me. Exactly what I hoped would happen to them. I SHOUTED "HOORAH!!" It was a highlight moment of the episode to me.
I use to be so very soft and naive. Guess I have hardened over the past 30 years of my 67 years (which came as a result of opening my eyes to reality out there).
Now when I see humans purposely inflicting and enjoying pain onto others...I want that back to them. Not arrest them, waste time and money on hopeless unsuccessful court system blunders, attempted "rehabs" or the costly joke of jail for life.
So, when the bros "got it", I could only cheer.
Joyce
anonymous - i'm not sure of the agent's full name. i know they call her Agent Emily, but i'm not sure of her last name. sorry!
I found the beginning an interesting commentary on what was to come. It was a clever tie with the 'girls on the prowl' and the 'hunters'... Perhaps that combination along with the vic's comment at the end that had Prentiss thinking about what it is that they do. Kudos to the writers for finally pulling off an episode that was entertaining as well as engaging.
I have been meaning to comment on this all week, but keep forgetting! I loved this episode. However, I do have one question. Is that my imagination or is that the first time Gideon and Hotch have been asleep on the plane? I think I might remember seeing Hotch asleep before, but I dont ever remember seeing Gideon asleep on the plane! I thought it was a little weird to see them asleep and everyone else awake. Usually they are awake and everyone else is asleep!
I enjoyed watching this episode again but it is so weird seeing Gideon now.
I felt a little odd watching a Gideon episode, but that's OK. It's such a great ep..Prentiss seemed to be more accepted here, meshed well with Morgan.
I love the opening bar scene, as well.
-ztivo
It was kinda weird rewatching an episode you have seen four times now. I like the episode but I know all the words to it.
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