Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 21 Review: Green Light

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OK, high marks to the viewers who saw this twist coming.

Mr. Scratch has been a red herring all season. Instead, it was revealed that Cat Adams was behind Reid's troubles on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 21.

And finally, finally, finally Reid was freed from prison.

But he's hardly free.

Reid Fears For His Mother - Criminal Minds

That's because mini-psycho Lindsey Vaughn kidnapped his mother Diana and disappeared.

Poor Reid! Even his own teammates thought he was delusional.

Of course, that's because he has been quite delusional ever since his arrest. What's real? What's caused by the drugs in his system, and what's caused by his jumbled memories? Who can say?

Desperate Plea - Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 21

So when Reid asked for Prentiss' help, claiming that some obscure unsub from a decade ago had abducted his mother, of course, she was a little skeptical.

Just like all the viewers who were thinking, "That's the big payoff? I barely remember her."

Now puzzle me this: using the bullets from Cassie's body, the BAU figured out that Lindsey had become a contract killer using her father's old gun as a way of seeking his approval.

Hadn't any other law-enforcement agencies run bullets from previous murders to see if there was a ballistics match? Shouldn't a pattern have emerged years ago?

But then, the BAU's discovery wouldn't have had nearly the same weight. 

Scraps of Information - Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 21

All of that led to a slapdash argument built on circumstantial evidence that Prentiss presented to a judge and somehow won. Why did Reid need that ineffectual lawyer in the first place?

No way would that decision stand up in real life, but the viewers would revolt if it were reversed.

So after nine episodes (it just seemed longer), Reid was released, only to find out he had to go back inside the prison to negotiate his mother's release.

And no one has been affected more by all the drama than the emotionally battered Garcia, who offered Prentiss her letter of resignation. Yes, our clip was the real deal!

Garcia has served as a surrogate for the viewers. First, she lost her Chocolate Adonis. Then Hotch went into witness protection. And now Reid was imperiled.

She just can't embrace these new people. It's not the same. Change is bad. For reinforcement on this point, just check out the comment section below.

Now that Reid is released, and especially after Diana is rescued, hopefully, Garcia can go back to being the only and much-needed ray of sunshine amid the gloom.

Another Confrontation - Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 21

Speaking of new guys, I like Alvez more each week. He's not afraid to push to get things done.

He did a wonderful job of threatening Shaw to back off or be shipped to a prison stuffed with inmates who wished him ill.

He leaned equally hard on the marshal to get a meeting with Jack Vaughn.

And Prentiss actually had a leader moment instead of being a den mother, shouting down those who questioned her decision to have the just-released, fragile Reid interrogate Cat.

It may have been just a momentarily lapse at the end of a long day, but still, it's promising.

You wouldn't expect Hotch to sit there building a consensus, so she should have the same prerogative.

On Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 22, I expect a battle of wits between Reid and Cat, just like when they first met on Criminal Minds Season 11 Episode 11.

How JJ, another woman in the room, affects the dynamic will be interesting to watch.

Also, Garcia gets her Hot Stuff back, as Morgan brings a clue that might help the BAU to finally recapture Mr. Scratch.

A bigger mystery might be why Morgan is sporting that beard.

I'm guessing the other three escaped psycho killers from Criminal Minds Season 11 Episode 22 will just be lost to history.

To catch up on Reid's time in the big house, watch Criminal Minds online.

How many saw Cat Adams coming? How about Lindsay's new role as a psycho killer? Will Reid still be up to the task?

Comment below.

Green Light Review

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Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.

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Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 21 Quotes

You're a Fed? That's going to get you killed.

to Reid}

“Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Walker