Wednesday, April 1, 2015

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - BTS: 1023. The Hunt

This post may contain spoilers, probably small, but they may be big too; proceed with caution!
This post will be updated when more images of our dear gang are shared from the set.




Addressing notes! Yuuuuuuck! :)! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
It's game time!!! Just got off the phone with @JimClemente we're rolling! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Concept meeting! season finale! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Casting concept on the finale! #23 - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Wardrobe meeting with Kershaw & BJ! @CM_SetReport @CMindsOnline @criminalmindsrt
- Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Casting! CM season 10 finale! @ScottDavidCast @criminalmindsrt @CM_SetReport - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Last Criminal Minds location scout for this season. I always love our choices. [1/2] - Photo by Harry Bring
Last Criminal Minds location scout for this season. I always love our choices. [2/2] - Photo by Harry Bring
A perfect Criminal Minds body dump site. - Photo by Harry Bring
Big smiles from @Jsbarrois and @GUBLERNATION at the last table read of season 10!!
- Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
Every time I'm on a studio lot I realize it's exactly where I should be #actorslife #natashamccrea - Photo by Natasha McCrea
Criminal Minds readthru for final episode [1/4] - Photo by Raphael Cantu
Criminal Minds readthru for final episode [2/4] - Photo by Raphael Cantu
Criminal Minds readthru for final episode [3/4] - Photo by Raphael Cantu
Criminal Minds readthru for final episode [4/4] - Photo by Raphael Cantu
Finale read through, as our season 10 ends :'-( #loveyoupeople #mwah @ajcookofficial @GUBLERNATION - Photo by BJ Rogers
TBT Video Village on #CriminalMinds when it was covered with cast & crew photos!! @CM_SetReport @criminalmindsrt - Photo by Liz Graham
One of the season finale Round Table room scenes. Rehearsal. - Photo by Harry Bring
We are rolling on "THE HUNT" CM Season 10 Finale! [1/2] - Photo by Jim Clemente
We are rolling on "THE HUNT" CM Season 10 Finale! [2/2] - Photo by Jim Clemente
@JimClemente & @PamLeonte giving Kate some last min notes on this scene.
- Photo by John Hatchitt
The team readies for action! [1/2] - Photo by Jim Clemente
The team readies for action! [2/2] - Photo by Jim Clemente
Awwwwwwww Sukki Sukki Now!!! Baby Boy and Baby Girl @kirstenvangsness about to trade some spit!!! goofballin on set at CRIMINAL MINDS - Photo by Shemar Moore
for april fools i stole shemar's car, today he kidnapped my phone and after panicking i found it under this...
- Photo by Matthew Gray Gubler
Working this time of night, these are my two favorite friend's.#nevertolateforcoffee
- Photo by John Hatchitt
Sometimes you find these special lil moments while shooting at night. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Late night shooting! Season #10 finale - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Game time! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Last couple shots before we start our 3-day weekend. Happy Easter All, peace out..
- Photo by John Hatchitt
Filming last night, in the woods, full moon. About as scary as it gets. - Photo by Harry Bring
I think the NCAA game last night took its toll on @SpiresDarcy. Shoot him a tweet to cheer him up please - Photo by John Hatchitt
Today was a good day. #setlife #actorslife #natashamccrea #acting #hollywood - Photo by Natasha McCrea
Shooting the cm finale! #season 10 it rocks! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Mr Thomas Gibson cooking pulled BBQ pork on my truck today very very tasty [1/3]
- Photo by Hanna Mourad
Mr Thomas Gibson cooking pulled BBQ pork on my truck today very very tasty [2/3]
- Photo by Hanna Mourad
Mr Thomas Gibson cooking pulled BBQ pork on my truck today very very tasty [3/3]
- Photo by Hanna Mourad
Thanks @Jsbarrois @JimClemente and Gleen for the wonderful afternoon snack.#caloriesnotneeded
- Photo by John Hatchitt
@johnhatchitt can't resist helping Chuy make chili relleno batter for lunch
- Photo by Dayne Johnson
How many hours left to an all new #CriminalMinds? @PamLeonte has the answer. #BeyondBorders- Photo by CM_SetReport
While people in the East and Mid West watch the spinoff tonight, we are doing nightwork on the finale. - Photo by Harry Bring
Shooting season #10 finale! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Last episode of season X... a big peace out from #Shemar Moore :-) - Photo by Joseph Geisinger
The finale! Season 10! Game time! Criminal minds! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
@SpiresDarcy & Shemar playing Hid & Seek today. - Photo by John Hatchitt
@CrimMinds_CBS @ScottDavidCast, Lisa, and Erin thank you for giving me my Big Break in S:10 FINALE #CriminalMinds [1/3] - Photo by Brandon Rush
@CrimMinds_CBS @ScottDavidCast, Lisa, and Erin thank you for giving me my Big Break in S:10 FINALE #CriminalMinds [2/3] - Photo by Brandon Rush
@CrimMinds_CBS @ScottDavidCast, Lisa, and Erin thank you for giving me my Big Break in S:10 FINALE #CriminalMinds [3/3] - Photo by Brandon Rush
Our playground for tonight is the wonderful 6th St bridge in DTLA.#dosntgetmuchbetter
- Photo by John Hatchitt
Late night shooting! Season finale! Season 10 - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Tonight on 10-23 finale. - Photo by Harry Bring
And now for a few hours sleep. Only 3 more of these "long ass" days/nights before hiatus. Good night/morning. Zzz...
- Photo by Harry Bring
Shemar in ACTION!!! - Photo by Jim Clemente
Yes & Yes! - Photo by Jim Clemente
Compliments of JLH today. PINKS!!! The best hot dogs in the whole wide world. [1/2]
- Photo by Harry Bring
Compliments of JLH today. PINKS!!! The best hot dogs in the whole wide world. [2/2]
- Photo by Harry Bring
And CM loves Pink's! @pinkshotdogs - Photo by Harry Bring
Women rule! #cm finale #season 10 #the hunt - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Thank you @pinkshotdogs - Photo by Jennifer Love Hewitt
@TheReal_Jlh Glad u love ur name in #Mustard! Great meeting u...#ThePinkLadies @CrimMinds_CBS @greggrunberg - Photo by PinkHotDogs
Limelight Catering is the best. A little lobster on our next to last day of production for the season.- Photo by Harry Bring
Doing some DVD writers commentary with boss-lady Erica messer and @molly.mcnaughton for nelsons sparrow.
- Photo by Kirsten Vansgness
Two of my favorites are on the case... ROSSI & JJ! - Photo by Jim Clemente
On set with Deja who is one of the stars of the season 10 CM finale! Watch it! #the hunt #CBS criminal minds!
- Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
@CrimMinds_CBS My grandson and I made some great new friends today on the Criminal Minds lot! [1/3]
- Photo by Bob Oliver
@CrimMinds_CBS My grandson and I made some great new friends today on the Criminal Minds lot! [2/3]
- Photo by Bob Oliver
@CrimMinds_CBS My grandson and I made some great new friends today on the Criminal Minds lot! [3/3]
- Photo by Bob Oliver
My last fitting for season10!! ;-p #bellylious!!!#yougoboyyougo!!! - Photo by BJ Rogers
Chuy, one of Hanna's cooks starts my day with this. Luv and will miss him.
- Photo by John Hatchitt
KC is our Set Decorator who creates some of the most amazing sets to shoot. And to top it off, a really cool lady. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Whenever u see the camera moving, Cory is behind it. A master at his craft and with mefor over 12yrs. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Jim & me on set! #final day #the finale #season 10 - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Our camera boys getting ready for the first shot of the day. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Last day of photography for CM S10. Kisses to Glenn Kershaw director of finale and somuch more. See you in July - Photo by Harry Bring
Warming up for his $ shot... - Photo by John Hatchitt
On set with @shemarmoore @myleswilliams - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Look at these two pretty ones posing for the cam. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Last day of season 10 with my main man @shemarmoore - Photo by Joe Mantegna
Andre SFX and one of his boys setting up for some cool shit. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Thank god I landed on him!!!! HAHAHAHA....WHEW.....I got him though!!! ♥♥♥ - Photo by Shemar Moore
The gang's all here! Glennie, Stacey, Jim, Pam -- we're waiting for rehearsal! #finale #criminal minds #season 10
- Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
It's my last day on #CriminalMinds season 10, and I have a last-minute graphic to make. Pulled up my template from season 8 and nearly peed my pants after seeing the temporary type I put in it. #Gauntlet #ElfNeedsFoodBadly
- Photo by Dylan Clay-Chapman
Finale a few more scenes left! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
One of our last scenes in the High Tech for the season. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Me & @JoeMantegna love him! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Magic! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Check out these three characters working on the case. - Photo by John Hatchitt
And this is how we are going to end the season.. - Photo by John Hatchitt
Gubler/Woolf Productions forever! - Photo by Ian Woolf
And that's a wrap on #CriminalMinds Season X! Can't wait for you guys to see what's coming...
- Photo by CM_SetReport
Criminal Minds Season X last shot 8:58 pm. 187 days of production. Now for some rest, except for the editors. ;-)
- Photo by Harry Bring
We be Rollin! #season 10 #cm finale - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
It's a wrap! #cm finale #the hunt #season 10 - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
It's lonely at the top. Just ask boom operator Bill Shotland. #CriminalMinds #setlife
- Photo by CM_SetReport
Goodbye season10 & thanks the rest is still unwritten !@CM_SetReport
- Photo by BJ Rogers
Our last read through of season 10 @Vangsness love you people! Mwah!! - Photo by BJ Rogers
Coming soon! The new #CriminalMinds album “Abbey Road” oh, wait... we meant “Stabby Road” #lessthan2hours
- Photo by CM_SetReport
Guess who? Season 10 finale! #may 6 #it rocks! #criminal minds - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Screening finale! #cm season 10 - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Editing with jimmy! #season 10 finale #the hunt - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Don't worry, the #BAU still lives. Meanwhile it's spring cleaning on the other stage. #CriminalMinds
- Photo by CM_SetReport
All quiet here at #CriminalMinds. But in 2 hours it's time for #MrScratch!! - Photo by CM_SetReport
1 hour till #MrScratch Watch with the lights out, if you dare! (pic of light for reference) #CriminalMinds
- Photo by CM_SetReport
#CriminalMinds lands in a new city every week, & each time I must make a fictitious version of the law enforcement organization's patches. These are just a few of the jurisdictions from Season 10. - Photo by Dylan Clay-Chapman
Quiet before the storm. #tomorrow #CriminalMinds #Ep10x22 - Photo by CM_SetReport
Live from the mixing stages for #CriminalMinds EP#10x23. #finale #rossitho - Photo by CM_SetReport
@CrimMinds_CBS the finale playback! #s10  thisisspiffy @LLPOS @JimClemente @iKimHarrison @sleewatson @VirgilWilliams - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
The party has begun! It's FINALE week at #CriminalMinds #seasonX #finale - Photo by CM_SetReport
The party is still going! It's FINALE week at #CriminalMinds #seasonX #final @THEIG - Photo by CM_SetReport
Hints of things to come! #the finale #the hunt #criminal minds #season10 - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
My character, #AgentRush makes his debut tonight for the 1st Time on 'Criminal Minds' Season 10 Finale part 2, episode 23 "The Hunt" airs on CBS at 9pm. 'Today, marks Your Boy's' official primetime episodic debut w/ the airing of CM, but I also enter the ranks of a very rare number of actors that has performed the hat-trick in Movies (TheGreen Hornet, #TheBoyNextDoor), Daytime Soap Operas (The Young & The Restless, Days of Our Lives) and night time dramas (#criminalminds Only one goal alludes me Sitcoms (which may change in the next 24 hrs because I knocked a comedy audition out of the ball park yesterday) #GodisGood #blessed #earned #hardwork #theGrind The writers of the season 10 finale Janine and Jim as well as myself are live tweeting on Twitter all day, during, and after the episode airs. Any ?'s of them (since they wrote numerous episodes) comments you have about Criminal Minds or want to talk to the cast follow my twitter handle @brandonrush14, which are connected to everyone. They will be responding back via those tweet Feel free to share this post #AgentRush #TeamRush #brandonrush #criminalmindscast #ThomasGibson #Hotch #Aaronhotcher #fitness #athlete #crossfit #wcw #newyork #avengers #avengersageofultron #scandal #SuicideSquad #inspire #motivate - Photo by Brandon Rush
It's almost time to wrap up Season 10! #TONIGHT #CriminalMinds #SeasonFinale #SOON - Photo by CM_SetReport
It's almost that time! #cmfinale #season10 #thehunt - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
Behind this door part of tonight's badass finale was written! Bring your tissues and a life jacket! Your stomach's gonna be tripping! - Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois
One of tonight's scariest scenes! #horrifying #east coast get ready! #cmfinale #thehunt #season10 #yesitrocks
- Photo by Janine Sherman Barrois

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 10 - 1018. Rock Creek Park - Review

Kudos to Sharon Lee Watson! Thanks for keeping us guessing all through Rock Creek Park! It's been a long time since we did NOT have an UnSub introduced right off the bat. And with his 16th outing on Criminal Minds, Felix Alcala's experienced direction kept things moving smoothly but with nuance.

THE WRITING

Casting and acting (more on them later) are key ingredients in an engrossing episode but it all starts with the writing, and I've come to anticipate Sharon Lee Watson's outings with pleasure. For me, A Thousand Suns and Amelia Porter were standout episodes in an otherwise mostly lackluster season.

Her epilogue was especially worth noting. After watching Congressman Troy and his now incarcerated mother in the prison visiting room, I suddenly re-evaluated their entire relationship, and started speculating about their future interactions. Yes, I know these are finite, fictional characters (I'm not cray-cray) but I think the hallmark of an excellent writer is when you start to imagine the universe their creations inhabit off the page, or in this case, off-screen.

For example, the formerly drug-addicted older brother Paul -- how much would it have sucked to grow up in golden Benji's shadow with Mommie dearest? There's likely more than one reason he escaped into drugs. And speaking of Dinah Troy, I can just envision her ruling her future prison wing with an iron fist: CEO of Cell Block D.

THE ACTING

When Criminal Minds casts someone the caliber of Tess Harper, it's a safe bet she will be doing more than cooing reassuringly at her onscreen son. And her performance as a modern day Eleanor Iselin allowed you to just visualize what a stifling, I mean -- wholesome upbringing her offspring had.  Like I said, more than one reason brother Paul took to gambling and drugs.

Actor Chris McKenna pulls off the balancing act of flawed, ambiguous/ambitious politician, possible suspect, and terrified husband commendably. The viewer had to identify with him while still having doubts. Too much shading in one direction or the other and it would either cause immediate suspicion or instant dismissal. If his performance had been weaker, the whole episode would have suffered for it. Plus, the prison scene at the end... well, his twitter page banner says it all.

Let's hold hands and pick a suspect: mother-in-law dearest and/or the distraught husband
(By the way, now that Congressman Troy's likely to be re-elected in a landslide, it'd be intriguing to have him back eventually, or at least mentioned, as an ally on Capitol Hill when a crucial case-related favor is needed.)

THE TEAM

The balance of screen time and activity for the BAU was good (although I still find Jennifer Love Hewitt's Agent Callahan entirely extraneous -- her scenes could have been handled by JJ without any noticeable difference). Reid's parallel storyline with the Russian mobster surveillance was not only entertaining (kudos for the return to early season visualizations!) but necessary. Bonus: Reid's Russian language abilities were acknowledged, and Emily Churchill's wry Agent Loker was a breath of fresh air.

The tag team final interrogation of Mama Troy by Hotch and Rossi, was priceless. There is a reason they are the senior agents, and there is a reason that Thomas Gibson and Joe Mantegna get top billing: experience and skill shine through from both the actors and the characters.

Dorian Loker made my day: please bring her back (or at least mention her this season and next)


THE PLOT & PACING

The multiple threads (such as double-crossing, lovelorn Russian gangsters) and red herrings (well hello, sociopathic former intern/lover) were skillfully woven in, enough to keep the viewer on their toes, but not so blatantly obvious as to make you snort in dismissal.

I didn't feel there were any excess scenes, with the possible exception of Morgan's detour into Garcia's office, but perhaps that was to either change the setting from the conference room or merely make the Morgan/Morcia fans happy.

Lessons from SE7EN: beware of gift-wrapped boxes when a loved one is missing.


THE UPSHOT

I'm going to pull a Mama Troy stunt and hold up Sharon Lee Watson as my personal golden child in front of the rest of the Criminal Minds writers. By holding off on revealing whodunnit until 00:50:00 and not 00:05:00 or 00:00:05, she kept this long-time viewer attentive and off balance. (Was it all an elaborate revenge plot by the betrayed wife? Was the one-term Congressman a Machiavellian criminal?) Gold star for the diabolical mother-son reunion scene at the end, which kept me thinking about the episode long after the credits rolled.

And lest you think Sharon was always a teacher's pet, I used to dread her early episodes (Sorry, but it's true, Ms. Watson) whereas now I look forward to her unpredictable plotlines. Keep it up!

I know it's too late in the season for my words to have any effect this year, but there's always season 11. Stop doing Show & Tell, Criminal Minds writers -- we're not second graders. If the audience is clued in long before the BAU, it all boils down to waiting for Garcia to pull a name out of her magical, silicon hat. It's not very interesting for the viewer if the audience feels like they're smarter than the heroes. Mix it up and keep us uncertain. Otherwise, we might as well go watch our DVDs of seasons past.


~~~~Chaucer