User reviews

I honestly don't know how Lola Glaudini kept her role for Criminal Minds as long as she did. If there ever was an ice queen she's the perfect example. In this episode even with the understanding that it's fiction, I don't see how she would keep the job with the attitude she displays, in particular, talking back to Agent Hotchner in one of the early scenes, muttering under her breath. She's a total bee-yatch. When she finally moved on, I said good riddance.

Although it is not the most consistent of shows, 'Criminal Minds' is still one of my favourites and is compulsive viewing. "The Boogeyman" is a strong example of what this reviewer loves about the show in the first place.

For one thing, this reviewer loves its unpredictability. It is a dark and tense episode, that affects the team in some way, especially Morgan and Elle (to the extent that the case is personal for them), while the story is riveting with enough twists and turns and intelligent use of profiling to keep one guessing.

Then there is the reveal and ending, which is not only the most gut-wrenching shocking reveal of Season 2 along with "North Mammon" but also in the history of the show. Even the team themselves seemed genuinely surprised and appalled. Did not see that coming at all and I've become not so easily shocked these days (apart from the best of 'Criminal Minds' and some other examples of course).

'Criminal Minds' has always been an incredibly well-made show, and "The Boogeyman" looks beautiful and rich in atmosphere. The music is appropriate for the mood, with enough haunting darkness and melancholic pathos without being too intrusive, obvious or manipulative.

Scripting is thought-provoking and intelligent, with a great balance and dynamic in the team where everything and everyone serves a purpose and some fantastic little character moments. Examples are Reid being afraid of the dark, JJ's ghost/horror story, Garcia's welcome comic relief which doesn't feel misplaced, the moments of honesty between Morgan/Reid and Gideon/Hotch and Morgan being so darkly affected by the case.

What wasn't so convincing were the scenes between Elle and Hotch, very remotely played by Lola Glaudini and Thomas Gibson (Glaudini has always left me somewhat cold, and Elle was always the weak link of the first and second seasons to me, but this was so unlike Gibson) and seemed both draggy and underdeveloped, lacking the same level of detail that went into the rest of the relationships.

Everything is beautifully paced and solidly directed, while the acting is very good apart from Glaudini (or at least to me, am sure this is an opinion I'm going to be attacked for). Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson (apart from the scenes with Glaudini), Matthew Gray Gubler and AJ Cook are all dependably great, while Kirsten Vangsness is a ray of sunshine and Shemar Moore brings more emotional range than usual, being a somewhat personal case for Morgan as evidenced by the accusatory scene with the father figure. The child performances are also some of the most believable in 'Criminal Minds' history, especially from a disquieting and chillingly nonchalant Cameron Monaghan.

In summary, a near classic 'Criminal Minds' episodes with almost all the ingredients that make the show great. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I really like the case in this episode, and that itself is a 9/10, but the scenes with elle and hotch are really weak and boring.