Criminal Minds Review: The Devil In The Details
On a creepiness scale of 1 to 10, this week's episode was a solid 15. Or should I say 11, which is apparently the devil's number. Hey, you learn something new every day.
After viewers complaining for months about the unnecessary "filler" storylines that Criminal Minds writers have been dwelling on, this week they turned the tables. We got exactly no ancillary plot action whatsoever. So to those vocal opponents of personal story lines I ask you: was it better? Hopefully so. One thing's for certain, though: I'll probably have some scary dreams tonight.
This weeks' "Heathridge Manor" episode - directed by none other than Matthew Gray Gubler, incidentally - was one heck of an eery ride. It had a strong Silence of the Lambs feel to it, and it made me never want to see a Shakespeare play again. Maybe that's harsh, but it's true.
From a profiling standpoint, we saw a lot of action. It took the team quite a bit of time to nail down that the UnSub wasn't worshiping the devil but rather trying to fend him off. Also, Reid's revelation about the significance of the dates was a brilliant piece of the puzzle, but it didn't excuse the fact that we knew who the UnSub was from the very beginning again. As I've said before, that doesn't particularly bother me, but it irks many of you. Just trying to play devil's advocate here (pun intended).
Garcia had some straight up zingers this week. I loved her clarification that Renaissance fairs weren't just "nerds in costumes eating turkey legs," and when she compared the head of the asylum's hatred of digital records to Reid's technophobia, I couldn't help but chuckle. Everyone on the team seemed to be fairly well utilized this week, and Hotch's head to head with the UnSub was actually pretty exciting.
As for the backdrop, it doesn't get much more unsettling than an abandoned asylum for the criminally insane (or a basement dungeon). And a conveniently electricity-free storage room stocked with old hospital records. (P.S. Prentiss must have some sort of radar for finding obscure paperwork. She just materialized that file out of nowhere, damn.)
I could've done without the weird, incestuous undertones between the UnSub and his little sister, but I suppose it all served to round out the reality-detached picture of that family. Did anyone else get an Edward Cullen vibe from our UnSub? Probably because of the hair and the pale face, but his lack of pigment and her prosthetic arm just gave me the heebie jeebies (and no, that's not a shot at people with missing limbs, calm down).
Ending the episode off with her own delusions of the devil taking shape was a great way to leave the audience feeling off balance. I'm glad this episode wasn't a two-parter because, frankly, I'd be freaked out to have them elaborate further.
Next week we leave the occult, nicotine poisoning and Renaissance-era themes behind us, and I, for one, will not complain. What did you think of Reid's directorial masterpiece? Were you into the off color themes? Even though it creeped me out, it also fully entertained me. The floor is yours, TV Fanatics, have at it.
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April 21st, 2012 12:24 PM
I had a few questions.Where are the PPC's? Gauss? Will they rephaps be dumbed down in impact and instant damage? Lasers are now DoT, AC's appear to pack the punch we expect. But I would think that an Instant damage gauss AND ppc would maybe be too many instant-damage weapons.Will NGNG consider Gildan or aaa brand shirts for high quality low cost bulk buys before screen printing?In game credit. I forsee a money issue for new players, but I trust the devs. But my brain still wants to think about and discuss this. How much money do you start with? Do you get too much? Do you earn too much? Repairs sound like they might sometimes break the bank. Ammo will be costing? Dropship / jumpship transport might cost too. Will a new player shortly end up in the red? Or will things like ammo, or also repairs be purchased on credit? Loans don't make sense because there shouldn't be an account-freezing type of penalty for going all the way into the red.Equipment financing. Financing a Mech puts new pl
April 13th, 2012 6:36 PM
Did anyone else notice a shadow in one of the last scenes, when the team are standing outside the house near an ambulance? At the very end of the scene it looks like a dark figure moves past them just as the music goes kinda funny. I thought maybe it was a paramedic but after rewinding it half a dozen times it still looked like a dark ghostly figure...any significance? thought maybe it was the devil coming for Lara...or maybe the whole episode creeped me out so much I started imagining things everywhere I looked!
April 13th, 2012 10:00 AM
Very intriguing episode. Loved the creepy story line. Gubler has an eye for detail and is a fine director. Mosley Lane was my all time favorite CM episode. Great one.
April 10th, 2012 3:25 AM
The last 2 ep's, Heathridge and Foundation was really good, the latter being the better, and finally looking more like the great ep's of old; not the "in your face" stuff they've been giving us too much of lately. I love this show and will watch in any event but my major complains are that Hotch is not given his powerful leadership roles as in the past, and that Garcia is not given enough opportunity to demonstrate personal strength of character without making her look silly in the process. Her calming Morgan down would be a positive reversal and an interesting change. Also, we need to see some of the old bonding shared between the ladies of the BAU.
Rank: Extra
April 10th, 2012 1:11 AM
I liked the episode. It was very creepy. I didn't like the fact that the mother cut her daughter's arm off, that was a little too much! MGG is a great director, but I do like his other two episodes he directed much better.The end was a little predictable as in any horror movie. I don't think she needed to be as crazy as the rest of the family. And, as for Prentiss finding the file, she's just amazing! No, really, she's my favorite and can do anything!
April 9th, 2012 8:11 PM
Did anyone notice that when Laura took the devils's gloved hand, it was with her left hand, and it was not artificial?
April 8th, 2012 6:23 PM
This episode was terrible and the directing by overrated MGG didn't save it. I too find it incredible that "Foundations" was not reviewed, an episode that had to be one of the best of the season if not the series. But of course Morgan had some screen time so there you go. Frankly it's been shameful that this show started out focusing so much on no-acting MGG to the detriment of the lead female Paget Brewster, Shemar and AJ (of course Paget and AJ were fired as unnecessary). It's no wonder Paget is ready to move on after being brought back. She was never treated like the lead female and always had to take a back seat to MGG who was way down the call sheet but somehow got all the character development which he didn't deserve.
April 7th, 2012 7:58 PM
3/28 episode was Not a repeat it was a new episode called Foundations it was about Morgan trying to get this boy to talk
Rank: Regular Character
April 7th, 2012 10:32 AM
to those complaining about there not being a review last week.......The 3/28 episode was a repeat........some of you might have missed it the first time around but it was a repeat.....for the one before that .......check the review here for HOT FOR TEACHER......... Also cbs.com has full episodes ............
April 6th, 2012 3:33 PM
I'm too upset with the thought of Emily leaving to concentrate but at least we didn't have to see Hotch's new girlfriend so soon after he gets his wife killed. This episode however was creepy.