THE BAU HELPS REID TRY TO SAVE HIS GIRLFRIEND AFTER SHE IS KIDNAPPED BY HER STALKER, ON “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16
Michelle Trachtenberg Guest Stars As Diane, Genetics Research Assistant
“Zugzwang” – When Reid discovers that his girlfriend has been kidnapped by her stalker, he and the BAU team band together to find her before it’s too late, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Jan. 16 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Michelle Trachtenberg guest stars as Diane, a genetics research assistant.
SERIES REGULARS:
Joe Mantegna (David Rossi)
Thomas Gibson (Aaron Hotchner)
Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan)
Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid)
A.J. Cook (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau)
Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia)
Jeanne Tripplehorn (Alex Blake)
GUEST CAST:
Michelle Tractenberg (Diane)
Jay Hayden (Bobby Putnam)
Robert Mangiardi (Joe Donovan)
Nancy Linari (Mary Donovan)
Benmio McCrea (Dr. Lawrence Becker)
WRITTEN BY: Breen Frazier
DIRECTED BY: Jesse Warn
Hey guys, not to nitpick, but the T is missing on THE in the first sentence. It should be THE BAU not HE BAU. :P
ReplyDeleteOups...Thanks Nitty McNitpicker! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm bored so I'm speculating on what will happen in the episode. Remember how Maeve looked totally freaked when Reid said he thought her stalker was there? Well, what if he was right but the stalker was outside? What if the stalker unsub played by Michelle Trachtenberg is actually Maeve's stalker? Why would Maeve take the time to go in to the restaurant and leave the gift for Reid if she was so freaked out? That seemed odd. So maybe the stalker was outside, grabbed/subdued Maeve and then gave the present to the hostess. Of course, there really wasn't much time for all of that to happen so it could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteReid seemed a bit dodgy when he told Blake that he talked to Maeve that morning and everything was fine. It set off my BS meter. He really changed the subject quickly and I felt he was just trying to get Blake off his back.
OR maybe Reid was being truthful but still felt like an idiot. Maybe Maeve will try to meet with him again only this time she will get grabbed. I think the guy from the restaurant that Reid thought was the stalker is going to eat it. One of the crew tweeted a picture of the guy and he's in "Zugzwang" too. I suspect he's either going to be mistaken by the stalker for Reid or he will just get in the way.
I really hope they don't kill another love interest. They already killed Haley, Kate, Rossi's ex-wife Caroline, and Gideon's girlfriend Sarah.
ps. I know that Maeve said her stalker was a "him", but what if she's wrong? Or what if she was bending the truth for whatever reason. Maybe she thought a male stalker would sound more threatening.
I just hope Reid gets to keep Maeve as a girlfriend. He's already lost twice, both times probably due to the girl being a witness in a case. Totally not fair if she dies/has to go into hiding/can't date because she's a witness. I know they've already filmed it, but if they do that we need to start rattling cages for him to have an actual, date-able girl, preferably by the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteReid shouldn't be alone forever. That's not fair.
I agree that Reid shouldn't be alone forever, but I don't know if the writers can picture Reid in a long-term relationship. They still think he hasn't grown up, despite the fact that he had to grow up when he was 10 so he could take care of his mother and then he finished high school and was off to college and had a PhD at 17.
ReplyDeleteI think they want to save the happy relationship stuff for Hotch and were probably planning to have a lot of Hotch & Beth stuff but since the actress got another gig they felt they didn't have time for that. Meanwhile they don't seem to have any ideas for Hotch stories other than the Beth relationship so he's been shoved into a corner.
I would be happy if it turns out that Maeve lives and Reid does not get his heart broken, but I know there are other fans out there who can't stand to see him with someone and some even think that it would "ruin" his character if he had a longterm relationship. I think that is sad. Despite not liking too much mush, I like to see happy couples (so long as they aren't like too sugary sweet).
I agree with the whole not grown up thing. Is it me or does he seem "younger" now than he did in Season 5? Like he's regressed somehow?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the happy couple thing. Not too mushy and not too much time on screen but glimpses of happy couples in the background keeps this show from being too dark and depressing at times. If they're going to go through this much exciting, entertaining hell then we ought to at least get the feeling that they're going home to something safe and warm and good, at least most of the time.
14e58f86-5152-11e1-abf0-000bcdcb2996, I think you're right. Over on the TWOP boards people were talking about how Reid progressed from season 1 to season 5 and then in the middle of season 5 seemed to do a turn-around and regress. His dialog became more childish. He stopped understanding things that he used to understand. The team stopped being interested or amused by his knowledge and started treating him with disdain.
ReplyDeleteHe went from being a problem-solver to fact spouter. Yes, he did know a lot of obscure things- usually related to the case in some way- in earlier seasons, but he didn't spout it off like Speed Racer.
This is just my speculation, but I get the distinct impression that the current showrunners found the Reid character to be annoying and told him that. There was an interview in Monte Carlo that was translated into French and then back into English (I saw the re-translated version) and Matthew said something about having been told that Reid was annoying and that listening to him speak was annoying so he would speak quickly to get it out so people wouldn't be annoyed for as long-- at least that was how it seemed. Something may have been lost or misconstrued in the translation.
The writers seem to focus too much on how different Reid is and that geniuses are weird. And it really gets me that they think Reid is not grown up when they have Garcia act like a child half the time. She either whines like a 5-year old and doesn't mind her own business or acts like a hormonal teenager fawning over Morgan. The Morgan/Garcia thing went from cute to creepy. The writers just don't know how to get into the mind of a genius.
At least they are showing improvements over last season. But I wish they hadn't ditched the progress Reid made over the first 4 seasons.
Err, by told "him" that I meant that I think the showrunners told Matthew that.
ReplyDeletezannej -
ReplyDeleteYou're right, 05x12 "The Uncanny Valley" was kind of the high point for Reid so far. He was different and quirky and gentle in that one, yes, but also strong and confident and I think I can speak for a lot of fans when I say that we LOVED him in that one. But it's been downhill ever since. I mean, in the recent episode when he told Blake that he didn't care what Maeve looked like she was already beautiful to him, it was sweet and exactly the sort of thing I think Reid would feel but did they have to have him say it in a way that made him sound like a 12 year old?
The only reason he has to not have told the team about this stalker is that Maeve hadn't given him enough intel to find him and he wasn't going to push and break her trust, "you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped." Hopefully they're going with that tack and not something childish and silly.
I love Reid, he's my favorite character but I hope they bring grown-up Reid back. And if the showrunner can't suck it up and either learn how to work with the character or bring in or bring back someone who can then when MGG's contract is up I hope he can find a new show with a new, equally wonderful character to create. Because wasting someone with that kind of talent because the boss doesn't like the character is just sad.
- Rebecca F.
And another thing, I know they haven't confirmed that Reid is a High-functioning Autistic but they've hinted strongly a few times now and if that is the case then treating him like crap because he babbles and is kinda weird is just horrid. They wouldn't be poking fun at him if he was in a wheelchair, would they? If they would come out and say it then Reid could actually hit role model status, which would be a wonderful thing IMHO. They're aren't enough of those in the world for kids with those kind of social issues.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed it a lot, especially in the last season and a half or so, and especially from JJ and then Morgan, they're making them act like bratty high-school bullies and it's annoying as hell. I have no problem with AJ Cook wanting to make her character less maternal and more badass but badass does not have to equal high school mean girl. Every time she rolls her eyes at Reid I just want to shake her and tell *her* to grow up. Yes, Garcia is a goof, yes she's become more of a goof lately than usual, I miss sexy, confident Garcia too, but at least she treats her co-workers with respect.
- Rebecca F.
I have to clarify that I don't think that AJ Cook would deliberately portray her character as the kind of mean girl who makes fun of people with developmental issues, she seems like a very nice person who would never do that. Given that that behavior has happened over multiple episodes with multiple directors and writers and given what zannej said above, I can only assume it's happening at the direction of the constant link, the show runner.
ReplyDeleteGiven this -
http://criminalmindsroundtable.blogspot.com/2012/10/mark-gordon-co-sells-crime-drama-from.html
Maybe they should both go and CBS should get a show runner who can handle a character that's different. She might be happier and even more successful on a different show.
- Rebecca F.
When I first learned of Reid's mystery girlfriend and their strong interest in the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle, I was hoping that the writers would portray her and her story as another Irene Adler, which Holmes encounters in "A Scandal In Bohemia". I thought great ... this could be fun! The Irene character is described as strong, highly intelligent, caring and one of the few people to outwit Holmes. She's not a criminal, but she does have a shady past and she possesses secrets ( letters and a picture in this case ), that someone desperately wants. She doesn't die, (which for Criminal Minds would be a nice change ), but leaves Holmes a small portrait of herself which he treasures along with his other keepsakes. Reid would not be left devastated, but with a bittersweet memory.
ReplyDeleteBut ... that doesn't seem to be the case, Maeve is seriously into victim mode. We see her hiding out in a dark room and peeking out through the curtains to see if her stalker is around. BTW, what is with the phone calls only on Sundays? Is that her stalker's day of rest ... the day he takes off to do his laundry? How does Maeve know this and how can she be certain he's not tapping her phone on that day like she believes he is the rest of the week? We are told on their website that all will be answered. I kind of doubt that.
Wow how opinions can differ! LOL. I have found Reid this season to be at the top of his game. He's more confident in his abilities and more secure in his place on the team. He leads more. He expresses his ideas clearer. And he takes chances even though some of them may not work out. Sure he's insecure with women - it's not like the guy has had a lot of experience. Also, working for the FBI, specifically the BAU is a pretty time intensive profession. Morgan hasn't permanently hooked up with anybody, neither has Prentiss and Rossi's marriages all failed so he's also single. And IMO Hotch was far more interesting as a widower/single dad than he's ever been with Beth.
ReplyDeleteIn the end I think Maeve will break Reid's heart in one way or the other - the girlfriend arc was just that - an "arc". And I hope she does. In the end I think this will be a growing experience for the character.
Agreed with you Anonymous, I think Reid as grown alot and he is more secure as an agent then he was before.
ReplyDeleteNo Reid is not secure when he is dealing with women , that comes from little experience but he knows what he likes, he told Blake he already liked Maeve because he likes her 'brain'. I love how he can be so, excuse the expression it is the only that comes to minds, adorable when he is pursing a woman he likes. I totally love the scene, I think at the end of 'God's Complex' when he comes out of the phone booth after talking with Maeve and he start walking only the realise he is not going the right way and walk back the other way! It is just a cute scene that tells us yeah she is affecting him :)
As much as I LOVE the Hotch and Beth relationship, have the agree, unhappy, dark and gloomy Hotch was much more interesting. I guess the old saying 'Happy people have no stories' ( It is from a french phrases that says 'Les gens heureux n'ont pas d'histoires') is true.
I know they've already shot a large chunk of the season, but given current events, if Reid does have Asperger's this might be a good time to confirm it. It might help to have even a fictional role model out there.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2012/12/21/health/aspergers-reader-comments/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
Just a thought.
- Rebecca F.
In the spirit of how much opinions differ, I completely and strongly disagree that JJ and Morgan treat Reid like crap or bullies because he is different or because of possible mental disability or not.
ReplyDeleteThey both treat Reid as a (normal) kid brother who can be annoying at times. When you spend so much time with someone, a habit that in the beginning was somewhat cute and endearing can become very annoying as time goes by and the person doing it doesn’t grow out of it.
Reid after all these years still rambles about statistics and facts almost every time he opens his mouth. It is tiresome to me as a viewer and I see Reid on my screen 24 times a year (not counting rewatches), so I completely feel for the characters that spend so much time with him and hear him spew all this useless information day in day out. So they occasionally roll their eyes at him or cut him off, I never got the impression they were mean-spirited towards him, just exasperated. And that doesn’t mean they love him any less. Plus they always take him very seriously when he talks to the point without rambling.
So Reid being possibly a High-functioning Autistic has nothing to do with how the other characters treat him especially since it was never officially confirmed that he is. And if they want to show Reid as a grown up less rambling and more talk to the point will go a long way in showing a more mature Reid.
Also I don’t think AJ Cook wanting to be more badass has made JJ act like a high school mean girl - I certainly have never seen any meanness from JJ towards Reid or anyone else for that matter. She never said that she wanted her character to be less maternal and the badass references were all related to the physical aspects of her character.
And on another note, I don’t think Hotch’s relationship with Beth and being happy with her has made Hotch less interesting. What has made Hotch less interesting is not giving him any decent material as a profiler and a team leader first and foremost.
We never even had a chance to explore how a happier Hotch relates to his team since he hardly even interacts with anyone lately.
So Hotch could still be both happy in his personal life and dark and gloomy in his professional one (as he was way back in season 1) and be interesting as a character, they just need to focus on Hotch a lot more than they did in those first 11 episodes of s8.
I do think that Reid is starting to be more confident in the job again-- but he did do some devolving after "The Uncanny Valley" and they still have moments where he behaves more childishly than he did even in season 1.
ReplyDeleteAnd even among family and friends when you know it bothers someone to react a certain way to a habit they have that annoys you, sometimes you just suck it up and put on a smiley face to avoid hurting their feelings-- that is if you actually care and aren't a d-bag.
It was totally the decision of the writers (most likely Erica Messer) to make JJ "meaner and leaner". She is a bit more snippy and less pleasant in general now.
Garcia is now a caricature.
I really hated the entire Beth arc because it was so poorly done. I'm not opposed to the idea of Hotch having a love interest but the way they went beyond suspension of disbelief just to have them meet and then the character is completely annoying and there is absolutely zero chemistry between Bellamy Young and Thomas Gibson. There was a lot more chemistry between Hotch and Andi Swan. I don't think Hotch should have fallen for a clone of Haley, but someone who was maybe a bit more serious and less like a giddy giggly schoolgirl would have been nice. Plus the dialog... ugh.
I agree that Hotch is not interacting with the team. When was the last time we saw him being very observant? He used to notice things and would let the team members know he was there for them. Now he didn't even realize that Reid might have a girlfriend? Is that what dating Beth is doing to him? If so, she needs to die in a fire or get lost in Antarctica.
I would love for them to have some personal stuff for Hotch that does not involve Beth. Like maybe Jack has a d-bag teacher and he has to go in and talk to the teacher and make it clear that he won't tolerate any crap. Or maybe another parent is being a d-bag and causing problems for Jack. (that is if they want to play the parent aspect). Maybe JJ can ask him for parenting advice on something.
I would really love to see them bring up something that had to do with his experience as a prosecutor. Do the writers even remember that he was a prosecutor before? He would know what will and won't stand up in court and clever ways to get people to let things slip. I LOVED the scene of him owning the defense attorney in "Tabula Rasa".
I also agree that Maeve seems disappointingly damaged/weak. I mean, I can understand if she's being terrorized, but I still think it is sad that he didn't find someone who was portrayed as stronger and not so afraid.
I had the awful thought that what if Maeve is so obsessed with mysteries that she is creating a fake one for Reid to solve but it gets out of hand and then people die and Reid gets hurt and she feels so guilty she kills herself.
zannej -
ReplyDeleteNot die as a direct consequence, that would be too over the top, but finding out that she was faking the whole thing and Reid bought it and then a real stalker shows up and somehow the team gets involved and he ends up broken hearted AND looking like a fool in front of the team? Yeah, unfortunately I can see them doing that to him now.
Boy I hope I'm wrong. I really would like Reid to have a supportive, romantic relationship in his life.
- Rebecca F.
Rebecca, it seems the writers are all for over-the-top lately, so I fully expect them to do something that is crazy and makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteI do hope that I'm wrong on Reid getting heartbroken. I would like for him to have something good like that in his life. They wouldn't have to focus on it or make a big deal about it. He wouldn't even have to mention her.
I don't think Maeve's faking it. She seemed so damn scared. Meaning in case she's faking it I think she doesn't know she's faking it. Plus, I don't think it would make that much sense. But as you already said: a lot doesn't make sense anymore.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I could never picture Garcia as a real life person. Whenever I watch it's like "Ohh, there's Reid. And there's Morgan... and there's that actress, whose role isn't funny but trying to be"
I just hope they won't kill her. They've killed enough love interest already. I personally don't need that. If that episode sucks, I swear, I'll stay away from CM for like two or three weeks.
U know Jay Hayden (Bobby Putnam), was also in ''The Lesson'' as the guy in the restaurant Reid thought was the stalker, he plays Michelle Tractenberg (Diane) boyfriend, and she is really the stalker!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the rest of you but I think Maeve is going to die. It might be spoilers but if you go on twitter and go to the Criminal Minds page there is a picture of Spencer Reid (MGG) in a suit and looks like a church. But who knows until you actually watch the episode. Also for the press release it does say that Reid suffers a 'personal loss.'
ReplyDelete-KJ