CM's Season 6

[danikos-realms.livejournal.com]

I’ve reached episode 16 of Criminal Mind’s last season, and I can sum it up in a couple of words: what the fudge? I’m not trying to offend anyone’s sensibilities, but I though this show was a huge deal in the USA. What the heck are they doing lately? And what’s up with the spin-off?

The Rant

From the very beginning, the season has seemed rushed, overly dramatic and very little about the team and the criminals — as it was, as it should be, and the reasons why I even bother to watch when it’s not even aired in my country at decent hours.

Whatever, I thought, they’re focussing more on the team itself this season; I could live with that. But then they stopped showing the team! JJ is gone (I liked her, although I was not a huge fan), and Prentiss is on the same track . . .

Or, at least, that’s what I hear. I’m willing to pay good fic to anyone who tells me it’s a lie and means it.

Plus, the criminals stopped being interesting psychos to being simply psychos (bonus points for the one with the mummy’s issues, though), and everything is getting more and more makeshift by the episode. I only watch out of sheer loyalty for the veterans and hope it’ll change.

Furthermore, they simply won’t develop any of the main character’s stories. They throw us a bone every now and then (Morgan’s Ellie and Reid’s headaches and Garcia’s struggle with the job and Prentiss’s past) but where is the development, the background, the cathartic scenes these lovely actors do so well? When I think of Thomas Gibson in episode 5.09...! This season is seriously lacking.

Then, behold, the final blow that wrenched my heart: Ashley Seaver. I feel like crying.

The actress is beautiful, nice and competent so far (sort of aiming at replacing JJ, though, isn’t she? With the way she looks and all. . .), but where the hell does her character fit?

Ashley has no experience whatsoever, despite her rather dramatic background, which leads me to the conclusion that the whole plot is to get a pretty face to replace JJ and get Reid laid. Which I do not appreciate, because this show used to have standards and now they’re trying to convince the audience (an intelligent audience, I might add, if they enjoy this type of production) that this is believable.

They called her for her unique insight? She was profiling in her second episode! Not even Reid did that!! And the big boys – Hotch, Morgan and Rossi – actually listened? Please . . .

Plus, what kind of writers present a character’s whole back story in a single episode and get her involved in the main plot, before we even got to care for her? Which, admittedly, I totally could, IF SHE WAS BELIEVABLE. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, “Hello, Mary Sue.”

I hope – I really do, with all my CM-loving heart – that they back on the horse before the mess it all up (and that they kick Ashley Seaver back into the Academy, where she should have stayed).

Now, what do you think? Am I being unreasonable, picky, bitch-y? I really do welcome any kind of opinions, because this cannot seriously be as bad as it looks . . . Anyway, that’s my two cents. I’m really disappointed with this season.

Comments

[lawless523.livejournal.com]

It's not her fault, it's the writers/producers. But the entrance of her character is a symptom of what's wrong with the show.

I have to disagree with you, though; it seems pretty clear to me from the timing and what was said at the time -- "we want to go in a different direction" -- that her role was a cause of the cast juggling they did, both from a creative and financial perspective. Your statement that its inception predated AJ's firing and cutting back on Paget's time only confirms that. The writers seemingly didn't know what to do with the existing cast anymore, even though they hadn't yet given each of them as much backstory attention and the producers considered the female characters, with the exception of Garcia, to be fungible.

Add to that her entry into the BAU as an inexperienced intern requires a massive suspension of disbelief, and there's a good basis for saying that writing in this specific character makes even less sense than the poor writing of existing characters.

[westmoon.livejournal.com]

YES and YES.