Criminal Minds (TV Series) Blood Relations (2014) User Reviews

Excellent, with one major flaw

[phebes88 · 8/10 · 16 May 2020]

Absolutely fantastic episode. Twists, turns, a stellar cast. Loosely based off the Hatfield-McCoy rivalry, this episode constantly has you thinking you know where it's going...you don't.

But CM seriously dropped the ball when they never revisited this unsub. Major fail.

I appreciate this show trying to be the X files

[nicofreezer · 9/10 · 17 November 2021]

"Blood relation" feel like an X files épisode all the way, of course its not as good as the legendary show from the 90's. But this is one of the best episode from Season 9 and definitively a top 50 criminals Minds episode.

Solid story 8.5/10.

scully and mulder on the case

[a_lowther · 7/10 · 1 November 2021]

Would've been an 8 or a 9 if it wasn't so similar to one of the best and most disturbing xfiles episodes 'home'. Good twist into the reveal, but the axe booby trap was little on the nose, hopefully an homage by gubler who did a great job directing this episode. The son even got away in the end just like xfiles...

Outstanding Episode

[Nickhasmadswag · 10/10 · 10 July 2014]

I've read some of the other reviews from this episode, and they all complain about the stereotypes used in the episode. I can understand where they are coming from, but they need to grow thicker skin. The episode was amazing. I've never been so awed by an episode of Criminal Minds. The fact that it was directed by Matthew Gray Gubler (Reid) did not come as a surprise. The thick-rooted plot lines and phenomenal casting choices, leading up to the shocking reveal of the un-sub left me groaning each time a commercial flashed on. I will speak on behalf on any like-minded persons, Hitchcock and Poe would be proud. I have to say, it goes down in history as one of the best TV episodes of all time.

Offended? It's based on a TRUE STORY haha

[heatherconwayphotography · 10/10 · 28 May 2018]

I don't know why so many people are butthurt over this episode, it's based on true events so there's no point trying to pretend it's offensive and doesn't happen because it does happen and it did happen. Get over it and face facts.

Tribute to Horror Classics

[kisskidsgreece · 12 March 2021]

I just saw this episode and loved it. If had a lot of "Saw" type murders as well as scenes that I thought resembled F13, Monster from Black Lagoon & Fog. I wonder if this was intentional by Matthew? The guest stars were in the above movies.

Absolutely loved the episode

[olivermeyer-97005 · 10/10 · 11 January 2024]

I absolutely love this episode, it is giving mayor Wrong Turn vibes and the killing methods were very Saw like, would definitely recommend this episode, i personally may be biased because i love slasher movies, especially those filmed out in the wild. It may not be the best episode based on its storyline, but still entertaining and, a little scary. Was very disappointed with them leaving us at a plot twist, i absolutely needed a part two so my mind can officially rest. I know that some people might take it to offense, but i just think it is a little fun that they made an episode like this that had Hillbilly's in it.

Quite possibly Season 9 at its most macabre

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 18 September 2016]

Season 9 of 'Criminal Minds' has been one of the show's most inconsistent.

When it was good, like the outstanding "Gabby" (one of the best examples of an idea- child abduction- often revisited), it was really good and among the best of the latter seasons. When it was bad however, like "200" (when you think of episodes that don't feel like 'Criminal Minds', that is one of the prime examples along with Season 6's "The Thirteenth Step") and "The Black Queen" (far too heavy on the Garcia story line which is filled with continuity errors that suggest writers that had forgotten about the earlier seasons and far too little of the disjointed and dull case that feels like an afterthought), the episodes in question were among the show's worst.

"Blood Relations" doesn't fit in either extreme. It definitely could have been better, and it is a long way from the show's best (also think that Matthew Gray Gubler has directed much better episodes for the show, "Mosley Lane" and especially "Mr Scratch" immediately spring to mind). It is also nowhere near as bad as the worst of Seasons 9 and 11, the latter being the worst season.

As aforementioned, "Blood Relations" could have been better. Can definitely understand why people have taken offence at the portrayal of the location and population of Wheeling, have a friend at the Conservatoire from Wheeling and while British it was obvious to me that the portrayal was geographically inaccurate when it comes to the location (admittedly though this is not the first time that the show has made geographical errors, and this is coming from a fan) and the supporting characters are painted very stereotypically and in a way that's not very flattering and somewhat misleading.

There are a couple of other flaws other than this issue too. The part of the climax where the FBI split up does feel a bit Scooby Doo-ish and does go against FBI procedure, which is weird for a very much procedural show. Am aware that people will say that one shouldn't look for realism in shows not fictional, but when there have been episodes in the show that have had scenes that have felt very real and hit close to home (notable examples being Season 3's "Elephant's Memory", Season 4's "Zoe's Reprise" and Season 1's "What Fresh Hell") this was not easy to ignore for me. The twist/cliff-hanger ending has proved to be controversial, was split personally on this one. There is no denying that it is very freaky and completely unexpected in a case full of surprises, but it just went against what happened in the climax (which is very exciting and suspenseful) where the fate of the unsub just felt so certain and more realistic and plausible, so it would have made sense if they had finished before the cliff-hanger.

For all the problems however, there was also a lot good about "Blood Relations". Gubler does a great job directing, with his distinctive horror-genre-influenced style shining through to often frightening effect, starting with a particularly shocking murder and the third murder was even more brutal. There was a really wonderful macabre atmosphere to the story, which was not one of the show's most inventive but had enough twists and turns to keep one surprised and entertained. The reveal and identity of the unsub is one you don't see coming, having seen a couple of Season 1 episodes lately where the unsub identities were extremely predictable and not particularly well-done this was refreshing.

The horror-genre-influenced style in the directing translates also in the production values. The setting does lack authenticity, but the style and atmosphere the episode is shot and lit in is really striking. The music is haunting and melancholic, while the script is thought-provoking enough and the team dynamic is more balanced than other Season 9 episodes, again too much JJ but the more interesting characters like Rossi and Reid shine and Blake has become more interesting and less cold than she was in Season 8.

Acting is very good. The regulars do their usual stellar work, while Adrienne Barbeau and Tobin Bell are excellent support. While there are more interesting unsubs development-wise, he is still a genuine creep (you do expect considering his background to feel a small pang of sympathy, but taking into account how mercilessly cruel his crimes were he is actually rather evil with not a redemptive quality in his body). Bill Oberst Jnr. even with not much screen time captures all that perfectly.

Overall, Season 9 at its most macabre and while heavily flawed it was not that bad an episode. 7/10 Bethany Cox

No attempt at creativity

[longhorn_bear · 7/10 · 6 February 2019]

Proud Wheeling native,

I am from Texas but I don't own boots, a belt buckle or any livestock, but a lot of movies and shows depict Texans as all Cowboys. I have been over that stigma since I was 10 yrs old, and you can get over it too.

Oh, and by the way, the word "of" should never replace the word "have" in a sentence after the word "could" and "should".

Explanations are in order

[hals-70051 · 7/10 · 29 May 2023]

Good storyline good build up but I need more answers it's criminal minds for crying out loud not supernatural, like what did they make a super baby that's unkillable?? And what was wrong with it just the deformities we saw or something else because at that age the only thing that comes to my mind is ambiguous genitalia and last time I checked they don't give you super powers I'm really confused. I feel like I need an episode to explain what happened after and did he just decide to go on a killing spree after he was done with the family?? Because for someone like him I don't think he could live on the run or anywhere other than the shed.

They should not have used Wheeling as their stereotypical redneck location

[czsmith-48497 · 5/10 · 28 August 2019]

Wheeling is basically Pittsburgh with a tenth the population. The characters depicted had nothing to do with Wheeling.

Offensive

[themadcaplaughs70 · 2/10 · 22 February 2015]

A decent story-line if it was set back a hundred years and somewhere other than Wheeling, this episode heavily uses the hillbilly stereotype, even going so far as incest. There are numerous reasons I do not like this episode besides its inaccurate portrayal of an industrial mill city of 30,000 as the Hatfield-McCoy feuding grounds.

Characterization: There are many characters in this episode that suggest a regional flair that is unique to the setting. The sheriff is an easy going man in flannel. The characters have Southern accents (acceptable poetic liscence), and are for the most part well designed, but are not appropriate for the time period or setting. The real issue with the characters are the two that set up the main plot. There are no isolated cabin dwellers living like pioneers in the state, even in areas that resemble where the film was shot.

Plot: The plot of the show is generally interesting but relies on heavy stereotyping and clichés such as the time-honored tradition of portraying West Virginian as inbred. The actual reason for the murders, however, seems weak. "Because I'm inbred I will kill my parents' families. The conclusion is equally as bad, ending more like a slasher film or a campfire story than Criminal Minds.

Overall, I think the biggest issue with the episode is that they relied so heavily on stereotypes that the story without them cannot exist and is weak in general. I may be biased because of my location, but I also am highly offended by this portrayal which I feel is as offensive as racism. Between representing WV as backwards, ignorant, clan-based, inbred, distrustful of the government, and full of meth, I feel they do considerable damage to an impoverished state and equally as offensive to natives of the state as they would be if they portrayed all {insertrace} as {racist stereotype).

Stereotypical portrayal of WV

[mickeyandme20042000 · 3/10 · 13 October 2019]

Wheeling is an industrial city, not a tiny rural community. And stories like this make it seem like all WV natives are uneducated hicks.

Location and story line were not good

[muddyjo-16374 · 3/10 · 27 January 2022]

First off I am a huge Criminal Minds fan. I have been binge watching it here recently and I came to this episode. I remember when it aired and how angry the people of Wv were. Of course, they betrayed the people in the story line as inbred meth making hillbillies. I mean why not isn't that what West Virginia is known for right. And then the fact that they set it in Wheeling Wv tells me that the writers know absolutely nothing about the cities and towns of West Virginia. Wheeling is in the northern panhandle I live like 20 mins from Wheeling and it is a city. Where I live is part of the country but not the deep Appalachian that the story suggested. That would be further south, like Bluefield area. No one up here has that deep southern accent that they portrayed but south of Charleston you'll start to her the change in accent. Many story lines could have taken place in West Virgina but to pick why do that when you could pick one about inbred meth making gun slinging hillbillies. Visit West Virginia it is a truly beautiful state.

Wheeling WV

[stvnbc · 1/10 · 5 April 2014]

I love criminal minds, great show. This episode would have been better if it was located in southern rural WV, TN or KY. I still would not have liked the stereotypes in this episode. I wish they would have done their homework before deciding to use Wheeling WV as the location. Most folks are simply clueless when it come to this area of the country. Wheeling is farther north than Cincinnati and Columbus OH. Philadelphia, PA and it is even farther north than Washington DC. Pittsbugh, PA is closer the the heart of th Appalachians than Wheeling WV is. Wheeling is no different than Western PA or eastern OH when it comes to culture. To be honest, all of northern WV...Wheeling, Morgantown, Fairmont etc are much more like PA and OH than the rest of the state of WV. The stereotypes where absurd and completely out of place for Wheeling WV.

Wrong accents

[clarence_cat_2000 · 10 February 2018]

What I dislike about the episode is the writer made a point of saying that it is near Wheeling. But the locals all sound like the West Virginians who live near Beckley. Wheeling is in the north and the locals have a Pennsylvania accent. The residents of Beckley have a southern accent.

If you can get past certain annoyances

[ryan_reed · 4/10 · 15 December 2018]

There's a lot to be disappointed about (or annoyed with) in this episode. It's a good story. But, the script could easily have been tweaked -- to make the bad guy even uglier and even more deformed and the locale more remote -- into an X-files episode circa 1998. This rings especially true when you watch the final scene. It probably would have actually worked better in that Franchise than it did here.

The very first disappointment is, for me anyway, why is the upper echelon of the FBI even getting involved in these crimes. Admittedly, there are two murders that are unorthodox. But, at headquarters, Garcia describes the killings. They don't match in any way except for the presence of barbed wire. Are two killings connected only by wire (which is probably prevalent in this rural region) enough to establish a signature? It wouldn't have been in some other episodes.

When the agents get to West Virginia, the Sheriff makes a comment about the whole matter being a family feud. Further dialogue leads me to believe that the Sheriff's Department has dealt with these two feuding families over the years. Why now would they call in the FBI? Why would you need the FBI if you "know" these families? And why...knowing what we know before the agents fly out, would the FBI even go?

The story is very good, but I agree with others that Wheeling is misrepresented. And, I get the feeling the story was intended to be set in a very remote area. I think there are better locations than Wheeling, WV for this. At about 30 - 35 minutes into the show, it dragged for several minutes as the story behind the unsub came out.

In the end, I really did not understand what motivated the unsub to do what he did. Yes, the surface issues -- being a child of insect and given up at birth -- but such violent and calculated killings because of just this? Something is missing. I suppose I can just keep telling myself that he was a very bad person. But, then other episodes seem to clobber you over the head with "why he did it."

I continue to be puzzled at how the "capture" sequences are written. It seems like in these later seasons, there is always somebody going in alone, or there is no time to wait 5 minutes for a SWAT team, or the agents are splitting up. It's starting to become more the norm than the exception.

And, in this episode, Blake is separated, and of course gets dragged into the lake by the unsub. After a struggle, it appears that she has killed or wounded him with her weapon. But, when the other agents approach, she frantically screams, "Start shooting! Start shooting!" I am not sure that 3 agents unloading at least a clip each (Rossi is shown reloading) is procedure when at best, you have a suspect down, and at worst, you have a suspect dead. Not to mention, the ammunition to be wasted.

If you can get past certain annoyances, the story is good and the scenes are well-shot and put together. It's definitely worth a viewing for those who are following the show.

No attempt at creativity

[jmtaylor-965-170586 · 1/10 · 3 April 2014]

As a proud Wheeling, WV native I am offended by this episode of Criminal Minds. It is absurd to assume people of West Virginia behave this way. I understand this is just a TV show and for some reason West Virginia is blessed with this reputation of incest, moonshiners, and backwood hicks with no education, but when does it end? and come one Criminal Minds.. isn't it a little cliché? wheres the creativity? Maybe they should of done their research of this area and could of been proud to depict a correct interpretation. If they have done some research they might of discovered that Wheeling is a northern city, close to Pittsburgh, PA, its well developed, filled with educated people (not to say we don't have our share of rednecks, but they're everywhere!) established schools, universities, & hospitals... and we do not have southern accents.

Great story but failed on the ending

[twanster-97655 · 5/10 · 14 December 2022]

Big fan of the show up until Hotch and Morgan left, not watched any since then, loved this episode until the ending, there's been a couple episodes that let the unsub get away without a follow up and it just doesn't fit the show, no body means the case wouldn't be closed and the BAU would be stuck there or have to step down, another episode saw a pedophile get away at the end without a follow up and no revisit. My guess is they won't revisit these episodes given Hotch and Morgan aren't in the show anymore. The people I know who still watch the later episodes say it isn't the same anymore and maybe the creators should bring back it's best characters and get back to what made the show so good, should also revisit these episodes that end with the unsub getting away.

You got your slasher flick in my procedural

[blottogg · 4/10 · 22 September 2015]

*Warning, Spoilers ahead*

This script has the markings of being a rush job, and as a result is one of the weaker Criminal Minds episodes. As others have said, the Appalachian stereotypes are thrown around with abandon, I'm guessing because the writer knew where he wanted to go, but didn't have time to build a coherent story to get there and just used brute force. The family feud, incest and meth lab stereotypes have already been hit by other reviewers, but I'd like to add a few more, starting with the red herring of biofuel. In what world is cooking biofuel way more profitable than meth? Wheeling's SWAT team also needs some remedial work on building entry, after their point man catches a booby-trap pickaxe to the chest (only because he stood there for several seconds, apparently mesmerized by the Rube Goldberg-style trigger mechanism). Add to that the "Scooby-Doo" gang tactic of splitting up in the woods (*after* the tracking dog has a scent), which is most definitely NOT FBI (or any LEO) procedure. Bad form to ignore procedure in a procedural series.

Breen Fraiser either wanted to write a slasher flick, or was told to on short notice. The result is more a low-budget love child of Roger Corman and Wes Craven than Criminal Minds, unfortunately. Not one of the franchise's stronger efforts.

Just a lame episode

[j_cary88 · 3/10 · 8 August 2021]

Probably the worst episode up to this point. The case just isn't told in an interesting way, and a lot of the acting by the victims and small characters was pretty bad in this one. Apparently none of the writers have been to Wheeling, because nobody talks like this. It's a big town only about an hour and a half away from Pittsburgh, PA where I live, and it's not like in the middle of the sticks filled with hillbillies like apparently the CM team thinks it is lol. Very skippable episode.