JMO

A snowy day-before-Thanksgiving and the Hallmark Channel returned to my cable lineup. I'm living a card.

Went Christmas shopping today. Target had Life After Beth for $8, so it sort of just fell into my basket. I truly do hate anything to do with zombies, but MGG being in it made it tolerable. It was the first time I couldn't see a trace of Reid in a character he played. But I still hold a grudge against this film, as it is responsible for Reid's awful haircut in season 9.

Great analysis, FA. And I think your final line, quoted above, is key to nearly all the issues I have with the writing. They could develop the characters further, and visit their personal lives, and have a successful season-long unsub if only they would plan things out in advance, and then make some level of commitment to the outline. A writer always has to be open to change, so I understand that nothing can be absolute. But any such change should be for the purpose of providing something better, and more compelling. That's not what we got.

Thanks for all of the responses. Your deductive reasoning makes sense, Normasm. I just don't like to waste energy getting excited (in either direction, up or down) about things that aren't real. And I've seen too many things on social media that start out as opinion or conjecture, and end up being regarded as fact, simply based on the number of people repeating them. Wish there was a 'snopes' for CM!

Not directing the question just to you, Old Dog, as you may not know. But does anyone know if this is fact or conjecture? I know the original plan for him to direct two episodes was fact, because it came out in an interview---don't remember if it was with him or another cast member---might have been JM. But I haven't seen anything official about any of the rest---not the declining of this latest episode, nor the change in allotted episodes for directing. Is there anything about this that doesn't come from a discussion board?

There have been a couple of comments to this effect on the board. Has this been announced, or are we just assuming it because he didn't direct in the first half of the year?

My guess is that we care a lot more about Reid's screen time and relevance than MGG does. Regardless of how much work he has to do, he still gets paid. If he's not even in the background of a scene, he probably doesn't have to be on set that day. So he gets to spend a lot more time on all of the creative projects he seems to enjoy so much. It's the ideal job, in some ways. And he's got enough of a fan base that will continue to tune in, hoping and praying to see him, that CBS/ABC would have no reason to let him go. Having said that, I really think he has some acting chops, both for drama and comedy, and I'd love to see them put to use. So despite the fact that I don't think it will happen, I would love to see him head off to another vehicle that would actually provide a platform for his skills to be displayed. I do still love the Reid character, and would be sorry to see him come to an end. But, if we're not getting him anyway, what's to lose?

Watching 'Revelations' for the umpteenth time, irritated all over again with A&E's editing. But, even with the omissions and choppiness-----it's still head and shoulders above '200'. This is how you write a 'team member in peril' story. It's not my favorite episode, as I don't really like all the acting choices made----but it accomplished appropriate levels of tension and angst while simultaneously giving all the team members something to do, and offering some key exposition on one of the members through the clever use of flashbacks. Excellent, efficient, intense writing and execution. How I miss this!

I would agree with you, CoStar, but I didn't hear it that way at all.

Regarding the 'ComicCon Incident'---I've actually been surprised to hear so many people were upset by it. I always took it to mean that JJ knew Reid so well by then that she could predict where the conversation was going. And I'm completely with her on not wanting to go to ComicCon. The 'mean girl'/ 'guys like you' thing was a little bizarre, in both directions. It was odd that Reid would start the conversation, and a major faux pas on JJ'spart that she would come back with the 'guys like you' remark. I would have loved for them to have a followup conversation about that. It was true that the returned JJ was already acting like a bit of a mean girl, so the conversation might have made sense as a way for the writers to explore the character's transformation. But that would indicate a capability for insight, and ----well, you know.

I thought it was a well known fact that he's been tessering. He has no time to appear in new shows. He's too busy revisiting the past, playing his much heftier role in the reruns.

The storyline didn't hold my interest, since its essence was the same as Restoration (thanks for the reminder on the name, FA). So I just have random observations to make: In the first scene, I thought it was odd that the jury was supposed to decide a sentence that might be as light as probation and community service. I thought the judge did that, and that juries get involved mostly for death penalty considerations. This happens pretty much every episode now, but----what happened to them using tablets? They made an issue of it that Reid wanted paper, but that's pretty much all any of them use these days. I did think SM gave an appropriately understated performance of recalled angst. He's better at that than he is at exposition. I actually think JLH gives the most genuine, least stilted performance of any of them. MGG is capable, but only if they give him room, which they no longer do. Meg is like every other teen---she's been taught about it, she knows about it, and she doesn't completely recognize it when it happens. This is obviously the season-long story line. I hope they handle it well. I am increasingly worried about the permanent fading of Reid into the background. The less he's written, the less the next writer 'knows' him, or what to do with him. Not that they couldn't remedy that situation by watching old episodes, but I don't think the current crew has the humility to realize that they need to. Overall, I'm with Old Dog. A big 'U' from me. And the promo for next week made me wince.

I will have to admit that I didn't find the 'original' interesting enough to watch in detail, so I could be wrong about this----but wasn't this essentially a rehash of Morgan's revisiting of his childhood trauma? I thought that one was about Buford's victims exacting revenge.

I agree with those who think Reid is, and has always been, pretty much of a loner. I can't see him approaching a woman unless she is a 'damsel in distress'. But I can see a woman approaching him. (Who could resist?") FA's suggestion of his meeting someone in a bookstore, or a coffee shop.....or maybe a lecture series, or a film series....all seem realistic to me. I really doubt he is sexually experienced. As has been pointed out, he would have been jail bait for fellow students when he was in high school and college. He might have come close if approached by an undergrad when he was getting one of his PhDs. So, maybe. But it would have to have been her idea. Also as pointed out, he did tell Elle that he'd never asked anyone on a date. Despite the fact that we've already seen a doomed romance, I wouldn't mind seeing a happy one evolve. I would not like to be presented with a fully developed one (as in Morgan/Savannah---I think the reason I don't care about their relationship is that I didn't get to see it evolve, even in thirty second increments). And I don't even necessarily need to see it reach fruition. I would just like to know that Reid has someone in his life who genuinely, deeply cares about him, and he about her. But, mostly, I'd like to see a story line of any sort. I don't even care if he just factors into an episode that is centered on another character. Let him be a sounding board for Hotch, as he has been in the past. Let JJ confide her PTSD to him (I know, it's already been said to be Hotch), Let Rossi vent about his ex to someone he thinks is 'safe'. Anything.

This is what happened: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9730611/4/Prelude But don't tell anyone. It's classified.

I'm with you on this, feverfew. Although we do manage to have good conversations most of the time, every so often this board reminds me of why I stopped eating lunch in the lunchroom. I still like my coworkers, but the concentrated negativity gave me indigestion.

Every time I watch Slave of Duty, I'm struck by the scene near the end where Reid gives Garcia a list of names to look up, and she doesn't ask for the spelling of a single one. In contrast, in this episode she took notes about the parameters Morgan wanted her to research, and was still working on them several hours later. I took it as a sign that they've decided to inject a small note of reality into her role on the team.

Watching the scene where Hotch meets Emily. What do you think all those trophies in his office are for?

I've always thought the same. He's obviously grimacing as he goes down the steps. The whole way the show handled it made me think that some of the higher ups were angry with MGG for having gotten hurt, as though he'd done it by choice. It wasn't exactly skydiving, it was dancing. (Granted, the way he dances, there's not all that much difference between the two.) They mentioned it only because they obviously had to, and took no advantage of the storyline of a disabled agent. The other cast members, Paget and AJ in particular, were accommodating. Paget helped with his crutches, and AJ often hung back in a scene to accompany him. Not sure if that was their choice or the directors', but it was good to see. Somebody had to be able to grab him if he started to fall.

Ran through it again while I got some work done this morning. In the light of a new day, I've changed my mind. It was only 95% drivel, and 5% Reid in a suit jacket. To me, the use of social media is important because it allows me to communicate with, and keep up on, old friends who are distant, and new friends (like you), who share similar interests (if not opinions), from a world-wide variety of places. So I would have been very interested if the team had gradually learned of related killings happening all over the country (or the world), at different times, all connected by someone stalking the victims on line. Neither this one, nor The Internet Is Forever (except the broadcasting of the killings) took advantage of the amazing geographical interconnectedness of it. Such killings might even have made an intriguing, season-long theme. But to have it all play out among a group of supposed adolescents (only the unsub looked remotely like one) in the same geographical area was, to me, not remotely captivating. I do think it did a disservice to adolescents by implying that they are more impressed with the number of 'likes' a person has generated than they are with the content of that person's character. Certainly not true of the teens I know. I would have been interested in the 'Slenderman' aspect, as I struggle with understanding the adolescent mindset that caused that incident to happen. Had the show actually focused on that, I think this could actually have been an important episode, alerting parents and all of us who work professionally with adolescents to look for similar behaviors and thought patterns. If only they'd told us what those patterns were. Random thoughts: If Reid's smile at JJ had happened in a different context, I would have already written a story about it. But I didn't understand that at all. Thought it was odd that Morgan would be openly professing love to Savannah with Garcia sitting in his office. But I do like that they've toned down the sexual innuendo in their 'banter'. It's been a very long time since we've seen Morgan in a suit jacket. When he and Reid arrived at the scene, all I could think of was 'Men In Black'. They just looked like G Men. Reid's hair as a co-star----absolute yes to that! But, really, it isn't remotely attractive. He needs to take a comb or a scissors to it. Preferably both. I do think this particular episode pandered to a certain demographic (I would have used 'catered' if the demographic had been mine). That would have been tolerable if there had been a true message for that demographic. If there was, it went right by me. Hope they caught it. Hoping for better days ahead, but I think it will take me a while to recover from this one.

Maybe it's just been too long a day, but that was ...just....absolute....drivel, from start to finish.

Georgetown is an historic neighborhood in DC. Georgetown University is located there, but it's very possible to live 'in' Georgetown without attending the university.

Thanks, Normasm. It's therapeutic, and it's a great way to keep from getting work done! And, I will admit, fanfiction is a major reason I'm still able to like JJ---I just do my best to 'fix' her.

The logic simply doesn't hold. There was no telegraphing that Reid would have much to do in this episode, neither in previews nor in spoilers. So there was no way to use Reid as a 'draw'. One had to watch the episode to know that he would be featured in a number of scenes. No collusion there. For me, however, the comment does raise the question of what makes an episode 'centric'. Having bookended scenes doesn't quite meet the criteria in my mind. Instead, episodes like Revelations, Memoriam, 100, (the awful) 200, Profiler Profiled come to mind, where the entire storyline had to do with a specific character. I don't think that happened here.

Adequate Reid, so I watched. Decent episode, although I will probably only watch the Reid scenes again. Good use of the team and their varying areas of experience/expertise: Morgan suspecting the childhood victimization/ JJ recognizing the fairy tale story / Garcia finding things with vaguely reasonable parameters / Hotch knowing to show compassion toward the unsub (love that Hotch!). I thought the unsub story was reasonably consistent within itself---by which I mean that, whether or not it was realistic, it didn't go in six different directions. I wish we knew which episodes were based on real cases, and which not. I doubt that our designation of 'preposterous' would hold up against some of the realities. There have simply been too many times (only in my work life, thank God), when I've found myself saying, "You can't make this stuff up." Having said that, I was impressed that one could actually puncture the skin with a stiletto heel without breaking the shoe. Which may have more to do with the fact that I've probably spent, cumulatively throughout my lifetime, less money on my own footwear than some spend on a single pair of shoes. A nitpick: How did the unsub glide so steadily across the cemetery lawn with one glass heel and one flat? Are Reid's arms that powerful? I'm not sure Reid's knowledge about fairy tales contributed anything to solving the case, but I enjoyed it, and thought it was spot on regarding JJ's dilemma. I remember having a very dog-eared copy of the originals as a child, and remember being fascinated with how different they were from the Disney versions. I remember being excited about seeing a film about the Brothers Grimm (not the Heath Ledger one), but remember nothing else about it. Regarding the bookends: My guess is that the brief plot line was a set up for JJ's later episode, because of its suggestion that denial runs in their family. It would provide a little bit of an arc, and a lead-up, that might help make the later episode make more sense. So I, for one, thought it was a good idea. I also thought 'Henry' delivered his lines well. But he looked very sad, for a little guy sitting on his grandmother's lap. I'm guessing he misses his godfather. So I hope they can get together soon-----and then Reid can borrow Henry's comb.