Criminal Minds (TV Series) Psychodrama (2006) User Reviews

Weird yet disturbing

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 27 September 2016]

A very good episode on the whole, that is neither among the best or worst of the show. "North Mammon" and "The Boogeyman" for examples are better Season 2 episodes, but really Season 2 is mostly a strong one (one of the show's strongest), where only "Honor Among Thieves" underwhelmed.

"Psychodrama" does have occasional lapses in logic and credibility, as detailed in the previous review. And occasionally due to so many twists and turns not all of the story is as easy to follow as it could have been.

On the other hand, "Psychodrama" as always with 'Criminal Minds' looks great, very stylish, atmospheric and classy. The music is suitably moody and fits very well, never coming over as distracting. The script is tight, humorous and emotional, though a few parts could have had more development which would have made the unsub's initially rather strange motivations a little easier to swallow at first.

The story here is very interesting, with a case that is very weird at times, and at times uncomfortably so, but also very disturbing, especially the every-parent-and-child's-worst-nightmare climax. The twists and turns ensure that the episode does not get predictable at all, with things not being what they seem, and the tension and suspense factors are high particularly in the latter scenes.

Love the bond between Gideon and Hotch, and the subplot with Hotch's family life is done with such truth and genuine heart that it is difficult not to be moved by it. The unsub is a different kind of unsub, and it was refreshing, this is one creepy and twisted unsub with his lack of remorse chilling, even if his motivations are a bit strange. His actions and what the hostages go through are terrifying.

Acting is strong with standouts being Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson and Matthew Gray Gubler. Support is solid.

Overall, a weird episode but also a very disturbing one. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Stretches Reality Too Much

[pv71989-1 · 6/10 · 27 December 2011]

The team flies to Los Angeles to help find a bank robber who is becoming more and more violent. At first, he simply robbed banks. Now, he humiliates customers and shoots the guards.

I would have ranked this one higher except it defied logic too many times. The unsub, named Sheppard (Jason Wiles), robs another bank but a customer hides and calls 911. L.A. Detective Murad (nice to see Marco Sanchez from "Sons of Thunder" and "Desperado" in here) announces it to the team. Yet, Hotchner, Gideon and company get stuck in traffic.

They arrive after Sheppard has made all the customers strip, has violated one of the women, has killed the guard and has hunted down and killed the man who called 911. He calmly walks out and cripples a meter maid before roaring off on a motorcycle. A minute later, here comes the BAU.

During the ensuing chase, Sheppard slips by numerous roadblocks and drives through the L.A. River Basin to escape. Not once does anyone shoot at him. They know he's already killed several people and yet, they let him get away. I realize the tension has to be drawn out but I have to wonder how letting a psychopathic killer escape makes the BAU effective.

Anyway, the real problem is that we, the viewing public, have to believe that, in Los Angeles, if someone calls in a bank robbery, the only cops who respond are coming in from the L.A. field office of the FBI, located in the LAPD main HQ. There was not another patrol unit nearby or cops on lunch in a nearby restaurant or off-duty cops in the vicinity? I will admit I have relatives who are cops but I hate any police procedural that makes the local cops look incompetent or the Feds look like cold-blooded jackasses.

I am keeping in mind that this in only the second season of the show, so the writing isn't quite there yet. However, Mandy Patinkin is already showing the same character he portrayed in "Chicago Hope." I wish he would slip up and let out a little Inago Montoya from time to time.

On a brighter note, the cast is beginning to finally develop the character traits that will make them three-dimensional. Reid is still awkwardly trying to fit in. In a previous episode, Elle made a mental profile of an unsub who was an arsonist and it fit Reid to a tee, so he knows he needs to open up more.

Hotchner's home life is unraveling and he keeps putting off his wife, who wants to talk about that no cop ever wants to hear -- the need to quit.

The only disappointing member is Derek, who remains basically the same 2-D character even into the current season (even the episode about him revealing childhood sexual abuse failed to make a dent in his hard exterior).

Truly disturbing

[lottiemarshalllm · 8/10 · 6 August 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 truly creeped me out.

The thought of someone so sick and sadistic is just horrendous and truly uncomfortable. Yet the shock value is in the only thing that made this episode good. I liked that hotch has a far more personal connection to the case then most of the other cases they worked on. The way the unsub targeted mothers and sons made if far more emotional.

The ending was particularly noteworthy when they are in the ambulance maybe a little on the nose with the on some saying that children need to learn that nobody's there for them relating back to how he is never there for his own child but still emotional and valuable.

Other they did an excellent job focusing on hotch the others took a passenger seat, which is fine.

Overall truly disturbing episode that was well written and showed off a side of hotch that I'm excited to see explored more.