Season 10 Spoilers, Speculation, and Stabs in the Dark!

[spinner33]

I feel like AJ has only herself and Messer to blame for the unrealistic state of her character, and for the decline of the quality of the show.  

[missmycat]

I feel like AJ has only herself and Messer to blame for the unrealistic state of her character, and for the decline of the quality of the show.  

I understand your frustration and share it.And I agree that both Messer and Cook are responsible,but so is CBS,perhaps even more so.If they had not so stupidly messed with the cast by firing the ladies in the first place, we'd probably still have Paget and AJ wouldn't have felt it was necessary to ask for such drastic changes in her character.

 

Now having said that I think AJ Cook has actually benefited greatly because of CBS's stupidity.Unfortunately it's been at the expense of many of the other cast members as well as the show in general. And for that reason I no longer feel bad for her having gotten fired in the first place.As well as wishing I would have just excepted CBS's decision to terminate her and that is a sentiment I know I am not alone in.

Edited January 13, 2015 by missmycat

[SSAHotchner]

I want to reply here, but I'm just sitting here shaking my head. And I realize that I've been fooling myself that I was no longer looking forward to any episode or hoping to get a glimpse of the old CM. These writers are completely clueless. I think it's time for thinking people to bail on Criminal Minds. Just think if you were trying to describe one of these horrible episodes to someone who hadn't seen it. You'd be embarrassed hearing these plot points coming out of your own mouth and admitting that you actually sat there for an hour and watched this crap.

[Droogie]

I want to bail, I do. But I love Spencer Reid (and really do like what I know of MGG). If I left before he does (and even then), I'd miss him terribly (I actually do have a life, I promise). I honestly can't think of another television character I love or have loved more (a close second is Greg House, but that discussion doesn't belong here). I just want to have Reid over for dinner and talk and let him meet my family and have him hang out and do stuff with us. OK, and maybe sit in his lap...

[Danielg342]

Like I said, if there is one takeaway from Cook's interview is that she's expressed dissatisfaction with the writers. To me, whether or not Cook should feel dissatisfied is immaterial- Cook clearly isn't happy with how her character is being portrayed, and I think that's big. It seems to me that by saying “JJ is not a superhero” that Cook acknowledges what's wrong with the character and seems frustrated that the writers have led the character in this direction.

Dare I say it...but maybe Cook wants to leave.

If I think about it, if I was her, being portrayed as an unbelievable “super woman” and having to get the most screen time yet make the lowest salary, I'd be peeved by now. I wonder if this interview is proof that Cook might start to think the writers didn't give her what she wanted...and saying so in such a blunt manner (which isn't common) might be the clue that her anger has reached the tipping point.

[ForeverAlone]

I have a feeling that AJ might have had a different reaction if the superhero JJ was beloved by most fans. But instead, JJ is now a lightning rod for fan dissatisfaction and the centerpiece around fans who are fed up with the current thrust of the writing. Now of course AJ has herself to blame in large part, because she was a key driver behind the change. Erica definitely didn't force a character change, and AJ was all for it, until the vicious backlash from 200. Of course I can see AJ being irked if she has been elevated to the de facto star of the show, but she is the second lowest paid actor (though 100,000 is certainly nothing to sniff at). It will be interesting to see what the fallout from any contract negotiations this time around, if CBS raises her salary significantly or AJ gets fed up if she is not happy with how her character is currently written.

[missmycat]

Good points you guys have made there.Yes AJ has had the most screen time,but she has also had to put in the most time. I bet she rarely gets to take a day off.

She is probably there filming 8 out of 8 days or a least 7 of those 8 days. And we know those days can be rather long. It's any wonder how much time she has for her husband and little boy.Meanwhile her male co workers like MGG and TG who get paid more than she does, because their characters aren't used anywhere near the amount hers is,they are not required to put as much time in. Indeed how many times have we seen Matthew somewhere else enjoying himself because he wasn't needed on the set that day.

 

I do agree that if AJ Cook nows seems to be frustrated over the direction they've taken her character, it's mainly due to the fact that she is keenly aware of the huge backlash against her character. Indeed come contract time it's going to be interesting to see how it'll play out. Will AJ Cook ask for more time off, even if it means less screen time/focus for her character.Or is she going to want the same amount of screen time while at same time insisting that because she is putting in so much of her time she deserves to be paid a lot more than she has been.

[MCatry]

AJ Cook is an actress that at one point of her life got her job back because of the support of the fans. (Still, I signed the petition because I wanted Prentiss back, not hers, but they were together, so...)

When she came back she demanded more screen time and a different status, and hence she became 'a profiler', apparently taking a course. (Where did 'all those qualifications prior even been able to be considered for the position' go?)

Between the eight and ninth season there were contract negotiations, and both Cook and Vangsness formed a team to get better salaries. In the end they almost got out of the show, and I am pretty sure they exchange money rises for screen exposition, judging by what happened in season nine.

http://www.tvguide.com/news/criminal-minds-kirsten-vangess-aj-cook-may-be-leaving-1065089/

Then, by the before the premiere of season nine (the JJ season...) she was happy with the new side of her character. She was also saying she was able to put more of herself in the character, that we would be seeing more of AJ than JJ sometimes (for instance, smirking).

http://parade.com/134470/linzlowe/aj-cook-spills-criminal-minds-season-9-secrets-jj-is-not-who-you-think-she-is/

And she said in numerous interviews that she was excited for this season to be dedicated to her. (!!!)

After the 200 mess she still would say that all the fans complaints were based on our inability to accept changes.

And she still insisted in the fact that she loved the way her character was more physical now, as she is in real life, because they included her in fight scenes.

http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/criminal_minds_season_9_finale_part_2_is_a_thrill_ride_from_beginning_to_end_says_aj_cook-2014-05

Now, after a year of hearing, reading and seeing complains about her character new features, she dares to blame the writers?

I mean, I am not a fan of this current team of writers, but if she wants to find the one to blame, she just have to pick up a mirror.

[JMO]

Two things----Firstly, I think there's much ado about nothing regarding AJC's recent interview, or any interview, for that matter.

 

Most of these things take place in a matter of a few minutes, and not everybody is all that good at thinking on their feet.  Most of what they end up saying is a combination of nonsense-speak and throwaway remarks.  So reading into anyone's words, or reacting to them, or reacting to what we think they might have meant (and then getting annoyed with them for what we think they meant) doesn't really make all that much sense.  Even for MGG, the only interview I've ever paid any attention to was his hour long podcast.  It was much more in depth, and much more genuine.  Not entirely genuine (there's definitely some 'party line' in there), but much more worthy of attention and reaction.  I'm not aware of any such interviews with AJC alone, but would be interested to be directed to one, if any of you know of it.

 

(And, yes, at work I use an official 'no whining' mug where it seems to be popular and even, sometimes, effective.  All I have to do is point.)

 

Secondly---there doesn't seem to be a dedicated thread for tonight's episode, but I will officially say that I was encouraged by one of the previews released yesterday.  Hoping that the full episode will live up to that promise. 

[ForeverAlone]

Yeah...this preview made me even leerier for storyline.

 

TV Guide ‏@TVGuide  7h7 hours ago
Exclusive #CriminalMinds sneak peek: JJ opens up about her PTSD — and her big secret @CrimMinds_CBS @ajcookofficial

 

http://www.tvguide.com/news/exclusive-criminal-minds-sneak-peek-jj-ptsd/

 

I am a bit ambivalent about it, because much of JJ's angst, at least based on the scene, is dealing with the issues that happened when she was in Afghanistan, and not specifically about being tortured. Specifically she tells Reid about her miscarriage. Aside from the fact that I can't really consider that canon since a woman who is known to be pregnant would be immediately sent home and not out on a combat mission, you would think that JJ had dealt with the feelings in the previous three years before being abducted. Now I am trying to tread lightly with what I write, since I have never had a miscarriage, so I don't know what that feels like. It just seems that based on that scene, JJ is mainly upset about stuff she already knew before being abducted last year. And all the stuff she is upset about happened three years ago. That seems to be one of the big minefields of retcons. I mean, 200 brought up all these issues and hardships that were supposed to have happened three years prior, but since they were never planned for, there were no emotional breadcrumbs to shore up the idea that JJ was dealing with something supremely emotional all this time. Because if the anniversary is what is setting her off, you would think that JJ would have experienced angst for prior anniversaries. But maybe I am just being really hard on this story.

 

And this episode is getting way more push from just CBS.

 

AJ Cook ‏@ajcookofficial  2h2 hours ago
I'm going to hold your hand through tonight's episode! I will be live tweeting the west coast airing of #CriminalMinds with @EWTV

 

EW TV ‏@EWTV  2h2 hours ago
.@ajcookofficial is taking over our handle tonight during @CrimMinds_CBS: http://ow.ly/HkLi0

 

http://popwatch.ew.com/2015/01/14/criminal-minds-aj-cook-twitter/?hootPostID=2599660b6084a80841a1c7c8c01114dc

 

So what have we learned? We have learned that JJ is so important a character that the milestone 200th episode would be structured around her, because the best way to honor this series is to show flashbacks to incidents three years prior that were never mentioned in canon before, or even hinted at it, and that the vast majority of the fandom didn't want while shoving the rest of the team, a team that had done more episodes than JJ, to sit in the corner and  play with a ball of yarn. Then when the inevitable PTSD hits JJ, it is so important, in addition to the press push for it, that AJ was asked to live tweet the episode, for a separate entertainment website. I think it is official. The rest of the team can hang it up, because no other character is as important as JJ, and will never be again. *sighs*

 

It will be interesting to see the fan reaction from this episode. I know JJ fans are going to love it. And I get the sneaking impression that it is being written and promoted in such a way that would make dissenters look like heartless freaks who aren't tearing up about all that poor JJ went through.

[normasm]

Oh, yeah, JMO, I can sound like an idiot on the phone, I hate phone interviews for that reason (I agree about MGG relaxing on the long interview with his friend Rikki - I think that's what you refer to) and I'll cut JJ some slack. 

[normasm]

FA, as far as anniversaries not having the same affect after the first anniversary (I know that's not per se what you were saying), PTSD sometimes really doesn't come into play until years later, often after a happy event reminds the person of the loss/ trauma. I know you guys know this. Having something round on JJ after the anniversary of the comeuppance, as it were, doesn't feel that implausible to me. The mind is fluid and defends itself in fluid ways. My unhappiness for the (yet again) over-emphasis on JJ has to do with the imbalance of the importance of the character in the canon of the show. 

[ForeverAlone]

Yeah, I am tired of JJ, and wish she would go away. Since the way they wrote the miscarriage  was completely implausible because it would never happen like that in real life, and I feel that was thrown into "200" to just make the audience more sympathetic to JJ in an already completely JJ overloaded episode, I don't particularly care to hear it brought up again. 

 

And the way this episode is being publicized by all just makes me even less excited to see yet another JJ fest.

[missmycat]

Although I doubt it did any good. I have posted twice my displeasure of them dredging up this farce of a story line concerning JJ's miscarriage and dragging Reid into it. But it did feel good to get it off my chest.

 

Also I am not buying for one minute that Messer has always loved the Reid/JJ friendship and that is why she wanted to bring it back. She had plenty of opportunities to do so when JJ first came back,but instead JJ was written at times to be a bit of a bitch to Reid.

[normasm]

Yeah, I am tired of JJ, and wish she would go away. Since the way they wrote the miscarriage  was completely implausible because it would never happen like that in real life, and I feel that was thrown into "200" to just make the audience more sympathetic to JJ in an already completely JJ overloaded episode, I don't particularly care to hear it brought up again. 

 

And the way this episode is being publicized by all just makes me even less excited to see yet another JJ fest.

Oh, I agree. I say that the trauma would be plausible for a real person, and she might reach out to a friend as unexpected as Reid. But, yeah, I'm totally sick of JJ-JJ-JJ-JJ-JJ on this show that used to have a great balance of complimentary characters.

[missmycat]

Well, Well, Well. So much for the claim made by AJ Cook  that this episode was suppose to portray JJ in a more realistic manner and less of a superwoman.

OMG is this woman for real. If anything it has done the opposite. It reinforces even more the notion that JJ is indeed some kind of superwoman

[zannej]

So much for the supposed Reid/JJ friendship.. JJ shits on Reid again and he stands there like a confused little boy and sounds like a child who doesn't know how to fix a broken toy. It sort of reminds me of a small child who sees his Mommy crying and doesn't know why and wants to make it better but he's too young to understand the complex feelings of grown-ups. 

 

So, Reid is the one who can't do his job properly because he's worried about JJ, yet JJ is the one figuring out almost every aspect of the case and making the rest of the team look like chumps WHILE suffering PTSD. If this was supposed to make her seem less superhuman, it failed on all levels. 

 

I'm not dreading the Nelson's Sparrow episode because I'm willing to bet that Reid will act like an emotional cripple who can't handle big feelings and will not be able to concentrate on the job.. I hope I'm wrong on that, but ugh... 

[normasm]

So, Reid is the one who can't do his job properly because he's worried about JJ, yet JJ is the one figuring out almost every aspect of the case and making the rest of the team look like chumps WHILE suffering PTSD. If this was supposed to make her seem less superhuman, it failed on all levels. 

 

Yep, noticed that. Not superwoman, eh? Putting down her cape, eh? Sheesh.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Two things----Firstly, I think there's much ado about nothing regarding AJC's recent interview, or any interview, for that matter.

 

Most of these things take place in a matter of a few minutes, and not everybody is all that good at thinking on their feet.  Most of what they end up saying is a combination of nonsense-speak and throwaway remarks.  So reading into anyone's words, or reacting to them, or reacting to what we think they might have meant (and then getting annoyed with them for what we think they meant) doesn't really make all that much sense.

 

Since I have been That Guy about remarks that were made in the past, and then interpreting them with however much vitriol I might feel about them, I will dip my toe into the discussion.

 

On the one hand, if AJ is dissatisfied with the current situation, whether its the writing for JJ or the way JJ has been received since her overhaul into an international Super Ninja, then maybe that's a good sign and maybe the writers will finally put Baby in a corner for five minutes. Or longer. It wouldn't hurt my feelings any. Conversely, part of me is like, "Isn't this what she asked for when she came back?" If the speculation about her pushing for changes in her character is true, that she wanted JJ to be both more in the spotlight and to get the equivalent of Emily's Super Spy arc, then if she's complaining about the end results, the part of me that's furious about what I see as a never-ending tongue bath can only give a resounding raspberry to the idea that she has complaints. This is why they say to be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

 

If it isn't true and it wasn't AJ's demand to have her character turn into the woman who almost killed Bin Laden, then she's still benefiting from Erica's overweening favoritism, because at the end of the day its MESSer who's in charge of who gets what. If EM loves her/JJ that much, I have the feeling that she'd have made note of it if her Golden Girl wasn't happy. I haven't watched last night's episode yet. If its as bad as zaneej said it was in Reid's thread, I might spare myself the aneurysm, because I cannot endure watching Spencer be nothing more than JJ's human prop.

[normasm]

I do hope you watch it CoStar, not at the risk of an aneurysm, to be sure, but I want your unvarnished opinion. 

[zannej]

If they'd just had JJ falter and actually have difficulty-- maybe be quiet and not have all the answers like she did, it would have been tolerable. And what made it worse for me was the continued character assassination of Reid. This is a guy who was still able to contribute while on drugs and suffering from PTSD. He still helped in cases where he was suffering severe migraines. But now that JJ is a profiler, he can't do anything. It reminds me his line about being the dumbest person in the room when he was worried about Maeve. It's not who this character was and they are ruining him and making him so emotionally fragile he can't function-- and he's been through worse, so I don't buy it.

I think its likely that AJ is reacting more to the criticism from the fans about JJ being less likable because she no longer seems human. So she wanted some damage control. Unfortunately because one of the main problems is that JJ dominates the screentime, acts like the boss, and is almost always the one with key insights (thus making the rest of the team look stupid), it didn't help to have her cry. Because her emotional breakdown didn't stop her from showing everyone else up and getting away with insubordination.

They are trying to say "Look, she has feelings and feels pain and has tears! See, she's human". There was a contradiction that didn't jive. It was such a lost opportunity to have the team rally together to support her instead of the team continuing to shit on Reid. Oh, and Hotch was really a chump in this one because he didn't get to do much and he let JJ walk all over him without a reprimand. Such bullshit.

If I could re-write this one, I would have had a little bit more focus on the discussion of how cults work, what kinds of people are susceptible, maybe a little history of cults gone wrong, and delving in to the psyche of the kinds of people who form cults at least a little. Show the psychological aspects and not just people holding trays with rocks. Let us learn a little more about the victims and their families so we can relate to them a little more and see them as humans instead of just fodder.
A little bit more info on the unsub (other than the 5 second blurb that was overshadowed by JJ's flashbacks) prior to his capture or even after his capture.
Some actual profiling would have been nice.
JJ not solving every damn thing.
Other team members seeing something was up with JJ and talking to her. I wanted to see Hotch advise her to use a different type of bandage or something. And he could tell her that if she wanted to talk, he was available. He could even have subtly shared some of his own experience with PTSD.
Reid would have been able to relate to JJ and tell her that he understood what it was like and what she was feeling and maybe given her a platonic hug to comfort her.
Also, Reid's statistics to guess the exact number of boats was too coincidental, so it would have been funny if Hotch commented (privately to Reid) how he knew Reid had read some government report or found out how many boats were registered with the DMV (or whatever organization keeps track) prior to getting on the plane, but he was pulling a "magic trick" on the rest of the team. Reid could either confirm it or smile knowingly and say he's not going to confirm or deny, but Hotch would know he was right. That makes more sense than the statistics thing because there is room for error.
JJ would have had a better bandage.
The team would have gotten a warrant to search the cult place (because they could easily have gotten one if they had a guy inside who claimed people were being held against their will and that he feared for his life and the life of his child).
Hotch would have been in charge and leading the team and calling the shots. Reid would not have been babysitting the kids while JJ ran off alone and JJ would not have disobeyed Hotch. In fact,the rest of the team would have been on their way out to the SUVs instead of standing around talking into a speakerphone like a bunch of monkeys with their thumbs up their asses.
IF it came down to the team not being there yet, Reid should have been with JJ at the freezer and he could have been the one to state that the gas would not ignite at that temp and JJ could have threatened to fire or fired. (Although I still called BS on her shooting because she didn't give the guy the option to drop the weapon first).

I admit I'm surprised that I'm so disappointed because I thought my expectations were low enough that I wouldn't be this dismayed over the episode, but it was worse than I'd thought.

[SSAHotchner]

"I admit I'm surprised that I'm so disappointed because I thought my expectations were low enough that I wouldn't be this dismayed over the episode, but it was worse than I'd thought."

 

I'm exactly where you are, Zannej. And then I get mad at myself for still hoping that something good will happen. I'm just beating my head against a wall.

[Danielg342]

I admit I'm surprised that I'm so disappointed because I thought my expectations were low enough that I wouldn't be this dismayed over the episode, but it was worse than I'd thought.

 

Word. Those are my thoughts exactly, and I fear it can only get worse.

[MCatry]

AJ Cook retweeted those and several of her interviews, so in a way she is endorsing them.

She is also the one member of the whole cast whose interviews are popping in the Internet all the time, while interviews for others are rare, and normally just on videos. For me, that is an indication that there is a clear intention to promote her more.

Right now my only hope is that she will be starring the new spinoff.

[missmycat]

AJ Cook retweeted those and several of her interviews, so in a way she is endorsing them.

She is also the one member of the whole cast whose interviews are popping in the Internet all the time, while interviews for others are rare, and normally just on videos. For me, that is an indication that there is a clear intention to promote her more.

Right now my only hope is that she will be starring the new spinoff.

Yeah that is what I am hoping too. I am hoping that EM couldn't bare to be without her "Golden Girl", but the thing is would AJ Cook even want to go especially if she has no guarantee the spin off is going to be a success.

 

But here is rhetorical question, At what point to you guys feel this cast is going to finally rebel against their characters constantly taking a backseat to AJ's character.Let's face it. They have had to pretty much take a backseat to her ever since she returned.

 

Now I'm guessing they were probably okay about Season 7 because the cast and crew were happy to have AJ back, although sadly I myself had already starting to regret her return. And then you had Season 8 and thank goodness the focus shifted to Reid, although I am aware that some Reid fans weren't particularly happy with the type of focus he got in this season 8.

 

And then of course you had Season 9 which AJ Cook arrogantly dubbed the Season of JJ. Until she rightfully caught flack for it. Where upon she did a 180 and try to claim it was going to be the season of all the characters and that JJ was just going to get a little extra focus.

 

We of course now know that AJ Cook's originally assessment of it being  the season of JJ was the correct one and her trying to back track on it with those bullshit talking points about it really being the season of all the characters was the network going into damage control.

 

And then we get to that  ONCE IN A LIFETIME MILESTONE EPISODE OF 200. The likes of which CM will probably never see again.This was an episode that was suppose to celebrate the show and it's character,but the only character it celebrated was the character of JJ. Long time cast members like Shemar Moore and Matthew Gray Gubler had less than 5 minutes of screen time.So again we have this cast once again having to take a backseat to AJ's character. Now as much as they may like AJ Cook it's hard for me to believe there wasn't some resent on the part of the rest of the cast. Or maybe I'm just projecting because of my own resent about it.

 

And finally I would ask the JJ fans if they would please try to put themselves into our place. How would they have felt if JJ, the character they loved, instead of getting the huge focus like she did, didn't even warrant 5 minutes of screen time in that milestone episode.Would it have angered them. Would it have felt like a slap in the face to the actress, her character, as well as her fans. Because that is exactly the way it felt to me as a Reid fan.

Edited January 16, 2015 by missmycat

[zannej]

I think if there is one thing Erica Messer is good it, its putting a spin on things and selling total bullshit to the cast/crew and network. She can probably talk a good talk and convince them that everything is so fantastic and great. So I think she's good at marketing herself and her ideas.

 

Unfortunately, it seems like CBS execs are drinking the coolaid. I do wonder if any of the cast are bothered that AJ is dominating and they are getting next to nothing. Either they are happy for her and don't want to trample on her feelings because they like her and feel sorry for her because she was kicked to the curb, or they no longer care. Or maybe a combination of both. I think that some of them are just biding their time until the show ends so they can move on. It's also possible that after so long on the show, some of them just want to get paid and have as much freetime as possible.

 

I admit the selfish part of me wishes they would have the season of Reid, but I know that wouldn't work out because there is no way the writers could pull it off without further destroying his character.

[Droogie]

I saw a blurb about an actress who is going to briefly play a "colleague" of Dr. Reid (don't understand that -- what kind of colleague? Aside from the BAU?). She said its a tiny role but I don't get the mention. Could it be a possible friend/love-interest? I've seen pics and the actress is from Jamaica and quite beautiful. I don't want a soap opera! I just want some sort of remedy for Zugzwang and for Reid to have someone to go home to.

Here she is:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3038155/

[Droogie]

I admit the selfish part of me wishes they would have the season of Reid, but I know that wouldn't work out because there is no way the writers could pull it off without further destroying his character.

I agree. In theory I would adore the Season of Reid. Now I worry even about the upcoming episodes that are supposed to be this great emotional arc. I'm afraid it will just be him crying the whole time, not able to deal with his emotions, needing wisdom and support from Morgan and JJ (it's OK if it's Hotch or Rossi). Matthew usually makes a silk purse out of a sow's ear when it comes to how Reid is written these days, but I have my concerns.

[normasm]

Droogie, he has all kinds of colleagues outside of BAU, in theory, at least. That's where Alex came from, that connection he had to her classes.

[ForeverAlone]

Hmmm...not sure what to think after the promo for "Nelson's Sparrow." We already know who the unsub is, and have an idea of his MO. It will be interesting to see how this will relate to young Gideon and Rossi and Stephen Gideon. No idea at all. Let's hope Kirsten can actually write crime thrillers, because Erica is definitely hit or miss.

 

http://criminalmindsroundtable.blogspot.ca/2015/01/criminal-minds-season-10-1013-nelsons_65.html

Edited January 22, 2015 by ForeverAlone

[normasm]

How is it supposed to relate to Spencer? Although I am glad to see Hotch more often than we have in the last 2 seasons.

Edited January 22, 2015 by normasm

[ForeverAlone]

I still think that Reid's "arc" is because of Gideon's death or something (hence Stephen's presence in this episode), but it won't be central to the case. It will be something that Reid will be dealing with on his own, I bet. 

[missmycat]

How is it supposed to relate to Spencer? Although I am glad to see Hotch more often than we have in the last 2 seasons.

Yeah I would really like to get a glimpse or at least a hint about his arc. Because, other than knowing it somehow involves Gideon due to an appearance by Stephen and that Reid goes back to the cabin where he first found the note from Gideon, we know next to nothing about it.

[ForeverAlone]

We should start taking bets on what the arc is about. 

 

My money is that Gideon died off screen and Stephen tracked Reid down to tell him, and maybe give him something Gideon wanted to give him. 

[SSAHotchner]

We should start taking bets on what the arc is about. 

 

My money is that Gideon died off screen and Stephen tracked Reid down to tell him, and maybe give him something Gideon wanted to give him. 

That sounds logical to me. But then it's too coincidental (not that I think the writers will think of that) for them to have a case that happens to involve a past case of Gideon's just around the time he dies. There are so many possibilities for this type of flashback and also dealing with Reid's relationship with Gideon and the abrupt way he left the team. I just don't think that Erica and Kirsten are capable of coming up with anything meaningful or compelling. I'm prepared for it to be crap, a wasted opportunity. But just maybe Kirsten will give Reid something good since her character has been sensitive to his from season one on.

[Danielg342]

I'd be conflicted about Gideon's death. On one hand, it would allow the show to move on completely from the character whose shadow hangs so ominously over the show, and would put to rest any idea of Gideon coming back. On the other hand, I always would hope for a Gideon comeback or reappearance, since I don't think you could ever conclude this show without Gideon having an influence. As much as we might hate Mandy Patinkin over how he left the show, truth is no one defined the program more than Gideon did, and I would hate that the show sent him off without at least one last glimpse at the man.

[missmycat]

I still wonder what AJ Cook meant in that one interview where she said something about how she couldn't believe the network would actually let them do that, but she wouldn't elaborate on it anymore.More than likely it probably had something to do with her character.Somebody actually suggested onetime that maybe AJ had done a nude scene for the show.All though I highly doubt that's what she was talking about.

[zannej]

Another possibility would be that the case that comes up was one that Gideon had worked on and either Gideon sent Stephen to talk to Reid. Or maybe Reid sought out Stephen in the hopes of finding some info about / from Gideon. I think its more likely that Gideon died though.

[normasm]

I am hoping that Gideon (posthumously) sends Reid all his speculation on this one that got away, Reid takes it to Rossi, who recalls the case in flashback, and the team solves the case, with Reid at the helm. Do I think that will occur? Well, no.

[Droogie]

I am hoping that Gideon (posthumously) sends Reid all his speculation on this one that got away, Reid takes it to Rossi, who recalls the case in flashback, and the team solves the case, with Reid at the helm. Do I think that will occur? Well, no.

That would be a great episode.

[spinner33]

Just watched the promo for Nelson's Sparrow.   I'm trying to keep an open mind here, but that promo does not excite me. 

[Old Dog]

Just watched the promo for Nelson's Sparrow.   I'm trying to keep an open mind here, but that promo does not excite me. 

I am worried. They don't have a good track record at retconning. Although Ben Savage does look uncannily like Gideon!

[spinner33]

That's the understatement of the year! (retconning)

[missmycat]

Just watched the promo for Nelson's Sparrow.   I'm trying to keep an open mind here, but that promo does not excite me. 

I was just relieved that JJ wasn't in it. I still don't understand why they are not promoting the Reid arc other than the fact it must mean his arc isn't very significant.Unless you read that spoiler you won't have any idea he is getting this arc. They know fans have been demanding more Reid and wanting him to have his own story line. JJ got mentioned in her 2 episodes. Why is she worthy of a mention and not him.And then there is episode 15 where Kate and her niece's story line is mentioned in it's official press release.

WTF is that all about. Is there a huge chuck of the fan base demanding more story lines for Kate. Not from where I am standing. If anything they want less Kate period.These are not my own personal feelings about Kate. I'd prefer her over JJ any day. I don't even begrudge her a story line as long as it doesn't overshadow the case itself.  

[zannej]

I'm guessing that the alleged Reid arc is floccinaucinihilipilificatious. :D

[Danielg342]

I'm guessing that the alleged Reid arc is floccinaucinihilipilificatious. :D

I'm so going to work that into one of my stories. :-p

[JMO]

 

I just saw a clip from Hero Worship on another site. It's a scene with Reid and Rossi, and Rossi is telling Reid maybe he needs some time off, "in light of recent events."

It's not much to go on, true, but Reid needs time off, even though he was perfectly functional with Gideon's murder and able to contribute to the case, but JJ doesn't, after behaving like a reckless fool while she was off the rails?

I'm kinda sputtering right now.

 

Moving, for risk of being 'spoilerish'.

 

I saw the clips as well.  I think they're more of a continuation of the conversation Reid and Rossi were having last week.  I think he just said 'give yourself a break', not necessarily meaning taking time off.  It made sense to me.

 

What annoyed me more was the scene on the plane.  It just felt so immature, especially after last week, when they managed to write Reid as a grieving adult. The man is in his thirties, he's already suffered a tremendous personal loss and he's a well read genius with a degree in philosophy. And the best they can come up with is him playing a neverending game of chess to keep Gideon around?  It's just so lacking in insight.

 

I'm also hoping we haven't already seen the full 'Reid arc' in those two clips.

 

[normasm]

I dunno, it seemed alright to me. But the sum of the 2 clips are probably the bookends of the ep. 

[Droogie]

Moving, for risk of being 'spoilerish'.

I saw the clips as well. I think they're more of a continuation of the conversation Reid and Rossi were having last week. I think he just said 'give yourself a break', not necessarily meaning taking time off. It made sense to me.

What annoyed me more was the scene on the plane. It just felt so immature, especially after last week, when they managed to write Reid as a grieving adult. The man is in his thirties, he's already suffered a tremendous personal loss and he's a well read genius with a degree in philosophy. And the best they can come up with is him playing a neverending game of chess to keep Gideon around? It's just so lacking in insight.

I'm also hoping we haven't already seen the full 'Reid arc' in those two clips.

Oopsie.

I'm in agreement with you, after considering it. And I agree with about the plane scene, to an extent. But if I really reach, I can see the purpose being that Reid regarded Gideon as a father figure, and he's grieving like a son -- like the young boy he was when his bio dad left. Reid is a complex dude, who never got over being abandoned as a child, even though he is a brilliant and accomplished man. I think Rossi sees this (I love Reid/Rossi scenes) and is relating to him that way, to draw him back out of himself.

And, very sadly, I will admit to thinking that Reid's "arc" will be officially over.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Droogie

[JMO]

Not sure this belongs here, but it seems as good a place as any.  Waiting on another foot of snow, and another snow day, and looking for distraction. 

 

So---assuming we'll come to a series finale some day (and hoping it's not this year), how would you like to see it go out?  Just another case?  Some sort of disbanding, or farewell, among the team?  Happiness?  Angst?  Or just business as usual?