Spencer Reid: Gorgeous Gray Matter

[autumnmountains]

In order to make the technophobe and anti-internet thing make sense, I can only assume that sometime after reading the blog he got totally disgusted with the internet, shut down any personal e-mail accounts, and decided to eschew computers as much as possible. Maybe the computers started to give him headaches or he was beginning to get headaches and thought it was related to computer use so he stopped.

 

I think it would be nice if he did get a love interest that was someone whow as a friend of his offscreen and it blossomed from friendship to something more. Someone he's really comfortable with that "gets" him- and doesn't need to be rescued.

Exactly.

[SparedTurkey]

 

9. The scene where Prentiss said "There's a lot to hate about you Dr. Reid" and he didn't smile or seem to think that it was a joke.

I don't mind that scene for three main reasons - I think Paget Brewster was able to make it sound nicely teasing (friendly even) without judgement (unlike Seaver for example), that Emily and Reid had a team/friendly relationship where that kind of thing wouldn't be misconstrued (like her acknowledging his issues in season 2 to his face - unlike other team members or the Waco rip-off with Luke Perry) and I get that perspectives are to each their own but I didn't think that he took it seriously or was hurt by the comment. I think it is a nice contrast to the way that kind of thing is usually dismissive.

 

Similarly - in the tattoo episode, when Prentiss and Morgan get Reid to do all the reading - I didn't think it was malicious on Prentiss' part but more like something friends would do. But that might just be me.

 

Also, coming over from I think Unpopular Opinions - while I don't think Reid is a secret Cassanova I don't like the idea he is a virgin AND I rewatched the first season episode with the actress-with-a-stalker and I don't think that episode plays it like that. He totes knows what he is doing.

[Droogie]

I think he has to at least have one. We know that with a google search you can find his FBI photo (that's something he told Maeve), although apparently at the time he had a fascination with the yeti and hadn't shaved? Which is strange, because he joined at 22 so that means sometimes before the show started he was walking around all hairy-like. I wish they didn't add that. 

Which episode was this? I'm not recalling it.

The technophobe thing, to me, was another example of retconning that never rang true. He's a PhD in Engineering, for corn's sake. I don't know which branch -- what do you guys think? I kind of lean toward chemical engineering; maybe he could've worked on that doctorate simultaneously with the one in Chemistry.

Anyway! He used computers in S1 and wasn't uncomfortable. I think he prefers to read hard copies of things bc he can go at his speed and doesn't have to wait for sites to load, etc. Maybe he just doesn't use the internet bc of stalker-type things, or privacy issues. He's a very private person. I wish they'd explain that, instead of just making him look silly.

[Droogie]

Thanks! I remember that convo but for some reason I didn't remember that snippet until I read your post.

Every Reid conversation? Awesome.

[normasm]

Qwerty, i never knew he was saying "the yeti" in that scene, thank you!

[zannej]

Droogie, from what I recall about Reid's engineering dissertation, it had to do with medical models. I used to remember what it was, its in my notes somewhere... I believe its on the CM wiki. I once wrote down what the title meant, but I'm blanking at the moment.

[thewhiteowl]

"A fascination with the yeti" is not a great place to get your facial hair grooming advice. IMO Maybe it does explain the hair on his head, though.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

The technophobe thing, to me, was another example of retconning that never rang true. He's a PhD in Engineering, for corn's sake. I don't know which branch -- what do you guys think? I kind of lean toward chemical engineering; maybe he could've worked on that doctorate simultaneously with the one in Chemistry.

 

When did the technophobe thing begin? Right off the top of my head, all I can recall is the time he told Rossi that he was subscribed to a bunch of small town newspapers, that he used to get more but they disappeared. David says, "You mean they went online", and Spencer replies, "Same thing". But that happened in Alchemy, so it wasn't that long ago canon-wise.

 

Conversely, he told JJ in The Performer that he didn't know who Edward Cullen is, which really doesn't bother me all that much as Twilight is shite (vampires do not fucking sparkle) and I would like to think that Reid would be totally unaware of the existence of such trash. But in conjunction with that, she asked him if he ever read anything other than technical books, and he says, "Not much in English." Wouldn't you have to have an online source to obtain books not written in English if you live in the States? Even if it was just a site like Amazon, which sells internationally, I'm not sure of the ease of finding non-English reading material unless you've done some poking around on the 'net.

[Saje]

Unless he just had them, from his mother's personal book stash, and I can totally see him rummaging through olde timey, obscure dusty bookstores looking for that one copy of La Nausée by Jean-Paul Sartre where the main theme is existential angst.

 

But yes, his aversion to computers is sort of new and really inconsistent. One day Penelope is passing out tablets and Reid whines "We've gone digital?", and she answers "Don't worry, here's a paper file for Dr. Luddite..." or something like that. And wasn't that just a couple of seasons ago?

 

Yet there he was in 200 helping Penelope in that purple room trying to hack stuff. And earlier on he had no trouble at all. Going through Nathan Harris's computer, Owen Savage's emails, etc... So either he waffles back and forth, has no qualms about using tech on the job, or the writers are just dumb. Maybe an amalgam of all three?

[normasm]

(vampires do not fucking sparkle) 

Word

[ForeverAlone]

I want to say that Reid as technophobe emerged in season 4 when he started carrying a revolver instead of a Glock, but there have been numerous examples of him being reasonably adept with technology since then, so there is no character consistency.

And I pretty much have to ignore everything in The Performer as character canon, because it completely deviates from the stuff we have seen before.

I personally attribute it to individal writers putting their own personal spin on a character, completely disregarding the history established previously, or writers writing something that serves the immediate storyline without caring that they should be creating consistent and realistic characters.

[Old Dog]

Hollywood Costumes just tweeted this. Wonder why he is shopping for wigs??

 

[autumnmountains]

Hollywood Costumes just tweeted this. Wonder why he is shopping for wigs??

 

 

Hmm..dunno..maybe getting a start on Halloween, he only has two months and six days until the big day! And you know much he looooooves Halloween! :)

Edited August 25, 2015 by autumnmountains

[Saje]

Maybe he's trying to look like Ellen again. lol

[zannej]

I believe the technophobe thing started more officially in season 5. Reid went from saying some moron made a blog called What Would Carl Sagan Do in like the 2nd or 3rd episode of the season (I think) and then in "The Internet Is Forever" he said he didn't have e-mail.

 

I also agree that "The Performer" is very out of character and not just for Reid.

[autumnmountains]

I believe the technophobe thing started more officially in season 5. Reid went from saying some moron made a blog called What Would Carl Sagan Do in like the 2nd or 3rd episode of the season (I think) and then in "The Internet Is Forever" he said he didn't have e-mail.

 

I also agree that "The Performer" is very out of character and not just for Reid.

I barely even remember him in it! lol

[Saje]

For anyone who wants to see deleted scenes with JJ and Spencer from The Forever People - clickety click:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nja6Vza0R7k

 

They should not have cut them.

[normasm]

Wow! Thanks for posting these Saje! The scene with Reid and JJ in the elevator, and then the way she got in alone at the end... why the hell did they not ditch some of the crap in that episode for this?! It's so much better!

[JMO]

Thanks, Saje!  Those elevator scenes, and the scene of JJ with the parent, would have changed the tone of the episode, in a good way.

 

I've always wondered how much of the problem was in the writing, and how much in the editing.  It's certainly interesting that someone had enough insight to put these scenes in the DVD extras.  I'd love to know who that was----and put them in charge!.

 

So, who edits?  The director, I'm sure.  But is it also the writer?  The executive producer, the showrunner?  Does anyone know?

 

 

[ForeverAlone]

When Matthew edits, I have only ever seen pictures of him and his editor. I have never seen anyone else in the room, though I am sure they provide feedback, because they screen the episodes multiple times before they are released. 

[Saje]

Thanks, Saje!  Those elevator scenes, and the scene of JJ with the parent, would have changed the tone of the episode, in a good way.

 

I've always wondered how much of the problem was in the writing, and how much in the editing.  It's certainly interesting that someone had enough insight to put these scenes in the DVD extras.  I'd love to know who that was----and put them in charge!.

 

So, who edits?  The director, I'm sure.  But is it also the writer?  The executive producer, the showrunner?  Does anyone know?

 

I'm told by one who's familiar that Molly McNaughton (sp?) makes all the features for the DVDs. She decides what gets included and what doesn't. :)

[zannej]

Thanks, Saje! Those scenes would really have made a world of difference for the episode. There were definitely other bits they could have cut to have these in. Reid and the hot chocolate thing showed that he was actually watching the kids and not just off doing nothing, although that scene was not necessary. The elevator scenes were great though.

[Saje]

My favorite is "Who likes hot chocolate - you?". My friend and I swooned over that one! haha

[secnarf]

The (first) elevator scene seemed kind of dumb to me until I got to the end, with the second one. I wonder when exactly that last elevator scene would have been included? I imagine it at the end of the episode.

 

Or it could just replace yelling at a hallucination.

[zannej]

I would have preferred the last elevator scene over the hallucination. They could have cut the entire hallucination and had JJ reading the file about the guy and then leaving and remember what Reid said.

[missmycat]

Seriously this episode could have been so much better for me had they shortened that way too long scene at the end with a hallucinating JJ conversing with her dead tormentor,and left these deleted scenes in instead. The scene with Reid and the kids was absolutely adorable.I also loved that one scene where JJ decides to test Reid's theory about the elevator button and discovers he was right.

[zannej]

Ok, so a better version, IMO, would have been to cut the hallucination scene down & have JJ waking up at her desk with the file open. She checks her watch, closes the file, puts it in a drawer, walks to the elevator and has that bit at the end. Also, they should have cut the part where someone said they needed a warrant and they said "no we don't". Instead, Reid could have pulled out a warrant.

[missmycat]

Does anyone know whether or not Matthew did a commentary for Mr.Scratch. I really hope he did.Because I feel it was probably one of the best episodes of the entire season. I'd love to know how him and Breen collaborated together on it.

[normasm]

MMC, yes, he has done a commentary track for Mr. Scratch. We'll ask Miss autmnmountain how it is after she watches... 

[missmycat]

MMC, yes, he has done a commentary track for Mr. Scratch. We'll ask Miss autmnmountain how it is after she watches... 

Thanks normasm I am hoping that both PTV and the Unsubs will be able to download it for our viewing pleasure.We now know that the Bullpen won't be bothering to do it.

Edited August 26, 2015 by missmycat

[Old Dog]

Thanks normasm I am hoping that both PTV and the Unsubs will be able to download it for our viewing pleasure.We now know that the Bullpen won't be bothering to do it.

I hope they can do it - we won't get Season 10 DVD release till the end of the year at least. I'm dying to hear it. I still often play Matthew's commentary to Revelations and laugh over it.

[zannej]

I wish they didn't have the DVDs in different formats for different countries. Then you could order the ones for US release.

 

It was already said on the Bullpen that they will not be uploading the commentary because it is throughout the entire episode and it would be too difficult and take up too much server space to do so. Uploading the videos and such can be time consuming. It takes me about 10 minutes to upload videos that are two minutes and less.

[autumnmountains]

MMC, yes, he has done a commentary track for Mr. Scratch. We'll ask Miss autmnmountain how it is after she watches...

Hey there! I just finished watching it! I started watching it yesterday but I decided to go to bed because I w a s in pain...

MGG was his adorable funny self in the commentary but also had a ton to say about the episode, casting, camera decisions and whatnot. I loved it. It was a perfect balance of MGG being funny but also informative.

[Old Dog]

Hey autumn I hope you are feeling better today. You make me even more anxious to hear the episode commentary! I don't know why it takes so long to release the DVDs over here when the season was only about a month behind the USA in the end.

[normasm]

Yeah, zannej, I totally understand BP not uploading the whole episode with commentary, it's huge. They were nice to upload the stuff they did. 

 

Autumn, hope you're feeling better and so glad you enjoyed Mr. Scratch!

[autumnmountains]

Hey autumn I hope you are feeling better today. You make me even more anxious to hear the episode commentary! I don't know why it takes so long to release the DVDs over here when the season was only about a month behind the USA in the end.

  

Yeah, zannej, I totally understand BP not uploading the whole episode with commentary, it's huge. They were nice to upload the stuff they did. 

 

Autumn, hope you're feeling better and so glad you enjoyed Mr. Scratch!

Thank y'all both!

[JMO]

Hey there! I just finished watching it! I started watching it yesterday but I decided to go to bed because I w a s in pain...

MGG was his adorable funny self in the commentary but also had a ton to say about the episode, casting, camera decisions and whatnot. I loved it. It was a perfect balance of MGG being funny but also informative.

I can see this is going to cost me money. I'll have to order it now! Thanks, Autumn, am I'm glad you're feeling better as well.

[missmycat]

Yeah, zannej, I totally understand BP not uploading the whole episode with commentary, it's huge. They were nice to upload the stuff they did. 

 

Autumn, hope you're feeling better and so glad you enjoyed Mr. Scratch!

I was just over there and apparently they did download it. However Disney is blocking the video and keeping it from being shown.

[normasm]

Yeah, MMC, I saw that. I didn't get to try it out, sorry it's being blocked, but, as Su said, it's dicey with the copyrights.

[zannej]

I'm not surprised. Bummer.

[normasm]

One of those bones they threw to Reid in Season 6 instead of actually writing storylines for him. Designed purely to show he is a "normal" male whose libido overrides his intelligence, that he's not really a genius, just a regular, dumb ol' guy.

[Old Dog]

I disliked that scene. It came out of left field - so unlike what Reid would do, completely out of character. I cannot imagine his brain switching off from the crime and checking out the layout of the station however cute the girl. I quite liked the actual case but that was a strange thing to come from the pen of Simon Mirren.

[normasm]

I disliked that whole episode, except for the scene of the Unsub in the station with the little ignored girl, that was great. Otherwise, Garcia being an "actress" was so bad.

[zannej]

I thought that bit with Reid at the station was out-of-character and insulting. Reid has shown that he can still keep his mind on the case while looking at a woman's butt. Just watch season 1-- an early episode where he's walking with Morgan and checking out a woman's butt. I think he might even have turned to look, but he kept up with the conversation.

 

He didn't really lose focus until Lila kissed him in "Somebody's Watching". And even then, he got his brain back on track.

 

That whole episode was just weird. My fondest memory from it was that they forgot to hide Matthew's glasses and in a couple of scenes they were hanging from his tie.

[Droogie]

Completely adorbs with Lila. Perfectly in character.

[ForeverAlone]

I doubt Reid was brought up in any sort of religion. He said himself in Amplification he had never been to Sunday school. And I doubt he was raised in any other religion.

[zannej]

They have never really indicated one way or the other if Reid is religious. I think he had a Bible on his desk in at least one season and in Revelations he said his parents taught him the Bible. But, reading the Bible and saying his parents taught him do not equate to him having any religious affiliation. I think he was trying to get Tobias to see him as a human being and trying to relate to him in some way to save his skin. My personal guess is that he's probably agnostic.

[normasm]

I agree, Zannej, Reid is agnostic.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Does anyone know if Spencer was actually brought up as religious or if that was just something he said? 

 

I don't think he would have been. William's absence from Spencer's life meant that he wouldn't have been able to take him to church or whatever even if he'd been so inclined, and Diana's illness would have precluded it as well, at least consistently. His mom did reference him having an uncle named Daniel in The Instincts, but it was to mention that they had attended his funeral when Reid was very young. He told Alex that he had an aunt who thought his hair was too long, but I still don't think he was brought up following any particular religion.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

From the Statistic thread

 

I think if Erica found [Reid] that annoying he would've been written out at some point.

 

Not necessarily. I don't think MESSer is particularly bright, but I do think she's smart enough to know that Reid has one of the largest fanbases among the show's characters, and I think she's aware that if Spencer left, those viewers would stop watching. The people here who say 'if MGG goes, I go' can't be the only ones saying it.

 

OTOH, I don't think she's very interested in writing for him, if only because he's got layers that she maybe can't grasp. If she was interested in writing for him, she would return him to his usual upright position of being respected and valued, and even having him be right instead of You Know Who every now and then. Of course, that can't really happen, because showing that a man is sometimes better at something than a woman would be misogyny. The opposite of love isn't hate, its indifference, and sometimes I think that EM is mostly indifferent to the character. If nothing else, we actually would have seen Diana again by now, since they've been saying for the last hundred and twenty seven years that they've been trying to get Jane Lynch back on the show. To put it politely, I rather doubt their veracity, as Lynch is pretty much always working on something, so unless she's being incredibly unreasonable as to what it would take to get her to appear, they haven't been trying hard enough. YMMV.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Cobalt Stargazer