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Criminal Minds Season 7 Episode 2

Proof

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/28/11

The BAU is called to rural Oklahoma when women are being murdered after being tortured with sulfuric acid. Meanwhile, Reid treats JJ and Prentiss with deliberate disregard as he tries to deal with their deception regarding Prentiss' fake death.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (12)

Sy the unsub told us via video camera that he liked the end of a story. I was rather pleased when this one was over myself so I can understand his feelings.moreless

5.0

By Lady_Lancaster, Aug 04, 2012

This constant shoving of the unsub in our faces from the very beginning annoys the heck out of me. I like to be surprised, I like suspense. I DON'T like to have our intrepid crime solvers running breathlessly to catch up while we, the audience, sits back and watches to see how long it takes.

Reid's behaviour and lack of professionalism as he kept throwing what I'm certain he thought were poisonous barbs at J. J. was annoying, to say the least. When he called her 'Jennifer', I think that was supposed to hurt more than anything, but with all of his nonsense, he sounded and acted like a sulky, petulant kid whose favourite toy had been taken from him.

Of COURSE we understand that he grieved for Emily but surely, he also understood that Doyle thinking she was dead was the only way to keep her alive? Perhaps not. Definitely not, judging by his sillyness, even within earshot of others. He works for the FBI for goodness sake, doesn't he understand that secrets must be kept from others upon occasion? Hotch was right, even if Reid DID cry on J. J.'s shoulder for ten weeks, she was still in no position to tell him the truth. Hotch made the final call but didn't seem to cop any of the flack, so I'm glad he mentioned that to Reid.

The unsub may have had a fairly high degree of mental impairment, but he was obviously not in any way psychotic as he never once mixed up Tammy with her mother after he had taken her captive. Speaking of the unsub, why exactly he found it necessary to rob his victims of their senses is a little beyond my understanding and smelled like filler to me. The torture being so graphically portrayed was unnecessary. We truly got the picture. Bit hard to figure out why the places he worked for hadn't noticed that large quantities of acid were missing.

As for Ben, he must have been taking lessons in cool, calm and collected from Reid because if my brother had taken my daughter, I would have attempted to kill him first then ask questions later. He was very calm considering the circumstances.

For me, the best part of the episode was when Emily spoke to Reid on the plane, pointing out that she mourned six friends and it had given her an ulcer. (Note to CM writers - please do your medical research about the cause and development of ulcers before your characters mention them.

The parts I had the most trouble with were snarky Reid, laid back Morgan and that appalling cooking scene. I've never liked Rossi's character (although I really like Joe Mantegna as an actor) and the whole pasta extravaganza was just a wee bit too much for my delicate stomach. If that was meant to represent a 'family' scene for the team, Heaven help us if anyone should say, go onto drugs or start acting in theatre productionjs again.

Wonder what next week will bring?moreless
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Awesome!!! I would say 'Proof' is one of the scariest CM episodes ever!

10

By twistedlogic20, Nov 25, 2011

This episode marked the first time in a long time a CM episode truly gave me the chills!

The unsub was a friendly-looking, chubby guy who smiled a lot and seemed like he wouldn't hurt a fly (boy, was I wrong!). In fact, when the ep began I thought he was going to be the victim. But as it turned out, he was a psycho who enjoyed raping women who reminded him of his brother's wife and when they showed how any sign of revulsion he would use sulfuric acid to rob them of one of their sense. Great acting by the guy playing the unsub!

Also, I really liked that Reid showed some emotion in this ep. The fact that he admitted going over to JJ's house crying for 10 weeks after Prentiss "died" was sad and sweet at the same time. I have to say one of my favorite scenes was when JJ and Reid were arguing and JJ said that Reid was angry because his profiling skills couldn't detect that they were lying, to which he answered something like 'the reason you could play with me like that was because I trusted you'! Awesome scene!!!

Frankly, I find it a bit odd that the other team members are so calm about the fact that Hotch and JJ lied to them about something so important! So, Reid's anger really seemed appropriate to me.

To sum up: great ep, definitely a must-see for all CM lovers! and if this is any sign of how the upcoming season will be, we really are in for a treat!

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Disgusting and cheesy, all at the same time. For CM writers without a clue, no, that's not a compliment.

2.0

By Finnegan77, Nov 25, 2011

Reid, who we were given to believe in last week's ep has grown a pair and is willing to make the tough calls and serve up a can of whoop-butt on the baddies has been crying on JJ's shoulder for ten weeks?? TEN WEEKS?? And now he's not only unprofessional, he's acting like a twelve-year-old girl whose best friend just kissed Denny Newman - and she knew I liked him!

What the heck, people?Morgan is all sweetness and light (he's apparently had those ten weeks to work on his anger management issues) and Reid is tossing his (shorn) curls and snapping out like a Real Housewife. (I half expected him to throw his wine in JJ's face and start pulling hair.) Hotch is grinning from ear to ear and Rossi has become weird grandpa again. Who are these people??

The CM machine is broken. Or, perhaps, it has amnesia. It doesn't remember who its characters are or what it's supposed to do. It thinks it's Dexter or Saw and that the viewers are hyped up tweens who can't get enough gore right up there in their faces or criminals whose identity is handed to them in extreme close-up from the get-go.

Watch some season two or three or four.That was Criminal Minds. That was puzzly, brain-power, heroes with slender flaws, elite profilers working together. It was cases where the viewers got to play along and weren't force fed on utterly disgusting images of vicims being brutalized but were reminded of the evil unsubs do with subtlety and imagination. (And it worked better, folks!)

And, if they can't remember how to do team as family, that was the dinner scene in A Real Rain or the end of Revelations. It was the gang having drinks or the women taking down the pseudo-FBI guy with a few well aimed barbs.

My favorite show. It was my favorite show because of crime solvers who were brilliant and fascinating and human beings - but not ill-written parodies of human beings. If it continues to paint the screen with blood and wounds and badly drawn characters, I'm done. I gave it last season to get that out of its system. I'm not giving it any more of my time.

Another reason I kept coming back? Reid. Reid was a charming stumbling genius who could get in your face and put the bullet right where it needed to be while still doubting himself. He kept me drawn in and made me want to see his character development. Dr. Reid was original and not-perfect and funny and sad. And now they've turned him into a prissy diva.

Worst. Episode. EVER. (Yes, I'm including the Russians. AND the other horrible ep this writer gifted us with last season which ended with the bloody couple meeting in the heavens. Crappy writers apparently get hired on full time.)

Note to new viewers. Buy the DVDs of Seasons 1-5. Rent them on Netflix. Then you'll see how completely embarrassing an ep like this one should be.moreless
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Nothing is worse than waiting a week for a new episode for it to be rubbish.

6.0

By DaisyMitchel, Nov 25, 2011

I did not enjoy this episode. It was gruesome and every character seemed to have purple eye bags even when they hadnt been crying!

I thought that the storyline was rubbish: a disabled man turns to murdering girls who look like a girl he 'felt up' who turned out to be his sister in law? He then abducted his neice after she dyed her hair and wore her mums dress? I mean come on!

We were told we would learn more about the characters this season. We haven't really be told anything apart from that Rossi lives in a mansion - and the cases are lacking informations; we never understood why he (Si) took his victims senses. It was all based on him and him videoing himself.

We didnt see much of Emily! We need more Prentiss!!!!! I thought we would see tension between her and the rest of the team would be there. But there was nothing. Morgan just forgave her, its not very Morgan like.I did however enjoy the tension between Reid and JJ, i think we needed to see more of Reid's angry side, but it should have lasted a few more episodes. I like how Reid actually revealed his emotions unlike the previous seasons, but it was a massive jump for his character! He was like it when Prentiss returned not when she died. Its almost like the summer COMPLETELY changed him!

I really love CM though, this episode was just not up to scratch. It needed to be stronger after the success of the family reunion of 7.01. I cant wait for 7.03 thought.

We did however see Hotch smile!moreless
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Creepy unsub!

10

By hegehalvorsen, Nov 25, 2011

I love this show. I just hope they don't drag out the "I'm betrayed because Emily is alive" thing too long. It was ok to see Reid upset over it and we saw Morgan upset in the first episode. But they all saw what kind og man Ian Doyle was and they should understand why Hotch and JJ did what they did. I just hope it won't be a reccuring thing all season.

The unsub in this episode was totally creepy! I almost looked away when he was with the victims. He gave me chills down my spine! I think the writers are on the way of giving us the CM from season 3-5. Good unsubs and a little fun stuff as well. The cooking thing at Rossi's house, sorry mansion, was fun and marked a new beginning for CM. Can't wait for more episodes!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
A.J. Cook	SSA Jennifer "JJ" Jareau
Paget Brewster	SSA Emily Prentiss

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Andy Milder	Cy	Guest Star
Caroline Schreiber	Abby Elcott	Guest Star
Sean Ryan Fox	Young Cy	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (3)
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- Hotchner: Reid, if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me.
  Reid: I can't. I didn't come to your house crying for 10 weeks.
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- Rossi: Scott Adams wrote, "Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge."
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- Reid: "If it is a Miracle, any sort of evidence will answer, but if it is a Fact, proof is necessary." Mark Twain
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NOTES (3)
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- The dish that Rossi was making at the end of the episode for the team was spaghetti alla carbonara.
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- The song heard in the final scene in Rossi's kitchen was "Mambo Italiano" by Dean Martin.
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- Production on this episode wrapped on July 28, 2011.
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