Generally a series that lasts 10 years could be excused for becoming a bit stale and formulaic. But this episode proves that Criminal Minds doesn't quite fall into that category. The level of intricacy and emotional power is maintained throughout the episode. Even though the plot structure follows the usual patterns of unthinkable crime, our agents trying to profile him while searching for a cyber footprint. Of course Penelope comes through. It's not a spoiler to tell that the inevitable exposure and take-down is nail bitingly suspenseful. But from start to finish, this episode ramps things to a fever pitch. If anyone who had passed up watching the series in favor of more intense cable shows; this is the episode to reacquaint yourself with the BAU.
10 Reviews
Genius episode preying on primal fear. MGG shines with his directing style and knowing that sometimes what we don't see, is far more creepy than what we do! Stellar episode.
kristyblackburn23 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Easily one of the greatest episodes of CM over the past 10 seasons, if not the best. MGG directing style was perfect for this episode that will keep you on the edge of your seat and trying your best not to hide your eyes or mute the television. His concept of "less is more" worked magic in this episode. What little we see of Mr. Scratch is scary as hell, but what the sounds he makes and what your mind begins to build him up to be is so much eerier than anything he could have put on the screen. Serial killers are almost always somewhat creepy, but the boogie-man (aka, Mr Scratch) who is a serial killer...well, that's just genius. It's hard to turn off an innate fear of things that go bump in the night. I think we all have some level of it. The Idea of having a team member be haunted and manipulated by Mr. Scratch made it even more creepy. A truly chilling episode that keeps your hear racing and blood pressure up all the way thru the final scene. I have a feeling, this isn't the end of this story line. As Hotch learned, once you've seen Mr. Scratch, you can't forget him. Looking forward to see where they go with this and really hope that Gubler will direct more chilling episodes in the future.
A contender for the best episode of the later seasons
TheLittleSongbird7 July 2016
Meaning Seasons 7-11 to me. "Mr Scratch" is a contender for the best, and certainly the creepiest and most chilling episode of the later seasons. To me, it's easily the best episode of Season 10 along with "Nelson's Sparrow".
It's wonderfully made, one of the most atmospheric 'Crimimal Minds' episodes in a while, with a creepy darkness in the way it's lit and gritty moodiness in how it's shot. Matthew Gray Gubler gives some of his most inspired direction and one of the best-directed latter-season episodes.
The music as ever is hypnotic and haunting, with the sound effects providing a nail-bitingly ominous effect. The script is thought-provoking, tightly structured and has genuine emotion and chilling tension in the reveal, which is one of the most surprising, unexpected and genuinely frightening reveals in a long time. The story avoids being standard, and is incredibly clever with a creepy psychological atmosphere, tight pacing and shocking murders.
All the regular BAU characters have personalities that are well-established and interesting. Have never been a fan of Kate (or Jennifer Love Hewitt in the role for that matter) but luckily she is not as out of place, bland and shoe-horned in as she usually is. Even with his short screen-time the unsub is memorable and properly menacing, almost predatory in preying on primal fear and the psychological manipulation.
With the acting, that is every bit as strong across the board. Gubler as ever is a breath of fresh air and Thomas Gibson shines in the climax in the most dangerous situation he's been in since "100" way back in Season 5. Everybody is fine, and Bodhi Elfman proves that even with a short screen time he can still make an impression.
In conclusion, fantastic episode, a standout from Season 10 and a contender for the best of the latter seasons. 10/10 Bethany Cox
It's wonderfully made, one of the most atmospheric 'Crimimal Minds' episodes in a while, with a creepy darkness in the way it's lit and gritty moodiness in how it's shot. Matthew Gray Gubler gives some of his most inspired direction and one of the best-directed latter-season episodes.
The music as ever is hypnotic and haunting, with the sound effects providing a nail-bitingly ominous effect. The script is thought-provoking, tightly structured and has genuine emotion and chilling tension in the reveal, which is one of the most surprising, unexpected and genuinely frightening reveals in a long time. The story avoids being standard, and is incredibly clever with a creepy psychological atmosphere, tight pacing and shocking murders.
All the regular BAU characters have personalities that are well-established and interesting. Have never been a fan of Kate (or Jennifer Love Hewitt in the role for that matter) but luckily she is not as out of place, bland and shoe-horned in as she usually is. Even with his short screen-time the unsub is memorable and properly menacing, almost predatory in preying on primal fear and the psychological manipulation.
With the acting, that is every bit as strong across the board. Gubler as ever is a breath of fresh air and Thomas Gibson shines in the climax in the most dangerous situation he's been in since "100" way back in Season 5. Everybody is fine, and Bodhi Elfman proves that even with a short screen time he can still make an impression.
In conclusion, fantastic episode, a standout from Season 10 and a contender for the best of the latter seasons. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Great story! Even better director!!
clpierce19779 July 2023
Matthew Grey Gubler directs some this shows finest episodes. Take this one: it was creepy, like old Stephen King novels/shorts, but without it being supernatural. The way he spins his tale without it being "hokey", but also keeping it close to being horror scary, and also keeping in grounded in the real world. Some of the other episodes try this, but don't really succeed the way this show did.
I really enjoy the way Matthew takes every angle and pieces together an episode that was scary, yet one of the most memorable episodes of this series so far. (The only other episode is when the victims are made into marionettes. I still shudder to this day, and will not watch it because it's so plausible, and horrific, that I'm terrified it could happen to me. But that's me.)
So, please, watch this episode again, and again. I know I'm planning on doing so.
I really enjoy the way Matthew takes every angle and pieces together an episode that was scary, yet one of the most memorable episodes of this series so far. (The only other episode is when the victims are made into marionettes. I still shudder to this day, and will not watch it because it's so plausible, and horrific, that I'm terrified it could happen to me. But that's me.)
So, please, watch this episode again, and again. I know I'm planning on doing so.
sooo good!
emmanorthcott16 August 2020
Beautifully Messed Up
rjmkrqx4 March 2023
Matthew Gray Gubler makes some wonderfully weird art, & this episode is one of his masterpieces.
The episode opens with a man who insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing. Hotch interviews him, with as much compassion as his efficient manner allows. We learn that this man was asked to make sure there wasn't anyone in the house by his wife. While doing that, the man smelled burning sage.
After that, things got SUPER weird.
There's some of Matthew Gray Gubler's art in this episode, as well as some heart-stopping moments that brought a tear to my eye.
Please be advised, there is talk of (debunked) "Recovered Memory" therapy used with small children, as well as coerced self-checkout.
The episode opens with a man who insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing. Hotch interviews him, with as much compassion as his efficient manner allows. We learn that this man was asked to make sure there wasn't anyone in the house by his wife. While doing that, the man smelled burning sage.
After that, things got SUPER weird.
There's some of Matthew Gray Gubler's art in this episode, as well as some heart-stopping moments that brought a tear to my eye.
Please be advised, there is talk of (debunked) "Recovered Memory" therapy used with small children, as well as coerced self-checkout.
Supernatural or Criminal Minds
Jinx-to-Ennien8 July 2021
This episode was more like an episode of Supernatural than Criminal Minds. The burning sage, creepy noises from the dark, and the unsub being able to control the memories of the victims was too strange for Criminal Minds. Call the Winchesters.
The creepiest episode - but not because of Mr. Scratch
supermaggie17 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
In my opinion this is the creepiest episode of CM, and I am not talking about Mr. Scratch here. CM has never been squeamish in showing very gruesome human abysses and gory details - much too much IMO and evidentially too much for Mandy Patinkin who therefore left the show. But even if there could have been more sympathy for many of the victims and occasionally for some of the (victim turned into) unsub-s, the writers never went so far and let Hotchner and co. say as many ruthless things like in this episode. For example: the shocked husband/now mourning widower who finds out he was drugged and unwillingly used to murder his wife is relentlessly being called murderer twice by Hotchner - without any mercy or a glimpse of tact. But it gets worse: a drugged man kills himself before he kills his son - the reaction of Rossi: thank God. Thank God?? Is the death/forced suicide of a man a reason to cheer?? I know what he means, he is glad the son didn't die. I don't want the son to die either, but there is still a victim and by putting it like this Rossi allows himself to judge that the son's life is worth more than the man's life - which nobody is allowed to! It's not up to us to make such judgments!!! Incredibly depraved and immoral. But this is one of the many strange themes recurring in this show that I once liked a lot. For instance: I enjoy diversity and am always happy to see different people, but firing one cast member after the next and replacing each and every one of them with Afro-American actors/actresses is not the way to go when you want equality, this is an affirmative action and not treating people WITHOUT minding there skin, the skin color obviously plays a huge role for the producers. And, in order to get back to the nasty remark from the Mr. Scratch episode: what's with all the pro-kids-action? Has the show turned into an anti-abortion commercial? This is a crime show, not a parents coffee party - but it sure feels like it. Always: "oh you're pregnant again, how great, another god son? Perfect" - I do not want to watch such BS when watching a crime/police show. And by the way: it's pretty schizophrenic. The show does everything to show that humans are monsters (pretty true, unfortunately), but - in case you didn't know: children grow up and become adult humans, and many of them will be monsters, too. So why say children are more valuable than adults?? We just don't know what they will become, but this doesn't mean they will NOT be monsters, we just don't know yet! And children can be incredibly/ much more cruel than many adults anyway. Just spare us the dumb baby talk, it's ridiculous and illogical, and - when making a show with such gruesome topics - show some more respect for the characters affected by this gruesome acts. The reactions of Hotchner and Rossi were just too creepy.
The exorcist
xtremeadesign-090173 April 2022
Scratch This Off Your List Of Good TV Viewing
clintstevens19 May 2018
Another idiotic plot line from arguably the worst crime series on TV. The story is so unbelievable it's laughable. The writers cater to the lowest intelligent audience in TV land, which may explain why some give this story 10 stars. Or perhaps it's because at least this episode doesn't follow the cookie cutter plot usually found on Criminal Minds. The worst part about this story is the fact that the plot line will undoubtedly continue in a subsequent episode. Oh spare me...PLEASE!
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