Criminal Minds spoiler thread for Criminal Minds episode "Damaged" starring Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, A.J. Cook, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness and guest star Nick Brendon. Written by Edward Allen Bernero.
***Beware- Comments on this thread will contain spoilers***
***This is the original spoiler thread for this episode. Please add any new comments you have here after rewatching it. *****
148 comments:
Just one more day. I am looking forward to this so much.
aah can't wait and the article underneath this is so exciting, three or four surprises in the next few eps!!
One day and 6 hours left.
I can't believe how much this is killing me waiting!!! I'm so excited!!
I'm counting the minutes. Tomorrow is going to be the LONGEST day of my life.
It will be so good to see everyone again. And I can't wait for the stories. It sounds like they are going to finish the season with a bang!
Hope I can get to sleep tonight or tomorrow really will be H E double toothpicks.
kjfdùkmljK%LJQK%LI%JGKL?VK?I4kl,k*!!!
I just can't think of something that makes sense.....
The fans in Germany are counting on the rest of you for large numbers of spoilers please.
can't wait for the new episode, still have to wait another 9H56 minutes...
Brigitte
I'm looking forward to Rossi's case being addressed and I think we'll get Lots of further insight into what makes him tick.
I can't wait - real TV is back again, I know they won't let us down!
OMG omg omg omg
I just can't keep still. omg omg omg ogm
a little over 3 hours to go! yay!
It is airing RIGHT NOW in parts of Canada. Canada has beaten us once again on seeing a new episode!!!
I'm excited about this new episode.
CANADA! :(
Loved it. It was so much better than I expected. Well worth the wait. Criminal Minds is back!
Some weeks, I really love living in the Great White North.
Okay. I <3 Ed Bernero right now. Hotch and Reid off doing an interview with a serial killer while Rossi goes to Indiannpolis and the rest of the team follows. This is not in any particular order, just as I remember things.
Starts off in Garcia's apt--Rossi shows up and bursts in; Garcia's trying to get rid of him and Kevin walks out naked--Rossi doesn't seem to care; Garcia is worried about the fraternisation thing--Rossi doesn't seem to care, he just cares about the case. It was cute...and maybe the frat rules thing is to telegraph to us that no one on the team is the father of JJ's baby?
Hotch and Reid are off doing an interview with a serial killer on death row. The prison warden is the guy who played Lash on the Sentinel. *hee* And he's a serial killer junkie. And god, when he was talking to Hotch and patted him on the shoulder, I thought Hotch was gonna bite him. Hotch is on edge for most of this ep....
Garcia goes to talk to JJ about the thing with Kevin and fraternisation...And Mrs. Bitch, I mean Haley, calls JJ because she can't get ahold of Hotch. (Okay, she wants a divorce and she's still harassing the poor man? Bitch. Oh, I said that already.) JJ comments that Rossi was the reason most of the fraternisation rules were made, so she's sure he won't say anything.
Prentiss notices Rossi's office has files and papers all over the floor. She, Morgan, and JJ are looking at it, wondering what it's about, when Garcia, out in the bullpen, tells them it's an old case. They go out to talk to her and she's not sure he wants there help. Prentiss says he's anal about his notebook, different coloured inks for different things--and that his office is a cry for help. JJ says the jet is available.
Rossi calls Garcia and finds out the team is on their way. Oh, he owns the house the killings took place in--the kids lived with their grandmother until she died. Oldest girl is a stripper, brother is a slacker, youngest girl is running wild. They get gifts every year on the anniversary of the murders--but they're kids toys.
When the team shows up Rossi says he doesn't need them, etc etc and when he asks why they care, Prentiss (I think) says because HE cares...and I think he finally gets the team thing. They go to visit the kids and the girl tells Rossi to stop calling and sending the gifts on the anniversary--he tells them he didn't send them.
They look at the stuff, and figure out that the killer was probably someone with a low I.Q. but who had help--figure out that it's a carny worker--they go to the fair and catch the guy. Before they leave, Rossi hands the deed to the house over to the kids and gives the oldest girl back the bracelet--but she tells him to keep and asks if he minds if she calls sometimes, to let him know how they're doing. He tells her to go ahead.
Now, the H/R stuff. Oh god, it's been such a long time...*sigh*
The guys don't have their guns as they had to check them when they came in--which is SOP for prisons, I believe. When they bring the serial killer in, Hotch tells them he doesn't need to be chained; they take off his chains and the guards leave--there's a button they (H or R) have to press to get out, cus the doors locked from the outside. (I need to watch this again, it's all jumbled in my head right now). He wants a window open, so Hotch tells him to go ahead; Reid starts the interview, but the SK lies--Hotch calls him on it, tells them that they know about him. Reid tells him that they've interviewed everyone that he's known, etc, so lying isn't going to help them. He isn't very cooperative and Hotch asks why he wanted the interview--SK says so he could smell the air one last time.
Hotch is, as I said, very much on edge (gee, thanks Haley)...Anyhow, Hotch ends the interview and goes and presses the button, twice, and nothing happens. SK says it's cus the guards are busy doing stuff with the rest of the prisoners (my ear for details isn't working well tonight, obviously)...and that it'll be 13 minutes before they can reply...he picks up a crime scene photo and says it took him less than 5 minutes to do that.
Hotch, full of glowery goodness, starts taking off his jacket and tie and tells SK that he (Hotch) isn't some 5 foot, 100lb woman--Hotch is deadly serious about taking this guy down--anyhow, just before they come to blows, Reid, who's sort of been skirting around the edge of the room, pipes up and tells SK that he can tell him why he is the way he is...because earlier the guy had said he wished he was normal. So, Reid talks long enough for the guards to arrive.
Later, he and Hotch are in the SUV; Hotch tells Reid he did a good job distracting the guy and Reid says something along the lines of he does his best work when he's terrified. Hotch apologises because he says he antaganoised the killer. Reid said he didn't; Hotch says "I didn't help." Reid does his smirky thing and says "No, you didn't." Hotch then tells Reid that Haley wants him to sign the divorce papers uncontested because that would be easiest for everyone. Reid asks what he's going to do. Hotch isn't sure, says that he can't get what he wants (which, stubbornly, I am going to interpret as either custody of, or visitiation with, Jack. Not that he wants Haley back; I don't see him taking back a cheating skanky ho').
The end tag has the team coming back into the office, Reid at his desk. Kevin is in Rossi's office tells Rossi he wants to talk to him about Penelope, man to man. Rossi nods and says "man to man" As he goes up to his office, Reid, Morgan and Prentiss are all like WTF? JJ sing songs, Garcia (or it might've been Penelope) and Kevin, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.... Morgan and Prentiss are like OOOOhh... and Reid? TOTALLY misses it. He's like what? Prentiss asks didn't he hear what JJ sang; Reid's like no, I missed it what's going on? Totally over his head. (This is extra funny cus nebula99 and I had been discussing that sort of thing in email lately).
Then we see Hotch at his desk with the divorce papers....and he signs him. My poor boy...Go find Reid, he'll comfort you. *snicker* I'm really not that sad about it, I'm glad, actually. The sooner he deals with this, the sooner he can move on...
Oh, and this thing we've been reading about turning up the tension on Hotch. Please to not be making it too much. I don't want him to break...Mom can't break completely, can he?
One more: when Kevin comes up to Garcia's office to see her, he sneaks up beside her and then speaks. I thought she was going to have a heart attack. She doesn't want them to get in trouble for fraternising; he says he's gonna talk to Rossi and she tells him if he does, she'll attack his personal comp system and make it like a cross between a Commodore 64 and something else that I can't remember. Anyhow, really cute scene. Now, if this is ALL we see of Kevin is a couple short scenes per ep? I'll be okay. But no more than that, cus I really, really don't like Nicholas Brendan...sorry.
Anyhow, great ep, and I know I missed stuff....but, really, I'm lucky I noticed anything beyond the Hotch/Reid scenes. LONG overdue. Thanks, Ed. :D
wow! what a come back! love the episode. Lots of funny moments with Kevin and Garcia.
Hotch and Reid interviewing the seria killer was my favorite part. Hotch was in a dangerous mood! Love how Reid got them out of a dangerous situation.
As a Hotch fan, the end was sad, him signing those papers. I'm not sad she is gone, afterall I think she did cheat on her husband (see In Birth and Death), I'm just sad for Hotch that he won't get what he wants(his kid I would say).
I like Rossi a lot in this episode, I'm glad he did catch the killer and there is some closure for him.
That's all I can write at the moment, will have to watch it again at 9H00!
Ed, the cast and crew, you were all missed and I'm glad you are back, thanks!
Brigitte
Ed nailed it. Great episode. I thought I would like the Garcia and Kevin stuff but I didn't. That was my only nay moment.
Hotch's angst level was stroke high. We are finally done with Hailey. No offense to Meredith Monroe but her character was like chalk on a chalk board. I feel Hotch's pain and him and Reid almost felt lots of pain from the death row nut. Good work Dr. Reid. You genius you!
Rossi seems familar to me now. The new has worn off and I like the character. I'm glad that he has gotten closure and I am glad that he let the team help him. That is so far from when he started and asked Garcia to work on the case privately. It is a nice step forward.
Garcia and Kevin....not happening for me. Sorry.
CM is back and I am so glad that this episode was so great. It was worth all the waiting. Thanks to Ed for giving us back the magic!
I really liked that Hotch confided in Reid about Hailey giving him divorce papers. He so seldom confides in any of the team. He keeps his personal life very closed and guarded. Those rare times that he opens up are very special. It reminded me very much about when he confided in Morgan a few episodes back about her wanting a divorce. Now that he is getting a divorce and losing his nuclear family I wonder if he will become closer with his work family.
Just a thought.
The episode was tight. It flew by which is always a sign of a really good episode.
It was great to have the team back but lets lose Kevin or at least only show him for very brief moments every few shows. Any more than that would be too much. I thought Garcia was her normal wonderous self. Kirsten rocks the planet for all it's worth.
A+ and thank g-d the show is back.
Since I'm in the US I'm only starting the episode but WAY TO GO GARCIA. She deserves some love.
Garcia deserves tons of love but it seems contrived. I think I just don't like the actor. He seems oddly out of place. Sorry. I still see him as Xander.
But the episode was great. JJ was cute about the Garcia/Kevin tryst and we got the plane back which I missed.
Hotch is a man on the edge. Wow is he melting like an ice cube in summer. I can't remember him ever losing his control during an interview before. He has been emotional before (Riding the Lighting when he held Rory's picture up to the glass and told Jacob that he lost) but he has always maintained control of whatever situation he has been in.
I understand Rossi better and I like his better now than I did before. I feel sorry for him. It has to have been really hard to have had that case weighing on him for so long.
Anyone want to go to a carnival?
Great episode! A++++++ and welcome back to TV CM!
Loved the episode. Hahhaha we got it early. Only kidding.
I missed the reason that Rossi owns the house. Help???? I must have blinked.
Great. Could J.J. have hung up that phone any quicker? Great stuff.
It is so great to have the show back and this was a really good episode. I understand Rossi better and I liked seeing another side of Hotch. Hey CM gals....he's single. Hailey is finally gone.
Reid, poor simple Reid, just let the 'sitting in a tree' thing go way over his head. It is a good thing he is a genius because our boy has not one lick of common sense.
I honestly thought Hotch was going to get him and Reid killed. He was aiming for a fight. It is going to be interesting watching this new Hotch falling apart storyline.
I'm truthfully thankful the Rossi storyline is over. I was tired of the bracelet. Now we know all about the case which was cool to watch.
Thanks Ed and all for bringing the show back with such a great new episode. You can't imagine how much we missed you all and missed our show.
Dude I want this season on DVD already so I can re watch this episode. JJ was so funny in the beginning. Hotch was really intesnse but go Reid. Blind the man with profiling. I <3 my TV geeks. And I love the fact that he didn't know what the song meant. Morgan and Prentiss were really cool when they were supporting Rossi. And it was nice to see a softer side of him at the end. Though it freaks me out that he owned the house. I think that's a little weird. Giving points for amazing individual and team work but taking away points for it being disjointedly fast and the fact that it's a new episode means I would tend to over rate it. All in all...it is a 9.5. Nicely done.
Excellent excellent excellent! It was worth the wait!
I loved everything about this episode. I felt for Rossi in this one.
This episode was AMAZING!
All the Hotch & Reid scenes were AMAZING!
The rest of the team coming to help Rossi was AMAZING!
Geek Love was HILARIOUS!
Loved it!
Awesome! Superb! Fabulous! Stupendous!
Fisher King is no longer my top fav! This is now #1 for my all time favorite eppisode!
Ed did a wonderfully fantastic job on this!
Reid was wonderful. Talking the suspect to death almost and no one to stop him! He looked so terrified, and so clueless at the end!
Rossi - I just wanted to reach through the TV and hug him. He looked so sad. So glad he solved it! So glad the kids want to communicate with him again.
JJ - Loved the scene where she sat down with Garcia! Do you think part of what she said, has to do with whats happening to her?
Garcia - Loved her reaction when Rossi came to her apt! Loved when she shoved Kevin out the door when he called her his girlfriend!
Kevin - Loved him at the end telling Rossi he needed to talk to him man to man!
Hotch - He looked so good taking off the suit jacket and tie (wish he kept going) Why did he mention to Reid, of all people, about the papers? And what more does he want. (Anyone else notice the lack of the ring on his finger) He looked so sad when he signed those papers.
Morgan - I wish he had just been a little nicer to the killer. I know he was a killer, but he looked so terrified!
Prentiss - Took me a moment to realize it was her with the bangs! Took a momement to get used to her like that.
Loved it! enjoyed the team interaction the best, the scene at the end with Reid being utterly clueless was just adorable! Paget looked gorgeous as usual, well they all looked great!
I've been indifferent to Rossi but after this episode he won me over just as I knew he would eventually! The line "my team is waiting for me" made me grin like a child! I also loved Prentiss's "because you do" answer.
I'm not sure how I felt re the Hotch/Reid scenes, I love those characters and were glad they had some scenes together but I found myself waiting for those scenes to finish and go back to Rossi (never thought I'd say that!) But I get that that story was there for us to see Hotch's tortured state of mind and I enjoyed him confiding in Reid at the end!
The Garcia scenes were cute and it was certainly welcome comical relief, I especially loved the JJ/Garcia scene near the beginning but I agree with not wanting too much time devoted to it, the amount in this ep was just right I feel!
Anyway bottom line I'm soo glad our show is back and still just as fabulous! Can't wait for more!
Ed,
You nailed it hard! Great episode. It was a great kick off for the rest of the new episodes. Congrats and thanks from a grateful fan!
Reid needs help. We need to buy him a "Idiot's Guide to Everyday Life". lol. He is too cute.
The dual stories were both wonderful. Hotch's meltdown and Rossi's closure.
The teamwork in both stories is what makes CM great and tonight was great.
Garcia=Love (Lets lose Kevin)
Curse Haley - I hope they write her off! Be happy to see Jack but take the cheating skank away!
I just watched the new episode. It was AWESOME. For the first time ever, I actually cared about Rossi. And there were lots of good Reid scenes, so that was a definite plus;-) Garcia and Nicholas Brendon's character had a very cute scene, too:-) I am sorry; I forget his character's name at the moment, because I am too excited!
Great episode. Seems like CM does some of its best stuff under pressure. (The source of Reid's line "I seem to do my best work when I'm terrified" ? *G*)
Good resolution to the "why is Rossi back?". I liked that it was this case that brought Rossi to really be accepted as part of the team and that he now says "I brought my team..." He's "all in" now.
Really good subplot with Hotchner and Reid at prison. Well done by the actors. Reid's encyclopedia of brain sure saved the day this time.
Overall, excellent job!
CM is BACK !!!
I LOVED the episode!
Poor Hotch, and Rossi.
Good team interaction tonight.
I’m so happy to have the show back!
There was a lot I loved about this episode, but I missed the usual Criminal Minds pacing. One thing that separates this show from the average crime show is the element of the clock. It’s not just about solving a crime that already happened. There’s almost always someone to save, or some catastrophe to stop. The clock always makes the episode move faster and gets me more invested in what’s going to happen, so I missed that.
But I loved every moment with Prentiss, and JJ and Garcia, and Hotch and Reid. And Morgan. And I didn’t hate Rossi, which is all I can ask for when it comes to him.
My reward for patiently waiting for the strike to end and not watching any reality tv was this new episode. CM is back and it came back stronger than ever.
Ed accomplished something that I did not think was possible. He made me feel bad for Rossi. I really almost cried. Terrific writing. The cast was super and I am very happy.
When I got my first glimpse of AJ I muttered congrats at the tv set. My boyfriend asked me if I realized that she could not hear me. I think he thinks I am crazy but tonight was a big night.
CM is back and LM can go sit on it!
It was well worth the wait Thanks Ed! What a great episode! Ready for more!!!
Laura
I was glad to see Rossi’s issue being addressed, at least so it does not remain the focus of the shows with him. I am also glad it ended positively, because it balances out the negatives.
The case was okay, with nothing special, but it was not necessarily the focus of the show. The personal issues were more dominant than the case.
It was good to see Hotch and Reid together again in a tense situation. It si good to know that Hotch does talk to Reid about personal things. I guess it is a role reversal, because Reid always needed and relied on Hotch, and now it is the other way around.
I don’t like Lynch as he makes Pen look stupid and goofy. She was neither before. It might increase Kirsten’s role but it is at the expense of a good character.
Glad the show is back but I look forward to more profiling…
OMG, the best episode yet!
I loved it, loved it, loved it!
The chat has gone wild...got to go back, will say more later when I can write coherently...or at least spell correctly.
CM rocks! Ed, YOU rock!
Sherlockette:
You took the words right out of my mouth. I like the idea of Garcia having more screen time but not this way. It was great for one episode but it is sort of a downer knowing that he is signed up to be a regular. She is a strong, independent woman and I don't like this kind of dummying down. Though some of it was very funny. Kirsten is so great.
The episode was really good. I liked the conclusion of the Rossi story. I felt a lot of empathy for him and what living with this case all these years must have felt like.
The focus of this show was the human dramas in our characters' lifes. That is very different than what we usually see but it worked very well tonight. It was a great way to get our groove thing moving.
Lets keep them all this good and finish the season like the number one show we are.
It doesn't get much better than this! CM Rules and Eddie B rocks!
I could cry with JOY! Thank you, Ed Bernero and all the CM people for a wonderful, wonderful comeback!
I absolutely loved "Damaged". In a nutshell, it was the perfect way to get back into the season: addressing Rossi's demons (so that now we know more of his past than Gideon's... Gideon who?), coming into the center of the action with Reid and Hotch on a case, Penelope/Kevin's little romance, and the rest of the team swooping into support Rossi. Rossi is now a part of the team... and I understand him a lot better now!
It is as if the BAU never stopped working. I can hardly tell there has been any changes. The acting, as usual, is superb. I totally loved Reid's intellectual handling of what could have been a really, really bad situation, and his obliviousness at the end of the episode. This is a family! And I feel that very strongly now!
One last comment: I feel totally sad for Hotch, but I would rather that he divorced his cheating vixen of a wife than have her character dragged on. I hope this will give him an opportunity to grow. And i completely trust where the writers are taking him!
Again, thank you for a great episode!
I actually watch this show for Garcia, and I'm thrilled she's got Kevin. Given her romantic history (the killer who hacked into the computers and the guy who shot her), I was starting to worry they wouldn't ever give her an actual, real relationship with a sane human being, but she's finally got one, and she and Kevin are a lot of fun.
I was especially pleased to see the show jump right to the "post-coital shower." Garcia's hot and deserves to get some naked time with a cute (if geeky) guy, and I've long had a crush on Nicholas Brendon, so it's cool to see him back in horrible clothing (and out of it!).
Wonderful episode with something for everyone. Lots of team interaction in this episode. Rossi is human with emotions. Who knew!
Nix Nick. It was good for one episode but Xander isn't someone I want to watch on a regular basis. I loved the different reactions of the characters, or lack of them in Rossi's case, to Penelope and Kevin. I love the friendship between JJ and Penelope. They are really like sisters.
What happens to the BAU family now that the daddy is having a meltdown? Who can fill in for daddy? I'm thinking Morgan could step in for awhile.
I need clarification about the clown killer. Did he just lose it like a mentally challenged child would do or was he truly a psychopath?
Great dual stories. Great writing. Great acting. Great everything. Team CM ruled as stated by everyone and Wednesdays are special again. Thanks Ed Bernero!
That was soooooo good. GREAT really. It's been a long time since I could say I LOVED EVERYTHING about the episode. PERFECT really. Thank you....:)
Hotch signing his divorce papers was so sad. I don't think he is used to failing and he failed at something he knows is the most important thing. If memory serves me he is the product of a dysfunctional family and now his son will have one too. Having your wife cheat on you must just add grease to the fire.
Rossi has the chance at a new beginning now that his case has been solved.
So tonight we had one ending, one beginning and sex for Garcia. Way to shake it up in CMland Ed. Loved your episode. It was worth the wait. What do you have for us next week? lol
Nobody has mentioned Prentiss' bangs. Loved her new look. Garcia got her some. She deserved it. This has been a big season for Ms. Penelope. Shot by a wackadoodle and then sex with Kevin. We said we wanted Kirsten to have a bigger part and they listened to us.
What should we ask for next? Maybe just great episodes like this one.
And Reid....we love you you slub.
Okay, so now we have it and it was interesting, a little sappy and a lot cool. The beginning, middle and end of the story arc was that the genius Reid and the Retarded Killer were both clueless about human relationships. Yes, Genius Reid can distract a serial killer on death row by making him facinated with himself, but the normal human relationships escape Reid as much as they did the Parent Killing Retarded guy. The other story arc was about stress and nightmares. We have 2 men, Rossi and Hotch at the end of their ropes. Rossi has finally decided on closure no matter what the cost and Hotch is angry, angry, angry and not anywhere near a place of closure with his family situation. So, we have Rossi's "family" resolved and Hotch in a hell of a mess. The Garcia relationship was also a contrast between a private life and being on the job. Rossi was oblivious to her privacy and relationship and couldn't care less who she was banging, again a refrain of the theme about understanding relationships and dealing with them in an understanding way. I did not like, although I understood Rossi's end comment about man-to-man - he thought it was funny, but he went anyway. So maybe he has had a bit of sensativity more at hand than before his "family" case was solved. I really liked the 'bare' truth of Garcia and loverboy without much makeup and the chub showing. In almost every TV drama, the only fat that is shown is usually the bad, tabacco chewing ass getting his shotgun ready or an overfed mobster chowing down on the cannoli. It was nice to see CM dare to present a chubby couple not only having sex, but having good sex and being happy about having good sex. The bias about chub is EVER PRESENT on TV, the who bunch of the Housewives do not weigh together what the Garcia/boyfriend do. So CM made me very happy about that issue.Hotch was beside himself and looking for a fight, he is wound so tight that he really needs something to unwind a little. I am excited to see what that will be.LOCILOCO
We kudo the actors and the writers all the time but I think we owe an apology to whoever does the costumes for the show because they do a great job and I don't remember us ever mentioning it before. I don't know where they dug up the shirt Kevin was wearing tonight but it has to take hard work to find something so nerdy and vile. I mean it as a compliment. The shirt hurt my eyes. I want to like him but, oh my I don't. Can't we toss him overboard and get Garcia Prince William's phone number instead.
Great episode. It feels like heaven having the show back. Thank you to all the people who make the show for doing such a great job. Now toss Kevin overboard and burn the shirt.
Rossi walking in on Penelope and Kevin was priceless. You know she must have felt like she was in a nightmare.
Really cool episode. I want to see what happens with Hotchner.
"I do some of my best work under intense terror" -great Reid line. That was a really intense scene. Hotch was ready to throw down with that killer.
Well worth the wait. I intend to watch it many times between now and next Wed.
Everyone on this message board has "trained" me to watch the show with a very careful eye, for little things that otherwise might go unnoticed. So I will actually post something I found out by doing something which, in watching almost any other show, would be borderline insane. I paused my recording to take a quick look at Hotch's divorce papers. The name of the witness: Andy Swan. Isn't he the man associated with Matthew Gray Gubler's unauthorized biography documentaries? If I'm right, I think that's SO CUTE! Total inside joke, total hat-tip to the fans. I really, really love this show.
Ivyhamster, I totally loved Kevin's shirt tonight, and you are right in saying that we have to give props to the costume department for their perfect sense of geek fashion.
I loved this episode. Loved it. Not enough Reid, but IMHO there is never enough Reid, even if it's all about Reid, so maybe I'm not the best judge of that. But the Reid there was on the show was funny and perfect and Reid.
If anyone could actually comprehend what I wrote, I congratulate you, because I just read it back and I have no idea what I'm talking about.
oh oh oh this was sooo worth the wait.
poor Reid did not get it. such a deprived childhood. poor baby!!
all in all looooove it!!!
;)
Wonderful episodes. I really liked it a lot. Poor Hotch. He needs some loving. Maybe we can get him a girlfriend.
Thank you Ed and team.....definitely one of my top 5 episodes ever.
I have wanted to see Hotch take more of a guardian/mentor role with Reid and I loved their scenes together in this episode. Hotch is definitely at his melting point with all he keeps bottled up inside and behind that 'in-control' exterior.
I think he would have prevailed in a throwdown with the serial killer guy but I was more than glad when Reid jumped in - in his moment of terror - to difuse the situation. I love it when he spews facts like he did and love it even more when in the end he admits that it was probably half made up.
While I think Hotch still has a lot to deal with, I was also glad to see him open up a little with Reid in the car and tell him about the divorce papers. They have a good dynamic and I think Reid was pleased with the interaction too.
I felt bad for Hotch at the end, but I am not a fan of Haley.
I felt the Rossi part of the story was good, it allowed us to see a conclusion to the baggage he brought with him while at the same time served as a lesson to him about being a part of a team.
Best lines
Rossi : Why do you care ?
Prentiss : Because you do.
Welcome to the team, Rossi.
I actually thought the ending of that storyline was a little anti-climactic but in this case I don't think the story was as much about the crime or solving it as it was about the team. So I am OK with it but as someone else said I prefer the episodes to have some level of urgency to them and hope future episodes get back to that.
Overall....fantastic episode. I'm so glad the show is back.
P.S. Joe Mantegna doing the opening quote....not so much.
Lets keep Joe and ditch Nick. I finally like Rossi but I think the Garcia & Kevin story should have a quick death. I don't think I would like to see Kevin on a regular basis. Lets say Garcia had a fling and flung him from the show. We only need one nerd and that is our Princess Penelope.
I enjoyed this episode so much. It was like an early birthday present. The Hotch and Reid scenes could not have been better. I am so happy he trusted Reid and talked about the divorce papers.
A.J is showing and I am dying to know who the dad of JJ's baby turns out to be. Since Prentiss wanted a child then maybe she is being a surrogate for Prentiss. That would be cute since AJ found out she was preggers during the filming of her surrogate mother movie.
I liked the Rossi story coming to an end and I like how it ended.
Wow, that was worth the loooooong wait, Ed and company!!!!!!
Congrats on expertly jumping back in and tying up some loose ends and introducing new nuances.
I was wary of how CM would handle the "sudsier" side of the storyline and felt that the soap opera aspect would be as welcomed as the Hells Angels at a Boy Scout Jamboree. But it was very well done and with the right sense of whimsy and fun. Kudos for a classy way to add fun into the scheme of things.
The highlight for me was Reid talking down the serial killer in the cell. I'm not sure what was more incredible- that he was able to talk a killer out of killing them or that someone actually listened to his genius rambling for 13 minutes!!!!!! :)
Yay, for the BAU to solve a 20year old case in an hour. Psssst, Rossi, next time, it would help to actually talk to the victims directly during the past 20 years.
Everyone looked great and I'm looking forward to more CM great episodes!!!!!!
Joanne
DAVID GOGOGO!!!! I'm so happy people start to appreciate you! I was on your side since the very first minute, they all will love you in the end!
But of course the one in my heart is as always, my sweet dr. Reid...
Reid...first time you talk a killer down with succes!!!You are getting better, boy!
Hotch and Morgan share the macho Award. Morgan when he hears about Garcia and Hotch when he puts his jaket off like a street fighter, under Reid's frightened eyes....
OMG, this show is AMAZING, keeps getting better and better everytime....I didn't thik it was possible, but YES! IT IS!
WOWOWO!! talk about coming back with a bang! The whole episode just worked so well!! All the team relationships moulded together and I already feel more in on their personal lives but the focus wasn't taken off the case. Now i never had anything against Rossi before but now I have really warmed to his character! This story was so sad and he played it really well!!
I absolutely loved the JJ/Garcia scenes at the beginning!! and the "Garcia and Kevin sitting in a tree" scene at the end has to be one of my favourites of the whole series so far - clueless reid is absolutely fantastic!!! prentiss was so funny when she just sort of looked at his confusion and was like "you know what nevermind" ! it was so cute!
As for Kevin I think I'm liking him and want to see more of him.
Lets just say this is one very satisfied fan!!!!
i really like this one alot. i have come to really likeing rossie.i also lkie how they had two storys going at once.
I give "Damaged" a 7/10. Too many inconsistencies. What kind of an agent is Rossi if he is stumped for 20 Years. but his group can solve it in a few hours??? And for him to have never heard of those yearly "gifts" when he say the kids every year? And the death row guy;
how was the unarmed old geezer going to kill FBI agents?
I don't know if anyone noticed, but in Birthright, Rossi said it's been 21 years, not 20 years... I noticed this right away, but shrugged it off.. then I read it in some other thread.
But I still absolutely loved the episode
i absolutely loved loved loved the kevin lynch/garcia lovin! when he said "you forgot to loofah my back" i literally laughed out loud! i would be thrilled to see more of that going on it's a great balance to the gruesome work they do.
Great episode. Loved tie-loss Hotch a lot. More of that please. Kidding (not really). I think that the death row serial killer would have loved to hurt Hotch and Reid. It would have resulted in additional charges against him and moved back his death sentence. I think Hotch is on the edge but he also had quite a bit of control during his tie off 'come get me' moment. He never took his eyes off of the guy and it did give Reid the opportunity to connect with him. I wondered for a moment if it wasn't somewhat planned by Hotch. It was great having the show back.
Yeah. CM is back!
Now that Rossi's obsession has been resolved I think the writers have a clean slate to take his character to great heights. I think the original goal was to make him as different as Gideon as possible in the beginning and that certainly was the case. Slowly we have learned more and more about who he is and how he works. Now that he has solved the demon case in his life we can start fresh with him. I'm looking forward to that.
Is it just me or did we see our first glimpses of a CM baby bump?
Penelope Garcia is love!-I will unleash an unrecoverable virus on your personal computer system that will reduce your electronic world into something in between a Commodore 64 and a block of government cheese. Call me later.
That is a definate CM keeper line. It goes on the list.
Awesome episode. Poor Hotch but he was extra Hotchly with that tie off.
Prentiss, Morgan and JJ are cute together. Like three siblings.
Rossi gets a fresh start or is it a clean finish? He only came back to the BAU because of this case and now it has been solved.
I give "Damaged" a 7/10. Too many inconsistencies. What kind of an agent is Rossi if he is stumped for 20 Years. but his group can solve it in a few hours??? And for him to have never heard of those yearly "gifts" when he say the kids every year? And the death row guy;
how was the unarmed old geezer going to kill FBI agents?
Rossi's case is solved and we found out he used to be a scamp. Good for him! (JJ: From what I hear, Rossi is the reason most of these fraternization rules even exist)
EB gave us a lot in this episode. It was tame on the profiling and heavy on the personal lives which I think is really good once in awhile. It worked in this episode.
I am in the minority because I didn't like the Kevin character. I would have prefered her hook up with someone hot looking and non-nerdy but more Garcia is a good thing so I guess I can hang with Kevin being there but no all the time.
Reid and Hotch equal love. I saw the baby bump too! We're having a Criminal Minds baby and that is wonderful. I hope that A.J. is feeling well and has a very easy pregnancy.
It is really interesting that Rossi's been obsessing over this crime for 20+ years and then it turns out that the killer is not some psychopath monster but a sympathetic person. CM is so great about reminding us that not all crazies are monsters. It is not uncommon to feel a sense of empathy for them on this show and I like that. I wonder how Rossi will feel now that this is all over. I found it very obsessive that he owned the house. Rossi needs to belt back a scotch and put this all behind him now and move on. I really like Rossi so this was a special episode for me.
Note to Ed: Please feel free to burn all of Hotch's ties! Great episode and I am so glad that my favorite show is back. Thank you.
I think the writers do their best under pressure. I can't believe Ed wrote this episode in one week. It was wonderful.
Did anyone notice that "GACY" was in one of the scenes or have I lost my mind?
Terrific episode. Lots of little fan touches which is always cool.
Hotch's glower is intense. I was waiting for him to take the DR guy apart piece by piece. Great scene. Haley really did a number on him. Hotch's stress is typical of any man going through a painful divorce but it is the rare moment when we get to see him almost implode. It was a sight. I think we are likely to get some more twists and turns with Hotch and his divorce and if so then this was a great foundation. If this is all we get then I think it was nicely done.
Xander can leave stage right please. The relationship is too cliche for my taste. Geek on geek. No pun intended. If they can find a way to make the story with them back drop instead of center stage then I could go with it.
I loved hearing that Rossi has nightmares. We already know that Morgan and Reid have them. It was good to hear that Rossi is not stone man. The end of his past case was handled nicely. Father and father parallels was a great touch.
Lots to enjoy and I enjoyed it all.
Rossi- "My Team" He finally gets it. He is part of a team.
There were a lot of loose ends taken care of in this episode. We also had story A and story B and they were both character motivated which I love.
CM came back with it's best and I am very happy with the results.
It was so great to have a new episode tonight!!!
I liked the storyline and watching Hotch and Reid interview that serial killer was pretty chilling, especially when you realized that he didn't intend to leave them alive. I loved how Reid started spewing off facts and how mesmerized the serial killer was. The shots between Hotch, Reid and the SK were wonderful. Glowering Hotch, Nerdy Reid, and the SK who was confused. And at the end, when the guard came to get the SK and he asked if what he said was true, and Reid said, "I don't know, maybe," I had to laugh thinking that Reid was just spewing all those facts at the guy that may or may not be true--the man has a quick, agile mind.
Loved Hotch when he took off his suit coat and tie and the look on his face--indescribable. So much anger and hurt there. Haley is a bitch and should never be heard from again. At the end when Hotch was signing the divorce papers, I noticed a little legal problem. FYI, If there are witnesses or a notary has to witness the signature, the person signing the document has to sign it in front of the witnesses or the notary.
The Rossi case was well-resolved. I too loved Prentiss' line about why the team cared, because he cared. This goes a long way to making Rossi an actual member of the team. I also felt for the unsub, and his father. I liked the end when the children thanked Rossi, it was a nice resolution. It was interesting to see how the team had *profiled* Rossi, talking about his color-coded notes, his meticulous style, and how worried they were about him. They showed him that he was *theirs* and they were going to help him out.
(I was wracking my brain trying to remember who Nicole Tom (the older sister) was. I knew the name but couldn't remember why. I finally remembered--she played the oldest child on The Nanny with Fran Drescher.)
At the end, when Reid didn't get the Garcia and Kevin sitting in a tree . . . I also had to laugh at how naive he is. I agree with Rayna, let's get him an "Idiot's Guide to Everyday Life"!
Garcia and Kevin--not so much, but it is nice to see that Garcia has a love life (at least one of the team has one). I agree with Sherlockette that Garcia is too intelligent a character to make her look goofy, and I do agree that Garcia should get more screen time!!
All in all, a great episode. Ed did a bang up job with this one and it really sets the bar high for the rest of the season.
Great episode! I expect this level for the rest of season 3 and I can only imagine season 4...it will be great.
Hotch challenging and Reid fast talking...excellent.
Morgan, Emily and JJ helping Rossi...he now understands team. Very nice and thanks for wrapping up that story line.
Garcia and Kevin...can't decide yet. Cute & geeky.
I'm late to the praise party but I just wanted to leave a note saying that I LOVED the episode!!! Everyone has pretty much summed up my feelings regarding the episode. It was everything I was hoping for & so much more.
AWESOME job, everyone!!!
It was so good that I watched it again this morning. It feels so good to have the show back up and running like a well oiled machine. CM rules.
Wow and wow. Totally perfect episode. I liked the Garcia/Kevin scenes. I am a sucker for romance and Garcia deserved some nookie.
Reid is the most loveable, brilliant, clueless man on the planet. He is so endearing.
JJ/AJ has a bump. We're having our first Criminal Minds baby and that is pretty darn exciting and I am dying to know how they write it in.
Rossi might have felt a sense of let down last night. How did he not know about the toys. I am glad his case was solved. I hope he finds peace.
Morgan is jealous???? I think so.
Paget in bangs is beautiful. I love Prentiss. Never thought in a million years that I would say that.
Great episode.
I'm new so if it isn't okay for me to comment I will understand if you delete this.
A friend basically made me watch the show last night and I really liked it. I plan to watch it again. I have lots of questions but Allie will be happy to answer them all for me, I hope.
Angela,
Allie is great but if you have any questions you want to ask of us then go ahead. We're happy to have new converts and will help you in any way that we can!!!!
Welcome to CM world. Its a blast.
I wholeheartedly agree! Let's get rid of Kevin! I love Nick Brendon - well, I loved him as Xander but Kevin Lynch is such a steretype of a character that I just can't stand it! And geek love is not hilarious to me, rather ridiculous!
@ miriam-heddy:
Are you serious? A handsome guy was only interested in Penelope because he wanted to shoot her and now the best she can ever get is this idiot looking geek??? What kind of message does that deliver? I honestly love Nicolas Brendon - but NOT like that! His character is such a bad stereotype of a computer geek that it's one of the greatest disappointment of the whole show ever - for me.
I am glad to be rid of Haley but I hope we get to know or see that Hotch keeps Jack in his life. Monrow did a good job of playing a shrew. I was really happy Hotch talked to Reid about what was happening.
He already took off his wedding band. That was a surprise but it seemed like something he would do. I agree that they should burn all his ties. A tie-less Hotch is a good thing.
Rossi's case was really tragic. There ended up being nobody for him to loathe. The guy was a tragic figure. Sad case.
Loved it and come on next Wed.
Cool casting. Dennis Christopher was a blast from the past.
Lets talk about Rossi. So it seems that he bought the crime scene house and probably he did it to provide the grandmother money to help her raise the kids. Okay. Seems Ed is determined to make me like Rossi. Then he actually maintained it all of these years. Okay. I give up. I like him now. It turns out that Rossi isn't the self centered jerk that I thought he was. When he acknowledged that he is part of a team I was sold on him. It took me awhile but I am sold. Rossi can stay. :)
Great episode. I loved it.
I'm not sure Rossi is going to find the closure that he was looking for with the case being solved. Seems like it has haunted him for a long time.
The episode had something for everyone. Hotch all tensed up and puffy. Reid being Reid. Garcia being life itself. Lose Xander. She had her roll in the hay. JJ and Garcia being gal pals. Prentiss being cool.
Just really great.
Okay, I have NEVER posted before...had too! I am a HUGE Gideon fan. I never thought I would watch the show again. This was THE BEST EPISODE EVER! I have to admit. I cheated. I skipped the Rossi parts and watched everything else. (Sorry, love Hotch!) OMG, TOO HOT! I watched that "take the jacket and tie off" scene a dozen times. I don't agree about burning the ties. I think every week he should get angry enough about something (hey the soda machine would do for that sight) and FLING them to the ground in anger. I couldn't stand it, it was SO SEXY! Now at least I don't feel stupid. I noticed right away, no wedding ring. I went back a few times to make sure. Now, I can watch the whole episode. That Hotch scene was as intense as the one where he was yelling at the child molesting uncle in the mall. I almost wore my DVR out with that one!
Question for Ed:
The sign behind Prentiss looked like it said Legacy at one point and then the camera moved and it looked like gacy (the serial killer).
Was that intentional? It was great either way.
Wonderful job!
I'm finally done reading everyone's comments and I agree with almost all of them. The episode rocked.
I don't think that the way Hotch acted was strategy because he later admitted that he had screwed up. I think he was wound up tight and just looking for someone to take it out on and here was this scum serial killer right infront of him. Quick thinking on Reid's part but I think Hotch could have taken the serial killer out!
There seems to be mixed reviews of the Garcia/Kevin story. I liked it better than I thought I would but I wouldn't want him on a regular basis. Now and again would be okay. Buffy bits.
I thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I wouldn't change anything about it at all. I noticed most of the cookies and there were many but I would like an answer about the sign too.
Jill, any way for you to find out and report back to us about it? Please.
I thought this episode was great! In fact, this is now my second favorite episode of the third season (Penelope still being my favorite, but not by much). All three of the storylines (Rossi, Hotchner, and Garcia) caught and held my attention. This entire episode had numerous character scenes, lots of personal issues and a high level of drama, which is exactly what I like to see and which Ed Bernero seems to be so good at writing.
While I didn't find the Rossi storyline particularly believable, I didn't really care, because I enjoyed watching the drama play out and seeing the characters interact with one another. I especially loved how the other members of the team all insisted on butting into Rossi's case, whether he liked it or not. LOL! The scene in an earlier episode where they were snooping around in his office was right along these same lines. The youngins are nosy, but they mean well. LOL! I have liked Rossi for a while now, but frankly if I had been the police, I would have found him to be a wee bit too obsessed with the case and a bit of a stalker. I mean buying the house and calling those kids year after year, is just too invasive of their lives, if you ask me. Having nightmares and continuing to pursue the case is one thing, but he needed to back off where they were concerned.
The Hotchner storyline was even better than the Rossi storyline, with some amazing acting being done by Thomas Gibson. He was just fascinating to watch and of course Reid was perfect as usual. The interactions between the two were great, however I really wouldn't think that Hotchner would open up to Reid about his divorce like he did. That seemed a bit off to me. Hotchner's melt down and Reid coming to the rescue toward the end was an especially powerful scene to watch and probably my favorite scene of this episode.
My favorite storyline was definitely the Garcia one however, as it was hilarious. ALL of her scenes were fantastic! While I can see how it might get old in the future, I am really liking her relationship with Kevin right now. While I'm not overly enamored with Kevin himself, the scenes between them have been awesome! Both the "Hackers" style computer scenes and the forbidden romance ones. And the scenes where she basically snitched about Rossi and his case and the girls gossip scene with JJ in her office were superb too. I couldn't help but wonder how it was that Rossi was going to catch them in such an awkward position, but Ed pulled it off and it was a true joy to watch! How perfect that it would be Rossi to walk in on them!
I didn't really like Emily's new hair style, but that might just be because I'm not used to it yet. Time will tell.
Okay so like I missed 24 minutes of the show and I came in on Hotch and Reid in the cell with the murder and so on So I REALLY LOVE THIS EPISODE good way to come back
Very good episode - and it packed an emotional punch. I was wanting to hug (and more than slightly scared of) tense-as-a-very-tense-thing Hotch; the Reid/Hotch almost hostage bit was out of the blue (for me anyway) and terrified Reid does some magic stuff; and the Rossi storyline kids made me want to cry.
Nice to see you guys back.
Didn't really like it. Mainly because it was jarring going back and forth between the two situations. Rossi's case was just unbelievable, and made no sense whatsoever that he couldn't solve this earlier. If they had stuck with one case be it the prison one or Rossi's and not gone back and forth it would have been better. JJ rocked. Lose Kevin. I think it hurts garcia as a character. You know go back to how she was in first and second season she rocked and now this is what she's getting this season. Totally sucks. And if they are going to keep him-then lose the stereotype that techie people cannot dress themselves. Reid not getting song at the end was just way to contrived and completely unbelievable. Here's hoping the second ep back flows smoother than this one.
Anonymous,
I respect everyone else's opinions but I loved it. It was great having two storylines happening at the same time. It struck me while watching the show that probably that is how it usually is with the real BAU. Many cases all at once requiring their attention.
I liked the Rossi story and one of the main reasons I did was because it was so easily solved when he worked with a "team" and it made me wonder how things would have gone down in the past had he opened up about the case and worked with a team on it. I thought Mantegna did a great job.
Garcia is sunshine on a cloudy day.
Hotch mad is too good for words. Thomas Gibson really gave a great performance in this episode. I thought he was going to throw the first punch when that tie came off.
Great episode!!
The episode was too short. It was over in a blink. Loved it. Really great.
I missed the sign. I would also like to know is it was done intentionally. Great episode.
A handsome guy was only interested in Penelope because he wanted to shoot her and now the best she can ever get is this idiot looking geek???
Actually a narcissistic psychopath wanted to eliminate the person he thought could identify him. And, the "best" she can get is an intelligent, sweet, hero who thinks well under pressure, and isn't afraid to take on serial killers or Rossi. Kevin Lynch runs rings around the guy who shot Garcia.
And, I didn't need post shower scenes or even romance scenes, but thank you so much, show, for not playing it like a joke, or implying that we're supposed to feel sorry for Garcia. I loved JJ's reaction. She's interested and happy and acted the same way that I imagine she would if Garcia was with a stereotypical hunk (not that Kevin isn't adorable - but I've always been a fan of the geeks)
And, thank you so much for the Hotch and Reid scenes. I think you read my mind. Reid getting to be the one who lends his ear, Hotch confiding in him. Even gave me a cherry on top by having Reid do the saving. And, I love Hotch like crazy. Seeing him off his game, seeing him admit that he was off and pushed the situation, seeing him volunteer what was wrong (growth from when Morgan had to pry out that Haley had left). And, it was heartbreaking to see him sign the papers. Don't like Haley, but I know it wasn't easy for him. (Could we just not go much farther in any Hotch loses it spiral? I thought this was a brilliant way to show how it's affecting him without going too far)
I still don't like Rossi - and I'm used to him, I just don't like him. But, now that the case is over I don't have to sit through those issues again. And, I think it's very much like you guys to not have the killer be some scary evil guy.
One more thing? Did you cast Dennis Christopher in homage to his role in the TV movie "It"? I thought that was a funny touch.
Anonymous,
I didn't have any problem with them jumping back and forth between the two situations myself, although I do think that maybe if they had concentrated on just the Rossi storyline, they might have been able to make it more believable. Fortunately, I was able to enjoy the storyline anyway and overlook it's weaknesses.
JJ does rock! I agree with you totally on that. The gossip scene in her office and how she jumped in real quick with the information that the jet was available when Garcia told them all where Rossi was, were both great.
I hadn't noticed that Garcia's personality has changed any this season. If anything, I'm just glad that they seem to have given her more scenes.
I have to admit when I saw the Reid scene at the end where he just doesn't get the "Garcia and Kevin sitting in a tree" song, I thought the same thing. After I thought about it a little more though it occurred to me that due to his genius he had a very unusual childhood, and was always grades ahead of his age group, so he may never have been exposed to that type of teasing.
Good episode, not my favorite. But I did love the interaction with Hotch and Reid. As usual Matthew was amazing. Paget's hair looks AWFUL. I honestly find her to be one of the most beautiful women in the world and right now she looks terrible. As far as Nick goes, I JUST saw him in person. I stood NEXT to him, and lets just say he must put on a ton of weight for this roll very quickly. Funny thing is I saw him AFTER the ep with him aired and before these were taped. He has an amazing body but on the show he is supposed to be kind of chunky I think. There was NO chunk on him a few months ago. LOL. Last but not least I still don't like Rossi and I was thrilled when he gave up the bracelet and then quickly let down when they handed it back to him. Uck.
Lee :)
Ooooooooooh!!! Garcia was in the shower with Kevin Lynch. Way to go Garcia! But wouldn't you know it Rossi of all people would show up at her door at that moment. If I was Garcia, I would have never answered the door.
I also liked the Reid and Hotch scene when they interviewed the serial killer. The best part was when the serial killer held up a picture of one of his victims and said, "I did this in less than 5 minutes". Then Hotch took his jacket off and said, "Well I'm not some 100 pound girl". The serial killer scared the mess out of Reid at first. However, I'm glad that Reid was able to diffuse the situation with one of his ramblings about serial killers.
I have mixed feelings about the Rossi's 20 year case. Like some other people have said, it is odd that a case Rossi has been working on for 20 years gets solved in one episode. But I hope Rossi has learned the importance of team work. And that he can't keep so many things to himself. Maybe if he had someone helping him, the case would have gotten solved sooner.
I really enjoyed last night's episode so much that I just rewatched it again. I loved the Hotch, Reid and Crazy scene.
There was a lot of solid teamwork in this episode and maybe Rossi understands that now and will be more open to the concept.
Okay, my turn.
I loved the ep. It was such a nice homecoming- a return to the team I love.
Adored the JJ/Garcia convo in the beginning. Well acted, well written.
I'm not always sold on Reid, but I found him very amusing last night and I like when he thinks on his feet, especially when he does it when he's scared to death.
One of my favorite scenes was the JJ/Morgan carnival stalk...nice to see JJ in the field with a gun. And lovely to see Morgan semi-tackle someone again.
Rossi? Well I'm not completely a fan yet, but it was a very poignant conclusion to his mystery. He so deeply wanted vengeance and justice and what he got was life - unsatisfying, but closure. Nice.
All in all, fantastic Ed and cast.
Oh and as a Nicky Brendon fan; thrilled to see him.
Of all people to walk in it had to be Rossi. You know that is Garcia's luck and worst nightmare. She is such a hoot. I loved her scenes. Welcome back to our favorite tech goddess.
I laughed! Garcia & Kevin, and the shower, and Kevin with his very brave and serious "man to man talk" at the end when Rossi clearly hadn't really even been paying attention, and JJ dropping everything to listen to Garcia was just too cute :)
I shivered in horror! That was one creepy serial killer guy, and I felt every bit of Reid's terror when he realized they were locked in with no help - and then at the end when serial killer guy said "did you mean all that, that I didn't have a chance" and Reid was "maybe, I don't know" - ha! And then the modesty (eh, not much happened) and cluelessness at the end - ah, how do I love thee Dr. Reid? Let me count the ways . . .
And poor Hotch he's trying to be the strong tree, but he's off his game and he's falling to bits - maybe whaling the tar out of a serial killer would have done him some good, I loved Reid jumping in to save the day and wouldn't change a thing, but. . . I have an unsuspected violent streak I guess - I kind of wanted to see the fight (and maybe Hotch with no shirt!)
That scene when they caught the unsub was such an amazing conflict of emotions - he's done something so terrible, but he was such a child, and his dad telling him he was being a good boy for not fighting back, and Morgan being so rough, and Rossi face to face with the "monster" he'd been searching for - really, this is the only show that can yank my emotions around and tie them in a thousand knots - amazing job everyone! So glad you're back
I like this episodes.
Love Kevin and Garcia. They're soo cute together. Love the interactions between the team members. On the case and otherwise personally.
Rossi was treated like an outsider at the beginning. He's counting on Garcia to help him (when teamwork really wasn't his style), and at the same time everyone is pitching in to help him out. Hotch is confiding in Reid, when it used to be Reid who's being supported by the rest of the team.
And the scene with Garcia and JJ was awesome. We know they've always been close and supportive of each other. But confiding in your co-worker when you're violating bureau policy. I wouldn't trust my co-worker with that. It may not be life and death, like when they're on the case. But still - their careers are on the line here, especially for those two who used to be hackers.
All of these things requires a lot of trust between everyone involved. And it's awesome to see that.
And Reid not getting the song at the end? I can see it happening. Like someone else said, him being a geunius and child prodigy was the reason why he didn't have a "normal" childhood - didn't hang out with kids the same age, probably didn't "fit in" or have many friends. If anything, he'd be the one who's being picked on.
Besides, there are a million other reasons why one may not get any number of jokes. Like me I grew up in a different country, having a different mother tongue, etc. I can imagine, even if you're in the same country you may have different jokes and talk about different things when you're in different parts of the country. Nothing wrong with that.
Anyhow, thanks Ed and everyone for an awesome episode.
I really liked this episode! I love that it had character development and plenty of humor to balance the drama. I didn't really care for Rossi before, but with this episode it finally feels like he's starting to become a part of the team.
This was the perfect CM episode. It had everything and was so well acted.
I love Garcia's romance.
Rossi scored points big time.
Hotch's situation broke my heart.
Reid was his wonderful, loveable self - but even better. I don't know how that's possible, but it was.
I can't wait for next week!
Hotch was the fun part for me in this episode. He was pushing Chester's buttons and just asking for a fight. I am so used to him being in control of his emotions that it was shocking and exciting. Haley really did a number on him.
I think Hotch could have taken him.
Loved the episode.
I'm so happy to have the show back.
I've just finished watching the episode. They are an amazing team and here's to hoping that now Rossi can fit in better.
Lane, Ohio
I don't know which story I liked better. A had Hotch taking off his tie and ridding himself of Haley. B had Rossi solving his nightmare. Both were amazing.
Great job by everyone. The acting was terrific. The cast was really sharp. The writing was tight and no continuity problems that I could see. Loved it. A great night and it was even better tonight when I watched it again. God Bless whoever invented TIVO.
It was like having your family come home for the holidays. I loved the episode.
Ed has answered the question about the Legacy sign and it is posted in a separate post in the comments section. :)
Sorry I'm late replying; didn't get to see the show until I got off work last night and didn't get a chance to comment before I left for work today.
I loved this episode! What a great one to come back to after a long abscence! Garcia and Kevin's scenes were so funny, especially Garcia's futile and frantic attempts to get Rossi out of the apartment and the look on Kevin's face when he's standing there in his birthday suit with Rossi staring at him.
I found it interesting that Rossi is still struggling with the concept that he's part of a team. He was genuinely baffled at why JJ, Morgan, and Prentiss wanted to help him. Joe did a wonderful job in the scene where he's telling them about the crime and hearing the children screaming for their parents. I got teary-eyed as he did his best to hold his emotions in check.
It was nice seeing Hotch and Reid working together, interviewing the seriel killer, although I thought Reid was going to wet himself when he realized they were trapped with the guy, not that I blame him. I would've been broken down into hysterics AND soiled myself! Loved Hotch standing his ground, ready to mop the floor with that creep! I would've liked to have seen give the guy just one good punch in the jaw.
Nice resolution to the case that has haunted Rossi. The woman giving Rossi the bracelet at the end was very moving. Now that he's resolved this, maybe he can start to allow himself to become more a part of the team, especially since they helped him break the case.
Can't wait until next week's episode!
Ambra
Hi,
I was only able to see this amazing episode last night so I'm a bit late. Sorry for that.
The episode was fantastic.
The only word I was able to think of after watching it was 'WOW' and after a little time 'OMG'!
I love Rossi in this episode. It shows so much of him and how he cares for others.
Watching Hotch preparing to fight with the unsub was nearly too much for my heart and Reid was soooo wonderful with talking the unsub down.
I loved the Hotch/Reid moments. They understand each other without words which shows how deep their friendship goes and how much they trust each other.
Hotch signing the divorce papers at the end nearly broke my heart.
Thomas Gibson is such an amazing actor!!!
And the confused Reid at the end was heartwarming. Matthew did a wonderful job in this episode. I love his facial expression.
Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful episode.
Renate
I watched this episode last night and boy did it not let me down. there were so many grea moments but my favourite had to be the garcia and jj scene. it was a nice to see the 2 of them in jj office as opposed to garcia's. it was su h a fun scene and really captured their relationship.
Hey, great episode, thanks to Eddie and ther whole CM Team... wb!!
Can everybody tells me, what JJ said to Garcia abaut Haley? I understand "Serios pittstuff woman" .... :) what does she really said? Thx for help me. Greetings from Germany.... I love you all....
Just read Ed's post regarding the sign behind Prentiss's head - I love it when you guys do this stuff! And Andy's name on Hotch's divorce papers...this makes the show even more fun.
Please keep it up!
I absolutely loved the show. I thought that Rossi coming in on Garcia and Kevin and Garcia's reaction to him while Rossi was to focused on the case to even act like he cared was so funny. I love the Garcia and Kevin romance their so cute and funny together.
Boy, I felt so bad for Hotch, He was so on edge and I thought he would mop the floor with that serial killer. I wished he had. I was glad to see him sign the divorce papers and maybe finally be rid of Haley.
Reid was amazing under pressure and his reaction when he realized that they were locked in with the serial killer...he was awesome. And the scene where JJ is sing songing Garcia and Kevin KISSING and Reid totally doesn't get it is just hilarious. And JJ and Garcia's interactions with each other was awesome.
Overall, I thought it was an awesome episode and I can't wait for next week.
I really liked the episode. My heart broke for the killer's dad. His son is probably a good kid who snapped once because of his mental challenge and did something really terrible. The father and the killer were both very sympathetic characters. Rossi spent 20 years looking for an evil monster and it turned out to be this sad figure. I'm sure it felt great for him solving the case but he probably also felt bad for the killer. No winners.
Joe Mantegna did an awesome job in this episode. The scene with him talking about his nightmares was as good as it gets. Bravo.
I agree that Hotch wanted to vent his emotions for Haley and divorce on Hardwick and I wanted him to do it. When the tie came off I had a fan girl moment but it was a powerful scene. Bless Reid and his quick thinking and quick talking. That scene was really wonderful.
Is it just my wild mind or are they setting us up for Hotch and Emily getting together? That last camera shot sent my heart racing and my mind wondering!!
I just wanted to add to my previous comments that it was great seeing the actor David Tom in this episode. I haven't seen him since he left The Young and the Restless years ago. I thought both he and his sister did a great job portraying two of the grown-up children and I think it's neat that the show hired a real life brother and sister to play two of the siblings.
And like a lot of others, I have to admit that I was sort of wanting to see Hotchner kick that serial killer's *ss. The guy didn't have any real weapons, so I'm guessing that Hotchner's training would have put the odds in his favor, plus there were two against one. However then we wouldn't have gotten to enjoy Reid's quick wit and fast talking. LOL!
I went back and watched an episode from Season Two last night and after seeing that I definitely think that Emily's hairstyle now is 100% better than it was originally. It softens up her features. However I still kind of liked where they were going with it earlier this season better. I'm guessing with time, I'll grow to like it though. I loved Emily's comment at the end, "Just when I thought nothing scandalous was ever going to happen around here." And I would guess that Morgan was on his way to Garcia's office to get the scoop. LOL!
With regard to a match between Hotch and Emily, I would think that JJ would be more his type. She's got that young feminine, slightly innocent blond thing going that his soon-to-be ex has. Although JJ is a bit too young for him. Emily is closer in age, but I just can't see them together at all. I'm not in favor of inter-office romances anyway, so I personally would prefer they introduce temporary new characters, like Kevin, for any of the team's love interests.
I agree that the 'clown' was a tragic and sympathetic person but so were the children of the murdered couple. The daughter made a passionate show out of telling Rossi that twenty plus years had passed and that it was time to move on but apparently none of them had really moved on. They all were still living together in their grandmother's house and are totally dysfunctional but hanging on to what family they have left. Rossi was handicapped and haunted by the case for all these years. There was a lot of innocent and sympathetic victims in this episode.
I always liked Rossi, but this was great to see. "Because you do" was one of the better lines -- probably because it was delivered perfectly.
Didn't buy the jailed serial killer. Bad acting? Poor lines? I never got the sense that Reid and Hotch were actually in danger. Too much Silence of the Lambs knock-off that didn't work.
I love Garcia/Morgan banter (I am not a shipper just like the play) and hope that Kevin's presence doesn't end that. I didn't see any jealousy in Morgan as some others did.
Nice to see new stuff. And quality at that. What a great cast.
It was great having the show back and I enjoyed the episode but one thing is nagging on me and that is how come the kids never mentioned the gifts to Rossi before. You would think they would have asked him to stop sending them years ago since they assumed they were from him. The case could have been solved decades ago. If they were irrated with him for sending them then why not tell him to stop before now. Of course this is a TV show and I am analyzing slivers but it did give me a pause.
Gibson earned an Emmy in my opinion for his performance in this one. I'm glad that I am not the one person who wanted him to totally body slam Hardwicke. I think Hotch will rebound from the divorce quickly. I'm going that his son stays mentioned. I wouldn't like the child to disappear from his life. That's not Hotch's style.
Prentiss, JJ and Morgan are really so cute together. The kids are a great unit.
Garcia and Kevin were good for the laugh and smile portion of the evening. Garcia is always a fav for me in any episode. I can't get past Xander being Xander so I'm hoping they take his presence down a notch. Let Garcia be Garcia.
I confess to being a fan who looked for the baby bump and aahhhed when I saw it. I am really so very happy for A.J. and her husband. JJ pregnant is going to be interesting.
We have so much to look forward to and I am hyped for next week and all the new episodes.
Rossi's charm bracelet mystery solved! I knew they would solve it but I was so sad to see the unsub crying and looking to his father for reassurance. I think Ed was trying to show us that not all killers fit the archetype of a 'monster'. Rossi chased a demon and found a crying, insecure, fragile man crying for his own dad instead. Reminded me of Lenny from 'Mice and Men' and it was truly sad. Ed did a great job with this episode.
Wow, that was amazing...
I've missed all of the season until now and was not sure if it would be good to begin in the midth.
Well - it was...
Although I don't know who Kevin is (and don't care either...), what happened to the Hotchner's so far and never met Rossi before I could follow the ep and totally fell in love with it.
It was so well done and amazingly emotional. I really cried when they arrested the unsub and it became worse when Rossi said good-bye to the three "kids".
Thanks Ed.
CU sindee
I usually like to wait my customary twice viewed before posting, but...
There was just so much in this ep. that I loved that there would be know way to list it all and not feel like I'm hogging the thread. So... I TOTALLY FREAKING LOVED THIS EPISODE! and... I am ECSTATIC to have the show back. I think that pretty much covers it.
Finally able to watch the episode. Loved having the show back. The episode was very good. Xander and Garcia scenes were great. I loved having a Buffy moment. His tattoo seems out of character for a computer geek/nerd but I can swing with it.
Hotchner losing control of his emotions like he did was shocking but bless Reid for his 13 minutes of quick babbling. Very good scene.
I really appreciate the show coming back so quickly and with such a great first episode.
Great camera work on the Sign. I didn't catch it but loved reading Ed's note about it so I rewatched the episode and there it was. Too cool. Loved having the show back and I really liked the episode. Loved Paget's new hairstyle.
That was very awesome, every member got a chance to do something worthwhile in this one. Rossi is a more likeable character now I think. Garcia and Kevin were just too cute. Loved the scene between JJ and Garcia in the office and also the one with Hotch, Reid, and the inmate in the cell. I must say that angry Hotch was very scary but also very cool. Glad to see a more personal episode which shows other sides of the characters that we don't normally see. Congratulations to the writers, eagerly awaiting the next episode!
Great episode. I'd never seen it before. Poor Hotch. Divorce sucks. I thought the whole episode was wonderful
I have watched this episode several times now and I always find something new to like about it. The ending of the charm bracelet mystery was handled perfectly. Rossi's bid secret solved within 40 minutes. Loved it!!!!
Coming out of lurkdom to say that I will always remember this episode as the one in which I started liking Rossi. Really good episode.
Even better the second time around. Everything worked in this episode. No flaws at all!
Hotch & Reid stuck in that room with the crazy guy was freaky. I've seen the episode before but I still muttered for them to get the hell out of that room.
CM = Great!
i this damaged alot, the time it was on there was a problem in our cable we had no sound, this time i was able to watch it with no problems. i tape it so i will watch it a few more times,
It was a great "return" after the writer's strike. I really loved the Hotch moments - it was a different side of him - taking off his jacket and tie. Reid jumped right in and defused the situation before it got out of hand. Hotch wasn't thinking and put himself and Reid in a dangerous situation and the Serial killer knew it. Reid knew Hotch wasn't himself, he learned why and understood and the only three people who knew what happened were in that room.
Geez, Damages is a Rossi episode. Damn. I really can't stomach prickly holier than thou Rossi. The only episode I've liked him in was Soul Mates cause Morgan made him tolerable.
And the Hotch and Haley drama is just plain boring. I hated when the writers made their marriage fall apart. I really, really didn't want the show to focus on any of his personal stuff.
Oh well - another watch & delete episode.
I didn't watch the re-run because I live in the UK so I put the DVD on instead. Just to join in.
This is one of the stand out episodes of Criminal MInds for me. It's beautifully written with both stories showing minds seeking resolution or freedom from their predicament (the imprisoned killer and Rossi). It's strangely lyrical in its point of contact.
The prisoner wants the window to be opened to smell the air one last time and this parallels the children's voices that 'float' out through the open window those twenty years ago when Rossi turns up at the crime scene and starts his nightmare. (Great scene where Prentiss, JJ and Morgan talk to Rossi in the hotel bar.)
It's really interesting that it's not the most complex case or the most notorious, or the most bloody, or even a BAU case but this last-minute encounter on the way to the airport that has haunted Rossi all these years. Wonder what Bernero is trying to tell us with this? You can steel yourself to do the job but life is going to get you every time? I liked Rossi from the very first but this susceptibility made me warm to him even more. I even like that he gets it wrong -- of course buying the house is too personal and it's a messy situation. But you can't be a bad man with that amount of heart.
Love the way the children calling on their murdered parents is echoed in the unsub's cries at the end for his daddy to help him. Usually on CM patterns are used to home in on the darker side of human nature, but here the patterns are on the light side -- a child's call to be protected and a father's desire to meet that call, even when they're not actually 'his' children.
The Reid side of the story is a good balance. He uses quick explanation to stall the guy but won't let the explanation stand as an excuse for what the killer has done. No release there.
Def in my top five Criminal Minds episodes, both for the writing and the acting. Just the right amount of humour with Garcia and Kevin. And great stuff from Joe M, of course.
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