Criminal Minds Season 10 Episode 6 Review: If the Shoe Fits
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"Don't date crazy" seemed to be the motto for Criminal Minds Season 10 Episode 6
And when you encounter crazy, for the love of God, don't argue with it.
Come to think of it, there were all kinds of cautionary tales to be learned from this week's unsub regarding dating in general. I suppose the only real surprise is that the unsub's unsympathetic boss got to keep breathing. Of course, once we understood the unsub's thought process, it all made sense.
But in the meantime - what a ride!
That poor girl. Abused by her dad when she was young and then trying to meet the perfect guy when she got older. I mean, she really put her heart and sole into it, didn't she? She was quite pointed about what she expected from them and they let her down every time. So she let them down the only way she knew how. Again and again. And all before the stroke of midnight. Men are such heels.
Then there was Kate.
The woman is dangerous. You just don't ever want to get on the wrong side of her. I keep remembering that every time Rossi or Morgan give her praise for her hard-nosed uncompromising attitude toward sketchy people. Sure, they're all getting along now - but what if one of them crosses her?
Will she hold back out of team solidarity or will she go for the jugular, the way she wiped the smile from the smarmy legal student's face?
What she did to him was bold and it got the job done. She was unapologetic and even a touch gleeful at her deception of him - a deception that nearly caused him to throw up. I'm still torn between laughing admiration and horror at that scene.
I get the sense that we need to treat Kate the way we need to treat tonight's unsub: just nod and agree, nod and agree... and back away slowly without making any sudden moves.
Morgan: None of the girls Brubaker filmed were under age.
Kate: Oh gosh. Do you think I gave Shane the wrong impression?
Morgan: I kind of like your style, Callahan.
Kate: Somebody should get a barf bag for our legal beagle in there.
Yeah, you like her style now, Morgan. Just don't say the wrong thing... or you're next.
I don't recall ever seeing JJ quite so angry before. She was interesting to watch, as she laid into her mother for defying her wishes regarding Henry.
Their dialogue opened up a new discovery about JJ and her family: they are big on denial. But can you blame them? Her sister committed suicide when JJ was 11 and her sister was 17. It's clear she's still suffering from that, and doesn't want Henry to even think about the word "suicide" - at least until he's older and can handle it.
Yet the truth will come out. If not through an old family picture, then a relative might blurt out Rosaline's name sometime. JJ was in a tough spot. Still, I'm not sure Sandy Jareau deserved to be read the riot act on that. She clearly did the best she could given the circumstances. What do you do when your grandson asks you a question? Do you pretend you didn't hear him? Change the topic? What?
Final thoughts:
- MVP award for the episode goes to Reid. The man convinced JJ to tell Henry about her sister through the use of fairy tale methodology, plus he performed his own fairy tale ruse to placate the unsub. Also he gave us all a history lesson about the Battle of St. Scholastica Day.
- I'm with Rossi on the night owl thing. He's happy with his brain "just the way it is" - despite Reid's extensive knowledge about how his brain would be so much better if he just became a morning person. Morning people are just awful. They're bright, they're cheerful and they just won't let you sleep. Give me the night.
- Did you notice - when JJ got angry, she smiled. I've seen that before with other people. It's scary. It's like a dog's warning growl when you get too close. It means pay attention NOW.
- This episode gets a big thumbs up for being so entertaining, unlike last week's offering.
What do you think? Were you impressed by Kate's quick thinking when interviewing the college jock? What about Henry - does he need to know all of the details about his aunt and the manner of her death? What did you think of this week's episode?
Remember: you can see it anytime when you watch Criminal Minds online.
Douglas Wolfe was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He retired in 2016. Follow him on Twitter
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