S10.E18: Rock Creek Park

[zannej]

Since someone brought up Reid shaking hands in the past but now refusing, I got bored and thought I'd mention my theory on why he doesn't like to shake hands. I think he doesn't want to carry this around, but its what he's thinking:

 

I think its possible that Reid was slightly wary of germs in the beginning but that he became even more concerned about them and has a full on phobia. Phobias are irrational, so it wouldn't even have to make sense. Look at Howie Mandel-- he will hug and fist-bump, but he won't shake hands.

[Danielg342]

I need a bottle of that hand sanitizer.

...and hey, if this thing works out with him and Agent Dorian, they'll be touching each other's genitals quite a bit...

[MCatry]

Since someone brought up Reid shaking hands in the past but now refusing, I got bored and thought I'd mention my theory on why he doesn't like to shake hands. I think he doesn't want to carry this around, but its what he's thinking:

 

I think its possible that Reid was slightly wary of germs in the beginning but that he became even more concerned about them and has a full on phobia. Phobias are irrational, so it wouldn't even have to make sense. Look at Howie Mandel-- he will hug and fist-bump, but he won't shake hands.

From what I recall after years of watching the show, he really doesn't have a problem shaking hands with all people. He used to be ok by shaking hands with most older women (except the uber-dominant) and men he already knew, including detectives and law and enforcement agents. Now, if you put him in front on an alpha male or a woman with a hard stance, and he instantly recoils. Hence, that 'germs' thing is just an excuse. Well, of course that theory is valid only for the earlier seasons, when the creators used to drop info subtlety. Nowadays it seems that we won't add 1 plus 1 and come up with an idea on our own, so the writers just spell that he has a germaphobia, the most obvious, cliche explanation.

[zannej]

Well, it was Matthew who said way back (I think in season 4) that he played Reid as germaphobic and he didn't like to shake people's hands. I think he did shake hands if they were extended to be polite but starting in I think season 8 or 9 he began to actively refuse to shake hands with people. Sometimes I think it was people he didn't like and other times I think it was a "I don't know where his/her hands have been" type thing. Germaphobia can get worse over time. Since Matthew is the one who said that is how he's playing it, that's how I take it. Prior to him saying that, I used to think he was just worried about people who were too aggressive and did the hand-crush grips.

[normasm]

I think it was the writers totally misinterpreting the character. I know of no post (you may) in which MGG said Reid was germaphobic. Reid shook hands so many times (many different types) in the first 2 years that that gives the lie to the germ theory. I think he didn't want to shake hands early on when he was unsure of motives of the LEOs they encountered. Not a stupid assumption, IMO.

[zannej]

I think it was the writers totally misinterpreting the character. I know of no post (you may) in which MGG said Reid was germaphobic. Reid shook hands so many times (many different types) in the first 2 years that that gives the lie to the germ theory. I think he didn't want to shake hands early on when he was unsure of motives of the LEOs they encountered. Not a stupid assumption, IMO.

Oh, I know he used to shake hands in the earlier seasons. I actually took that as evidence to counter claims that he has an aversion to being touched. I used to collect screenshots of him shaking hands, but I got sidetracked and didn't keep up with it.

 

I'm not good enough with Twitter to be able to search the archives, but back around season 4 or so, a fan mentioned the handshaking thing to Matthew on Twitter.

Matthew's response was that he played Reid as a germaphobe and that was why Reid did not like to shake hands. Maybe someone who is better with twitter and can actually get it to load decently can find the quote. As it is, I can barely get it to load recent tweets. My ISP does not get along well with the social media sites. I suspect that it was actually Matthew who said something to the writers about the handshaking thing-- although I found it offputting when Reid actually rejected a handshake for the first time. That did not seem in character to me. But then Matthew is the one who decided that Reid hates technology and that he wanted to carry a revolver instead of a glock. So, his choices don't always seem to make sense for the character in light of the past.

 

The only way it would make any sense is if his phobia got worse for some reason. I could have sworn that Howie Mandel used to shake hands, but it seems that his germaphobia got worse as well. So, I could see it being possible.

 

Although, I will say that Reid's willingness to shake hands with people he likes is a sign that Matthew and/or the writers don't understand  how germaphobia works. Of course it is something irrational.. and maybe Reid is just more wary of strangers than of people he likes/trusts. Maybe if he doesn't know or trust someone he just imagines they are filthy germ-carriers. Anyhoo, I'll move this particular discussion to the Reid thread.

 

I did like that he shook hands with Loker at the end.

Edited March 30, 2015 by zannej

[SSAHotchner]

Here's one I had from P911, season 2:

 

This one's from LDSK, season 1:

 

[needschocolate]

Something I wondered about.. when the mother said something about the brother getting burned by a careless neighbor tossing oil out the window, I wondered if that really happened or if the mother did it to him because he wasn't behaving the way she wanted him to. There were quite a few questions left unanswered.

 

Do people really throw hot oil out the window?  I understand how in the 1800's they might throw the bath water or dirty dishwater out the window - they didn't have sinks.  But who throws hot oil out the window?

 

Mileage varies, but it seemed to me like the Congressman was in on that plan, or at least knew about it, just from how he acted in that final scene. I guess I could infer brainwashing because the movie was referenced, but I find that spurious since there was nothing in the show to suggest that happened.

Which leaves me with either:

a) The Congressman and his mother had planned everything beforehand

b) The Congressman and his mother discussed the plan and the mother decided to go through with it anyway

c) The Congressman was in the dark about the plan but, seeing how well it worked, approved of it

If it's “a”, then the Congressman is the best actor in the world and the episode was horribly contrived to ensure that Reid wasn't there to snuff it out quickly. If it's “b”, the acting still applies, to an extent, and I wonder why the Congressman never clued in to what was happening. If it's “c”, then I have to wonder why the Congressman was never surprised to find out his mother devised the plan- sure, he called the actions “unforgivable” but he also asked his mother “what to do next” and never seemed to act like he didn't know what his mother was up to all along.

Of course, none of this explains the ear- sure, the mother hated the Congressman's wife but I'm sure she would respect him enough not to harm the wife. It also doesn't explain why nothing was made of the fact the Russians defied their orders and demanded more ransom money- you'd think it'd make the mother scramble or retaliate, but nothing doing.

I think this could have worked better if the wife and the mother were the ones who hatched the plan, and the “mob” were hired actors and not actual Russian mobsters. That made more sense to me than all the questions I got here.

 

 I can't decide between a, b, or c - all three occurred to me, but I really don't know which way they intended.

 

As for the ear, I would like to think that the mother (and the congressman) had nothing to do with it, instead the Russians did it to send a message tot he mother that they were serious - the plan had changed to 20 million.

[normasm]

Needschocolate, they did the boiling oil over the fortress walls in the middle ages as a real battle strategy. I thought it was a metaphor and made me immediately suspicious of the mother.

Edited April 2, 2015 by normasm

[normasm]

I just found this from one of my live journal friends, and thought it was very apropos to this episode. http://www.daughtersofnarcissisticmothers.com/golden-child-and-scapegoat/

 

If you substitute sons for daughters, who i think are even more vulnerable to this kind of crazy...

Edited April 2, 2015 by normasm

[Danielg342]

As for the ear, I would like to think that the mother (and the congressman) had nothing to do with it, instead the Russians did it to send a message tot he mother that they were serious - the plan had changed to 20 million.

 

I suppose that makes sense- but I'd rather have the show explain that to me instead of me having to infer it. Many of this episode's problems stem from me having to infer things instead of having them properly explained- all because the writer just couldn't keep things simple.

[zannej]

Well, Sharon Watson answered a few questions on twitter. The husband was not complicit with the kidnapping, but he found out after the fact and decided that it was beneficial to him. (those are my words, not hers). Also, the hot oil thing happened- neighbor burned him, not the mother.

 

As to why the woman threw hot oil out the window? I think it was freshly used cooking oil, maybe the woman was worried it would gum up the sink or maybe the sink was full of dishes and she didn't want oil coating stuff.