Criminal Minds spoiler thread for "The Longest Night" written by Edward Allen Bernero and starring Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, A.J. Cook, Matthew Gray Gubler and Kirsten Vangsness.
**Beware! There will be spoilers in the comments. **
176 comments:
I can't wait!
yeahh, i´m so happy can´t wait to watch !!
I'm glad the shows coming back tonight but I'm slightly, I don't know how to explain it...edgy, maybe? I don't want it to be the penultimate time we'll see AJ on the show again, but I guess I'll enjoy the little time we have left to watch JJ!
As a fan of the show it's been a long and frustrating summer, but I'm still looking forward to what happens next, the premieres are always awesome.
I agree!!!! As I am excited for the premiere I am also VERY sad!!! I will still watch it but it will in NO WAY be the same without JJ. This really sucks and AJ if you read these I hope you know that the CM fans adore you and will miss seeing you every Wednesday!!! I know next week when JJ leaves I will need a box of tissues near by! :(
So can't wait! I've been counting down the hours all day at school. At one point everyone in my class was saying there were going to cut my cable coards so I couldn't watch it, and then would should up at school tomorrow with a police man who would be questioning all of them!
I am so excited for the new season to start tonight! But at the same time, it is going to be so sad to see JJ in the second to last episode of her career at the BAU. I am going to miss her so much. She has always been one of my favorite characters. I miss you already!
Eee can't wait!
This is the only show I watch that genuinely scares me. I DVR the new episodes so I can skip the ads. The anticipation is so much!
As wonderful as it will be to see our beloved team once again in action, it will be bittersweet knowing we are seeing the end of AJ. I'm sure that the team (as well as the actors playing them!) will be feeling our sadness as well, and that will make it doubly difficult because her character is so special and I can't imagine her being replaceable. I pity the poor person coming into her spot: we will be scrutinizing her/him and making comparisons and I'm sure we will feel that they just don't cut the mustard!
And of course, we will get to see just HOW short Reid's hair actually is and if he picked up any gigs in boy bands over the hiatus...:)
'Nuf said! I can hardly wait to watch tonite and we'll talk again tomorrow - whoo-hoo!
Omg tonight is gonna be better than a bacon donut! We have waited all summer for a new episode. I'm excited to see where this season will take us, but sad that this journey will be without our girl JJ.
10 more minutes! I can't wait! : )
I've never heard of a bacon donut...
I am in California, the land of the fruits, nuts and flakes. Pls. clue me in, Candy?
A bacon donut is commonly bacon inside a donut with glaze.
Some might do it differently however.
Oh my dear Gubegirl...don't you remember the tasty-looking bacon donut from "100"? Kevin tried to tempt Garcia into partaking of one. I have to admit I haven't tried one yet...but maybe on a desperate midnight run to the kitchen I might be tempted! Anyone care to jopin me?
Spoilers!!!!!!
OMG! I am soooo loving this little girl! So far this episode is amazing.
Just saw Kris on TV. I am pumped. This episode is fantastic so far.
Oh my gosh best episode of Criminal Minds yet!! Ed Bernerro did an amazing job with this one. I can't wait for the rest of the season even though JJ (AJ) wont be there.
Wow. Super creepy Mr. Curry, super awesome AJ and Shemar... Worth the wait, worth the wait. Very sad about next week, don't wanna say goodbye to JJ, but can't wait to see what happpens. Oh, CM, how I've missed you! Welcome back!
Oh. My. God.
I waited so long for this. Criminal Minds is definitely one of my favourite shows. The acting, the story lines, the brilliant character development. Tonight's episode was SO worth the wait. Next week will be epic.
anyone which song that was? the one the unsub kept flashing back too?
Great episode. JJ ruled the night. She figured out where Morgan was and she really reached him during her public broadcast.
Morgan snarking mean to Garcia. You could feel his tension but he promised he would find the sob and he did and he got Ellie back safely.
I loved this episode. Perfect in every way but the promo for next week was brutal. JJ saying it's over.
I loved this episode...JJ broke my heart! Oh My! Amazing job everyone. Preparing myself for next week. Great episode.
xoxo from Brazil
If Tim Curry doesn't get an award for this episode then I will never watch another award show again. The last scene when he asks Morgan if he thinks he'll get to see his mom in heaven because he would like another chance with her was brilliant. Brilliantly written and Curry delivered that scene! Once Morgan went into the house you knew he was going to be the one to kill the Prince of Darkness and I think knowing it made it an even better scene. Kudos to all and welcome back Criminal Minds.
Awesome first episode!! I loved the incorporation of the Leonard Cohen songs in both the season finale and the season premiere. His music is so haunting, and fit in perfectly with the episodes. Thanks again for another amazingly written episode. You guys never disappoint me. ♥ Criminal Minds!
What an amazing show! Tim Curry was terrifyingly creepy and I still can't believe that AJ Cook and Paget Brewster are no longer going to be with the show. AJ gave an incredible performance tonight talking Flynn into letting the little girl go. As always, Criminal Minds does not disappoint and continues to be a mind blowing show with superb performances!
That was an awesome premier.. I cannot wait till next week... The cast and everyone involved did a wonderful job as usual..
Loved how they panned to all the different people in different places listening to JJ on the radio. What a mother should be. Congrats to Ed Bernero for a really wonderful season premiere. Congrats to the cast and crew for delivering another great premiere and thank you to A.J. Cook for everything!
Ooooooh what an awesome episode! And my favorite line ever..."stay tuned for scenes from our next episode."
Can I just say that I adore Tim Curry! He's wonderfully creepy and wickedly fun all at the same time.
And to see Hotch crying over JJ leaving next week...aww he needs a hug...and so will we when she goes.
This was really awesome! IT had me on the edge of my feet! I especially couldn't turn away when JJ was talking to the Unsub.
Props to the actors, actresses, writers, producers, etc. everyone who made this so awesome!
Okay, I love this show BUT the reason I love it is because of the interaction between the *team* not the Unsub of the Week. I would have preferred to see more of the team, less of Tim Curry driving around Los Angeles. Rossi and Reid were both vying for the title of Sir Not Appearing In This Episode. Considering that we only get two episodes with the whole team this season, it would have been nice to see them all on the screen at the same time for a couple of seconds.
Agree with everything already posted. JJ was front and center tonight but so was Morgan. He has always had a soft heart for kids and Ellie owns real estate there now.
Can you imagine the therapy that kid is going to need!
But Ellie was so smart sending the little brother out the window to the neighbor's house. That was great. She is alive because she stayed calm and she used her brain.
So the jerk wanted to be her "grandfather". That is just sick. I agree about the last scene. It was killer. When he cried I almost felt sorry for him.
Anon, I just saw the song info in a post under or over this one. Can't remember.
Loved the episode and I disagree that we didn't see enough of the team. I think there was loads of teamwork and interaction in this episode. Lots of JJ and the banter, both mean and loving, between Garica and Morgan was intense.
Nicely done!
It really felt like JJ was talking from her heart but I was shocked when her tone changed and she stopped being sympathetic to him. But it worked so score one for her. I am so glad the show is back and so glad that they started with a bang.
the show was fantastic as always, but i can't believe cbs. not rewnewing aj cook AND reducing paget brewster's screen time? good luck keeping a decent fanbase by eliminating/reducing two powerful female characters.
Billy Flynn never stood a chance with a pissed off Morgan. I just loved the episode. Loved the musical choices. Very different than what we are used to.
A great season is on the horizon. Loved this first show of the season. So proud of Kris Campbell and this awesome opportunity for him. I love that young man. Yes, I am his mother. Thanks CM for giving him this role. Jill Campbell
Great way to kick off the new season!!!!
I just finished watching the first episode of season six. It was great. I loved when Morgan and Garcia first talkede and she called him Baby Boy. It was cute. JJ's impassioned talk to the unsub while trying to be a hostage negotiator was fabulous. That she brought so much of being a mother and that aspect into the talk was fabulous. Her hesitations were heartfelt and so in tune of what was needed.
I loved Hotch's continuing support and safety for his team. He continues to worry about them but allows them to grow and struggle with their own insecurities and overcoming those things. This is what makes him a very good leader. Leading is more than just giving orders and following through on them but being concerned about your people and letting them expand their wings under your guidance and support.
We didn't see a great deal of the others except as great support and each bringing their own brand of knowledge and abilites to catching this killer.
Once again, Tim Curry brought another great performance to fold. His actions and reactions to his memories and what the radio kept telling him. JJ did a great job of feeling him out. The little girl did a fine job of pushing the unsub's buttons and the final scene of the tear coming down her face while hugging Morgan was great film.
Good job to all of the members of the cast and crew for a wonderful new episode of what we hope will be a fabulous new season of great drama.
Christy
i bow to everyone the premiere was AWESOME. the emotions could be felt through the tv screen. and JJ shined. Thank-you all
The episode was AWESOME! Couldn't be better...Watched it from Brazil haha
Loved the episode, of course. The fact that some people acted seemingly out of character - but really not - only made them more like "real" people and less like 2 dimensional characters - Morgan yelling at Garcia, JJ first being aggressive, then breaking out of her assigned "empathetic" role - just fabulous. You can't do too much of that without it becoming its own kind of stereotype, but it works so well in small doses and the extreme duress of this ep called for it.
Kudos to everyone, and also to the ever-brilliant Tim Curry, who is too rarely to do really meaty roles anymore.
The Longest Night was one of the best Criminal Minds episodes to date. JJ's speech moved me to tears. I can't believe we are going to lose her. Also, Shemar Moore outdid himself once more - he has grown so much as an actor it's a delight to see him playing.
This team dynamic was the best.
And if you read this: Thank you Ed Bernero for writing such an excellent part for AJ/JJ in her penultimate episode - this is a true homage to her talent. The entire episode was very strong and this was the icing on the cake.
Truly amazing episode...true art.
After watching next weeks episode preview, I admit it: I got teary-eye & cried a little. I feel like I'm losing a friend... we're ALL losing a friend. After 6 intense years, it's abruptly taken away. We ALL love you AJ. And there is NO doubt.. you will forever be missed. Best of luck to you in your future.
Well done, Mr. Bernero! Interesting twist with the killer. Quite a profile change: from a cold blooded sociopathic killer to a pathetic, needy narcissist. Following her instincts JJ did a fantastic job getting through to "Creepy." The teeth were quite a special effect, I kept thinking the stench of his breath must be so awful. Anyway, great episode and can't wait what else the new season will bring.
i was so glad to finally watch this episode.. it was so good.. not so sure if im ready to watch next weeks episode with JJ leaving its gonna be a sad one to watch.. but i know this is gonna be a good season either way!!!♥♥
AJ was amazing in this episode. I can't imagine CM without her. So sad, seriously tearing up thinking about it. Big mistake, it won't be the same without her...
and I dont even want to think about losing Paget.
I enjoyed tonight's episode. To me, it seemed like this episode focused more on actual profiling and not just mere detective work. There was significant time spent on what drove the unsub to start killing, and how best to talk him down. All that requires getting into the unsub's head more than normal. I really liked that JJ got to do something way different and out of her comfort zone. Though unorthodox, I thought her approach was a very effective way of approaching the situation. She used her motherhood status as the catalyst for her negotiation. Even though Hotch is a single dad, I highly doubt he would have said the same things. At least JJ's last two episodes have her more front and center.
I do have to wonder why Hotch allowed Morgan to stay on the case after he had been personally victimized by the unsub. I guess there was nothing Hotch could have done to stop Morgan, and he probably empathized with him after what happened to Haley. Poor Morgan was just emotionally unraveling there for a while. I mean, he practically has to be halfway off the ledge for him to yell at Penelope like that.
It will be interesting to see how the ending sets up future stories. I am sure Morgan will stay a part of Ellie's life in some form or fashion, and it will be interesting to see how.
And on a completely light note, I absolutely adore Reid's new hairstyle. Every time he was on screen, I just wanted to ruffle and stroke his hair.
This episode was amazing, well worth the summer wait.
Shemar was fantastic, I love the way his character has grown. I also cried when JJ was talking to the UNSUB... I can't believe she's leaving! Amazing, Fantastic, i think I may need my thesaurus to find just the right word for it!!!!!!
This season is going to be amazing! yay!
As usual CM rocked, but what can we say about the wonderful AJ, this was imo her finest hour, next week is going to be awful. Watched show live here in Ireland for first time..Excellent, role on next week, CM CM CM
AJ gave the best performance tonight. I am still upset at the powers that be who took her off. If they are wanting to thin down then why are they going to add a female later? sounds like they just want to ruin a great show
This episode was AMAZING! OOHH MORGAN GARCIA, HOW I NEED YOU TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE BABIES! Tim Curry was CREEPTASTIC! Over here, in NY we had a crazy severe thunderstorm and I was just a little bit scared he could be lurking outside in the dark!
I have to add as fantastic s the episode is, I really really hate CBS! I MISS JJ ALREADY! She was amazing and her being made to leave is not right!
I am amazed at all the kudos and praise for this episode. I have been a devoted fan since the first episode, but I may just have to give up on CM. I know the show portrays a surreal view of the FBI, of the crimes and the criminals as well as procedure, the rule of law and general common sense, but I could live with all that and enjoy the crimes and characters as they solved the crimes.
Since when does Morgan's moralizing and sense of revenge rule?? Gideon said it, Reid has said it, Hotch and Rossi has said it, "Empathizing with the unsub is the "THING" the BAU does. When does that translate into Morgan killing a fish in a barrel?? Okay, the Night Stalker was bad, bad, bad, but he wasn't going to shoot, he hardly raised his gun, but Morgan was neither looking at or listening to the unsub, he went in to murder him, period. I expect that from Gibbs on NCIS, but the CM betrayed itself and as far as I am concerned, it was a weak episode which jumped the shark.
Blah and boo
Lociloco
JJ's speech to the UNSUB = AMAZING. WTG AJ Cook!!
We haven't seen so much of JJ since North Mammon and OMG she was great. She really should have taken Hotch up on becoming a profiler when he suggested it a few seasons back.
Someone posted that Ellie was smart and I agree. She was also strong and brave. I love how this show has strong victims. The actress playing her did a great job. Her affect was perfect. What a state of shock and confusion she must have been in but yet she brought him down. With JJ leading the charge.
Thank you to Tim Curry for two wonderful episodes.
If JJ talking about mothers or the promo with her saying goodbye didn't make you cry then you have no heart. Hugs and love to AJ Cook and thank you to Ed Bernero. It was quite a ride tonight.
JJ's speech to Flynn was one of the truly best scenes in CM history and I am a Morgan sister. There is just no denying that the lady nailed that scene and she deserves an award for it. She will be missed.
I loved the childhood flashbacks. And I loved the ending quote which JJ spoke about family.
Hi, i rly loved this episode!
I loved JJ speech, the way she talked to the unsub made me cry... Shemar Moore was amazing!! Actually all of them was xD
Like someone said on the comments, i only missed the team together... it's hard to know that will be only more 1 episode that they'll be together ><
Whatever, everyone did a great job, congrats!!!
xoxo from Brazil xD
OMG! I love it! It was freaking awesome! One of my favourites all time - definitely.
I love the whole team dynamic and even though there weren't much of Rossi, Reid, Hotch or Prentiss, it was still great.
Shemare did a fantastic job on his part. I would've never thought, he would yell at Garcia, but I do understand him. I love how he cared so much for Ellie and I'm sure she'll be in his life somehow. He was just awesome!
And as for JJ, I love her role in this episode! She really shined especially when she was talking to the radio. Saying her speech from a mother's point of view was brilliant. Also, telling him that she doesn't sympathize him was geniunely true. AJ Cook outdid herself and I think that it's her best performance in CM yet.
Oh, and Tim Curry was brilliant! He captured the creepiness and evilness perfectly.
It was an awesome episode. I'm sure I'm gonna cry next week because of JJ's last episode [she's my fave], so I need a lot of tissues. (:
I started crying at the end when JJ was working to appeal to the UnSub, trying to talk to him about letting Ellie go. I can't believe she's leaving after next week!
I can understand Morgan's tense feelings, but he had no right to snap at Garcia, or yell at Reid. But I loved the fact that Morgan got to shoot Billy Flynn, who was apparently a lonely man who wanted to understand why the world was so bad to him as a child.
I cannot wait for next week! I'll be keeping a box of tissues nearby!
Awesome ep! Great job Ed. But imo the real credit goes to AJ Cook for stealing the show! CBS, after seeing that radio scene, really needs their heads examined. She rocked and nailed it. WTG AJ! Poignant, elegant, moving and beatifully acted. I wish AJ nothing but the best and truly hope that someone at CBS reads these comments and realizes what a massive mistake they made in firing this talented actress.
Kudos to the cast, crew, and of course the writers for a great job.
I loved all of the episode. JJ's speech was great. “There are monsters and it’s okay to be afraid of them, but it’s not okay to let them win and it’s not okay to be one.” Way to write Mr. Bernero. Way to act Ms. Cook.
I thought Tim Curry was great in the finale but he was even better tonight.
Thank you to the powers that be (EB)for giving our Kris Campbell a part in this episode. I was so happy when Jill told me he was going to have a real part and he was great.
I was not very impressed with Our Darkest Hour, but this episode was possibly the best one after 100. Leonard Cohen fit the mood perfectly and Tim Curry was brilliant. Especially his speech at the end was incredibly moving and I like the fact that Criminal Minds is acknowliding that most offenders have been victimised themselves, which society often likes to forget! I liked that Morgan said to Hotch" we were there for you, this is my one" but I think Hotch should have never let him walk in as he was personally involved. Mabe this shows though that Hotch is not quite back and secure in his role as as Unit chief yet, after what happened. I can't believe that we are going to loose JJ. This episode showed how integral she is to the team and I so hope that maybe we will still get her back. Thank you so much everyone for this fantastic episode!
JJ totally shined in this episode! AJ totally nailed the talk with the ubber creepy unsub. She will be greatly missed!
Morgan...sigh...no words! ;)
...loving CM all the way down here in Panama :)
Do not know if I watched the same episode as you all did, but I did not like this episode at all!
First I could not really believe that such a young kid,after having been kidnapped and seen her aunt beaten would act like she did...no way. I know kids can be very brave but for me the way her character behave was not realistic. She had lots of scenes so everytime I saw her I just could not make myself believe the story.
The other thing that got me quite upset was how Morgan behaved at the end. I can understand he was frustrated and emotional with all that had occured but Flynn hardly lifted his gun and Morgan shot him about five times....too much rage....he shot to kill without in my concideration a real necesity..his clear intention going inside that house was to kill the unsub and get even...that is not his job.. Also when you see him inside the house you can see he is still wearing that ear device (used to communicate with the others) so why did he not tell them it was ok to come in at some point?
I did like AJ´s performance and most of all I really enjoyed Mr. Curry´s performance. The rest of the cast were not really that present (not their fault)..I am sure next episode will be better (at least I hope so) because I feel a bit dissapointed tonight :(
The continuity was spot on in this episode. They brought us back to previous episodes with Hotch being told by Morgan that they were there for him when he needed them and now he needed Hotch. Reid admitting that they haven't seen this type of thing before was even a throw back to Gideon. I truly am excited about CM. I hate that AJ is leaving. I hate that but if the episode tonight is any indication of what we can expect this season then we are going to have a grat time. Tim Curry is the best guest star we have ever had on the show.
I don't mean to pick at anyone or start anything but Hotch let Morgan go in because it was the only thing to do and he knew that even though Morgan was a man on a mission he would still use common sense and all his skills which he did.
Morgan didn't gun down the guy. It was suicide by cop. He was talking about heaven and his mom and he knew that when he lifted his gun that Morgan would shoot him.
Okay, the rage Morgan felt accounted for the excessive amount of shots but he had to shoot him. Frankly I would expect Morgan to have that level of rage. He is invested in this kid and it is personal to him. He made a promise and he kept it.
The make-up crew should get an award for making Tim Curry look so nastily creepy! An awesome episode. So looking forward to more.
WONDERFUL!!!
Hugs to all. CM is back and I am doing my happy dance.
I loved it. JJ was amazing. Her monologue about mothers actually made me both smile and cry. And I like how they the story with Morgan wrapped in with what happened with Hotch last year, because Hotch understood what he was going through. A+
AJ blew the doors off the barn. She was great. The episode was great. The promo brought me close to tears.
I am a huge fan of both AJ Cook and Paget Brewster, so I tuned in tonight knowing that this was going to be the start of a bitter sweet season for me as a fan. What I didn't know was how much the performance of ONE person was going to affect me. Simply put, AJ Cook stole the show this episode. Kudos to her!
CBS' loss is DEFINITELY going to be someone else's gain.
Ellie.....we're due to see more of her if the credits for next week are correct. Should be interesting to see what Morgan does with her. You know he can't just walk away from her. If she doesn't get loads of therapy she could end up being a serial killer down the road or mentally disturbed in some way.
Loved when Reid told Garcia that he was sure she wasn't refering to her when she said her 'main man.'
I'm a happy fanatic tonight.
This was a very good episode.
JJ certainly shined tonight, which was wonderful and bittersweet at the same time.
Her speech when she negotiated with the unsub seemed heartfelt. I suppose next week episode will be very emotional.
We'll all miss you (AJ and JJ).
Morgan will have some difficult times ahead of him. I certainly hope that things will work out in the end.
The way he snapped at Garcia and later apologized was something that I could perfectly understand given the circumstances.
I was extremely moved by Ellie Spicer. I'm sure Morgan will do everything he can (even if this kind of responsibility might not necessarily be something he's looking forward to).
I loved the part where Reid realizes that nothing made sense with their unsub.
Alas, Reid really didn't have much to do in this episode, but the few scenes he had still made me happy.
And I miss the longer hair. I hope that MGG will let it grow (please !).
On a last note, I'm worried about the 'secrets'. We had a preview of what JJ's departure will do to the team, so please, don't let our wounded team members be at odds with one of their own (or distrusting) !
We love to see them united, as a family, and I don't want to see their relationship suffer...
I think Ellie went into some sort of survival mode. After everything she had seen I think she just kept Morgan's words of don't show him fear to heart and tried to save herself any way she could but hell ya with needing therapy.
JJ's speech! No words to describe how wonderful it truly was.
A severe thunderstorm and the season premiere of Criminal Minds began simultaneously.
I think nature knew this ep of Criminal Minds was on, as thunder, lightening, rain, and hail added to the creepiness of this ep, as I watched it in the dark.
Tim Curry's acting was awesome and Emmy nomination worthy, as we watched him go through a range of emotions and reactions from memories of his past to his present.
Ellie was both amazingly strong and courageous for a girl of her age in that situation (a role model of "Yes, you can do it" for all children), and I found the "turnabout" actions of Morgan and JJ to be surprising as well as interesting aspects of the characters. I look forward to exploring this further with Morgan in the proposed story arc, and JJ in the next ep, as I'm thinking what JJ did in this ep may help explain what happens re: the reason for her departure from the BAU next week (?) Her speech to the unsub about mothers brought me to tears - as someone else said, AJ really nailed that scene, though my heart was in my stomach thinking about next week's ep.
All in all, one of the best eps ever! Kudos to everyone involved!
This episode brought three things to the front. AJ Cook ruled the show,Tim Curry was freaky fantastic as Flynn and it is imperative that the *team* is seen together as much as possible. Morgan finally breaks and joins the ranks of Hotch and Gideon, whom he constantly second guessed after their own meltdowns. Kudos Ed B. I actually envisioned Flynn being the grandfather (so many yrs of raping).She had no fear of him at all, had his eyes, and it would've been another twist that CM is noted for. CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK!Kleenex will be on hand:(
Ed did a wonderful job on this. Bravo to the cast, especially Tim Curry for his fantastic performance. AJ did such a great job her speech at the end to Billy Flynn brought tears to my eyes. She will be greatly missed. The ever cool Morgan finally snapped in this episode, and Shemars last scene with that little girl was very emotional. I could see his protectivness in his hug. All in all, it wasone of the best episodes yet! Cannot wait to see what Ed and all the cast has in store for us in the weeks to come!
The Longest Night was definitely better than Our Darkest Hour; it flowed better and the storytelling kept me more interested. It was a solid episode; but there were a few drawbacks.
First, Morgan’s unnatural connection to Spicer and his daughter; he just met these people. Even though he partnered with Spicer on ONE occasion and promised Spicer that he wouldn’t let anything happen to his daughter; Morgan didn’t know the daughter at all; and she certainly only knew him as the man the unsub knocked to the floor. I totally did not understand the hug and connection Morgan and the girl had at the end. Unless she was reacting to her father’s request; but he’s still a stranger to her. There was no time spent together and no time to build a rapport. Unlike Prentiss in Children of the Dark, she interacted with the girl frequently and offered to take her, thinking she had no relatives to take her in.
The little girl was stronger than her dad. Ellie seemed to challenge Flynn not knowing the possible ramification; while her dad folded almost immediately and was killed. However, her facial expressions were almost eerie and emotionless, especially after witnessing the murder of her father and attack of her aunt. And the smile on her face as she told the unsub that the little boy had escaped and was alerting the neighbors was as creepy as the one worn by Curry’s unsub.
I do believe Morgan was sent in or went in with the intention to execute the unsub. Unlike Hotch’s killing of Foyet, there was an immediate threat to his son; and Foyet had murdered his wife and stabbed him nine times. Morgan did not know these people before this case; had no real connection to Spicer or his daughter; and had dealt with serial killers and death for years. His rage to me was inexplicable. It was obvious Flynn was giving up when he invited Morgan in the house. Morgan said to Hotch when he went in the house, he knew the unsub wouldn’t kill him. So he apparently went in to execute the unsub; and he did. Flynn had his gun pointed down, not on the hostages; but he got his “death by cop” wish anyway.
Now for the positive: The team interaction was good. There wasn’t a lot of Prentiss and Rossi; but I understand the need to focus on certain characters to drive the story. I was pleasantly surprised by JJ’s flipping the script from the empathetic to almost lecturing Flynn on his behavior because he should know better having been put through something similar by his own mom. The question I asked after JJ’s “talking to” of Flynn was if I were him, would I release the girl. I thought JJ gave an impassioned plea for Ellie’s release, so Flynn’s releasing her seemed credible. AJ’s performance was believable and heartfelt.
I was a little disappointed that Ed didn’t use the traffic jam to at least allow my two favorites, Hotch and Prentiss, to revisit the question from the first episode of season 5, when Prentiss asked Hotch if he wanted to talk about what happened (with Foyet and his other trauma). However, since I know it’s the first episode, I hope we’ll get there before this season is over and Prentiss/Paget is gone. I already feel there’s something lost with AJ’s immediate departure. I’m beginning to feel the loss of Paget, even though she’s still there. This will be a painful year regardless of how great the episodes are.
Tonight's epi. was great. My friend who doesn't watch much TV came over the other day and watched last season's finale on DVD. She loved it so much she insisted on coming over and watching tonight's epi. to find out what happened. 8D
You don't have to know someone to have a desire to protect & care for them. That is not unnatural. It's called having a caring heart. After all Morgan is an officer who's job it is, is to protect people. It would be real hard not to have feelings (& show emotions) for a little child that has just lost her entire family. I thought this showed Morgan's tender side.
I loved the AJ and Morgan and Reid and Rossi + Kirsten, i just wish they gave the lovely Paget Brewster time to strut her stuff.
Loved loved loved it.
The writers had so much they had to do this episode with finishing the two parter and setting the stage for JJ to leave and they handled it beautifully. They gave us wonderful JJ moments within the context of the case and I for one really appreciated her being showcased like that.
As others have said, Welcome Back Criminal Minds.
Eddieee Berneroooo
May I get slightly personal here and congratulate everyone, cast and crew, for this episode tonight.
So. freaking. AWESOME.
Very much Shemar's episode. Morgan ruled tonight along with our beloved and forever-to-be-missed JJ. AJ Cook was pretty goddamn terrific.
I loved Morgan and Garcia, intense in darkness and in light. As usual. It's quite clear they love each other crazy amounts.
And let me just finish by saying this: Mr. Curry, I've always been your fan, and tonight my admiration just got to the roof. Possibly the most creepy unsub ever, together with The Reaper.
that's it, I gotta go because it's 2 am in Brazil and tommorrow I'll be like crap at work but it was ll worth it. I just love this show!!!
Where to start...Welcome back CM. TY Ed for this creepy episode. Tim Curry awesome. JJ absolute great,she will be missed. Perfect music from L. Cohen, love it. A rude Morgan ? getting used to , but understandable in this situation. The little girl so strong, shows no fear. Congrats to Kris, well done.
A good one i enjoyed it and looking forward to the next
This was a very good episode. Tim Curry was brilliant and gave an Emmy winning performance.
I was glad JJ was allowed to shine in this episode. She is an integral part of the team and is going to be missed. I hate that she is leaving and i don't even want to think about what it will be like when Paget leaves.AJ's talent was really showcased tonight. Next week is going to be very sad for all of us fans.
All in all an excellent episode. However I do miss Dr Reid. He too is a fabulous character and we barely got to see him last year.
CBS is making a horrible mistake to break up such a finely crafted emsemble of actors.
I am with sdwally on this one. Much of the epi was great, super profiling. great acting on the part of our team and Tim Curry but the whole Morgan/Ellie relationship went too far. Yes, he made a promise, but Morgan got too carried away even for Morgan. I don't believe he needed to kill Flynn, no one appeared to be in any immediate danger - he just wanted to "get him." Which he did. And Ellie was WAY too mature and too cool to be believable. Her expressions continued to look almost like she was smirking, right up until the end, and not enough emotion at learning the aunt's fate, esp after having lost her dad the way she did. Just wierd to me, her entire persona.
AJ was amazing and I loved that she was given this opportunity and it is even more meaningful than ever what an integral role she has carried and how important a team member she is. I will miss her much - she is one in a million.
Everyone can't get equal screen time, but I liked the little interaction with Garcia and Reid and, of course, the intense communication Garcia had with Morgan which was plausible and handled well. They are very close - not in a romantic way, but almost a family way, like bro-sis.
Hotch was confident in both Morgan's and AJ's abilities and allowed them space and opportunity to do their thing and do it, they did.
An excellent episode, all in all, except for the couple exceptions I mentioned at the beginning.
And I could totally run my hnads thru Reid's locks, too - it looked great. Not too short, not too long, not slicked back or dry/flyaway as in a recent CM blog pic. That guy is one handsome man. Period. MWA!
Oh, CM, I've missed you so, and am so glad you're back!
Song from the flashback = Leonard Cohen - Night Comes On
Amazing episode!!!!!!! I was expecting it to be good, but this wasn't just goodastute was incredible. All the actors did an amazing job and as great as Morgan was, JJ topped it. She did a phenomenal job with negotiating and I am guessing whatever job she's transferring to has to do with this...Just a guess.
I hate to see her go. She is part of the CM family and without her the team is going include be incomplete. She'll be missed no doubt about it. I just hope the journey she takes on now is even better. Wish you a great deal of happiness AJ and I think I speak for all of the CM fan when I say You'll always be in our hearts!!!
Criminal Minds rocks like no other show!!!!!!
I have to say--Ellie Spicer had BALLS!!!! Much more than her late dad! She held her head together better than most grown-up women victims. I remember a line from another show (I think Nash Bridges, because I was doing an editing project with the footage) "How can kids be so strong?" Ellie is the living proof. Little Miss Badass.
The Longest Night is a great episode, actually better than the first part.
A.J Cook's performance was beyond outstanding! She had me in tears. So powerful. Next week's episode was heart-wrenching. I'm not ready to say goodbye to JJ/AJ Cook. Still, love the show. Amazing cast, amazing writers and yet another amazing episode.
I meant to say next week's episode *preview!
Dear CBS,
#CriminalMinds has been trending all night, and is still trending worldwide an hour and a half after the West coast showing!! You have such a great formula/team with demonstrable and consistent success. I really, REALLY don't understand why you had to mess with it. I hope you realize what a great hit you have on your hands and from now on take reeeeeeally gooood care of the fantastic team (cast, crew, writers) you already have. May it have many more successful seasons!!! Cheers!
Sincerely,
CB
gubegirl: Bacon donut appeared in "100". Kevin was eating it and Garcia (as was most people, I would guess LOL) was grossed out by it. And CA has its fair share of unhealthy foods. The L.A. County Fair offers chocolate covered bacon... yum (NOT!! Although to be fair, I have never tried it LOL)
sdwally: I agree with gibsongranny in that you don't have to know someone to have a desire to protect & care for them. Especially if that someone is a little child. They are so small, innocent, and vulnerable that it just automatically activates all your "protect" instincts. At least, if you're a normal person, that is. Unsubs seem to lack that... LOL
First off, let me start off by addressing the elephant in the room... the obvious that needs to be said... no, it's not about A.J. or Paget... hello people... it's that Hotch/TG in HD on a big TV is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Also, that man's hair is fabulous. FAB-U-LOUS. OK. Now that I've stated the obvious... LOL
Kudos to the makeup dept for making Tim Curry look so danged nasty and creepy... especially his teeth!! Ewww!! This was a fantastic episode for Tim Curry, Shemar Moore, A.J. Cook, & the lil girl who portrayed Ellie Spicer!! Kudos!! (But my fave will always be Hotch/Thomas Gibson LOL). The opening scene was intriguing. It was such a beautiful, happy scene that I initially thought the little boy was Spicer... but then the teeth morphed and wow, it's actually Flynn! My curiosity was instantly piqued as to what could have happened to this poor lil boy, who had such a happy memory, turn into such an awful monster. Great opening! Great teaser into this Criminal's Mind!! And then later, when the golden fields and happy memory completely deteriorate because of the trauma... so sad!! Seeing Morgan refusing treatment made me chuckle. It seems the entire team is that way and it made me wonder if IRL, law enforcement peeps really are just as aversive to getting treatment. LOL. Reading everyone's tweets, everyone got upset that Morgan was being such an a**. It was upsetting, but also understandable. Don't tell me you've never acted like an a** when you've been under that much stress (or less stress, even) LOL. But his apology... omg... was so heartfelt and so sweet... yayness!! And Woooo!! for Hotch sticking up for Garcia "She gets the job done every time" You tell him, Hotch!! It was also great timing/clever way to keep audience at the edge of their seats by having Flynn pull the knife out and approach Ellie then cut to a commercial... touche!! I have to say though, that Ellie's post-haircut 'do was pretty obvious that it was a wig. Not very realistic looking. Perhaps it was hard to find a good fit for a child. (It's ok hair and makeup dept., we still love you LOL). OK so what's the deal with all the really creepy unsubs being named with the letter "F"? Do the writers hate that letter? Or is it kinda like, "F" you, unsubs!! Har-har. j/k. Loved how Ellie basically wiped the floor with Flynn. Refreshing to see after Season 5's many child victims. JJ's speech about what mothers should be made me cry. :-( How could they cut JJ? She's the heart/compassion of the team. If they replace her with some rough-and-tumble female agent it will throw the balance of the team off. Without JJ's femininity and heart, all you have is some female agent with your classic case of Freud's penis envy wanting to be "just one of the guys" on a team that already has a lot of alpha male testosterone. Greeeat. (NOT!) And if they replace her with someone who is just like her, then what was the friggin' point? *headdesk* Plus Hotch/JJ interaction is one of my fave combos. Boo!!! WE WANT JJ!!! *sadface* The way Flynn's mom was a prostitute and how he was forced to watch was a little reminiscent of WilW's unsub in "Paradise". Hmmm... ok... note to all you prostitute moms out there: It is NOT recommended that you make your child watch you work. LOLz. As soon as Morgan walked into the last scene with Flynn, I knew that it was going to be suicide by cop. But it was different than your average suicide by cop!! Usually it is b/c the unsub doesn't want to surrender and wants to go out in a blaze of glory rather than be caught. In this case, he regretted his actions and wanted the "escape" that he thought he had given his mom. And OMG. Tim Curry saying "Do you believe in heaven? Do you think I might see her there?" with tears streaming down his face had me crying again in this episode. Great job Mr. Curry!!
What a great start to Season 6!! Kudos to Mr. Bernero for writing yet another fabu episode (as always). And also to the cast and crew for yet another terrific episode (as always)! Greatly looking forward to the rest of the season, especially after reading the tantalizing teasers from Adam Bryant's (of TV Guide) interview with Thomas Gibson and Simon Mirren!
P.S. Shemar needs to get with the program and get a twitter. It would make @wordofwyrd (Nathalie) really really happy. lulz
P.P.S. Geeeez, was that long enough? OK, I'll shut up now, sorry. LOL
AMAZING EPISODE TONIGHT!! Criminal Minds comes back with a BANG!
Or in Shemar's case BANG BANG BANG BANG!!! ;)
Amazing!
AJ was amazing as was the rest of the cast but AJ deserves all the props after making me cry!
I love JJ/HOtch interactions and the preview for next week didn't help calm me down after the episode!
I wish AJ the best for her future, she was the reason I started watching Criminal Minds and I'm going to miss her so much, tonights episode was so bittersweet!
I felt tonight's episode was a little bit odd to say the least. Really good, but strange and disquieting. Apart from the feeling of doom with which the season has begun due to JJ's disappearance and future Emily's, I cannot but sense some dangerous traits that might appear lest the writers team do not correct them. I mean the "SECRETS" thing of the CM characters. I don't think a Morgan's proper attitude to shoot an unsub in vengeance, and I'm afraid we are going in the following episodes how our beloved characters start behaving in scontradictory, unnatural and degrading ways. I'm afraid that being Criminal Minds a veteran show, 6 seasons now, ideas are running short, not for storylines but in character developing matters. As a fan, I wouldn't like to see Reid or Prentiss or Morgan or Hotch behave against their personalities, or discover shameful things about them which would make me like them less and less. Aren't you writers and producers paving the way for some characters to be written off by adopting the "secrets" strategy? Is there an occult black list? I'm sorry to be so distrustful, but what has happened recently to a audience leading show has taken off my trust in the creative team, not to say the production team. Please tell me that we are not to discover one of them is a murderer, or has an incurable illness, or something like that. Once a show's storylines have started going that way, a fan can expect the worse. Of course my wish is to watch a great season with great stories great unsubs and OUR GREAT CHARACTERS AS WE LOVE THEM!. HOpe my concerns prove not to be true. Congrats for the episode and very good luck, we all need it!
Truly an incredible episode! And a wonderful start to Season 6.
There are lots of comments about why Morgan would identify with Ellie Spicer, when he hardly even knows her and didn't know Matt Spicer very well.
One person noted that you just have to be caring to feel for Ellie, which I agree with completely.
However, there is one significant factor that I think people are not remembering. I think that Morgan identifies so strongly with Ellie Spicer, and he made the promise to her father to protect her because he knew the UNSUB was going to shoot Matt Spicer in front of her !
Remember, Morgan saw his father killed in front of him when he was around Ellie's age. You have to think that it is on his mind.
Uncharacteristically, I wasn’t too excited before the premiere aired but when I saw it I was blown away. Very strong performances of a well-written story by both AJ and Shemar and the little girl. Ellie really rocked, JJ had me tear up and Morgan was just WOW. I have to admit, though, that I did not like the way Morgan killed the unsub who had barely raised his gun. It was clearly meant to be suicide by cop to me, but it was unnecessary overkill nevertheless. At least it means this unsub won’t return. Tim Curry did one hell of a job to be Mr. Creepy himself!
There were other, smaller but yet important parts of the episode that I really liked: The interaction between Morgan and Garcia, especially the part where he apologized for yelling at her, the trust and support Hotch had for JJ, the interaction and silent understanding between Morgan and Hotch and the latter showing his softer side without relenting his leadership, the comforting gestures Prentiss had for Morgan, Reid’s little banter with Garcia and the few Rossi moments where he conveyed more with a roll of his eyes than a whole paragraph of text could have said.
One little thing that bothered me was when Billy Flynn asked Morgan if he would see his mom again in heaven before he raised the gun. I had a serious flashback here to an unsub named Tobias Hankel dying in a graveyard named Marshall Perish asking in his dying moments if he would see his mom again. Geez! Is that really the last thought of some messed up psychopathic serial killers?
JJ was the voice of common sense to me in this episode. I liked how she could switch from bitching about the phone transfers with Hotch to answering the line sweetly the next second, how she lost patience with that one bureaucrat and what she told Flynn when she was finally on air. I liked not only how AJ delivered that scene but also the lines that were written for her.
While I’m wary to hear that we will be in for another longer story arc this season which I’m so NOT a fan of, this premiere was so strong that I’m quite optimistic that I will like the new season much better than the last one. Please don’t disappoint me, CM, since this was such a great start for season 6!
Since I might not be around to comment on next week’s episode in time, I’d like to take the opportunity to say THANK YOU and GOODBYE to AJ Cook. I enjoyed your five years on Criminal Minds and losing you on the show feels like losing a family member. All the best wishes for your future!
I loved this eppisode!!!! It was a great start to the season! Morgan was so great. Shemar did a great job in this eppisode. As fo JJ, what can I saw but wow! That conversation where she kept trying and trying and trying to get someone to be able to take over the emergency airwaves, and then that the message. That plea to let Ellie go. WOW! Do they realize what they are doing in letter her go? She's is such an amazing actress! I think that whole messge though that she did to the unsub in her plea to get him to let Ellie go, has a lot, maybe everything to do with why she leaves. One review I read for next week, said she gets a better job offer. I think that radio message has a lot to do with the job offer she gets. Everyone else did good as well last night, and it was wonderful having them all back for a new eppisiode as well. So can't wait for what the season is going to give us. Even though next week's eppisode is going to be a sad one.
Once again the CM actors, writers, directors exceed expectations. Tim Curry was phenomenal - emmy worthy. How CM could make such a hideous and demented character be one in which you actually felt his pain and saw what was left of his humanity-exceptional.
JJ was amazing. This episode is made for those at CBS who still don't realize how important she is to the team.
I'm sorry, I'll never get over it. I won't ever forgive them for throwing AJ out. In this episode, she did what she does best and I don't know how it's going to be without her.
Dearest AJ, you will be truly missed by all the CM fans.
While I agree that Morgan was being a major jerk in this episode, I didn't think it was OOC because he's always had that tendency, and this is something I hope will be addressed in future episodes...
Specifically, Morgan has been dismissive and unsympathetic toward his fellow profilers when they've personally experienced trauma: with Gideon, Reid, JJ...
Maybe now that Morgan has been through this experience, he'll realize that it's not so easy to just get over it?
That's really the only way I can reconcile Morgan's speech to Hotch about how terrible it was to see Spicer shot and the aunt raped, because let's face it, those are NOT the worst crimes we've seen on CM. But there's a difference between examining the aftermath of a crime and being there while it's happening, so I'm assuming that's what upset Morgan so much.
OTOH, I found it ridiculously out of character for Hotch to go ahead and let Morgan march in that house with the full intent to murder Billy Flynn. Time and again we've been shown the BAU totally unwilling to help the unsubs commit suicide by cop. Although in this case, with Flynn barely lifting his gun (and possibly raising it to hand it over!) it wasn't even suicide so much as Morgan just shooting him to bits.
A wonderful beginning for Season Six! It was all too realistic, which is what made it great; you really felt like you were in it, watching from the perimeter! I am looking forward to what this season will bring but extremely sad about the loss of AJ's character.
A solid set up for the new season.
I was very excited about the new season starting and I did love last night's episode but I am now also incredibly sad about AJ being fired from the show. I applaud the decision to give her a large part in last night's episode. I think it takes a mom to explain what it really means to be a mom and she did a great job.
Morgan's rage and Hotch's decision to allow him to enter the house alone is edgy. I think it is taking us into the new season with a bit of a twist as we were told there would be. Morgan has experience with being a cop's kid and being abused. This case was really hitting his buttons. Suicide by cop isn't new and we all saw it coming but his rage shown by the amount of times he shot Billy was new territory. I like that after five seasons the show can still find a new edge. Great night and bravo on a difficult job done very well.
The problem with great guest actor unsubs like Carradine and Curry is that they die and we don't get to see them act anymore. Curry was fantastic. Words can't express my appreciation for the way he brought the Prince of Darkness to us for two episodes. The closing scene was both touching and satisfying once Morgan killed him. Released him from his pain.
Ed,
The whole episode was great but the scene you wrote for JJ talking on the emergency alert system was one of the greatest scenes in the history of the show.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Great episode. Great that the show trended all night on twitter and great ratings.
Next week is going to break all of our hearts. I thought the promo CBS put on for next week was a slap in the face to all viewers. We know it's coming and we don't need them to remind us.
Not one of my favorites but ok.
Big bright spots for me were the outstanding performances by AJ Cook & Tim Curry. I'm really happy that JJ was allowed to shine, if bittersweet... Great work, AJ! Were you watching, you morons at CBS??!! I can't say enough, the scene between these two actors was amazing.
On the negative side, I was really miffed at Morgan's tossing back of "we were there for you" at Hotch. Of all the team, it was Morgan who continually doubted Hotch last season and to throw that back in his face that he had been there was uncalled for, although I suppose there is some irony in it all. I get that it linked the 2 seasons, yadda yadda but still. Now the shoe is on the other foot, a holier-than-though Morgan isn't pretty.
Very wary about another arc, especially with Morgan & the girl. Haven't we already heard that that is soooo not a good idea (when Emily volunteered in season3)..? Now it is suddenly acceptable?
I also agree with others who thought Ellie's character was far too in control for someone who had witnessed and been through the trauma. Impressive, sure, and I love to see strong female characters (JJ, Emily...) and ok, the adenaline will keep you going for so long, but to make such good decisions at such a young age seemed unrealistic.
Happy to see a smidge of screen time for my man Hotch; his leadership in challenging his team (JJ in particular) out of their comfort zones was great (although he did seem a bit monotone and wooden this epi) and SO GOOD to see the WHOLE team together for an episode.
Well, I go to bed with mixed feelings but happy for AJ's masterful epi. I'm not looking forward to CM-life without her. Good luck to you AJ, and hope we see you on our screens again very soon!
WOW!! I thought this was a great episode!! JJ's star is shining even brighter, the next episode, with her leaving, is going to be very, very, hard. The look on her face when Hotch told her she was a hostage negotiator today was priceless!
I can not give Morgan enough praise! He was absolutely wonderful in tonight's episode as well. I never thought I would see him snap or yell at his "Baby Girl" but he did, and he apologized for it, which he definitely needed too!! She has snap at him too in the past, but he never took it to heart.
Some of these posts were very interesting. Like Notnerog said before me, I am not trying to start anything or have an argument. But for those of you who actually believe Morgan just went in there and shot 'Creepy' up in cold blood, please tell me what Morgan, or ANY other FBI agent was suppose to do when he raised his gun???? Seriously??? It wasn't like he just walked in there and immediately shot him up!! This unsub was a killer, plain and simple. An unpredictable killer at that. When he raised his gun to Morgan there were no guarantees he wasn't going to fire. He was not trying to give up his weapon! And of course Morgan's connection to Ellie can not possibly compare to Hotch's connect to his wife and son. But he did kill the child's father right in front of her. And he did beat & rape her Aunt in front of her. So when he raised his gun to Morgan, just what was he suppose to do? Aim for his leg? Duck? Hope for the best?
I'm not even going to bother addressing the comment about Morgan being a "major jerk" or "dismissive and unsympathetic toward his fellow profilers". LMAO!!!
Also, when I read Cheetobreathe's comments about that wig on Ellie's head I almost fell out my chair!!! And Ellie was stronger than her father, a lot stronger.
All this Morgan bashing is really funny to me. JJ was brillant in tonight's episode, but this was not a JJ episode. It was her and Morgan. Everyone was great, and to me, Morgan was wonderful. The 'Hotch Sisters' are out of control. LOL!!!
Jericholuva said...
Agree with everything already posted. JJ was front and center tonight but so was Morgan. He has always had a soft heart for kids and Ellie owns real estate there now.
Can you imagine the therapy that kid is going to need!
But Ellie was so smart sending the little brother out the window to the neighbor's house. That was great. She is alive because she stayed calm and she used her brain.
So the jerk wanted to be her "grandfather". That is just sick. I agree about the last scene. It was killer. When he cried I almost felt sorry for him.
I totally agree!!!
Excellent episode. Shemar did an awesome job. Tim Curry should get an award for his performance. He was terrifying and then at the end you almost felt sorry for him. I was in tears listening to A.J. talk to the unsub. The powers that be have made a huge mistake letting her go.
I had a hard time believing the Ellie Spicer character. She was supposed to be *8*???? I think not. Both her appearance and her demeanor said much older. Poor casting ruined this episode for me.
I enjoyed watching this episode but what I miss is Spencer Reid. He is such an interesting character but I don't think he is receiving enough screen time lately. Even if the episode isn't about him and is concentrating on another character, I would like to see more of him even in a supporting role. Morgan usually played a supporting role in Reid-centric episodes in the past. I would like to see more of such an interesting character.
Considering that one episode has only 43 minutes for character development and to tie up loose ends before starting the new season, not a bad start. But it was too jarring to believe a little girl could go through sooo much trauma and witnessing horrific acts of brutality/death to her aunt,father, and others and still act with stoic, preternatural calm to outwit the unsub. Plus it was kinda weird for a psychotic killer who's been killing for 40 years to get so misty-eyed and mushy from JJ's "Mommies suppose to protect us from mean monsters" speech. It was a beautifully written speech but hard to believe it would turn him into a softie so fast.
Other than that, nice to have CM back in action and looking forward to what those secrets will reveal.
BTW, great promo for good dental health!!! No one will want to have yellowed, decaying teeth now since it makes one look like a neglected child with Mommie issues. Thumbs up!!!!!
Good episode, but not the greatest in my opinion as some here have suggested. Still, it was much better than I expected, given that the season finale was so boring, and was the worst season finale of the series so far IMHO.
I liked that JJ got highlighted, but it was a bit unrealistic when she went from a stammering in the beginning of her negotiation with Flynn to a perfect memorized speech. It was heartfelt, and AJ did a good job. I also liked the interactions with the team. I thought that too much time was spent wasted on Flynn driving the girl around, and I thought the girl's character was unbelievable, although I will say she did an outstanding job. Children would not act this mature in a real life situation such as this.
I agree with what others have said about Morgan overreacting, losing it and it was massive unsub overkill. This hearkens back to Elle's losing it and murdering an unsub in cold blood. To be consistent, there should be an internal investigation of the way Morgan handled the situation. The scene with Morgan and the girl at the end was poignant, but not believable either, given that they barely knew each other.
I hope the CM writers will spend more time on the profiling aspects and of the case and the team interactions, and less time on the unsubs.
Also, I absolutely hate Reid's new hairstyle. It's awful. It completely destroys his look and the way he his character comes across. He looks so much better with longer hair. Somebody, please tell this man to stop cutting his hair and let it grow!
Anonymous said...
I agree with what others have said about Morgan overreacting, losing it and it was massive unsub overkill. This hearkens back to Elle's losing it and murdering an unsub in cold blood. To be consistent, there should be an internal investigation of the way Morgan handled the situation. The scene with Morgan and the girl at the end was poignant, but not believable either, given that they barely knew each other.
HUH????
Elle went to the unsub's home, who was clearly unarmed and did not threaten her, and shot him in cold blood.
Last nights unsub was armed, had 2 hostages taped up, AND RAISED HIS WEAPON TO MORGAN!!! How on earth does the two compare? Did we all watch the same show? Elle's unsub didn't want to die, Morgan's did!!
I get that a lot of people on this blog does not like Morgan, for whatever reason. But some of you guys are making stuff up!
Internal investigation? That pyscho killed so many in one night, was holding a couple hostage, and was ARMED!!! He raised his weapon to an FBI agent in front of the hostages! Investigate what?????
I get that a lot of people on this blog does not like Morgan, for whatever reason. But some of you guys are making stuff up!
I like Morgan a lot, but I felt like his rage was way over the top last night. I really didn't have a problem with him killing the unsub because he gave him the chance to surrender. I thought unloading his entire clip into him was as over the top as his behavior had been though, but what I really found ridiculous was how easily Hotch just backed down and sent Morgan into the house ALONE because somehow the situation was supposedly comparable to what had happened between him and Foyet. That was lame and made Hotch look like he needed to take some more time to get his head together and who knows perhaps he does.
It was an entertaining episode and I'll no doubt watch it again, but the thing with JJ becoming a hostage negotiator and Morgan walking off into the house alone were too contrived for me to do little more than roll my eyes.
Can Someone help me please,i am bellsong20 on the fan forum and i had forgot my password so i went through the prosses of geting a new one but everytime i go to the link in my email it sends me back to the page that tells me to go to my email to reset my password,can somone please help me because i really am very upset over this
as to the episode it was very hard for me to watch knowing what has happened but i did really love it and JJ was awsome!! next week is going to be so sad i but have decided to watch the whole season in support of the remaining cast.
I agree with a lot of what you said sf81387, and the way you said it. I wrote the comment you responded to. I'm going to chalk up Morgan's rage to him being bashed upside the head, and the fact that it was a child in danger. Children are his weakness. I thought Morgan and JJ were great last night, but yes it was waaaaay out there for JJ to become hostage negotiator and Morgan going in the house alone. He going in there was a serious no-no, but killing 'IT' was justified. I don't think the show was implying that Morgan's situation was comparible to Hotch's, there is no comparison. Hotch were thru long term torture. Stabbed, separated from his family, widowed, etc. Morgan (who I love) got hit in the head, and watched a vicious act. There's no comparison. That's people on the blog trying to say that.
Lisa
What a great show last night. The little girl rocked, Shemar was incredible, and those nasty teeth just made the whole episode even scarier. I did get choked up when JJ was on the air. Starting thinking about her leaving. It wont be the same. I love JJ just as much as the others in the cast. Can't wait for next week.
I don't think the show was implying that Morgan's situation was comparible to Hotch's, there is no comparison. Hotch were thru long term torture. Stabbed, separated from his family, widowed, etc. Morgan (who I love) got hit in the head, and watched a vicious act. There's no comparison. That's people on the blog trying to say that.
No, I think Morgan telling Hotch "We were all there for you, this one is mine" was pretty much trying to suggest that this situation was somehow comparable to what Hotch had been through. Actually I'm not really sure what the purpose of throwing that in Hotch's face was, but it was lame and it was lame for Hotch to just calmly pat him on back and send him into the house.
I could understand Morgan being upset. He watched his father get shot and knew what the little girl was feeling, plus he made the promise to make sure she'd be okay. I loved his initial scene with Hotch when he was describing everything that had happened. The emotion was perfect and it was some of Shemar's finest work, but after that he was bordering on irrational to the point where his teammates were afraid to discuss the case around him. It was overkill.
I liked the ep, it was a good start for the new season, but a lot of things made the episode unrealistic.
The girl was definitely way too mature. She's been through so much and still manages to outsmart the unsub? Plus, she looked as if she was smiling half the time and definitely not scared to death.
JJ shone altough the change in her speach was too abrupt for me. Loved Hotch's comment - "You are [a hostage negotiator] today." - but why exactly didn't he get on the line to help her through the talk, even if he couldn't be in the room with her?
Morgan's rage was understandable, children are his weak point after all, but emptying his clip into the unsub was over the top. I'd guess the two hostages will never trust a cop or FBI agent again after having been forced to watch such violence. And why did the girl hug Morgan the way she did in the end? They barely knew each other.
What happened to Reid's hair? lol
I also agree with some other comments that said there was too much focus on the unsub driving around. And we didn't have to see him dancing with his mom so often, we got it after the first time. ;)
Anyway, I'm glad CM is back and I'm looking forward to next week although it will be horrible to watch JJ leave. :(
My favorite character is Reid and I love the Gube so please note that when I say...
I am sick of reading debates about his hair. We had a great first episode of the season last night and people are talking about the Gube's hair. Really? His hair?
That said.
I watched the episode with several of my classmates and we all really loved it. There was tons of action and high levels of emotion. A great conclusion to a cliffhanger that I personally wasn't overly fond of and what I feel is a great start to the new season.
Too much force/not too much. Hotch should have let him go in/Hotch shouldn't have. I love the debate. I love being part of a fandom that picks every tiny bit of an episode apart and put it under a microscope.
Really at the end of the day isn't that what makes CM so great? That we love the show so much we hold almost impossibly high standards for it and the show almost always clears the bar. I think it did so again last night. I am proud of all of them and I hope AJ knows that she will always be a part of the show as far as this fan is concerned.
My dvr didn't record the promo last night. I just saw it. I almost cried. My favorites are Morgan and Reid but I can't imagine the team without JJ.
Personally I thought the episode was grand I can't wait to watch it again tonight.
that little girl actress is amazing, she had me in tears at the end!
I'm a bit 'ho hum' after the episode. Not great, not bad... Well acted by all but too many holes and improbabilties.
Although I quite enjoyed Tim Curry's performance, and LOVED JJ's handling of the bureaucracy (and the 'challenge' of negotiator given to her by Hotch), like others I too thought Morgan was well out of order and OTT after his first (enjoyable) scene. He really had me wanting to hit him by the end and if I'd been Hotch, I really would have done something to put him back in line. As sensitive as Derek has always been (which is what I love about him btw and I get his anger), his temper and 'do first, think later' attitude needs controlling, if not by him, by his superior. Hotch isn't normally the type of leader to let emotion and empathy for his team get in the way of the job so I thought the scene between the 2 before the final showdown ooc. It was then maddening to see it played out as it did, since it was obvious Flyn wasn't coming out alive and I believe Hotch should have/would have known that.
Secondly, Ellie totally freaked me out, even more so after the hair cut. lol! As someone else suggested: future unsub. Her complete shutdown of emotion was disturbing to say the least. Maybe its realistic, maybe not, idk, but it seemed unrealistic for someone that age who had just seen her parents murdered. Hell, I wouldn't remain that calm and make good decisions in those circumstances even now! So cudos to CM for the victim creeping me out more than the unsub. Ick.
I was overjoyed AJ was given the chance to shine in this epi, and boy did she kick ass!!! I adored her fighting with the bureaucracy, such great expression of her frustration. Way to go AJ! Such a great night for her!
Next week is going to be rough... I don't look forward to JJ's departure one bit. Bring on the kleenex... :(
Sorry, I'm sure I'm in the minority and I'm not going to rant and rave, simply leave my comment as well as the show.
In my opinion CM has reached its potential and is now on the slide, for me personally.
I find Morgan's character overblown and overexposed and frankly annoying. I see last season's finale and this season's premier as nothing but a setup to having him take in this little girl as his adopted daughter and that is lame beyond belief.
Hotch having a son is fine (although the name of Jack is silly since the first episode made it clear that he was against naming his son for any serial killers and then he goes and names him Jack...Jack the Ripper anyone, one of the most famous of them all.)
Still, Hotch and all that happened in Season 5 is fine (and well-written and acted by everyone.)
Morgan was fab in Season 5 when mixed in Hotch's storyline but he got short-shrifted with the whole Season 4 of 'you can have your own team' to being the acting director or team leader in Season 5 to back in the trenches. Not fair to Morgan.
But this thing with the little girl, silly. Believing Hotch's sister in law helps with Jack is fine. JJ as a mom is pretty lame but with the actress in real life becoming a mom I guess they "had to" make JJ pregnant, although clever positioning and storytelling with a little imagination would have worked just as well.
This has never been as how about the characters' personal lives so it's all right though.
But knowing through spoilers that Ellie is going to reappear and likely with Morgan somehow becoming her 'dad' is dumb.
Last night was beyond poorly done. The child actress was great but really, she's that calm? She watched her dad get killed, her aunt somehow got raped and beaten up (although when that happened is unknown for she didn't look so bad in last season's last episode so how she was dying to dead is anyone's guess) and through it all this little girl is able to save people without shedding a tear and reason with Tim Curry's sadistic character?
Tim Curry is a great actor but all he got was being a disgusting, talky, freak. Not near the stellar writing that we got in The Big Game with the former Dawson Creek actor (who rocked that) or C. Thomas Howell's magnificent evil character.
Sorry, I love to love CM but this now seems to be a show where it's how gross, how awful, and how creepy can we be. Add to that the despicable treatment of two fine female actresses -- AJ Cook was excellent last night and I suspect she will be as well next week and yes, I'll watch the end of JJ's storyline but that was the trigger,the firing of AJ Cook and the downsizing to firing (since it's already announced that this is her final season) of Paget Brewster, and last night's episode and what I suspect the trend will be in the future spells the end of my ride with CM.
It's been good, I've enjoyed it but I've learned from hard experience, when a show goes in a direction that causes me displeasure or disappoinment, then it's time for me to leave; the show won't change its course so I must.
I hope it does well for all that do enjoy it and continue to find enjoyment in it and I certainly hope all the actors and writers and especially the BTS folks who do the really hard work continue to enjoy many years with the show going forward.
It was a long summer, but so worth the wait. utilized Tim Currys' abundant talent. The writing was perfection. Did not want it to end. Great storytelling Ed.
Eiayay
Why do so many people have such a problem with why Morgan bonded with little Ellie in this episode??? To me its perfectly normal...she watched her father die doing his job...a COP'S job...the same way Morgan did. Morgan saw his father die in front of him at the hands of a perp, so he knows just what she feels and how she will feel the rest of her life. Kudos to him for having a big heart and caring for a tough little cookie!
Anyone else hoping he and Garcia will adopt her together???
To Candy, my personal problem with that is that they didn't have the time to bond. Yes they went through the same experience, but they didn't have the time to talk about it, the girl didn't have the time to get attached to Morgan to the extent showed in the episode. As someone said before, Prentiss spent a lot of time with the girl in the Season 3 episode, they had time to bond. Ellie saw Morgan for what 5 minutes before being taken away by the unsub? And in that time she saw her father killed, so I'm not sure how much a child in that situation would have noticed and bonded with a stranger. But I guess the Morgan angle needed to be pushed so realism isn't all that important. Oh and I do agree with the people who say the girl seemed emotionless.
The episode was decent but it didn't impress me. In terms of season finales and premieres this couple is one of the weakest we've had on Criminal Minds.
The writing is starting to let me down recently to be honest. There are a lot of out of character moments. I have a feeling the plot is pushed at any cost with no regards to what it does to the characters.
Hotch was not in character yesterday, because he would know that once Morgan went in there he was not going in to negotiate a peaceful surrender with Flynn (God knows Morgan said enough times what he would do to the unsub when he'd get his hands on him). And Hotch would never go for an argument like "we were all behind you". I felt it was unbelievable because to me Morgan's argument said "you killed your nemesis and we were all behind you, now let me kill mine". And Hotch would never stand for that. He would never allow the team to take justice into their own hands. The moment they become too emotionally involved he would pull them aside. I do understand that the writers wanted to give Morgan and maybe Ellie some closure, but that was not the way to do it. It felt like an execution and it felt wrong.
But that said, the JJ part of the episode was great! AJ rocked! It's great she had some good material to work with.
I'm not looking forward to next week's episode. It's going to be heartbreaking.
Morgan was the last person of authority she last saw before she was taken away by a very bad man. She expected Morgan to come and find her or help her live. So she was very happy to see him and he was the only person who was with her aunt. She would go to him thinking that he was the one who had answers about her aunt and who would kept the promise her father asked him to kept. So it made perfect since for her to go to Morgan. IMO
Shemar did a wonderful job. I feel his work on this show has been wonderful through the years. I think AJ Cook did a wonderful job as well. To bad she is leaving especially this way when she wanted to stay. She will be missed.
But thinking that Morgan (Shemar) got to much time or was over the top or feeling that there wasn't enough time with the other team members is just unfair assessment. Some shows go that way, it 7 people to divide the time with and it only 40 mins of time. God
Anyway, I thought the show was jaw dropping and heartbreaking. Morgan's shooting the guy that many times by real life standard would be questioned but I understand the anger that Morgan would be feeling after seeing a man (a cop) shot in front of the cop's daughter, after this man tied up and kick him in his head repeatedly, I understand that anger. I would have shot him too, beside he was probably going to shoot himself.
Lately, I have been reading comments for others who feeling sympathy for these unsubs. Well, it was sad that bad things happen to them, but when you murder innocent people the way this unsub did, getting life in prison is too good for him. Morgan took care of that. Ha
I liked it but I didn't love it. The ending seems to be setting up some bizarre, soap - opera storyline between Morgan and this kid down the line which doesn't interest me in the slightest. Also I hope that there's going to be some investigation into Morgan's behaviour when he gunned down Flynn out of revenge and anger. There was for Elle so there should be now.
The kid was weird. If they were setting her up as some future unsub it worked well as she was by far scarier than Tim Curry's character.
My eyes rolled at the predictability of it all when J.J came out with her 'I'm a mother' speech. Although all credit to A.J - she was fantastic and I am going to miss her so much.
Things I did like - the music, Tim Curry who was fantastic and the fact that we saw Reid in kevlar running towards some house at one point. Hopefully this means Reid isn't going to be sidelined/confined to the field offices this year.
Also loved the promo for 6.02, Reid's tiny little voice asking if J.J can just be taken away from them broke my heart.
The bonding of Morgan and the girl, Ellie, is more realistic than what Prentiss went through with the girl in California because it is a hero worship bonding. It only takes a minute to fall in love with the man or person who saves your life or protects you. It happens many times to cops, firefighters, nurses and doctors with their patients and survivors of the calamities in their lives. She is grateful to the hero who saved her. As for the girls behavior with the unsub. She is a dominant alpha female of strong character who probably has been taking care of her father and the house since her mother's death. She is not a whiny girl who would scream and cry if something goes wrong. Her mother died at an early age and she needed to become the dominant female in the household. Her father took care of her but she had to learn early how to keep the house clean and be strong in the house. Her behavior with the unsub is realistic for the personality of this girl.
Fitting start to the new season I thought, yes we knew that this was always going to be Morgan’s gig and all in all job well done but I have to say most definitely overkill on taking down Billy Flynn, we know he was going down from the minute Morgan walked in to that house but I’m not sure that he needed to fire that many shots to take him down, yes there was the element of Morgan’s anger & what Flynn had done to Spicer his sister and all those many victims and what he put Ellie through, although I understand, and hey he deserved to be taken down, although I didn’t think the overkill was warranted …
Morgan was never in any danger here, I guess we knew that from the Unsub leaving him alive the first time and this had me wondering what Strauss would have to say on the take down of the unsub, especially given the approach she took to Hotch’s taking down the Reaper and this after his ex wife was killed and both his & his son’s life were at stake.
JJ in one word was outstanding, job well done and I can’t not mention Hotch, the one and only awesome Hotch, love the man, loved his whole approach to leading his team, and the epitome of cool calm and collected & his unbending support for his team.
Reid and Garcia interaction was lovely and was nice to see these lighter moments intertwined with the heavy storyline, the tightly wound Morgan was no surprise and we have seen this before when he is under pressure, I must admit I was a little taken aback when he snapped at Garcia, and it was nice see him calm down and apologise to her, the character connections and interaction, and the overall team dynamic is what this show is all about which is why JJ is going to be so sorely missed, any new ‘plant’ not only has to fit in with this dynamic but also now win the fans over, and I won’t even touch Prentiss, I just hope that the network know what they are doing.
CM is such an amazing show that it’s a pity to see them mess up the winning formula, especially when the character interactions, back-story could get so much more interesting with this amazing established cast.
I too hope that the ‘secrets’ don’t have a damaging effect or erode the dynamic & trust the team have built through the seasons, rather strengthen them and bring them together.
After all that happened over the summer with JJ & Prentiss, the premier has invigorated me personally so I’m looking forward to a great season six.
Thanks to the amazing cast, writers, directors, editors and all concerned with bring this amazing show to our living rooms.
For those who said Morgan barely knew Ellie, Morgan did not know Ellie at all. He had just been shown a picture of her at the police station; and he was knocked on the head entering Spicer’s house. So through dazed eyes, he saw Flynn taking Ellie away. That’s the extent of his knowing her.
For those who said Morgan has a soft spot for kids, his spot is no softer than Emily’s, JJ’s and maybe even Rossi’s. They all showed soft spots for kids; but it was Morgan who said to JJ in Moseley Lane that she may be biased because she is a mother.
I agree with all those who said Morgan’s reaction to Spicer’s death was over the top, since as an experienced profiler; he’s seen much worse. His attachment to Ellie is absurd and not normal, as is her attachment to him. She hugged him like she knew him; and all she knew about him was he was the strange man in her house when her dad was killed. She couldn’t have known at that time that her aunt had died.
If CM is setting this up for Morgan to somehow become Ellie’s guardian, this is equally as absurd as Morgan’s execution of Flynn. What judge or court would give Morgan custody of an 8-year-old girl, to a single, bachelor /playboy who is of no relation to her; and who only saw her once before as she was being dragged out of the house by Flynn. I know Ellie had to have a mother; Spicer certainly did not give birth to her. If Spicer has no other relatives, certainly the best profilers in the country can track down either Ellie’s mother, or Ellie’s mother’s relatives.
Hotch told Emily when she wanted to take care of the teenage girl that “this is the job… and we have to stay objective.” Morgan has not been objective in his killing the unsub; or his attention to Ellie. I hope based on the spoilers I’ve read that CM is not setting up some kind of bogus quasi-father relationship between Morgan and Ellie so that they can then set up an even more bogus bromance between Morgan and Hotch. All to establish in the minds of the viewers that we don’t really need women on this show, all the action can be self-contained amongst the guys. Talk about possibly jumping the shark. Morgan a father without the wife or girlfriend, what a joke; you’d think he would have had that attachment to the two boys left without a father when the cop died in his arms. He at least had spent more time with that cop than he did with Spicer. And what about the kids in Children of the Dark who were left to live with the abusive woman, Morgan had more time to become attached to that little boy who had no parent; but he didn’t offer to take him in.
I don’t mind Hotch not being on top of his game; he’s been through a lot. But I would prefer he turn his attention to Emily and Jack, not Morgan and Jack. I hope I’m wrong about the bonding/bromance thing, because it all seems so distorted to me.
Good points all. However do remember that in a moment of trauma and crisis, Spicer passed on his fatherly responsibilities to Morgan by making Morgan promise in front of Ellie to make sure she was all right. I'm sure this is the opening the writers will use. It also explains Ellie's attachment to Morgan.
Could Morgan's "hypnosis" of sorts of Spicer in the finale re: the actual faacts of his own parents' death have been some set-up for all this? I had never seen Morgan do such intense work, almost like he had taken lessons from "The Mentalist."
I just do not see Morgan fathering this little girl regardless of his over-the-top emotional involvement during the premiere.
I'm confused. We're back to trying to deal with the "question of the day" and "will he" or Won't he" seems to be the question.
Re: Weirdness of bromance. In a world that focuses on the woman - how she should be and should act to not create monsters or become the victim of one, it may be nice to explore how a man should or should not be - what makes one man a nurturer, another a victimizer? Season 6 will be fantastic if the writers are focusing on the latter question. After 5 seasons, I think they'd want to explore that aspect of serial crime.
Good episode. I wasn't disappointed by this season's premiere.
JJ was spectacular and I enjoyed her negotiation with Flynn.
But I'm also under the impression that if it hadn't been for her leaving, we wouldn't have had this scene (it was a big risk considering she was never trained to do something like that).
But I really enjoyed it nonetheless : her fight to be allowed to use the Emergency Broadcast Service, her apprehension at hearing she was the hostage negotiator, her fear when she entered in that room knowing she was going to be the one using it, her fumbling at the beginning of her speech, her gathering enough confidence to deliver her heartfelt message to Flynn and get the job done...
All of that was very well done and wonderfully played by a tremendous actress.
Thank you AJ for the last 5 + years you gave to this show. Thank you for making JJ this incredible character. Thank you for this wonderful performance.
We'll all miss you dearly, and we love you.
It might have been overkill when Morgan emptied his clip to kill Flynn, but it was what Flynn was looking for. I wonder if the writers will revisit that part of the story later to see what repercussions it could have.
And I can understand why Morgan feels responsible for this little girl. He's not used to take on such responsibilities, but now that he made that promise to Spicer, he's not going to back down either.
I don't know what will happen, if Morgan will adopt that little girl, but that wouldn't surprise me so much since she is now alone.
Other than that the rest of the team was great, as usual. There wasn't much of Rossi and there was very little of Reid (whose hair I prefer slightly longer by the way...).
Another poster said that he didn't want to see Hotch bonding with Morgan because he/she preferred to see Hotch concentrating his attention on Prentiss : please, anything but that !!!
I personally think that if the writers want to show the bond between two characters, they should do that with Hotch and Reid.
They had a wonderful relationship in the first three seasons, but since season four we haven't seen them really talk to each other. They only had very short professional conversations. But we have seen those two opening up to each other plenty of times in the first three seasons, and they had a great relationship.
I know that it's still the case, I know that their relationship probably didn't change, but if the writers could show that on screen that would be wonderful.
Wow! This episode was many things: scary (Flynn), enlightening (JJ's skills and Hotch's confidence in her skills), emotional, intense AND confusing in ways we have been discussing...but BORING? How could anyone say it was boring? Who else is surprised at this impression? I didn't even get up to use the bathroom for fear I might miss something.
And "ridiculous"? surprising actions on the parts of some team memebers, yes, and wondering as to what will happen next; why Morgan was so over the top, why Hotch allowed him to go in alone, how/why did he get so attached to the girl so quickly, why he so vengeful, etc. But ridiculous? I disagree with that as well.
How about the rest of you?
Oh, well. We're all entitled to our opinions, I guess.
In case any of you are wondering what I was referring to, there was a recent post from an "Anonymous" viewer who said they had previously always enjoyed the show but that the premiere show was "boring" and "ridiculous" and the characters had become "exchangeable" like the rest of CBS and would not watch again.
I found this to be an unusual interpretation and commented just above here. The blogger apparently went back and deleted their post. Just as well. We CM Fanatics don't like our show being called either "boring" or "ridiculous", do we? :)
gubegirl
If you're looking at more than one forum, the "boring and ridiculous" comments may have been on the CBS forum (or not?) I was surprised by the comments as well and wondered if the writer had ever been a fan.
Amazing performance by the super talented AJ Cook she really stole the show and Criminal Minds will NEVER be the same again once she leaves. I have to say though that perhaps had the writers gave her this kind of material to work with before then i doubt we would be losing her!!
I didn't get a chance to watch it until now, but I thought it was great. The song at the end, "Who By Fire" was eerie and sweet at the same time. PLEASE GIVE REID MORE TO DO. I know he is a lot of people's favorite character, and he's so hilarious and awesome. I don't get why we have hardly seen him lately. Loved this opener, cheers to an awesome season ahead.
I watched the episode last Wednesday and also DVR'd it, and have just watched again today, and I my sensations about what I've watched have dramatically changed. That is, I know I've watched a Criminal Minds episode, but I got the feeling that it is another show that I've been watching with the same actors playing different characters, I mean, I didn't recognize them, their actions and reactions just didn't fit with the CM characters I used to know: there was Hotch not taking the negotiating lead, there was Morgan behaving like Dirty Harry, Rossi, Reid and Prentiss were there but they did not add anything to the events going on...it felt so weird to me. The very tone of the script, there is something rare, different on it, I detect something evil looming in the show's future, maybe the writers and producers, something beyond JJ's layoff and future Prentiss. I sense there are gonna be more changes, and they are not gonna be of my liking. That is, Hotch's inhibition and lack of authority, is it due to PTSD? Morgan's misdemeanor, is it a sign of his being burned-out? How will JJ's absence affect the team? And the rest, I cannot but be worried at what Ed Bernero described as "secrets". I fear we're going to see our beloved characters behave in strange and inappropriate ways in more than one episode. Criminal Minds seems to have come to a crossroad, and the creative team must be very careful not to turn our -MY- favorite show into a degenerate version of what it was in its prime. We all know, and the producers and writers know, this has happened to many shows after a number of seasons. I don't want it to happen to Criminal Minds, if this is going to happen, I'd rather had CM finished this season. I want to trust the team, and hope they'll have nerve, creativity and common sense not to deface this show. I still love it, but should it go these strange ways...Maybe I'm exaggerating but I haven't recognized Criminal Minds in this episode. Anyway, I wish all people working on Criminal Minds all the luck in the world. Same for its fans, me included.
Odd. My memory is Hotch rarely takes the negotiating lead and Morgan nearly always acts like Dirty Harry with unsubs. We must focus on different aspects of their characters.
Kat887: you are right on both counts. Hotch allows everyone to negotiate, depending on the situ and the skills of team member; we have seen Reid, Prentiss, and Rossi all do plenty of this and I'm sure we all knew JJ could do it - she is so adept at communication of all sorts, with the families, the public, the other LEs involved, etc.
And Morgan is always the badass; this time he just kicked it up a notch:)
We're on season #6, folks, our profilers are more experienced, the crimes are getting more gruesome not to mention numerous and Ed needs to keep the audience interested. I'm sure that all these factor into what we saw last week and, speaking for myself, I can hardly wait til Wed. to see what happens next. The CM PTB def have my attn.
I watched the episode twice this weekend. I'm so happy to have CM back and it was a good start. JJ's lines over the radio, were fantastic and AJ did a great job on them.
Can't wait to see next week's episode!
-Michelle
For those of you who insist that Morgan 'executed' the unsub or 'shot him in cold blood', go back and watch it again. The unsub was holding two people hostage, was talking crazy, and he raised his gun to him!!! Some of you take your dislike for Morgan waaaay to far! He emptied his clip. SO WHAT!! One bullet or six, he would have still died at that range, and he needed to. Hell, he wanted to!!
The was some of these comments read, you would think that the unsub (played by the wonderful and realistic Tim Curry) was just misunderstood. Please. He didn't push that cop down, he shot him down. He didn't hit Morgan in the head with a cotton ball, he bashed him in the head & knocked him out! He didn't make love to the aunt and spank her with a feather, he raped and pistol whipped her. And he didn't take Ellie on a play date, he kidnapped her.
And for those of you who keep harping on Morgan yelling at Garcia and saying he was being an arrogant ass, get over it!! She did!! He was wrong, but he apologized, and he should have! However, when Hotch came back from medical leave, he was yelling at everyone, including Garcia and that poor pharmicist, for no good reason. And he never apologized!!! I get that he is most of you guys favorite character and you guys defend him to no end regardless of what he does. But Morgan is my favorite, and I feel I must defend him too. Even though I shouldn't have to because he really didn't do anything terribly wrong.
Anonymous: I hope you don't think that my comments re: Morgan being a badass or taking it over the top mean that I don't like him: I think he is WONDERFUL. He was acting out abit more than usual and that needs to be played out to find out just where he is coming from, but he was big enuf to apologize to Garcia as soon as his stress eased off and that IS Morgan: he admits his weaknesses and whenever he is wrong and I love him for that. He is a very sensitive man and I find that very admirable not to mention very appealing:)
His acting is also under-rated and I think he is the perfect foil to Hotch. Hotch has different strengths but maybe a tad bit more ego than Morgan and as the leader, doesn't easily want to admit when he is wrong, altho' he, too, has done just that.
WTH: I love them all! They can do no wrong in my book - they are just like family when I sit in my family room with them! Wednesday can not get here soon enuf!
Morgan yelled at Garcia because he was frustrated and had just been hit badly with a blunt object and many people would not be in their best manners if that happened to them. They probably gave him a strong pain killer to help combat that fierce headache he had. He wasn't happy with her news and expressed himself. He has that right. Let's not be so insensitive to this fact that he was the one in pain and wanting answers. The relationship between the two would not suffer if this happened because he is a gentle good soul, especially to women and girls. But at this time he was in frustration and pain. He needed the sympathy not her.
Love, love Morgan. Glad to see JJ go. Hated the character the typical blond character - whiny and oh so senstive. She's supposed to be a freakin FBI agent for crying out loud!!. And Hotch? Geez can we have less of him and more of Morgan and Garcia. PLEASE!!
No way sweetheart, I like Morgan a lot but without Hotch I would not watch. To me, there is never enough of this great character that I love to fantasize about and put in some unusual positions. The actor does a great job but I am crazy about the character.
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MORE REID!
MORE REID!
MORE REID!
I'm with chris...Hotch makes the show. If there's less Hotch, there would be less audience. He's the only reason I tune in. More Hotch and Prentiss scenes together, Please!!!
I love all the other characters, including Morgan. His drastic actions should be attributed to the writers, not the actor. Anyway you look at it, Morgan knew and said that the unsub wouldn't hurt him before he went in the house. The unsub barely raised his hand, when Morgan unloaded. I'm sure there are a lot of very bad people who should be executed without a trial; but in this country, you're not supposed to do that.
Billy Flynn wanted to die and he did much more than simply raise his hand : he raised his gun and he had two hostages (and he had clearly implied that he could hurt them since they were afraid of him). He knew perfectly well what he was doing, it was suicide by cop (and Morgan knew that too, that's why he gave Flynn more than one fair warning before shooting).
Morgan might not have needed to empty his clip to kill him, that's for sure. But you can't say he didn't give Flynn a chance. Flynn simply didn't want that chance, he wanted to die.
I felt sorry for Flynn in a way. Like JJ said what his mother did to him, what she made him watch and do...that was simply horrible.
Of course, none of that can excuse the atrocities he committed.
But kudos for the writers for making us (or at least for making me) feel sorry, for one instant, for that character.
Not an easy feat by any means.
I don't think that 'Hotch makes the show'.
Don't get me wrong, I love him and he's one of my favorite character, but for me the whole cast makes the show, not just Hotch.
And even if Reid is undeniably my favorite character (by a very, very, long shot), I wouldn't say either that he 'makes the show'. He's part of an ensemble.
Personally, I'm rooting for more Hotch/Reid scenes. Like Heyla pointed out we didn't see them interact a lot since the end of the third season, which is a shame and something I dearly miss (and I totally agree : we saw they had a wonderful relationship, and I want to see more of it).
And I also agree with Jademarisa about the secrets. I'm worried too because I don't want the team's unity to be broken. I want to see them close, like the family they are, trusting each others, loving each others, protecting each others.
I don't want them to doubt about one of their own. And I don't want to see the characters I love change.
Some fans expressed their fear over Reid possibly turning more into an 'alpha man'. Please, we don't need that. You don't need to change Reid's personality to make him look 'more manly'. That would be a huge mistake and something I (and a lot of fans) would absolutely hate (and it's also why I don't want to see him with a girlfriend).
Did I miss the comments about how much Reid's character matured in Season 5? "The Uncanny Valley" signified his evolution especially when Rossi called him "Agent" in the final scene, instead of "Dr." Rossi honored Reid as a full-fledged FBI agent without having to resort to his academic credentials.
Yeh! Just one more day for episode 2!
To kat887,
Yes, Reid grew up in the last five seasons. He has more experience and he has gained confidence in his professional abilities.
I wouldn't say that he's more mature, because for me he was never immature to begin with (even in the first season). He just lacked experience and confidence, which does not translate into being immature.
But I agree with you, he changed and became more confident.
(A part of me will always love the 'doctor' title, because I love the fact that Reid, at the core, is a scientist. I would love it if the writers could explore that side of the character.)
But I don't think that the writers need to make him look more manly. He doesn't need to be an alpha man, we already have Hotch, Rossi and Morgan for that. That's one thing I really don't want to see for Reid.
I think maybe what kat887 meant was not that Reid was immature in the general sense but maybe SOCIALLY immature and his experience and confidence make him seem more well-rounded now and far less awkward.
OR that we have all come to love him so much, none of that matters anymore...:) We just love him for being Reid!!!
Only more 24 hours...
Well done, it was a great episode. All the actors did a fabulous job!
The one thing that bothered me the most was Morgan. He knew going in what he was going to do, isn't that premeditated murder? I mean if I did that, that's what they would say. Also what does that say for the FBI and the police. That it's ok to be in law enforcement and kill somebody, because they beat you down and got the best of you?
Will miss AJ, I hate that she's leaving and so is Paget at the end of the season. :(
Cndlash, did Morgan just walk in the house and shoot him? Or did he give him a chance to surrender, and shot at him after he raised his weapon to him? Also, were there hostages taped up in the room?
Anonymous said...
The was some of these comments read, you would think that the unsub (played by the wonderful and realistic Tim Curry) was just misunderstood. Please. He didn't push that cop down, he shot him down. He didn't hit Morgan in the head with a cotton ball, he bashed him in the head & knocked him out! He didn't make love to the aunt and spank her with a feather, he raped and pistol whipped her. And he didn't take Ellie on a play date, he kidnapped her.
I COMPLETELY agree with this!!!
I totally disagree with the comment that Hotch "makes the show" and I agree with Jane's comments. The show is wonderful to me, and a group effort. No one character carries this show.
Lisa
I know that Hotch has many fanatics as many of us have Reid for a favorite but as much as I adore Reid, Morgan runs a close second for me. Losing any of the team sickens me because I truly love them all. They are all very special in very different ways and complement each other wonderfully well. I would have to say they are the best ensemble cast I have ever seen and I watched many such shows and rarely could I say I actually like each character the way I do the CM team.
That's why this show is so special and is my very favorite and I will watch CMre-runs before I give most new shows a chance. Call me die-hard fanatic, but I sense that there are many of you out there that feel the same.
Gubegirl, I am so with you!!! I too am a die-hard fanatic and I love all the characters. I try to never miss a show. Morgan is actually my favorite, but Reid comes an EXETREMELY close second for me. He is certainly my daughter's favorite! I love all the comments about his hair, LOL!!!
Many thanks go to the always exceptional Tim Curry, whom we never see enough of on TV. Someone must give him another show. Whether drama or comedy, good or evil, he's always a joy to watch.
Idon't think it's my imagination, but at the end, isn't Derek very subtly mouthing the words to the song(??'who by fire' ) ??
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