Not only was I cringing because this was a Janine Sherman Barrois episode which meant it was likely to be a) entirely focused on the Unsub and b) a celebration of torture and violence* but as someone who has dealt with infertility and is hoping to adopt from the foster care system I just triggered on the trailer.
Nice.
I think I'll watch & review this one after the husband vets it for me. Just because it's already a difficult subject and I don't trust JSB with an episode anyway.
- RF
*Yes, CM is a dark show. She goes overboard. See "The Thirteenth Step" and "Proof" as examples.
Agreed with you about Janine Sherman Barrois. The only episode of her that I did like was 'A Bittersweet Science'. Hated 'The Thirteenth Step' which I think it is CM worse episode ever and 'Proof' was bad too because of way too much focus on the unsub and the torture scene was not necessary. Janine should understand that yes CM IS a dark show BUT it never needed to show torture before. In prior season a lot was implied and that worked fine. Nothing is worse than what we can imagine. For me it is lazy writing when a writer decide to show us all the torture. It is is much more difficult to write the same scene in a way that lots is implied but not shown. I would suggest to Janine and some of the new CM writers to look at '100' we KNOW Hotch is beating Foyet to a pulp. The rage in Hotch face, the look on Rossi, Morgan and Prentiss faces as they witness what their boss did. All reactions tells us what Hotch did was terrible. Not once did we see the result of what Hotch did and that is worse because I can imagine what he did! As a viewer this makes me more involved in the episode I am seeing!
As for Janine episodes and too much unsub, she should understand that we watch CM to understand the criminal minds through the profiles and work the BAU team does. Too often now, as if the writers are either bored with profiling or don't know how to write it, just replace profiling by showing us the unsub kill/torture or have the unsub tell us what they do and why they do it, good example of this is the use of the camera by Cy in 'Proof'. Why need the team to tell the viewers why the killer kill when we can have said killer tell us at the camera? For me episodes like 'The Thirteenth Step' and 'Proof' are stories written and THEN the team is added as an afterthought, writer 'oh yes lets added the team here and here and there you go, a CM episode!' You feel like the BAU profilers are just not important anymore!
Mind you, 'Bittersweet science' was better and I did enjoy this episode. It wasn't perfect but the torture/gore was tone down and I loved the Hotch and Beth storyline. Hopefully 'I Love you, Tommy Brown' will be much better than 'Proof' and 'Thirteenth Step'
I don't know. "The Bittersweet Science" was less gory, but I have to wonder how much of that was the director's influence. It was 99% focused on the Unsub, and his killing for "blood lust" indicates to me that it should have been more gory than it turned out.
The funny thing is, when JSB writes for the team she does very well. Hotch in "The Bittersweet Science", JJ and Reid in "Proof", but always seems like it's an add-in, something she has to put there in order to get on the screen. To me it feels like she would be happier making horror movies, something like the Saw franchise. That way she could focus on her story and get as gory as she likes and have fans who appreciate her work.
That said, I am looking forward to "Foundation" and "Heathridge Mannor", and not just because MGG is directing (Although I always look forward to those). Jim Clemente always writes a solid episode and Sharron Lee Watson has, in my opinion, been the best new thing this season. "True Genius" was very well done and I flat out loved "Dorado Falls". Having the Unsub invade the BAU is right up there with Prentiss tossing flash-bags around in terms of squee moments for me. I cannot wait to see what SLW and MGG cook up together.
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Wow...
ReplyDeleteNot only was I cringing because this was a Janine Sherman Barrois episode which meant it was likely to be a) entirely focused on the Unsub and b) a celebration of torture and violence* but as someone who has dealt with infertility and is hoping to adopt from the foster care system I just triggered on the trailer.
Nice.
I think I'll watch & review this one after the husband vets it for me. Just because it's already a difficult subject and I don't trust JSB with an episode anyway.
- RF
*Yes, CM is a dark show. She goes overboard. See "The Thirteenth Step" and "Proof" as examples.
Agreed with you about Janine Sherman Barrois. The only episode of her that I did like was 'A Bittersweet Science'. Hated 'The Thirteenth Step' which I think it is CM worse episode ever and 'Proof' was bad too because of way too much focus on the unsub and the torture scene was not necessary. Janine should understand that yes CM IS a dark show BUT it never needed to show torture before. In prior season a lot was implied and that worked fine. Nothing is worse than what we can imagine. For me it is lazy writing when a writer decide to show us all the torture. It is is much more difficult to write the same scene in a way that lots is implied but not shown. I would suggest to Janine and some of the new CM writers to look at '100' we KNOW Hotch is beating Foyet to a pulp. The rage in Hotch face, the look on Rossi, Morgan and Prentiss faces as they witness what their boss did. All reactions tells us what Hotch did was terrible. Not once did we see the result of what Hotch did and that is worse because I can imagine what he did! As a viewer this makes me more involved in the episode I am seeing!
ReplyDeleteAs for Janine episodes and too much unsub, she should understand that we watch CM to understand the criminal minds through the profiles and work the BAU team does. Too often now, as if the writers are either bored with profiling or don't know how to write it, just replace profiling by showing us the unsub kill/torture or have the unsub tell us what they do and why they do it, good example of this is the use of the camera by Cy in 'Proof'. Why need the team to tell the viewers why the killer kill when we can have said killer tell us at the camera? For me episodes like 'The Thirteenth Step' and 'Proof' are stories written and THEN the team is added as an afterthought, writer 'oh yes lets added the team here and here and there you go, a CM episode!' You feel like the BAU profilers are just not important anymore!
Mind you, 'Bittersweet science' was better and I did enjoy this episode. It wasn't perfect but the torture/gore was tone down and I loved the Hotch and Beth storyline. Hopefully 'I Love you, Tommy Brown' will be much better than 'Proof' and 'Thirteenth Step'
I don't know. "The Bittersweet Science" was less gory, but I have to wonder how much of that was the director's influence. It was 99% focused on the Unsub, and his killing for "blood lust" indicates to me that it should have been more gory than it turned out.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is, when JSB writes for the team she does very well. Hotch in "The Bittersweet Science", JJ and Reid in "Proof", but always seems like it's an add-in, something she has to put there in order to get on the screen. To me it feels like she would be happier making horror movies, something like the Saw franchise. That way she could focus on her story and get as gory as she likes and have fans who appreciate her work.
That said, I am looking forward to "Foundation" and "Heathridge Mannor", and not just because MGG is directing (Although I always look forward to those). Jim Clemente always writes a solid episode and Sharron Lee Watson has, in my opinion, been the best new thing this season. "True Genius" was very well done and I flat out loved "Dorado Falls". Having the Unsub invade the BAU is right up there with Prentiss tossing flash-bags around in terms of squee moments for me. I cannot wait to see what SLW and MGG cook up together.