"Zugzwang" has often been described by 'Criminal Minds' fans as one of the worst episodes of the show. To me, it is a lesser episode, and one of the most frustrating ones too.
The episode as always does look great, 'Criminal Minds' has always been a well-made series, with plenty of gritty but classy style and atmosphere, and "Zugzwang" is no exception. The music is haunting and devastatingly melancholic.
A lot of the writing is tight, very thought-provoking and genuinely emotional, one really does feel for Reid here. The stalker/kidnapping story-line dominates the episode, but that doesn't mean that profiling and criminal psychology are completely side-lined, though they have been much more interesting before.
In "Zugzwang", the team dynamic is always enjoyable and the characters well-established, Maeve finally getting some meat to her character which Beth Riesgraf does quite well with. The acting is very good on the most part, with Matthew Gray Gubler especially being a revelation, his heart-break and devastation is emotionally devastating.
Generally "Zugzwang" was quite decent, though it does kick off with a very strange and awkwardly sappy dream sequence. Also, although there was very little to complain about with the acting, this reviewer didn't really care for Michelle Tratchenberg here, she seemed rather bland and evokes neither menace or sympathy.
But the biggest let-down is the badly botched, no let's rephrase that as slap-in-the-face ending, which is emotionally manipulative, implausible, ridiculous, forced and a cheap way of not only writing out a character that seemingly fans were not warming to but reminding us that Reid can't be happy (or that's how it felt).
In conclusion, a decent episode marred badly by the worst ending in 'Criminal Minds' history. 6/10 Bethany Cox