Friday, January 13, 2012

Spoiler Thread: True Genius


“True Genius” – A series of murders in San Francisco bearing the tell-tale signs of the infamous Zodiac Killer have the BAU wondering if the notorious serial killer has returned. Also, Reid ponders if he should be doing more with his genius abilities, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Jan. 18 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Best-selling crime novelist Patricia Cornwell guest stars as herself, as a guest at a violent crime seminar attended by Reid and Prentiss.

Talk about this episode in the comment...

Careful in case you haven't watched the episode yet... comments might contain ***SPOILERS***

52 comments:

Bohemian Chick said...

So I have to wait until Jan. 18th to see a new ep of Criminal Minds??? That's not a very nice holiday gift! I guess it's time to rent some movies.

christyzachman said...

Looking forward to another great episode.

christyzachman said...

It will beinteresting to hear and see what Reid will be wondering about as he ponders his future.

christyzachman said...

Looking forward to another great episode.

Lena Ocean Taylor said...

Can't wait for some quality Dr Reid action !! Hopefully, this episode will become an new favorite !! ^^

Jennifer (UK) said...

Can't wait!! I've been waiting SO long for a Reid-centric episode :D

Anonymous said...

I agree with the previous entry...positively starved for a Reid-centric episode. At least I'll feel rewarded for the long, long wait! Agh this is going to be a slow month.

Unknown said...

I haven't had any TV (except for Netflix DVD's of the last seasons episodes) - anyway I'm a little behind.

I finally got a digital box last weekend - and NO CM's? What a disappointment! I really wanted to see it.

I am really looking forward to watching CM & Blue Bloods again this Winter. Only thing missing is Numbers!

Anonymous said...

By now Reid needs 2 get a girlfriend!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait for that episode !
I'm so glad the writers chose to concentrate on Reid's genius for his 'centric episode'.
I always love to see scenes where he gets to fully use his brain and abilities. I hope the episode will live up to the expectations and that Reid will get to shine and blow us away with his brilliant mind.

Silvinha said...

Spence & Emily = Love!

Anonymous said...

I, too, wish for an Emily/Reid moment. Even a glance or a gentle touch would be nice

Anonymous said...

I'm hoping for some great Hotch/Reid scenes. I love those and it has been sorely lacking since season four.

FlyLikeAValkyrie said...

Hooray! I am looking forward to another Reid episode! I've missed them! I'm a little confused though. What happened to that big storyline with his headaches in season 6? Is that gonna carry on? I can't wait to see what happens with it!

Anonymous said...

well I am certainly looking forward to this one. but it keeps bugging me what happens if Reid thinks he could use his brain for more than the bau... am i the only one who is a tiny little bit concerned?

well let's not hope so! :)

Anonymous said...

Just a head's up. Matthew is on Craig Ferguson tomorrow night. Tuesday January 3rd

Anonymous said...

I hope Reid really gets to shine this episode! It looks like a great one and after this long month it better be! Not only is it exciting to have another Reid episode but it's also one aboutthe zodiac killer who mysteriously stopped killing and was never found! Sounds like it could be suspenseful and that the team will be needing detailed info of the first killer... On hand... From Reid! Hooray for his brilliance!
I also agree it would be cute to see some Reid/Emily scenes! I read that there is one scene between them is this episode which "had everyone in the screen room crying!" Hooray!

Piperwest12 said...

I am watching the ep, "A Real Rain," and this is the episode where Reid is asked how old he is and that in six years he would question what he is doing. Reid was 24 in that episode and "True Genius" is set around Reid's 30th birthday. I don't know if this is a coincidence or if the writers remembered the first episode and decided to touch on it. Either way I am excited to see a new CM ep and especially a Reid ep.

Maddie said...

I have to say that I'm a little bit worried that this episode will be about that other genius showing off and challenging Reid in everything, trying to humiliate him.
That said, I'm sooo looking forward to this episode, the fact that I've survived this long without a new episode is a miracle.

I really love the scenes where Reid shows how smart he actually is, or when someone else comment on it, I've been waiting for an episode like this since I began watching the show.

I too am a little bit worried about the fact that Reid is considering doing more than working with the BAU, but in the end I don't think he has the heart to stop what he's doing not to mention leave his family.

I'm just gonna cross my fingers now and hope that this episode lives up to the expectations I have for it! :)

Fred said...

To Maddie :

I have to say that I'm a little bit worried that this episode will be about that other genius showing off and challenging Reid in everything, trying to humiliate him.

I understand your concerns and I share some of your worries.

- I don't mind the fact that this unsub is very smart (quite the opposite actually if it helps showcase Reid's genius);
- I'm looking forward to these two genius facing off ;
- I also don't mind if the unsub tries to humiliate Reid or if he thinks he's smarter than our favorite genius ...
....I don't mind all of that as long as the writers let Reid prove that he's smarter than this man.

I love Reid for his incredible brain and I too love it when people mention how smart Reid is.
I have also been waiting for an episode like that since the very beginning of the show.

I hope that this episode will be an episode where Reid will truly shine with his genius.
After Corazon, which ended up being a big disappointment, Reid more than deserves it.

Bottom line :
let Reid prove how much of an incredible genius he truly is and let him put this unsub in his place !

becky said...

I'm a Hotch fan, and I'm ready to get CM season 7 on DVD. I hate commercials.

Anonymous said...

It feels like forever since cm has been on! I'm so excited! But I was looking forward to the promo which they usually release the wednesday before even if there has been a long break! I can't wait any longer!

Anonymous said...

Has anyone seen a promo? They have been off for weeks and are going up against the premier of American Idol. There have been no pictures of anyone but the kid genius. Now Erica is saying things like you are not so special anymore when you are 30. I want this episode to be about how special Reid is not about how brilliant the guest star is. I am really looking forward to the episode but I really hope they portray Reid as the "True Genius"

Jane said...

To anonymous :
same here, Reid needs to be the true genius, the smarter guy. He needs to kick that guy's ass in an intellectual/genius stand off.

If it doesn't happen, meaning if the guy is shown to be smarter than Reid in the end (but still caught because of the whole team I guess) I'll be seriously angry with the writers.

Anonymous said...

I agree with everybody here who feels that Reid should be the one to outsmart the unsub and hence be revealed to be the "True Genius!"

I've waited so long for this episode! I think this one should be Reid's case to solve rather than a team effort although they will be involved to an extent. But it shouldn't be that Reid can't figure out how to best the unsub without help. He needs to shine on his own for this!

The writer's kept saying this is such a "smart" episode and I'm hoping they did not short Reid in the process. I'll be really upset if they have the unsub come out ahead. He can play cat and mouse with Reid as long as Spencer comes out on top!

I'm still hoping for a Reid arc before the end of the season as well but my optimism is fading. Where is the headache storyline we were promised? I think in order to get Hotch, Morgan, JJ, and Prentiss back they were all promised huge stories and that it will be at the expense of Reid and his fans. I honestly am starting to wonder if True Genius is all we will get for Reid this season. If so. it is all the more imperative that he be allowed to take down the unsub! But I really want my "great Reid arc" that was promised by EM as well. It's LONG OVERDUE!

Anonymous said...

Based on what I read it wasn't Erica who said "at 30 you're not so special," it is the "Zodiac" unsub taunting Reid.

That said, like so many others posting here, I cannot wait for a major Reid arc, and I desperately want him to outsmart the unsub and show that he is, in fact, the True Genius! Love the whole team, but Reid/MGG is the main reason I watch the show.

Anonymous said...

I too certainly wish for Reid to be the 'True Genius' of the episode.

It's not about me wanting things to go my way.
I simply hope the writers will let Reid truly shine for this once, no matter how they go about it.

I won't have a single problem if the unsub manages to fool Reid at some point, I won't have a problem if he keeps Reid guessing.

I just wish for Reid to out-think the unsub in the end and be the true genius mentioned in the episode's title.

I'm not hoping for anything too specific concerning that episode, and I'll watch the episode with an open mind.
It would just be a very bitter pill to swallow if Reid was beaten at his own game, just like it would be a bitter pill to swallow for the other fans if their own favorite character was put in that kind of situation.

Anonymous said...

If there's as little Morgan as there has been this entire Season, this will be another crappy episode.

Not watching. Waiting for a review first.

Season 7 sucks.

Anonymous said...

Not according to this last comment.
I think a balanced season, has spent a bit of each character. Season 6, in my opinion, distorted the image I had of Morgan, which became a sort of Superman without a cape and lost the human essence that I liked it so much.
Season 7 rescued to Morgan of years ago
So far I am satisfied.

Glynnis said...

I really liked the episode. Reid showed his intellect rather than just having it mentioned. The murders were horrible w/o being terribly gross. Couldn't help but note at the end that the team has gotten much better about celebrating a bday... big gifts, fancy cake, no dumb hat... :)

Anonymous said...

Loved it. That is all I have to say. I just loved it. Yay!!!!!!

Profable said...

Very good case, I loved the episode. Thank you for letting Reid proves just how smart he's, scenes where Reid shows his genius have always been my favorite thing on this show.
The birthday surprise party was sweet, too bad we didn't get any interactions between Hotch and Reid though, (I really love to see these two interacting).
Maybe in a future episode...pretty please ?

Liz said...

A win overall, and totally worth the wait. As usual, they spent a little too much time on the killer, but the big news is they spent more time on Reid, in quantity and quality. They showed what a truly brilliant (and a-dork-able) guy he is by letting him do more than rattle off statistics. Hope this ain't it for S7 Reid episodes. More, please!

Anonymous said...

OMG LOVE THIS EPISODE! please bring marissa back she's GORGEOUS!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

LOVE THIS LOVE THIS LOVE THIS EPISODE! kaleb is so creepy. we want marissa back! i hope she comes back

Anonymous said...

Thank you CM! Worth every minute of the wait. Definitely one for the Reid fans: he got to strut his stuff, be vulnerable but then triumph...all while looking like the dorky hottie he is. Wonderfully creepy without all the gore; wonderful interplay among the team. Delicious!!! Hoping for a few more like these the rest of the season. Way to kick off 2012!

Anonymous said...

I loved it!!

Wait, who was Marissa? Now I'm going to have watch it again.

jonishackley said...

A great episode! Held your interest to the end and we didn't know who the unsub was right off the bat. I'm glad they finally gave Reid some serious screen time and showcased his intelligence and abilities. My only complaint is the ridiculous kitty ears on Garcia. Totally inappropriate, unprofessional and immature. It was great to see the team together at the end although I would have liked if each one would have hugged Reid. And thanks for not even mentioning "stalker chick" in this episode.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know the music that was playing in the background at the end?

Anonymous said...

Loved the episode. Now, Reid needs a girl friend - badly... how about Marissa? They would look so good together!

gubegirl said...

Loved Reid holding the gun on the unsubs at the end rather than to stand in the background behind Morgan and the others, or worse yet, be left behind at the office!

He had the two guys pegged and handled the end so very well, egging them on to get the facts about their prev murder.

That poor fiancee - boy, was she in for a shock to learn all this so close to her wedding date or what?!

Loved the little party for Reid (even tho' it was predicatable) he needed that kind of personal recognition. I liked what he said to Prentiss about staying with the FBI because it felt so right to with them...a touching, family moment, which is what I love so much about this show.

I wonder what the prev mention of the cake "not being right" by Garcia (I think) was all about? Anybody know?

That last song was "Lonely World" by Jeremy Silver. Nice choice. Damn, I wish I had that music selection job...how fun would that be?

Blue Sunflower said...

Aw, I'm totally sad now since with the use of chess for the map, CM has now officially destroyed one of my fanfic ideas I was going to work on. :(

In general, I felt really bad for Reid this episode. He was so alone all the time, and in the beginning especially you could see how he REALLY wanted to join in on Emily's conversation with the attendees. And how excited he got when the kid started talking to him (and Reid found the lists in common), only to fall to disappointment the kid was basically using him and didn't really want to further the conversation.

Also, I do have to say I really have a hard time believing the team forgot about his birthday, and for so long (since it's presumably in October). It REALLY seems like Reid has no outside BAU friends. How terrible his 30th birthday must have been. Garcia, Morgan, Hotch, Rossi, JJ, and Emily all have at the very least family, but Reid would've been lucky to get MIGHT be a call from his mom, and possibly the dad who dumped him when he was 10. Jeez. Get the guy a friend, CM!

Blue Sunflower said...

gubegirl said...

I liked what he said to Prentiss about staying with the FBI because it felt so right to with them...a touching, family moment, which is what I love so much about this show.

Reid has really been bringing Gideon up a bit lately. Everytime he does, it kinda jars since Reid was so upset it's made "Gideon" pretty much a verboten word for everyone.

Acceptance is interesting. It does seem to take Reid years though to do it.

Anonymous said...

Loved the episode but thought having Patricia Cornwell at the beginning was quite odd.

Nanci said...

I loved this episode and felt that CM was back on track! Wasn't quite sure if the unsub was Caleb (sp?) or the other guy (forgot his name). It could have gone either way - love it!

About Reid - I'm kind of glad they're doing character-centric episodes this season. Something a little different, gives a different perspective on each of them that you don't have time to explore in a 'normal' episode.

All in all, I was really happy with this episode and next week's looks equally good. Keep it up!

Love Criminal Minds!!!

Teresa H. said...

As I watched this ep. I was thinking of you, gubegirl and Pat and Velandra, thinking how happy you all must have been. I liked that it was a Reid centric episode and I'm going to let that be enough. I decided I wasn't going to pick things apart anymore. I'm not finding the show anywhere near as compelling as I used to so I'm going to accept it for what it is, entertaining TV with characters that I'm attached to and a cast that's fun to watch.
Snow here in N.E., hope everyone is having a good weekend and we'll be back on the message board soon.

Anonymous said...

So, I guess I liked the episode and I'm also guessing I'm one of the only Reid fans who is underwhelmed. I don't know, the episode was kind of him realizing that he could have done better than the BAU (even though it's totally logical given his situation) but it kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't want to think of Reid as questioning whether or not his decision to save people's lives for a living was less than what he's worth... I guess it's like taking a beautiful woman and putting her in a very unflattering dress; she's still beautiful but you're thinking, why that dress?! Again, I'm not saying it was wrong of him, so don't attack, it was just one of those story lines I could have gone without seeing.

And as someone said, the whole episode made me feel sorry for him.

I don't know, I guess I was just hoping for more but now his special episode is done...

I did love the ending scene though and the crime was really cool too. Creepy, but cool. And like I said, the episode was good and I was happy that he got plenty of screen time. Haha I'm not all frowns, here.

Oh well, still love CM and ready for more!

Blue Sunflower said...

Anonymous said...

And as someone said, the whole episode made me feel sorry for him.

Exactly. They could have at least pointed out he's probably one of the largest experts in the field with all his studies (no way do I not believe he doesn't still publish, they did say in an earlier episode that he does - I expect one day all the texts at the Academy will be written by him), or that his work in other fields (since I also don't believe he limits his writings 100% to serial killers, he likes math too much) are making waves too.

Victoria Frank said...

I'm a HUGE Reid fan, however I didn't care much for this ep to be honest. This season is faring better than s6 but still not what it could be. Maybe I need to watch the ep again, but I just felt like Reid has been held back all season and this was his chance to shine.It didn't live up to my expectations, and as someone else said it "left a bad taste in my mouth".

ZodiacRevisited said...

I don't watch Criminal Minds, but I had high hopes for the show incorporating the Zodiac Killer into the plot of this episode. In the end, I felt like they could have done a lot more. If you're interested, you can read more here: Criminal Minds - True Genius.

Anonymous said...

Its very clear that Reid is the true genius of the group then Garcia, it seems like Reid is the only one who knows anything and no one else tries. Maybe with Reid's smarts he should be doing something else and I always wonder how would the team cope with out him?

I feel that the only thing Reid is lacking in is social skills and intimacy. He definately needs a life outside of the BAU.

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