S11.E11: Entropy

[thewhiteowl]

The BAU implements an elaborate strategy to try and take down the “Dirty Dozen” hitmen ring, with Reid playing a central role.

 

 

 Additional info is welcome like

previews and episode info.

Pre-Complaints will be deleted.

[ReidFan]

there are a couple of spoilers out there (at tvguide and at spoilertv if you really must) but I have been giddily looking forward to this one for more than a month now. I cannot *wait* til 9 tonight. Locking myself in my bedroom away from the Peanut Gallery in the house and I'm gonna enjoy this one. 

Edited January 13, 2016 by ReidFan

[Old Dog]

Finally a Reid episode! I can't wait!

[Danielg342]

In the 11th episode of the 11th season, will it go down to the 11th hour?

[secnarf]

I'm impressed. I think that was the best episode they've had in a long while, and I don't usually like the "tell instead of show" format.

[normasm]

I loved it. Loved it.

[Primetimer]

'The only thing Criminal here is your haircut,' she might say to that one guy. Here, we imagine a business-tripping April Ludgate trying her hand at some role-playing, and getting a wee bit more than she bargained for.

Read the story

[ForeverAlone]

I really did like this episode. It had an entertaining mix of elements in it. Of course, this entire episode rested on the chemistry between Matthew/Aubrey as Spencer/Cat, and I think it did that really well. It was an interesting emotional back and forth between those two, and they worked well together. Both had their turn taking the upper hand, but of course Spencer prevailed overall. It was great to see such an emotional gamut from Spencer, and even though he was so charmingly awkward at the beginning, he quickly revealed his inner strength, power and command of the situation.

 

And of course this was a Reid centric episode, but I thought the team had plenty of screen time as well (probably more than "200" if I had to guess). And Hotch had a nice moment at the end, showing what a caring boss he can be at times.

 

My one quibble is that the ending seemed a bit rushed, but after that much lead up, there wasn't time to have a protracted conclusion. Plus we never got that GOOD explanation for why/how the group targeted Penelope and her computers (and we probably won't), so it is just one of those things you just have accept or ignore. I know the suggestion is that there might be more to this story down the road, but I'm good for now if they never revisit this story again.

 

And if they are really going to go down the road of Diana completely devolving into early onset dementia, I hope we don't have to see it, because I really don't need to see that. That is just too much tragedy piled onto melodrama in my opinion.

 

While I do love some Reid sadness (and this episode definitely ended on that bittersweet note), I do hope there was some true, sustained happiness for him in the offing, because in many ways, he is the most tragic of the main characters. But tonight, my heart melted with the Morgan/Reid hug at the end of the episode. It has been too long since we have seen such tender, honest broffection between those two, and it was much needed. I mean, Reid wrapping his arms around Morgan was probably the sweetest thing I've seen all season.

[Racbec]

I really enjoyed that. Well written, well directed and well acted. A case solved by profiling! I found it suspenseful, engaging and, in the end, bittersweet.

[Eliza422]

Wow....what an episode. I actually saved it to watch again. I'm only still with this show because of MGG, and he rocked it!

[Danielg342]

To paraphrase the great Emily Prentiss- "there's a lot to like about you Doctor Reid".

 

Okay, she said the opposite...but, the inverse works better here.

 

There was a lot to like about this episode, but I didn't. The main reason is that it was utterly dull and lacked a real sense of urgency- I felt that Matthew Gray Gubler and Aubrey Plaza had great chemistry but their acting talents were woefully underused. They practically sat at the restaurant the entire time and acted like everything they were talking about had the same agency as the items on the menu.

 

Um, guys? Girl's got a bomb underneath the restaurant...might want to show a bit more energy. Just saying.

 

I also felt the "profiling" was more like Spencer Reid and Cat Adams being psychics, because they pulled a lot of stuff out of their rears. Oh, and the motivations- daddy issues? Seriously, Erica? Haven't you forgotten that women can have motivations other than a familial or a relationship obligation? Or is your "girl power" as outdated as Hilary's?

 

Sheesh.

 

Okay, at least I can give Breen Frazier the credit where Reid admitted the daddy issues was a lark- but what if it wasn't? What then, BAU?

 

The real bad part of Reid's and Adams' "game" was where they both had to admit their familial issues. First of all, Dr. Reid- you've been at this for fourteen years (or twelve, if the show could ever get its timelines right). Couldn't you see a mile away that her prodding about your mother was bait? She wanted to rattle you, and it worked. I'm not sure if it gave Reid any kind of advantage, anyway, because Reid only got the upper hand when he fooled Adams into thinking he found her father.

 

Then we get to Adams...you know, for a supposedly sophisticated hitwoman, with all this knowledge and ability to "think everything through", why didn't:

 

-She recognize being in a restaurant was a trap and insist on a more isolated venue. Or at least some kind of dive bar or something where Reid and the other federal agents would have stuck out like a sore thumb, not to mention a smaller bar would have restricted all the visuals the FBI could have made. Or even just insist on meeting Reid at a time and day where a restaurant wouldn't be busy. Pretty easy to spot four other federal agents in one restaurant if you're the only couple there, especially when it's a place where you'd know all the patrons.

-She use an alias. What criminal answers an E-Mail, let alone answers an E-Mail with their real name? Did she want to get caught?

-She remember that the BAU has six field operatives? She figured out Rossi and JJ, but not Tara Lewis and Derek Morgan. Maybe she'd figure that Hotch was running the operation from afar and not account for him (as well as Penelope Garcia) but I would think, if she studied the BAU for so long, she'd at least try to figure out where Lewis and Morgan are, especially Morgan- he's made how many arrests for the BAU, and he's already on the contract killers' hitlist. You'd think finding Morgan would have been her top priority, aside from tricking Reid.

-She realize that Reid's business about her father was a trap? She supposedly studied the BAU and knew their methods- wouldn't she know that this was her one vulnerability and worked to counteract it?

 

One thing I will give credit for in terms of tactics is that the contract killer group hired women and fooled the authorities that way. Props for that. Pity they had to be throwaway characters, though.

 

Still, I have to wonder- as soon as they learned the BAU was on their tail, why not plan to take them all out? Did they want to get arrested? None of this makes sense.

 

Furthermore, why didn't the group of killers hire "plants" to trick the FBI into arresting the wrong people? The killers had contacts in the NSA...surely they could find a few lookalikes. I also question why Adams decided to bring the bomber along with her, and why the killing group allowed it- the killing group had to have known that Adams was stepping into a trap, so why risk two of your best operatives in the same mission? Also, why couldn't Adams have learned how to set off the bombs herself, and in the world of remote detonation, did the bomber really have to be in the building for the plan to work? Couldn't she have routed things to Adams' cell phone so that she could detonate things from a distance?

 

...but I get it. We need to take down the hitgroup tonight. So conveniently everyone is there...

 

*groan* On a better written show I'd wonder if it was a set up for something else, but on this show, it's just lazy writing.

 

Speaking of bad tactics- what's with Hotch deciding just to send JJ and Rossi down to greet the bomber? If the bomber was there and decided to blow the building up at that moment, what good would that be? Bombs are serious business- whatever happened to using the SWAT team or the bomb squad? Or at least Morgan- although I understand he wasn't in the best position to investigate that.

 

However, you'd think Mr. Bomb Squad Expert would be the one who'd be able to defuse the cell phone bomb without the bomber knowing. Or at least know a trick or two that would allow Garcia to do it remotely. That would have at least spared risking the lives of the people in the restaurant, but...then we wouldn't have had our dramatic takedown scene, would we?

 

Oh, and while I'm mopping the floor with Hotch's poor tactics- what's with Reid defying an order? How's that for some cheap drama? Also, why couldn't Hotch have trusted Reid to know what he was doing? If Hotch's order to stand down would have been made into a "code" for Reid to pipe up about Adams' father then I could have understood it, but, as it stands now, it was just Reid being a maverick...which seems pretty out of character for him. So good one, Breen- more contrived writing just to get to the resolution you want.

 

Other notes:

 

-Drunk Garcia at the end- I get that was supposed to be funny, but it was plainly awful. Also, what was with her wanting to take off her clothes? Last episode she was somewhat charming and maybe I would have entertained the thought. This episode? She was awkward, childish, embarrassing...take your pick for the adjective you want to use as "as far from alluring as possible". Breen, don't write comedy. You stink at it.

-Corollary- this is a broken record here, but why can't Garcia ever be shown to be anything other than an overgrown brat? She used to ooze confidence and character...what happened to that woman?

-I knew Reid was a germaphobe, but I never saw him resist a hug before. I'd think a guy as emotional as Reid would like the affection. Besides, wouldn't Dr. Expert know that a handshake is actually less safe than a hug or even a kiss on the cheek?

-Did dig Reid putting his open hand on Morgan's fist bump...but, then again, wasn't this the same Reid that had a fist bump with Hotch? Consistency, Breen, consistency.

-I think JJ may have had three lines, tops. She was woefully underused...and I didn't complain. You'd think that says something about the quality of the character.

-Lewis...her actions made sense. I'll grant that. They just seemed to be over the top- any reason why she had to take the bomber's head and smash it against the table? Did you write that Breen because you loved that visual but didn't want Morgan to do it? That sequence made me sick. Not for some sexist claptrap about how "women should never be hit"- on this show, if you're a criminal and the violence is justifiable, you're fair game regardless of who you are- but because the violence was gratuitous. The bomber accepted her fate, she didn't resist arrest so she didn't need her head bashed in. Plain and simple.

-Pity someone as smart as Adams isn't reappearing in a future episode (that we know of). Properly fleshed out, she'd make a great recurring villain. Or are the only recurring villains that can be used on this show the province of males, CM?

 

Overall...well, C-. A lot of stuff could have made this episode work...but, the truth is it missed on almost all of its execution.

[Danielg342]

'The only thing Criminal here is your haircut,' she might say to that one guy. Here, we imagine a business-tripping April Ludgate trying her hand at some role-playing, and getting a wee bit more than she bargained for.

http://previously.tv/criminal-minds/what-if-aubrey-plaza-were-on-criminal-minds-playing-april-ludgate/"> Read the story

 

^ Props for this...it's a first here at PTV. I'm happy...I hope we get more.

[Rocker0130]

Wow....what an episode. I actually saved it to watch again. I'm only still with this show because of MGG, and he rocked it!

yup. I'm only for MGG too.

But CBS's twitter was more about Aubrey and I was pissed.

And Why Reid and Morgan monent, we can't see Reid's face?

They all focused on ugly Morgan's face. So offending.

I def stop watching after this one.

I don't give a shit about dumb Morgan's episodes.

I'll check his making ratings lower.

[Chaos Theory]

I stopped watching this show this season for a bunch of reasons one of the big ones us that I don't particularly like Reid. I watched this episode because I was too tired to turn it off and I needed something easy to watch.

It actually wasn't bad. I didn't want to punch Reid in the face (maybe I am warming to him or more likely absense makes the heart grow fonder.). I liked the unsub which is a big plus. I usually do like the female ones though. I liked that everyone was involved in one form Or another..another plus.

Still not going to watch the show.

Still don't like Reid.

But the episode kept me entertained for an hour.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[Lebanna]

I'm pretty sure that you can do any genetic tests for early-onset Alzheimer's at Reid's age. What is he, 33, 34? If you're really unlucky, you can GET early-onset in your thirties, or even before. So that seemed like a cop-out to me.

With any luck, they'll retcon it later that he was just lying, because he doesn't want to know. It's a very personal decision, but nobody should be pressured to find out things about their medical future that they don't want to know about and genetic diseases which are currently non-symptomatic, just because there's a test for it.

But it was interesting that the writers have decided to give Reid another genetic sword of Damocles, now that the window for schizophrenia had mostly run out. They must have been having too much fun to stop now. Enjoy your imaginary pregnant wife, Reid, because I guess you are one character on this show who will never be breeding.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Lebanna

[Droogie]

I thought Reid's open handed grab to Morgan's fist bump was intended as a joke on Reid's part -- I remember when he did it for real a few seasons back. Then last season when Morgan wouldn't, on the plane, and now I'm imagining it to be sort of a running joke between them.

The hug thing was somewhat overwrought but it just made the hug at the end more poignant for me.

[teddysmom]

This sounds like a job for Burt Macklin, that magnificent bastard.

[Danielg342]

Another incongruity: they deduced that the bomber was going to be the person actively on her cell phone, and offered no other clues. I understand that, for time's sake they couldn't have an elaborate expose, but they should have narrowed down the explanation beyond “she's sitting by herself playing on her phone.” Likely that description could fit several women in that restaurant (especially if their significant other had just gone to the bathroom), so Morgan and Lewis got extremely lucky they didn't arrest- and bash the head in of- the wrong person.

[Sharpie66]

They did also point out that the bomber would have had to have direct line of sight with Reid and the black widow's table.

 

I actually tuned into this episode because I happened to read the episode description while scrolling through the evening's listings and saw it was a Reid episode. The last time I watched a first-run CM episode was not too long after they bumped off Gideon, so I was pleased it was an episode with limited backstory required to follow the plot (the previously-on took care of what I needed to know). Even though I enjoyed this one (even kept it on the dvr for future re-watching), I don't see myself tuning in to another first-run ep anytime soon. Reid eps are the only ones I have enjoyed since Season 5, and I'll just wait for the newer ones to hit Ion or AMC in reruns.

[Danielg342]

They did also point out that the bomber would have had to have direct line of sight with Reid and the black widow's table.

True...but, it still doesn't preclude her from being in the “wrong place at the wrong time”. I don't believe they established that she'd been sitting there all night by herself, nor did someone observe that she'd been having her eyes glued to Reid's table the entire time.

It also wouldn't have taken much for Morgan to snap a picture, send it to Garcia and run it through facial recognition software- “Derailed” established that Garcia had that capability, and she could have used it here for the bomber.

Nonetheless, the bomber still has a case of police brutality against Lewis for getting her head smashed in.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Danielg342

[Laurie4H]

I thought it was bad. Didn't make any sense and they women Reid was with at the restaurant was annoying and a horrible actress. All I could hear was the writers trying to be clever in this one.

[thewhiteowl]

I liked it, was it perfection? Alas, no but it was good. Gore-free, lots of tension, decent profiling, minimal magic computer and Reid's hair was not epically stupid looking. A win for me.  

[RedheadZombie]

I'm pretty sure that you can do any genetic tests for early-onset Alzheimer's at Reid's age. What is he, 33, 34? If you're really unlucky, you can GET early-onset in your thirties, or even before. So that seemed like a cop-out to me.

 

 

Well, Meredith Grey (not a doctor but plays one on TV) was tested a few years back, and her character was roughly mid-30s to forty.

 

From what I've read, being "too young" is not a reason to not be tested.  There is some concern that discovering one has the gene may have a negative psychological impact, and some believe testing should not be done on an asymptomatic person.  I'm pretty sure Reid's genetic makeup will be the same in ten years, so I don't really get it.

[Trillian]

The episode lost me as soon as Cat looked at the wedding ring and noted it was 24 carat gold. Jewelry is virtually never made of 24 carat gold because it's too soft and, yes, can nick and scuff. Why would they use such a rare ring as a prop? And why would Reid capitulate immediately when she pointed out it was pristine? 1) he's a man and it would've been plausible to say he doesn't wear it daily since some (many?) men don't wear them constantly. Or, 2) that it actually is brand new and a replacement for some reason of the original ring. Or, 3) that it just hadn't scuffed for some reason. My own wedding band is 18 carat gold and was my grandmother's. When I brought it to the jeweller's to be sized, she mused that the grandmothers' rings she usually saw were often nicked and scuffed and that mine looked like new. I just shrugged - I guess I should've immediately admitted that I was lying and the whole thing was a set up and that I was only pretending it was my grandmother's.

Once Reid let his cover be blown on such flimsy grounds, I found the rest of the episode to be hard to handle, in addition to the reasons others have raised, above and which DanielG342 expressed so well.

[Lebanna]

I assumed the ring was chosen on purpose to give her the clue, as they wanted her to know that she was being set up. Everything was following their plan until they discovered the bomb. I think Reid just about said as much.

[Lostinthehouse]

 

 

why didn't:

-She recognize being in a restaurant was a trap and insist on a more isolated venue.

 

Daniel - I remember her saying that she changed the restaurant at the last minute, so if it was a trap, she set it herself.

 

I can't remember the last time I watched an episode of CM without looking at the clock.  Sure, there were flaws, and sure, some things could have been timed differently or thought out more clearly, but WOW!  I thought it was an excellent character episode with profiling, all cast members involved, and lots of tension.  Easily one of my favorite episodes since Season 5.  This one stays on my DVR too, Eliza.

[ForeverAlone]

Since she said she didn't know what he looked like, he said he would have a rose at the table. It is a similar tactic to many blind dates, and that was the writing for the first couple minutes of the episode. Everything about their interaction initially was like a charmingly awkward blind date.

[secnarf]

Another thing I forgot to put in my original comment. I copy pasting directly from my written while watching notes so sorry if it's hectic 

1:26 oh god a rose

2:23 oh thank god, there’s a reason for the rose. But there isn’t? If her reason for the rose is because so she knew where Spencer was, why didn’t she just ask the doorlady? And SHE switched the restaurant, so why would the reservations be in his name? Did she put them under his name? Then why the rose?

If I was a psychopathic hitwoman, I probably wouldn't want my name on a reservation list.

[Loves2Dance]

My biggest issue with the entire episode is that they sat there for roughly an hour or so and the waiter only approached once? Dude, I can't even look at a drink menu without a waiter up my butt to order my drink and my appetizer. 

[secnarf]

My biggest issue with the entire episode is that they sat there for roughly an hour or so and the waiter only approached once? Dude, I can't even look at a drink menu without a waiter up my butt to order my drink and my appetizer. 

Cat told the waiter they'd let him know when they were ready to order, and since the staff were all obviously aware of an investigation, the waiter may have been instructed not to be pushy.

[Loves2Dance]

Cat told the waiter they'd let him know when they were ready to order, and since the staff were all obviously aware of an investigation, the waiter may have been instructed not to be pushy.

After a good 20 minutes---sorry, still not believable. 

[Danielg342]

I assumed the ring was chosen on purpose to give her the clue, as they wanted her to know that she was being set up. Everything was following their plan until they discovered the bomb. I think Reid just about said as much.

 

I don't recall that he did- to what I recall, the part about the ring and (especially) the part about his mother appeared to really throw him off. In fact, I think what set Cat off about Reid's mother was deducing the ring wasn't real.

 

I should also think the BAU would want to be smarter about revealing to Cat that she's being set up. They knew they were in a restaurant full of people- why make it so obvious? They were pretty cavalier about the safety of the unwitting guests.

 

Daniel - I remember her saying that she changed the restaurant at the last minute, so if it was a trap, she set it herself..

 

Yeah...on a better written show, I'd say she wanted to get caught to pull off some plan in prison, but this is Criminal Minds- characters do things because the writer wants them to do it. Nothing makes sense.

 

I do further recall that Cat said she wanted a packed restaurant full of victims "in case this was a set up" but I still think that's rather risky. If she wanted to know if she was being set up, she'd arrange to meet Reid at a restaurant she'd know very well with patrons she likely mingled with, so the FBI would stick out like a sore thumb- and, if the place is shady enough, patrons who'd help her out in a pinch.

 

Taking a whole restaurant hostage is great for dramatic purposes, but I'd think an experienced group of contract killers would be aware that it would bring a lot of attention upon themselves (and if there's one thing a hitman/hitwoman doesn't like, it's attention) and that the FBI would likely have several tactics allowing them to prevail in a hostage scenario.

 

Or...at the very least, she'd go to a restaurant with corrupted staff which would allow her to escape ("I just need to go to the bathroom..."), allowing the bomber to blow it up. Sure, there the "blaze of glory" but I don't know what it would have accomplished for the hit group- only way that would have worked would have been if Hotch was in on the take, since Garcia was the target and Hotch was right there to take her out. Which then begs the question about why go through all the trouble of a restaurant hostage situation if taking out your target would be that easy.

 

I mean, surely they could have had a FBI agent or four on the take.

 

The problem isn't her name not being on the reservations she made. The problem is there being reservations and Cat acting like the only way she knew which table Spencer would be at is by looking at the rose. The rose was completely unnecessary since she could have just asked the Doorlady which table Spencer was at.

 

The big thing for me was that an experienced criminal would know better than to use their real name in any kind of correspondence- that's just asking for her to get caught. I do agree that the rose was unnecessary, especially in the light of the fact that Reid and Cat were not there on a date- they were there to organize a hit. It would have made better sense for Reid to use a different sign other than a rose, since Cat would likely know they're not meeting for a date and her seeing a rose would likely set her off.

 

One final word for this post, in general- if Cat had been a terrorist, her actions would have made more sense. Terrorists are all about "the show" and taking down as many victims as they can while being cavalier about their own safety. Contract killers, on the other hand, have more interest in continuing their jobs, so you'd expect them to be as discreet as possible. There was really nothing about this episode that even whispered "discreet".

[Racbec]

Well, I enjoyed it. It wasn't perfect and this arc was utterly uninspired, but I have found CM more enjoyable to watch when I don't expect every plot point to work and every character to say and do things perfectly. I used to watch these shows and get frustrated and angry about bad writing, sloppy directing, inconsistent acting, lack of profiling, etc. I used to complain about little things that didn't make sense and there being too much JJ and Garcia (okay, I still complain about them). Now I watch and see if I can find some or all of the episode entertaining. There are some episodes that simply fail big time. Not this one, IMO. I enjoyed watching Reid and the hitwoman verbally spar. I was interested in the story and found it engaging. I thought the acting was good. I like watching Reid in episodes like this, where he's using his skills to get into an unsub's mind.

[Kanner]

I enjoyed the episode. I liked that it wasn't the standard CM episode.  I like A. Plaza and I think she was great here.  I have no special love for Reid (I don't dislike him either) but I always like when he has a chance to show his competence.

 

Hotch is my favorite and I frown when he gets limited air time but his role in this was appropriate.

 

It might not make sense for Cat not to realize that she didn't account for all of the team but I just loved the pull back to Morgan and Lewis. The clinking of the glasses and "the guess again bitch". Awesome!

 

Can someone help me with JJ's outfit?  What was she wearing and why?

[frogprof]

 

Can someone help me with JJ's outfit?  What was she wearing and why?

 

The only thing I could guess was that she was meant to look like a hooker waiting for a date [sorry, "date"]. Looked like a Muppet-fur jacket and [p]leather trousers. The jacket made her look enormous, IMO.

[Noirprncess]

This episode started out interesting but lulled me to sleep towards the end.

[secnarf]

Maybe JJ's outfit was more appropriate for the other place they were going to go?

Also, can anyone else not quote right now and is anyone else missing the toolbar for bold/italics/hyperlink ect?

I can quote (obviously), but I am missing the toolbar and the quote kind of looks different as I'm writing.

[smoker]

I'm so relieved there are more people who is unimpressed by this episode.

I don't know if it's because after reading good comments about it I had high expectations. However, it didn't hook me up and there were parts with a slowly pace which gave me anxiety in the wrong way.

Morgan and his baby-mama the second were disgusting, acting like horny teens in front of his friend and coworker. Really? Really?

and that hugging scene with Savannah isn't original, if you are copying something you make sure it is well performed. Any of them got the tone of the scene. It's a shame because It's a funny scene when it's well done, I remember it from Cheers and Private practice. I guess comparing MGG and this actress to Emma Thompson and Bebe Neuwirth is too much, but Kadee Strickland and Amy Brenneman were great too.

Personally, I think Morgan should have been the one who went to that date. He is supposed to be smart, younger enough and he used to be a manwhore; it would have been interesting. Sadly, I don't think SM had played the part better than MGG did.

I usually complain about García's attire, but Aisha and AJ were bad dressed, those clothes didn't suit them.

the date was promising but I didn't buy anything after she didn't take the chance of run.

I'm a Hotch lover, the amount of time with him was ok, but being in charge of everything is important, it looked like he didn't knew the team he was commanding (their capacities and their weakness) or what needed to be done, and I don't like that. I do love his big comforting hand on García' shoulder tho. TG has great hands... and he knows it.

I don't get the hugging scene between Morgan and Reid, I don't think they needed the "hold me tight" thing, but I may be biased in this one.

Another awful scene with Morgan and his baby-mamas and Reid.

I'm glad the episode was entertaining for most of the viewers for obvius reasons, but I'm not planning to watch this one again.

Edited January 16, 2016 by smoker

[ReidFan]

I loved it. I did have a few minor quibbles (but I always seem to......) but to me, this one was by far the best episode of the season so far.

Although it looks like I might be the only one here who loved Breen Frazier's script, Aubrey Plaza's guest spot and Matthew's absolutely breathtaking performance.

[secnarf]

Morgan and his baby-mama the second were disgusting, acting like horny teens in front of his friend and coworker. Really? Really?

...

Another awful scene with Morgan and his baby-mamas and Reid.

Since when does Morgan have a "baby-mama"? And when did that become plural??

[Noirprncess]

Since when does Morgan have a "baby-mama"? And when did that become plural??

Good question since they don't have kids. I think was his "one". I like their house.

[Old Dog]

I loved this episode. It was so nice to return to having the psychology and the profiling front and centre and some actual suspense. In recent seasons the focus has been more on mindless action, blood and gore than on the psychological aspects of crime and I guess the newer generation of viewers might miss the undemanding and generic action procedural it has been turning into. But this was all about the acting, the emotions, the suspense and I found it completely riveting. Sure there were flaws if you chose to nitpick but when the acting and emotional power of the story is so intense you don't go looking for the flaws. It was Criminal Minds at its best making the viewer think about motivation and the impact of crime and was a welcome change from all the flash and bang action stories which are so tedious.

[Danielg342]

Smoker's first language is not English, so "baby mamas" may be a typo.

[smoker]

Since when does Morgan have a "baby-mama"? And when did that become plural??

Sorry for the misunderstanding. And thank you Daniel for your comment.

I started to call García the baby-mama back in season 7, after the exchange of nicknames between Morgan and García reached an anoying point. It came from: baby girl + mama = baby mama

Now, he got himself a girlfriend who shares him with Penelope, this makes her "the baby-mama the second" in my mind

Edited January 16, 2016 by smoker

[Racbec]

Well said, SweetTooth.

[JMO]

I enjoyed the episode, too, despite its faults.  There will always be something that could have been done better, but this one still had an awful lot going for it.  

 

Like:

It spun the wheel all the way around, and then some, on the Reid-meter.  I could stop right there, but there was much more to like.

 

At the beginning of the season, MGG indicated that he thought we would see a more mature Reid this year---and here he was! I hope the rest of the writers were watching, because I don’t want to see any backsliding in how the character is written. This was the Reid of ‘Uncanny Valley’, without the hotheadedness.

 

MGG’s performance, both verbal and non-. Those eyes speak volumes. As to Aubrey---I thought she grew into it by the end of the episode, but wasn’t convinced at the beginning. Loved her single tear as she was taken away in the police van.

 

The wedding ring looked good on that finger. I found myself wishing he really was playing a husband of four years, with or without a pregnant wife.

 

The ‘brothers from other mothers’ finding that relationship again. I also liked that it seemed like Reid and Savannah have developed a friendship, pointing again at the closeness between Reid and Morgan.

 

The parts that could have been done better, in my opinion:

 

The entire plot, pretty much. It seemed like they went out of their way to make it as convoluted as possible, which I found distracting from the psychological warfare taking place at the table. If this had simply been a case about a single serial killing hitwoman, and all we had to focus on was the back-and-forth, I think it would have been more intense. Instead we got this thing with the flash drive, and the wheel, and the Snowman and the kid, and the multiple types of serial hitmen that we saw in action for a matter of seconds, each. I found it distracting and detracting.

 

The use of the team. I wish they’d done all the set-up for this episode in the ones that preceded it, so that we could have had more of the team acting and reacting in real time. Instead, they were mostly used for exposition. Only Hotch reacted to Reid’s change of plans at the end, but I would have liked to see each of the rest hear it, and process it, and figure out what he was up to. Instead, we got the kind of rushed ending that has plagued so many of the season finales.

 

The ‘did you get yourself tested’ bit. I know it’s being debated on several forums whether a test exists, or whether it’s used. The answer to both questions is: it depends. It depends on the circumstance, and the kind of dementia, and whether they are trying to rule something ‘in’ or rule something ‘out’. But that’s not my issue. My issue is that I think the tragedy---and the real drama---- of his mother’s dementia lies, not in what it means for Reid several decades hence, but in what it means for him now. That he’s losing the only person in the world who puts him first, and remembers the child he was, and who was his biggest fan. That’s what drove him to the swings.

 

That JJ didn't proposition Reid.  Having seen that outfit in BTS photos, I was hoping she would.

 

Anyway, yay for CM and yay for us, that we finally got something to enjoy!

[secnarf]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. And thank you Daniel for your comment.

I started to call García the baby-mama back in season 7, after the exchange of nicknames between Morgan and García reached an anoying point. It came from: baby girl + mama = baby mama

Now, he got himself a girlfriend who shares him with Penelope, this makes her "the baby-mama the second" in my mind

"Baby-mama" means that she is the mother of his child, so it's not really an appropriate term to describe either Penelope or Savannah, which is where the confusion came in.

[smoker]

"Baby-mama" means that she is the mother of his child, so it's not really an appropriate term to describe either Penelope or Savannah, which is where the confusion came in.

thanks for telling me!  I'll look for another way to call her then :)

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

What If Aubrey Plaza Were On Criminal Minds Playing April Ludgate?
'The only thing Criminal here is your haircut,' she might say to that one guy. Here, we imagine a business-tripping April Ludgate trying her hand at some role-playing, and getting a wee bit more than she bargained for.

[ReidFan]

I can't get enough of this episode. Watched it nine times so far, mostly on the tv but also on the computer now (where I can put in headphones, put up the cc and screencapture). I loved it so much....and that last scene between Morgan and Reid, well wow....They've always been pretty close friends and colleagues, but they've never shown it physically like this before. That hug, I dunno, seemed more like Matthew and Shemar to me than Reid and Morgan. Almost like their onscreen goodbye, given what's coming up soon. I love how, in true 'man fashion' they can't actually say the words although the meaning comes out quite clearly. Loved it, loved it, loved it.