Season 9 Episodes Talk

[normasm]

Saw that earlier. Doesn't give much away that we haven't seen in the preview. I'm still hoping Alex is still in, Cruz is GONE, and JJ takes her rightful place as a member of the team, no more, or less important or dominant than anyone else. 

[Danielg342]

I get the sense that "Angels and Demons" would be a better pair of episodes to watch when one already knows what's going to happen, like "The Fisher King" would be now. The whole "who's going to make it?" vibe with the stress it induces is detracting from the storytelling, I find.

[Happytobehere]

I think the "Say Goodbye Forever" is a standard cheap ploy. One of the characters is going to quit and move away, most likely Tripplehorn's character because she not only hasn't made much of an impact but because she keeps talking about house hunting, and last season we got the move with the husband question. The husband will likely get an awesome job somewhere else that he can't turn down. He will find the perfect house and Blake will transfer to be with him.

Based on this episode, it is clear that Damien near everyone in Texas regardless of race or gender is an incompetent idiot.

Can I just say once more how much I hate Super JJ. Bringing the character back in this enhanced role was a mistake. TPTB are fawning over a mediocre actress because they fail to understand that fan outrage over the firings was centered on the show's disregard for female characters and not about this particular female character. Perhaps she could have stood in front of the guns and deflected the bullets with the sheer awesomeness that is her.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Happytobehere

[normasm]

James already got the job he wanted, at Harvard, and he wanted Alex to join him in linguistics. She made the choice not to join him, even though Reid advised her that she had something he longed for and work would always be there. Blake's character has been given the short shrift from the writers and producers, so it has been tough for her to make a character out of almost nothing. I think she's done well in the last little while, but who knows if it's enough?

 

I agree "say goodbye forever" has been done since the 70s, but I'm starting to hope that it's Shemar who's bowing out.

[Wilowy]

It isn't. He's got a momma with MS to look after and a contract for another year. He's not going anywhere. 

[ForeverAlone]

Here is another version of the CTV promo for Demons.

 

http://criminalmindsroundtable.blogspot.kr/2014/05/criminal-minds-season-9-924-demons_7.html

[zannej]

I'm wondering if the "sad secret" is unrelated to which team member will leave. Of course, they say a team member will leave "forever" but it doesn't have to be at the end of this season. It could a set up to explain why Morgan leaves at the end of next season.

 

I'm still trying to run down the possibilities of which member has the secret and what it could be.

So I'm thinking cancer or degenerative disease which could hit any of the characters (although its unlikely to be JJ, Garcia, or Morgan), or inability to have children (which would probably affect JJ), or a family member dying (or near death).

 

After seeing the promos I hope that Reid

pulls his gun and shoots the guy that is trying to shoot him OR manages to distract him.

 

I'm also hoping that the episode doesn't leave me pissed off or just underwhelmed. Also hoping they won't have anymore Lily Kershaw songs. I don't like her singing, but since her father always directs the finales he likes to put her songs in.

[ForeverAlone]

Oooh this finale will have a Lily Kershaw song at the end. Erica has already said so in an interview. Of course if you read Erica's interview, she really makes it sound like this finale will adhere to the formula from the previous two seasons. But when you read the AJ interview, you get a completely different feel. So I wonder how this finale will really go. 

 

I personally think the sad secret is unrelated to the profiler who is supposed to be leaving. Let's assume the tagline for the episode is correct, and one profiler will be leaving forever (presumably at the end of this episode). That leaves us with six possibilities: Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, Reid, Alex and JJ. Penelope is not a profiler, and neither is Cruz. Sure in the past the show has been known to hype something. In season seven, they said "one of their own" was getting hurt, and it turned out to be Will. In the most liberal sense he is one of their own, because he is a law enforcement officer, and at the time, JJ's boyfriend. Last year, we heard that someone from the team was going to die, and in the most liberal sense, Strauss was. Yes, she wasn't part of the BAU team specifically, but she was their section chief, so I suppose you can consider she was part of her team. But this time, the promo specifically said "profiler." 

 

What will impress me more, is that if a main character does leave, is the discipline around the show and the network. I mean, if a main character departs and we have no word of it in advance, would be completely out of the norm for the show. Every other time a main character departed, we had plenty of advance warning from the media. This time, there is nothing. The smart money would say it is Jeanne, just because her contract is up, and Alex is not the most beloved character. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything. If the show actually has a departure of a main character that is final at the end of this episode, the show had to have known about it no later than February to write it into the finale. Which means that whoever is departing either made the announcement to the producers, or were told they weren't coming back. Not that big of a deal, since that is what happened with Paget in season seven. But to keep it all quiet this time and only hint at a departure in the finale promo? That takes some discipline that we have never seen from this show before. 

 

But if nobody actually leaves, or it is Cruz, I can easily see anger from the fandom as their emotions were jerked around yet again. Piss off the fans with enough misdirection often enough, and you are liable to lose the trust of the fandom. So I hope the show knows what they are doing this time around. We'll see soon enough. 

[normasm]

I don't know, FA, I'd be happy if it were Cruz. I've seen enough of Erica's teasers to believe it could be Cruz who says goodbye forever, even though he isn't a profiler. In his first episode with them he was profiling right along with them, much to my annoyance. 

 

Although I think they have too many profilers, i would miss Jeanne if she left, and I don't believe anyone else is cycling out (I had a brief moment of hope that Shemar would go, but not according to Willowy).

[ForeverAlone]

Cruz would be a complete let down, just because it is so unnecessary. I mean he has been in five episodes, and nobody is really attached to him, so his departure would have no impact. He could disappear for the rest of the series, but remain in the section chief job, and hardly anyone would notice or care. Honestly if the show is screwing with our emotions for the third year in a row, it really is likely to create a backlash among the fandom. Granted we already knows that Erica pretty much sits on a throne of lies, but it would just demonstrate that the show is incapable of generating much interest through quality storytelling, but has to rely on cheap ploys. Yes, I know the show is very much hovering around that point, but I keep hoping for good storytelling.

[Wilowy]

AS A TEAM MEMBER’S LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE, THE BAU UNCOVERS A WEB OF CORRUPTION DURING A MURDER INVESTIGATION IN TEXAS, ON THE CONCLUSION OF THE TWO-PART NINTH SEASON FINALE OF “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, MAY 14.

 

Esai Morales Returns as BAU Section Chief Mateo Cruz

 

Guest Stars Include Michael Trucco as Owen McGregor and Brett Cullen as Preacher Mills

 

“Demons” – The BAU continues its murder investigation in Texas, and clues uncover a deep web of corruption that could be the motive for the killings. Meanwhile, as one team member’s life hangs in the balance, another concerned BAU member must face a sad secret from the past, and Garcia is thrust into action to save a colleague, on the conclusion of the two-part ninth season finale of CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, May 14 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. 

[Wilowy]

Moved talk of showrunner ineptitude and who's staying/going over to The Bullpen. 

 

Also the new episode threads going forward (and into next season) will open at 9am day of air, to give peeps a chance to speculate beforehand. Please put all spoilers you may want to share under tags until after broadcast. 

[Wilowy]

So here we are, the day is upon us. Since we know someone is exiting, who do you want to see leave, and how do you want them to go?

 

Who is it that is

pointing the gun at Reid

, when Erica has said straight up that it isn't the UnSub?

 

All I know is, my Spencer better be okay. 

[Danielg342]

You know what else I find ironic about the finale? Joe Mantegna said before the season that "Season 9 will be a love letter to all the fans who have stuck with us for so long".

Some love letter this turned out to be, especially if Reid is gone.

[normasm]

I hope it's not Alex, but I believe it is. I would hope for JJ leaving, but know that won't happen either.

 

I guess Morgan, but I would want him to have an exit arc, at least 2 episodes that dealt with the compelling reason why he was leaving, whatever it would be. Second would be Rossi, at least to have him step down from the field, maybe be a consultant, since I don't think the politics of Section Chief would be for him. But again, I would want a couple of episodes to give him a proper goodbye.

[Wilowy]

@normasm I agree that Section Chief and all its encumbering rigmarole wouldn't be Rossi's cuppa, but it is the only position I can see him taking that would keep him on the show. 

 

I'm confident it isn't Reid, based on all things considered, and if I had to choose anyone to go it would be Alex, but only because she's the newest (I don't factor Cruz in the equation at all, he's a non-entity as far as emotional involvements go). I really like her, and wish the whole team was staying together for ten, but if anyone has to be sacrificed, it makes the most sense for it to be her. I just don't want her position filled by some lame-o johnny come lately that we will absolutely have zero care for, and who will ultimately just become a screen-time suck for the rest of the team.

[IndependentMind]

And that is filled, and like I said before, I hope the person is not just another profiler. And that it would be nice to have that person have a medical background. 

[Wilowy]

I think it would be really beneficial to have a psychiatrist on the team. Brain functionality and medical in one! :)

 

Or, y'know, I'd settle for Dr. Kimora! Who doesn't love Dr. Kimora?

[IndependentMind]

An interview with AJ about tonight's finale.

 

'Criminal Minds' Season 9 finale 'is a thrill ride from beginning to end,' says A.J. Cook

 

http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/criminal_minds_season_9_finale_part_2_is_a_thrill_ride_from_beginning_to_end_says_aj_cook-2014-05

[Wilowy]

Might do, might do... at least AJ has gotten a little more wise to the fact that we don't want JJ as the star every week. I think in this interview she was very cognizant of the team closing ranks and coming together and I really like that attitude. More like, 'ok yeah JJ can high kick, big whoop, let's go get the bad guy together.'

[zannej]

As I was watching the promos I was wondering several things. When you look at what they are saying in TV Guide-- they say that 6 profilers will return. However, they did not say that ONLY 6 return. Logically that means all of them could still return. They said someone will "say goodbye forever" but that doesn't mean leaving. If Blake's husband is at home cooking and watching TV, maybe there is something up with him. Maybe he is terminally ill and beyond the point of help so he's spending more time with her-- which would give her something over which to bond with Rossi (the mutual thing of a loved one developing a terminal illness). So she might have to "say goodbye forever" to her husband.

 

Over on the IMDB someone questioned why I was paying attention to the Dalek instead of the guy with the gun. I just don't think they would be able to kill off Reid without something leaking out first. It would just be colossally asinine. If they did go that route, then it would turn that supposed "love letter" in to a huge FU for Reid fans (although I never got the impression that this season was in any way a "love letter" toward any fans other than people who are enamored of the new JJ.

 

Anyway, my thoughts on that scene with Reid and Garcia in the hospital:

1. Maybe the guy was not a bad guy and was just startled (highly unlikely)

2. I wonder if he was putting some sort of poison or something to try to kill Reid in the IV-- an overdose of painkillers or something.

3. Maybe Garcia will outbluff the guy and intimidate him in to lowering the gun instead of shooting Reid.

4. Maybe he will turn the gun on Garcia and Reid will take that Dalek and bash him in the face (bonus points if he yells "Exterminate")-- but I'm a bit doubtful on that.

5. If Reid is strong enough he could try to wrestle the gun away when the guy gets distracted by Garcia (also doubtful on that one)

6. One of the team members may come in to the rescue

7. Someone else who is not in on the shenanigans will come in and save Reid

 

I'm wondering if they will remember about Reid not wanting to take narcotics...

[Wilowy]

4. Maybe he will turn the gun on Garcia and Reid will take that Dalek and bash him in the face (bonus points if he yells "Exterminate")-- but I'm a bit doubtful on that.

 

 

Now this must happen.

[zannej]

Someone posted this over on the IMDB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVe7N1LE1aI

 

The first 30 seconds or so are the promos we've already seen, but it also contains a Sneak Peek after that.

Arg.. how do I make the link show up as text in case flash doesn't work for some people?

Edited May 14, 2014 by zannej

[ForeverAlone]

AJ is out in force promoting this episode. 

 

http://www.tvfanatic.com/2014/05/criminal-minds-exclusive-aj-cook-on-deep-secrets-huge-changes-an/

[missmycat]

It is interesting that AJ Cook herself admits that the fan reaction to her character changes has been about 50/50. 

[HelloooKitty]

Did Alex call him Ethan? Twice?

[Wilowy]

She did. And now we know why. What a sad ending.

 

I LOVED this episode.

[missmycat]

Breathing now! OMG my baby boy is safe. It is Blake leaving right ? I thought they sort of left it in the air. Damn it I'm going to really miss her.

It was nice that she shared her sad secret with Reid. I was sure she was going to share it with Rossi. I'm glad they didn't kill anyone off.

 

Edit: oops I forgot that Blake did text Hotch on the plane and she left her badge and credentials in Reid's satchel after she dropped him off.

Edited May 15, 2014 by missmycat

[Danielg342]

She did. And now we know why. What a sad ending.

 

I LOVED this episode.

 

I missed this, on purpose, because I wanted to see if it'd be worth watching afterward. Is Alex gone? Did anyone leave? Is the Meaning of Life 43?

[Wilowy]

Yes, she gave Reid her credentials and texted Hotch on the plane. 

And the meaning of life is 42.

And I got TWO Jencer moments! *swoon*

 

And JELLO!

[Lebanna]

I really didn't want Blake to go, I wanted the writers to find a use for her and not leave her standing around like a lemon so often. They never seemed to find their feet with the character, but I liked her a lot.

 

Now I'm wondering who they'll get to replace her. I hope it's another woman in her forties or older, and not another baby agent like Seaver. A bit of female gravitas is such an awesome thing to have in a show like this, and needed to balance García and JJ.

 

I hope we get a woman who really knows where her towel is. A hoopy frood as it were. (Sorry, the 42 thing always sets me off ;)

Edited May 15, 2014 by Lebanna

[ali59]

I too, noticed that she called Spencer "Ethan."  I wondered about it and had the feeling that it would be her son.  When Alex told Spencer about Ethan, it grabbed me by the heart.  I've been through the same kind of loss as Alex and it just made me feel so sad for her.  I don't blame her for resigning.  She never seemed to be comfortable in the job.  Some people can handle seeing that kind of stuff and some can't.  I'll miss Jean Tripplehorn for the same reason as Lebanna mentioned.  I like having an older woman on the team and I hope they do a good job with whoever fills the spot.

[kikismom]

Am I the only one who got pissed at Garcia, after she fired the shot, when Spencer is there in shock and blood loss and weak and traumatized--- and she's going on about her hearing and how it felt like her heart was beating through her chest yadayada..I'm yelling at my screen "It isn't about you Garcia!!" She's wanting Dr. Reid to give her reassurance and he's hardly able to breathe! I couldn't believe when she's asking about is it always like this---you aren't the one shot Garcia! Way to be self-absorbed!

[Danielg342]

Yes, she gave Reid her credentials and texted Hotch on the plane. 

And the meaning of life is 42.

And I got TWO Jencer moments! *swoon*

 

And JELLO!

 

Shame. Just when I was starting to like Blake...hopefully it's just a ploy and she finds a way to return next year anyway.

 

Or, at the very least, we get a female profiler (they're not just going to have only JJ as the female staff on the team) who'll have some medical experience and maybe is a young, eager whipper-snappper whose enthusiasm will rub off on the rest of the team and inject some life into their staid proceedings. Besides, someone who's younger than Reid would allow the "boy wonder" to become the man he ought to be right now and stop being the butt of all the jokes.

 

(Of course, if it were up to me, Zoe Hawkes wouldn't be dead and she'd be on this team...a boy can dream, right?)

[Wilowy]

Haha well Garcia had never shot a gun before and she was scared and babbling, but she did realize the gravity of it, and Reid was fine. He was super ADORABLE and grateful she saved his life. :)

[normasm]

Please go through the last 10 minutes of the show for me, my satellite went out due to a storm. I'll try to download it and watch tomorrow, but, til then, could someone just synopsize the show from the time JJ Hotch and Morgan went into the junk yard? Thanks.

[IndependentMind]

In my opinion, I think Jeanne thought she would have something more to work with on the show. That never came because Messer was to keen on making sure that JJ is significant. Making her the focus in both season 9. They never developed Blake. She is just there.

[Bavct]

So, Blake shows up and brings Luke Skywalker to stalk the team and to kill Erin and now she just ups and leaves? Seriously - I just wanted Blake to be used more.
 

Why couldn't JJ go instead?

 

Can we get one of the awesome agents we have seen before to join the team?  My favorite was always Katie Cole from 911 but I'll take Andi Swann too - without Seaver. 

Edited May 15, 2014 by Bavct

[Wilowy]

I also would be happily on board with Katie Cole. I like Andi too, but of the two of them I think Katie would be better. She'd be GREAT with the kid's cases, and she had a nice chemistry with Hotch. *eyebrow eyebrow*

[JMO]

I don't know.  I truly wish I could have enjoyed it as much as some of you did.  It was very heavy on running-around-and-shooting-in-the-dark, and way too light on Reid (or anything to do with him) for my taste.  Even a minute of reversing of that balance would have made a huge difference.  Why intimate that you've got a major character in a life-threatening situation if you're not going to play it for drama?

 

I did enjoy the premise of the rogue police department, and the suspense of the team needing to work without letting on.  The scene with Rossi and Blake knowing they were about to be attacked was very intense, maybe the most of the entire episode-----but the actual confrontation apparently took place during the commercial.

 

The fifteen seconds of expressed concern about Reid was welcome----but it was fifteen seconds. Maybe that was because the wound that was life threatening enough to put him into shock (with a heart rate of 30 instead of 130----a case report in the making) was actually not so life-threatening.  How else could he have undergone serious neck surgery without being intubated (for a while there, I thought that surgeon must have been in on the corruption) and recovered within hours so he could eat jello.

 

Alex's decision had long been telegraphed, so the only surprise was her reason.  I did think her story line was well portrayed in the episode.  And I think she demonstrated that, given material, she can deliver.

 

It wasn't terrible.  It just wasn''t what it could have been.  But I remain ever hopeful.

[Wilowy]

I too thought the Blake/Rossi confrontation scene with the cops was extremely tense, though I do wish we had seen them ram the cop cars. Heh heh! Awesome Rossi! 

 

And I love your "apparently happened during the commercial" - hee! 

[kikismom]

I had 3 hour neck surgery in March--a deep neck dissection around my carotid artery,under my tongue from the inside, shaved the strap muscles in my throat (the muscles that hold your head up) because it had grown into the muscle, I was intubated, ...and when I woke up in recovery I ate pudding and yogurt and even though they told me to eat soft gentle things like soup for a couple days, I went home that night and ate an entire pizza! (well, in my defense, I had not been allowed to eat since the previous day.) I felt fine; it didn't bother me at all.

Of course, I had also consumed some pain-killing drugs.

[IndependentMind]

I want Kelly Hu. I hope they get her. Or Tamlyn Tomita. Or maybe Parmider Nagra.

Edited May 15, 2014 by IndependentMind

[missmycat]

I don't want anybody. I am sad that Jeanne is leaving. But now that she is. I think the show would benefit from one less cast member. Besides whoever they bring on board will probably have to take a backseat to the awesomeness that is Jennifer "JJ" Jareau. Poor Alex she really didn't stand a chance.

[Wilowy]

See I don't want anybody famous. No stunt casting. If they HAVE to replace her (instead of just letting Paget pop in from time to time), I'd like it to be someone little-known, but with some grit. No polished Lady Deathstrike or CIA Operative. ;)

Did anyone catch WHAT the drug was called that gave Reid a bad reaction? The one that the killer was trying to inject into his IV?

[IndependentMind]

MMC- I doubt CBS won't fill that in. I am pretty sure they will get someone known. But will probably tell EM to make her more significant that Jeanne was.

[JMO]

Willowy,

The drug was carbenicillin.

[kikismom]

I wish they would do something more with Cruz; Esai Morales was so charismatic on Jericho and he's just like blank filler here. I don't understand why they get people like Morales and Tripplehorn and have them spend 90% of their very little screen time being furniture, what's the point.

[Wilowy]

@kikismom, Esai's HBO show was just picked up. Cruz will probably stay in the background next season. 

[Danielg342]

Or maybe Parmider Nagra.

 

Yes! She deserves a chance after The Blacklist gave her the shaft.

 

(Also because, even though it's a pipe dream, a Blacklist/CM crossover would be epic)

Edited May 15, 2014 by Danielg342