Criminal Minds spoiler thread for "Reflection of Desire" written by Simon Mirren and starring Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler and Kirsten Vangsness.
**Beware! There will be spoilers in the comments :)
Thursday, December 01, 2011
CRIMINAL MINDS SPOILER THREAD FOR "REFLECTION OF DESIRE"
Criminal Minds spoiler thread for "Reflection of Desire" written by Simon Mirren and starring Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler and Kirsten Vangsness.
**Beware! There will be spoilers in the comments :)
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99 comments:
so far i'm finding this eppisode to be very strange. good. but strange. especially the start.
Freaky, freaky freaks!!!!!!!! And what is Garcia up to? Hope the rest of them see her perform!
ok it just went from being strange to creapy!
Was the mother dead? sorry, duh, but if she was, they never showed her as a corpse. Was she somehow displayed in the room that the toeless girl stumbled into?
That was deliciously creepy! I guessed early on that Sally Kellerman was a figment of the unsub's imagination and that we'd find her rotting corpse at some point (yes, I think she is what the second victim found when she screamed and fainted).
But that didn't stop me enjoying the episode one bit. I was very much on the edge of my seat.
Robert Knepper was fantastic in his role, the whole plot was old-school CM creeptastic and I loved the ode to film noir opening.
It didn't even occur to me until the episode was over that there wasn't a whole lot of profiling going on, but I actually didn't care - that's how compelling the story & performances were.
How many more episodes can Simon Mirren write...please?
Wow, I did not guess we would see mom's corpse ala Psycho. I was wondering why they never saw him talking to her on the video in the station. Really got me on that one. I agree there was little to no profiling (though that also missed my observations) and it was a bit more focused on the unsub instead of the team. But when you have such a great actor for the unsub it makes sense to take advantage of that. I'm guessing the acting was Penelope's secret?
So, the general concensus was: creepy.
Who am I to disagree. I think this episode rates a 12 on the creepy scale of 1-10. I never would have guessed that Mom was a corpse. Her appearance at Union Station definitely threw me off the scent. I think this one warrants another view just to see if there are indications throughout the episode that Mom is a figment of Rhett's imagination. Do we know how long he's been having this strange relationship with his mother's dead body?
The son has issues - lots of issues.
This episode reminds me of a short story that I read in high school where the protagonist continued to sleep with the corpse of her dead fiance for decades until her own death at a very old age. The title escapes me at the moment.
The ending with the team in the audience was unexpected but still somehow satisfying.
I have to admit this episode was not one of my favs. I thought it was kinda predictable and lacking excitement. It definitely lacked profiling as well. I thought it was creepy but it's just not one of my favs. I love CM sooo much and I have seen all of the seasons over and over but this episode was disappointing to me. Paget Brewster is my fav and I can't believe this is her last season..I'll be so sad
Can't wait for next weeks ep !!!!!
Robert Knepper was fantastic. Great spooky 50ish Hitchcock episode.
I liked the episode. Is acting in plays supposed to be Garcia's big season six secret? I liked that we had a Garcia episode and I agree that the episode was really creepy. The mom really being dead at the end was a great finish.
When they were watching the tapes from Union Station the mother wasn't seen in them. That is when I started to wonder if the mother was part of his delusions. She must have tortured him about ending her career to make him so totally mentally disturbed
I give the episode an A+
May made Reflections of Desire in 1956 and it was her only film because she went on to give birth to her son. I think the makeup and wardrobe departments did a great job of recreating that time period.
Like everyone else I realized May was already dead when it became clear that she had never been in the train station.
Side Note: What kind of mom stays on her cell while her daughter talks to a complete stranger!
Creepy but good episode!
So he was cutting off the lips to put on his mom's dead corpse....eww!
I totally dug the episode but I am super unclear as to why it was Garcia doing the press conference and not Prentiss. Prentiss could have worn the wig and the makeup. Prentiss would have been more confident. I do like that we are getting to see more of Penelope and the whole play thing was cute since we all know Kirsten's does a lot of theater. I look forward to watching the episode again tomorrow.
"Your toes were too long."
OMG I freaked when they panned down to the blood on her feet.
This really was a spooky creepy episode. The ending with him carrying his mom down the red carpet was fantastic camera work.
I loved it from beginning to end. It was like a mini movie!
Hitchcock would appreciate Simon Mirren!
Garcia is great with the orange hair but she looked like a 60s bombshell during the conference.
I wonder what the news lady thought when she retrieved the blank note from the podium after the press conference was over.
I was so glad they showed them all at Garcia's play at the end. Who was the woman sitting next to Hotch?
I really liked this episode definitely creepy. Really liked the part where Prentiss and Hotch called Reid out on looking at a girl. "An IQ of 187 slashed to 60 just like that."
Besides not seeing the mom in the video they always said in their profile that he would be a loner. That also made me think the mom wasn't real but she wasn't just dead in the end. She was a petrified skeleton. And that house was killer. When the victim opened the door she must have seen the dead mom. OY!
omg totally amazing episode even though it freaked me out a little. he put the victims lips on his mom eww gross
From the beginning it reminded me of Hitchcock, the end therefore, didn't surprise me. More a horror or twilight episode than a CM. Different but good. I'm ok with it as long as it doesn't become the "norm." Kinda fun doing things different once in a while. A bit late in the season though. The Mommy-corps - nice but too late for Halloween ;). Story line, camera, acting ... well done!
One thing I can't stand is the parading of the sidearms. Why do Prentiss, Morgan, and Reid have to show off their guns every opportunity they get? It is so unprofessional, so un-FBI. Ridiculous. Bugs me every time I see it. At least Hotch & Rossi get it right.
Would have liked to learn more about the deductive reasoning that lead them to the profile. :( Felt a bit cheated here.
Tremendous acting job by the whole cast and the guest stars. Especially from Kirsten. I do wish her secret had been more juicy but it is always nice to get some back story.
We loved the episode!
One of the best episodes in this season!! Loved every second of it! Great job done by all!
Necrophilia! Creepy! Fantastic epi!
The bit with Reid watching/ogling the gal at the station was cute. Prentiss was right when she said a pretty girl could lower even Reid's high IQ.
Oh this was a fantastic episode. It was totally a cross between Psycho and Sunset Boulevard. The ending was TOTALLY Sunset Boulevard (well, minus the rotting corpse, anyway).
Just loved it. Creepy and awesome.
Even his use of chloroform to subdue the ladies was a throw back to older times. Killing them in the car confused me until they explained it towards the end. He wanted them fresh. Cutting off her lips and putting them on his mother is one of the sickest things ever on the show. I think the episode was different and interesting and I give it two thumbs up!
AH-MAZING episode! I think that was Garcia's secret. But it was a good secret. I mean, out of all plays she could possibly do, why she chose this one? ... probably could use some expanding on, yes. It was good though. i was not expecting it at all. I had no guess his mom was a corpse that suprised me.
And my new favorite quote:
Hotch: he wouldn't be standing here because he would be too obvious checking out all the girls like you are now.
Reid: Like what?
Prentiss: Just like that! An IQ of 187 split to 60.
lmao! One of many reasons why Prentiss should be a PERMANENT member.
I understand why Garcia got mad at Hotch, but in all credit to Hotch, he should've been a little more sensitive and noticed everyone around them. And what was with that one press woman who looked through Morgan's notebook? They never really elaborated on that. but a lot of Police have so much in their notebooks from their cases it might take a second for them to figure out what's actually going on. But Morgan is screwed at the same time because a cop's notebook is their everything. That's the only part i think there should have been a little more on.
Amazing episode though. Just really well done by both the witers and the cast.
My hubby never watches the show with me but he watched the whole thing tonight and we both loved it. It was incredible. Everyone there should be so proud. Makeup, camera work, lighting, writing, acting.......BRAVO!
There were some gross scenes in this ep but it was great. Kirsten was GREAT! I loved her 1950's blonde look.
Delicious episode! I loved the opening and the closing scenes. So well done. Kudos to Kirsten and Simon and the whole cast.
We counted and Reid did the weird blinking thing six times this episode. What do they have cooking for our Reid?
Great episode!!!!!!
It was so mysterious and creepy. Robert Knepper is so incredibly talented and he really brought his A game in tonight's episode. Every detail in this episode was letter perfect. This has to be one of the best CM episodes ever.
The episode blew me away. Congrats to the cast and crew!
This episode is exactly why CM deserves the People's Choice award. I have to say that season 6 is my favorite so far (and I've seen every episode every made).
I love the Mogan-Garcia relationship and how the whole team is coming together after the Foyet incident of last season and JJ's leaving this season.
As for this specific episode, it was wonderfully creepy and the lighting and ambience of the whole thing was perfect. Ans a quote by Marilyn Monroe..how appropos was that?
Thanks CM for giving us the creepiness and, for the most part, implying the gore instead of spilling it out for all to see. It's a much more intelligent, and I'm sure, difficult thing to pull off.
Great job all!
great episode
Simon Mirren has always been my favorite CM writer and he didn't disappoint me tonight. He rocks!
Best episode of the season.
Yes, I really enjoyed this episode. I loved the film noir aspect of it and the homage to Psycho and Sunset Boulevard.
Scene with Reid in train station was very cute. There was more scenes with the unsub then I would have liked but still,a great episode and I never suspected that the mom was dead.
Now that I know Garcia's secret, I am pumped to find out the rest of them. Wherever does Garcia find the time, what with volunteering,and working with two BAU teams.Loved the end scene with them all watching her play.Would have been nice to slip in a cameo with JJ there. Miss her to bits.Can't stand that Paget's leaving too.
BTW, Reid is a coffee addict. Why was he drinking a milkshake at one point and noshing muffins in the office? Maybe he's pregnant.[just kidding} and what blinking thing? I didn't see any blinking.I didn't see him ogle either, but I'll take Hotch's word for it.
I like that the newspaper he uses is The Courier...Courier is the standard font for all screenplays.
An altogether creepy episode... I'm gonna have nightmares from now until Sunday I bet... Campus creepers (from my school) and killer movie stars, now I'm scared to close my eyes! YIKES...
Poor Reid, getting caught checking out girls like a little boy at Sunday Mass eying the choir girls... But what's with the blinking everyone's talking about? I'm really curious as to what Spence's secret will be; it's also starting to worry me a bit... He's not ill, is he?
Wow! That was an awesome episode! Well done all specially Kristen! Loved it!
We've gotten a *lot* of Garcia this season. Please give Prentiss some story before she goes, please?
Loved everyone at her play at the end! Family moment!
The makeup, lighting, costume work on this episode was BEAUTIFUL, by the way. Those 50's-style photos were perfect. Compliments to the Makeup, Hair, and Art crews on this one for sure.
I loved the epsiode. I think the note that Morgan left behind was blank!! that is why she had a comical look on her face, the Newswoman. I saw Reid blinking, I am thinking he has some tumor, because this causes behavior change. Did any one notic Hotch is skinnier than usual and his skin has a yellow hue, hopefully not from his wounds by the Foyet attack. I have a feeling Prentiss will be sticking around!! she's too valuable to the team. I liked Garcia as a blonde. That corpse at the end was freaky, total Pyscho,,, i missed that the mom wasn't at the train station. Before this past Summer never saw a CM epsiode, now it is my top show and I am caught up. I need to rewatch season six though since it is moving too fast and I am missing things here and there.
Solid A from me.
Really liked Garcia's secret. It was believable. She was very touchy feely with Morgan.
Hotch can't keep a secret.
Nice family moment at the end.
Good episode.
This seemed more like an halloween episode.
Chompin at the bit for an Reid centric episode.
I found this episode to be different, disturbing and surprising. I must admit it didn’t dawn on me that the mother was figment of the unsub’s imagination; and that he was adorning her corpse with the lips of his victims. For some reason, the story also played out like a secret within a secret. Garcia’s theatrical turn made her look more like Prentiss, the dark hair and bangs made me think she was going for the vamp style that Prentiss’ persona exudes. Am I imagining subtext where there isn’t any?
I enjoyed the originality of the writing and the storytelling; although again, it could have focused less on the unsub. The film noir styling captured the essence of the unsub’s dilemma, being trapped in a time warp by the haunting of a once overpowering mother who obviously mentally and sexually abused him as a child.
I’m not going to complain about the teaming because Simon Mirren mixed it up enough so that all the team members were playing off one another at some point. However, one thing I’ve observed since the beginning of the season is that Hotch and Prentiss are constantly chaperoned. Since they got out of that traffic jam in the season opener, they have not been allowed to be in a scene together without another team member present. We’ve had Morgan/Garcia, Reid/Rossi, Reid/Prentiss, Morgan/Prentiss, Rossi/Prentiss, Hotch/Rossi, Hotch/Morgan, Morgan/Reid, Hotch/Garcia; but no Hotch/Prentiss. What’s up with that? I’m now beginning to think this is deliberate.
And Prentiss seems to know more than she’s telling, or is it just me. She handed Garcia the blonde wig before Garcia knew she was to wear one. In JJ she made a comment that Garcia challenged, and Garcia said she knew more than she was telling. I could be seeing things that are not there.
Hotch, who looked especially scrumptious tonight, dusted off his Kevlar vest and was operating with the rest of the team. The scene at the train station with Hotch, Reid and Prentiss was cute; but that did not look like the District’s Union Station. And I’m not sure why the victim asked Hotch to stay with her; it seemed like throwaway line. As the unit chief, he should have had someone else ride with the victim; and he should have stayed to ensure that the integrity of the crime scene was maintained. The line simply took Hotch out of the action, and I'm not sure why he had to be taken out of the action.
All in all, I enjoyed the episode.
But I'm really ready for a Prentiss-focused episode with Hotch as her sidekick. If you start focusing more on Prentiss, it may send a message to the network brass that she is an integral part of the cast and needs to stay.
Keeping her as a peripheral character as CM has this season makes it easier to cut her out. I hope that's not the intent.
We've had a lot of Garcia this season; it's now time to share the wealth with Prentiss.
I looooove Anna J. Foerster as director. She also directed "The Uncanny Valley" and "Cold Comfort". FAVE CM DIRECTOR. HANDS DOWN. We can haz moar Anna plz???
Garcia getting all touchy-feely with Morgan... hmmm... Garcia and Morgan sitting in a tree... :)
Forget about the BAU team's secrets... you know whose secret I wanna know?? Can somebody please tell me what TG's secret is? He just keeps getting hotter and hotter as time goes on...has he discovered the Fountain of Hotness and is not telling anyone the location?? LOL. Loved the Hotch/Garcia moments. And when Prentiss made the IQ joke when Reid was checking out the girl... hahaha! And the scene with Robert Knepper talking to the little girl at Union Station, and how he watched her "walk"... *shudders* CREEPY!!!!!!
And the ending twist, WOW! Did NOT see that one coming. It's one of those twists that makes you want to re-watch the episode again, this time knowing what you know now. Like, the scene with the first victim when he was acting out the scene in front of her with his mom... he was doing it with the corpse??!! OMG no wonder she was horrified... I mean, even more horrified than watching him about to kiss his MOM (ew!) but about to kiss his DEAD MOM'S CORPSE... omg... o.O AND now we know it was the dead corpse that the 2nd victim found so horrifying in that room!! And how the mom was never on the security footage at the train station (which I totally did not pick up on). Cheeto Observation Fail. But yeah, the end when everyone is just looking at the guy like he's crazy (which he was, LOL), that was just so sad and really well done!!
One teeny tiny thing, though, that totally pulled me out of the episode and made me grin was... Hotch can shoot a man on a moving train with deadly accuracy... from a moving car!!... at night!!... (from 4.05 "Catching Out")... but somehow can't shoot a guy running away from him from a couple feet away?? LMAO. It made me chuckle. :)
And love the ending when the team goes to watch Garcia's play. Very nice team/family moment. :) <3 And wow... I highly envied the girl sitting next to Hotch/TG... also, I highly respect her for not melting into a puddle of goo just for being that near to his hotness, as I would've done... LOL.
Great job, Foerster, Knepper, Mirren, and all the cast and crew!! Best. Show. E-V-E-R. Long live Criminal Minds. You people better vote for the show as Best TV Crime Drama in People's Choice Awards or I will send an unsub after you. Haha. j/k. Or am I??... GO VOTE =P
I looooove Anna J. Foerster as director. She also directed "The Uncanny Valley" and "Cold Comfort". FAVE CM DIRECTOR. We can haz moar Anna plz???
Garcia getting all touchy-feely with Morgan... hmmm... Garcia and Morgan sitting in a tree... :) Forget about the BAU team's secrets... you know whose secret I wanna know?? Can somebody please tell me what TG's secret is? He just keeps getting hotter and hotter as time goes on...has he discovered the Fountain of Hotness and is not telling anyone the location?? LOL. Loved the Hotch/Garcia moments. And when Prentiss made the IQ joke when Reid was checking out the girl... hahaha! And the scene with Robert Knepper talking to the little girl at Union Station, and how he watched her "walk"... *shudders* CREEPY!!!!!!
And the ending twist, WOW! Did NOT see that one coming. It's one of those twists that makes you want to re-watch the episode again, this time knowing what you know now. Like, the scene with the first victim when he was acting out the scene in front of her with his mom... he was doing it with the corpse??!! OMG no wonder she was horrified... I mean, even more horrified than watching him about to kiss his MOM (ew!) but about to kiss his DEAD MOM'S CORPSE... omg... o.O AND now we know it was the dead corpse that the 2nd victim found so horrifying in that room!! And how the mom was never on the security footage at the train station (which I totally did not pick up on). Cheeto Observation Fail. But yeah, the end when everyone is just looking at the guy like he's crazy (which he was, LOL), that was just so sad and really well done!!
Best so far this season.
This is the CM I love.
Def loved this episode and the Garcia-centric ness of it all. =)
OH, and it regards to Garcia's secret... In an interview with Simon Mirren that can be found on the main blog's page, he says what he wanted Garcia's secret to be (Don't wanna spoil it here!) and it's different from the whole theater thing.
Idk if they're gonna actually do it but I hope they doooo. =D
I love Criminal Minds. To the point that although I'm well into my 30's my mother is investigating a 12 step program for this addiction. (Well, not really.....yet.)
That being said, not crazy about this episode. What makes CM the show it is is the team, and that was not featured oh so much tonight. The writing was good, obviously very talented, but just not what I tune into the show for. That being said, still best series ever!
oh come on people! that was too creepy?! i'm a big prison break fan and Knepper's character in it did worse so i wasn't creeped out at all. I loved the episode, hat off to all the crew who did an amazing Job, i jumped up and down at the Morgan/Garcia moments, wow that left me dreaming... Loved Garci's acting. Kirsten did an amazing work, this is like the best epi with compromising positions, i hope it gets better and better
Not a bad episode, but certainly different.
It reminded me strongly of Hitchcock's movies which is certainly not a bad thing in itself (far from it), but it didn't feel like a Criminal Minds episode.
There certainly wasn't enough profiling involved, and profiling is at the core of this show.
I love Garcia's secret, and it suits her character.
The scene with the press conference was great, Garcia held her ground and she pulled it off quite nicely.
The Morgan/Garcia moments were enjoyable.
I loved seeing the team at the theater watching Garcia at the end.
There was one scene I didn't like, at all : the scene with Hotch, Prentiss and Reid at the station.
Reid has never, ever, in five plus years, ogled girls when he was on duty checking areas. And on top of that he would start to do that when Hotch and Prentiss are with him ????
Reacting (positively or negatively) when someone makes a pass at you is one thing, this was completely different.
This was so out of character and felt so out of place it wasn't even funny.
And Simon Mirren put emphasis on that scene with Prentiss joking with Hotch about Reid's IQ.
I really hate those too numerous scenes where the writers take Reid as the butt of every joke they can think of.
Unless of course there's more than meets the eye with that scene and Reid's unusual behavior (if we are to believe Hotch) is explained more rationally...I'm not sure I should be holding my breath.
Yes this episode was creepy, but not in a bad way.
Garcia's secret is out. The whole team supporting her made for great moments. She's pretty successful at the theater, ant it's not a surprise given her personality.
Morgan was the supportive friend he's always. Hotch has faith in Garcia, like usual.
Now that the whole team knows about Garcia's abilities I wonder if it will ever play a role in another episode.
And I completely agree with Seth, the scene with Reid apparently checking out girls was really out of place. Reid has never blatantly stared at women. He's able to watch strippers giving lap dances while staying completely focused on his work (and without blinking an eye). And that's perfectly in character with Reid.
So why would he start to check out girls when he's working with Hotch and Prentiss ?
I hope that this wasn't just a joke made at Reid's expense by Simon Mirren. If it's the case I didn't find the joke funny.
I have to say I loved it from beginning to end, the inserts of Garcia in the beginning had me wondering, and thinking about it now it was oh so obvious that the theatre would be her secret … most definitely fits. I got so wrapped up in the episode that although I thought it was odd that they didn’t see the mother in the tapes, I never actually connected that she would be dead and a corpse in the house or what’s worse that he was using the girls lips on her, oh how horribly creepy.
Team interaction worked well and I loved the Hotch / Garcia dialogue, some really nice moments and through the entire second half of the episode I was hoping that we would see them all watching Garcia at the theatre and I was oh so pleased that it ended that way. Somehow thought Hotch came across less severe in this episode which was nice. The Hotch / Garcia banter made me think of Pickup.
Although out of character, nice to see that Reid is infact human & fallible ogling the girl at the train station, I have to admit that I only picked up on it when Hotch said “he wouldn't be standing here because he would be too obvious checking out all the girls like you are now” what a great line and even better because it came out of Hotch’s mouth, you don’t expect him to notice these things and Prentiss’ follow up was priceless.
I must admit I too totally missed the blinking thing and with all this secrets thing I’m thinking that there is way too much reading in to subtle behaviours, I had to look out for Reid being fidgety after I read some of the comments from the previous episodes, but isn’t Reid always fidgety, I’m sure he is in earlier episodes.
Robert Knepper’s character was great, and he did a good job of it, but I just couldn’t get visions of Prison Break out of my head.
Overall a very different episode, and okay a little creepy, interesting yes, but somehow less intense, not a great amount of profiling, but the story line worked & was interesting. I really enjoyed this episode.
Great job by the cast, crew, writing, directing, editing, lighting, costumes the lot, the effects were great and totally fit in with the episode which wrapped me up and took be back in time. Great job everyone, thanks for another great episode.
I thought this episode was excellent. It was more like the earlier seasons with a great creeper of an Unsub. I love these Unsubs that are really creepy from being psychologically screwed up. I couldn't believe it when it was revealed that he sewed the lips of one of the victims onto his dead mother. Eeeewww! And I didn't see it coming that the mother was dead. That was an awesome twist!!! I just love Garcia and she was great in this episode. And Hotch getting in the doghouse for blabbing her secret. LOL! And my two favorites, Hotch and Rossi driving around looking for the Unsub, and Rossi got to drive!
Thank you Simon Mirren for writing such an A+ ep!!!
Definitely one of the creepiest episodes in all 6 seasons!! Kirsten looked awesome and it was so nice to see the team together supporting their own OUTSIDE the office. YAY FOR CM! Xoxo
Where on earth has the Criminal Minds I know and love gone? Anybody know? Because I'd sure like to have it back sometime, please and thank you.
I mean no disrespect to KV or any of the cast and crew when I say this, but fans have a right to state an opinion, even if it's contrary to that of others - but what has become of this show? Really. This episode exemplified everything that's wrong about season 6 so far. The storylines are fantastical to say the least, the gore is gratuitous, and the characters are, well, not themselves.
I love Garcia to pieces, but it seems as if she's being shoved down our throats this season. Enough already!
CM is becoming dull, predictable and repetitive. Pretty explosions and maimed victims will not make it 'thrilling', but will perhaps reduce it to the level of all the other yawnfest-type crime dramas out there.
Frankly, this episode made me sad.
A good episode, although, not my favorite so far this season.
The Garcia parts were wonderful.
Garcia acting in a theater troupe makes a lot of sense (and ever since I read the press release for this episode that was my guess). It was so great to see the whole team being there for her at the end.
Morgan asking Garcia when she was going to tell him about her side activity was also a very nice touch.
The Hotch/Garcia parts were great too. She was unsure and he was confident. Their interactions are always nice. The Garcia/Morgan moments were equally well done.
The case in itself was certainly interesting. I would have still enjoyed more profiling...
I certainly enjoyed the overall ambiance of the episode.
I highly disliked the scene with Reid seemingly ogling girls (if it's even true, because I didn't notice him doing it).
I found that scene odd, it didn't belong there and it was out of character. Reid is very professional when he's working on the field (or working in general). He wouldn't let his mind wander to ogle anyone, not when he's on a case and when lives are at stake.
The whole scene felt so ... weird and unatural.
If they can explain that scene in some way (with Reid's secret), good. And it's true that some very serious physical diseases can cause behavioral changes.
If not, I'm in complete agreement with Seth : Reid needs to stop being the butt of every joke just to amuse the public.
Wow, what a fantastic episode! My favourite one this season. It was just so picturesque and gorgeously shot. Although I prefer episodes in which there is more profiling and less emphasis on the unsub, I have to make an exception for this one. Robert Knepper was just brilliant and his character was so twisted and sadistic, he really fascinated me. The ending was a big surprise! It was a wonderful twist, one which I did not except. This episode had all the intrigue&mystery I love about CM coupled with nice team moments and fun banter. Garcia is so cute, her&Morgan are total heart, I love them together<3!
I don't think we should read too much into the Reid ogling at girls scene, although out of character, I think it was just a moment of comic relief. Emily's line had me in stitches. That girl is AWESOME and needs to stay!
The last scene with all of them watching the play was so cute, it was a great little family moment, only thing missing was JJ :(
I noticed Reid blinking too but I hope we aern't reading too much into these little quirks, every week someone notices something different about him, and the writers may just be teasing us, who knows? Having said that I'm really impatient to know his secret and I really wish to see more Reid centric episodes in the future.
I'm not sure how I feel about this episode yet.
I loved some parts and I hated others.
Some posters have pointed out that it felt like an Hitchcock movie, and I agree with them.
I was expecting Rhett's mother to be dead, but that was still well played.
All the Garcia moments were great and I loved the way Simon Mirren portrayed her relationship with the team.
Reid suddenly checking out girls when he's on duty ? That bothered me because he has never been portrayed that way. And that scene was very much 'in your face' with Hotch calling him on it and Prentiss joking about it.
Like some other posters I sincerly hope that there is an explanation.
Also, we have been teased with Reid's secret quite some time ago. I was very interested about his storyline being a doozy and Reid possibly being sick. And there might have been some hints.
But when are we finally going to see it unfold on screen ?
Dreis, I think the way things are going we'll get to know his secret sometime next year...just a guess, I don't really know but I'm very impatient! I love Reid, he's my favourite character, and I don't like it when they make him the butt of all their jokes either, but I really don't think we'll get an explanation for that scene. I genuinely think that it was a comic relief scene and shouldn't be taken too seriously. I, quite honestly didn't really see him ogle or stare at anyone...
I really loved this episode. It was full of the creepy and ick. I liked Garcia's secret and I thought it was funny when Hotch let the cat out of the bag. He'd been listening to her ramble on and on nonsensically for god knows how long, couldn't get a word in to save his life, continues to listen to the babbling as she hangs up the phone and approaches him. How the man managed to get through that without screaming for her to please STFU is beyond me so I kind of loved it that he just blurted out her secret in front of everyone. It definitely silenced her for a least a brief moment. I love Hotch/Garcia moments because he is so patient with her and this time I think she managed to actually fluster the man into doing something he really didn't mean to do.
Not one of my faves - too wierd.
And although I love Garcia, too much Garcia. I want to see the rest of the cast and profiling more.
Something seems to be missing this year. Maybe it is JJ that I can't get over and don't like Garcia semi-replacing her, but better than a newbie coming in.
Last year Reid was missing, but something is not grabbing my attention this season.
And I am worried about Reid's secret too. Garcia is a performer and there are hints of Reid being schizophrenic? I would hate that.
An excellent treat. It's nice to be reminded that the show is an artistic endeavor. Well done. I really enjoyed this.
And I'm grateful that Garcia's secret and Mirren's desire to have her kill an unsub didn't "jump the shark." Smart man.
(Emily didn't do the press conference because she was needed in the field. If she had done the conference, the team would have been down two agents when they were searching for the unsub. Realistically, they probably would have just gotten another FBI agent to do the press conference.)
Re: lack of profiling comments in ref to this episode and last one. Geographical profiling is part of the profile. When you have a three-day window and know where the activity is taking place, how much more detailing of the unsub's psyche do you need?
Great show. Well-written, wonderfully acted by all. Loved the scene with Reid girl-watching - Prentiss is so witty and I will truly miss that. Robert Knepper was PERFECT and so credible but I did not catch on to exactly what he was doing for the first half or so of the show. Still confused about whether his mom was really dead in the residence and all her scenes were his imagination or what. Anyone?
Garcia was incredible and looked drop dead gorgeous and you could tell that she had Morgan's attention like never before. You could see the total admiration he had for her in that scene where he asked her when she was going to tell him. Wow!
No more signs of Reid's supposed illness that I noticed. How sick can our beautiful boy be if he is checking out the chicks? Nice, MGG! You have come a long way, baby!
All in all, worth watching a second time as many CM epis are - I always catch something I missed before.
I liked this episode even if it spent tooooo much time with the unsub. I gave it points for having a stylish film noir feel to it. I liked having Garcia's role-playing mirror the sentiments/50's moody atmospheric ambience of the movie the unsub was trying to create. That was a nice, creative touch that keeps this from being just another episode. I was suprised by the ending and it's a nice shout-out to Hitchcockian movie twists.
Not as much Reid as I would like but this is a Garcia episode. But I did enjoy the little we did get.
Yeah, it was funny he was eating a muffin while discussing whether the unsub ate the lips.
That scene gives a good name to the term- muffin top!!
Didn't they do the same in Poison?? Whenever they talked about poison, they had a shot of Reid eating a snack or drinking coffee?? He's the go-to guy for reaction shots of the gross eating activities.
I didn't appreciate the insult in the train station that Reid's IQ drops when scoping out women.
He was reenacting how the unsub would have scoped out the women. It wasn't like his tongue was hanging out and he was leering at them. Besides, his IQ wouldn't have dropped to 60. It would have dropped to 36-24-36. :)
It was a funny comment but kinda mean-spirited to poke fun at his "awkwardness".
So the secret this time is not a shocker and it was a nice touch to have the team in the audience at the end.
All in all, a great episode with points for being different in style and mood.
One of the best episodes ever for me. I love the old school vibe with the storyline, the music, the looks. The part where they said the lips were cut off and then he cuts the feet, total sicko. Wondered when the mom wasn't on train station video what was up, but was really surprised when the lips where on the mom's dead body. Great episode!
I loved this episode. It was super creepy but was done in the right way.
I liked the scene with Reid checking out the girl. He's always been interested in girls but just doesn't have the guts to approach them. He is also older and more confident. He just glanced at the girl and I don't think that it was a big deal. It didn't get in the way of his work. I found it funny.
Overall this episode was really good. I thought that the team acted like a family again and I think that was lacking in the last few episodes.
terrifically creepy episode! i was not expecting the corpse mom at the end. Kirsten was AWESOME as usual. have to say this though, something's different about Dr. Reid this season and i don't mean his hair. hope to see an episode featuring him soon... please?
It was a good episode with a rather interesting storyline.
We have been seeing a lot of Garcia since the beginning of the season.
I love her, she's a wonderful character, but I'm not sure I like to see her handling so many different things.
It doesn't seem realistic to me.
I was certain that her secret was acting, so that bit didn't come out as a surprise to me. I can see Garcia acting and I'm sure she is quite good.
This episode was certainly different and I enjoyed that.
I wouldn't say that it was more or less creepy than other episodes.
The factor generating that 'creepiness' was simply different.
The closed off atmosphere residing in the house, the (dead) mother, the throwback to the 50's....
It certainly made for some great and creepy scenes.
I didn't appreciate either the "joke" (if you can call it that...) at Reid's expense.
He's not the twelve year old boy who just graduated high school anymore you know. He will turn (or has turned) 29 this season.
And he has never 'gawked' at a woman.
Anyway, I think that this was more intended as a joke than anything else (even if it was a lame one).
I just wish the writers would stop taking digs at Reid to provide comic relief.
The first info given by Simon Mirren about the secrets concerned both Garcia and Reid. Does that mean that we might get to learn Reid's secret soon ?
I sure hope so and I'm excited .
This episode is not one of my favourites but it was different and interesting and I enjoyed it. But as much as I do love Garcia (and I do) there's been a smidge too much Garcia for me this year. I want to see more focus on other team members now, notably Prentiss and especially Reid, they both haven't had much of anything this year so far.
Count me in with those who are getting tired of the writers taking digs at Reid just for comic relief. I think the 'ogling women' scene was meant to just be comic relief but, then again, the boy is acting oddly this year so maybe it is meant to be yet another sign of whatever's wrong with him. I have no idea. All I know for certain is that I am desperate to find out more about Reid's secret. Hopefully there's a Reid centric episode coming up sometime soon. Pretty please.
I like Reid, but I am not a "reid-fanatic". I love that the writers take digs at him - in real life that happens to the awkward, kid brother that everybody loves. I wouldn't get quite so worked up over it.
still have no idea why Garcia had to dress up for the press conference? It might have made sense if the Unsub mentioned it or even gave physical clues that he noticed.
This was not one of my favorite episodes, but it did hold my interest. There was not quite enough profiling for me, but it rated high in creepiness.
In reading your comments here, I must say to Seth, Hope, Lenne and babruin:
Re: Reid and ogling: I don't think for one minute that he was ogling. Glancing, is more like it, but I believe that Hotch and Prentiss were just being playful because Reid is usu such a serious geek with no life outside of profiling and maybe a little sci-fi and Halloween stuff tossed in.
I think this was just to be abit of comic relief and I don't think for one minute it is a putdown to the character. It is just what someone knowing him as well as H & P do might say to their friend/co-worker. I love Reid and I cannot take offense nor should any other Reid lovers.
As far as Reid never looking at the girls: go back and look at season one, "Somebody's Watching" if you want to see a little ogling. Reid cannot take his eyes off from Lila in her bikini, shares his drink with her and Morgan catches this and comments "Go get'em, Lover Boy" or something like that. More endearing than making fun, for sure. I maintain that our boy likes girls and sooner or later, one will nab him. Because he will never get up the nerve to go after one himself. JMHO.
This was an odd episode, but I enjoyed it.
I was wondering quite early about Rhett's mother. The end didn't surprise me too much in that respect.
Garcia's secret is great even if it was predictable.
It was heartwarming to see the whole team there enjoying Garcia's performance.
The cast was great and Sally Kirkland and Robert Knepper gave a wonderful performance.
Visually, this episode was very intriguing and I loved that aspect of 'Reflection of Desire'. Certainly not the usual Criminal Minds style, but change is good once in a while.
I'm also annoyed with the constant jokes at Reid's expense.
In season five Reid was the butt end of so many jokes it became tiresome. For the Reid fans (and it's not a matter of being a "fanatic") it was nowhere near pleasant after a short while.
And the scene at the train station was completely out of character.
You never see the writers taking so many digs at other characters, it's mostly Reid who is used in that respect.
Dear writers, please, this needs to stop.
And I too am desperate to learn about his secret. The 'sick Reid' storyline could be great, I would love to see something like that.
Gubegirl,
'Somebody is Watching' was another matter. Lila was flirting with Reid in her bikini and throwing herself at him (almost literally).
It was normal for him to notice her given the circumstances.
And even in those conditions Reid was mostly ill at ease.
I know that he grew-up, but I could never imagine Reid ogling women while he's on duty, he's too focused on the tasks at hand (same thing with the other characters).
Like an other poster I enjoyed the scene in 'Middle Man' where Reid doesn't blink an eye when he watches the strippers or the lap dances.
So, I'm going to take this scene as a joke made by Hotch, even if Hotch didn't look like he was joking (then again, he doesn't look like he's joking even when he is).
It's so great to have an episode from a seasoned CM writer. Great job, Simon! I enjoyed the 'different' feel and the directing was really interesting.
Robert Knepper was fabulous and had the perfect amount of sick and creepy.
I wouldn't have figured out the mother was dead except my very clever house-mate guessed it pretty much from the beginning. lol! Nice twist.
Enjoyed the mixing up of the teams and finally some Hotch/Rossi, although I could have eaten a 3-course meal in the time it took Dave to turn the SUV around. Hand over the keys, Rossi! lol
Agree with others who thought Hotch a touch less severe (it certainly worked for me!) and his profiling is spot on. Good to see him involved away from the police station too.
Overall, nice team effort and I didn't mind the additional unsub focus, it fit the feel of the epi and didn't totally sideline the regular cast.
Not convinced that Garcia's 'real' secret is out, but if the theatre was it, then I'm happy with the way it emerged and for sure it made sense. Looking forward to the others' now. :)
Ok, time for Emily-centric. She's my next-fave to Hotch and has NOT been very visible this year. I hope she hasn't been sidelined due to the stupidity of CBS...
Anyway, really enjoyed this week and looking forward to next! Can't believe it will be a year since '100'...
Enjoyed it a lot. The ending was great, did not expect the mom to be dead! Great, loved the surprise. Hotch-Garcia is always good!
Wonderful episode! CM rocks! I still do miss JJ!
I thought the episode was okay, although I do prefer some with more profiling.
I didn't see Reid look at anyone in the train station until Hotch mentioned it and then he seemed to look at a passing girl and say, "What?" I thought Emily was really rude to him. What...if you look at a woman you must be a moron or is it just if Reid happens to look at a woman he's suddenly a moron. I thought they were both nasty to Reid and it was out of character, especially for Hotch. And, if it was a joke, I didn't find it funny, why must jokes always be on Reid.
The part I thought was comical was when Reid says, "Maybe he's eating them," while he's chomping on a muffin. Then Garcia gives him hell saying it will now be imprinted on her mind and he says, "You asked." I don't think that Reid would be happily enjoying his muffin if his stomach was so weak as people were suggesting in Devil's Night.
I truly enjoyed the episode, the dark athmosphere really suits my taste. I liked the interaction between the team, and obviously the usual banter and love between Morgan and Garcia. The Unsub actor was terrific!
I didn`t like the ep. To me it felt not like a CM ep at all , but more like a horror movie. I don`t like the directing style of this director - Anna J. Foerster - at all. She also directed "Cold Comfort" , which had a similar artistic style and "The Uncally Valley", where I liked the Reid and the unsub/victim`s story line but didn`t like the totally unrealistic scenes with the "human dolls". The story line in "Reflection Of Desire" was also quite similar to "Cold Comfort ", where the unsub also tried to "create" or "preserve" a person he had long ago lost. So this director seems to be the to go person when it comes to film icky and creepy stuff. The ep was creepy for the purpose of being creepy but not really thrilling.
I know this is really just a matter of taste, but I didn`t like the film noir style and the 1950`s movie thing of the ep . It seemed like the director and the writer were too hard trying to give the ep an artistical feeling to please the critics. And as great as Robert Knepper is as an actor, he sometimes is too theatrical. Which fit with his character in this ep but was still bugging me. Then there was too much time spent on the unsub. The scenes with the unsub and his mother were annoying and I was always waiting for the camera to go back on the team. The music was terrible and sometimes too loud, specially near the end when they arrested the unsub.
Garcia having to fill out JJ`s job starts to become repetitive and boring , as do her scenes with Morgan and Hotch . They need to split JJ`s job parts between all the team members. It is in no way realistic that Garcia is able to do all of JJ`s job beside her own. Nonetheless I love Garcia and Kirsten Vangsness is a great actress.
What I liked : Morgan and Prentiss at the first crime/dump site . That scene had a great dark realistic atmosphere with the dark alley and the pouring rain . I also liked the team working the profile . Everybody had something to add to it and that was nice to see.
I hope the style of this ep is not becoming a trend for CM. When I tune in to watch the show , I don`t want to watch a horror movie but a solid crime show with lots of profiling and great team scenes.
Is there ever an episode of CM that has enough Reid in it? It seems like I read that complaint after every episode. He's been featured just as much as everyone else has. And what's up with the whining about picking on poor widdle defenseless Reid. All of them and whatever personality quirk they may have gets poked at occasionally. It's funny. Lighten up people. He's not real.
I liked this episode, it was different from usual and enjoyable for that. I'm not so sure I like that Garcia is being morphed into J.J or that we are getting so much Garcia this year, I prefer Garcia when she's being her techy genius self in her little room. Although I guess it is infinitely preferable to them getting someone new in to do the job. I'm ready to see a bit less Garcia for a while now though, hopefully we might soon get some episodes about Reid and Prentiss as so far there's been zilch about them. I struggled through a Reid-lite S5 so I'm desperately hoping that soon we'll be getting some juicy Reid episodes.
Having moaned about Garcia though I have to say that Kirsten was fabulous and wonderful and awesome.
As for the Reid ogling women scene, I think it was just comic relief and I agree with those who say that Reid being made fun of by the writers is getting a bit old hat now although personally I didn't mind Prentiss's line so much. What I did mind was Morgan's reaction when Reid was waffling on about the theatre company. It would seem that the awesome S1 -S4 brotherly relationship between those two is definitely no more, which is a shame as that's what got me addicted to the show in the first place.
As regards Reid and whatever might be wrong with him I did think he was acting quite strangely in the team briefing at the start. Considering, as he later said, that this case was a first for all of them I would have expected him to be 'geeking out' more about it, but instead he seemed to be rather 'flat' and disengaged about it all. There was no interest or horror or emotion in his 'I see your concern' line. It could mean something and then again it probably doesn't. I'm so desperate to find out more about Reid's secret I'm probably reading too much into everything he does. LOL!
I liked this episode for its artistic style and its storyline.
Both made that episode more than interesting.
I love Garcia but I don't want her to take on JJ's role.
She was still awesome in that episode.
her secret wasn't that surprising for a lot of fans, but it played out well in this episode.
As for the scene at the train station with Hotch, Prentiss and Reid I completely agree with those who said it was out of character and came out of the blue.
I don't think anyone is trying to 'defend' Reid here,(I don't think either Prentiss or Hotch were harsh with him or anything) and we know it was intended as comic relief.
We are simply getting tired of the writers taking constant digs at him, it's getting old. They never make fun of the other characters that much or in the same ridiculous way.
Moving on, the acting was brilliant in my opinion.
Garcia's nervousness and anxiety translated well on screen, and I felt for her when she was asked to do the press conference.
Being phobic myself about having a video camera pointed at me, I couldn't help but empathize with her.
They were nice moments between Morgan and Garcia.
It would have been great if Kevin had been there at the end for Garcia's performance. But I understand that having Nicholas Brendon in an episode for a split second appearance with no lines is probably not possible.
I'm impatient to know more about Reid's secret. Something seems to be wrong with the boy, or maybe it's just the mother talking here.
But I do think that Reid is sick and if it's true I can't wait to see that on screen, bring it on !
I liked the episode, precisely because of the different feel it had. I like it that they try out new things and don't get stuck in a pattern; I like it that, from time to time, they experiment with different feels and settings. Not all of them work, but this one did for me. Kudos Simon for a great idea and a great job.
I liked the twists and turns, I loved the guy who played the Unsub and I liked the subtlety of the violence and torture scenes. The way he constantly played with the blade gave me chills much more than any picture of his deed could have. I also liked the humor of the episode.
I would just like to see Emily get more material and more screen time. It's her last season and she only has a few episodes left, please give her something to work with!
Thank you all for a great job!
I loved that episode, I found it fascinating from beginning to end.
It was an awesome Garcia episode, she shined like she never did.
The theater part fit well with the overall story.
Of course Garcia felt betrayed by Hotch, but I'm also quite sure that she'll forgive him soon.
Hotch had faith in her.
Morgan always knows how to talk to Garcia, and that helps.
I don't think we should make a big deal out of the scene of Reid apparently 'gawking'. But I have to admit that it felt strange. Like someone said it came out of the blue and didn't feel very in character.
But what is really strange is that Reid didn't seem able to concentrate or focus on what Hotch was saying, and that's a real first for him.
We have theorized that Reid could be sick, and maybe that scene was just here to show us that Reid had trouble concentrating.
Anyway, this episode was creepy, but in a good way. The ambiance is what made that episode creepy in its own unique way.
So very good episode, thank you Simon Mirren and everyone else for that great hour of Criminal Minds.
I've been hoping it's not a forgone conclusion that Paget is gone, but until that last day, I'm still hoping/praying that TPTB change their minds. However, I do agree with Lanna, Prentiss should be more a focus of the stories, rather than window dressing.
I hope Garcia's increased screen time isn't designed to lessen the pain of Paget's leaving. IT DOES NOT.
Reflections of Desire was different and could easily have had Prentiss as the focus.
To sdwally :
I don't want Prentiss or P.B. to leave the show either and I hope with everything I've got that it won't happen.
But I don't think that Garcia's increased role has something to do with it.
JJ's absence is probably the cause.
And since this episode was supposed to reveal Garcia's secret it was normal to focus on her.
The episodes that will reveal a secret will probably revolve around the character whose secret is revealed.
I also think Garcia's role will return to normal from now on.
I understand why you want to see more Prentiss. But I don't think her role was diminished this season.
This season, it feels like the episodes try to highlight all the characters.
I think Ed. Bernero said that they didn't want to focus more on a character than on the others.
If they all get equal screen time it'll be great in my opinion.
This episode was definitely my favorite so far in this season.
I finally had an opportunity to watch my DVR'd version of Reflections of Desire; and although I enjoyed it the first time, I had a greater appreciation for it the second time around. The things I didn't notice that others mentioned, I was able to key in on. I enjoyed the team balance; the kidding with Reid by Hotch & Prentiss seemed natural and expected by Reid and illustrated evidence of a kinship. And I noticed the lady sitting next to Hotch whom I completely missed when I first watched. Of course I hit the rewind button several times because from my depth of perception, she looked as if she was slightly behind him; where Morgan was shoulder to shoulder. But who knows.
I would think if her presence was supposed to mean something, the director would have made sure that she was at least seen by the masses. I totally missed her and am sure most people did because the scene ended so quickly after the camera scanned from Garcia to the audience.
And Umbra, JJ's departure could have served to increase not only Garcia's presence, but also Prentiss', but it hasn't. The writers choose to write character-focused scripts; and this season, they've focused on Garcia a lot. I would think that if it really is Paget's last season, her character would or should take center stage more.
Garcia will have the benefit of CM and the spinoff; to me, it just seems a little unfair to Prentiss.
I know we're only 8 episodes into the season; but before you know it, the season will be over. I'm hoping against hope that Paget will still be with CM; but I'd hate for her to leave having her character diminished.
Sdwally,
Yes, you're right. For now JJ's departure only served Garcia, I completely agree on that point.
What I'm saying is that Prentiss role hasn't been diminished in the least so far.
The writers simply can't highlight her role in every episodes, it simply wouldn't feel natural.
The only reason Garcia's role got more important is because she took on parts of JJ's job (and her role was fairly limited before that). I'm not fond of the whole thing either, and I too preferred Garcia's role before. But I don't think that Garcia will have that much focus in the other episodes.
This show has always been an ensemble and we also have to realize that we don't even know if there will be a seventh season.
I want all the characters to have a chance to shine, it seems only fair.
I'm pretty sure Prentiss will too have her time in the spotlight, and hopefully, hopefully, it won't be because she has to leave the show (I'm still hoping).
Personally, I'm really not complaining about Reid's screen time but I still hope to see a good Reid storyline.
Umbra,
The only way CM will not have a 7th seaon is if the producers and the most of the actors quit. CM is a gold mine for CBS. Episode 7 was the number 1 scripted series for the week. CM is one of CBS's top 15 shows, many times landing in the top 10; and its one of the top 10 programs for the demos and total viewers for CBS.
A seventh season is pretty much guaranteed unless the ratings and demos suddenly collapse and spiral downward.
I'm not saying they should focus on Prentiss every episode; but so far this year, she has been seen, but not integral to the plot. And since we all know Paget was signed for a reduced number of episodes, her time is shorter than the other cast members, so more time could have been used to focus on Prentiss rather than Garcia, who will be there in Season 6 when Prentiss will not; and who will also be seen on the spinoff.
And yes I'm confident there will be a season 7; and I'm hoping Paget will return and AJ as well.
I loved this episode! Mirren hit a home run. Great team work and a terrific Hitchcockian storyline. PLEASE keep Emily! Damn she's good. Reid did not ogle anyone..Hotch was just teasing him because if you look again, Reid did directly look at the girl but tried to give a "who me?" act. MGG has shown facial ticks since day one.I think it's all MGG not Reid. I hardly think they mean anything but who knows what goes on inside the CM writing team's mind. I'm sure they'll do something unique for Reid. LOVE KV as Garcia in this episode and Hotch steals the show everytime. We need another Rossicentric show soon. Mantegna is too good of an actor to be the backup man,"you can do it Red" WTH. Morgan is Morgan but I'm liking his getting more involved with Garcia and not liking her outside activities without him. I just cant wait for the next episode, these kind of stories and the direction pulls you in for more and this is why CM is such a hit. NOW GO VOTE ON THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE.COM WEBSITE FOR CM AS BEST CRIME DRAMA.
Sdwally,
I'm aware of Criminal Minds ratings.
I just prefer to be cautious, we never know what can happen.
I'm not too fond of Garcia's increased role either, even if I love Garcia's character.
I can't picture her choosing the case files, even if Hotch helps her.
I was hoping that JJ's absence would be filled by the whole team.
The whole team could have played a role : Emily handling the press conferences, Rossi dealing with the different agencies, Garcia planing their trip and stay when they travel, Morgan dealing with the victims (or handling the press conferences while Prentiss deal with the victims), Reid sorting the files and doing the administrative part of JJ's job (this is just an example of course, there are other combinations possible).
I'm certain that Prentiss will be integral to the plot at some point (She's still an integral part of the team and we see that in every episodes).
I know that she has a reduced number of episodes (10/13, which would mean 18 episodes out of 24 - maybe 17 if they only take into account the original number of episodes ordered).
I'm still hoping the executives at CBS will change their mind about the whole thing.
Alas, I wouldn't count on JJ returning, I'm afraid AJ has moved on.
But if I'm wrong I'll be delighted.
In the sixth season, Morgan, Garcia and Rossi were integral to a plot (not to the same extent though). Maybe Hotch too with 'Devil's Night' but it's more debatable...
There hasn't yet been an episode centered around Prentiss but I'm sure it'll come (she still had good parts in 'Compromising Position' and 'Middle Man').
Don't get me wrong, I understand your point of view. The writers could have used Prentiss more when JJ left (and they could have used the other team members more too).I just don't think Prentiss screen time was cut, she has not been left behind in the first 9 episodes by any means(and maybe we'll see her handling press conferences in the future).
In the end I guess we simply have to be patient.
Coadygirl :
I do hope they have something planed for Reid. I have been waiting for a Reid storyline for a long, long time.
I actually liked this episode. Just didn’t see the need for it to go all Psycho on us. The episode was great without this forced end. Something that has happened a lot this season, weird and unnecessarily forced endings for the episodes.
But I’m taking this opportunity to post this:
Dear, PTB
Paget was signed for only 17 episodes this season, we had 8 already and all you’ve done is give us more Garcia?
I’m sorry, but you don’t get to do another episode like “JJ” and blame it all on the network for letting the actresses go if you don’t utilize them while they are here.
Garcia will be here next season. And while I’m at it, I’ve watched this character for the past 5, she CANNOT do JJ’s job. She can't screen cases, because she can’t look at scary pictures, can’t brief, won’t stop interrupting the profilers while they are commenting on the case, because the facts are too much for her and she cannot handle herself in a press conference. And I’m tired of having to watch Hotch or Morgan stop what they are doing to hold her hand and give her a pep talk so she can do anything anymore. She’s been in the BAU for 5 plus years, she should be able to handle herself much better than this.
I guess I just can’t figure out why would you miss the opportunity to give part of JJ’s job to the rest of the team. Reid can speed-read, could you imagine him screening cases? And Morgan wants and can handle more responsibilities, he should be helping picking out cases. And this is Paget’s last season, USE HER! And Hotch does not need anymore responsibilities, Morgan, Reid, Emily and Rossi can help out.
I’m going to repeat myself: use Paget! She is wonderful, you will miss her, we will miss her, so much. Please, use her wonderful self while you still can. Please? Thanks!
ALP
And thank you for your time.
Yes! It literally took 48 hours, but I FINALLY was able to completely download this episode off iTunes, so at least I got my weekly Criminal Minds fix.
I enjoyed this episode. It definitely was structured different, but I like different. I agree with those that pointed out the similarities to True Night, only because of the uniqueness of the story structure and the focus on the unsub. Both times the audience was able to get a window into the unsub's current state of mind, though much of the triggers for this unsub were implied and not fully explored. For obvious reasons, it was much more theatrical than most episodes, almost like a mini movie. I enjoyed the combo of 50's noir and Psycho as a reference point. I didn't mind the focus on the unsub, because he was so creepy, and I felt his story was very compelling. He wasn't just a garden variety serial killer, but a wacked out wacko. I am very glad all the creepy violence was implied, but not really shown. I don't really need to see a woman with her lips or her toes removed to get it. The director, Anna Forster, does many of the creepy Criminal Minds episode, and this one was no different. I like her style and creative vision she brings to the show. It was also interesting to watch this, knowing in advance that the mom was dead. I watched her scenes pretty closely, and I think it held up, since no one interacted with the mom. One of the strange things for me was the ease of which that little girl talked to the unsub. I mean, my mom drilled into me from a very young age not to talk to strangers, particularly strange men. But considering how much the mom was practicallly ignoring her daughter, I guess she forgot that lesson as well.
I felt that Penelope's secret was a good counterpoint to the unsub story, and I thought it was a believable secret. Her monologue at the beginning pretty much sums up Criminal Minds. We all face darkness, but some embrace it, and some fight it. I liked that Penelope was highlighted, though I agree that I wish Emily would get more of a front runner story. Hopefully in the coming episodes. I enjoyed the team interaction, though of course it was curtailed due to the increased emphasis on the unsub. I loved me some Reid in this episode, but of course, every morsel of his presence is much appreciated. Because while he may not ogle women much, I love to ogle him every time he is on screen. I rewatched the train station scene a few times just to get a solid handle on it, and it was weird for Reid to be checking a woman out on the job. He wasn't ogling so much, but he definitely noticed her. I couldn't figure out if he genuinely was checking her out, or if he was trying to replicate what he thought the unsub had done in the train station. Oh well, it was cute. I wasn't bothered by Hotch and Emily's light hearted ribbing of Reid in that scene either. It didn't seem mean spirited to me. I also liked Hotch and Penelope's interaction. This, plus Compromising Positions, really highlights the close, professional relationship the two of them have and the mutual respect they have for each other. It was nice to see the entire team at the theater supporting Penelope, like the close friends they are. I always enjoy the glimpses we get into the team's personal lives, and hope we get more in the future.
@Rutland
You're thinking of Faulkner & "A Rose for Emily"
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