CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1107. Target Rich - Review

This weeks episode, Target Rich - by long time staff writer Jim Clemente - was about Rossi's daughter coming to her father and asking for assistance with a case that the BAU hadn’t been asked in on. After all these years, we’ve seen this set up several times ("I know we weren’t asked in, but this means a lot…") so we pretty much knew that the team would get involved and help save the day, justifying Joy’s plea for help.

What stood out to me in this episode wasn’t actually the main case - it was overall case of the week and nothing overly special occurred within it (I found it to be competent and by the numbers) -but rather the unique character beats.

Normally in an episode, we get one character with a soft focus and maybe a nice conversation between them and another character. In this one, however, we got several of these time-out type beats. This was led off by the return of my favorite girl AJ Cook to the role of JJ. Always missed when she’s gone, she immediately infuses the show with a sense of vitality and the family seems to come together then. I really enjoyed her opening bit where she reunited with Rossi, Penelope and Reid and then later with Morgan and Hotch, but the really nice scene was the one where JJ and Reid walked and talked about his sick mother and she reminded him that their friendship is a two way street. This later led to a bit where Reid left to go check in on his ailing mother; I hope this pays off as this has always been an interesting character note for him.

After that, we got conversations between Rossi and his daughter and then between Morgan and Garcia. The Morgan and Garcia one was especially emotional and helped to set up what could be coming up next. Morgan and Garcia have always shared a special chemistry and it paid out here.

In my opinion, the strength of Criminal Minds has always been the characters - they are why people come back week after week. The moments where JJ reaches up and hugs the typically stoic Hotch or where you see Garcia crying in the darkness, these are the ones we talk about, and dwell on. A mark of a good show - the reason this one is still on the air - is its ability to make you feel like you could be friends with a character or at least understand them if you were drinking beer with them; after all of these years, I feel like we have earned that familiarity entirely and this episode - even with a case that was very much Criminal Minds ordinary - gave me a lot of character meat to chew on.


~~~~Sir Gareth

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1107. Target Rich - Comments Thread

This thread is open for you all to post comments and talk about tonight's new CRIMINAL MINDS episode, titled 'TARGET RICH', written by JIM CLEMENTE.

Hope you've enjoyed today's episode, and remember that next week we'll have a brand new one!

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1107. Target Rich - Sneak Peeks

Source: TVGuide.com

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1107. Target Rich - Promo Photos

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1107. Target Rich - Promo Video

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1107. Target Rich - Press Release

AS THE BAU WELCOMES JJ BACK FROM MATERNITY LEAVE, THE TEAM HELPS ROSSI’S DAUGHTER INVESTIGATE A COLLEGE STUDENT’S DISAPPEARANCE, ON “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11 Amber Stevens West Returns as Rossi’s Daughter, Joy Struthers TARGET RICH – The BAU helps Rossi’s journalist daughter, Joy (Amber Stevens West), investigate the disappearance of a college student. Also, the team is alarmed when Giuseppe Montolo (Robert Neary) dies in prison after he warns Morgan about the “Dirty Dozen,” an underground group of hitmen, and JJ returns from maternity leave, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Nov. 11 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. CHEAT TWEET: JJ returns 2 the BAU as the team helps Rossi’s daughter track a missing college student @CrimMinds_CBS 11/11 9pm http://bit.ly/1LYexFo

WRITTEN BY: Jim Clemente DIRECTED BY: Glenn Kershaw REGULAR CAST: 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) GUEST CAST: Amber Stevens West (Joy Struthers) Robert Neary (Giuseppe Montolo) Leif Steinert (Tom Larson) Lea Coco (Sam Burnett) Tasie Lawrence (Bahni Desai) Jess Gabor (Paddy Morris) Sameera Eligeti (Aasia Desai) Robert L. Hughes (Paul Larson) Stephen Hershey (Peter Booth) Kyra Locke (Reporter) Jordan Hendricks (Nerd #1)

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - BTS: 1107. Target Rich

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.

standing around in alleyway - Photo by AE Chadwick

standing around some poor bastard's house. - Photo by AE Chadwick

Places Writers Think Shit Happens #7: The garage. (note: nothing happens in garages IRL.) - Photo by AE Chadwick

We're going back to Florida. #criminalminds #seasonXI #setlife - Photo by CM_SetReport

Day 1 for Jim  & Glennie only part of dynamic duo! - Photo by BJ Rogers

Let's hope the hands on the clock spin fast :-s #workingatnightsucks!!!
- Photo by John Hatchitt

Any #CriminalMinds fans in the house? Stumbled across them filming S11E7 "Target Rich" walking around Pasadena - Photo by Erin Anderson

Our super Stunt Coordinator Tom Elliott, w/the brilliant co-prod/writer Jim Clemente @CM_SetReport @BAU_United @CriMiFeed @CMFANDISTRICT @criminalmindsrt - Photo by Joseph Geisinger

Shooting CM ep 11-07... Gonna be awesome!!! - Photo by Jim Clemente

CM on location... Livin' the dream! - Photo by Jim Clemente

Think our boom-man Todd might be having the most fun tonight. - Photo by John Hatchitt

Looks like the last place you'd want to meet an UnSub... #criminalminds @CrimMinds_CBS - Photo by Jim Clemente

Would you meet someone in this alley... #criminalminds @CrimMinds_CBS @CM_SetReport - Photo by Jim Clemente

Now this is a Criminal Minds episode,waiting to happen! #criminalminds @CM_SetReport @CrimMinds_CBS- Photo by Jim Clemente

And it's still raining in Pasadena.#readytogogetdry [1/2] - Photo by John Hatchitt

And it's still raining in Pasadena.#readytogogetdry [2/2] - Photo by John Hatchitt

Current situation. #criminalminds - Photo by Kim Harrison

It's so nice out we decided to shoot outside today. #criminalminds #SeasonXI #setlife - Photo by CM_SetReport

I'm baaaaaaack. - Photo by Amber Stevens

Happy Friday! #criminalminds - Photo by Kim Harrison

These old homes make for some tight spaces. - Photo by John Hatchitt

Nothing good happens in an attic, except in Christmas Vacation.#homemovies #super8 #bestsceneever
- Photo by John Hatchitt

Trying to work our way out of this box so we can start our weekend. #soundseasierinprep
#lilthingstaketime - Photo by John Hatchitt

A lovely fan from Austria sent these. The same lady who made the one I already have. Thank you!!! @CM_SetReport
- Photo by Joe Mantegna

Top of the Morning CM fans.. - Photo by John Hatchitt

When to light to shoot a night scene outside...#aj&joerolling - Photo by John Hatchitt

What the Round Table room looks like to the Sound Boom Operators @CM_SetReport #criminalminds
- Photo by Joseph Geisinger

@shemarmoore is serious about you watching #CriminalMinds #seasonXI, premiering in just one week! #setlife
- Photo by CM_SetReport

Photo of @JimClemente taking a photo of @JoeMantegna & @ajcookofficial.#@SpiresDarcy in background.
- Photo by John Hatchitt

A lovely lil surprise from Mr @JimClemente & Glenn today. Thank U guys.
- Photo by John Hatchitt

Back,Back,Back in the BAU @CM_SetReport - Photo by Joseph Geisinger

Pizza truck on last day of shooting #CriminalMinds Ep. 7, courtesy of @JimClemente & director Glenn Kershaw! #Pizza - Photo by Karen Maser

Four of the fab in color! #CriminalMinds - Photo by BJ Rogers

It's that time of the week again. Don't miss tonight's episode! #CriminalMinds #SeasonXI #TuneIn #TONIGHT
- Photo by CM_SetReport