Crime Drama shows have always been popular among the audience. The portrayal of a killer’s mind, the thrilling cat-and-mouse chase, the jaw-dropping action sequence, and the satisfaction of bringing the killer to justice is something that appeals to one and all. And to add a cherry to the cake, the creators sometimes include an insight into the working of crime investigation departments.
How the investigators work together to bring a fugitive behind the bars can do wonders for a crime-drama show. That is the reason why Criminal Minds, an American police procedural crime-drama series, maintained its position in the TRP charts for an impressive duration of 15 years.
Criminal Minds: Episodes Worth Watching
Created by Jeff Davis, the series shows a team of criminal profilers at the Foreign Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who are collectively known as the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). Using behavioral analysis and profiles based on these analyses, the unit tries to capture dangerous fugitives who threaten the harmony of the state while struggling with personal problems of their own.
Through its gripping storyline and impeccable execution, the show soon became a household name and gained popularity. However, some may find it rather boring because of its long duration and almost similar plots in its 324 episodes. Here’s a brief analysis of episodes worth watching and worth skipping if you want to give this show a rerun or if you are willing to step into the world of Criminal Minds:
Worth Watching
Season 2, Episode 15 – Revelations
This classic episode was a perfect blend of thrill and emotions. The episode featured the brutal torturing of BAU’s member Reid and the teams’ attempt to save their mate. The episode is considered the best because of the heart-wrenching act of James Van Der Beek as another victim and the spine-chilling act of Dawson Leery as the psychopath serial killer. These two acts and the high tension levels with a personal touch made this episode the best in the series.
Season 2, Episode 11 – Sex, Birth, Death
The star appearance of Nathan Harris as a struggling teenager with the qualities of a serial killer was the standout part of the episode. This dark, psychological episode, which ended with Nathan’s death, is among the best because of the cast’s witty writing and intense acting.
Season 1, Episode 18 – Somebody’s Watching
The BAU took a journey to Hollywood to go after an obsessive stalker-killer who went on to kill the competition of his favorite actress, Lila Archer. But when his efforts to help Lila went unnoticed, he made Lila his next target. This spine-chilling episode not only has jaw-dropping action sequences but a well-handled romance sequence between Reid and Lila.
Season 5, Episode 12 – The Uncanny Valley
The episode featured one of the creepiest cases of the series. It showed a female psychopathic killer abducted women because of her obsession, drugged them, and turned them into living dolls. The intricate plot development, well-written themes of corrupt misuse of power, and sensitive exploration of pain make this episode worthy of this list.
Season 5, Episode 9 – 100
100 showed the end of the long battle between Hotch and Foyet after the narcissist killer killed Hotch’s ex-wife and son. The episode was brutally painful, and the reaper arc was the highlight of the episode. The sky-high emotions made this episode worthy of a rewatch.
Worth Skipping
Season 1, Episode 9 – Derailed
The episode, which portrayed a schizophrenic physicist who takes Elle and four other hostages to Texas after a mental breakdown, failed to connect with the audience. Though being ideally original, this strangely written episode was not as exciting as the other episodes of the season.
Season 3, Episode 10 – True Night
After his wife was murdered, Jonny McHale, a famous graphic artist, turned into a psychopath killer. The storyline looks promising, but chaotic and sloppy filming ruined the entire plot. The comic book style transformation and childish screenplay stood out like a sore thumb.
Season 4, Episode 14 – Demonology
The episode narrates the tale of a priest who goes on a killing spree in the name of religion. Though being an interesting storyline, the unnecessary involvement of Prentiss made it unbearable. The episode was one of the most vaguely written in the entire series to make the case worse.
Season 9, Episode 3 – Final Shot
This was by far the most bizarrely written episode with a messy storyline. The episode began with a woman escaping domestic violence. Suddenly, the viewers were transported to the mind of a sniper-killer. The only silver lining was the part where the team found that the killer accompanied them. Apart from this, the episode was a complete dud.
Season 10, Episode 9 – Fate
The episode’s idea was interesting, where a woman turned into a killer after her car accident. But what made this episode unbearable was the killing spree of the woman without proper reasoning. Also, the misfit actress portraying the role of serial killer made it even worse.
Conclusion
Even after going through a lot of changes in the cast and crew, the show managed to create a special place in the hearts of the viewers. Thanks to the makers, the show gained a cult and loyal fan following throughout the world. Apart from some duds, all the episodes of the show are worth rewatching. You can binge-watch the entire series on Netflix, available for subscribers. Stay tuned for more updates.
