Spencer Reid: Gorgeous Gray Matter

[ReidFan]

oh I agree completely with you Old Dog. (oops, JMO, not OldDog) Sorry if I didn't make that clear. Yes, I want Reid to have the happy marriage/family thing, but I was seeing that as a sort of last episode of the series, or perhaps second to last episode of the series kind of thing not Right Effing Now O:-)

 

Cause the very thought of him finding the love of his life who could/would give him the much wanted family would also be a possible sad/tragic story arc, continuing the WhumpReid we're already used to (and giving Matthew more opportunity to act circles around everyone else) ....he finds the woman but has the second thoughts about having kids cause he's foreseeing having Alzheimers/worried about giving them the schizophrenia gene/there could be fertility issues etc/any number of other things that could give CM more ways to continue beating up our genius.

Edited January 25, 2016 by ReidFan

[JMO]

That was me, not Old Dog.  She'll have to speak for herself.  Old Dog?

[Old Dog]

I kind of agree with both of you. I agree Reid has always been this great tragic figure but when the show ends or MGG leaves I would like Reid to have at least the hope of happiness at the end. I would hate it if they left him sliding into dementia - I'd rather they killed him off magnificently and heroically than go down that road. But my preference would be to be left thinking that at last Reid was getting some of the good things in life.

[ForeverAlone]

I don't think the writers will have Reid develop early onset dementia (just like they didn't have the intention of him developing schizophrenia). I think they just like piling on the potential tragedy, while keeping the character of Reid basically intact. But if they did go down that road to dementia, my anger at the show would cause me to stop watching (just like I would have if he had developed schizophrenia). And when the show ends and if there are indications he developed early onset dementia, I will just ignore it, because that is not the way Reid's life plays out in my imagination. 

Edited January 25, 2016 by ForeverAlone

[ReidFan]

That was me, not Old Dog.  She'll have to speak for herself.  Old Dog?

sorry. Apparently I need to work on my comprehension skills. Still working on how to do the quote thing here too......

[Lebanna]

I'm on the same page as you about the kids thing Reidfan. I think the early-onset thing has probably put the kibosh on Reid wanting bio-kids. Logically, it wouldn't be good odds for someone who loves statistics so much to risk passing on two serious mental illnesses with a genetic component. Especially if you never suffered symptoms, but your kids did, the guilt might be horrible. Most people would probably go for it anyway, but somehow I don't see Reid doing that. I think the writers probably want to add more angst.

Although - on a cheerier note - I really hate the phrase 'You can always adopt', because it's so dismissive, but in Reid's case, I bet he'd be a great adoptive dad someday. Maybe even many years hence, if they never confirm the dementia thing, and I could imagine that he'd be like all those elderly bachelor professors in kids books like Narnia or Potter, who become fantastic inspirational father figures to these clever, adventurous children. I could see that working out wonderfully.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Lebanna

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Going against the grain here.  I have nothing against a fulfilling storyline for Reid, and it would be nice to see him happy--- for a while.  But I think the character has been well substantiated as a classic tragic hero, whose life is bittersweet at best.  For me, it would seem non-Reid-like to be otherwise.  One of the many scenes that comes to mind is the one of him watching Henry in his Halloween costume.  The smile is there, the 'happy' is there, but the bittersweet of not having a kid of his own is also there.  It would have been a completely different scene (and much lesser, in my opinion) if Reid had just packed up and gone home to his wife and two kids.

 

Ad much as I agree with you that, as it stands, Spencer's life isn't really cut out to be joyous, I would at least like to see him content. Everything in me chafes against the idea of him ending the series not just alone, but maybe-possibly not even knowing who or where he is. Fair enough to say that his path throughout the course of the show has been that of Sisyphus, but its just cruel of the writers to dangle the possibility of this out there. *points at icon* Depending on how familiar with Jossverse canon you are, even this guy got a break at the end of the series and was given the chance to have a life he could be content with. I don't expect Canon!Reid to get a super-duper happy ending anymore, with a wife and 2.5 kids. I'll save that for my writing. But this alternative rankles hard.

[Danielg342]

For an effective tragedy, you need to have moments of happiness- real happiness- because then the sadness of the moment gets amplified. This is chiefly what failed about “Zugzwang”- we never really saw Reid (or Maeve for that matter) experiencing any kind of happiness or warmth that comes with being in a relationship, because Maeve and Reid never got to be together. Since Greek mythology is a thing in this thread, Maeve's storyline operated like “the hanging fruit of Tantalus”, teasing us with potential but never delivering.

Perhaps, I grant, that could be a tragedy- knowing you're close to getting something you want only to have it taken away from you at the last moment. The problem with that is that for that storyline to work you need a sense of hope to emanate through, and throughout the Maeve storyline, Diane Turner hung over their heads like the Sword of Damocles, robbing any chance for the two of them to have any hope. Yes, I understand the writers wanted to create tension and worry, but they went too far.

I think the story would have been better if Reid and Maeve went on an actual date, and Maeve really believed her stalker was gone. There would be the hope present in the story, with the audience feeling that things may really turn around and the two of them can have a normal life again. Then, at the last moment, the stalker reappears, strikes against Maeve (or also against Reid) and the team is tasked to save the couple, a job at which they fail (except for getting Reid out of physical danger). Only then will the tragedy work, because we the hope and the actual promise of happiness- only for it to be cruelly taken away.

[ForeverAlone]

The funny thing is (if I correctly interpreted what the show said), is that Diane had stopped her stalking, because that is why Maeve wanted to meet Reid in the first place. But because Bobby had hired a private investigator to find Maeve, he went to the restaurant that night to see her (which didn't really make sense since the dinner reservations were made in Reid's name). And of course insanely jealous Diane followed Bobby to the restaurant, saw Reid there and was inspired to start stalking Maeve again (only this time over her jealously of Maeve scoring Reid). Unless the writers had a completely different idea of Maeve's story arc and how it tied into the Replicator storyline, the only reason she was created was to give Reid manpain, and that is a stupid and misogynistic reason to create a character and a relationship arc. And of course that resulted in some large plot holes.

Edited January 25, 2016 by ForeverAlone

[JMO]

Danielg, while I agree that a period of happiness heightens the sense of tragedy when it is lost, I don't agree with your assessment of the story of Reid and Maeve as tragedy.  Part of the character of that relationship was that he didn't feel a need to see her in order to feel in relationship with her.  He was content to have someone who cared about him, uniquely.  When he lost her, and that sense of caring, I think it served well as tragedy, even if it might not have been played out as well as it could have. 

 

CoStar, as I said, I agree that it would be nice for the series to end pointing toward some sort of happiness and fulfillment for Reid.  For all we know, it might.  But I think it would also be all right for us to have to wonder.  As it stands, he's not doomed to dementia.  And maybe he'll figure out that he doesn't really have to know.  

[Danielg342]

The funny thing is (if I correctly interpreted what the show said), is that Diane had stopped her stalking, because that is why Maeve wanted to meet Reid in the first place. But because Bobby had hired a private investigator to find Maeve, he went to the restaurant that night to see her (which didn't really make sense since the dinner reservations were made in Reid's name). And of course insanely jealous Diane followed Bobby to the restaurant, saw Reid there and was inspired to start stalking Maeve again (only this time over her jealously of Maeve scoring Reid). Unless the writers had a completely different idea of Maeve's story arc and how it tied into the Replicator storyline, the only reason she was created was to give Reid manpain, and that is a stupid and misogynistic reason to create a character and a relationship arc. And of course that resulted in some large plot holes.

 

Right...well, that episode is three years old (!!!). Still, it contributed to the "no hope" scenario since Maeve and Reid were prevented from having their "happy" moment, which is the only way tragedy can work.

 

Danielg, while I agree that a period of happiness heightens the sense of tragedy when it is lost, I don't agree with your assessment of the story of Reid and Maeve as tragedy.  Part of the character of that relationship was that he didn't feel a need to see her in order to feel in relationship with her.  He was content to have someone who cared about him, uniquely.  When he lost her, and that sense of caring, I think it served well as tragedy, even if it might not have been played out as well as it could have. 

 

I grant that there's a bit of subjectivity involved. For me, it wasn't effective, especially in context- we'd seen Reid try to get with girls before and fail. Maeve presented an opportunity we were denied, and that's where it really failed.

[ForeverAlone]

Yeah, I agree that the Maeve storyline was an ultimate failure. Not in terms of what they planned, since they always planned to kill her, so the writers got what they wanted (even though Breen had to change his story to get to the ending he wanted). But I think it was an emotional failure, since there was really no point to it, except to make Reid lose and hurt. Not only that, but it dangled hope of happiness for both Reid and the viewers who supported the idea of him being in a happy relationship, and in both cases, the rug was pulled out from underneath our feet. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

But I think it was an emotional failure, since there was really no point to it, except to make Reid lose and hurt. Not only that, but it dangled hope of happiness for both Reid and the viewers who supported the idea of him being in a happy relationship, and in both cases, the rug was pulled out from underneath our feet. 

 

What's so arbitrary about it is that had Diane not decided to kill herself, Maeve would have lived. Her psychotic jealousy aside, she was clear-headed enough to plan and execute a kidnapping, then move in on Bobby and try to claim him as her own. And then she was rational enough to agree to at least negotiate with Spencer for Maeve's release. Had she not discerned that Reid was deceiving her, which led to him admitting that he was willing to die to save his would-be girlfriend, she probably wouldn't have pulled the trigger. If we follow the trajectory of the storyline, her intention was to prove that she was better/smarter/whatever, and she couldn't have appreciated that if she was dead.

[ForeverAlone]

Yep, Reid could neither fake a kiss for a few seconds, nor disarm a smaller woman holding a gun (even though he has done so in the past). But like we know, Breen was hell bent on killing Maeve, so he would contrive it so it would come to pass.

[Droogie]

:::pissed about Zugzwang all over again:::

Edited January 26, 2016 by Droogie

[Danielg342]

Cobalt Stargazer- put it that way and Reid looks severely out of character. I remember in the early years the BAU was more than willing to “give in” and let the criminal believe they were in control. That was kind of comical at times (I think of the end of “Extreme Aggressor” here), but in “Zugzwang” it would have been more than appropriate.

I think here could also fault Hotch's tactics. All Reid pretty much had to do was lead Turner out of the warehouse where she could be safely arrested...so why the heavy artillery in full view? Hotch of all people should know you don't deal with an unhinged personality by cornering them, yet this is what he did.

[normasm]

To all your points may I add, it's at this point where Spencer supposedly converts his desire to help others at the risk of his own safety (Elephant's Memory, others) into a full-blown death wish. His OOC pose of volunteering to die so that Diane will spare Maeve (which she probably wouldn't have done) seems to be done for the benefit not of Diane but of Maeve, to show her how noble and determined he is to die for her. We all know Spencer is a skillful liar when he needs to be (Persuasion, Entropy, others), but he couldn't talk down this unstable 5'4" girl? So bad on the canon character, just for some Reidpain...

[ReidFan]

:-(

 

ok. now I hate Zugzwang. 

[Danielg342]

Not to hijack the discussion, but ReidFan, your post is post 1,337 in this thread...an appropriate mark for this thread to hit.

[ReidFan]

Forgive me for not clueing in but what is the significance of 1337?

[Danielg342]

“1337” is another term for “leet”, derived from “elite”. It's basically “geek language” where numbers and symbols are used to replace text. It began on bulletin boards in the 1980s as a language for hackers but soon moved on to the wider “geek” sphere.

Reid, despite not liking technology very much, would probably be familiar with the language- after all, he is a linguist- and likely on par with Garcia, who is a hacker.

[Bookish Jen]

We all know the John Lennon lyric, “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” Well, perhaps this can pertain to one Dr. Spencer Reid. I’m sure Spencer has a checklist in that beautiful brain of his on the perfect life for him. But perhaps, the universe works in mysterious ways and things don’t pan out the way he envisioned. You know what? That’s okay!
 

For instance, Spencer probably imagines himself married to a woman, who like him, has a genius IQ, loads of advanced degrees and a fancy pants job title. But instead he finds himself falling in love with a woman with a slightly above average IQ, a lowly undergrad degree and a job title that hardly sets the world on fire. She can still be very bright and clever, have a strong work ethic and a treasure chest of various skills and talents. What she should have are qualities that Spencer has, and most importantly, needs-kindness, empathy and a curiosity about the world around her. Best of all she respects him and treats him like the man he is but is not at all the type to put him on a pedestal nor is she a submissive little woman. She has her own ideas and opinions, and Spencer really appreciates it.
 

As for children, I think Spencer would be a wonderful father, whether he has a bio kid or adopts a child. But perhaps having children won’t be in the cards for Spencer. He makes up for it be being an ideal uncle or by acting as a mentor to kid geniuses. And then there is my fan wank of Spencer and the missus creating a series of books based on a kid genius much like Spencer Reid and his fellow genius friends and becoming literary rock stars to children all over the globe.
 

And there are other ways, Spencer’s life could go. Perhaps he has a child who is mentally delayed. How would a genius like Spencer handle this? Or perhaps his kid turns out to be a total jock? How did that happen?
 

Sadly, I doubt we’ll ever get to this point in the life of Dr. Spencer Reid. So fan fiction it is!

[amensisterfriend]

Here's a fun question for you guys: If you had to ship Reid romantically with a character we already know/knew, who would it be...and why?! Most of me ships him with Elle for reasons I've probably already rambled about. But part of me ships him with someone like Original Recipe Emily, who I saw as someone as intellectual, endearingly 'geeky' (albeit in a different way!), etc. than he is. 

 

I just know that I really DON'T ship him with the stalked movie star from S1 and am glad she never popped up in later episodes :) 

[Danielg342]

They never had a chance to show it on screen but I paired Zoe Hawkes and Reid in my fics- their relationship is just one of my major subplots. I always thought Hawkes was adorably cute yet headstrong enough to inspire Reid and intelligent enough to draw him in.

Stupid show for killing her off...

As for whom else I would paid Reid with, the only one that really ever clicked with me was Maeve, though had Cat Adams been a love interest, I think that could have worked too, only because Aubrey Plaza and Gubler have great chemistry.

[normasm]

Maeve should have lived/been saved by Spencer and gone on to be his girlfriend. I ship him with Prentiss, especially since Minimal Loss, I think they were potentially good together. Granted, both actresses have gobs of chemistry with Matthew, as does AP, so it could have been done if the writers had been up for it. 

[ForeverAlone]

I still wish the writers had kept Maeve alive, because those two had chemistry, and they only met for a few minutes. 

 

But if Maeve is not an option...

 

I could buy him with Emily. They had a nice, intelligent chemistry, and I could see her as an older woman instructing him in the ways of the pleasures of women. 

 

I love him and Elle, but not necessarily romantically, just because she seemed more like his big sister. But that was nine years ago, so it would be interesting to see what sort of chemistry they had now.

 

Hmmm...definitely not any other female guest stars that have were supposed to have some sort of interest for him. I could see Zoe Hawkes as a possibility, just for the reasons already stated. But we never saw them together, so we have no clue what sort of chemistry they would have had. But since most of the female guest stars were either perpetrators or victims (not the best setup for romance- regardless of the show's history of pairing him with female victims), no one else immediately springs to mind. 

[JMO]

I can't really see him in a romantic relationship with any living character, as they've been portrayed on the show.  Of the choices, I suppose Emily would require the least contortion.  I could see her taking him on as a project, the older woman teaching the younger man, and falling in love by surprise.  Although I can't help but wonder if there wouldn't be some 'mama issues' there.

 

[Lebanna]

 

I just know that I really DON'T ship him with the stalked movie star from S1 and am glad she never popped up in later episodes :)

Well, now that the actress who played Lila is in movies and married to Johnny Depp (no, I can't believe it either - it turns out he was never too old for me after all), there is probably no danger of this ever coming to pass, so that's a blessing.

If Kate hadn't had a husband already I might have thought those two were slightly cute and looked good together. Although it might just be just that their hair and dark under-eye shadows matched.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Here's a fun question for you guys: If you had to ship Reid romantically with a character we already know/knew, who would it be.and why?

 

Not surprisingly, for me it would definitely be Elle. At this point canon-wise, enough time has gone by that they could build on their previous relationship and maybe turn it into something more. I wouldn't have been averse to them being more than friends when she was still with the team, mind, but I can see how that could be a deal breaker for the characters. They've been through some similar things, Spencer in a much more protracted fashion, and after such a long time that close friendship could turn into more.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

From the fanfiction thread, because its more about Spencer than anything else:

 

 

I don't see a 'sweet' and ' positive'  person like [spencer] ever getting together with such a negative type. *shrug* again, though, that's my read on her/ them.

 

To a point, I agree with this assessment of Reid. He does have a fairly positive outlook on life, maybe even more positive than he should given the work he does and the things that have happened to him over the course of the show because of that work. Conversely, if he's hurt or upset, he will and has lashed out, even if it isn't always at the source of his upset. He put Emily on blast for criticizing the way he handled questioning that woman who ran a homeless shelter because of his struggle with Dilaudid, he got snappish with Hotch in Elephant's Memory due to his excessive empathy for Owen Savage, and he's even taken JJ to task, no matter how briefly. I do think he isn't as thin-skinned as he once was, but unable to be provoked? Not if he's being written in character.

[normasm]

Elle, to me, was not a negative type at all, just a real woman who'd grown up in the real, gritty world without her rose-colored glasses on.

But, more to the point, Spencer would have seen how his vital, intelligent, humorous mother was turned by mental illness into someone who couldn't easily access her vitality, her intelligence, or her humor. In my estimation, he's attuned to people who have had to get through adversity and may be scarred because of it. Someone like Elle, and later Emily, with bristles and a no-bullshit attitude, would have appealed to him above some dreamy beauty, in my mind.

[Danielg342]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt Zoe Hawkes and Reid would have worked. Can the show bring back Amy Davidson as Zoe's twin sister Joey? Not just for Reid, but because it'd be a great story- someone becoming an agent because of what happened to her sister is a believable backstory.

That and Davidson really needs to move on from Eight Simple Rules.

Maybe it's just me but I never saw much of a connection with Elle or Prentiss beyond work or just friendship- Reid just never had romantic chemistry with either, I don't think. I'm not sure he really has much in the way of romantic chemistry with anyone he's worked with, not even JJ.

If I really had to pick someone Reid works or worked with who I felt he had a smidgen of romantic chemistry with, it was Morgan. I really do feel the “bromance” between those two- when, of course, Morgan and Reid are written well and Morgan isn't treating “the kid” like a kid.

[Droogie]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt Zoe Hawkes and Reid would have worked. Can the show bring back Amy Davidson as Zoe's twin sister Joey? Not just for Reid, but because it'd be a great story- someone becoming an agent because of what happened to her sister is a believable backstory.

That and Davidson really needs to move on from Eight Simple Rules.

Maybe it's just me but I never saw much of a connection with Elle or Prentiss beyond work or just friendship- Reid just never had romantic chemistry with either, I don't think. I'm not shure he really has much in the way of romantic chemistry with anyone he's worked with, not even JJ.

If I really had to pick someone Reid works or worked with who I felt he had a smidgen of romantic chemistry with, it was Morgan. I really do feel the “bromance” between those two- when, of course, Morgan and Reid are written well and Morgan isn't treating “the kid” like a kid.

I can agree with you here. I also want to put forth that I could see an entanglement with Hotch as well. I don't see either of them as gay, but I could understand that with the stresses of their jobs and their limited proximity with people outside the BAU, plus the memories of their shared experiences, they could develop feelings for one another they might not otherwise have expected.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

But, more to the point, Spencer would have seen how his vital, intelligent, humorous mother was turned by mental illness into someone who couldn't easily access her vitality, her intelligence, or her humor. In my estimation, he's attuned to people who have had to get through adversity and may be scarred because of it. Someone like Elle, and later Emily, with bristles and a no-bullshit attitude, would have appealed to him above some dreamy beauty, in my mind.

 

This.

 

Having grown up with Diana, which we can presume from the brief flashes we've gotten of it in the past was big patches of barbed wire and the occasional oasis dotting the landscape, Spencer would be more accustomed to someone with issues and problems that were due to circumstances beyond their control. It's why he connected with Gideon as well as he did, not that I think Jason was always aware of how well Reid understood him. As high of a cost as that kind of emotional intelligence comes with, someone who is maybe a little wounded, a little damaged, would be a better fit than someone who is happy and giggly more often than they're not.

[Bookish Jen]

This.

 

Having grown up with Diana, which we can presume from the brief flashes we've gotten of it in the past was big patches of barbed wire and the occasional oasis dotting the landscape, Spencer would be more accustomed to someone with issues and problems that were due to circumstances beyond their control. It's why he connected with Gideon as well as he did, not that I think Jason was always aware of how well Reid understood him. As high of a cost as that kind of emotional intelligence comes with, someone who is maybe a little wounded, a little damaged, would be a better fit than someone who is happy and giggly more often than they're not.

Can you imagine Spencer with an overtly cutesy, perky, sugary pippy-poo day after day? Egad, no. Imagine Spencer comes home after dealing with a case that was especially troubling only to face some airhead saying to him, "Aww, Spencie...turn that frown upside down!" Just the thought of it nearly makes me an unsub.

 

Granted, I also don't want to see Spencer with a basket case drama queen whose problems are mostly of her own choosing. Spencer is a good guy, but he is not a miracle worker. But I can see him with a woman who has had her own issues and has faced diversity often due to conditions out of her control. This has also given her a deep well of empathy and kindness, which helps her bond with Spencer.

[Bookish Jen]

For all of my fellow Spencer and book lovers:




 

[amensisterfriend]

For those of us who love Spencer Reid: At what point in the series did you realize you really adored him? And what are some of the Reid scenes/moments that stand out as some of your favorites?! 

[normasm]

Happy 36th Birthday, Matthew!

[Old Dog]

For those of us who love Spencer Reid: At what point in the series did you realize you really adored him? And what are some of the Reid scenes/moments that stand out as some of your favorites?! 

My love really kicked in with the 2nd episode Compulsion - still one of my favourites. This was the first time we really saw that wonderful intellect in action and I am a sucker for clever boys!

Incidentally I was outraged yesterday to read an interview with  the actor playing Monty from Beyond Boredom claiming his character is smarter than Reid!

http://www.timestelegram.com/entertainment/20160308/video-criminal-minds-beyond-borders-tyler-james-williams-wants-to-have-genius-off-with-reid

Edited March 9, 2016 by Old Dog

[normasm]

Incidentally I was outraged yesterday to read an interview with  the actor playing Monty from Beyond Boredom claiming his character is smarter than Reid!

Ugh. How disgusting. The only way i'll watch Beyond Boredom™ is if Spencer Reid or Hotch is on it. I hope they tank.

[Old Dog]

Ugh. How disgusting. The only way i'll watch Beyond Boredom™ is if Spencer Reid or Hotch is on it. I hope they tank.

I'm with you! I see that Rossi is on one episode so maybe they will cross over other characters during their run. Not that I want Reid to go on there and be outsmarted by their "genius"!!

[MMC]

I hate to say this but I wouldn't put it pass MESSer to have given Monty a higher IQ than the one Reid has.Plus with our luck CM:BB probably has writers who are going to be better at writing for a genius.Unlike CM's pathetic writers who seem to feel that Reid spouting wiki facts equates to him being a genius.

Edited March 9, 2016 by MMC

[ReidFan]

Happy Birthday to my favourite man, Matthew Gray Gubler

 

[ReidFan]

For those of us who love Spencer Reid: At what point in the series did you realize you really adored him? And what are some of the Reid scenes/moments that stand out as some of your favorites?! 

Revelations. From start to finish. This was actually the first episode of CM that I watched (and just about a year ago) at the behest of my son who's an aspiring police officer (his father is a police officer). I watched this episode without having any kind of prior attachment to/favourite feeling about any of the characters. But by the time it was over, I was googling 'Criminal Minds Reid' (cause I didn't know MGG's name yet) and wondering how in the &*@#$& this young man never won an Emmy award for that performance. I was stuck with A&E's haphazard order of seasons and episodes so it was all over the place (ie I saw Zugzwang before I saw any of the five or six episodes that led up to Reid 'meeting' Maeve and to this day that drives me crazy.) Son downloaded them all about a week after he got me hooked (LOL! like Revelations, see the correlation) and told me to start at the beginning. I did. I think it was LDSK where I decided Reid was The Man. When he tossed that effin' whistle back at Morgan, I was in love.

 

Other favourite Reid scenes (the Blood Relations bit I posted in the quotes thread); Entropy from beginning to end; his scenes with Mom in 'Memoriam'; how he solves the riddles in 'Fisher King'; the piano scene with Sammy in 'Coda'; the bullying explanation in 'Elephant's Memory' and for the visuals, the end scene on the pier in 'Conflicted' and the pool scene in the otherwise dumb 'Somebody's Watching'. That's just off the top of my head without really even thinking about it O:-)

[Snow Apple]

I wasn't a regular viewer of the show. My sister was watching one day and i was doing.....something I don't remember. Suddenly she said "Look at this guy. He's suppose to be a nerd who can't get a date, but look at him." I looked and and thought he was cute and a stand-out in a show full of characters. Years later, I was channel surfing and stumbled on the scene of Reid playing piano with a little boy and figuring out a clue that involved his sock and became a fan. That's when I started watching previous seasons.

[Bookish Jen]

In honor of this special day, I'm going to leave this right here:

 

What is a Pisces?

http://zodiac-signs-astrology.com/zodiac-signs/pisces.htm

 

And I'll get to some my ideas on CM, Dr. Spencer Reid and today's birthday boy, once I get a chance. One of my friends needs my help and I'm about to leave. Wheels up in thirty!

 

 

[Droogie]

For those of us who love Spencer Reid: At what point in the series did you realize you really adored him? And what are some of the Reid scenes/moments that stand out as some of your favorites?!

f

I've watched from S1E1 and I initially tuned in for Mandy Patinkin, having become a fan of him on Chicago Hope. Him, and "that other guy who was on the show too" (never having really watched Dharma & Greg). Initially. It took me about 15 minutes to start loving Hotch.

I noticed the skinny genius right away and became more enamored/impressed with each ep. Haven't watched S1 in awhile but I remember watching open-mouthed at the writing in "The Fox" and "Derailed." And I don't remember if it was later or earlier than "Derailed," but there was this snippet of one ep, where Reid has on headphones and seats himself in front of a computer and sort of shrugs his shoulders and rubs his fingers together and for whatever reason, I fell in love with Spencer Reid at that very moment. I saw physical beauty and intelligence and quirkiness and vulnerabity and I haven't looked back.

Incidentally I was outraged yesterday to read an interview with  the actor playing Monty from Beyond Boredom claiming his character is smarter than Reid!

http://www.timestelegram.com/entertainment/20160308/video-criminal-minds-beyond-borders-tyler-james-williams-wants-to-have-genius-off-with-reid

Seriously, how dare he? Whether he is quoting from facts about the character or making it up on the fly, who does he think he is? And if this is going to be canon, what are the writers thinking?

I hope this spinoff fails spectacularly.

[ReidFan]

I hope this spinoff fails spectacularly.

 

THIS!

 

 

I won't even watch it. 

[Reghan]

In honor of this special day, I'm going to leave this right here:

 

What is a Pisces?

http://zodiac-signs-astrology.com/zodiac-signs/pisces.htm

 

And I'll get to some my ideas on CM, Dr. Spencer Reid and today's birthday boy, once I get a chance. One of my friends needs my help and I'm about to leave. Wheels up in thirty!

 

 

Pisces for the win!

[Kara101]

Did anybody else hate Reid's comment when they were discussing how a victim participated in a threesome? I'm not sure if it was there for comedic effect or if it was there to show that Reid thinks sexual acts are icky. But I don't think it would be the latter as Reid did say he wants kids and there was the whole "blindfold" thing with Maeve. Maybe they just wanted to reinstate that he was a germophobe?