AFTER A SERIES OF TORNADOES HIT KANSAS, THE BAU SEARCHES WICHITA WHEN BODIES TURN UP IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE STORMS, AND JJ FACES PRESSURE ON BOTH THE WORK AND HOME FRONTS, ON “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9
Josh Stewart (“Third Watch,” “No Ordinary Family”) Returns as Detective William LaMontagne Jr., JJ”s Longtime Boyfriend
Talk about this episode in the comment...
Careful in case you haven't watched the episode yet... comments might contain ***SPOILERS***
Am ready to see Will again - love that southern drawl! He always exudes the voice of reason as well. I think they make a great couple and that he grounds JJ. I wonder if he is working again or being Mr. Mom?
ReplyDeleteAlso anxious to see how the stress of the change in jobs, now a new job(in some respects!) is affecting her fam life. Sounds like an interesting epi, too!
Thanks, Sindee for the prompt thread (I love going first!)
Oh, yeah, CM, bring it on!
One more thing, TY Sindee for letting us know about the Mark Harmon/Lola Gaudini show last nite: I DVR'd Dexter and watched the movie! It was great, thoroughly enjoyed it and everyone in it was great!
ReplyDeleteTwo natural born killers pitted against ea. other; they'd make Dexter proud!
Got two hrs worth of ironing done after my b'day dinner - that's how good it was!
I'm so excited to see a JJ-centric episode!! It's been a while since we've had one of those!
ReplyDeleteAnd we also get to see Mekhai! He's so cute :D
I don't know if I'm happy about a JJ centric episode or not. I must admit that I find myself not liking JJ as much as I did in the first five seasons. She seems to somehow have lost some of her compassion, for me at least. She doesn't seem to show the victim's families the same compassion she used to and she certainly had no compassion for Reid when he didn't just accept her betrayal right off the bat. It's just my opinion but I miss that JJ. It's what set her apart from the other profilers.
ReplyDeleteSecond attempt! I too am looking forward to seeing Will again, love his accent and the pacing of his dialogue.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for this episode. JJ-centric :) I'm so excited. I love seeing Will and her storyline pop up every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteAnd just putting my opinion out there. JJ was compassionate towards Reid, she apologized. Don't get me wrong I love Reid and I get him being mad at JJ was a way to deal with what had happened. But how much more compassionate does she need to be. She kept that secret because she needed to it wasn't betrayal. Reid was over reacting if you ask me throwing his past drug addiction in her face like that.
I actually liked the JJ and Reid conflict. Reid was upset and she probably should have left him alone for a while as Morgan said. But I think she was afraid she was losing her friend so she kept perisisting. He was ready to leave the room in that scene and she called him out and said he was only angry because they had outprofiled him. Once she said that, he came back with the drug comment. What I think happened is two best friends just had a fight and I think we all know if you fight with siblings or best friends you tend to say things you might not say to others because ultimately they will always forgive you. I thought they were both sort of over the line but I liked it. They are not robots, they have emotions. I like to see the real feelings come out sometimes. GG
ReplyDeleteThe summary states that JJ's having problems at home--I really hope they don't make Will into a jerk.
ReplyDeleteRemember what happened with Haley? In "The Big Game" she was happy with Hotch, but in "In name and Blood" her personality turned 180 degrees into a shrew.
We haven't seen Will in two seasons, and I kinda like him. I don't want a breakdown of JJ's relationship with him.
I suppose it depends on your interpretation, but I never saw Haley as a shrew and never saw what happened as a 180 degree change in her personality. She was frustrated with him and his job in "Machismo" and referred to Gideon as his wife when she handed him the phone. She was happy to have "someone to cook for" in "The Fisher King". She had her home space invaded by an unsub having things delivered to her home in the same episode and had to be sent to live in a hotel with their baby. She has to show up at his office and remind him that he'd missed the medical tests being done on his son in "Psychodrama". They were enjoying a night out in "The Big Game", but it had been made clear by that point that his marriage was suffering. In Ashes & Dust we see him apologizing to her on the phone and promising to make it up to her when he got home and he tells Gideon that he's the husband and father that's never home and lives in a silent panic when he is home because he knows a phone call is going to come at any minute and his time will be up. Haley reached her breaking point in "In Name and Blood". She couldn't deal with his job any longer and I doubt he was the least bit surprised when he got home and found her gone. He knew his marriage was in trouble, but he also knew he couldn't be happy being the guy Haley wanted him to be. I always felt bad for both of them. They seemed to love one another, but just wanted and needed different things.
ReplyDeleteAs for JJ, I can see Will being upset with her, especially if Henry is sick and she's off in Kansas chasing tornadoes and a killer. We don't know what he did or didn't give up to be with JJ and Henry in D.C., but we do know that JJ's Penatagon/State Department/White House (whatever it needs to be to fit the storyline this week) job allowed her to be home with her family and now all of the sudden she's back with the BAU and in a much more dangerous role than the one she had previously. Yeah, I think I could understand if Will's a bit put out with her.
The real question is will she share her problems with Hotch who has been there done that, or will she confide in the new "Dear Abby" of the BAU, Emily.
Will's an okay guy... I hope they're not doing a "married to the job" rehash with this couple. Then again, since he did quit his job, the writers didn't do anything about any possible resentment he may have had building up. Which may just be the implosion we'll see. Either way, I wanna see Henry!
ReplyDeleteI kind of got the feeling that when Emily asked JJ what Will thought of her being back in the unit and JJ said, "It's a long story," the tone that she used sounded, to me at least, like Will really wasn't that happy about it. That's only my opinion though. I have nothing to base it on other than that scene. I could be way off base.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for this episode. Hopefully Will and JJ will work things out, I don't want them to break up.
ReplyDeleteHope to see some statistics, facts or anything concerning tornadoes from Reid. You just know he HAS to know about them :) (and I love it when they use "scientific Reid" during an episode).
I am not really liking JJ anymore, or Emily. I wasn't sure about Emily before but she's had her moments of being likable as has JJ. But I don't like either of them anymore or Garcia.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to see any more Hotch and Prentiss scenes either. SHe looks at him like she's in love with him and it bothers me to no end.
I also do not want Hotch to get a new love interest either but...I highly doubt that it will last. She will probably only be in one or two eps then fade away.
If JJ didnt have the mom to be story line, I doubt Will would even have come back.
I do like Will though and will be glad to see him back. This episode does look interesting, with the tornado twist.
More Reid, more Morgon, more Rossi and more HOTCH!!!
i've had enough of Emily with her storylines. And JJ is just blah. She's gotten judgemental.
I still would like to see Ashley Seaver properly wrapped up. Did not like her either but I like Rachel Nichols.
Oh well, the cast does work well like this.
I am really glad we have this space to chat again before an episode is aired – thanks Gubegirl and Sindee for making it happen! It tends to bring to light many things fans are thinking about, mostly without too much brouhaha (S6 being the dubious exception). Love the ‘thinking aloud’ – the trick is to stop my mind when it wants to go home with the characters because my home is not the writers’ and therein lies the rub. I, too, miss seeing JJ’s more compassionate side, but as I said in my Epilogue post, I miss it in all the characters. They could say so much with even small, mute objects, like the watch in Tabula Rasa, the box of rings in The Fox, JJ’s sister’s necklace, the coin Reid kept (Sf - don't have your memory, obviously, so do correct me if my refs to the episodes are incorrect) – I miss these little things. Family drama is fine, and important, but I’ve always loved how the cases themselves were a source of conflict and reflection and when the conflict stemmed from the opposing forces of the job and of family, it was woven together very nicely; it made for some interesting and affecting drama. JJ/Will – don’t know – they may’ve gone that way with Hotch/Haley, but to say I’d hate it if they explored it again would be unrealistic as well. History has a way of repeating itself –I do wonder how they might show a different resolution to a similar, and not unsurprising, problem. Sf – you’re so right – Hotch/Haley did not come out of the blue. The ‘good times’ they showed only brought into greater relief the ‘bad times’ that followed – I felt awful for them both – sometimes bad situations have no villains.
ReplyDeleteDon’t mind Aunt Emily, and I also can’t recall Hotch having any meaningful conversation with anyone about his own experiences or theirs this season – he did a lovely job of avoiding it last season as well, esp. in Hanley Waters. And while he is doing a weaker impersonation of a clam this season than in the past—which is wonderful in itself—the transition seems a bit rushed to me and he still hasn't talked to anyone (i exclude 'how did you get by in Paris?' God, dunno what to think of that). BUT early days. I feel no dearth of excitement waiting for ‘the next CM episode’, which means me and my obsession are doing very well, save for a little hiccup here and there.
PS: JJ as a profiler (I miss the interesting journalists and how she handled the media in general – which means I don’t dislike JJ as a profiler, I just really loved her as media liaison) irks me less than Garcia choosing and presenting cases. That I find hard to wrap my head around. It just doesn’t work for me.
Due respect to everyone else here, I think it serves the show better for the characters to have evolved. JJ has toughened up (for goodness' sake, she was working at Pentagon) but I'm sure we'll see her good heart come through at times as well. Emily has been to hell and back, so it also makes sense that her character has that new element of a deeper wisdom that others might tap. Morgan is also showing more depth, still the brawn when he needs to be but also thoughtful and humorous. Hotch is much more present and also showing more of his softer side while still being the commanding leader. Reid is tougher and more mature, and I look forward to this new Reid handling personal challenges that come his way differently from how he did in the past. Rossi has a whole new, more vulnerable side that rounds out his character very well.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, I think we got a lot of what we wished for, and while change takes an adjustment, hope everyone can embrace the evolved BAU team.
Final note: can't wait to see Will again; love him! He and Jack add so much richness to the story. Hoping to also welcome back the magnificent Diana Reid!
*the Pentagon (sorry for the typo)
ReplyDeleteI love the show, period.
ReplyDeleteIt will be good to see Will again abd hear about Henry.
ReplyDeleteHotch has talked to Rossi and has been friends with him a long time.
Remember to vote for fave crime show. http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/vote/votenow.jsp
ReplyDeleteJJ has toughened up (for goodness' sake, she was working at Pentagon)
ReplyDeleteOr the State Department. It just depends on what they needed from one episode to the next.
All in all, I think we got a lot of what we wished for
Speak for yourself. I never wished for anything, but for the show to be as great as it was in Seasons 1 thru 4, but those are clearly days gone by.
The characters have evolved over the years, but what's been happening this season isn't characters evolving, it's characters behaving like they don't normally behave. I'm not a big fan of the new touchy, feely characters who share so much week after week. These characters have always been very dark and damaged and they don't share, which is what made the occasional scene where a couple of them would open up about something enjoyable. Now they're just one big happy family having big happy sharing scenes week after week. The darkness is what always drew me to this show and the occasional moment at the end of an episode that made me smile or sometimes even laugh was something I always enjoyed. But now the show seems to be pulling away from being dark and leaning more towards quirky and cute. The intense professionalism the team used to operate with isn't there anymore. I'm expecting Hotch to cuff Morgan in the back of the head any day now. I still watch, but I've told myself that it's a new show, a different one and I enjoy it for what it is and do my best to forget what it was when watching a new episode. I don't enjoy the new Criminal Minds as much as I enjoyed the old Criminal Minds, but I do still enjoy it.
To sf81387 from Anonymous: of course I am speaking for myself. Aren't we all?
ReplyDeleteAgree with sf81387 - not sure how I feel about this new 'big happy family'. It's starting to resemble NCIS and I don't care for that show.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Erica did say in an earlier interview that this season was 'personal'...hopefully that will stop once all the characters have had their episode.
I, too, miss the friendly scene at the end of the eps - after the tense, adrenaline rush of finding and subduing an unsub. I don't want that part of the show to go by the wayside. That's always been what made the show great to watch.
Anyway, just my two cents. I still love CM, am glad the team is back and can't wait to see what happens the rest of the season. Whatever happens, it's FAR better than Season 6!
Happy CM Wednesday!
To sf81387 from Anonymous: of course I am speaking for myself. Aren't we all?
ReplyDeleteSure, but when I am speaking for myself about how I feel about something I don't typically suggest that it is something "we" all wanted, I would say it was something "I" wanted or perhaps even suggest that maybe it was something "many" wanted, but I try not make the assumption that it was something that "we" as a group all wanted.
I am happy that you're happy that what you're getting right now is something that you felt you wanted though. : )
"All in all, I think we got a lot of what we wished for"
ReplyDeleteI think it should be SOME people got what they wished for and not WE.
I did not wish:
- for Morgan and Reid to regress to their season one and two behavior. I prefer the serious and dark Morgan that he has become over the last seasons and I prefer grown up Reid
- for them to play pranks at each other while working on a case
- for JJ to come back as a profiler. The team does not need six profilers. And why was JJ always portrayed as so awesome and her old job as so important and difficult that Agent Todd failed when now Garcia can do JJ`s job besides her own
- for Garcia`s flirting with Morgan to go back to before she had Kevin
- for the smiley happy family feeling. I want the show to be dark and the characters to be dark and serious. I want them to be friends or even a family. But I do not want OOC character happy bonding scenes
I still watch because I love most of the characters but for the first time in seven seasons I caught myself losing interest. Which makes me sad because CM is my favorite TV show ever.
Well put, zagi. My sentiments exactly.
ReplyDeleteHow I love Wednesday, esp since my yoga has been moved from 7:30 to 6:45; I have plenty of time to get home, get in my jammies - it's cold and dark out these days which makes it even better to get in the mood! I make my popcorn, pour my glass of wine and park it in front of the TV with my little dog on my lap to (catch the stray kernel!) Other family members do not distract me while I am hanging onto every word - they know better! "O-o-h-h- quiet, it's Mom's show..." Hah!
Happy Wednesday to all you TZ's and you, too, zagi:)
Just watched the short videos of the cast "takeover" of Twitter. A lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteWell the ep just started and I just felt the need to comment on 2 things ...
ReplyDeleteI don't really like how JJ and Will are having what seems to be the start of relationship probs. Didn't she disscus w/ him returning to the BAU and seeing as she worked there for a little over 5 yrs. previous to her return why does he act like her being called in on time "off" and long hours @ work are suddenly something new...
Love the gorgeous Dr. spouting statistics ....
Hello to my fellow TZs ..... Missed you guys :)
I just watched 'there's no place like home'. can anyone tell me the name of the book JJ read to her son at the end?
ReplyDeleteWho is playing Henry? He is adorable!!
ReplyDeleteAnon: JJs son Henry is played by AJ Cooks son Mekhai
ReplyDeleteWhat was the book AJ read yo her son at tonight episode About a star?
ReplyDeletewhat was the book that AJ read to her son at the end of the episode of criminal minds 11-09-11???
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this episode. It was a bit different in terms of unsub's motivation and the execution of the story. And I was absolutely delighted with the amount of Reid in this episode, and the fact that he frequently seemed his excitable, genius self.
ReplyDeleteI personally am enjoying this season more than season six. For me, the quality of the episodes and the characters are more consistent than some of the stuff from last season.
I am also wondering about the "Baby Star" poem or book. I would love to know the title or the author. It was very Robert Munsch like .....
ReplyDeleteaj cook was great in this episode especially the end during story time :) i really hope JJ/Will work things out i love them together
ReplyDeleteOkay, we love the show, but the writers didn't do their research for tonight's episode. 1) It's the EF tornado scale, not the F scale, 2) they said the damage shown from the tornado was an F2 (EF 2 for those with some education) and it was clearly damage from an EF 4-5, and 3) they only call tornados "cyclones" in Asia. Finally, 4) one would think some research assistant could spell Oklahoma correctly. It's not "Oaklahoma" as seen on the computer screen.
ReplyDeleteI actually have the Inside Scoop on the Bedtime For Baby Star book over on my blog. I was asked not to share it elsewhere though or else I would.
ReplyDeleteI also want to say thank you a million times to Sindee for taking over this site so that it can keep on trucking!
Lee
http://entertainmentexactlee.com/2011/11/10/the-inside-scoop-on-bedtime-for-baby-star-read-on-tonights-episode-of-criminal-minds/
Done with silly arguments over my opinions and how I express them, so moving on...
ReplyDeleteThought tonight was a great episode and I enjoyed it very much. Season 7 just gets better and better in my book. Thanks to Erica, the writers and the ever-amazing cast of CM!
I thought tonight's episode was quite bizarre with the unsub perfoming these body dismemberments hooked into tornadoes.
ReplyDeleteI loved to see Reid as his rambling self. I'd missed that in season six and it's interesting that he's begun to realize himself that he's rambling whereas before one of the team usually called him on it. Poor Rossi with Reid rambling about the microburst or whatever it was. And when Garia says "Spencer you scare me," and Rossi replies, "Join the club." I had to laugh at that.
One thing that is starting to bug me is Garcia and her inability to hear or see anything on the gross or gory side. I nursed for 30 years and things appear really gross at first and you think you'll never be able to handle it but you do. You get used to it. It's part of the job. I think after working in the unit for seven years she should be past that by now. Whenever anything of a gory nature comes up she just shuts it out. I'm sure they'd all like to shut it out but they can't.
Henry is a little cutie.
I wish people would just watch the episodes and enjoy them. It is just entertainment. Sometimes I think viewers get too picky. Just a thought. I love season 7!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed that episode.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that JJ and Will apologized, let's hope their relationship will remain strong. With that kind of job managing a relationship is not easy, but at lest they're trying to work things out.
I liked the case. Maybe Reid, Morgan and/or JJ should have been a little more worried when they were out in the open with a tornado coming at them.
But, thank you for not making Reid unnecessarily freak out while all the other team members remained calm. I was afraid something like that would happen (if only for "comic relief") and I'm glad it didn't.
I really appreciated that the writer didn't go down that road, thank you very much !
The scene between Hotch and JJ was nice, he understands what she's going through perfectly.
I liked all the Reid facts and analysis, any opportunity to showcase Reid's genius is always a bonus for me.
All in all a very good episode.
So far, 'Proof' and 'Painless' are the only episodes I struggled with this season (due to the team's portrayal).
I'm really enjoying this season so far.
I thought this was a great ep. Except for last week (still good but disappointing in a way since Rick Dunkle penned it), I'm thoroughly enjoying S7. But I like seeing this new side to the characters. After so many years, it brings a refreshing, new perspective to me. It shows me they can do this job, dealing with these sick minds and still go home and be normal people. Who sometimes have to deal with their own problems in the personal life. I like to think it adds depth to the characters.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to join the chorus of how great this is here that each of us can have our own opinions. And while they may not agree, I really, truly appreciate the respect that every one is showing for all the different thoughts. That is refreshing for fan sites. I salute you all!! :)
Had mixed feelings about this one.
ReplyDeleteLoved the Reid scenes with him displaying his genius.
Liked the scene on the plane with him and Rossi.
Glad to see some local law enforcemnet involvement.
I thought the idea of the unsub, and as they often do they got a good actor to play him, putting a body together was interesting. I can understand why he needed a specific head but otherwise I'm not sure why he had to kill so many to do it. All of the young men whom he killed looked liked they had the same build. Especially if he was satisfied with the first left leg. Really did not understand why he started there and then progressed to the tornado scenario. I did think it was too obvious too soon what he was doing.
I had it figured out, have watched way too many of these shows, I guess LOL.
Liked Garcia back in her den and the toned down flirting between her and Morgan, actually there was hardly any in this episode.
Someone asked why she was so squeamish; well like JJ and the Pentagon/State Dept. that seems to change from episode to episode. There have been times when she was very blase. Her squeamishness here seemed to be having to make up for that. The interaction between her and Rossi was just a little over the top.
It was nice to see Will and AJ/JJ's little boy is very cute but I'm afraid they're going to take us down the Hotch/Haley path.
I hope not.
They waited way too long to get into that storm shelter.
I thought my man Hotch/TG looked really good. I'm liking the slimmed down look. Also really liked his "rambling" scene with Reid.
Vealndra, nice to have you back.
Quoting: I wish people would just watch the episodes and enjoy them. It is just entertainment. Sometimes I think viewers get too picky. Just a thought. I love season 7!! End Quote.
ReplyDeleteI am with you 100%!!!
To both Anons - if you want to enjoy the eps without any comments, that's your choice. I love CM but also enjoy reading the comments.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy hearing about what others see in these eps and seeing things that I've missed or didn't even notice. I love that we're able to discuss the episodes.
Nanci,
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm in total agreement with you. It's so much fun to have this blog
"Thank you sindee" :)
where we can all express our opinions. So long as we keep it polite and civilized that, as far as I'm concerned is the whole point of this comment thread.
Teresa - absolutely! I totally enjoy reading what others see and perceive in the episodes.
ReplyDeleteAgree, also, as long as we're polite and respectful of each other - I think it's a great way to 'experience' our favorite show!
And, again, thank you Sindee for giving us this site to discuss Criminal Minds!
Oh something else I liked. I know it was kind of gross but I thought the scene in the morgue with the M.E. chomping away on his sandwich was really funny.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to hijack again because I know how many of you were interested. I posted the full images to Bedtime for Baby Star on my blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://entertainmentexactlee.com/2011/11/10/bedtime-for-baby-star-full-book-images-criminal-minds-exclusive/
The ratings just came in from last night--and they were low.
ReplyDelete11.3 million. That's it. That's probably the lowest ratings Criminal Minds has ever gotten in years. Not even season six went that low. And it dropped from nearly 13 million last week!
Last year, I was so pre-occupied with the ratings, worrying about deep slippage.
Now, it seems I should be worrying about this season, not last year. Even though we got JJ and Prentiss, it may all be in vein if the ratings continue to slip. What if they dip below 10 million?
If the decrease continues for the rest of the season, we may not have a season 8.
Fun reading everyone's opinions about last nite's show. Unsub was super sick, as usual, and the dismembering was quite ghastly but not the worst we've seen. It did seem as tho' he was building a body early on to me, also.
ReplyDeleteGlad I'm not the only one enjoying the coroner munching away during his autopsy presentation - could not help but snicker, but in real life, if I had known that "body," I would be grossed out and disgusted!
Liked the Reid rant - only MGG can ramble like that. Wonder if he can carry on like that in real life and how he can talk so fast esp. with these facts that only the supergenius would know?
Funny that the jet suddenly hit turbulence - I don't remember ever seeing that before but have wondered about it before. Tied in with the tornado alley story-line, I guess.
Not too worried about Will and JJ. Just a rough patch and a way for the writers to interject some personalism, I think.
Rossi more jumpy and edgy given the loss of Carolyn so recently?
Hotch looking handsome, yes, he was.
Morgan looking and acting good. Liked that he and Garcia have watered it down.
JJ looked beautiful. Loved the end and her tears - so real! The book was lovely but you can tell the author was a Margaret Wise Brown fan, mixing some of "Runaway Bunny" and with "Goodnite Moon!" I read those over and over to my 20 and 23 y.o. - they were faves and we have kept them for their kids!
Love that everyone is playing nice here. Keep up the good work, you grown-up bloggers, and don't let anyone who shows up as a nutter get to you!
TY Sindee, good job, XOXOX!
Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"The ratings just came in from last night--and they were low.
11.3 million. That's it. That's probably the lowest ratings Criminal Minds has ever gotten in years. Not even season six went that low. And it dropped from nearly 13 million last week!
Last year, I was so pre-occupied with the ratings, worrying about deep slippage.
Now, it seems I should be worrying about this season, not last year. Even though we got JJ and Prentiss, it may all be in vein if the ratings continue to slip. What if they dip below 10 million?
If the decrease continues for the rest of the season, we may not have a season 8."
Last season the ratings were about the same as for season 5. But this season the ratings are overall much lower. Only episode 7.03 "Dorado Falls" made it into the weekly top ten, while at this time last year four episodes from season 6 had already reached the top ten. Doesn`t look too good.
to Zagi,
ReplyDeleteI don't think you should worry that much about the ratings for last night.
It was the 45th Annual CMA Awards night, and a lot of shows suffered because of that, Criminal Minds is no exception.
It was to be expected.
I bet a lot of people used their DVR though, and that's the kind of numbers we know by the beginning of the following week. The "Live+7 Day" ratings (it includes incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast) will probably reflects that.
Criminal Minds still had a 3.4 in demo last night, and it's better than what most episodes had during the sixth season.
Ratings wise, this season is doing better than last year.
I thought the ratings were up this season?
ReplyDeleteI liked last night's epi for the most part. I felt Will being edgy and angry with JJ for having to do her job was kind of out of character. I seem to remember him as more laid back, loving and understanding. He married her when she had a job with the BAU and the Pentagon job was very brief. I just felt it was out of character - didn't like it. But otherwise, a good epi. Psycho unsub.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the episode thoroughly—it had almost the right amount of “serial-killerness” (sorry to hijack your word, tg) and humour (not yet dark enough for me :-D). AJC was phenomenal and these rare, meaty scenes underscore her superb acting skills (her son is cute as a button). I think they handled the strain between JJ and Will very convincingly. Sinking, miserable feeling when you’re leaving for work and you’ve reached a traumatic impasse with your spouse—add to that an unhealthy, albeit normal, dose of guilt for leaving your son behind, and wow I wouldn’t want to be in JJ’s shoes (or Will’s actually). They handled things with great aplomb, though. And their apology at the end was very in-character; it was just a normal, rough patch—you do behave uncharacteristically and irrationally sometimes.
ReplyDeleteReid was…Reid. He rambled. Quite a lot in this episode, and with Rossi first, and then with Hotch, it was funny but not OTT—both R and H were themselves with Reid, one deliciously sarcastic and the other monosyllabically expressive. Didn’t like the decapitated head or the severed limbs—obviously the showrunners’ve decided on a visual MO, and really they don’t have to please me. If it’s working, it’s working. I need to re-watch the epi—had too many disruptions. More thoughts later. I agree with Sf—it does not feel like the same series but I do still love it, trying to sever my past experience from my present. I just ask myself one question – am I happier with or without it? The answer is very simple, and for a tv show that’s all that matters, at least to me and at least for now (especially because I don’t watch very much else). Plus, I have been able to watch the past couple of episodes multiple times—a material improvement from mid-S6 (I’m finding that there are quite a few lovely episodes in the beginning and end of S6). I agree, also, with Zagi that I did not ask for these ‘happy’ changes—these don’t feel organic or ‘adult’ to me. And, finally, here’s a wink and a big, loud tgftg for you, Teresa, and a big big hi to Velandra and Gubegirl!
Well, TGfTG to you too missy ;).
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the ep. I'm just glad to sit down and for the most part be able to enjoy my favourite man and those around him w/o finding too much to be annoyed by. I can't be completely unpicky but I just really like visiting with them every week.
To Anonymous, you beat me to the punch with regard to your reply to Zagi about the ratings :) The CMA award show was the ratings winner for the night, something that was completely expected. Your also correct to say that a 3.4 in the demo is very good. One thing to remember is that the demo is what is most important, not the total viwers because what drives the networks, and most importantly, the advertisers are the demo numbers. Currently, anything a 3.0 and above (except for networks like NBC, CW) are what drive the advertising dollars which is what this is all about, at least for the networks. And once again you are correct, just in the few episodes that have aired this season on average have outperformed the demo ratings for most of the episodes season six. In my opinion, I highly doubt with what was going on last season Criminal Minds would have gotten a 3.4 demo against the CMA awards (the CMA awards is a huge event). Again, my opinion, something that I think on average can be seen through the demo's last season. Plus, when you take into account the competition that CM is facing with the X Factor and Modern Family, it is doing outstanding, something that cannot be divorced from the fact that AJ and Paget are back, that is not a coincidence in my estimation.
ReplyDeleteHey, Ladies! Fellow TZ's and all Gube luv'rs!
ReplyDeleteGo on the message board, and on the "Duty Roster", scroll down to Spencer and click on the latest entry by "Three bags full." There is a "character crush" contest and Dean from Supernatural is winning but our Gube is lagging by only a few points! Please get on and vote as many times as you can before Monday when the polls close!
He deserves to win - (I can't even believe he is in the contest) but let's help boost Spence's (maybe Mr. Modest/Gube's too!) self esteem!
Thanks and have a good day! It is raining here but we will be scrapbooking and eating taco salad! Hah!
Just watched this episode again while making soup. Simmering soup/simmering unsub story. Aren't I being literary? ;) I really liked it. Even the one scene I didn't like, the Rossi/Penelope scene I was able to gloss over. I took the time to savour it and felt that the writers/producers really took the time as well. The pacing was right, no rushed, cookier cutter lines. There were images that while not necessarily pushing the story along added to the athmosphere. In the police station you saw some of the team in the front office while through a window you see Hotch turining off his phone,just his hand and the tip of his tie as he prepares to talk to the family of the latest victim. Did not seem like much but just made a connection and added layers. Rossi on the plane with Reid; Hotch with Reid; genius Reid; felt true to the history that these people have together. I even liked the interchange between JJ and Hotch about using the jet. So true to Hotch.
ReplyDeleteReally liked all those young actors they got to play the unsub, his vicims and their wider circle.
OK I liked it :o).
I can't believe that after all that I posted as anonymous.
ReplyDeleteIt's me Teresa
I can’t tell you how comforting it is to see you enjoying CM again, Teresa. While I am in complete agreement with SF regarding the new ‘feel’ of the series—the visuals, interaction b/w the characters, the pacing and the stories, I am certainly not ready to give up on it yet, which would leave me with nothing to watch on tv. This is a compromise, for me anyway; I would dearly love for some things to revert to their earlier state, but it tends to boil down to either moving on to something else or accepting that some aspects of the show have been "forever altered" (;0)).
ReplyDeleteI always feel like whenever I read the comments section of the blogs that the writers/showrunners, etc. are damned if they do, damned if they don't.
ReplyDeleteCan't please all the people all the time.
I realize not every episode is created equal, I'll admit to that. However, shows do evolve. If it stays the same, some would argue that it's growing stale. If, however, it shows a minimun of change (and I'll be the first to admit I don't take change very well), it's also doomed to hell and back.
As far as ratings go, whatever sporting event and/or awards show MUST be taken into consideration. They will always get the maximum in viewers. This week's episode WAS down in viewer, but as was stated . . . CMA Awards. Also, it has always been noted that the episode after a rerun seems to tend to have lower numbers. Don't ask the reason for that, I don't get it either.
But, this episode, while #17 in the Nielsen ratings was the #9 scripted show. Not too shabby considering the CMA awards & the football games.
Season-to-date in the Nielsen ratings, it's #11 (#7 scripted show).
Again, not too shabby. Also, one has to take into consideration that the idiotic 2 1/2 Men stared out with unbelievable numbers because everyone assumed A. Kutcher was going to save it. I believe IT'S doomed. As it's numbers slide, everyone else's will rise accordingly.
Let's not ring the death knell prematurely.