Time: Wednesdays, 9:00-10:00pm
Cast: Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness
Summary: The team profiles a killer targeting women inside of a gated New Mexico community, and Hotch asks for help from an FBI cadet.
Review: One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is how the writers are constantly finding new angles for their stories. Obviously, there are only so many different ways to approach serial crimes. At the most basic level, many people who have something in common are being killed, raped, kidnapped, etc. There are a finite amount of reasons why such crimes would be perpetrated. Yet somehow Criminal Minds continues to surprise.
This week marked the arrival of Agent-Trainee Ashley Seaver, who exists essentially to replace JJ as the third woman on the team (cue angry protests from those of us who aren't ready for a new girl just yet). Despite my best intentions to hate her on sight (yes, I'm petty), I found myself intruiged by the backstory she brought to the table. Ashley is the daughter of a notorious serial killer, one Rossi and Hotch brought down many years ago. She's also a minor prodigy at the Academy, though nowhere near our boy Reid, who apparently failed every aspect of FBI training that didn't come out of the manual yet was somehow still cleared for field work.
Seaver brings a unique perspective to profiling. As Prentiss pointed out, we rarely think about the families serial killers leave behind after they're caught. Occasionally we've been given glimpses at them (such as the episode where the two suburban fathers were raping and killing teenage girls), but when the episode is over, I don't give them another thought, not like the families of the victims. But Seaver brings that situation into the forefront, which is then obviously reflected in the case. I wish they'd spent a little less time harping on the fact that her father was a serial killer though, and more time showing how that influenced her profiling skills. The scene in the church where she was explaining what her father was like was good, but I wanted more like that.
Gated communities are an interesting psychological study, and a crime committed within one rocks the neighborhood to the core. The extra security of the gate leads to complacency, which means that a violent crime is even more unsettling than it would be in even a typical suburban area. This episode could have done more to show the sense of panic that such an offense, particularly a serial one, could cause in this kind of area, but they did do a good job of making everyone a suspect. I still spotted the killer early, but there were moments where I had my doubts.
The team dynamic that I felt was sorely lacking last season is back, and it's wonderful to see them playing off each other in the way that first attracted me to this show. Garcia was a breath of fresh air in a mostly serious episode, and she managed to do both her job and half of JJ's while still having time to flirt with Morgan, tease Reid, and make Hotch smile. Seaver didn't have a lot of initial chemistry with the team, but her scenes with Prentiss weren't too bad, and I imagine she'll eventually find her place. She does fill the youngest child role that Reid seems to have abandoned this season, and her existing relationships with Rossi and Hotch could be fodder for future episodes.
For now, I'll regard Seaver with cautious optimism. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I see some potential in this new character that I hope will continue to grow as the season continues.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
Review: One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is how the writers are constantly finding new angles for their stories. Obviously, there are only so many different ways to approach serial crimes. At the most basic level, many people who have something in common are being killed, raped, kidnapped, etc. There are a finite amount of reasons why such crimes would be perpetrated. Yet somehow Criminal Minds continues to surprise.
This week marked the arrival of Agent-Trainee Ashley Seaver, who exists essentially to replace JJ as the third woman on the team (cue angry protests from those of us who aren't ready for a new girl just yet). Despite my best intentions to hate her on sight (yes, I'm petty), I found myself intruiged by the backstory she brought to the table. Ashley is the daughter of a notorious serial killer, one Rossi and Hotch brought down many years ago. She's also a minor prodigy at the Academy, though nowhere near our boy Reid, who apparently failed every aspect of FBI training that didn't come out of the manual yet was somehow still cleared for field work.
Seaver brings a unique perspective to profiling. As Prentiss pointed out, we rarely think about the families serial killers leave behind after they're caught. Occasionally we've been given glimpses at them (such as the episode where the two suburban fathers were raping and killing teenage girls), but when the episode is over, I don't give them another thought, not like the families of the victims. But Seaver brings that situation into the forefront, which is then obviously reflected in the case. I wish they'd spent a little less time harping on the fact that her father was a serial killer though, and more time showing how that influenced her profiling skills. The scene in the church where she was explaining what her father was like was good, but I wanted more like that.
Gated communities are an interesting psychological study, and a crime committed within one rocks the neighborhood to the core. The extra security of the gate leads to complacency, which means that a violent crime is even more unsettling than it would be in even a typical suburban area. This episode could have done more to show the sense of panic that such an offense, particularly a serial one, could cause in this kind of area, but they did do a good job of making everyone a suspect. I still spotted the killer early, but there were moments where I had my doubts.
The team dynamic that I felt was sorely lacking last season is back, and it's wonderful to see them playing off each other in the way that first attracted me to this show. Garcia was a breath of fresh air in a mostly serious episode, and she managed to do both her job and half of JJ's while still having time to flirt with Morgan, tease Reid, and make Hotch smile. Seaver didn't have a lot of initial chemistry with the team, but her scenes with Prentiss weren't too bad, and I imagine she'll eventually find her place. She does fill the youngest child role that Reid seems to have abandoned this season, and her existing relationships with Rossi and Hotch could be fodder for future episodes.
For now, I'll regard Seaver with cautious optimism. I enjoyed the episode as a whole, and I see some potential in this new character that I hope will continue to grow as the season continues.
For more crime TV news, follow NewarkCrimeTV on Twitter.
Email me at NewarkCrimeTV@gmail.com.
Rating: 4/5
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