Penelope Garcia: Manic Pixie Baby Girl

[EC Amber]

Sorry, I certainly didn't intend to come off telling you what you *meant* to say. Only that I disagree with what you did say and why. Ok, she's a woman. I just don't see how that is any more relevant to her job as a technical analyst or how poorly she responded to the situation. Her gender, to me, simply isn't important. At least no more important than the gender of anyone else on the show. I guess I just don't understand what is relevant about her gender that it merits being brought up. Which is fine - I don't need to understand it... 

At the end of the day, my assessment was how she behaved that was a horrible characterization of a professional with her job position and responsibilities. 

:-) Glad some like her. 

Edited October 8, 2014 by EC Amber

[Wilowy]

Like when Spock says about Kirk in STIII: The Search For Spock, "He's a man of deep feelings.", he's not speaking to his gender, but about the emotions. :)

[previously1967]

I would actually like to see her as the next CM victim.  She is annoying, cloying, sickeningly and saccharine sweet, and talks faster than the speed of sound.  When the team contacts her for ASAP info, she never fails to come forth with stupid preface, no matter how serious the situation.  Can't stand this character, but I love the show.  She is a ridiculous Pollyanna character on a show which centers around the worst products of society and she still doesn't get it.  An absolutely terrible character.

[EC Amber]

I think it'd be far more interesting if she died by accident. Sometimes it is good to remember that bad things happen and doesn't always have some evil cause behind it. The team could really struggle with reconciling that. 

 

Besides, she was already a CM victim. She doesn't need to be Deb a la Dexter where she just keeps attracting the dysfunctional into her life. 

Edited October 9, 2014 by EC Amber

[previously1967]

I don't care if she is hit by a car, has a heart attack, commits suicide or is accidentally strangled by one of her retro necklaces, just so long as she is GONE, BABY GIRL,GONE!

[normasm]

I loved Kevin, who was one of the saving graces to this asinine exercise.

[EC Amber]

I would love it if they brought him in to replace her. There could be all kinds of interesting angsty goodness to come from that!

[Wilowy]

Asinine? What was asinine to you? I thought the UnSub was pretty creative, and functional, which isn't ever the case... and I didn't think the Garcia scenes were schmaltzy at all - and the end... can you really say it didn't touch you to see Morgan there? I knew it was coming, but Penelope didn't. It was lovely.

And I missed her at her post. Xander can fill in once in a while, but I missed her.

[EC Amber]

I'm curious - what would be the best way to kill off this character? 

I'm thinking there would be a kind of poetry if she were killed by a drunk driver hit and run. They could try to work it up like one of their high profile cases only to find it was just some irresponsible jerk. It would provide an interesting episode where they have to come to terms that not everything is pure evil dripping in depravity. 

 

After that we could see Kevin trying to fit into the role all awkwardly, trying to figure out how he can bond with the team and resolving that he is replacing his love. 

I swear, I think Garcia's death would provide a whole slew of interesting things that could be excellent to explore. 

[normasm]

Now, now, EC (hee-hee). I agree TPTB have damaged the Garcia character almost to that point (that she needs to be put out of her misery), but i still have hope that they'll let her calm down and sit quietly from now on. After all, they do seem to have gotten the message that JJ was pushed almost to the cartoonish limit, and have backed off a bit with her annoying character developments. Hopefully, her PTSD episode will be handled a bit better than Garcia's.

 

I do wish she and Kevin could switch posts, and we would see her only as often as we now see Kevin… I can't help it, the writers put it in my mind...

[backgroundnoise]

They just need to revert her back to how she was at the beginning of the series, minus the "baby girl/chocolate treat (yuck)" talk.  She is getting emotionally younger and younger, which makes my eyeballs roll and teeth hurt. 

 

Of course, Morgan was there at the end (my eyeballs hurt from so much rolling).   A nice surprise would have been for him not to be.

[EC Amber]

Reminds me of the first season where she was really cursory to the rest of the cast and when she did have screen time it was pretty subdued. I liked that Garcia. Hell, there was one episode where Reid was running the computers from onsite (Broken Mirror). 

 

Edited to add GTMA backgroundnoise. 

Also - EC = East Coast ;-)

Edited October 9, 2014 by EC Amber

[Wilowy]

I don't know for certain, but I think the Kevin thing might have been deliberate. Contract negs would be starting any time now in case there's a next year (which there will be), and he isn't one to make waves, considering all he does outside of CM is go be Xander at genre conventions. The PTB may have wanted to gauge viewer reaction to him taking over Garcia's spot to use as a bargaining chip.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Also - EC = East Coast ;-)

 

East Coast, represent!

 

For what its worth, I think Garcia can be salvaged, but only if they turn her volume down about a thousand decibels. If normasm is correct and they've learned their lesson about JJ, they can dial Garcia back as well.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

For what it's worth, part two - A & E is airing The Gathering right now, and the Garcia that told Kevin "Might I remind you that who's coffee order I memorize  is no longer any of your business" is a Garcia I could deal with. I like Kevin, but I like Adult!Garcia a lot better.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Cobalt Stargazer

[missmycat]

They just need to revert her back to how she was at the beginning of the series, minus the "baby girl/chocolate treat (yuck)" talk.  She is getting emotionally younger and younger, which makes my eyeballs roll and teeth hurt. 

 

Of course, Morgan was there at the end (my eyeballs hurt from so much rolling).   A nice surprise would have been for him not to be.

I would have been a nice surprise to have seen Reid sitting there. I just don't understand why they wouldn't allow Garcia to turn to the one person who probably would've understood better than anyone what she was going thru.

[Wilowy]

Because Morgan had been a shit to her earlier and they had to make it right.

 

It WAS Reid who made him see that Garcia wasn't being that weird about it. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

The woman has been at this job a while. She's been shot at. She's shot someone. She's not a twenty-year-old intern. They need to stop infantilizing her. Make her a grownup. No more, "Oh my God. Oh my God!" No more with the falling face and the tears and the "I can't believe someone can be so sick!" ENOUGH. 

 

And even that, to a point, I don't mind. Like in The Big Game when she saw that that woman was about to be torn apart by Hankel's dogs, she said "Oh, my God, NO!" once she realized what was going to happen. She was also one of the by-proxy witnesses to Haley's murder, and she cried when they were dealing with Mason Turner. So a little emotionality can work in the right place at the right time. But as I said in a previous post, they've taken that aspect of her personality and jacked it up to Ludicrous Speed, and that's what doesn't work, IMO.

 

Because Morgan had been a shit to her earlier and they had to make it right.

 

It WAS Reid who made him see that Garcia wasn't being that weird about it. 

 

IMO, Morgan really wasn't that much of a shit to her. Sometimes friends say harsh things to one another (hi, Xander!) because a kick in the pants seems to be in order, and he never said he wasn't going to be Penelope's friend if she went to Texas. He did say "come talk to me when you're done", and that's what happened. Also, as much as I love Reid, it just felt like more manipulation on the part of the writers for him to show Morgan the error of his ways or whatever. It just seems like saying Garcia needs to be babied because she can't deal with reality. Particularly since she'd likely be dead if she hadn't acted. It's just weird.

[missmycat]

I don't know for certain, but I think the Kevin thing might have been deliberate. Contract negs would be starting any time now in case there's a next year (which there will be), and he isn't one to make waves, considering all he does outside of CM is go be Xander at genre conventions. The PTB may have wanted to gauge viewer reaction to him taking over Garcia's spot to use as a bargaining chip.

Interesting that you should bring that up,because I have seen comments from people who feel that one of the reasons JLH was bought in was to keep AJC in line.

So that when contract time comes around again AJ Cook will less likely to play hardball with the network the way she did the last time.

[normasm]

IMO, Morgan really wasn't that much of a shit to her. Sometimes friends say harsh things to one another (hi, Xander!) because a kick in the pants seems to be in order, and he never said he wasn't going to be Penelope's friend if she went to Texas. He did say "come talk to me when you're done", and that's what happened. Also, as much as I love Reid, it just felt like more manipulation on the part of the writers for him to show Morgan the error of his ways or whatever. It just seems like saying Garcia needs to be babied because she can't deal with reality. Particularly since she'd likely be dead if she hadn't acted. It's just weird.

I personally, have never been so harsh with anyone than my closest and dearest family members, and they with me, at times. Morgan was alarmed by her inability to seek professional help, and he refused to enable her by saying what she wanted to hear and being by her side as she behaved in a self-destructive and delusional manner.

 

I can buy Reid just trying to placate Morgan a bit, and realizing he doesn't have the whole story (hence his questions about how G was, etc.). It's not up to Reid to solve this problem, since Garcia didn't see fit to ask his counsel. It would have been an interesting story if she had. Basically, I think it plausible that Reid didn't "borrow trouble," knowing it will always be there and if Garcia had thought to ask, he would help. 

[Watermelon]

I agree. At this point, even if she's still horrified, she should have a system in place for dealing with all the gore that doesn't stand out.  She's had a decade to perfect it.

[normasm]

Watermelon and SweetTooth, I agree. Quite frequently the others show their horror, especially Reid, but it's always a quiet look of consternation or a slight shaking of the head. Even JJ, when she presented cases, frequently looked quite disturbed, but I don't recall a single time where she pointed out to the room how disturbed she was.

 

Which is not to say that Garcia ought to be like JJ, but she should have learned how to handle herself like a grown-up woman by now.

Edited October 15, 2014 by normasm

[vanarnd1]

It is always a little jarring for me when watching an early season episode with Garcia and than comparing it to later seasons. Early on she was quirky, but still relatively grounded. Now I kind of feel like her interactions and reactions can take over episodes when that shouldn't be the case. Also like others have said it would be refreshing if she wasn't always able to find the answer through random searches. I watched "Lessons Learned" recently and she actually told Reid that the original search parameters for finding the bombing weren't specific enough, and it required the team to get more information. Now it seems like almost any information can be found on the first try, which ends up providing easy answers instead of showing more profiling to solve cases.

 

I do feel Garcia has a place in the show, she can bring levity and give a different perspective when needed, but it has to be done carefully. In "3rd Life", I liked how she showed a brief moment of sadness when she found the online video of the murder victim singing, but still went right back to working on the case. I think the problem now(and I think this happens when shows go on for a long time) is that her qualities have become very exaggerated and are used as a crutch for the writers instead of more subtle and nuanced character development which would feel more natural within the context of an episode.

[Danielg342]

I've always had this thought about Garcia:

Since she's held to be the comic relief, I've wondered if she could have been the character to make quips about the UnSub's motives and actions (“he used a chainsaw? What? Was a knife not handy?”). I know some would find it tasteless and insensitive, but I think it would be a lot more fun watching that than the emotionally weak girl we get that after ten years still needs pictures of dolls and cute animals to get her through pictures she should be used to seeing already. I also think the show should have someone who's willing to say what others- on the show or even in the audience- are thinking but won't say out loud; as well as a satirical commentary on just how pathetic the UnSubs truly are.

Would that work or am I off on the deep end here?

[ForeverAlone]

It would work. One of my favorite incarnations of Penelope was in "The Boogeyman" she was talking to Reid while he was alone in the house and she was winding him up with stories of the man's wife who disappeared. Then she caps it off by telling them they are having creepy fun and she wanted to join in. She could have definitely brought some mordant humor.to the show, but instead the writers turned her into an emotionally immature child who didn't have the stomach to do her damned job.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

A & E ran Amplification and To Hell...And Back over the weekend, and I really liked that version of Garcia as well. She was worried about the others, particularly Reid for obvious reasons, during the anthrax stuff, and she was also horrified when she found out what the Turner brothers were up to at the pig farm. But although she worried and even shed tears, she didn't let that stop her from doing her job, no matter how awful the things she found on Mason's laptop were. They should bring that Garcia back. I could even deal with the Garcia who said, "May I remind you that who's coffee order I memorize is no longer any of your business?"

[Danielg342]

It would work. One of my favorite incarnations of Penelope was in "The Boogeyman" she was talking to Reid while he was alone in the house and she was winding him up with stories of the man's wife who disappeared. Then she caps it off by telling them they are having creepy fun and she wanted to join in. She could have definitely brought some mordant humor.to the show, but instead the writers turned her into an emotionally immature child who didn't have the stomach to do her damned job.

I loved that scene, since Reid totally believed her when she talked about the guy and was believably spooked.

(As an aside, if they hadn't screwed up with Reid and Garcia after around S5 or so, they'd have made a fine pairing, at least platonically...the two actors play off each other so well)

I understand why the show decided to have Garcia be the one who struggles with the images that she sees- since the show wanted to portray someone who'd have a "normal" reaction to such things, and "normally" we'd all react with horror when we see mutilated bodies- but I still think they could have done that in other ways. This is where having a media liaison is vital because the public- who would actually represent "normalcy"- would be the ones who would openly wonder why a serial killer is running around collecting eyes and would harass the BAU about what they're doing about it. If the show had bothered with world-building, it would be easy to portray "normal" reactions without making a team member have to be unbelievable.

Furthermore...this show in its early days was quite liberal about adding comedic bits, if only to add levity to a show that deals with really intense topics. Why couldn't someone with morbid humour work?

[zannej]

I keep thinking of the coroner on the Law & Order shows and how she usually has some quip. Like the time a guy was murdered, cremated, and made into a diamond. Her comment was "He's a man of many facets".

 

Garcia used to be so much cooler. I missed when she interacted with the rest of the team members. I remember when she was trying to coax Reid to stop wallowing and to come with her and said "Don't make me hurt you" and pulled him out of his chair. They really did have a great camaraderie going. And Garcia used to care about people other than herself and Morgan. Her obsession with Morgan around season 5 became unnatural, unhealthy, and unpleasant to watch. Partially since I never actually bought the closeness.

 

It makes me sad when I watch the older episodes of CM and see how cool Garcia was then and see her now.

 

I still find it interesting that Harry Bring thinks that Garcia gets less screentime than the rest of the cast (although I'm sure she generally gets more screentime than Reid of late). 

[Droogie]

She should have less screen time -- she's a supporting character! I like her, but I am tired of her. Less is more for me, as far as she's concerned. She has become a caricature of herself.

[zannej]

She should have less screen time -- she's a supporting character! I like her, but I am tired of her. Less is more for me, as far as she's concerned. She has become a caricature of herself.

I agree. She worked fine as a supporting character, but once they made her fulltime they needed to find some bogus excuse to give her more screentime and it doesn't work for me. It made me dislike her-- and she used to be my second favorite character.

[MCatry]

Regarding her screen time it may be a matter of perception. Since I can't stand her any second is one second too much. But also her relative importance. For instance, having some screen time of Reid looking at other members saying intelligent lines while sitting at the round table and at the airplane really counts as screen time? On the other hand, it is very hard to find seconds of silent Garcia, and her super laptop always have something relevant or crucial for the case...

[zannej]

Yeah, when Simon Mirren was showrunner, Garcia was his favorite so he set it up to guarantee her screentime and some meaningful contribution. For awhile there were niches each person filled so they were needed and guaranteed screentime, but that has changed. Pretty much being JJ almost always guarantees screentime or at least valuable contribution now. The others can all take a back seat.

[Danielg342]

http://www.cbs.com/shows/csi-cyber/photos/1003953/protect-your-digital-life-with-these-super-smart-cbs-techies/81746/penelope-garcia-criminal-minds/

^ So CBS thinks she's a great tool in "protecting" our identities...never mind that she's stolen them several times on the show, not just during her supposed career as a hacker.

[Old Dog]

Whoever they have in CBS's publicity department really needs replacing as you just know they have never actually watched the shows they write about! And I don't ever want to be reminded of "The Black Queen" - a seriously bad episode.

I also note they couldn't spell "apprehended".

[Danielg342]

Whoever they have in CBS's publicity department really needs replacing as you just know they have never actually watched the shows they write about! And I don't ever want to be reminded of "The Black Queen" - a seriously bad episode.

I also note they couldn't spell "apprehended".

 

Just caught that- as if I needed another reason to be "apprehensive" about CBS' post.

[BookWoman56]

I could tolerate Garcia in smaller doses if the writers would fix a few things:
 

1. Refrain from having her compulsively blow her own horn every time she provides information to the team. It apparently doesn’t matter that the team desperately needs the info asap, because Garcia is going to waste time telling the team how wonderfully awesome she is, or how awesomely wonderful she is, ad nauseum.

2. Stop with the infantile terms of address she and Morgan use. “Baby girl” is not an appropriate way to address anyone in the workplace, much less in a government workplace. Even if Garcia likes it, the use of that phrase denigrates her professionalism. She’s a grown-ass woman working a technically challenging job, not a three-year-old getting praise from a parent. (As an aside, several years ago a colleague kept addressing me as “little miss,” despite the fact that she and I both were well into our adult lives and she was maybe 5 years older than I, and our job ranks were equal. She was not happy when I requested her to stop doing it, but she stopped. I did not need for my other colleagues to think of me as a child and as someone with less authority than this person. Garcia doesn’t need that nonsense either.) Similarly, she needs to stop using the various cutesy/borderline insulting terms by which she addresses Morgan. When everybody on the team feels the need to tell you that you’re on speakerphone for fear you’ll blurt out something wildly inappropriate, it’s time to reevaluate how you converse with colleagues.

3. Quit having her go into meltdown mode every time she sees an image of blood and gore. She’s been doing this job for 10 years now. If she can’t deal with the fact that the nature of the job demands that she view bloody and gory photos, then maybe it’s time to … I don’t know, get a different job? It’s one thing to get emotional/have a visceral reaction to a few things, such as a team member being in danger or as noted above, when realizing that something truly horrific is going to happen, such as the woman being attacked by a pack of starving dogs. But if a large part of your job consists of looking at gruesome photos and you can’t deal with it after 10 years on the job, then you need to admit this is not a good fit for you and find something else to do. IRL, Hotch or someone would have referred her to HR for job counseling and/or a transfer.

I don’t have any wish for Garcia to die, either accidentally or as a victim (I’d much prefer Morgan for that role), but I’d like to see much less of her. I liked her back when she was quirky but good at her job. Now the quirkiness has been dialed up to a gazillion, and it’s less that she’s good at her job and more that her magic computer knows everything. I’m fully expecting at some point to hear, “Yes, of course I can tell you which man in a city of one million just ate the brand of candy bar whose wrapper you found at the crime scene.” In earlier seasons, she would sometimes tell team members the info was unavailable or they needed more specific parameters, etc. Now apparently all business records, even from mom-and-pop establishments 50 years ago, all medical records, etc., are online and searchable.

[zannej]

The sad thing is, even though she had less screentime overall in season 10, she still got more of a storyline than Reid. She got more contribution. But she also was infantalized.

I have to agree with the above points of what would make her tolerable. It would be one thing to have a nickname for someone that is not derrogatory or demeaning or treating them as an object instead of a person. For instance, there was an assistant OIC who's nickname was "Moose". Instead of calling him by his name or Mr. (surname), they just called him that. And they mostly called people by their first names instead of surnames. Hotch is a good example of people using a nickname, although given how close the team are, it would be more realistic for the rest of the team to actually call him Aaron.

While I'm on that kick, they would be calling Garcia "Penelope" or "Pen" or "Penny" or something. I know some of them do it, but not all. The using surnames thing is one of my pet peeves, but its minor compared to the "Baby Girl" thing. It would make more sense for her to be given a nickname involving her specialty or even be called something like "Oracle" based on the computer hacker in DC comics (she did once call herself the oracle of Quantico, I think).

[Cobalt Stargazer]

The using surnames thing is one of my pet peeves, but its minor compared to the "Baby Girl" thing.

 

FWIW, I don't think they always use surnames. Most of the time they do, but not always. Garcia in particular calls Morgan "Derek" a lot of the time, Prentiss was "Emily" after she'd been around for a while, and JJ is usually just JJ, Jayje, and every once in a blue moon Jennifer. I don't know how or why Aaron got the nickname Hotch, and even Gideon called him that back in the day. Sometimes Rossi calls Garcia "Kitten", which is just as obnoxious as "Baby Girl", but still doesn't annoy me as much because I don't think its supposed to be flirty when Rossi is doing it.

[Danielg342]

From what I understand, when you graduate from the Academy, you're given a name to use, unique to you. It's not always your surname but most of the time it is.

I'd also point out that Garcia's outfits likely wouldn't fly around the office (neither, I think, would Morgan's shirts and Reid's hair), so there's some precedent with the show taking liberties with FBI decorum.

[missmycat]

FWIW, I don't think they always use surnames. Most of the time they do, but not always. Garcia in particular calls Morgan "Derek" a lot of the time, Prentiss was "Emily" after she'd been around for a while, and JJ is usually just JJ, Jayje, and every once in a blue moon Jennifer. I don't know how or why Aaron got the nickname Hotch, and even Gideon called him that back in the day. Sometimes Rossi calls Garcia "Kitten", which is just as obnoxious as "Baby Girl", but still doesn't annoy me as much because I don't think its supposed to be flirty when Rossi is doing it.

I have always assumed it was derived from his last name Hotchner.

Edited June 10, 2015 by missmycat

[smoker]

FWIW, I don't think they always use surnames. Most of the time they do, but not always. Garcia in particular calls Morgan "Derek" a lot of the time, Prentiss was "Emily" after she'd been around for a while, and JJ is usually just JJ, Jayje, and every once in a blue moon Jennifer. I don't know how or why Aaron got the nickname Hotch, and even Gideon called him that back in the day. Sometimes Rossi calls Garcia "Kitten", which is just as obnoxious as "Baby Girl", but still doesn't annoy me as much because I don't think its supposed to be flirty when Rossi is doing it.

 

 

 

I have always assumed it was derived from his last name Hotchner.

 

 

Yes, but why would he let anyone shorten his last name in his workplace? it's an interesting detail

the one thing I liked in Brothers Hotchner was that scene where Sean doesn't want to be called Hotch, of course everything after that was a crap :(

By the way, I can't stand Morgan and Garcia's lack of professionalism, I love the scene of sexual harassment, sadly everything after that was a crap and a slap to the mythology of the show :(

Edited June 11, 2015 by smoker

[Droogie]

I actually quite like Morgan and Garcia's inappropriate banter -- I just wish they'd dial it back a few seasons, instead of making it a part of every interaction they have.

[Saje]

Yes, I'd like to see them having heartfelt talks again. 

 

Oh, hey... a thought just occurred... maybe we need ANDREW WILDER to come back and make it so! 

 

:P

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I wonder if Garcia had multiple complaints about her. The first episode with Hotch's brother she walks past him, gives what's in her hands to a stranger and then follows him. It was so inappropriate, she had no idea who he was at the time. I wonder how often she does things like that. 

 

To be fair, Elle and JJ also both did a double-take when Sean showed up at the office, and its Elle who says "That's Hotch's brother?" after Morgan points out Aaron's office. And when Sean is leaving and tells Hotch not to profile him, JJ goes, "Now I see it," as it pertains to the resemblance.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Cobalt Stargazer

[smoker]

To be fair, Elle and JJ also both did a double-take when Sean showed up at the office, and its Elle who says "That's Hotch's brother?" after Morgan points out Aaron's office. And when Sean is leaving and tells Hotch not to profile him, JJ goes, "Now I see it," as it pertains to the resemblance.

 

I'm biased so I don't think García should have thrown her files to anyone, it was unnecessary, I don't see it, this show is not a sitcom.

However, about double checking Sean, I agree with you, moreover JJ was looking his butt when she made that comment haha

I wonder if Garcia had multiple complaints about her. The first episode with Hotch's brother she walks past him, gives what's in her hands to a stranger and then follows him. It was so inappropriate, she had no idea who he was at the time. I wonder how often she does things like that. 

 

I could complain the whole day againts her, I just that insulted for her behavior (and that bored myself)

seriously, every second they let KV do whatever she wants the more García looks like an animated cartoon

Edited August 20, 2015 by smoker

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I'll bring up "Burn" here.... Derek *really* pissed me off in this episode. For ten seasons he's been Garcia's Baby Boy, champion, Chocolate Thunder etc. Her number one fan and confidante. Her best friend.  And he totally does *not* support her in this episode. As wrong as she may or may not be (cause that's NOT his call), as her alleged best friend, he should be supportive regardless of how he feels about the issue. And I don't just mean in the last scene at the end. To me, that was just flippin' unforgiveable. (Even worse than his damn throw the whistle at Reid and call if you need help bs in LDSK but I digress). Friends support friends. He should have been taking her calls. He shoulda flippin' gone to Texas with her. I'm a little disappointed twofold in Garcia too. She shoulda been more po'd with him than she was. And since the original incident involved Reid, I'm a little disappointed she didn't confide in him/get comfort from him, especially after Morgan dismissed her. And when Reid questioned Morgan about in on the jet, he got the brush off. Just unforgiveable.

 

I'll admit right up front to being very biased on this subject, because I thought it was ridiculous for Garcia to be rushing down to Texas.

 

Let's put Reid's near-murder on a shelf for a minute, that he was already wounded and in the hospital when What's-His-Name showed up to try finishing the job. What did Garcia think would happen if he'd been able to kill Spencer, that he would be satisfied with that and leave her alive to identify him? She wasn't only protecting him, she was also defending herself from this guy, so to have her dashing off to hold his hand before the execution was just obnoxious to me.

 

As for Morgan, while I do have my issues with him, I don't think he's obligated to be supportive when what she wanted to do was mollycoddle the guy who wanted to murder both her and Spencer. I mean, I get it, she's the soft one and she's not handy with a gun and that's fine. Not all of them have to be hard-asses every minute of the day, but it was bad enough that Reid, who'd already taken a bullet, had to "correct" Morgan's thinking on the subject, prompting him to approach Garcia at the end of the episode. It might not be his call to decide what she should or shouldn't do, but IMO that doesn't mean he has to enable her. If she's enough of an adult to make her own decisions, she's enough of one to see them through by herself.

[ForeverAlone]

That storyline in "Burn" is a Criminal Minds story that gets me fired up and angry when discussing it. It was such an obvious, political, anti-death penalty screed that really had NOTHING to do with the story they set up in the season nine finale. There was so much potentially interesting emotional material that could have been mined with regards to Penelope, Reid and Reid/Penelope. It was such an opportunity for rich character development between the two, the likes we have not seen for years, and instead Janine decided to go with this unrealistic, over the top mess. It was like being lobbed a softball pitch, and completely wiffing it. 

[Droogie]

...and we were subjected to another useless Reid scene, that ultimately went nowhere. What was even the point of him rubbing his neck and having Morgan call him out about it? It's so stupid in retrospect.

I completely agree. So much character-building potential, but instead we were at the mercy of JSB's agenda.

Garcia had an entire centric episode dealing with the shooting and Reid doesn't even have a scar.

[ForeverAlone]

I tend to think that Reid's neck rubbing scene was supposed to be the first breadcrumb in what was to have been Reid's addiction relapse story. But Matthew balked before they could take the story any further, so any subsequent breadcrumbs were discarded. 

[ReidFan]

Oh, don't be mistaken, CobaltS....I'm with you, I don't think Garcia shoulda been traipsing off to Texas either. That whole storyline bugged the hell out of me. My point was just since she's gonna be stupid and go, Morgan shoulda been supportive and he wasn't. It just didn't sit well with me. But you're totally right, she was nuts to even be going there, and feeling 'bad' about the guy that almost killed Reid and woulda killed her.