Criminal Minds – What’s with all the vampires?

I know I’m not the intended demographic, but what’s with all the vampires, and blood drinking? I just watched Castle’s Halloween episode last night, and it’s a bit much.

Anyway, I wanted to drop in and check on how Morgan was doing as Unit Chief. All seems to be going okay, save for an awkward moment in LA when Hotch alerted the liaison police officer, someone they’d worked with in the past, that Morgan was now in charge. Oh, and Morgan’s new formality with Garcia (no more “Baby Girl” … thank goodness!).

But otherwise I was a bit disappointed at how indiscernible the shift seems to be. Maybe that’s a good thing, because it means the team continues to click on all cylinders. But is also means that there’s no longer any significance to this extreme move, and also that there’s no progression in either Hotch’s story, or development in Morgan’s.

On the other hand, I enthusiastically approve of the amount, and type of Reid time that last night’s episode provided. From his shyness about some girl, to his profiling the unsub, and countless funny pop-culture flubs in between, Dr. Reid came out of the odd shell that he’s been in this season.

You know, I get that these shows have it tough trying to give everyone time, and that their main game is crime (and the BAU angle is a good one), but what makes each procedural unique is their cast of characters. It’s not even as if I feel that the last however long has been overloaded with someone else’s story, even with the focus on Hotch. So where’s Reid and his NA? Or Rossi and his old ghosts? Or the inkling of drama for Prentiss after 65+ episodes? It feels as if things have been happening, but at the same time no one’s own path has really been much explored. Strange.

I really liked Gavin Rossdale, and I enjoyed his and manager Ray’s (Eddie Jemison) relationship (save for the murders). It reminded me eerily of Billy Mack and his manager in Love Actually; in fact, I imagine if Billy Mack had gone a different way, they could have been exact matches. Although Jemison doesn’t really wear evil well … would you expect any less from Livingston Dell?

Okay, that’s about it. So that’s more Morgan/Hotch intrigue, more from Reid, maybe something from Prentiss and/or Rossi, maybe some JJ baby stuff, and what’s with Garcia’s boyfriend … okay, so how about an episode just about the characters? Call it the night psychos took a vacation. Halloween, maybe?

In an unusual twist (not because the writing isn’t always good), a quote:

“Password was Cullen.” – Garcia
“Of course.” – JJ
“Colon?” – Reid
“Cullen. The vampire family from Twilight?” – JJ
“What’s Twilight?” – Reid
“Do you ever read anything other than technical books?” – JJ
“Not much in English.” – Reid

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Nov 12, 2009 @ 14:06 EST5EDT