S14.E04: Innocence

[illdoc]

First Aired: October 24, 2018

Quote

The BAU steps in to help local law enforcement isolate a prime suspect for a ritualistic murder in Tallahassee, Fla., and soon after a second person who is related to the first victim is killed under similar circumstances. Also, Prentiss is concerned about Garcia's behavior in the aftermath of her abduction and has an idea of how to help with the healing process

Question: Why exactly was this a BAU case? When they first decided to investigate, there was one murder and they didn't even know there were ritualistic aspects to it! 

[TheGreenWave]

58 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Question: Why exactly was this a BAU case? When they first decided to investigate, there was one murder and they didn't even know there were ritualistic aspects to it! 

This confused me too.  I mean, it looked like a sicko murder, but not serial killer BAU worthy murder.  And, who didn't guess it was the son like immediately??  Although props to them for using the newest and most controversial type of law enforcement tool: ancestry DNA websites.

[Hotchgirl18]

That pastor should've been charged. 

[Racbec]

Boring and predictable.  And the Garcia parts...neither the writing nor the acting justified the amount of time devoted to the B story.

[Annber03]

22 hours ago, illdoc said:

When they first decided to investigate, there was one murder and they didn't even know there were ritualistic aspects to it! 

On that note, for a case involving a ritualistic aspect, I think this may have been the most "normal", so to speak, of the cases they've worked in Florida :p. 

But yeah, that is a good question. 

21 hours ago, TheGreenWave said:

And, who didn't guess it was the son like immediately??  Although props to them for using the newest and most controversial type of law enforcement tool: ancestry DNA websites.

My mom called the son fairly early on :). 

I agree on the use of DNA websites-I thought that was an interesting angle. I like the idea of the teenage son being involved, though I do feel that the way they handled that reveal and his motivations felt a little anti-climatic. They'd been building up a nice bit of tension with the father and pastor, so it would've been nice to have that carry through with the son's behavior and motivations, too.

I still didn't mind the episode overall, though. And I liked the storyline with Garcia-it was nice to see her leaning on and talking to Emily for a change, and Emily's efforts to try and help her were sweet. 

[secnarf]

I called the son as soon as they showed him hugging his aunt. He looked like he wanted to murder her then. I was 100% sure it was the son when the dad confessed, and then second-guessed when the DNA was not at all a match.

And I was only half-watching. But it was a nice change from the usual episodes.

[The Wild Sow]

On 10/25/2018 at 5:56 PM, Hotchgirl18 said:

That pastor should've been charged. 

With what?  Making a pass at someone, provided you take "No" for an answer, is NOT a crime.  Sleazy, unethical, immoral, sure....illegal, NO.

Yeah, we called the son right away. Unsub was small & thin, while both husband and pastor were fairly big guys.  Michael Gladis (the pastor) did play one of the summer camp rapist trio on the SVU episode "Branded."

[Hotchgirl18]

15 hours ago, The Wild Sow said:

With what?  Making a pass at someone, provided you take "No" for an answer, is NOT a crime.  Sleazy, unethical, immoral, sure....illegal, NO.

Yeah, we called the son right away. Unsub was small & thin, while both husband and pastor were fairly big guys.  Michael Gladis (the pastor) did play one of the summer camp rapist trio on the SVU episode "Branded."

The pastor clearly stated in his sermon that adulterers should be punished. At the very least, he's inciting violence.  Now, not excusing what the unsub did, but adolescents are impressionable. His brain isn't developed yet, and being from a religious household, he took those sermons and what the old testament said to heart. It's entirely possible that the son talked to the pastor about it and he egged the poor kid on! 

[The Wild Sow]

I just remembered another reason for suspecting the son.  Parents met as freshmen in college (~ 18-ish); Mom was 39 when she was killed, so they knew each other at least 20 or 21 years. .  They were married in 2005 (13 years ago) and the son is 13 NOW.  So, depending on the month of the wedding, and when the kid's birthday is ... either they conceived on the honeymoon, or there was a metaphorical shotgun involved.

 

I wonder if son is a product of rape?  (Maybe date-rape?  Or acquaintance rape, maybe by a boss....or a pastor??)  And I wish they'd had a little more closure between the dad and son, especially if dad had told son he'd  always known, and it had never mattered.  I'd have liked a little more backstory.  

 

Until she was killed, the aunt was a bit of a red herring.  When she jumped back from hugging her brother-in-law, was it because she didn't want to hug him?  Or she didn't want to hug him  in front of them?  Could have been having an affair & conspired to kill Melissa together.

[ForeverAlone]

Hmmm....this episode seemed like the dollar store version of The Boogeyman. I mean, boy killer,  suspect father who is worked over by two male FBI agents and pressured to confess, father attempting to falsely confess to protect his son, innocent young girl final victim who is saved. Hell, we even had a personal trauma B story in the way of Penelope emotionally  melting down over past trauma. But this episode wasn't as interestingly written or engaging like The Boogeyman. I much prefer the creepy-fun Penelope of that episode to the weeping child of this episode. If she can't emotionally hold it together at work, she either needs to take some time off, or she needs some serious therapy. 

For me, the best thing about the episode was Tara and Reid. Those two should always work together. Yeah, this isn't the first time they've worked together, since they have been paired for most of this season. But they are usually the best things about this season's episodes, and I think there should be more of them. 

And I agree that the whole unknown father was some weird unresolved angle (I guess they needed more time for Penelope trauma). We have no clue if the father didn't know he wasn't the biological father. I'm going to guess no, only because Melissa was so tormented by this secret. Maybe the father will be inwardly relieved to realize that he isn't the bio dad of a murderous psychopath? Hell, I'd have loved to have seen that angle play out, rather than some fatherly forgiveness, just for something different in the storytelling. But we didn't see it either way, so we have no clue about the father's reaction to it all. 

It was nice to see some fresh angle being used to crack the case (the DNA website), though I think it would also be a good addition for a serial killer cold case they solve. It would be a nice change of pace to have that kind of storytelling some time. 

Edited October 29, 2018 by ForeverAlone

[Chaos Theory]

As much as those Ancestory DNA sites are cool you have to be ready for what you find.  Which  is  why most of them  you are supposed to be an “adult” to use them.    Even then you might get a nasty shock.  

It was an interesting episode even though it was easy to call who the killer was.  An already troubled kid does a DNA test only to find out his father isn’t his biodad.  Add to that a fire and brimstone preacher and you have the makings of an unsub.  

Edited October 29, 2018 by Chaos Theory

[jls1792]

8 hours ago, ForeverAlone said:

Hmmm....this episode seemed like the dollar store version of The Boogeyman. I mean, boy killer,  suspect father who is worked over by two male FBI agents and pressured to confess, father attempting to falsely confess to protect his son, innocent young girl final victim who is saved. Hell, we even had a personal trauma B story in the way of Penelope emotionally  melting down over past trauma. But this episode wasn't as interestingly written or engaging like The Boogeyman. I much prefer the creepy-fun Penelope of that episode to the weeping child of this episode. If she can't emotionally hold it together at work, she either needs to take some time off, or she needs some serious therapy. 

For me, the best thing about the episode was Tara and Reid. Those two should always work together. Yeah, this isn't the first time they've worked together, since they have been paired for most of this season. But they are usually the best things about this season's episodes, and I think there should be more of them. 

And I agree that the whole unknown father was some weird unresolved angle (I guess they needed more time for Penelope trauma). We have no clue if the father didn't know he wasn't the biological father. I'm going to guess no, only because Melissa was so tormented by this secret. Maybe the father will be inwardly relieved to realize that he isn't the bio dad of a murderous psychopath? Hell, I'd have loved to have seen that angle play out, rather than some fatherly forgiveness, just for something different in the storytelling. But we didn't see it either way, so we have no clue about the father's reaction to it all. 

It was nice to see some fresh angle being used to crack the case (the DNA website), though I think it would also be a good addition for a serial killer cold case they solve. It would be a nice change of pace to have that kind of storytelling some time. 

Your mention of Garcia and therapy just had me think of something: Prentiss probably should have insisted Garcia go to a therapist and take some time off.  I know Prentiss mentioned Garcia taking time off in episode 2 but Garcia said she was fine.  Either Prentiss should have insisted she take some time off and see someone then, or she should have told her to take some time off after this episode.  I can't help but think back to "Sick Day" when Hotch told JJ she was taking time off and it wasn't up for debate.  Or when he took Morgan off the case after Savannah was shot.  Since Prentiss just went with Garcia being okay in episode 2, after seeing how hard she was having it in this episode, Prentiss should really enforce that it's okay to take some time off, even if it means "ordering it" like Hotch has done before.  Unless they just briefly mention it in the next episode, like having Garcia briefly mention to Prentiss she saw the person she recommended or she was glad to be back after having a bit of time off, I doubt they'll do anything with it.  But I suppose Garcia just needs people she loves (Morgan and her brother) to come visit her briefly and she's suddenly a lot better and totally fine :/

I agree Tara and Reid work well together.

About the dad knowing if he was the biological father or not, at the end, JJ told the son that the dad knew he wasn't the kid's biological dad but he didn't care.  It's possible JJ was just saying that to get the kid to lower his weapon and surrender, but I took it as the dad knowing but still loving the kid as his own son.  Again, it's possible JJ just said that to get to the kid, but I feel like they would have maybe mentioned it again, like with someone saying to JJ "good thinking making him believe the dad knew all along." 

[Hotchgirl18]

3 hours ago, jls1792 said:

Your mention of Garcia and therapy just had me think of something: Prentiss probably should have insisted Garcia go to a therapist and take some time off.  I know Prentiss mentioned Garcia taking time off in episode 2 but Garcia said she was fine.  Either Prentiss should have insisted she take some time off and see someone then, or she should have told her to take some time off after this episode.  I can't help but think back to "Sick Day" when Hotch told JJ she was taking time off and it wasn't up for debate.  Or when he took Morgan off the case after Savannah was shot.  Since Prentiss just went with Garcia being okay in episode 2, after seeing how hard she was having it in this episode, Prentiss should really enforce that it's okay to take some time off, even if it means "ordering it" like Hotch has done before.  Unless they just briefly mention it in the next episode, like having Garcia briefly mention to Prentiss she saw the person she recommended or she was glad to be back after having a bit of time off, I doubt they'll do anything with it.  But I suppose Garcia just needs people she loves (Morgan and her brother) to come visit her briefly and she's suddenly a lot better and totally fine :/

I agree Tara and Reid work well together.

About the dad knowing if he was the biological father or not, at the end, JJ told the son that the dad knew he wasn't the kid's biological dad but he didn't care.  It's possible JJ was just saying that to get the kid to lower his weapon and surrender, but I took it as the dad knowing but still loving the kid as his own son.  Again, it's possible JJ just said that to get to the kid, but I feel like they would have maybe mentioned it again, like with someone saying to JJ "good thinking making him believe the dad knew all along." 

Prentiss can enforce something about as well as  helium balloon. A DOG could enforce the rules better. 

12 hours ago, ForeverAlone said:

Hmmm....this episode seemed like the dollar store version of The Boogeyman. I mean, boy killer,  suspect father who is worked over by two male FBI agents and pressured to confess, father attempting to falsely confess to protect his son, innocent young girl final victim who is saved. Hell, we even had a personal trauma B story in the way of Penelope emotionally  melting down over past trauma. But this episode wasn't as interestingly written or engaging like The Boogeyman. I much prefer the creepy-fun Penelope of that episode to the weeping child of this episode. If she can't emotionally hold it together at work, she either needs to take some time off, or she needs some serious therapy. 

For me, the best thing about the episode was Tara and Reid. Those two should always work together. Yeah, this isn't the first time they've worked together, since they have been paired for most of this season. But they are usually the best things about this season's episodes, and I think there should be more of them. 

And I agree that the whole unknown father was some weird unresolved angle (I guess they needed more time for Penelope trauma). We have no clue if the father didn't know he wasn't the biological father. I'm going to guess no, only because Melissa was so tormented by this secret. Maybe the father will be inwardly relieved to realize that he isn't the bio dad of a murderous psychopath? Hell, I'd have loved to have seen that angle play out, rather than some fatherly forgiveness, just for something different in the storytelling. But we didn't see it either way, so we have no clue about the father's reaction to it all. 

It was nice to see some fresh angle being used to crack the case (the DNA website), though I think it would also be a good addition for a serial killer cold case they solve. It would be a nice change of pace to have that kind of storytelling some time. 

Murderous psychopath is a bit much IMHO. Kid had behavior problems and parents didn't listen to the teachers and correct it. And the kid came from an extremely religious environment. Finding out something shocking like that, coupled with him acting out and an underdeveloped brain, it's no wonder he snapped. 

[mythoughtis]

I didn’t like the way this episode unfolded.the team kept leaping from one assumption to another. Moms having an affair, Dad beats  his family( when it was likely the son doing it). Pastor killed both.  Dad kills both- until he confesses, then he’s lying.   

Something else that’s bothering me:  lots of cop shows have parents falsely confessing to ‘save/protect’ their kids.  If your son kills two adults,  letting them get away with it is putting a whole bunch of other people at risk.   We aren’t talking breaking out a few windows here.