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normasm

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    Season 13 Spoilers, Speculation and Anticipation

    in Criminal Minds

    2 hours ago, JMO said:

    As I think about the beginning of season 13, I wonder if the writing team has shot itself in the foot with that cliffhanger.  EM has said they want Reid back with the team, and that she thinks his issues will be addressed in the first episode.  With Morgan, and with Hotch before him, there was an off-screen period of presumed healing after their respective traumas.  But, having ended season 12 with the other 157 team members' lives in jeopardy, they can't very well start season 13 six months later.  So, unless they want to continue Reid in his own storyline apart from the team, I think they're going to have to bring him back right away, which will be too soon.  I hope they realize that, and write to it.

    It might, I say might, be interesting if the cliffy ends in Prentiss and Rossi being injured and temporarily off the team, and Reid, who is next in line, taking over for temp Unit Chief. He still has major issues to deal with, and this could, if written right, be good character development for Reid, as well as a look into what makes a team, i.e., the team coming together under an untried and hurting member as head. I think Reid apart from the team should not be explored unless they will show what it takes to be rehabbed after going through what he did. If he was pressed to take charge temporarily, this might inform him that he is capable and still the man he wants to be, instead of what he feared prison made him.

    Just saying, well written, this could be an interesting turn of events, while affording Paget and Rossi and even JJ to take at least one episode off.

    • Love 5

    Season 4 Episodes Talk

    in Criminal Minds

    In 52 pickup, the Viper is just hilarious! I love that actor so much in that role! Plus Morgan telling Reid he's got "game" and Prentiss and Todd revealing the Viper's "Queen Bee." Good writing.

    • Love 1

    Stephen Walker: Agent Syrup

    in Criminal Minds

    I have nothing against him, and I even like the actor and his syrupy drawl, but I simply don't want his additional character. I saw the necessity for Alvez, and, if they can rein in the Garcia yuck, I can live with him, but yet another agent? He had plenty of attention his first season. He took down an unsub without firing a shot, somewhat Reid-style; he was spooked and then injured in a takedown, then he had that focus episode where his friend was killed. 

    If he, like Lewis (whom i really like) can switch off being absent, maybe. 

    • Love 2

    Criminal Minds Analysis: Profile The Show

    in Criminal Minds

    The article also said the team was "working tirelessly to prove [Reid's] innocence," which is stretching credulity.

    They also seem to think it's a really good idea for Reid to just jump back in to the BAU routine. Not supported by the FBI? Not a priority to his team for exoneration? Terrorized by a crazy psycho who killed at least 3 people and wanted to kill his mother just so she could win? Hey, no problem. "I'll just get my satchel and some coffee and be right there!"

    • Love 4

    S12.E22: Red Light

    in Criminal Minds

    No, I mean (facetiously, mind you) that I wish Cat could get another outside minion to find him and kill him, so we don't have to waste time on his lameness at all in 13.

    • Love 2

    S12.E22: Red Light

    in Criminal Minds

    1 hour ago, ReidFan said:

    other things about Red Light I really appreciated even more, after multiple viewings and the fog and fever of illness has left me:

     

    (Riff gets way too longwinded, feel free to scroll past :) )

     

    Matthew rocked this. Moreso than ever before. (I think we’ve already covered that, multiple times)

     

    besides Reid, there is/are another genius/geniuses aboard. Whoever chooses the music for the show is Mensa. Think I’ve gone on before about other songs used in other episodes, but “Journey On” (Elm District) was just beyond perfect for this. Obviously, it wasn’t playing (at least I doubt it would’ve been) while the actors were shooting the scene, but you can see the song being played out by mostly Reid, but JJ and Diana too; in the elevator, on the way up to the BAU, when Spencer and Diana first lay eyes on each other again. I’ve seen this particular scene at least ten times now and I end up bawling. Every.Single.Time. 

     

    Also relating to the music, quite often in shows the damn music is so loud that hard-of-hearing me cannot hear the dialogue. I resort to putting on the closed captioning and that often obscures visuals. Didn’t happen in Red Light, the music volume was kept at a reasonable level throughout. Shout out to the editor, music folks and director on that count. 

     

    Aubrey Plaza. Cannot say enough about how good she was in this. I hate Cat Adams! We’re supposed to, right? But she actually made me feel a little sorry for her right at the end when the man she loves (I think so anyway), who she won’t admit to loving and can never have, slams the door on her and leaves. He’s right, she doesn’t have the capacity to care for another human being, even herself apparently.

     

    the take down of Lindsey. I had the oddest shiver run down my spine as David Rossi pulls out a gun and aims it at Lindsey Vaughn. How weird it must have been for Joe Mantegna to be holding a gun, even if it was a prop, on his own daughter. *shudders*

     

    the JJ/Reid friendship. After he choked Cat and was horrified and left the room, JJ followed to offer comfort, lend an ear. A small thing, he called her Jennifer, which I only recall him doing once before (when he was angry with her in Proof), but I interpreted it as a signal, that he’s detaching himself from her to withdraw into himself. And she’s not letting it happen. He’s *not* a psychopath like Cat. I’m not a huge JJ fan, but when she assured him that ‘you bet your ass I would’ (have done the same thing, ie poison the drugs to save herself from being F&D’s next victim) I wanted to just reach into the TV and hug her. Yes! thank you! Not condescending. Not patronising. Not maudlin or pitying. Assertive. Like she’s encouraging him to be.

     

     Related to this, but probably more the director’s call, I was kinda disappointed that she didn’t touch his arm or his shoulder, or perhaps put her hand on his back, in support as they were headed up to the office in the elevator. I caught this screencap (below). JJ looks so relieved, tired and like she’s happily anticipating what’s about to happen for her best friend. His eyes are shut. I immediately thought, he’s thinking about the injustices of the last few months, the relief of being released and then the long day he’s just been through with Cat that is finally about to culminate in the reunion between mother and son. He must be absolutely emotionally and physically drained. I know I was!

     

    The reunion moment. Not a dry eye in the office. It was lovely to see, albeit through my own tears. Joe, Paget, AJ, Aisha and Kirsten all visibly moved as mother and son finally embrace. This is ‘personal moments’ on Criminal Minds at its best. Granted, the moment was Spencer and Diana’s, but interweaving reaction shots of the other teammates, especially the long time members was especially gratifying. No words needed (again, the song). Just kudos, kudos, kudos. The blocking/framing was so well done too; Prentiss gets the text and moves aside, the others all move along and we’re left with mother and son in this rather large area, refusing to let each other go. 

     

    Jane Lynch. ‘nuff said.

     

    the fantasy sequence. Harry Bring posted a photo to twitter showing that room in all its glorious vibrant colour, and Matthew and Aubrey in the dance clinch. What a gorgeous room it was! I loved how they filtered the actual scenes with a more sepia like tone to separate it from ‘reality’. His hair was still kinda long (dunno about you guys but I’m digging this length and the swept back from his face look of it. </shallow> ) though it was neat and brushed, and his facial hair was neater and more trimmed than in the prison room sequence. Contrast. And Aubrey, too, looked stunning in the fantasy. She really is a beautiful woman. And the prison room was so dark and gloomy comparatively. And in that crummy frumpy prison outfit, she looked *dreadful*.  It made the contrast between fantasy and reality so, so stark.  Which came around full circle at the end, when he slammed out the door and left her there, no makeup and hair askew, tears flowing and loss setting in. 

     

    Glenn Kershaw’s directing/Breen Frazier’s writing. Always my favourite pairing (well, except for MGG as director). Glenn’s got a style that just excels. I suppose the editor gets some of the credit, but I thoroughly loved the dissolves from one scene to another, to wit: In the prison room, when Cat says ‘tell Blondie over there to go’, there’s a shot of Reid’s face. He considers Cat’s request, and then turns his head to his right (presumably to indicate to JJ that she should leave) and it dissolves into the exact same expression on Reid’s face, same angle looking over his shoulder, but *poof* he’s in the fantasy sequence. This reoccurs several times (the dissolve from one angle into another), when they’re dancing, and also notably when asked about Maeve and each time it’s pure magic.

     

    I’ve already carried on (here and in previous posts) about how good Matthew was in this. Just a few words about *Reid*. I’m thoroughly gratified that, in effect, he was the one who solved this case and was ultimately responsible for his own exculpation. I worried that weeks away from the team would result in their not really needing him and that really gnawed. Fortunately, the writers remembered which one is the smartest one and even drugging, torture, deprivation and self loathing didn’t erode his abilities. And through all that he managed to outsmart Cat Adams again too. 

     

    wow, this is too long :-\ and I thought about even more. <shutting up now> if you’ve read through all this, you deserve a medal :)

    retro.jpg

    sizzzzzles.jpg

    Reposting your post because it's full of win (who would have ever thought that expression would sound so old fashioned?). Chorusing about a few points I particularly like:

    I loved the song, too, good choice (and I didn't particularly want to hear Glenn's daughter). And, yes, the score music was pretty darned subtle in this ep.

    Aubrey is the best CM bad guy, she even surpassed the great George Foyet. Truly, i'm hoping Cat can hunt down Mr. Scratch from prison before 13 and kill his *ss!

    Reid and JJ were perfect in this ep. At that low point you mention, when they are sitting on the floor, he starts to call her JJ, stops and says, "Jennifer" instead (he also called her Jennifer in a friendly way in season 10 or 11, so it's not just a distancing, angry name). And the elevator scene was just right, standing side by side, exhausted smiles to one another. They truly seem to have become "best" friends this year. I don't ship them, but, since the JJ character has been redeemed in my eyes, I really like that they are besties.

    And wasn't that fantasy room all golden, sparkly champagne? I loved that back and forth, the jarring juxtaposition between grim reality and the longing Cat has to have him love her. Weird, but very satisfying. 

    And your point, "Fortunately, the writers remembered which one is the smartest one and even drugging, torture, deprivation and self loathing didn’t erode his abilities." I say an amen.

    • Love 7

    S12.E22: Red Light

    in Criminal Minds

    I see that whole fantasy sequence as the mental place where Reid meets Cat, to give her the illusion that he's malleable to her whim. She - wants - him - to -want - her. She wants to dominate that brain, and that body, she wants to be the first to have him, she wants him to become like her because he loves her.

    Reid "meets" her there, where he knows she is, where it's beautiful, clean, romantic, and she is in charge.

    The back and forth in the fantasy realm, to me, demonstrates that Reid is feeling his way through her hopeful delusion, trying to find the crack in this mirror. Never looking at her with desire, as she wants, but looking to find what she hasn't thought of, what she will miss while trying to persuade him.

    • Love 8

    Season 13 Spoilers, Speculation and Anticipation

    in Criminal Minds

    Strauss said that Emily had her "eye on upper management", and that's why she (Strauss) recruited her to shake things up. Emily obviously came to think the team as it was, with Hotch at the helm, was more important than her ambitions at the time. She resigned rather than "whisper in" Strauss's ear, as Hotch himself said. 

    It was Hotch who pulled Emily back into the BAU, because he saw her actions as demonstration of loyalty to team, which means subjugating self.

    • Love 4

    Spencer Reid: Gorgeous Gray Matter

    in Criminal Minds

    · Edited by normasm

    18 minutes ago, Haleysgalaxy said:

    I also think I might consider some of this "empathizing" to be more "manipulation"  lol but I guess they really are quite similar. 

    There are also the circumstances where he actively manipulates an unsub because he understands their motivation. Chester Hardwick is a good example. The unsub from Persuasion. He tried to manipulate Diane. He manipulated (to a degree) the unsub in With Friends Like These. 

    And, we just saw the best manipulation of an unsub this last Wednesday!

    • Love 5

    S12.E22: Red Light

    in Criminal Minds

    No, it's not Reid's baby. But the mother is incompetent and the supposed father is dead. He could say she insisted he was the father, and apply. I'm not saying this needs to happen, I'm just saying, Spencer spent enough time last night talking about his wish that he was the father because he would take care of it and love it. The child will go into foster care at the very least. He might be able to make a case for custody, if he wants to.

    But it needs to be a girl if that happens!!!! ::snark::

    • Love 2

    S12.E22: Red Light

    in Criminal Minds

    XX-XY would not mean anything about the sex of the baby. All XX-XY means is FEMALE-MALE. So, unless she has fraternal opposite-sex twins, it means nothing about the baby.

    Besides, since there is a possibility Reid might want to gain custody of the child once it's born, I would insist at least ONE freakin' BAU baby be a girl!!!!!

    • Love 2

    Spencer Reid: Gorgeous Gray Matter

    in Criminal Minds

    13 minutes ago, Droogie said:

    The thing is, it's not a new Reid. He has always had it in him; he has always been a badass.  It manifests itself differently with him -- he doesn't kick in doors, or bash in heads.  He verbally annihilates, outsmarts, out-thinks. He brushes off insults about the fact that he doesn't look like a Morgan, doesn't act like a Hotch.  But he is the first -- and often only -- one to go in to a dangerous situation, unarmed and unprotected, prepared to use only his mind and his words.  And Reid is the only one, has always been the only one, to identify with the Unsubs, to risk his life for them.  It never generated the awe that it should have.

    There is nothing more badass than that. He was at the end of his tether, in prison -- we saw how far he would go.  Maybe he would have even gone further, but thankfully, he was released.  But this Reid is merely an extension of the man he has always been.  Reid has always stuck his neck out, always risked himself, always been willing to go down for the cause.  Real bravery is being terrified and doing it anyway.

    Just have to re-post this because you nailed it, Droogs!

    he has always been a badass!

    • Love 5
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