Criminal Minds Analysis: Profile The Show

[Willowy]

Beats me, but 7Park Data is an entertainment stat aggregate company based in NYC. The mag @WedNightGirls got it out of said "US streaming". I would guess that's for all the shows?

[PMPA]

This refers to S1-11 as S12 is not available yet, to the best of my knowledge, so theres that, and I'm not even sure that all those seasons are available outside of the US.  I have no doubt that 1-11 are very popular.  I see many people disillusioned with past season and not seeing or hearing anything so far to garner up excitement for the coming season, state that they are thankful for past seasons on Netflix. 

Also, CM does not appear in this list. 

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/the-75-best-tv-shows-on-netflix-february-2017.html?a=1

[JMO]

6 minutes ago, PMPA said:

This refers to S1-11 as S12 is not available yet, to the best of my knowledge, so theres that, and I'm not even sure that all those seasons are available outside of the US.  I have no doubt that 1-11 are very popular.  I see many people disillusioned with past season and not seeing or hearing anything so far to garner up excitement for the coming season, state that they are thankful for past seasons on Netflix. 

Also, CM does not appear in this list. 

https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/01/the-75-best-tv-shows-on-netflix-february-2017.html?a=1

The article cited is just that, an article, with a personal point of view.  Viewing statistics are another thing entirely.  

Of course, if the article is actually based on viewing statistics, then the only thing that has happened with CM between February and June 2017 has been the denouement of season 12.  Might the Reid arc have actually increased viewership on Netflix?  I know it to be true of an 'n' of 2, but those two young ladies, while significant to me, are not statistically significant (as Reid would say).

[Willowy]

*shrugs* People will take what they will from the stats - I think it's great! And I see many people thrilled with season 12 (which should be available come August or early September) and how deep they went with Reid, and so many are looking forward to what 13 will bring! I'm thankful for the past seasons on Netflix because I don't have to bust out my DVDs every time I want to revisit, which is often. And yes, to me, all the seasons are worth a revisit, even 6 has a few gems, like Coda. 

[PMPA]

Not sure why shrugs are required. Facts are facts. I did not make anything up. S12 is not yet on Netflix so these figures cannot reflect it.  I've seen lots of posts made suggesting CM was in this position or that position or another position, but what was never mentioned was that many of those depended on particular demo's, L3's, L7's etc.  I'm sure many enjoyed it, and many are looking forward to the next season.  Great.  It does not negate the fact that there were and are many who did not and are not. 

Cannot comment on whether or not its an opinion piece or not, but Harry is certainly crowing about it and has tweeted it, so theres that.

[Willowy]

My shrugs are mine and are meant to show my lack of hostility for differing opinion, thanks. I didn't say you made anything up, and neither did I. Just reporting facts and stats. Not saying anyone has to like them. My experiences differ from yours, dramatically, so I'm putting what I've seen, and what I continue to see, out there. You're free to do the same. 

[secnarf]

22 minutes ago, PMPA said:

Not sure why shrugs are required. Facts are facts. I did not make anything up. S12 is not yet on Netflix so these figures cannot reflect it. 

I think the question was what exactly are the 'facts' - i.e. what do these numbers specifically represent. Nobody is accusing anybody of making these stats up.

And it would seem that these numbers only reflect streaming within the US and seasons that were on Netflix in the last year (i.e. not the most recent seasons of many shows.

[Willowy]

Still cool. Still awesome. CM continues to rock.

[senin]

We don't have new episodes to watch, the end of September seems very far, and I'm sure most of us are rewatching old episodes. So let's share what we are watching, why, new discoveries in episodes we have seen lots of times... 

[senin]

Couple of days ago, there was a re-run of Spencer. 

 I liked it the first (and second, third...) time I saw it , I must say that I think it is one of those episodes which gets better when you watch it again. You already know what is going to happen so you can concentrate on the acting. 

MGG's body language we have discussed a lot of times, but in this episode it's his voice , everytime he says "I don't know, I don't remember,I can't remember anything" I get this lump in my throat! 

[JMO]

I watched Surface Tension on Netflix the other night.  MGG and JL were sooo good in that episode.  As much as I appreciated the Reid prison arc, I think I actually prefer this episode.  Reid was made somewhat un-Reid-like by the circumstance of being in prison, and appropriately so.  But Surface Tension gave us traditional Reid, at his intellectual and angsty best.  Loved it.

[normasm]

I agree, this was totally plausible, and the depiction of Diana's illness was very well done. The stress on Reid was palpable, and this is before she cleans his clock. 

[Sharpie66]

I recently rewatched the very first episode of CM that I ever saw, "Sex, Birth, Death." It breaks my heart to see Anton Yelchin again--gone way too soon. Since that was my first CM, it made me a permanent Reid-fan, but I also really appreciated Garcia in this, as well as Morgan. Heck, I even like Gideon here!

[normasm]

Not to be a killjoy here (she said, and proceeded to be one!) but I wish they had not made it sound like one can kill oneself by merely slitting the wrists, even both of them. That part of SBD was overly dramatic for me. But, yes, I love the character Anton created/embodied. He is missed.

[JMO]

CM has committed a great many medical sins.  It used to really take me out of the story.  Now I just pretend those episodes are science fiction.

[ReidFan]

LOL!

I need a suitable thought for all the police procedure errors they make.

[secnarf]

1 hour ago, normasm said:

Not to be a killjoy here (she said, and proceeded to be one!) but I wish they had not made it sound like one can kill oneself by merely slitting the wrists, even both of them. That part of SBD was overly dramatic for me. But, yes, I love the character Anton created/embodied. He is missed.

It's all about how deep you cut - as well as, to some extent, the direction.

If you cut deep enough to get an artery, you'll bleed out pretty quickly without medical attention. If you cut lengthwise (wrist to elbow along the radial artery), you could do it. I don't remember what exactly it looked like in SBD, though! But depth is the most important determining factor for immediate risk.

[normasm]

Warning to those who have suicide triggers, this discussion is not for you...

From what I know, you do cut lengthwise, and that will cause a lot of bleeding, but it would take a long time for a person to bleed out, as in the distal limbs the immediate reaction of the veins and arteries is to collapse and reroute blood to intact vessels. If he had immersed his wrists in warm water, that would have kept the vessels more open and he would have bled out faster, but it would still have taken a while. Gross to think, but that's what I've been told.

Edited July 6, 2017 by normasm

[ReidFan]

::::::::::::: eeeeeeuuuuuuwwwwww:::::::::::::::

 

*squeamish trigger* :D

[Danielg342]

There's a sad irony that Nathan Harris tried to kill himself, given what really happened to Anton Yelchin. Gone too soon indeed.

[Hotchgirl18]

Wasn't Anton Yelchin in Star Wars....Or Star Trek or something?

[CrimeFan12]

He played Paget's son for two years on Huff and was Chekov in the Star Trek remake movies.

[ReidGirl]

On 06/07/2017 at 7:20 PM, Sharpie66 said:

I recently rewatched the very first episode of CM that I ever saw, "Sex, Birth, Death." It breaks my heart to see Anton Yelchin again--gone way too soon. Since that was my first CM, it made me a permanent Reid-fan, but I also really appreciated Garcia in this, as well as Morgan. Heck, I even like Gideon here!

I absolutely love this episode. Garcia and Reid used to have such a special realtionship in earlier seasons. Yup Morgan was great in this one too. Anton Yelchin was the one character I would have loved to watch a follow up story on CM. And of course I just love Reid in this episode (or any other episode for that matter). 

[Sharpie66]

Since SBD was my first ep, I was looking for tidbits on the regulars to get a feel for who they were. I had been getting more and more intrigued by Reid throughout the ep, but when MGG said, "I know what it's like to be afraid of your own mind," I was hooked, even without having his mom's backstory. 

The next day, I stumbled across The Big Game/Revelations, which gave me all the backstory I needed and solidified my Reid love.

[Danielg342]

13 hours ago, Sharpie66 said:

"I know what it's like to be afraid of your own mind,"

That stands as one of my all-time favourite TV moments ever. It conveys so much once you actually think about it.

[senin]

I am rewatching...

Been lucky this week with re-runs. The channel that shows CM has been doing three different sets:

- Old seasons: we have just started with season 4, so many favourites, The Instincts, Memoriam, Pleasure is my Business, Amplification, Conflicted, (I could go on,but I think that's enough to show that I like this season) 

- Season 11: I got to see Entropy yesterday!! 

- And season 12: Collision Course and Alpha Male. 

Of course I am recording, it would be imposible to see everything, so many favourites, so little time!!

[ReidFan]

my husband decided to tempt the fates yesterday. I came downstairs and caught  my breath when I saw he was fiddling with the PVR. Onscreen programming asked if he wanted to 'reset' and he hit 'yes' and I just gasped and held it in......thinking 'OMG if you just deleted season 12, I will delete your body parts'...He was mucking around with all sorts of settings (because he bought a new sound bar for the tv, FML, like the bass wasn't already too loud) and about an hour later, he left with the dog for the pup's walk. So I grabbed the tv remote, called up the saved recordings, and noticed that 19 were still there. Lucky for him, season 12, minus the Reidless episodes, lives.

Or there would have been a police call to our house, I think :D

[Willowy]

Why did you have to wait until he left? You have say too, y'know. You coulda said outright "DID YOU DELETE CM??" and forgone the heart palpitations, and possible necessary murder. ;)

[Willowy]

If anyone would like to read the report on the set visit, it's up:

http://criminalmindsfans.com/my-day-on-the-lot-a-criminal-minds-fans-experience/

[secnarf]

4 hours ago, Willowy said:

If anyone would like to read the report on the set visit, it's up:

http://criminalmindsfans.com/my-day-on-the-lot-a-criminal-minds-fans-experience/

Cool! Sounds like you had a blast.

I have to admit I'm a bit curious as to what KV and AJC thought of "Jemily".

[Willowy]

They were smiling about it, not in a hateful or mean way, but like "Oh this thing exists and we're aware that it's out there now!" I think they take all of it as par for the course. They probably love it. 

[AsYouWish]

I just finished the first season of this show. I bought the first season DVDs on a whim and now consider it one of the best purchases I've made! I love almost every single thing about it, the cases, the camera work, the quotes, and how these people have my dream job if only I were three decades younger and remotely qualified. 

Some opinions that may be unpopular:

I like every single character, including Elle and JJ who I gather a lot of fans aren't too fond of. I'm usually lucky if I like even half of a show's characters, but in this case I enjoy all of them. I even appreciate how we don't see too much of their personal lives and are able to have fun inferring things about their characters instead of being hit over the head with them. 

I like the relationships between Hotch and Gideon and Reid and Gideon, but I like the Reid and Hotch relationship even more. 

By the time I got to Derailed or maybe even earlier, I was shipping Reid and Elle. I'm guessing there are only a few of us! 

There is just something about this show that compels me to watch episodes over and over? It took me a while to get through the whole first season because I kept rewinding. It's so fascinating, and I can honestly say I've learned a lot about Criminal Minds, as the title promised :) 

I'm trying not to spoil myself too much while I wait for Amazon to deliver Seasons 2-5, but I do know that Elle and Gideon are gone soon and miss them already! 

Edited October 8, 2017 by AsYouWish

[Old Dog]

The first 4 seasons are far and away the best of all seasons. I liked Elle's relationship with Reid but for me it was more like an older sister/younger brother relationship. I loved the whole ensemble back in those days also. Sad that things change.

Edited October 8, 2017 by Old Dog

[Willowy]

Welcome to the fandom, AsYouWish (LOVE The Princess Bride). It'll be interesting to see someone bingeing on the seasons, and how you assimilate the transition from a very cerebral drama into more of an action drama (starting about season 6) as the years go by. We had to watch it play out in real time. :) But don't worry, you'll love Rossi and Prentiss as much as you love Gideon and Elle. 

I too always felt a sis/bro vibe between Elle and Spencer, never saw any romance there. Of course, I ship JJ and Spencer like crazy (very unpopular opinion), and plenty of people think I'm nuts for wanting that! 

Don't know if you have Netflix, but the entire show (with the exception of the current season) is there, all in lovely HD. Amazon also has them streaming, but you have to pay.

Enjoy! Let us know what you think, via a newbie's eyes!

[Hotchgirl18]

Very sad how it transitioned from being a cerebral, well thought out show to being an action soap opera drama meant to cater to twelve year old girls. 

[AsYouWish]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, Willowy and Old Dog!  

I was wondering if there's a positivity thread around here? I am loving the show so much and while I know the quality dips later on, for now I'd love to just kind of revel in this honeymoon stage with my new favorite show :-) If not, I can just continue sharing my thoughts here instead. 

Willowy, I could definitely see shipping Reid with JJ as well!

[Old Dog]

I suggest you use the Past Seasons threads to discuss the early years because there is universal love for the "golden years"! I find it harder and harder to find any positivity as we enter S13 but there are occasionally a few nuggets of goodness in recent seasons as well!

[AsYouWish]

Thanks!! I'll look for the older seasons, aka Golden Years, threads :-) I hope to see some of you there! 

[JMO]

Welcome, AsYouWish.  You'll find those threads up top.  I think you'll have company there, as it can be fun to discuss some of the old episodes again.

[Annber03]

Adding to the welcome, AsYouWish! Always glad to see new fans come on board.

I'm totally with you in loving the interaction between Elle and Reid (and I kinda ship them, too, though I'm also with Willowy in loving JJ/Reid. But I like virtually almost every possible pairing option among the team members, so....). And yes to the general love for the ensemble setup, too.

People here are talking about the "golden era", and I'll state up front that my personal favorite seasons are seasons 2 through 4. But I personally have also found something to like and enjoy about every single season of the show, as I feel they've all had their high points/episodes/storylines. And I too like all the team members, both past and present, that this show's had over the years. They've all brought something interesting and different to the show and the team and their dynamics. So if you want to keep discussing positive aspects of the show and the characters where possible, I'll be happy to join you in that conversation :). 

So yeah. Glad to have you here, and I hope you continue to enjoy the show as you work your way through the following seasons! You're in for quite an interesting ride, I can safely say that much :D. 

[normasm]

Welcome, AsYouWish! It will be interesting to hear your thoughts on the first season and on through. Even though this isn't the show it once was, it can still be pretty good, and there's always DVDs/reruns.

[ReidGirl]

4 hours ago, AsYouWish said:

 

I just finished the first season of this show. I bought the first season DVDs on a whim and now consider it one of the best purchases I've made! I love almost every single thing about it, the cases, the camera work, the quotes, and how these people have my dream job if only I were three decades younger and remotely qualified. 

 

 

Welcome to the CM forum Asyouwish!!!

I started watching this show early this year as well. Now I am on the current season. Season 4 and 1 are my favourite seasons. I too love Reid/Hotch, Reid/Gideon and Reid/Elle interactions. I also adore Morgan and Reid’s brotherly relationship.

Elle is still my most favourite female agent on CM.

I know you said you like all the characters but who is your most favourite?

[Willowy]

AsYouWish, I'll be glad to join you, Annber, and whomever else wants to talk positively about the show. I do that anyway! :D 

[AsYouWish]

Thank you again to everyone! I love the show even more now that I know how welcoming and supportive the fandom is :-)

Quote

I know you said you like all the characters but who is your most favourite? 

Is it customary to torture newcomers with impossible questions? :-) (To be honest, I love these kind of questions, so keep 'em coming!) This is incredibly difficult. If I had to pick my top three in order, I would probaby go with 1. Reid, 2. Hotch, 3. Elle, but now I'm already feeling like I owe the others an apology, because I really do love all of them and how they work together as a team. 

I would love to know what other people felt were the highlights of Season 1? I think I would single out LDSK, Derailed, Popular Kids, Riding the Lightning and A Real Rain as favorites if I could choose only five, but even as I'm typing this I'm thinking of how easily at least ten other episodes could make my list of favorites. The only episodes I remember not loving as much were Natural Born Killer, What Fresh Hell and Somebody's Watching. No offense to anyone who's attached to those episodes! They just didn't seem to flow as smoothly and naturally as most CM episodes and didn't engage me quite as much. 

I'm in my 40s and my mom is in her 70s. Despite worrying she might find parts of this show a little hard to take, I begged her to start watching too. The second I saw her today she greeted me with "I love that show and can't stop watching it! I love learning about the criminals (note: my mom and I seem to share the same warped genes) and all the characters are terrific, especially the cute genius."  I thought you all might enjoy hearing that the appeal of the show in general and Reid specifically is something that all generations can bond over :-) 

Edited October 8, 2017 by AsYouWish

[Annber03]

1 hour ago, AsYouWish said:

I would love to know what other people felt were the highlights of Season 1? I think I would single out LDSK, Derailed, Popular Kids, Riding the Lightning and A Real Rain as favorites if I could choose only five, but even as I'm typing this I'm thinking of how easily at least ten other episodes could make my list of favorites. The only episodes I remember not loving as much were Natural Born Killer, What Fresh Hell and Somebody's Watching. No offense to anyone who's attached to those episodes! They just didn't seem to flow as smoothly and naturally as most CM episodes and didn't engage me quite as much. 

You've hit on a number of the highlights from that season for me, too. I'd also add "The Fisher King" to that list, just 'cause I love that two-parter in general and I love how, in the first half, we get to see everyone kicking back and having a bit of fun on vacation (with the exception of how Reid spends his time off, that is, along with the fact that poor JJ doesn't even get a vacation like the others) before that case brings them all back together and things go completely to hell for Elle in particular. 

I do like "Somebody's Watching", myself, simply 'cause Reid's interactions with Lila throughout are frickin' adorable :D. But I take your point about the flow of the episode and whatnot, too.

Quote

I'm in my 40s and my mom is in her 70s. Despite worrying she might find parts of this show a little hard to take, I begged her to start watching too. The second I saw her today she greeted me with "I love that show and can't stop watching it! I love learning about the criminals (note: my mom and I seem to share the same warped genes) and all the characters are terrific, especially the cute genius."  I thought you all might enjoy hearing that the appeal of the show in general and Reid specifically is something that all generations can bond over :-) 

My mom's in her 60s and she watches the show with me, too, but only from time to time, because she says it freaks her out too much to watch it regularly. She's told me before about how, when she has to go out at night for some reason, she gets all nervous because she can't stop thinking of some scary story that happened on the show. 

She does like the characters, though. She doesn't have a crush on Reid like I do, but she does agree that he's sweet and adorable. Her favorites are Rossi (she has a thing for him), JJ, and Morgan. That's another thing I like about this show, too-every character has their fanbase, there's somebody for everyone to relate to and identify with. 

[Willowy]

Before my mom passed (at 75, the beginning of this year), she keyed into my love of the show as she had the past several years. She would watch and email me her lengthy opinions about it (she and her husband were really active up until the end in her online communities and her POGO games) and everyone on it. She even read my fanfiction and left reviews! She never liked to watch it with me, though, whenever I would visit her in Colorado. I never figured out why.

She thought Gideon was "a self-involved turd", thought Rossi and Morgan were totally hot, and completely understood my love for Reid. "You always love the skinny smart ones!"

She cried over Hotch, the most. 

Of the women, she loved Penelope, and swore up and down that Emily was a lesbian. 

Not for only these reasons of course, but I do miss my mom. 

[Annber03]

Sorry for the loss of your mom, Willowy. Sounds like she was a pretty awesome person :). 

[AsYouWish]

@Willowy, just reading that post choked me up. I'm sending my very best wishes your way. I hope your cherished memories of her sustain you. 

You all had me wondering why I couldn't retain who Rossi and Emily were despite JUST watching and rewatching parts of Season 1 until I realized they must be the characters who replace Gideon and Elle, so it's not so much that I forgot them as that I haven't met them yet. I think...?! :-) 

Does anyone else want to try to pick five favorite episodes from Season 1? It was so difficult to narrow the field that I'm already second guessing my choices! 

Edited October 9, 2017 by AsYouWish

[Fashionista7]

5 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Sorry for the loss of your mom, Willowy. Sounds like she was a pretty awesome person :). 

I too apologize for your loss, Willowy.

[Willowy]

Thank you, Annber, she was feisty as all getout, hugely opinionated, and brooked no bullshit. Gee, wonder where I get it from? :P But this is really interesting, hearing about what one's family members think about the show! I'd love to hear more about what everyone's parents, sibs, relatives, friends, or kids think about CM, and/or your affinity for it!