Criminal Minds spoiler thread for "The Uncanny Valley" starring Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, A.J. Cook, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness.
** Spoiler Alert. There will be spoilers in the comments of this thread ***
***Quote and song info will be posted after the episode airs on the east coast ***
*** Breen Frazier will be in the chat room on Thursday Jan 14 at 10pm est. **
93 comments:
So great! CM is starting again. :)
This epiosde should be interresting by the fact that it's a woman who is the unsub and it's something that it's not seen often on CM. Kidnapping women to "play" with them like they are dolls makes her a very disturbed person. Can't wait to see it!
Can't wait to see this episode! Been too long since we had a new CM episode! Oh and the promo is weird VERY weird!
Brigitte
Finally!!
I can't wait for tomorrow night and a new CM. Then a chat with Breen on Thursday...woo hoo!!
Happy New Year indeed!!
There will be a new season or one episode only? :D
Yolanda - it is a continuation of Season 5... just took a short break. We have more episodes (usually through April / May)
Yay, new epi! Feels like forever and I'm anxious to see our Unit Chief getting back on his feet, as well as any potential repercussions of Emily's injuries.
And Breen... wu whooo! :)
looks really creepy :s
so glad for a new ep :D
I am so looking forward to a new Breen ep! He's the best!
Hurray !! CM is back. Can´t wait to see this interesting episode. The promo looks very creepy.
And then the chat with Breen!! Fantastic!!
ok... dolls freak me out - so living people made to be like dolls?? *shiver*
This episode looks creepy as hell, but I am STOKED! It's been too long since a new episode; withdrawal, anyone?! :)
Can't wait to see our team again!
Helen
Finally the new episode is here!! It seems like forever since the last episode!
from the promos alone this episode looks like it is gonna be really good... creepy but good :-)
I like the photo, nice preview. I'll be waiting a lot longer than you guys to see it though, I'm on the other side of the Atlantic.
omg the preview was awsome! can´t wait to see the epi!
So excited about the episode tonight! It's been a very long holiday break ;). The promo looked really creepy, so I can't wait to see the whole thing.
So far I am loving it. LOVE Garcia/Kirsten's red hair. Reid in the park and chess equals great. Prentiss is on her game. This is going to be one creepy episode. Breen writes terrific episodes. Commercial over!
Silence of the Lambs X 10!
This is the creepiest episode ever and I am loving it. Is that the actress from Bones? Totally creepy chicklet.
It's great to see Reid walking normally !
I loved his scene at the park and I'm so glad to see a little more of his character !
Jeanne, I am glad to see him with just a slight limp. I agree to that it is nice to see him outside of the confines of work. The park scene was a great lead-in to the episode.
This is a very unique episode. I don't ever remember being this creeped out before. Pretty cool.
A very interesting, well-acted and scripted episode. One of the best I've seen.
Good CM tonight. The Unsub surprised me, though. Jean-Luc is gonna be pissed.
Anyway, I don't usually care for Reid eps, but this was very well done. Kudos to MGG, Breen, Jon Frakes and the lady who played the Unsub.
A sad and tragic story with a bittersweet end and hopefully some justice for the bad guy.
To me this was a sad episode of Criminal Minds, and I have to say, Reid has showed how much he has grown up and matured since Gideon left.
The make up people seriously do need an award for this. Sooo weird.
Great episode. Jonathan Frakes! Reid being super Reid! How does a father do that to his daughter. One of the best episodes of CM ever. I was speechless through most of the episode.
Anyone know the song at the end of this? The creepy piano tune. Thanks! Awesome episode.
Awesome eppy! It was great to see lots of Reid in. I liked the chess part at the start and the end, where he referred to a friend who quit playing the game, we all know who he meant! Reid looked so handsome tonight! ( Though he would have looked a lot better if he ran a brush through his hair first! ) Very glad he can finally be going out and about and not stuck in one place! Well out and about a lot more that is!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Garcia's hair!
Also when she was comparing things to something about the unsub, there was one huge "cookie"! One of the references she gave was the "red of Star Trek". The unsubs father was played by Jonathan Frakes. Best known for his part of Commander William T Riker, who wore a red uniform! I picked up on that right away and was laughing!
It was a very creppy eppy though ( what else is new! )
I have a good sized doll collection. None of them are out right now as I have my snowman where they go. I did turn to look at my closet where they are stored away though!
Never, never, never get into the van! I wanted to yell at the tv!
Strong victims and creepy unsubs. The team brought their A game to this case. Very interesting story and I thought the episode was totally rivoting.
Thanks for the song and quote info. The music was oddly perfect for the episode.
1. Garcia's hair is beautiful. Love the red!
2. Great story with tons of suspense.
3. Reid kicking ass and taking names is always a great thing to watch.
4. I caught the Star Trek cookie too and laughed also!
Great having the show back and it is great that it came back with a really strong episode.
Did everyone catch the Gideon cookie?
Tons of empathy for the unsub and the hope the guys in prison give the dad a special welcome..if you get my drift. What a scum bucket.
I am confused about one thing. The promo info talked about Hotch adjusting to being back to work. Did I miss that?
The promo for next week was so short I couldn't tell a thing about it. Too quick. Hopefully they will post a longer one during the week.
A+ for Breen!
I liked seeing the soft side of Reid when she was caught. She was horrible but she was a victim too. The music choices were perfect. Red rules!!!!!
This was Breen's best episode to date and one of the best episodes of CM ever imho. The hour flew by so quickly and the story had me glued to my chair. Congrats to Breen and the cast. Great job by all and I agree with whoever said that the makeup people did an awesome job. Can't wait to watch it again tomorrow.
Nice to have Reid back up and walking tall. His character has grown so much in 5 seasons. He has really come into his own as a profiler. Love it.
I won't ever look at dolls the same way again. *g*
Creepiest episode ever and I mean that in a good way.
Wow, what a way to come back after winter break! Excellent episode!
I really liked that the deaths were unintentional - that was a great twist on the theme and seemed really plausable. I especially liked that one of the victims was able to try to help the others, even if she wasn't ultimately successful. And the unsub was a sympathetic character - a victim herself. I liked that it was low-key...went for the heart-strings rather than the fear and loathing.
And REID!! Wooo-wee! Yes! Back in action and without a cane. Congrats MGG on a superb performance and for getting back on two feet again. I think I really like the tough, in control Reid...and then he was so gentle with the unsub. He's the man.
Thanks to everyone for a terrific episode tonight.
WOW - very creepy and sad at the same time. Electro-shock to an adult is bad enough. I agree the hour flew by - great show. Good to see Reid walking unassisted. He was great- has so matured.
Pat
i have 2 hour to waite. i am very excited to see it.
The episode had a very interesting case subject tonight. Onlike typical serial killers or other killers who will kill most of the time "coldly", the unsub who was a woman, thought she was collecting dolls. It was really sad to see to what extrem a father's behavior in the past had influenced his daughter to become so "fragile" and disturbed.
It was a well shared episode between the actors although Reid had more time presence. Seeing Rossi in most of the key scenes was so great but I wished for more... It was awesome to see Hotch up has a leader again.
Breen wrote a very good "creepy" episode.
AMAZING! I agree it was super creepy but in the best possible CM way.
Garcia has red hair!
I wondered about the Jonathan Frakes character - if he would turn out to be a bad guy after all, given our show's tendency to cast against type and Will Riker was a heroic figure on Star Trek TNG.
Reid was wonderful in this episode, from playing chess, to talking to the unsub, who was a tragic figure. He was really wonderful tonight. He looked great too, and I am not a Gublette!
Interesting at the end when Rossi called him "Agent Reid." Was that a slap to Gideon who always introduced him as "Dr. Reid" or was Rossi complimenting him by indicating that Reid has grown into a real agent and not just a fact spouter? HMMM
Breen Fraser, for as sweet as he is, writes the CREEPIEST episodes. It will be fun to chat with him about it tomorrow night!
Nice to have our show back again!
A solid episode, and now I know why dolls creep me out... ICK! Good job by the unsub and well done Breen. I enjoyed all the little details that eventually led the team to the unsub.
It was also nice to see Reid up and about, and a bit more of Rossi too. Sure my Reid step sisters will be happy this eve. :)
Have to admit I'm confused about the pre-epi suggestion that Hotch was struggling... that was NOT a man struggling, but a Unit Chief very much back in control.
Nvm, hope to see more of him & of Prentiss soon.
Look forward to the chat tomorrow!
Hotch seemed fine to me to so I am as confused as everyone else about the preview info saying he was struggling. I thought all the characters were very strong tonight. Creepy episode and really very good. Great seeing MGG looking so well.
GREAT EPISODE!
1 of my fav parts was when he was talking about Gideon in the park. I like when the characters that have left are refered to or at the least remembered. Gideon was so important to Reid in the beginning of the series. I appreciated it.
Great episode tonight for sure! I agree, Hotch appeared to be doing fine, though I seem to recall reading/hearing he would have trouble dealing post-Haley and that each team member would help him in their own way. I hope that's true and comes up soon. I'm really looking forward to Hotch leaning on others for support since he's always this pillar of strength.
Good story, but not so good acting. Good to see Jonathan Frakes again.
That was a terrific episode!! I can't say anything that I didn't like about it. :) My 2nd fave eppy of this season (2nd only to "100". What episode can top "100"? =P). Perhaps I even need to find a spot for it somewhere in my top eppys over all seasons. Creepy but not TOO icky-creepy. Except for that first part when the woman-doll opened her eyes. Whoa!! And when that single tear slid down her cheek - omg so sad. And I liked how they showed the viewpoint from the captured women's eyes - they were helpless to see anywhere other than where their faces were directed, and you see their point of view change as their faces are moved, and it was all hazy from the drugs. Creepy!!! That dad is such a scumbag, that poor unsub. And wow, yay for Reid. He's grown so much since Gideon left. Gideon always treated him like such a little kid. (Hotch treats him more respectfully IMO). Way to go Reid for figuring out where the dolls disappeared to. I never would have guessed that, nice twist!! And aww, he was sooo mad at the dad and so kind to the unsub. ♥ And, of course, loved loved loved having Hotchy-pooh back at the helm. All's right with the BAU world again. HA! :) Also loved all the teamwork and all the Rossi scenes. He's totally rising in the rankings of my fave characters. Loved Garcia's hair!! :)
The makeup, costume, and set people did a FANTABULOUS job. Geez. Is it just me or does everyone working on this show deserve a freaking Emmy. hahahaha!! Must be so much fun to work on this set. *jealous* LOL. Well, ok maybe not the parts where you have to look at actual FBI gruesome stuff; that part would NOT be fun at all. LOL.
jamie: yes she looked familiar to me too. I believe that is the stalker girl from Bones who gifted Booth with some socks and then later accidentally shot him whilst trying to shoot Brennan. She's really good at playing "crazy". LOL
shawn said:
"Jean-Luc is gonna be pissed."
LOL!
Debbie said:
"I liked that it was low-key...went for the heart-strings rather than the fear and loathing."
Totally agree. !!!!!!
allstar22015 said:
though I seem to recall reading/hearing he would have trouble dealing post-Haley and that each team member would help him in their own way. I hope that's true and comes up soon. I'm really looking forward to Hotch leaning on others for support since he's always this pillar of strength.
Hey yeah, good point. The description did say that didn't it? Hmm, I wonder why they cut it. Maybe time constraints? This was probably my only dislike about the eppy (the limited scenes with Hotchy-pooh LOL). And even then, I can see why. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the cast if all the episodes were about Hotch!! :)
Thank you CM peeps for yet another wonderful episode. ♥
P.S. Congrats to McGubler for being able to walk sans crutches or cane again. It must have really sucked to have an injury for that long!! Yay! Now I wonder how Shemar's leg is doing. Is he going to be back to tackling bad guys? LOL.
where was hotch struggling with his return to work???
I'm soooo dissapointed they never had it in the episode!
it was a good episode.... but for all us Hotch fans out there.... i'm really upset! :-( he was hardly in it, and it was built up in the press release!!! :-(
way the go breen frazier! what an episode...
I like the team as in the team.. the interactions and small talk to each other!
the case was super creepy.... And you felt for the unsub! but she still did something horrible. Ugh it is still creepy!
Hotch back as unit chief wheheeeeee. Finally.. I missed that!
overall very nice episode!
Wonderful episode.
I loved everything about it.
And Reid was absolutely fantastic, I love his character.
The scenes at the park were wonderful, a nice change and it was great to see Reid mentioning Gideon.
Reid playing with the kid, Eric, was such a nice moment.
This episode also had great moments for all the characters, it's a nice thing.
The case was creepy, sad and touching at the same time, I throughly enjoyed it.
My favorite episode so far this season.
I loved this episode. It was very creepy. I loved the opening,plane and ending sequences. It's good to have an episode that shows the growth of a character (Reid) without being overly done. MGG was fantastic as usul as was the rest of the cast. Great writing. Loved the makeup on the victims. Someone should get an award just for that.
Welcome Back, Dr. Reid! We have missed you!
This episode was definitely one of my favorites. Just having Reid back in his element was wonderful enough, but the ep just kept on giving.
Special kudos to the make up department. WOW! If not for the blinking eyes, those girls really looked like dolls. It was "uncanny"!
It was nice to have some Reid focus, but the team dynamics was great. Excellent flow and plot development. I like being able to have sympathy for the unsub and being able to direct ire to the real unsub, Dr. Creepypants.
But the real star of the night was Reid! Watching his character evolve through the years has been, and I hope will continue to be, amazing. It's awesome seeing how much Hotch and Rossi have been such great mentors. Who EVER needed Gideon? Reid's character has blossomed since the great departure, and we are all reaping those benefits. Thanks for giving us episode to highlight just that.
MGG delivered, as did the whole cast, but that is something I think we all take for granted because we get that each and every week. It was nice to have perfection in every realm of this ep...writing, directing, MAKE-UP, etc.
Thank you all!
What an episode !
Fantastic, creepy, deep, marvelous and moving.
One of my favorite episodes of the show, and definitely my favorite episode so far this season !
The Unsub was so touching, poor woman.
And yes, welcome back Reid !!!!
We missed you and you were wonderful.
Fab to have them back on Wed night. I hate long repeat lulls. Pretty awesome episode last night. Missed the preview for next week.
Very great. Love to see more Reid. I am a happy person.
I'm so glad to see Reid in back both physically and mentally! All in all this was my favourite episode in this season.
Last night was all business for the team and they were amazing. It was a weird episode but very effective. The actress playing the unsub was terrific and I truly felt sympathy for the character.
Reid, being the obvious focus for the episode, was marvelous. In the past, Reid never seemed comfortable in his skin – so to speak. There was his intelligence, his personality and his profiling. All seemed separate identities. This episode showed an individual who has finally been able to reconcile his being and is more than comfortable with himself and the outcome. The character’s growth has developed into a maturity that is very fitting to who is he now. Very nice and excellent work by MGG!!! I loved Rossi’s congratulations to Agent Reid.
I, too, was a bit confused as it had said Hotch was struggling (which didn’t seem apparent and I am going to comment on his actions in this episode only) and I also would like to see more of the team support. Again, standing on its own as to Hotch in this episiode…Hotch has always known who he was/is and I was curious as to how Thomas would affect Hotch’s ordeal into the character (which I hope CM continues to develop for Hotch and TG). For this case, Hotch seemed to have found a way to discard peripherals and zeroed/focused on the heart of the matter for the victims and the team. I am absolutely in awe of Thomas Gibson! The changes, at this point, were so smooth; and while giving the appearance of subtle, the effect was of an inner strength with no allusions (or is it illusions?). Hotch had an explosive energy which manifested more as an inner driving force and didn’t impose itself on others. However, depending upon what will happen with him in future episodes, this could be him forcing himself to function. What cracked me up, though, was something that looked so opposite of his usual formality. When the team was giving the profile, he looked so casual, hands in his pockets, and relaxed. Thomas is phenomenal!
I love this show and this season is stellar.
I loved this episode so much! I normally don't like it when an episode is centered around one character too much, but this episode toed the line perfectly with Reid. He took charge, and it showed how much he has changed and grown up in a sense. Probably why Rossi deliberately called him Agent Reid.
The only thing I thought was weird was the way the unsub kidnapped the vics. It was extremely reminiscent of Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs, but this unsub is nothing like BB! It was a nice homage, but I didn't really think it would happen like that.
I'm scraping the barrel for criticisms here! It was just such a GREAT episode.
This one's definitely one of my favorite episodes this season. Loved Reid today, this is actually one of only a few Reid-centric episodes that I thoroughly enjoyed.
It was nice to see a bit more of Rossi again, although he still hasn't got enough screen time this season - at least for my taste. (Still hoping for another Rossi-centric epi this season).
The "dolls" were really creepy, but the makeup was perfect; the makeup artists really deserve an award for that.
The music was wonderful, too. I don't remember if I've ever been focused on the music so much.
Definitely a great epi to start into the new year!
I'm really looking forward to next week's episode!
I came in about 5 minutes late from yoga class, and must have missed the comments about Hotch - he seemed to be right on his game again to me, not struggling at all. Very strong, very professional man. Very Hotch!
The ladies all did well, and Garcia's "Red" was very cute.
Make-up-spectacular! Just fantastic! CheetoBreath is right -many actors and artists on this show are SO-O-O deserving of an Emmy! The detail in the stories like the make-up, discussion of the specialty stitching, talk about the "collecting-hoarding obsession, etc. are indicators of the extensive research that go into the writing that makes these stories so incredibly believable.
Reid-OMG! He was at his best. He was so TOGETHER, so perceptive, maybe he is , whatever, but he is just getting better and better. He was so quick and intuitive tonite and showed just the right measure of strength, conviction, disdain (for un-sub's dad) and sensitivity (for oh-so troubled un-sub-handled her so perfectly) he was AMAZING! Looking older (will be 30 in less than 2 months!) acting more confident and ever so handsome even with his too-long hair! I'm happy his leg is healed and he is out in the field again. This guy is just so endearing you just want to take that face in your hands and kiss those dark-circled eyes of his -every bit of him is sweet and delicious!
Morgan looked/acted great if not a bit subdued (no longer in leader poistion?) but didn't get much air time. Loved Rossi's congrats of "Good work, Agent Reid." Very respectful and appreciated by Reid who was so deserving of these words tonite. Love Rossi even more after tonite.
I found the quotes to be thought-provoking, too-especially the first one: about items that no longer have usefullness - makes me feel like starting the spring cleaning early this year - Hah!
Excellent episode - I continue to be in awe of this show, the writing, the acting and all that I have learned from all the facts/trivia spouted non-stop. A real education, wouldn't you say?
Creepy & intense. What a case. Reid shined in this episode. He did good. Glad to see a more of Rossi too. Didn't mind that Morgan was more in the background and was glad to see that Hotch is doing fine. Glad we're focusing more on cases, personalities, and disorders again than on personal BAU drama.
Well done, team!
I really enjoyed this episode. It had a real old fashion feel to it, and yet it was something new and creepy. How in the world they come up with these 'cases' is beyond me. The creepiest thing about it was knowing these things actually happen out there. I can't imagine being paralyzed at a fake tea party.
I was very impressed with Reid's character and MGG's acting. As said before, he really has grown up. My favourite part of the episode was the scene with Reid and Rossi and the doctor. I loved how Reid just tore into him. It was very validating. Shock treatments on your own daughter? I mean, come on. Scary thing is, it probably happens/happened.
Jonathan Frakes was good, even if he played an awful person. Strangely I previously thought he would be a good guy. And I have to say, it must have been so hard for the actresses at the 'tea party'. They were great, and the make up was so believable.
Huge kudos to Breen for writing an excellent story of loss of childhood innocence and its consequences whether for good or bad. Loved the set-up with the chess game and the shout out to the role Gideon had with the nascent Reid in teaching him how to think three steps ahead of his opponent.It paid off when Reid was able to out-maneuver the doctor into inadvertently giving them enough rope to hang himself.
Checkmate!!!!! It's nice to see Reid mature into his role as instinctive and forceful interrogator in that well-written scene. Way to go, Agent Reid!!
It was a very interesting premise of how a disturbed woman tried to recapture the comfort she found with her dolls. Very creepy story but I was puzzled by how she was able to administer paralytic agents while walking the fine line of not killing them by paralyzing their respiratory muscles. She had no medical training except for the fact that she was exposed to her psychologist father. But psychologists don't use paralytic agents to control pre-adolescent behavior. Hmmmmmm, for all those parents out there with pre-teens, I know it may sound tempting but paralyzing them is sooo not highly recommended. :)
The geek in me loved that great line about red-shirted ensigns in Star Trek doom. Yeah, she was that much major-doomed!!!
As for the Hotch issue, I figure it rings true that he would bury himself in work and the repercussions from Haley's death will manifest itself in pathos for future episodes.
So, good job, Breen and looking forward to the chat and to your future writing.
What a truly brilliant episode.
I loved it, the case was scary but the Unsub,Samantha, was so human and moving.
Reid was more than great, he was fantastic, as usual.
He's more confident and I was delighted by the was his rightful anger with Samantha's father was portrayed.
Also, he truly became a chess master.
I would love to see the kid he played chess with again.
"Reid-OMG!...
... he was AMAZING! Looking older (will be 30 in less than 2 months!)"
I suppose you're talking about MGG and not Reid here Gubegirl. Reid just turned 28 on the show.
Anyway, fantastic episode, and so glad to see more of Reid.
Eerie episode! Very nice seeing Reid back to normal and center screen. The father needs to die a slow death. The daughter was such a sad figure. Just a delight of an episode.
First of all: It’s so good to see Reid - or, in this case, MGG - walking sans crutches or cane again! Surely the slight limp will vanish completely in no time, too. Congrats!
The episode was extremely creepy even though there was no gore at all - CM doesn’t need that to creep out the viewers and I’m pretty sure this episode will give me nightmares. It had such a surreal feeling to it, and like many others I’m pretty sure I won’t be looking at dolls the same again for a good while.
My squeal of the week goes to the chess scene and the shoutout to Gideon! Though admittedly I still don’t completely get the connection between the chess games and the case, I love it that we got to see what Reid does in his spare time for the second time this season already. I love these little glimpses into his private life (can we have them for the others as well, please?), and it was interesting to learn how he reacted to the loss of Gideon. Sounded a tiny bit OCD to me, but obviously it was helpful.
Two other scenes I liked very much were JJ at the tailor’s and the scene at the police station when Prentiss sifted through the toys while Morgan and Reid had the sad task of going through the telltale essays. Also, did anybody else have flashbacks to LDSK when Rossi was at the parking lot for handicapped people just like Hotch back in the days? The COW doubting their profile sounded very true to me this week - not that I doubted their profile as well, but I could just see how difficult it might be to wrap your head around a concept as disturbed as this one.
What I liked very much about the case was how much attention was paid to details, like the special stitches that were used on the dresses, or the meaning of some of the toys in Dr. Perp’s office. I always have a hard time with cases involving child abuse, so I can’t say I loved the case, but I’m certainly impressed and it will stay on my mind for a while.
At least we had a happy ending this week: For once Reid could save both the victims and the unsub - makes me all happy for him. I have to admit though that for a tiny moment I cringed when Reid entered the “dollhouse” expecting his stereotype “I swear to God” speech. I’m rather glad I got spared this in favor of a very sensitive treatment of the unsub. It was a sweet gesture to let her keep the dolls and not to take them away again after they served their purpose as a distraction. She did horrible things but I like the respect with which she was treated both by the team and the local cops as a former victim herself who was not only traumatized but brain-damaged as a result of the torture inflicted on her.
Despite the lack of Hotch this was the first episode in a long time that the team dynamics finally felt ‘right’ for me again. Sure, Hotch was back in charge again in the last episode already and I thoroughly enjoyed Morgan’s stint as a leader, but only today did it finally feel right for me again. Now I’m looking forward to JJ’s episode next week.
really loved the episode. Wonderful job Breen!! It is great to learn about the team members by what they do and how they act rather than having the story be centered on their personal dramas. Good plots are tougher to write but much more enjoyable than wall to wall repetitious angst. The story was definitely different and that is refreshing.
Marvelous guest actors and great direction. The “dolls” didn’t have to say a word to convey exactly what they thought. The scenes with the captive dragging herself to the phone and the doll legs falling off were also nicely edited. Kudos to all involved in those sequences.
Great job everyone!
The preview promised more chills than the episode actually delivered. There was a cheerworthy victim (is it true about diabetics metabolizing drugs so differently? interesting) and a few genuinely creeptastic moments, such as the shadowy carousel, the victim's hallucination of her doll arms and legs popping off, and the nutjob's freaky picket-fence smile. But...with all the intense situations and frightening unsubs the show has delivered over the years, there was a faint whiff of silliness about grown people running down doll trivia. I also didn't get a sense of how this smothered, victimized woman graduated suddenly to an expert abductor and dumper of bodies.
The part that got my attention was the opening scene. We learn that Reid can't read without moving his lips. I kid. Actually, he's speed reading and teaching chess at the same time, and the chess game becomes a giant metaphor for catching the bad guys...or writing a TV episode, I suppose. There are only so many basic elements, the combinations are not infinite, and the structure remains essentially the same. Gideon lost the plot when meaning evaporated through sheer repetition. Reid, on the other hand, says he's found a different way to conceptualize the process. Okay, that's nifty enough for me to overlook the way Hollywood telegraphs genius.
The other interesting thing here is the continuation from "100" of the sense that Reid has lost his victimhood. He used to be emotional roadkill and riddled with doubt about everything but his own intellectual capacity, but here he exhibits assurance and insight. The change is noted (Rossi) but not analyzed in the episode. Reid might have turned a corner in "Memoriam", but it's intriguing that we don't see it until everyone's pillar of strength is threatened, or to put it another way, cast into a situation Reid can readily identify with. Of course, someone who coped alone with a mentally ill mother was never really weak, but perhaps it takes being called upon in order to recognize it.
What a GREAT episode, creepy and horrible, but the one woman, Bethany Wallace, was wonderful. I loved the strength and bravery she showed, even though she wasn't able to truly save them she made the attempt, and showed no signs of leaving her fellow victims behind!
And our team, I was so glad to see them back. I was sad that Hotch wasn't in it much, but still thought it was a wonderful episode. Of course, I loved the part with Hotch trying to speak to Rossi over the noise of the carousel! :D
And Reid was AMAZING. Thank you so much to Breen for reminding me why Reid is awesome, and allowing me to see him once again a good, strong agent and profiler instead of just a damsel in distress (which pisses me off!). Seeing him smack down Samantha's father was priceless, if heartbreaking.
I loved the reference to Gideon, and watching Reid diving into that game of chess at the end.
Anyway, all in all, great case, great team, I think this is a really strong start for the second half of the season. :)
I was confused about one thing in this episode... if the women were fully paralyzed how is it they were still breathing??
I still haven't seen this ep all the way through, but from what I have seen, I absolutely LOVE it! One thing that I noticed is that the music seems to be a departure from what we've been hearing lately and I really liked it and thought it added to the show. Breen, as always, you have done a wonderful job. MGG was awesome in this ep! Looking forward to the chat tonight! Thanks in advance for taking time to spend with the fans!!!!!
p.s. - Thanks to the make-up people for putting some gloss on Garcia. That had really been bugging me! All the girls looked GREAT!
I loved loved loved the episode! I was nearly jumping up and down when Reid turned into kick ass Reid! I have a very soft spot for Spencer and like a lot of people I hate seeing him portrayed as a victim. I loved him tearing that dad apart. And RMF diabetics do metabolize drugs differently. I don't know about quicker. I'm in PA (physician assistant) school and I really wanted to run to my professor and ask if it would really speed it up. And normally a paralytic like that does leave the lungs able to breath if it is mild enough. But for it to be that strong I personally think it would make the diaphragm stop. But who knows. ;) No matter what I really loved the episode! I love me some Reid!!
Great episode! I loved Reid's role in this episode. MGG did a great job with it.
The writing was fantastic, the acting great, the photography excellent as always....
I'm overwhelmed with happiness from watching new CM episodes!
i was not disapointed. love the seans with reid, he has come alon ways.through there was suposed to some stuff about hotch and the job. how they did the makeup on the girls was very good.
Thank you Breen for attending the chat. Your answers were very interesting and it was a lot of fun! Thanks again!
Breen - Thanks for coming to the chat room tonight. This was one of the most interesting chats that I have been able to attend!
I was absolutely enthralled by your descriptions of your writing process and the way this episode came to be created. I even googled those Collyer brothers!
Also, thanks for sharing with us the original quotes you thought about using.
Be sure to come back again sometime!! We appreciate the time you gave us!
Breen, thank you so much for coming to chat with us. It was really great to be able to discuss last night's episode with you!
Great Chat Breen, thanks for chatting with us.
Brigitte
Breen,
Thank you so much for your time and your very thorough answers of all of our questions tonight. It is always a pleasure to have you in the CMF chat room. Thank you also for another wonderful ep. Hope to see you again soon!
Laura
Breen - Thank you for joining us in the chat room this evening, and especially for your very interesting and informative answer to my question about the title of this episode. I couldn't figure out what the title meant and it was driving me crazy. (LOL)
And of course, thank you for a great episode filled with lots of cookies. It was very creepy and then very sad but hopeful at the end (hopeful that the unsub will finally get the help she needs and that her father will get the punishment he so richly deserves). I look forward to your future episodes.
Thank you soooooo much, Breen for taking the time to share all those wonderful insights on how the different aspects of the plot was formed. Yikes, it is truly creepy to know that there was a killer who posed his corpses!!!
Thank you again for writing a great story of lost innocence and how different people can affect your growth and maturity into adult life.
I loved this. It was Criminal Minds at its best. I love the variety in this show but I especially love the ones where they are not filled with car crashes and expolsions to create excitment. This was smart and sensitive
It was wonderful to see Matthew walking on his own again although it was hard to see him still grimace at certain times. It has been a terrible ordeal for him and I hope it will be over soon.
It was also great to see an episode where Reid's gifts were used. A terrific performance by Matthew once again.
One of my favourite episodes.
First of all a big thank you Breen for taking the time and joining us in the chat room last night. It was a very interesting chat.
Great job on the episode. I liked that the case was very creepy and different and we had a female unsub. Thumbs up for a really neat idea.
Looking forward to the next episodes and more background info on Emily.
Thanks to all the cast and crew for a wonderful job! It's so great to have CM back!
Breen, thank you for coming to chat with us last night - it was a pleasure! Being able to learn about the episode from the writer's perspective adds so much to the fun! Thank you for your thoughtful answers to all of our questions.
I just want to mention, after the episode I asked my husband what he thought and he said "best episode we've seen in a while" and I completely agreed with him! Thanks so much for all of your hard work on it - you achieved your objective!
Looking forward to your next ep.
Thank you Breen Frazier for a great chat last night. Your detailed responses were very welcome; each piece of information was fascinating!
So, a great episode and a great chat. Thanks again!
Hope to have you back soon,
Helen
I finally managed to see the episode and ...wow.
It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
The Unsub, Samantha, really touched me.
She was a fantastic and absolutely creepy character.
I loved the way Reid talked to her at the end.
I suppose that it reminded him of his childhood, when he had to calm his mother down when she had an episode.
Poor victims, what an horrible and slow way to die. I can't begin to imagine what it must feel like to be kept paralysed for months, like they were.
It's really one of the best episode this show has delivered.
The whole team interaction was great.
And thank you for giving us an episode where there was more Reid.
It was nice to discover that he likes to play chess in that park and that the other chess players took notice of him.
I'm sure that he also has other activities in his (limited) free time, (including research for his job - and why not scientific research since he's a scientist - and going to conferences).
On another note, I really, really don't mind "Reid angst" at all, and it has been quite some time since we have had anything like that.
Anyway, thank you Mr. Frazier for this wonderful episode, and thanks to everyone who worked on it.
Wow, a fantastic episode, creepy and sad at the same time. When i say creepy i mean i take a brake sometimes from a few min. The only episode i don´t watch in one piece. Good to see Reid is back, great performance from MGG, Jonathan Frakes and the lady who played the unsub.
I only missed Hotch struggeling to his return to work.
To Breen, thanks for this absolute great episode and for the chat. I´m glad i don´t missed this.
I just wanted to add one thing to a comment I made two days ago. As soon as this episode was over my phone rang. It was my husband who was out of town and all he said was "wasn't that creepy". He really enjoyed the show and for my husband to comment on a show and even to continue talking about it, is definitely a compliment. Of course I thought it was great.
A little late to comment, but better late than never.
I just saw that episode and I was speechless.
such a fantastic work. Everyone was perfect and the team interaction was impeccable.
I loved to see Reid shine like he did. It's good to have him back, so to speak.
From the young genius who graduated a Las Vegas public high school at 12 to the young man he now is, he sure proved his strength over and over again and in so many ways.
I loved the way his anger at Samantha's father was portrayed. Very believable and in character.
Thank you for this fantastic episode.
Oh boy, what a creepy episode.
It was so well written, set and played. You all are geniuses !!!
CU sindee
Creepy episode, but great as always. Does anyone happen to know the music box song near the last two minutes of the episode? Would really appreciate it, thanks.
Super creepy episode!! Scary!
Who played the unsub's wife on tonight's episode? (2/3/10) She is so familiar to me but I can't place her.
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