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Criminal Minds Season 5 Episode 2

Haunted

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8.9

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/30/09

The BAU is called to Louisville to help local authorities determine what caused a disturbed man to have a psychotic break at a pharmacy and murder several customers before fleeing the scene. The team must catch him before he kills anyone else.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

I really wanted this one to be better given that we are only two episodes into the new season but it wasn't all that great and I guess there are several reasons for that ...moreless

6.0

By Lady_Lancaster, Nov 11, 2011

SSA Hotchner is back on the job just thirty-four days after being brutally attacked by George Foyet. The team are loudly wondering why he is so agitated and stressed? Could it be because he almost died at Foyet's hands? Or maybe it's because his ex wife and son have had to go into protective custody for their own safety and he blames himself?

Meanwhile, in a pharmacy in Kentucky, Darrin Call, suffers a psychotic break due to being off his prescribed medication and murders three people, injuring others. The BAU are called in to investigate. Reid is somewhat hampered by a knee injury sustained in the season opener (Matthew Gray Gubler had undergone knee surgery and was, thefore, required to be on crutches and rest as much as possible.) which means his ability to go out in the field has been severely curtailed and this has an effect on the team dynamic - it introduces an aspect of 'boringness' to that particular area.

Investigation into the background of the psychotic Darrin Call shows horrors from his childhood which show very clearly why he is suffering from mental illness and why he kills anyone who physically touches him.

I was rather bored with this episode, except for the parts where we saw Hotch so clearly suffering. The writers can do better than this.moreless
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Really strong story, beautifully acted by ALL guest stars, and directed with a lovely touch. Fed up with the too-great focus on Hotch, which distorted the intra-team stuff and sounded false notes everywhere. But the case itself was interesting.moreless

8.0

By eggyface, Sep 20, 2011

This episode was much stronger than the season opener - less choppy, more direct, and the music wasn't so intrusive. The story itself was beautifully done. CM close to its best. If every episode was paced so well and told so simply, and acted with such feeling - I'd be happy. The Unsub and Tommy and the bearded doctor, they all stood out. For some reason I loved the way the doctor said 'Don't touch him' and then the simple cry 'Oh God' as the other patient was killed in front of him. He got the bare human emotions right. The kids were great, weren't they? The little guy, just getting on with business like he was doing chores. Cop of the week was good, and that was one part of the usual format that was working well. The BAU methods (you have to understand the past so as to get ahead of the guy) versus the cop's methods (we have to catch him), there was a good interaction between those. It skirted really close to sappy that Prentiss sent Tommy to talk to the unsub at the end, and it probably wouldn't really happen at a murder scene -- why was Tommy even there? -- but when Tommy put his hand on the guy's shoulder, that was a good touch.

Handling a story so full of flashback is a hard job and whoever put this episode together, please, can you put the rest of the season together too? Lovely. I think that if you'd turned on to see the usual CM team's interactions, you'd be disappointed. A few characters were missing, understandably since Reid's knee exploded. But JJ wasn't much in it either. And those that survived onto the screen were subtly distorted by the overriding focus being on the one figure alone. Every conversation had to be about H. Every nuance had to be about H. Everyone had to be concerned about him, as if to make up for the deficiencies of the actor's range. Ach. The story didn't need it. There was plenty of resonance there purely on its own terms.moreless
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Very well written and very well acted once again.

10

By Caelieth, Sep 20, 2011

So far this season is gertting better and better. The writing is outstanding! One of the things I love about Criminal Minds is the spotlight it gives to guest actors in the storylines. This paricular story was nicely intertwined with Hotch's slow road to recovery and the team's concerns. I'm glad they are focusing on Hotch a little more, after everything he's been through it'd be sloppy writing not to.

I'm hoping we'll get more insight into what exactly happened in Hotch's apartment as the season continues, but I'm happy to wait and watch it all develop.

Emily's concern for Hotch is a nice touch, as long as it doesn't go down the romantic route. I have faith in this show not to ruin it that way though. I'm hoping it'll be Rossi who gets through to him, that'd somehow seem fitting.

Overall, fantastic episode and the flashbacks were nicely handled; giving enough information without overwhelming the story.moreless
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There was a lot of depth and great emotion in this episode.

8.4

By Parricida, Sep 20, 2011

I really liked the writing in this one. I think it had a depth and I liked the new energy between the team members, all because of Hotch. He is so out of the usual position, acting like that, that it is even painful to watch but it gives such a great depth to the whole events. Sometimes to give through some emotion, you have to go so deep and make it so dark and it works.

The story was good one - I mean the case part too. Even thought it was quite well seen and not much surprise what will happen, it was one of those stories that really get to you. It had that really scary and frightening feeling and the thought.. knowing that you were killer's son. What would it mean? What would it do? That was just so well portrayed. One of those stories, where in the end, you wish it had solved differently. I mean, all those dead people.. all those ruined life.

Great performances by quest stars. Specially loved Glenn Morshower's cop.moreless
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Hotch is off the wall. Reid is ignored, and there's a crazy guy on the loose. Must I say more.

9.5

By McAbby_luver, Sep 20, 2011

okay did anyone recognize JJ? Hotch was suicidal, Morgan over protective as always, Garcia not her bubbly self, Rossi is Rossi, Preniss being worried, Reid is injured (and no one cares:() it's a crazy world.

The unsub was awesome...crazy dude who gets off on touch, only wants to remember his past. Who can't sympathize with him?

Hotch, dude...things will get better. That was so out of character, it was hard to watch. He won't take his life, but will stand by and let someone else do it? If Reid can beat is habit(Flawed reasoning,it sounded better in my head), you can catch Foyet(He will. It will be sweet.) Morgan was worried a bit too much. He did the same thing to Gideon when he came back with the first epi...not good to doubt. But then again Hotch is a gonner if he keeps this up. I can sit through many epi's with Hoych this weak.

What was up with the stupid cord on Reid's wrist? I've read too many bad slash fics...starting to worry. Can't wait to see more CM. They're back!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Thomas Gibson	Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner
Joe Mantegna	Senior SSA David Rossi
Matthew Gray Gubler	SSA Dr. Spencer Reid
Shemar Moore	SSA Derek Morgan
Paget Brewster	SSA Emily Prentiss
A.J. Cook	SSA Jennifer "JJ" Jareau

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Sean Patrick Flanery	Darrin Call	Guest Star
Glenn Morshower	Lt. Kevin Mitchell	Guest Star
Benjamin Stockham	Young Darrin Call	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Hotchner is seen putting his weapon on the right side of his pants and drawing it with his right hand, although the actor is left-handed.
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- The unsub in this episode, Darrin Call, was named after Erica Messer's friend from college, Aaron Call. Erica and Aaron attended a sociology class taught by Dr. Charlie Cipolla. The name of another friend, Tim Cureton, is mentioned when Darrin Call is at the door of the Sterner House.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Hotchner: If we'd studied Foyet's initial crimes, we would have know that a survivor didn't make sense.
  Prentiss: What does he have to do with this?
  Hotchner: All we had to do was stop and look at Foyet's history and we didn't, and we lost two couples and a bus full of people and I'm not making that mistake again.
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- Reid: I've been thinking about it and, in the entire time I've known Hotch. I don't think I've ever seen him blink.
  Garcia: I know - it's weird.
  Reid: Alpha-male behavior.
  Garcia: Do you think he stared down Foyet?
  Reid: Maybe. It could be what saved his life.
  Garcia: Do you think he stared the whole time, like with each... (makes stabbing motion) ...stab?
  Reid: I have no idea.
  Garcia: Is he OK?
  Reid: I wouldn't be, but I'm a blinker.
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- Morgan: Every day that Foyet is out there Hotch loses and you know that.
  Rossi: You know what that makes Hotch?
  Morgan: Distracted!
  Rossi: (shaking his head) Motivated.
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- Hotchner: "There is no witness so dreadful, no accuser so terrible, as the conscience that dwells in the heart of every man." Polybius
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- Hotchner: Emily Dickinson wrote, "One need not be a chamber to be haunted. One need not be a house. The brain has corridors surpassing material places."
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NOTES (0)
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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