Compulsion

Season 1, Episode 2, Aired
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Episode Summary

The team of investigators tries to capture a serial arsonist who has been terrorizing a college campus in Tempe, Arizona. Most of the evidence from the fires had been burned beyond recognition, so the BAU must rely on psychological analysis to identify the firestarter.
8.8
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Fan Episode Reviews (21)

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  • COMPULSION!

    8.0
    "Great"
    By aayaanrox, Oct 21, 2011 Report Abuse
    this one was completely out of the box! A way more exciting and shocking episode than the last one!
    it really gets you hooked to the show!

    the whole angle about who the unsub is and what 'HIS' profile may be, is really Misleading! when the real unsub is revealed it really does give you a shock!

    also, their was a lot of character development seen in this episode! As always Garcia is amazing....
    and Reid really does show his intelligence when he cracks the case!!

    i also loved the whole 'Footpath Killer' angle with Gideon and why he stammered!!
    i kind of liked Elle more in this episode! she and Morgan are great together! the cliffhanger in end is also filled with suspense!

    to conclude, this episode was pretty good! with all the Suspense on who the unsub is and then the search to find 'Him' ;)
    watch it!moreless

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    3 1

  • An arsonist is on the loose at a college in Arizona and Gideon and them team must try and stop them before more people die.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Lady_Lancaster, Apr 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    A college in Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this episode when the BAU are asked to investigate arson activity on campus. When Gideon, Hotch and the team arrive, the build what they consider to be an accurate profile of the person they are seeking. The problem is that each of the fires set by the person they are seeking varies quite markedly from previous ones and also, the arsonist themself does not fit the classic profile as it doesn't appear as though they actually stay around to watch the result of their actions which is highly unusual.

    After a telephone call from the unsub which seems to hint that there might be a religious connection to the crimes, Reid finds himself remembering interviews with student and zeroing in on a girl who seemed to have a strange obsession with the number three. But is she the killer? If so, what does she plan to do next and how do they stop her in time?

    A great episode and some excellent additions to the main story as Gideon talks about 'The Footpath Killer' and asks new agent Elle Greenaway why she believes that the killer stuttered. why indeed?

    Just from watching these first two episodes, we can see that a class act has come onto our screens and it's going to be a pleasure to watch as it unfolds in the future.moreless

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    3 1

  • Einstein once said: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”

    9.3
    "Superb"
    By Finnegan77, Feb 03, 2011 Report Abuse
    Compulsion is a great episode on the face of it gripping opener carried over from the pilot, great plot, excellent character development, etc. But what I like best about it is the subtext. In the episode, Gideon, the mentor, is teaching Reid, the student. Reid is a genius he knows so many facts and statistics that he is scary - but he can't beat Gideon at chess. Why? Because all the statistics in the world cannot help you if you can't think outside the box. As the second installment of what may be perceived as "yet another police show on television," what are Ed Bernero and the CM writers saying to us, the viewers? The very same thing.

    "It's like chess," says Gideon. "Don't look at just the next move; try to look three moves ahead." The writers are still teaching us how to think about this show and its characters this is not your usual cop show, these are not your usual characters. Try to forget about everything you've seen: all the procedurals, all the evidence collecting, the blood and hairs and fibers, everything that can build a court case. You're not going to see that here. Just like Dr. Reid, Gideon is our teacher, too, our mentor about what to look for on Criminal Minds. It's the subtleties that will give these profilers what they need to catch the unsubs the water fountain that doesn't work, the handle turning three times, the word needlessly repeated. We should stop looking for the kinds of clues we are used to seeing on every other show, and should "keep thinking."

    "Don't worry," we're encouraged throughout this episode. "You're getting there."moreless

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    2 0

  • A strong episode with good character development.

    9.3
    "Superb"
    By BAUCTU, Feb 03, 2011 Report Abuse
    After a very strong pilot episode, I was concerned as to whether they would be able to kep the high standard up. I'm glad to say that it was another great episode.

    The basic storyline was not quite as strong as Extreme Agressor from my point of view. By no means a bad episode just didn't grab me in the same way.

    There was some nice character development in this episode. We got to see the genius at work, Reid was very impressive in how he figured it out. It's going to be interesting to see how his mind develops ove the seasons.

    Gideon is clealy emotionally on the edge, what happened to him in the past is still very difficult for him to deal with. Watching Morgan having to drag him away from the burning room was concerning, is this a sign for weakness ahead? I hope not.

    I loved the scene where Gideon is saying they don't want the unsub to know they have the FBI there and they should try to look less offical! Bless Hotch, he managed to loosen his tie a notch! He obviously is going to be tough to get out of that suit.

    The conlusion to the footpath killer storyline was good and it was nice to see Elle figure it out!moreless

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    2 0

  • Review

    10
    "Perfect"
    By cavanagh15, Feb 03, 2011 Report Abuse
    I actually really liked this episode a lot better then the pilot. I thought the case in question was a good one and it had me on the edge of my toes the entire time. What I like most about the show is the little clues that they give you to try and solve the mystery yourself before they give it away at the end. I like the little sub-stories as well, like the chess game and the old stuttering case that James (Gideon) managaed to get out of. I like the flashbacks of the old case, I think they can relate to the real world cases very well. I like how everyone of the team tries to solve the crime by themsevles. They all sit or stand alone in a place and try to, punning off the title of the show, get into the mind of the criminal and see if they can stop future crimes from happening. I think that all of the roles so far have been cast very well, with the genius, Gideon, and the black man all moving up the ladder as far as "stars" in this show.moreless

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    2 1
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • In the beginning of episode when Reid and Hotch are in the dorm, Reid pronounces Matthew's last name as Rowling. However, about 5 minutes later when the whole team is talking to each other it is pronounced similar to Rolling. Edit
    • Reid controls the play, pause, rewind and zoom-in buttons with the return button. Edit

    • When he was near the elevator at the end of this episode, Hotchner was shown from behind reaching for his gun in his holster on his right side with his right hand. However, Hotchner (as is Thomas Gibson) is left-handed.

      Edit

  • Notes

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    • The music heard in this episode was "Every Day is Exactly the Same" by Nine Inch Nails.

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  • Quotes

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    • Student: Is this building on fire?
      Clara: Not yet.

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    • Elle: Chemical accelerant could mean chemistry student.
      Reid      : Could also mean chemistry professor.
      Elle: Mmm, I say student. You need self-confidence to lecture in front of a oom full of 30 college kids. Arsonists are socially incompetent. This guy doesn't go on dates. He doesn't go to parties. He doesn't feel comfortable in front of groups.
      (Reid stops and looks at Elle and she looks back)
      Elle: And, of course, he's a total psychopath.
      Reid: 'course.

      Edit

    • Campus Patroller: You're one of those FBI guys. Um, like a profiler, right? Like, one look at a crime scene, you can tell what kind of shampoo a killer uses?
      Gideon: You sound skeptical.
      Campus Patroller: (smiling) Uh, maybe a little.
      Gideon: Your girlfriend thinks you're gonna break up with her.
      Campus Patroller: (stops smiling) You're kidding, right?
      Gideon: Well, you keep adjusting your necklace. That tells me you're not used to wearing one or somebody else probably bought it for you, bought it recently, and the Chinese symbol on it means "forever yours."

      Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Reid: When asked about his motives, Peter Dinsdale said "I am devoted to fire. Fire is my master." Peter Dinsdale, from Manchester, England, began setting fires at age 9 and started over 30 known fires during his teenage years. In prison, he seemed obsessed by certain Bible verses, including Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters." Dinsdale, small and physically handicapped, felt compelled to set fires and to serve his true master. In two known cases, Dinsdale poured kerosene through the mail slots of homes and then ignited it. He killed at least 26 people with his fires over the years before being caught and convicted. Edit
    • Elle: Charon was the Greek ferryman of the dead. Clara has a picture of Charon in her room and also leaves a creepy phone message about him. In Greek mythology, Charon steers the ferry on the river Styx, which takes the dead to the underworld of Hades. The old tradition of putting coins over a dead person's eyes is supposed to have originated with this myth. The coins were meant to pay the ferryman. Edit
    • Morgan: A god of human sacrifice and parents' tears. This line about the ancient god Moloch is from Book I of John Milton's epic Paradise Lost. As Morgan mentions, Moloch was associated with the sacrifice of children. Edit

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