The Instincts

Season 4, Episode 5, Aired
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Episode Summary

When a young boy is kidnapped in Las Vegas, Reid begins to have dreams that force him recall forgotten memories from his childhood as he investigates the case.
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Fan Episode Reviews (13)

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  • Creepy and entertaining; all in the one package!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By amazing_race, Apr 07, 2011 Report Abuse
    This was another great episode of Crminal Minds. While I thought a couple of the last ones were a little below standard, this show provided a great return to form for Criminal Minds.

    The kidnappping storyline was interesting and well-developed, and the crepy phonecalls from the kidnapper were just absolutely eerie! I loved it!

    I also love d the wtist s and turns along the way, and Reid was just great in this episode. Very interesting to see!

    Overall, it is definitely an episode that I would highly recommend! The storyline was phenomenal and the whole case was breathtaking form start until finish, and a great ending too , I might add! Keep i up, guys!moreless

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    5 0

  • When a little boy goes missing the tam are called in.....

    10
    "Perfect"
    By vicky24c, Apr 07, 2011 Report Abuse
    In this episode of Criminal Minds, the following happens. The team are called in when a second little boy goes missing. In both cases the murderer, calls the parents of the missing boy to taunt them. Hotch and JJ go to see the family whose son is the second victim and who is currently missing. We learn from the boy's mother that she's scared to close her eyes in case she sees him die. We also learn in this episode that JJ is expecting a baby boy. At a request of the team, the mother and father of the missing boy agree to go to the funeral of the first victim.
    The team believe that the killer may attend the funeral. We learn from Spencer himself that he has been having different versions of the same nightmare since he was a little boy. The nightmares have once again returned. At the funeral the team approach a man who is taking photos of the coffin. We learn that he is from a newspaper. They don't believe his story and so they take him in for questioning. Morgan does some digging and discovers that a murder of a little boy that happened when Spencer was 4 years old matches that of his nightmares. He team son realise that the man they have in for questioning has nothing to do with the murders. When they return back to the house, the killer phones and admits that he was at the funeral and he saw the FBI there.
    After the phone call ends, the team believe that they are in fact dealing with a woman, not a man as they had previously believed. The team soon believe that the woman has lost a child of her won. They son release that she has lost a newborn and that she has been breastfeeding the boys instead of feeding them. The team soon learn of her identify and learn that she had a baby 3 weeks before and after 5 days social services took the baby away from her. They get an address and the team head there. They arrive and the woman runs. The team chase after her and Reid clears the house and finds the boy in one of the bedrooms. As the parents are reunited with their son the mother tells JJ that she's going to be a great mother. At the very end of the episode Spencer has another dream and this time he sees his father with the dead body of the little boy.moreless

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  • Excellent episode, full of suspense and twists and turns which keep you guessing - which is exactly what good dramatic television is supposed to do. Great to see more of Reid and learn about his background. Some great acting by all concerned too.moreless

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Lady_Lancaster, Jul 25, 2010 Report Abuse
    How lovely to see this Reid-centred episode and to see more of the excellent perfmance of Jane Lynch in the role of his schizophrenic mother, Diana. For all the Reid fans among us, it was great to get another glimpse into his past and his childhood while still dealing with a case.

    With regard to the case in question, the BAU are called to Las Vegas, where Dr. Reid is from, to investigate the murder of a young boy who was abducted, murdered and left in the desert with his clothes clean and attention paid to his physical appearance - his hair has even been combed. When a second boy disappears, the BAU know they are dealing with the same unsub because he makes telephone calls to the parents of both boys. Meanwhile, Reid is having odd dreams about a young boy being murdered. He sees a body in a basement and is pretty certain that he recognises the killer but his mind, at first, refuses to allow him to go to that point. Is he just having a dream based on the case they are currently working on or are the dreams true childhood memories which have been dredged up because of it?

    A great episode, exciting, superbly written and acted and suspenseful at every turn. Watch and see!moreless

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  • A boy's kidnapping in Las Vegas causes Reid to have eerie dreams of his own past.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By kasey64, May 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    I loved this episode. I felt so bad for Reid. Nothing is ever easy for him. The dreams were so eerie starting from the crawling baby. I love how concerned the team are for Reid.Morgan was so great being Reid's sounding board. Love Reid's mother. She is so funny. It's nice that she noticed how thin he is. MGG really is a great actor. I felt his fear in his eyes and in his face. I love how even though he was suffering nightmare,Reid was also able to give vital info in the case and find the child. The part at the end was really freaky. The poor thing. Not only is his mother schizophrenic, now his father may be a murderer. I can't wait for next week. It looks so exciting.

    So JJ's having a little boy. I love how she bonded with the boy's mother. I like how Prentiss made fun of CSI. The CSI's usually are mad because firemen and paramedics,who are doing their jobs accidentally wreck their crime scene. It was nice to see Prentiss give it back to them.

    I felt so bad for the unsub,even though I wonder how someone that psychotic got a hold of a voice distorter. The poor boy. That was so frightenig when the unsub was treating him like a newborn. I wonder why the team thought that she was carrying the boy. The bundle looked nothing like a 5 year old. I did like the happy ending and the team night out. Poor Reid though. that was a very ugly nightmare. Can't wait for more.moreless

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  • What a way to return to GRACE, after last weeks disappointing episode!!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By KkMc7080, May 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    I was very pleased to see this episode!! It revealed more about Reid's past, and how he's trying to get a hold on it, the continuation episode looks like a killer finale to this 2 part episode!! This was an episode filled with mystery and revealed more of Reid's deamons in such a way that led him to go into the FBI. I think Reid's mother is hiding something from him, and I hope we find out what that is in the next episode. If it was his dad that killed Riley then we'll know that Reid's mother was protecting him from his father.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • It is revealed in this episode that JJ's baby is a boy. Edit

  • Notes

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    • The song heard at the end of the episode is "Shelter From the Storm" by Bob Dylan. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Morgan: We're conditioned to feel fear. The hairs on the back of our neck? They tell us the truth. Edit

    • Morgan: What the hell is scaring you?
      Reid: This boy is gonna die and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

      Edit

    • Reid: Doctor Norman gave me permission to sleep on the couch in your room tonight if... if it's all right with you.
      Diana Reid: (glares at the doctor) If anyone tries to keep him in here any longer, I'll scratch your eyes out.
      Doctor Norman: One night only.
      Diana Reid: (to Reid) Helps if they think you're crazy. They don't argue.

      Edit

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