There is a very wide range when it comes to types of detective/mystery/procedural shows/. Whether it's the slow-burns (some of the Scandinavian shows), the "intellectual" ones ('Inspector Morse'), ones that mixed comedy and drama ('A Touch of Frost'), anything Agatha Christie (namely 'Poirot'), the light-hearted ones ('Murder She Wrote') or the gritty ones ('Taggart'). Plenty of all around and many classic examples of all too.
Regardless of how short lived it was, 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour' was greatly anticipated, being a big fan of the original 'Criminal Minds', if more the early seasons as it did become very variable later. Tried to be fair to the show, not using that it was short lived as an excuse, it actually sounded interesting. Just because a show is short-lived that doesn't necessarily mean they are bad, and was really genuinely determined to give it a proper chance (some short-lived shows were not). This show had every opportunity to be good but started off very ropy and apart from a few sporadic improvements along the way never got completely better.
It far from hits its stride with "Jane", and we are at the halfway point pretty much here. In my mind with "Jane", 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour') actually took a step backwards and went back to the very poor standard set when the show first started. Consider it one of the worst episodes on the whole, for pretty much the same reasons and even more along the way as to why the previous episodes were a weak at best standard.
"Jane" is saved from total doom by suitably dark and gritty, if never extraordinary (lacking the original's atmosphere and style in comparison), production values. And a, by 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour' standards, surprisingly great performance from Lisa Kay Jennings, by far one of the best performances of the show in my mind.
A couple of interest points too, with seeing a softer side to Beth (not considering that much of a good thing, have not changed my negative opinion of her), a more violent side to Cooper (again not much of a good thing as it felt out of character and added nothing) and it boasting one of the most sadistic unsubs in the most sadistic episode yet of the show.
Unfortunately, there is just too much wrong with "Jane". The music is still generic and not very memorable, music you would find on a lot of similar shows. The writing is no improvement on the all over the place standard of the previous episodes, constantly not knowing what to do with itself and filled with poorly written lines delivered like wood. All of it just sounded rushed, on-the-surface with no development whatsoever and often over-the-top. There could have been more profiling, and what there was was pretty pointless and with little distinction.
None of the story really engages. There are not enough surprises or twists, meaning some of it is on the predictable side. There is no tension, creepiness or suspense, and replaced by far too many moments of pure stupidity and overdone gratuitous shock value (that is how the sadistic tone felt). The unsub is the most detestable yet, but there is nothing properly creepy or interesting about them, and they tend to behave stupdily and inconsistently in ways that won't be spoilt here. This does add to the makes no sense vibe that too much of the episode had. Profiling is not enough and what there is does nothing really in solving the case, is too conventional and doesn't really feel like profiling, just the odd observation and people saying things that induces face palms. There is still little chemistry within the team, no characters to properly engage with and don't really remember any real character moments, something that the original 'Criminal Minds' excelled brilliantly at even in lesser episodes.
On top of that the climax is incredibly rushed and anti-climactic, as well as silly. Was irritated by Beth, even with her softer side (though there are no scenes thankfully on the same embarrassing level of the schizophrenics talk and preaching about health from earlier episodes), and especially Gina. Am continuing to see no point in the presence of Garcia, this show commits the same problem of latter-seasons 'Criminal Minds' in making her role too convenient and over-reliant on providing the answers but does it even worse. Jennings aside, the acting is either hammy or robotic.
In conclusion, very poor. 2/10
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