Criminal Minds (TV Series) No Way Out, Part II: The Evilution of Frank (2007) User Reviews

The end of Season 2 makes for one of the season's most memorable episodes

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 5 July 2016]

For me, Season 2 is one of the stronger overall seasons with some fine episodes. "No Way Out, Part II: The Evilution of Frank" concludes the season and is one of Season 2's most memorable episodes.

"No Way Out, Part II: The Evilution of Frank" looks great, love the dark and gritty and always stylish and classy look which is consistent throughout. The haunting and hypnotic music fits very well and never distracts, even if not quite enhancing it. The theme tune sticks in your head still.

The script is taut and thought-provoking (like the bookend quotations and the psychological profiling, Hotch has some great lines here), the case is complex and well-developed without being convoluted and is never dull and full of tension and suspense with especially brutal murders. Also love the chemistry of the team and Frank Breitkopf is one of the show's most notorious and notable killers and one of those who's an irredeemable monster.

'Criminal Minds' lead characters on the BAU team have personalities that even early on are well established. The direction is more than solid as is the case a lot of the time with the show. The acting is top-notch.

Mandy Patinkin is very commanding though, Thomas Gibson excels in giving a suitable stoic seriousness, Matthew Gray Gubler is a breath of fresh air (Reid has always been a favourite), Shemar Moore is appropriately tough and gritty and Kirsten Vangsness is charming as Penelope. Patinkin and Gibson are especially good here. Keith Carradine is superb as Frank, genuinely menacing.

Where "No Way Out, Part II: The Evilution of Frank" falls down a little is the ending, which is somewhat tacky and Frank's speech borders on the ridiculous.

Otherwise, it is a truly fine episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Much better then part one

[lottiemarshalllm · 9/10 · 16 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.

I also reviewed part one and I gave it a six out of 10 because I didn't find it particularly unique but this episode on the other hand was very good especially in comparison to part one.

I've never had a problem with any of the acting but it really shines in this episode especially with Gideon Hotchner and surprisingly Garcia. I thought Gideon's emotions were so well done in this episode going from fearful and heartbroken too confident yet sorrowful. Hotchner did an excellent job especially in the ending scene really having to fight for his position and shows how incredible his profiling skills are and how he's willing to fight for his team. And Garcia just cares so much about her team and I love her for that.

And as far as the plot goes in this episode I loved the tie in's to past episodes and how Frank used Gideons list of survivors as a hunting list. I thought the way that Frank story was told was a lot better in this episode than part one where I found it kind of anti-climactic but this had a lot more drama in it.

Only thing I really didn't like about this episode was frank and Jane kill themselves like that was just really weird I guess. I mean I guess it made sense because they were both "too unique and different for this world" but you would think the agents might be able to intervene.

And although I know that Hotchner will be around for the next several seasons I am a little worried about the predicament that Prentiss was put in by her superior and I thought that was a fantastic way to end the season without some huge cliffhanger where an agents life was at risk.

Overall one of the best episodes in my opinion acting wise and had some really intense moments that tied into past episodes.

I never thought they could keep up the pace...................

[patherwill · 10/10 · 23 December 2007]

of the first series but having just sat through the whole of Series 2 I have found it every bit as good.I was a bit disappointed when Elle Greenway(Lola Glaudini)left albeit I liked the way she did so and it was so nice to see a bit of summary justice handed out for a change and I definitely couldn't see anyone filling her shoes and suddenly Emily Prentiss arrived in the form of Paget Brewster and has done well to fit in the way she has but then again she had a few years under her belt in other agencies already."JJ" has been allowed to flirt a little more and this has in turn permitted us to do so with her and Morgan has also been able to show he too has his vulnerable side.Mandy Patinkin has been like a father figure for the poor young Dr. but who does he turn to in his hour of need? Kirsten Vansgress the computer whizz can be a comedienne/serious or whatever you want and Aaron Hotchner turning the tables on the shrink at the end was absolute genius.As he said to her "I'm good at my job".There is in my opinion a fair mixture of everything although perhaps the episodes are a bit short in themselves to include a topic on someone such as Theodore Bundy. Also I hope that if in future any of the actors are despatched with as in the case of Ms.Glaudini it is because they have other projects in the pipeline or only agreed to sign on for 1 series say and are not written off because the production team simply feel their character for some reason "isn't working" because hers was! That said, as usual I found that once I picked up this pack of DVD's I couldn't put them down and undoubtedly this would be in my top 5 all time favourites.

Finale was great until the very end

[binkycam · 10/10 · 21 May 2007]

I detest back-stabbing politics, abuse of authority, ego-induced deceit and blackmail in order to produce disunity and downfall of someone you have it in for. If Criminal Minds continues on the tack that it ended the finale, I won't be able to be a viewer anymore. I love this show; it's intelligent, draws you into its story and characters. I love the characters and their interaction. It is a group effort. To put a political witch-hunt and effort to destroy the group really irks me. Why can't the producers and writers continue in the same successful way that's proved itself. Why do they have to make stinking politics and abuse of authority the center of the new season. I hope the "new girl" isn't pressured to dismember the team. If distrust, deceit and political pressuring becomes central to the theme of the show; I'm afraid they've lost me. My dream episode at the beginning of the new season would be for the new girl to call the team together and tell all without concern for herself. They'd be sure to keep her on the team and we wouldn't have to deal with the unhappy, vengeful witch and her political agenda.

It is now November 2009 and I am still enjoying Criminal Minds. The team has been together and the political agenda of destroying the team was dispersed. Still a great show with characters I care about.