With only "Mr Scratch", "Nelson's Sparrow" and "The Forever People" being put above it. This is saying a good deal, as Season 10 has had most episodes ranging from average to middling, as well as some disappointments like "If the Shoe Fits", "Hashtag" and "The Boys of Sudworth Place".
There is not an awful lot that is wrong with "Rock Creek Park", and the good things are so well executed. There have been several 'Criminal Minds' episodes in recent years that suggest that the show has run out of ideas and gas and has forgotten what made it so great in the first place. Not so "Rock Creek Park". This was one of the Season 10 episodes that actually felt close to the old, prime 'Criminal Minds', while "Mr Scratch" was one of the show's most terrifying in a long time, "The Forever People" was creepy and affecting (and one of not many satisfyingly well-balanced JJ-centric episodes) and "Nelson's Sparrow" was very poignant and affectionate along with a compelling serial killer case.
If there were any complaints, they would be the whole stuff with the intern and affair not being particularly necessary and felt more like a forced and clichéd attempt at throwing suspicion and the delay in tracing the ransom call and its location, it just seemed odd that something that can be done in 10 seconds or something ate up about 10 minutes or just under screen time. On first viewing, the Russian mobster scenes being confusing and Joshua Dov chewing scenery, but actually those scenes became much clearer on repeat viewings and were important and diverting and Dov and his character come over more subtly and are not on screen long time really to properly jar.
"Rock Creek Park" has so many good things done so well. It starts off with one of the season's most effectively ominous beginnings with a dark and unsettling visual style. There are great character moments and scenes. Love the affectionate chemistry between Morgan and Garcia and it didn't feel cheesy or creepy but actually sweet and that of Rossi and Hotch (who should dress casually more often). There were not many times where Kate and Jennifer Love Hewitt didn't bother me, neither did here. The climactic interrogation scene was immensely satisfying, a huge part of why due to the chemistry and contrasting personalities of Hotch and Rossi when interrogating, the former more serious, no-nonsense and direct and the latter sassy, cocky and clearly having a ball.
Then there is the final scene with the congressman and his mother, couldn't have expected a more bone-chilling scene than here. Also loved the side story of Reid, this had the danger of a personal story taking over the case too much and adding nothing but actually it saw a lovely side to Reid, wonderful to see him so happy and his attempts at speaking Russian are adorable. Instead of falling into this danger-zone, it develops as a consequence of the story which for a recent year episode was refreshing.
Story-wise, it is absorbing with a lot of tension, suspense and atmosphere, where you are questioning is this person as they seem and are they guilty or innocent, while the revelation of the mastermind is one of the show's most shocking and cleverly done reveals in recent years. It has been mentioned once or twice about viewers being reminded of Season 2's "Honor Among Thieves", this episode has a couple of similarities but is not at all derivative of it, not to mention that it is a far superior episode in almost every way (whereas "Honor Among Thieves" only just about had enough to prevent it from being a show low-point).
Production values as ever are very high in quality, as are the haunting and melancholic music, solid direction and very thought-provoking writing. In regard to the role of the BAU, this is reminiscent of classic 'Criminal Minds', they really do work as a proper team and are integral to the solving of the crime. There is proper profiling and investigation, rather than conclusion jumping or over-reliance on the computer of Garcia's which all too conveniently has single-handedly solved cases.
Acting throughout is very good, with not a single weak link in the regular roles. In support, Tess Harper is absolutely marvellous especially in the latter parts of the episode and Chris McKenna perfectly makes the viewer constantly question whether he is genuine or not what he seems, felt sorry for him early on but started getting doubts once the intern got introduced.
On the whole, one of the top 5 best Season 10 episodes and a very good episode in general. 8/10 Bethany Cox
There is not an awful lot that is wrong with "Rock Creek Park", and the good things are so well executed. There have been several 'Criminal Minds' episodes in recent years that suggest that the show has run out of ideas and gas and has forgotten what made it so great in the first place. Not so "Rock Creek Park". This was one of the Season 10 episodes that actually felt close to the old, prime 'Criminal Minds', while "Mr Scratch" was one of the show's most terrifying in a long time, "The Forever People" was creepy and affecting (and one of not many satisfyingly well-balanced JJ-centric episodes) and "Nelson's Sparrow" was very poignant and affectionate along with a compelling serial killer case.
If there were any complaints, they would be the whole stuff with the intern and affair not being particularly necessary and felt more like a forced and clichéd attempt at throwing suspicion and the delay in tracing the ransom call and its location, it just seemed odd that something that can be done in 10 seconds or something ate up about 10 minutes or just under screen time. On first viewing, the Russian mobster scenes being confusing and Joshua Dov chewing scenery, but actually those scenes became much clearer on repeat viewings and were important and diverting and Dov and his character come over more subtly and are not on screen long time really to properly jar.
"Rock Creek Park" has so many good things done so well. It starts off with one of the season's most effectively ominous beginnings with a dark and unsettling visual style. There are great character moments and scenes. Love the affectionate chemistry between Morgan and Garcia and it didn't feel cheesy or creepy but actually sweet and that of Rossi and Hotch (who should dress casually more often). There were not many times where Kate and Jennifer Love Hewitt didn't bother me, neither did here. The climactic interrogation scene was immensely satisfying, a huge part of why due to the chemistry and contrasting personalities of Hotch and Rossi when interrogating, the former more serious, no-nonsense and direct and the latter sassy, cocky and clearly having a ball.
Then there is the final scene with the congressman and his mother, couldn't have expected a more bone-chilling scene than here. Also loved the side story of Reid, this had the danger of a personal story taking over the case too much and adding nothing but actually it saw a lovely side to Reid, wonderful to see him so happy and his attempts at speaking Russian are adorable. Instead of falling into this danger-zone, it develops as a consequence of the story which for a recent year episode was refreshing.
Story-wise, it is absorbing with a lot of tension, suspense and atmosphere, where you are questioning is this person as they seem and are they guilty or innocent, while the revelation of the mastermind is one of the show's most shocking and cleverly done reveals in recent years. It has been mentioned once or twice about viewers being reminded of Season 2's "Honor Among Thieves", this episode has a couple of similarities but is not at all derivative of it, not to mention that it is a far superior episode in almost every way (whereas "Honor Among Thieves" only just about had enough to prevent it from being a show low-point).
Production values as ever are very high in quality, as are the haunting and melancholic music, solid direction and very thought-provoking writing. In regard to the role of the BAU, this is reminiscent of classic 'Criminal Minds', they really do work as a proper team and are integral to the solving of the crime. There is proper profiling and investigation, rather than conclusion jumping or over-reliance on the computer of Garcia's which all too conveniently has single-handedly solved cases.
Acting throughout is very good, with not a single weak link in the regular roles. In support, Tess Harper is absolutely marvellous especially in the latter parts of the episode and Chris McKenna perfectly makes the viewer constantly question whether he is genuine or not what he seems, felt sorry for him early on but started getting doubts once the intern got introduced.
On the whole, one of the top 5 best Season 10 episodes and a very good episode in general. 8/10 Bethany Cox
