With 'Criminal Minds', some seasons are better than others and every season has a mixture of outstanding, great, very good, good, average, mediocre and bad episodes. This said, lesser episodes of Seasons 1-4 (with possible exception of "Machismo") are better than the lesser episodes of Season 6 onward.
Season 8 did see a sizeable number of mediocre episodes, but also ones that were very good and showing signs of greatness. As far as Season 8 episodes go it's somewhere in the middle rather than being one of the best or worst. It's not as good as "All That Remains", "The Lesson", "God Complex", "The Good Earth" and "Alchemy". But it is much better than the likes of "Magnificent Light", "Through the Looking Glass", "The Replicator", "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Magnum Opus".
Visually, the production values in "#6" are without complaint. It's very well shot and lit and is overall stylish, gritty, classy and atmospheric. The unsub's lair is pretty nightmarish. The music is moody in the haunting and melancholic sense and fits well, without either enhancing or distracting from it. The direction keeps the momentum going but lets the case breathe.
"#6" fares better in the delightful team interaction of the BAU than the case itself. The chemistry between Reid and Blake is very sweet, seeing a very compassionate side to Reid. While it's clear that Reid is still grieving, there is the sense that he is also trying to move on and coming back to his old self, loved the response to Rossi talking about the unsub using the victims' cars. After the character of Blake being somewhat of a mystery, "#6" does an admirable job in giving her some development that sees a warmer and more vulnerable side to the cold and disconnected exterior that she tended to show before.
The acting is very good from all the regulars (Matthew Gray Gubler and Jeanne Tripplehorn in particular), and while there have been far more interesting and menacing unsubs before and since Adam Harrington still does a decent job with what he's given (especially in the climax and the lead up to it, at his weakest at the end of his first scene which he overacts somewhat).
Against all these good things, the case itself was just okay. It had its moments, including a unique location, some nice twists and a tense climax that had a real sense of danger and you cared about whether the victim stayed alive or not. It is however conceptually a little derivative of "Through the Looking Glass" and "Paradise", lacked consistent tension and suspense and while it does explain most things right (like how the unsub was able to afford his location) there are a couple of loose ends like why his MO changed so rapidly and erratically.
It was appreciated what was done with Blake here but a better job in general could have been done with her subplot, mainly if they had a stronger actor than bland DW Moffett and if the chemistry between him and Tripplehorn was better. The script had thought-provoking moments but generally could have been more taut and had more spark.
Overall, an above average, somewhere-in-the-middle episode but one where the team interaction delights and the case lacked a little. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Season 8 did see a sizeable number of mediocre episodes, but also ones that were very good and showing signs of greatness. As far as Season 8 episodes go it's somewhere in the middle rather than being one of the best or worst. It's not as good as "All That Remains", "The Lesson", "God Complex", "The Good Earth" and "Alchemy". But it is much better than the likes of "Magnificent Light", "Through the Looking Glass", "The Replicator", "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Magnum Opus".
Visually, the production values in "#6" are without complaint. It's very well shot and lit and is overall stylish, gritty, classy and atmospheric. The unsub's lair is pretty nightmarish. The music is moody in the haunting and melancholic sense and fits well, without either enhancing or distracting from it. The direction keeps the momentum going but lets the case breathe.
"#6" fares better in the delightful team interaction of the BAU than the case itself. The chemistry between Reid and Blake is very sweet, seeing a very compassionate side to Reid. While it's clear that Reid is still grieving, there is the sense that he is also trying to move on and coming back to his old self, loved the response to Rossi talking about the unsub using the victims' cars. After the character of Blake being somewhat of a mystery, "#6" does an admirable job in giving her some development that sees a warmer and more vulnerable side to the cold and disconnected exterior that she tended to show before.
The acting is very good from all the regulars (Matthew Gray Gubler and Jeanne Tripplehorn in particular), and while there have been far more interesting and menacing unsubs before and since Adam Harrington still does a decent job with what he's given (especially in the climax and the lead up to it, at his weakest at the end of his first scene which he overacts somewhat).
Against all these good things, the case itself was just okay. It had its moments, including a unique location, some nice twists and a tense climax that had a real sense of danger and you cared about whether the victim stayed alive or not. It is however conceptually a little derivative of "Through the Looking Glass" and "Paradise", lacked consistent tension and suspense and while it does explain most things right (like how the unsub was able to afford his location) there are a couple of loose ends like why his MO changed so rapidly and erratically.
It was appreciated what was done with Blake here but a better job in general could have been done with her subplot, mainly if they had a stronger actor than bland DW Moffett and if the chemistry between him and Tripplehorn was better. The script had thought-provoking moments but generally could have been more taut and had more spark.
Overall, an above average, somewhere-in-the-middle episode but one where the team interaction delights and the case lacked a little. 6/10 Bethany Cox
