Thursday, October 8, 2015

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1105. The Night Watch - Press Release

WHEN VICTIMS ARE INCORPORATED INTO DETROIT GRAFFITI ART, THE BAU SUSPECTS AN ELUSIVE STREET ARTIST IS THE CULPRIT, ON “CRIMINAL MINDS,” WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28

Series Star Thomas Gibson Directed the Episode

THE NIGHT WATCH – When the BAU investigates incidents of bodies being incorporated into macabre graffiti art in Detroit, they suspect an elusive-yet-notorious street artist could be the UnSub. Also, Dr. Lewis struggles to balance her relationship with her fiancĂ© and her work.

CHEAT TWEET: Graffiti turns deadly when victims become part of the artwork! @CrimMinds_CBS #CBS 10/28 9pm http://bit.ly/1Oo8N9Y

WRITTEN BY: Bruce Zimmerman

DIRECTED BY: Thomas Gibson

REGULAR CAST:
Joe Mantegna (David Rossi)
Thomas Gibson (Aaron Hotchner)
Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan)
Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid)
A.J. Cook (Jennifer “JJ” Jareau)
Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia)

RECURRING CAST:
Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis)

GUEST CAST:
Johnny Sneed (William Cochran)
Martina Benedict (Ellen Clark)
Tom Wright (Chief Palmer)
Mark Meir (Stuart Wallace)
Michelle Lawrence (Katherine Wallace)
Rob Kirkland (Doug Fuller)
Phillip Andre Botello (Markus Ivey)
David L.M. McIntyre (Leonard Ennis)
Darryl Reeves (Russell Pearson)

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1103. 'Til Death Do Us Part - Promo Video



Source: Star-Telegram.com


CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - BTS: 1109. Internal Affairs

This post may contain spoilers, probably small, but they may be big too; proceed with caution!
This post will be updated when more images of our dear gang are shared from the set.



Starting a new adventure and I am beyond excited! #criminalminds #gratitude #followingmydream
- Photo by Diana Valentine
Cuteness Alert. - Photo by Harry Bring
Tech scout #CriminalMinds #followingmydream #gratitude Looking forward to a wonderful episode!
- Photo by Diana Valentine
Hideout of an Unknown Subject? - Photo by Harry Bring
#criminalminds - Photo by Kim Harrison
Are you ready for tonight's episode? @THEIG is ready to go! #CriminalMinds #SeasonXI #WheelsUp
- Photo by CM_SetReport
#Wheelsup on the east coast in 3 hours! Are you ready for the second episode of #SeasonXI? #CriminalMinds #setlife
- Photo by CM_SetReport
Fun times in the Sand Box for the next two days. - Photo by John Hatchitt
So grateful beyond belief! First day! #criminalminds #actorslife #straightoffer #straightoffersnoauditions #gueststar #gratitude #cbs - Photo by Jorge-Luis Pallo
A pic with @ajcook and @real_joemantegna #agentlopez with #agentrossi and #agentjenniferjareu on #criminalminds #cbs #gratitude #gueststar #straightoffersnoauditions #straightoffer #actorslife
- Photo by Jorge-Luis Pallo
So happy to be working with the lovely and crazy talented Diana Valentine this week! #criminalminds #warnerloughlin - Photo by Erin Cardillo
Derek Morgan.. Taking Out Fools with One Shot!! Derek's a Baaaaaaaad Man!! ... on set today CRIMINAL MINDS.. Season 11..... Trying to save my legs for tomorrow's MS BIKE RIDE.. A lil nervous about completing the hills and the whole 100 miles.. My ego and pride will push me to the finish line... Beer and Baby Girls n Momma waiting for me to cross the line... GOTTA GET THERE!!! - Video by Shemar Moore
Making television people!! #script #criminalminds #season11 - Photo by Ignatius
A beautiful morning on day 3 of CM ep 1109, "Internal Affairs" - Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
CUBS WIN!!! - Photo by Joe Mantegna
CUBS WIN!!!!! (MLB Playoffs) Joe n Thomas Fist bumpin'!!! On set of CRIMINAL MINDS today.. Joe is from Chicago... He's doing his HAPPY DANCE. - Photo by Shemar Moore
Never a good sign... - Photo by John Hatchitt
Sew here it is.. - Photo by BJ Rogers
The Captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. So buckle up for an all new #CriminalMinds tonight! #SeasonXI
- Photo by CM_SetReport
Green Acres gone Very Bad... - Photo by John Hatchitt
Sew the verdict is in and the FANS agree..you look smoking hot Miss @Vangsness #CriminalMinds
- Photo by BJ Rogers
We invite you to watch tonight's episode... If you dare. You're on east coast!
#CriminalMinds #SeasonXI #setlife - Photo by CM_SetReport
Red light. Yellow light. Green light. You're on west coast!!!!! #CriminalMinds #SeasonXI #setlife
- Photo by CM_SetReport
Stella, is mine, but see Garcia's foot there she is trying to lure her to report to FBI mascot
duty - Photo by BJ Rogers
Look what's on our stages today! - Photo by Harry Bring
With fabulous 1109 director Diana Valentine - Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
... And terrific co-stars Shalaina Castle... - Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
... And Richie Stephens. Thanks for your wonderfully creepy work on 'Internal Affairs'. - Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
Just FYI an elephant was at the studio today. - Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
Finishing my last day on @criminalmindsofficials What a wonderful time! Thank you Sharon, Pammie & everyone and TY Greg St John for the fab hat!! #grateful #livingmydream - Photo by Diana Valentine
Crossover Friday! #CriminalMinds #SeasonXI #BeyondBorders #Season1
@TylerJamesWill @Vangsness - Photo by CM_SetReport
#mommytime meets #worktime - Photo by AJ Cook
Looking good on the set of CM 1109: @aishatyler @shemarmoore and guest starJorge-Luis Pallo - Photo by Sharon Lee Watson
Having a fantastic birthday editing my episode of Criminal Minds! Can't wait to see what my new year brings!! #grateful #livingmydream #birthdaydreams - Photo by Diana Valentine

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1102. The Witness - Comments Thread

This thread is open for you all to post comments and talk about tonight's new CRIMINAL MINDS episode, titled 'THE WITNESS', written by SHARON LEE WATSON.

Hope you've enjoyed today's episode, and remember that next week we'll have a brand new one!

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1101. The Job - Review

Season 11, amazing that our show is opening its 11th season! Who would have thought! It is so rare these days to have a TV show that can make it to its 2nd season much less 11 seasons... Extraordinary!

The Job brings our favorite team minus two members back on our screens with a case that will have all the elements of a classic Criminal Minds episode, plus an ending that may open up some new storylines that may be connected to a spoiler that was reveal by Criminal Minds star Matthew Gray Gubler in a recent interview.

The Unsub is a killer for hire who goes after his former clients in an effort to deal with those who have wronged him. He kills them in a gruesome way too, by injecting them with the liquid he injects himself to feed (he no longer can eat after he was shot in the jaw). This case is based on the Silk Road one the FBI worked a few years ago.

We have a woman who at first we think is a victim, however, she later turns out to be the wife of the SWAT Team Captain, who hired the killer because she wanted her drug dealer dead as he was forcing himself on her as payment for the drugs. Her husband finds out at some point what's going on and strikes a deal with the hitman in lieu of payment. This deal is why he gives up the police movements, why they hide him and why she drives him to and for the crime scenes.

Team wise, they are down two members. JJ is out on maternity leave; we have a cute scene with her and her new son, Michael who is played by her real life son Phoenix Sky. We also meet the new team member, Dr. Tara Lewis, who is played by Aisha Tyler. The introduction of Lewis was, in my opinion, the best since the introduction of Emily Prentiss; it was different and had the merit to give us a glimpse at who this Dr. Lewis is. We know she can be patient; she waited patiently for what seemed like an unbelievable amount of time from the moment she started her job interview with Hotch until it was resumed 36 hours later, when Hotch finally had the time to go back to interviewing her. She also showed that despite not having much field work experience, that when she was called upon by Hotch to help impersonate over the phone the SWAT Captain’s wife she did rise up to the occasion and made it work.

The ending with Morgan and the killer at the hospital had me wondering at first, but on second viewing, I got suspicious... First, Morgan asked the cop who is guarding the killer at the hospital to ‘give them a minute’, and we see the cop leave; I wonder, why would Morgan needed to talk to this guy without a witness? Second, why is Morgan taking this so personal? Yes, he almost got killed, but this has happened before, so why now? Strange. Who are The Dirty Dozen? Cops? FBI agents? Politicians? We know those are the ones who are the next targets. Will there be repercussions for Morgan? The nurse thinks he did attack the man... Lots of questions left unanswered!

What I Liked

  • Loved how Rossi was already at a crime scene when the episode started. Different from how usually the case is introduced.
  • The meth lab was creepy, complete with crazy junkie being interviewed by local cops!
  • Sassy Rossi is one of my favorite things about Criminal Minds!
    • Detective "Profilers, wonderful. Look agent, you tell me this perp got mommy’s issues…"
    • Rossi  "Couldn't agree with more, because this guy doesn't have mommy’s issues, because if he did he would probably be killing women."
  • Great editing work, as the detective asked Morgan how they (as in the cops) will catch this guy, Rossi's reply of "You don’t, he's most likely already left the state", prompts the rookie detective next' question, "Then, who will?" and we cut to Hotch coming out of the elevator, and then Penelope walks to him and they enter the BAU.
  • Great shot of the round table room from above as we look down on the five remaining team members going over the case file then cut to we presume the Unsub's room, he is sitting too at a round table and we have the same shot, from above as we look down on him. Our introduction to the Unsub is perfect, we see only the top of his head!
  • We never hear the Unsub talk or see much of him until the very end. All we will learn about him will be from the profilers! As a long time Criminal Minds' fan, I love to see the team work the case, find the clues through the behavior that will lead to who the Unsubs are and why they do what they do. 
  • Reid was being Reid, which means he was the genius he is supposed to be. He was not dumbed down to make someone else look good. Also love to see him in a suit and tie, he looked dashing!
  • Another high point was that the team was written to showcase their strengths and how they complement each other. Example: Hotch calls Garcia about their latest victim, she finds out the victim had established two months ago an escrow account with $40,000 in it; in prior seasons, Garcia would have found out WHY he did it, but this time she didn't know and she asked Hotch, who guessed someone close to the victim died two months ago and the $40,000 was payment to the hitman. That is when Garcia checks the victim and finds out his dad died, and that years ago, the victim was emancipated after he complained about some sexual abuse.
  • One of my favorite scene was between Morgan and Garcia as they were trying to thin down the list of possible clients to the hitman. It was funny, it showed their friendship and how well they work together without going over the top as sometimes it goes with their scenes.
  • Another great scene was the one at the garage where the Unsub had glued a grenade in the hands of his intended victim.
    • We got a scene with the team reacting to what the Unsub did at the garage! First, with Morgan and Reid from the Unsub's point of view, explaining why he did what he did, and then from Rossi's who explains what was the SWAT Captain and his wife involvement in this whole thing. Love when we have those scenes, as they are a good way to show us how they profile an Unsub. Wish we had more scenes like those!

What I Didn't Like

  • Minor thing, when the team is giving the profile to the potential new recruits for the team, only Dr. Lewis got something to say. Would have been good to have some other recruit to say something so to at least try to keep some of us guessing about who would get the job.
  • No Hotch in the action scenes.

In conclusion, as a season opener this was a solid episode with lots of profiling, and an Unsub that didn't take over the story. Breen Frazier wrote a solid, entertaining script in which all team members got to contribute without anyone being left on the side. The introduction of the new character of Dr. Tara Lewis was excellent and made me want to know more about her and I wish she will be staying. Didn't miss Kate much, Dr. Lewis made a much more interesting character. I really liked the reduced cast, it made for a much tighter writing, everyone had something interesting to do, no one had lines that could have been delivered by someone else. Aisha Tyler is a great new addition. She worked very well with Thomas Gibson and Kirsten Vangsness. The ending is, I think, the start of a story arc that may lead to a cast member (Shemar Moore? Pure speculations on my part...) leaving this season; if so, will be interesting to see how this will develop.

I will give this episode a 9/10. Excellent start of Season 11!


~~~~Merlin

NOTE: all images can be seen full size clicking over them

CRIMINAL MINDS Season 11 - 1102. The Witness - Sneak Peeks





And via Joyce Eng...

Looks like Tim Kang could use some help from Patrick Jane.

The Mentalist alum guest-stars on Wednesday's episode of Criminal Minds and judging by the exclusive sneak peek above, things are not looking too good for him. After a bus is attacked with sarin gas, Kang's character, Charlie Senerak, is...

To Read More & Watch the 3rd Sneak Peek: TVGuide.com