In Which I Crime Show-Geek a Bit
Wow, I've been bummed most of today at the lack of appropriate places to vent about last night's new episodes of Criminal Minds (3x14 "Damaged") and CSI: New York (4x15 "DOA for a Day"). I only just struck upon the realization that, duh, I have online journals. Can I pass Go now?
Criminal Minds:
I was so very happy to see an episode of Criminal Minds on at a time that it's supposed to be, and the fact that the episode in question is brand-spankin'-new is just the cheese on the burger. Finally seeing Rossi's Haunting Old Case put to rest is the ketchup.
As for the end of Rossi's Big Thing: I know some people were disappointed that all the build-up was topped off in a single episode, but I am tickled to see it put to bed. I've been trying not to have a problem with Rossi, and I usually don't, but I was getting tired of having the twenty-years cold case of a new character highlighted in what is supposed to be an ensemble show. I rather enjoy how it was put down here: Rossi, who's been sort of set apart up until now, ties up his case with input and effort from other core members of the cast. With good fortune, this means the writers are ready to integrate him into the team properly. Oh, and how much do I adore that crucial evidence has been under his and the kids' noses for all of two decades? And that it all turns out to be a big, bloody mistake rather than an act of criminal genius? Really, words are not enough. I did feel bad for the carnie clown, though; I got misty-eyed, and the Lenny parallel did not help.
[OTT: Seriously, Rossi, obsession much? It's sweet that you want justice for these "kids" but seriously, man, you should look into getting professional help. And how fast did those utter wads turn their hearts around when they realized, hey, he actually did it! It's like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"-- not the movie, but the song standing alone. And what was with the Cold Case rip-off? Someone brought up that the turn-around is more of a choice thing; the kids thought he was torturing them all these years, and when it's their choice whether to talk to him or not, it's okay. Looking back in that respect, I like. That whole Cold Case see-them-as-kids things still bugs me.]
Of course sending the whole team along on a non-BAU case would be overkill, and we can't have that in a criminal drama! So I was glad to see Hotch and Reid with a project to occupy their time, dud though it may have been. Seriously, how cute was it when that guy started to fanboy Reid and Hotch had to cut in? How creepy was the man they were (supposed to be) interviewing? It was nice to see some range to Hotch's emotions-- and I mean "see" in the very loosest sense of the word. His face barely even twitched the whole time! And don't get me wrong: I may occasionally share stupid "The One Face of Agent Hotchner" jokes with my mom and sister, but I get a kick out of how much feeling the guy can get across without using his facial muscles. Lovely as that was, though, my award for Best Line goes to Reid's, "I don't know, maybe" as he rushes to follow Hotch out and away from the whacknut.
[OTT: Was there a point to this? At all? I mean, character interaction and the ilk, FTW, and we got some great lines and whatnot out of this, but come on. It was so disconnected. And, uh, leaving FBI agents-- one of them Reid-- alone with that guy? Without somebody there to spring them if things get freaky? Have these people never heard of Ed Kemper!?]
But. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of my heart goes to Garcia and, by proxy, her man. I don't have much memory invested in Buffy or Angel, so I have no problem thinking of Kevin as Kevin, and I absolutely love him in his scenes with Garcia. Their interaction is really cute, and I almost pulled my hair out when I realized what I had missed along with the first couple minutes of the episode. Luckily we got a short recap when Garcia spilled to JJ (her, "... Sit" gets the Second-Best Line Award); it actually made me think twice when Garcia vented at JJ because I tend to think of Garcia and Morgans (tongue-in-cheek) as BFF, but I can see why she would want to talk about this with a woman and with someone a little closer to her in the Team Dynamics Loop. That Garcia/Kevin office scene made me laugh more than once; you go, Penny! I made a rather undignified noise when Kevin went to talk to Rossi at the end, though, however much I loved the others' reactions. Am I the only one who saw Morgan hurrying off as going to confirm JJ's story personally?
[OTT: Okay, Wardrobe, okay: Garcia can't get a "hottie", Kevin is a geek, whatever, we get it. Can we lose the horrendous shirt-tie combinations and greasy hair? Please? Reid knows how to dress himself and we don't think of him as any less of a geek for it, I promise. So, how about some confirmation that Kevin doesn't need a new prescription? Also, while the man-to-man talk bit was cute, Kevin is blatantly disregarding Garcia's wishes. If she isn't pissed about it, I will be. I'm not sure how I feel about Reid's clueless-ness either, amusing though it is on a shallow level.]
CSI: New York:
What? I mean seriously, what? There were some enjoyable parts of this episode, but the ending wiped them from my brain. Not with a heavy-duty cleaner, I'll admit, but still, just... What? I was actually going to attempt a semi-coherent rant but words fail me now that the time is... now. Points for not delving back into cyber space, however, as I was rather bemused by how it was handled last time. You know, when the cyber-world people we actually get some information on are a shut-in, another shut-in and a corrupt politician? Okay, and your token geek, whatever. My liking him throws a small wrench into my point, so I'm going to pretend he didn't happen.
Criminal Minds:
I was so very happy to see an episode of Criminal Minds on at a time that it's supposed to be, and the fact that the episode in question is brand-spankin'-new is just the cheese on the burger. Finally seeing Rossi's Haunting Old Case put to rest is the ketchup.
As for the end of Rossi's Big Thing: I know some people were disappointed that all the build-up was topped off in a single episode, but I am tickled to see it put to bed. I've been trying not to have a problem with Rossi, and I usually don't, but I was getting tired of having the twenty-years cold case of a new character highlighted in what is supposed to be an ensemble show. I rather enjoy how it was put down here: Rossi, who's been sort of set apart up until now, ties up his case with input and effort from other core members of the cast. With good fortune, this means the writers are ready to integrate him into the team properly. Oh, and how much do I adore that crucial evidence has been under his and the kids' noses for all of two decades? And that it all turns out to be a big, bloody mistake rather than an act of criminal genius? Really, words are not enough. I did feel bad for the carnie clown, though; I got misty-eyed, and the Lenny parallel did not help.
[OTT: Seriously, Rossi, obsession much? It's sweet that you want justice for these "kids" but seriously, man, you should look into getting professional help. And how fast did those utter wads turn their hearts around when they realized, hey, he actually did it! It's like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"-- not the movie, but the song standing alone. And what was with the Cold Case rip-off? Someone brought up that the turn-around is more of a choice thing; the kids thought he was torturing them all these years, and when it's their choice whether to talk to him or not, it's okay. Looking back in that respect, I like. That whole Cold Case see-them-as-kids things still bugs me.]
Of course sending the whole team along on a non-BAU case would be overkill, and we can't have that in a criminal drama! So I was glad to see Hotch and Reid with a project to occupy their time, dud though it may have been. Seriously, how cute was it when that guy started to fanboy Reid and Hotch had to cut in? How creepy was the man they were (supposed to be) interviewing? It was nice to see some range to Hotch's emotions-- and I mean "see" in the very loosest sense of the word. His face barely even twitched the whole time! And don't get me wrong: I may occasionally share stupid "The One Face of Agent Hotchner" jokes with my mom and sister, but I get a kick out of how much feeling the guy can get across without using his facial muscles. Lovely as that was, though, my award for Best Line goes to Reid's, "I don't know, maybe" as he rushes to follow Hotch out and away from the whacknut.
[OTT: Was there a point to this? At all? I mean, character interaction and the ilk, FTW, and we got some great lines and whatnot out of this, but come on. It was so disconnected. And, uh, leaving FBI agents-- one of them Reid-- alone with that guy? Without somebody there to spring them if things get freaky? Have these people never heard of Ed Kemper!?]
But. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of my heart goes to Garcia and, by proxy, her man. I don't have much memory invested in Buffy or Angel, so I have no problem thinking of Kevin as Kevin, and I absolutely love him in his scenes with Garcia. Their interaction is really cute, and I almost pulled my hair out when I realized what I had missed along with the first couple minutes of the episode. Luckily we got a short recap when Garcia spilled to JJ (her, "... Sit" gets the Second-Best Line Award); it actually made me think twice when Garcia vented at JJ because I tend to think of Garcia and Morgans (tongue-in-cheek) as BFF, but I can see why she would want to talk about this with a woman and with someone a little closer to her in the Team Dynamics Loop. That Garcia/Kevin office scene made me laugh more than once; you go, Penny! I made a rather undignified noise when Kevin went to talk to Rossi at the end, though, however much I loved the others' reactions. Am I the only one who saw Morgan hurrying off as going to confirm JJ's story personally?
[OTT: Okay, Wardrobe, okay: Garcia can't get a "hottie", Kevin is a geek, whatever, we get it. Can we lose the horrendous shirt-tie combinations and greasy hair? Please? Reid knows how to dress himself and we don't think of him as any less of a geek for it, I promise. So, how about some confirmation that Kevin doesn't need a new prescription? Also, while the man-to-man talk bit was cute, Kevin is blatantly disregarding Garcia's wishes. If she isn't pissed about it, I will be. I'm not sure how I feel about Reid's clueless-ness either, amusing though it is on a shallow level.]
CSI: New York:
What? I mean seriously, what? There were some enjoyable parts of this episode, but the ending wiped them from my brain. Not with a heavy-duty cleaner, I'll admit, but still, just... What? I was actually going to attempt a semi-coherent rant but words fail me now that the time is... now. Points for not delving back into cyber space, however, as I was rather bemused by how it was handled last time. You know, when the cyber-world people we actually get some information on are a shut-in, another shut-in and a corrupt politician? Okay, and your token geek, whatever. My liking him throws a small wrench into my point, so I'm going to pretend he didn't happen.