Criminal Minds (TV Series) The Popular Kids (2005) User Reviews

Gosh, These Devil Worshipers Wouldn't Hurt A Fly!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 11 January 2007]

Two young joggers are out in some remote hills in Virginia, about a half hour away from the BAU. The male, a local football hero, is in better shape than his cheerleader-girlfriend, and he goes on. Resting for about a minute, she hears noises, starts to get nervous and runs on and then discovers her boyfriend dead in the woods. Someone comes up near her, but all we see are boots.

After that beginning, we see the local cops examining the area. One comes upon skeleton and a Satanic message craved in a tree. The BAU is called in. They discuss the history of satanic rituals, etc., Dr. Reid being the usual know-it-all. Soon, they hear about a missing girl as the mother hysterically comes looking for her daughter, whom she knew was with the slain kid.

The team has to find whose behind this, of course, and if they can save this young girl who also was taken.

A so-so episode except for the obvious left wing preaching (Lord knows they would never make a Satan cult leader a truly bad person. A Christian, certainly, but not a man who condemns them. Instead, he's "thought-provoking!" In fact, the writers go out of their way to point out - several times - that Satan worshipers never hurt anybody!!! Yeah, right!

This is one of those shows where the viewer thinks, "This could have been so much better."

Good but could've been great

[lottiemarshalllm · 7/10 · 29 July 2020]

Disclaimer:I am no expert reviewer, I just need a show to binge watch and I'm going to Write a review for every episode I watch.

This episode could've been a lot more interesting than it was. Before I watch the episode I read the description on Netflix and it said it may be called related and I thought that was a really interesting PowerPoint but it turns out it was just a teenage boy who liked a girl I guess and was willing to commit murder because of it. Although I did think this episode had too many false suspects they just kind of went nowhere and then all of a sudden it was this kid. Like they had this suspect sneak up on agent Elle and scare her but like for what like I didn't do anything for the plot except for energy somebody that we never saw again.

But I do have to give credit where credit is due without the acting was very good in this episode especially between all of the men on the BAU discussing their troubles with coping in the past as Reid is struggling with it.

Although a pretty interesting episode I would have liked to see a cult which may sound terrible but I think it would've been more interesting than just a teenage boy but they make it very clear that at the beginning of the episode that it is very unlikely that it is actually satanic related so I guess it works out seven out of 10 for me. Although a pretty interesting episode I would have liked to see a cult which may sound terrible but I think it would've been more interesting than just a teenage boy but they make it very clear that at the beginning of the episode that it is very unlikely that it is actually Satanic related so I guess it works out seven out of 10 for me

Not the best example of this show

[moysant · 4/10 · 2 October 2006]

This episode has the team flying out to a mountain town where a high school football jock has had his head bashed in while jogging in the hills, while his girlfriend has gone missing. Is it a ritual killing by the local Satanist Cult? Or is it a manipulative killer trying to throw the team off his scent?

Problem with this episode is that the team doesn't really do much - it takes the guilty conscience of a school girl to spill the beans to Gideon, and then for the killer to basically reveal himself when put under pressure. Meanwhile there are hints of red herrings as we go along, but it just feels like the scriptwriters filling in time. This show doesn't have the strongest plot lines on TV, but this episode is weaker than usual.

However, there is some nice character development for Reid, Mason and Gideon concerning how they cope with the horrors of the job.

One of the weaker episodes of Season 1

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 16 September 2016]

Not the worst this said. That dishonour still belongs to "Machismo". However it was disappointing, seeing that Season 1 also had some great episodes such as "Riding the Lightning", "The Fox" and "The Fisher King Part 1" for examples.

The concept was not a bad one for "The Popular Kids", which is why it pains me to say that it should have been so much better than it was. There are a fair few things that save it, namely great acting by Matthew Gray Gubler (who is the episode's most well-developed character), Mandy Patinkin and Shemar Moore, helped by that these characters are developed well here. "The Popular Kids" also deals with Reid's nightmares and stresses with the job very well and sensitively, allowing one to really relate to him (have done numerous times throughout the show but along with "Elephant's Memory" this is one of the stronger cases), and there is a beautifully done scene at the end with Reid and Gideon, a fine reminder of how strong the bond within the team is.

Morgan's protective and sympathetic big brother side was lovely to see, and preferable to his more tough guy and hardened image in later seasons and in episodes like "I Love You Tommy Brown" and "Burn" where he was rude and a jerk. Even those who are not crazy about the character in general will like most likely what the show did with him in the first three seasons or so. The production values continue to be very high, with lots of style, atmosphere and class, and the music is haunting stuff often and while it doesn't quite enhance it never distracts either. The acting from all the regular leads is very good, though have to admit that Elle has never been a favourite with a few exceptions and she still isn't.

However, there are far more interesting stories than the one here. The episode feels dull and padded, despite starting promisingly and a couple of good scenes, and is not only routine and formulaic but also predictable and obvious. The identity of the unsub can be smelt a mile off, from the moment they were introduced one immediately knows it was them which dilutes the tension and suspense. The team do very little here and feel underused at times, they are not as useless as they are in "Honor Among Thieves" but one really does have to despair at how long it took to figure it out when it was too obvious to the viewer too early.

With the script and direction, they are a case of getting the job done reliably but with not much spark. The supporting characters are not interesting, either being underwritten or annoyingly idiotic, and that is including the unsub (one of Season 1's least interesting) and the sheriff is a good example of the latter. The support acting never rises above average.

Overall, one of Season 1's weaker episodes. 5/10 Bethany Cox

don't watch this episode if you are left hand path!

[chibnalljordan · 1/10 · 22 October 2021]

I'm not a satanist but i have friends who are and i had to stop watching because i general felt insulted by the lack of research that went into the satanic culture. For a start satanist love and respect life and will NEVER harm a living creature. NOT all heavy metal talk about Satan that is the sub genre black metal, and kids who call themselves 'devil worships' have nothing to do with satanism, most satanist do not believe in any form of deity, do not believe in heaven or hell and are just everyday people like you and me. I feel the creators should apologise to the left hand path community for the miss-representation of a very life loving spiritual belief,.

Not at all what being a satanist entails!

[madisonmains · 1/10 · 22 March 2022]

Satanists are mainly atheists. I am. I don't sit in an abandoned house, do drugs, or even break the law (other than speeding). I don't wear dark colors or heavy eyeliner. This episode was annoying to say the least. The way they portrayed the satanists, the way they profiled satanists... it was laughable.