S14.E10: Flesh and Blood

[Danielg342]

First run December 12, 2018.

Quote

The BAU looks to Prentiss' past as they investigate the murders of affluent businessmen. Also, Prentiss' plans are thrown awry as she receives an unexpected call.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Danielg342

[Pebble Puppy]

I'm curious, what do you all think about the love match for Prentiss? Do you like the new character? Do you think they are trying to bring in someone that looks like Morgan?

[mythoughtis]

I’m sorry - this was a horrible episode.   Why revisit that little boy just to show his ruined life and the resulting deaths to others?

[Danielg342]

I wanted to like this, because I liked the callback to S3's "In Name and Blood" (which, by the way, was the first episode where the UnSub was revealed early and the BAU didn't know who he was), and I'll give the writer credit that this thing didn't have 300 million redirects and it actually made sense...

...but...I just...can't.

I think what it boils down to is that this episode was a rather "personal" episode for both David Smith and Elizabeth Rhodes but the writing was very impersonal. This might have worked better if it had followed the lead of "In Name and Blood" and revealed Smith early and focused on his rage, as opposed to being another mindless episode about a sadist (and a predictable one at that- how many times has the show done, "male murder victims, last female victim saved"?).

Furthermore, I never did buy David's actions- he never did see his dad "work" and I'm not sure that information was public knowledge (though I suppose Joe could have told him), and if he was going to snap because of Joe's death, I'm not sure if being Rhodes' lackey would have happened.

I don't have too many other thoughts because I'm just too tired...not that this dredge needed them, anyway.

On 13/12/2018 at 9:40 PM, Pebble Puppy said:

I'm curious, what do you all think about the love match for Prentiss? Do you like the new character? Do you think they are trying to bring in someone that looks like Morgan?

I like Stephen Bishop, but this feels too late to bring in a love interest. The show could be cancelled next year and we've only got five episodes left- not enough to build a satisfying story.

Edited December 16, 2018 by Danielg342

[Emma9]

I had to laugh at the first scene, because of one of the ubiquitous video-chat ads that have been on lately:

 

Otherwise, meh.

[K42]

I loved the episode!! I thought everyone might have liked it as well. I was so beyond wrong.  

[Annber03]

I liked it, too. It was interesting to get to revisit an old case and play catch up a bit, and I liked that David's motives were different from his dad's. I also liked getting a bit of an update on what happened to his dad, and learning about Emily keeping tabs on him over the years, and the story with Robin's mom made for an interesting tie-in. I do agree there was a bit too much torture porn throughout, though. 

The whole thing of JJ being the one to notice the similarities struck me particularly interesting-not only was it a good reminder of just how much work she put into that older case, trying to keep things under control with Hotch and Gideon and Emily all gone for much of the time, but I felt it also did well at highlighting just how much things have changed over the years in regards to the team lineup. 

And the stuff with Emily and Mendoza was a cute (if perhaps a little jarring at times) balance to the creepy case. I like Mendoza-he seems like a cool guy and I like the banter between him and Emily. I like that he's a little more laid back. It makes for a good balance to Emily's more driven, nervous side. And I liked Emily calling Rossi about the dish she wanted to make, too :D. 

[Chaos Theory]

I don’t get the theory that they are bringing in a guy who looks like Morgan?  Are shippers THAT desperate?  I thought they made a nice pairing though.  He understands her work to a certain point but it still is interesting for him to realize how deep her work is.

As for the main plot I thought it was dumb.  Saving a kids life only to find out it got ruined later is depressing even by this shows standards.  If they wanted to go with a woman manipulating a kid on the edge they could have done it differently.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Chaos Theory

[Danielg342]

12 hours ago, Emma9 said:

I had to laugh at the first scene, because of one of the ubiquitous video-chat ads that have been on lately:

 

Otherwise, meh.

The actress (Manon Stieglitz according to the comments) was pretty cute (not just in appearance), and she had more chemistry in half a minute than Prentiss did over a whole episode with Mendoza- or Rossi, for that matter.

[hookedontv]

11 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

 

I don’t get the theory that they are bringing in a guy who looks like Morgan?

 

I don’t think he looks like Morgan at all. 

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

So that was Prentiss "facing her past" ? LOL those writers got jokes. And really bad ones at that. What a big let down as far as what I was expecting from a story that was supposed to be centered around Emily per the synopsis  ! 

 

If it weren't for the Emily/Mendoza super cute date and breakfast scene, and also the very funny  Emily/Rossi dish convo, I'd just dump this episode in a junk bag never to be opened again.

Edited December 18, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[K42]

1 hour ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

So that was Prentiss "facing her past" ? LOL those writers got jokes. And really bad ones at that. What a big let down as far as what I was expecting from a story that was supposed to be centered around Emily per the synopsis  ! 

 

If it weren't for the Emily/Mendoza super cute date and breakfast scene, and also the very funny  Emily/Rossi dish convo, I'd just dump this episode in a junk bag never to be opened again.

 

I don't hate the Emily's new guy. He's just a bit bland for my taste. I prefer her with someone as dangerous as Ian Doyle. She has a lot of chemistry with darker characters.

Edited December 18, 2018 by K42

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 18/12/2018 at 2:12 PM, K42 said:

I don't hate the Emily's new guy. He's just a bit bland for my taste. I prefer her with someone as dangerous as Ian Doyle. She has a lot of chemistry with darker characters.

 

I get what you're saying. But Emily is a law enforcer AND the BAU unit chief, which is a very prestigious occupation. Her job is to fight crimes and track down killers. So it wouldn't be believable or acceptable to me for her to date a dangerous guy like Doyle, which is the type she'd always want to throw behind bars. A legal bad boy like Mick Rawson from Suspect Behaviour ? Oh yeah, absolutely ! But a dangerous criminal ? No way ! If I were the BAU's director and she did that, I'd demote her from her functions.

I've always wanted her with a Hotch type of guy, smart and very intense but on the right side of the law. However, since I've been waiting almost eight years for her to have someone close to her who isn't related to the BAU, I can't be too difficult. And it helps that Mendoza is very likeable and can keep up with her wits. Plus, he makes her smile again and brings out her light side, something I've missed so much. I've always seen Emily as a mysterious but fun character but she's been so serious all the time since her return, so I'm glad Andrew can make her relax a bit.

The only thing I hate about this budding romance is that they wrote it way too late and now there's no time left to see it evolve. The show's ending after 5 more episodes and I bet we'll only see Mendoza again in the finale.

Edited December 19, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 14/12/2018 at 9:30 AM, Chaos Theory said:

I don’t get the theory that they are bringing in a guy who looks like Morgan?  Are shippers THAT desperate?  

What do you mean ? I know many people shipped Emily with Hotch, and I've even seen a few ship her with Reid. But are there Morgan/Prentiss shippers too ?

 

Quote

 

Edited December 25, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[K42]

2 hours ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

I get what you're saying. But Emily is a law enforcer AND the BAU unit chief, which is a very prestigious occupation. Her job is to fight crimes and track down killers. So it wouldn't be believable or acceptable to me for her to date a dangerous guy like Doyle, which is the type she'd always want to throw behind bars. A bad boy like Mick from Suspect Behaviour, oh yeah, totally. But a criminal ? no way ! If I were the BAU's director and she did that, I'd demote her from her functions.

I've always wanted her with a Hotch type of guy, smart and very intense but on the right side of the law. However, since I've been waiting almost eight years for her to have someone close to her who isn't related to the BAU, I can't be too difficult. And it helps that Mendoza is very likeable and can keep up with her wits. Plus, he makes her smile again and brings out her light side, something I've missed so much. I've always seen Emily as a mysterious but fun character but she's been so serious all the time since her return, so I'm glad Andrew can make her relax a bit.

The only thing I hate about this budding romance is that they wrote it way too late and now there's no time left to see it evolve. The show's ending after 5 more episodes and I bet we'll only see Mendoza again in the finale.

The thing about Emily is that yes, shes good, goofy and mysterious but she also seems like she'd easily cross over to the dark side. I always got the feeling that no matter who she flirted with, she was always going to love Ian Doyle despite her better judgement. She's like Reid in some ways. I can easily see her becoming a darker character. Paget is great. She has chemistry with everyone. 

 

Also, I agree with the last bit. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't care about her boyfriend.  Man, the writers really drilled this show to the ground. I can't believe how bad it's gotten. I bet you anything that the ending will be rushed. 

[marceline]

The worst part of this episode was the styling of Prentiss on that date. The awful hair, the ill fitting black dress, was that someone's idea of Sexy Prentiss?

[Mislav]

On ‎18‎.‎12‎.‎2018‎. at 9:20 PM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

What do you mean ? I know many people shipped Emily with Hotch, and I've even seen a few ship her with Reid. But are there Morgan/Prentiss shipers too ?

 

Have you watched 2x16 "Fear and Loathing"?

[K42]

11 hours ago, marceline said:

The worst part of this episode was the styling of Prentiss on that date. The awful hair, the ill fitting black dress, was that someone's idea of Sexy Prentiss?

Yes yes yes! Thank you for saying this! I can't like your comment enough. I remember thinking ew! Is she really dress up with that ratty hairstyle? I screamed when she got dressed and kept her hair in this half-assed updo. Multiple stylists on the show and none of them could fix Prentiss's ratty hair, makeup and clothes?

Edited December 23, 2018 by K42

[cynicat]

On 12/18/2018 at 2:44 PM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

The only thing I hate about this budding romance is that they wrote it way too late and now there's no time left to see it evolve. The show's ending after 5 more episodes and I bet we'll only see Mendoza again in the finale.

Oh dear god, finally! I loved this show like crazy but had to bail around season 9.  I get my Paget Brewster fix from Drunk History, and can't wait to see MGG finally break free.

[Annber03]

The season is wrapping up in five more episodes, not the show as a whole. There's been no official word on the show's renewal one way or the other. 

Also...

On 12/18/2018 at 2:20 PM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

But are there Morgan/Prentiss shipers too ?

Oh, absolutely :). I've read some good fics for that pairing and talked with a few people who ship them, and it's one of many ships on this show I like as well. 

[Hotchgirl18]

On 12/18/2018 at 1:44 PM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

I get what you're saying. But Emily is a law enforcer AND the BAU unit chief, which is a very prestigious occupation. Her job is to fight crimes and track down killers. So it wouldn't be believable or acceptable to me for her to date a dangerous guy like Doyle, which is the type she'd always want to throw behind bars. A legal bad boy like Mick Rawson from Suspect Behaviour ? Oh yeah, absolutely ! But a dangerous criminal ? No way ! If I were the BAU's director and she did that, I'd demote her from her functions.

I've always wanted her with a Hotch type of guy, smart and very intense but on the right side of the law. However, since I've been waiting almost eight years for her to have someone close to her who isn't related to the BAU, I can't be too difficult. And it helps that Mendoza is very likeable and can keep up with her wits. Plus, he makes her smile again and brings out her light side, something I've missed so much. I've always seen Emily as a mysterious but fun character but she's been so serious all the time since her return, so I'm glad Andrew can make her relax a bit.

The only thing I hate about this budding romance is that they wrote it way too late and now there's no time left to see it evolve. The show's ending after 5 more episodes and I bet we'll only see Mendoza again in the finale.

And probably the obligatory "love interest is in danger" storyline. Oooh. I bet they're gonna SAVE THAT for the finale!!

[Hotchgirl18]

On 12/18/2018 at 3:58 PM, K42 said:

The thing about Emily is that yes, shes good, goofy and mysterious but she also seems like she'd easily cross over to the dark side. I always got the feeling that no matter who she flirted with, she was always going to love Ian Doyle despite her better judgement. She's like Reid in some ways. I can easily see her becoming a darker character. Paget is great. She has chemistry with everyone. 

 

Also, I agree with the last bit. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't care about her boyfriend.  Man, the writers really drilled this show to the ground. I can't believe how bad it's gotten. I bet you anything that the ending will be rushed. 

Emily crossing over to the dark side is as likely as Donald Trump praising Dora The Explorer and eating Mexican food in Tijuana. Ever since that woman because Unit Chief, she turned into Garcia 2.0 who runs the BAU team like Mary Poppins. Actually, no. Mary Poppins would cross over to a darker side before Emily. If anyone from the team would do that, it should be Reid. And it should have been Hotch. 

[Danielg342]

2 hours ago, Annber03 said:

The season is wrapping up in five more episodes, not the show as a whole.

I'd say it's a pretty good bet with no new episodes ordered that the show is on it's last legs. I don't care what CBS or the producers have said- that's just PR babble at this stage- there's hardly a case where a show got a shortened order and survived, especially with CM's ratings as abysmal as they are right now. After this season, I doubt we'll get anything more than CSI's "ending movie" or a 15th season that's really just a mini-series at this stage. 

[Lalaland]

2 hours ago, Danielg342 said:

I'd say it's a pretty good bet with no new episodes ordered that the show is on it's last legs. I don't care what CBS or the producers have said- that's just PR babble at this stage- there's hardly a case where a show got a shortened order and survived, especially with CM's ratings as abysmal as they are right now. After this season, I doubt we'll get anything more than CSI's "ending movie" or a 15th season that's really just a mini-series at this stage. 

Word on the street...was that there had been more episodes ordered. The exact number of extra episodes seems to be a little confusing.  Some say 10 more, others 5.  My feeling is that if any new episodes have been ordered, its no more than 5. I also believe that this will be the final season. Heres why.  5 would bring this season upto 20 episodes.  Running the extra 5 as far of a normal season run would have the season finale on 6th March and I have a feeling this might be a 2 hour finale. (This would be a very tight filming schedule so that could be problematic).  We know for sure that SEAL is taking the 10pm slot on March 13. If there are another 5 episodes after this as some have suggested, where would they go?  Would they hang around until some random Summer slot comes free?  Or maybe take up a slot on Sunday night?  Neither of these seem logical, but more than that, what a crappy way to end it. 

Could there be a Season 15 - yes I guess anything is possible, but in my opinion, this is very unlikely.  As well as all the other issues that come with an old show, as far as I know, ALL the cast are up for contract renewals this year, so thats an extra 'problem'. 

Maybe they will given them an extra 10 episodes and label it as a 'Season 15', but I just don't see it.

I thought CBS would have made some sort of announcement this week, but CBS does seem like its got a lot going on right now.  

With the exception of the 'SEAL at 10pm', everything else is just my opinion and guess work.  I'm totally open to correction and been proven wrong!!

[K42]

9 hours ago, Lalaland said:

Word on the street...was that there had been more episodes ordered. The exact number of extra episodes seems to be a little confusing.  Some say 10 more, others 5.  My feeling is that if any new episodes have been ordered, its no more than 5. I also believe that this will be the final season. Heres why.  5 would bring this season upto 20 episodes.  Running the extra 5 as far of a normal season run would have the season finale on 6th March and I have a feeling this might be a 2 hour finale. (This would be a very tight filming schedule so that could be problematic).  We know for sure that SEAL is taking the 10pm slot on March 13. If there are another 5 episodes after this as some have suggested, where would they go?  Would they hang around until some random Summer slot comes free?  Or maybe take up a slot on Sunday night?  Neither of these seem logical, but more than that, what a crappy way to end it. 

Could there be a Season 15 - yes I guess anything is possible, but in my opinion, this is very unlikely.  As well as all the other issues that come with an old show, as far as I know, ALL the cast are up for contract renewals this year, so thats an extra 'problem'. 

Maybe they will given them an extra 10 episodes and label it as a 'Season 15', but I just don't see it.

I thought CBS would have made some sort of announcement this week, but CBS does seem like its got a lot going on right now.  

With the exception of the 'SEAL at 10pm', everything else is just my opinion and guess work.  I'm totally open to correction and been proven wrong!!

This is so messy.

[cynicat]

14 hours ago, Annber03 said:

The season is wrapping up in five more episodes, not the show as a whole. There's been no official word on the show's renewal one way or the other. 

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 18/12/2018 at 5:58 PM, K42 said:

The thing about Emily is that yes, shes good, goofy and mysterious but she also seems like she'd easily cross over to the dark side. I always got the feeling that no matter who she flirted with, she was always going to love Ian Doyle despite her better judgement. She's like Reid in some ways. I can easily see her becoming a darker character. Paget is great. She has chemistry with everyone. 

 

Also, I agree with the last bit. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't care about her boyfriend.  Man, the writers really drilled this show to the ground. I can't believe how bad it's gotten. I bet you anything that the ending will be rushed. 

I've been wanting to answer you for days now but I was way too busy. Sorry.

I don't agree with you completely but it makes for a great discussion. I think Emily does have a bit of a dark side about her, moreso before than now. Sometimes it was subtle, and other times it was more obvious. And her very dark hair and eyes helped to put a lot of emphasis on that, especially from the moment her hair style changed to bangs in season 3. I also agree that under some circumstances, yes, she could cross over. 

However, I also believe she has a great amount of disgust for killers, rapists and anyone who harms innocent people. I've seen the way she reacts to them over the years, and Doyle was no different, there was never any indication that she felt anything else for him other than repulsion.

That's not to say she couldn't love a criminal against her better judgement like you say. I just don't think it would be enough to make her cross over to the dark side. I think if she did, it would be because something awful happened to her or to someone she cares about. She isn't someone who believes in following the rules and procedures at all cost, and she'd stomped all over them in a hearbeat if it were to save a friend. We've seen that in "Amplification" when Reid was poisoned and also in season 12, when she erased Reid's tape recording. But it's one thing to bend the rules to help an innocent friend and partner, and a whole other to be on a murderer's side. And Emily empathises too much with the victims for that. Defending and protecting the innocent ones is in her blood.

 

 But you'll get no argument from me about her potential to become a darker character. I think the very first time I realized how easily she could was in "Demonology". I didn't even like the plot that much, but the way Emily stood up against that priest and Matthew's parents who thought of her as the bad, "demon" girl responsible for Matthew's downspiral to hell, her last response to the priest when he got arrested... the whole thing made me think : "Oh Oh ! Emily's going dark now." And it gave me such a chill. Paget was so darn good in that episode !

 

She is great isn't she ? Something else we agree on. And she's so versatile that both dark and light characters suit her perfectly. And her chemistry with everyone is probably why many fans kept asking for her to be paired with her different team partners, even with JJ. Lol

 

And I hear you about not wanting to invest your attention in her pairing with Mendoza, seeing how it can't be anything more than a rushed romance. Me, I've just resigned myself to accept the little crumbs I get from those writers, that's all. Sighs...

Edited December 25, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[Hotchgirl18]

16 minutes ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

I've been wanting to answer you for days now but I was way too busy. Sorry.

I don't agree with you completely but it makes for a great discussion. I think Emily does have a bit of a dark side about her, moreso before than now. Sometimes it was subtle, and other times it was more obvious. And her very dark hair and eyes helped to put a lot of emphasis on that, especially from the moment her hair style changed to bangs in season 3. I also agree that under some circumstances, yes, she could cross over. However, I also believe she has a great amount of disgust for killers, rapists and anyone who harms innocent people. I've seen the way she reacts to them over the years, and Doyle was no different, I've seen no indication that she felt anything else for him other than repulsion. That's not to say she couldn't love a criminal against her better judgement like you say. I just don't think it would be enough to make her cross over to the dark side. I think if she did, it would be because something awful happened to her or to someone she cares about. She isn't someone who believes in following the rules and procedures at all cost. She'd stomped all over them in a hearbeat if it were to save a friend. We've seen that in "Amplification" when Reid was poisoned and also in season 12, when she erased Reid's tape recording. But it's one thing to bend the rules to help an innocent friend and partner, and a whole other to be on a murderer's side. And Emily empathises too much with the victims for that. Defending and protecting the innocent ones is in her blood.

 But you'll get no argume

In the words of Reba McEntire, "Not even if hell froze over, and thawed. Then froze again!" She has a dark side just as much as George Strait has that ocean front property in Arizona. 

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 23/12/2018 at 6:02 PM, Hotchgirl18 said:

And probably the obligatory "love interest is in danger" storyline. Oooh. I bet they're gonna SAVE THAT for the finale!!

I sure hope not, this is so played out. But if they do it, at least I'm sure it's not gonna be with Emily, she doesn't get much attention from the writers, and in this case it will be a good thing for me.

There would be more chances of this happening with JJ again, like in season 7 finale, with Reid again if they give him a last minute girlfriend, with Simmons again, with Alvez and with Garcia if she gets a last minute boyfriend too. Those are the writers' pets, not Emily.

[Mislav]

9 minutes ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

I sure hope not, this is so played out. But if they do it, at least I'm sure it's not gonna be with Emily, she doesn't get much attention from the writers, and in this case it will be a good thing for me.

There would be more chances of this happening with JJ again, like in season 7 finale, with Reid again if they give him a last minute girlfriend, with Simmons again, with Alvez and with Garcia if she gets a last minute boyfriend too. Those are the writers' pets, not Emily.

Reid is hardly the writers' pet anymore.

 

[On a different note, Merry Christmas, everyone! I wish you the best.]

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 23/12/2018 at 5:16 PM, Annber03 said:

The season is wrapping up in five more episodes, not the show as a whole. There's been no official word on the show's renewal one way or the other. 

Also...

Oh, absolutely :). I've read some good fics for that pairing and talked with a few people who ship them, and it's one of many ships on this show I like as well. 

Sorry, I didn't wanna sound so negative. It's just that I've seen it happen before with "The Mentalist" and "CM Beyond Borders". They both ended after a shortened season of 13 episodes, so it made me think that this show might not survive after these 15 episodes. But of course I could be wrong.

 

About the bolded, I have watched a few great Prentiss/Morgan fans videos, but I didn't realize people shipped them romantically. I always thought everyone wanted Morgan to get paired with Garcia.

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

1 hour ago, Mislav said:

Reid is hardly the writers' pet anymore.

 

[On a different note, Merry Christmas, everyone! I wish you the best.]

You mean since the end of season 12 ? Because if I remember correctly, half of that season was dedicated to him.

 

I don't celebrate Christmas, so please don't take it the wrong way if I don't answer to your wishes.

Edited December 25, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

Sorry, I didn't wanna sound so negative. It's just that I've seen it happen before with "The Mentalist" and "CM Beyond Borders". They both ended after a shortened season of 13 episodes, so it made me think that this show might not survive after these 15 episodes. But of course I could be wrong.

Oh, no, yeah, I understand why everyone's bracing for the end of the show. I won't be surprised if things wrap up soon, too. Just that the fact there's no official word yet is still cause for a potential small bit of hope, is all :). 

Quote

About the bolded, I have watched a few great Prentiss/Morgan fans videos, but I didn't realize people shipped them romantically. I always thought everyone wanted Morgan to get paired with Garcia.

Yeah, that's the neat thing about this show, you've got your most popular ships, to be sure, but there's always others with their own smaller but just as vocal followings as well :D. Me, I like to multi-ship, so I'm open to a great deal of the potential team pairings on here. 

[Hotchgirl18]

8 hours ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

You mean since the end of season 12 ? Because if I remember correctly, half of that season was dedicated to him.

 

I don't celebrate Christmas, so please don't take it the wrong way if I don't answer to your wishes.

Yeah, you mean like having him constantly kidnapped and tortured, right? 

[K42]

On 25/12/2018 at 4:21 AM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

I've been wanting to answer you for days now but I was way too busy. Sorry.

I don't agree with you completely but it makes for a great discussion. I think Emily does have a bit of a dark side about her, moreso before than now. Sometimes it was subtle, and other times it was more obvious. And her very dark hair and eyes helped to put a lot of emphasis on that, especially from the moment her hair style changed to bangs in season 3. I also agree that under some circumstances, yes, she could cross over. 

However, I also believe she has a great amount of disgust for killers, rapists and anyone who harms innocent people. I've seen the way she reacts to them over the years, and Doyle was no different, there was never any indication that she felt anything else for him other than repulsion.

That's not to say she couldn't love a criminal against her better judgement like you say. I just don't think it would be enough to make her cross over to the dark side. I think if she did, it would be because something awful happened to her or to someone she cares about. She isn't someone who believes in following the rules and procedures at all cost, and she'd stomped all over them in a hearbeat if it were to save a friend. We've seen that in "Amplification" when Reid was poisoned and also in season 12, when she erased Reid's tape recording. But it's one thing to bend the rules to help an innocent friend and partner, and a whole other to be on a murderer's side. And Emily empathises too much with the victims for that. Defending and protecting the innocent ones is in her blood.

 

 But you'll get no argument from me about her potential to become a darker character. I think the very first time I realized how easily she could was in "Demonology". I didn't even like the plot that much, but the way Emily stood up against that priest and Matthew's parents who thought of her as the bad, "demon" girl responsible for Matthew's downspiral to hell, her last response to the priest when he got arrested... the whole thing made me think : "Oh Oh ! Emily's going dark now." And it gave me such a chill. Paget was so darn good in that episode !

 

She is great isn't she ? Something else we agree on. And she's so versatile that both dark and light characters suit her perfectly. And her chemistry with everyone is probably why many fans kept asking for her to be paired with her different team partners, even with JJ. Lol

 

And I hear you about not wanting to invest your attention in her pairing with Mendoza, seeing how it can't be anything more than a rushed romance. Me, I've just resigned myself to accept the little crumbs I get from those writers, that's all. Sighs...

 

First of all, don't worry about it. People get busy and this forum hasn't been active. :) 

As for what you said, I completely agree with you. Emily's character is weird. Paget has that ability to shift from good cop to mysterious spy in a second which makes me feel like I can't make my mind up about her. To be fair, the writing with all the characters has been inconsistent. I think she has the talent to become many things. I can see her becoming totally dark and abandoning everything and I can also see her being too good of a character to go bad. We've also seen her become Hotch-esque (Don't kill me HotchGirl, nobody can replace TG in ANY way). Paget is super.. malleable with her acting. It almost makes her not fit anywhere. Every character on the show can go good or bad, especially Reid. (And except JJ) With Paget, it's like she doesn't fit into a category. She can be sexy, mysterious, dorky, friendly, aggressive etc.. It's confusing when the writing isn't consistent. 

As for the last bit, I like Mendoza as much as I liked Morgan. Little to nothing. I feel like he's too bland for her. Then again, it seems like Emily has lost her personality and identity since Hotch left.

Edited December 26, 2018 by K42

[K42]

10 hours ago, Mislav said:

Reid is hardly the writers' pet anymore.

 

[On a different note, Merry Christmas, everyone! I wish you the best.]

Was he ever a Writer's pet though? They put him through hell (which I don't mind tbh, he needs to get out of his dorkiness) but the thing is, he never grew up. They literally went nowhere with his character. They dedicated 15 episodes to him being in prison and poof! Reid, his trauma, his headaches, his mother and her alzheimer's are no where to be found after season 12. It's like season 12 was just a figment of our imagination. I know it's just a show but it never fails to piss me off when I think about all the years I've followed it. 


Also, Merry Christmas to you and everyone else! 

[Mislav]

12 hours ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

You mean since the end of season 12 ? Because if I remember correctly, half of that season was dedicated to him.

 

I don't celebrate Christmas, so please don't take it the wrong way if I don't answer to your wishes.

Prison arc from season 12 didn't mean much. It was an unoriginal and recycled storyline stretched out over the course of 10+ episodes. More than one recycled storyline, actually. Main character being framed for murder was done before and done better (in 2x12 "Profiler, Profiled" and in 11x22 "The Storm"), and Reid being tortured/miserable/in peril was also done before and done better (most notably in 2x15 "Revelations" and 11x11 "Entropy"). Lots of things simply didn't make sense (such as Reid being placed in prison rather than in jail, Reid not being fired from the FBI, and Derek not being informed about Reid's arrest and trial at all, not to mention an apparent lack of media interest in the case of the FBI agent accused of murder and drug trafficking; which, to tie in with the complaints #2 and #3, would have led to Reid being fired before the trial was over, and to Derek finding out even if nobody from the team informed him). Realistically, the case should have been solved within days, anyway, since Lindsey Vaughn left a fingerprint and DNA evidence on the crime scene. That was conveniently unknown up until the season finale. The only good thing about it waa the twist revealing that Cat Adams was behind it, not Peter Lewis... but by that point it was too little, too late. That arc revealed nothing new or interesting about Reid, and, if anything, they made him do dumb and reckless things he never would have done (such as going to Mexico and buying illegal drugs without even telling anyone from the team). Most of the fans were getting tired of recycled plots/story arcs and Reid being tortured/miserable way before season 12, and Reid's prison arc felt more like an insult, or, at worst, final nail in the coffin. It was a pathetic attempt to pull at heartstrings by (once again) torturing the youngest (and, arguably, most emotional) character, and also a cover so Erica Messer could say (if confronted with any complaints on that front): "See, we haven't forgotten about Reid after all, we still write storylines for him..." but everyone could see through her bs by that point.

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 25/12/2018 at 1:41 PM, Hotchgirl18 said:

Yeah, you mean like having him constantly kidnapped and tortured, right? 

Well the way I see it, nobody likes it much when their faves are suffering. I should know  :

I was so scared when Elle got shot at the end of season 1 ;   

I hated, absolutely hated watching Hotch get stabbed multiple times by Foyet ;

And to this day, that horrible scene from 10 years ago, when Emily got severely beaten by Benjamin Cyrus, has left such a vivid feeling of anger and pain in me I still can't bring myself to watch it for a second time. Every time I watch Minimal Loss, I fastforward through it.

 

However, as painful and infuriating as they can be, those angsty moments also usually provide the actors with some of the best materials to sink their teeth in, and they keep the characters relevant. We don't need them to become martyrs at all but we also don't wanna see them sit in a corner and become irrelevant, do we ? I know, I know, the writers could find other more compelling ways to mark the characters' presence, but we all know how stupid and lazy they are. So it's either our faves go through many tribulations or they are forgotten. Which of these two options are we gonna choose (Assuming we had the choice of course) ?

Yes, Reid has been hurt a lot it seems. But look at the bright side : at least MGG never suffered in terms of storylines and has always been front and center. He's been thriving for years, and each time Reid has a centric episode -which is very often, and I don't even count the numerous ones he probably had during the time I stopped watching- , fans and non fans of the character can discuss what new facts they learned about him, how the story affected him and shaped up his established characteristics in a positive or negative way...

Now compare that to me. I already lost 2 faves, and my only remaining fave, my #1 fave actually, the only reason I became a viewer again after a 4 year long hiatus, and the only glue between me and this show (I love you a lot too Rossi, but if I didn't stay for Hotch, I wouldn't stay for you.), returned after being away for 4 years, many changes have happened in her life, yet the total absence of story for her after 2+ years makes me feel like I'm watching a complete stranger most of the time. At least every time Reid gets a story, even if you don't like it, you get to know what makes him tick. Ask me what makes my fave tick nowadays and I'll be unable to answer you. Sigh...

 

So yes, in terms of relevance, Reid has always been on the top list of the writers' pets. It is what it is and no amount of kidnappings and torture is gonna change that.

 

Edited December 27, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

16 hours ago, K42 said:

As for what you said, I completely agree with you. Emily's character is weird. Paget has that ability to shift from good cop to mysterious spy in a second which makes me feel like I can't make my mind up about her. I think she has the talent to become many things. I can see her becoming totally dark and abandoning everything and I can also see her being too good of a character to go bad. Paget is super malleable with her acting. It almost makes her not fit anywhere. With Paget, it's like she doesn't fit into a category. She can be sexy, mysterious, dorky, friendly, aggressive etc.. 

 

Amen ! You've just summed up all the reasons why I love this actress so much. And the best part is, when she morphs from one role into another, she does it in a way that doesn't make you think she's out of place.

To illustrate my point, we can go back to the spy arc. Many people could've thought that spy Emily was so out of character with the SSA Emily they'd known for 5 years. But very few could dare say that Paget didn't fit the role or that she wasn't believable at all as a cold spy. She is that good.

Edited December 26, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 18/12/2018 at 12:21 PM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

 

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by SSA Emily Prentiss

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 23/12/2018 at 4:56 AM, Mislav said:

Have you watched 2x16 "Fear and Loathing"?

Oh boy ! I've just realized I didn't answer your question. You must have thought I'm so rude lol. Sorry.

 

Yes, I didn't miss one single episode from season 1 to season 7. Except for the last  6 episodes of season 6, I'm sure you'll figure out why.

Refresh my memory please, what great Prentiss/Morgan scene was there in Fear and Loathing ?

[Mislav]

2 hours ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

Oh boy ! I've just realized I didn't answer your question. You must have thought I'm so rude lol. Sorry.

 

Yes, I didn't miss one single episode from season 1 to season 7. Except for the last  6 episodes of season 6, I'm sure you'll figure out why.

Refresh my memory please, what great Prentiss/Morgan scene was there in Fear and Loathing ?

There was this at the beginning:

 

 

And also the scene near the end where they talk after the cop's funeral, and the next scene on the jet where she gives him that book (or he gives it to her, I am not sure).

 

Nothing major, of course, but enough to inspire certain... ideas, probably.

[Guest]

Please remember, this thread is not a catch-all topic.  It is for discussion of the specific episode, Flesh and Blood.  Thanks.

[dkb]

I liked this episode too. I thought it was sad to hear that Emily lost touch with the kid, but so understandable with the lives they lead and especially Emily (her being "dead").

I usually like episodes that call back to previous seasons, and this one was no different. Poor David.

 

Have there been any episodes where the team meets people from an older case and they haven't turned into the new UnSub's or victims??

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

OK, let's stay on topic. Can anyone tell me :

A.  How, when his latest internet add was answered, David Smith automatically knew it was a trap, and that Emily and her staff would be in the park ? That was such a ridiculous stretch to me.

 

B.  Why it had  to be JJ who figured out the similarities between this case and the one from 11 years ago ? I swear the writers have found the most effective way to make me suffer (besides not writing anything of substance for Emily in over 2 years of course) : insert SuperJJ everywhere. I know why it couldn't have been Rossi but Reid could've drawn the parallel between the two cases just as well as the omniscient blondie. Oh but... wait... they had  to produce this episode at the exact moment MGG wasn't available, riiiight ? So therefore, who was left ? JJ of course. How convenient (not for me though) ! RME.

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm making a big deal about nothing (It's not nothing to me) but I'm just sick of having JJ in my face ALL the time. That woman is everywhere, in every sequence of every episode, on nearly every crime scene and in 99 % of the take-downs. There's just no way of escaping her. Heeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllp !!!!!!!       

When it's her storyline, she gets to find the essential clues and have the "Eurêka !" moment that leads to solving the case , fair enough. But why does she get to have it in others' also ? That is what I find so freaking annoying and unfair. Granted, it wasn't an Emily story, but since Emily's the one who was meant to be affected by the story due to her connection with David Smith, why couldn't she have been extended the same privilege and allowed to "get it" on her own ? And no, the fact that she came late into the original case and hadn't been on any of the crime scenes doesn't mean she couldn't, because when she and Hotch joined the others, she was briefed on the case and she saw the pictures. So why was so much focus put on JJ's stupid déjà vu moments instead of making Emily remember what she saw in the pics years ago ? The writers choked it down to Emily "not remembering", but me think it was less simple than that. Me think she got dumbbed down in order to further "prove" to the viewers how much quicker and smarter Golden Girl JJ is than any other profiler. Which is largely part of the reason why I hate this episode so much, with the exception of 3 sequences : JJ ruined it for me. I swear this character has got to be the most ubiquitous one I have ever had to endure on any ensemble show I've ever watched. SMH.

 

Side note : I also hate that  Garcia and the ever ubiquitous JJ were part of the last office scene with Emily. It should've been Rossi and Reid. But since Reid wasn't present (RME again at the timing they picked to shoot this episode), Rossi alone would've been perfectly fine. He wasn't part of the original case but he was very much present during the Doyle events, so he'd understand very well what she meant by "reconciling what I wanted to do with what I had to do". We (or at least I ) didn't need JJ and Garcia for that. And Lawd knows I love my Rossi/Emily banters much, so much more than I could ever like any "girls" scene that includes juvenile drama queen Garcia and omnipresent know-it-all JJ !

Edited January 2, 2019 by SSA Emily Prentiss
Hey look, English is not my native language ok, French is. I don't even speak English at home or at work, only on social medias. So while I'm doing my best, I'm bound to make a few mistakes. Bear with me please.

[Hotchgirl18]

9 hours ago, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

OK, let's stay on topic. Can anyone tell me :

A.  How, when his latest internet add was answered, David Smith automatically knew it was a trap, and that Emily and her staff would be in the park ? That was such a ridiculous stretch to me.

 

B.  Why it had  to be JJ who figured out the similarities between this case and the one from 11 years ago ? I swear the writers have found the most effective way to make me suffer (besides not writing anything of substance for Emily in over 2 years of course) : insert SuperJJ everywhere. I know why it couldn't have been Rossi but Reid could've drawn the parallel between the two cases just as well as the omniscient blondie. Oh but... wait... they had  to produce this episode at the exact moment MGG wasn't available, riiiight ? So therefore, who was left ? JJ of course. How convenient (not for me though) ! RME.

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm making a big deal about nothing (It's not nothing to me) but I'm just sick of having JJ in my face ALL the time. That woman is everywhere, in every sequence of every episode, on nearly every crime scene and in 99 % of the take-downs. There's just no way of escaping her. Heeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllp !!!!!!!       

When it's her storyline, she gets to find the essential clues and have the "Eurêka !" moment that leads to solving the case , fair enough. But why does she get to have it in others' also ? That is what I find so freaking annoying and unfair. Granted, it wasn't an Emily story, but since Emily's the one who was meant to be affected by the story due to her connection with David Smith, why couldn't she have been extended the same privilege and allowed to "get it" on her own ? And no, the fact that she came late into the original case and hadn't been on any of the crime scenes doesn't mean she couldn't, because when she and Hotch joined the others, she was briefed on the case and she saw the pictures. So why was so much focus put on JJ's stupid déjà vu moments instead of making Emily remember what she saw in the pics years ago ? The writers choked it down to Emily "not remembering", but me think it was less simple than that. Me think she got dumbbed down in order to further "prove" to the viewers how much quicker and smarter Golden Girl JJ is than any other profiler. Which is largely part of the reason why I hate this episode so much, with the exception of 3 sequences : JJ ruined it for me. I swear this character has got to be the most ubiquitous one I have ever had to endure on any ensemble show I've ever watched. SMH.

 

Side note : I also hate that  Garcia and the ever ubiquitous JJ were part of the last office scene with Emily. It should've been Rossi and Reid. But since Reid wasn't present (RME again at the timing they picked to shoot this episode), Rossi alone would've been perfectly fine. He wasn't part of the original case but he was very much present during the Doyle events, so he'd understand very well what she meant by "reconciling what I wanted to do with what I had to do". We (or at least I ) didn't need JJ and Garcia for that. And Lawd knows I love my Rossi/Emily banters much, so much more than I could ever like any "girls" scene that includes juvenile drama queen Garcia and omnipresent know-it-all JJ !

Because JJ is a perfect princess bitch snob who thinks she knows more than everyone else. 

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

 Maybe not a bitch and a snob, that might be taking it too far IMHO. But they sure make her look like she knows more than everyone else.

[SSA Emily Prentiss]

On 02/01/2019 at 3:05 PM, SSA Emily Prentiss said:

OK, let's stay on topic. Can anyone tell me :

A.  How, when his latest internet add was answered, David Smith automatically knew it was a trap, and that Emily and her staff would be in the park ? That was such a ridiculous stretch to me.

 

B.  Why it had  to be JJ who figured out the similarities between this case and the one from 11 years ago ? I swear the writers have found the most effective way to make me suffer (besides not writing anything of substance for Emily in over 2 years of course) : insert SuperJJ everywhere. I know why it couldn't have been Rossi but Reid could've drawn the parallel between the two cases just as well as the omniscient blondie. Oh but... wait... they had  to produce this episode at the exact moment MGG wasn't available, riiiight ? So therefore, who was left ? JJ of course. How convenient (not for me though) ! RME.

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm making a big deal about nothing (It's not nothing to me) but I'm just sick of having JJ in my face ALL the time. That woman is everywhere, in every sequence of every episode, on nearly every crime scene and in 99 % of the take-downs. There's just no way of escaping her. Heeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllp !!!!!!!       

When it's her storyline, she gets to find the essential clues and have the "Eurêka !" moment that leads to solving the case , and that's fine. But why does she get to have it in others' also ? That  is what I find so freaking annoying and unfair. Granted, it wasn't an Emily story, but since Emily's the one who was meant to be affected by the story due to her connection with David Smith, why couldn't she have been extended the same privilege and allowed to "get it" on her own ? And no, the fact that she came late into the original case and hadn't been on any of the crime scenes doesn't mean she couldn't, because when she and Hotch joined the others, she was briefed on the case and she saw the pictures. So why was so much focus put on JJ's stupid déjà vu moments instead of making Emily remember what she saw in the pics years ago ?

The writers choked it down to Emily "not remembering", but me think it was less simple than that. Me think she got dumbbed down in order to further "prove" to the viewers how much quicker and smarter Golden Girl JJ is than any other profiler. Which is largely part of the reason why I hate this episode so much, with the exception of 3 sequences : JJ ruined it for me. I swear this character has got to be the  most ubiquitous one I have ever had to endure on any ensemble show I've ever watched. SMH.

 

Side note : I also hate that  Garcia and the ever ubiquitous JJ were part of the last office scene with Emily. It should've been Rossi and Reid. But since Reid wasn't present (RME again at the timing they picked to shoot this episode), Rossi alone would've been perfectly fine. He wasn't part of the original case but he was very much present during the Doyle events, so he'd understand very well what Emily meant by "reconciling what I wanted to do with what I had to do". We (or at least I ) didn't need JJ and Garcia for that. And Lawd knows I love my Rossi/Emily banters much, so much more than I could ever like any "girls" scene that includes juvenile drama queen Garcia and omnipresent know-it-all JJ !

[idiotwaltz]

I liked this episode, but then again Prentiss has always been my favourite. I am willing to overlook bad writing and cases that don’t make a whole lot of sense if it means Prentiss gets to be centre stage. Yes, I even like Demonology and Honor Among Thieves. 

I feel so sad for poor David, who really never had a chance. How many kids does Emily secretly keep tabs on, by the way? Is she still funding that boarding school education/college tuition/grad school for Declan Doyle? 

I love a lot of things about In Name and In Blood (JJ being awesome at handling the local cops, Strauss freaking out over stepping on the victim’s hair, Hotch visiting Emily’s much nicer apartment and asking her to come with him to Milwaukee). This episode is nowhere close but I still prefer it to Lucky Strikes, which I hated so much I think I gave up on the show a second time after that episode.

Wardrobe and makeup are unkind to the actresses on this show. 

Lastly, I have always loved the opening quote: What is past is prologue. It brings back memories of a trip to the East Coast I took several years ago when I visited D.C. 

I can see why long time viewers watching this show live would not have liked this episode, but I’m pretty happy with it. Maybe I’ve just mellowed in my old age.