Round Table Mondays: Bit Parts

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

"There are no small roles, only small actors." -Constantin Stanislavski

I think most of us are in agreement that what makes Criminal Minds memorable is the characters. We tune in each week to watch our Band of Seven battle the monsters.

And of course, the guest stars are an essential ingredient. Whether it's the Cop Of The Week or the Latest Monster, characters like Cal McGee the OCD cop and Floyd Feylinn Farrel the Lucky Cannibal stick in our minds.

But there's a third group I'd like to discuss.


This group is the "bit players". Actors whose names are usually listed in the end credits, who may only have a few lines but who frequently bring to the episode a bit of depth and texture. They are not usually well known (although there are exceptions) and their names are not the ones drawing the viewer but they bring flavor to the story in the same way a dash of salt enhances all the other ingredients to a dish.  

Frequently these characters are witnesses who provide information that could have as easily been one of the team, or one of the local cops saying "We talked to a witness who said....". Sometimes they're the friends or family of victims. Sometimes they're just part of the "living scenery".

To illustrate who I'm talking about, some examples would be:

In "What Fresh Hell" Mr. Lomax, the unsub's envious neighbor. "His yard never has any crabgrass".

In "Identity" the store clerk - most awesome bystander ever! - who sees the abduction and runs back into the store. You think she's running to call 911 until she comes back out with a shotgun as big as she is.

In "Zoe's Reprise", the cynical-eyed, cigarette smoking crime reporter. I think I might have a teensy crush on her.

It seems to me that CM has always had good bit parts that added to the overall quality of the show. It also seems to me that there has been a lack of them in the current season, which may be why some of the episodes seem (IMO) curiously flat. It's as if something is missing, but you can't put your finger on it - and I think maybe one factor is a lack of good bit parts.

So, what do you think?

Who were some of your favorite "bit players" on CM?

Do you think they actually contributed to the storyline, or was their purpose to add depth, interest, or even a touch of comic relief to the episode?

Did their part add to the characterization of any of the main characters?

Do you think that there has been a shortage of these characters in Season 7? And if so, do you think this has taken something away from the depth or texture of the show?

Comments

[gsyh.livejournal.com]

The Neighbour in "Penelope", she heard a sound like a broom snapping, came out to investigate, and then called 911, if she haven't done that, Garcia would be dead, it was late at night*. I like how concerned but calm the neighbour was.

The lady cop in "Tabula Rasa", she was really compassionate with the unsub who had lost his memory, I was really scared for her.

Jeremy(?), the student on a bike who met Gideon twice before the elevator incident. First time, he was profiled as maybe questioning his relationship, second, Gideon notice the necklace is gone and ask who the new girl is, and he said, Brian, and Gideon was like, good reason (to break up) but generally very normative about it. This was the very second episode in the series, "Compulsion", I like how they have a gay guest character and it was just, normal.

* This is why, even if I didn't know the unsub was the unsub, I would have distrusted him the moment he insisted on taking Penelope to dinner when they don't know each other, first date should be lunch in a public place unless you are already friends. Dinner means the date either ends with her going home alone late night, or if you have to walk her home, then she'll have to let you know where she lives.

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

Buying somebody lunch is sort of casual, while dinner is definitely a date - and I think Battle was feeding his narcissism with his 'seduction' routine. But, yeah, for working folks, dinner is a pretty typical first date

[gsyh.livejournal.com]

It's empathy. I might have done the same in her case (if I didn't have to already learn to recognize it, from experience*). Keep in mind that when the unsub first woke up, he wasn't a killer, that part was asleep, he was a man who didn't know who he is except that he was accused in a murder. He was so polite and confused, in spite of his age, he radiated 'lost little boy', and people who entered the police force to protect? Would respond to that. Remember the warden who was kind to Sarah Jean in "Riding the Lighting"?

Well, first date as dinner would be cool if it's someone like JJ and Spencer, or even Garcia and Kevin, they work in the same building. Garcia at that point, knew nothing about the unsub except what he told her, the only difference between that and meeting someone off the internet is that she knows what he looks like. They were strangers and the got to know each other better date should have been in public and in broad daylight.


The problem with the night date is, even if you are okay with walking home alone, it gives him an opening to insist on walking you home, and he won't necessary look like a creeper, he might look patronizing, but to mainstream, he'll look concern, and if he has any ill intentions, it'll be disguised under the mainstream appearance of concern.

I'm genderqueer, and in appearance and behaviour, I switch back and forth a lot. When I'm a woman, other women are comfortable sitting next to me. Then the men, if they are boors, they might sit their legs spread, pressed against mine, into MY seat. If they be gents, the'll keep to their seats, keeping their hands seen, crossing their arms. Either way, it's most uncomfortable for both of us.

When I'm a man, I sit next to the same boors (I think I recognize the same boors), a few would do the same, but most wouldn't because No Homo (or maybe they expect a man to be more aggressively offended about having his seat space offended). The gents are less tense, less afraid that they'll be accused of harassment. Many women who were comfortable before though - now they wouldn't sit next to me or they'll be closed in.

As obviously a girl, I have said hi to other women on night streets, if we are alone, sometimes we are both relieved that that is another woman on the night street with us. When I'm passing as a guy, if I forget and walk too close and say hi, some women would instinctively back away, I don't know if she knows she's doing it, but I know she is because I do it to, she's quickly accessing if I'm a threat.


It it from growing up as the daughter who was told not to go out after dark, even though the sun sets at five o'clock in Canadian winter, it is from the twin gender perspectives of pulling the Polly Oliver, that I totally applaud the way how Starling explain how a man who wish to approach a woman must first consider her sense of safety:

kateharding.net/2009/10/08/guest-blogger-starling-schrodinger%E2%80%99s-rapist-or-a-guy%E2%80%99s-guide-to-approaching-strange-women-without-being-maced/

...but as nwjarvis has pointed out, Battle wasn't concerned with Penelope's feelings or well-being, he was a narcissist.

*...additionally, this is why iMad when people say that Gideon is narcissist, I know plenty of those, they will never close off when upset like Gideon does when he's hurting. Gideon views HIMSELF as damaged and a bad influence, that's why he keeps people at arm's length, Hotch pointed this out to Strauss at the end of "No Way Out II". That's why he drove off at the end. Narcissist don't break down like this, if they kill themselves, they'll kill their family first. Narcissist don't grieve alone, taking some small joy that their close ones are happy the way Gideon does when Reid is happy. Narcissist insist on everyone being as upset as them, getting resentful when the weather doesn't reflect on their mope, they forcefully changes the emotional weather of any room they walk into.

[blue-sunflowers.livejournal.com]

Thereqs kindness, and then there`s forgetting the responsibilities of your job. The popcorn she gave him was fine, but letting her guard down enough the guy could hurt her or get her gun wasn`t (and she`d been doing that long before that final scene). It wasn`t definitive the guy honestly forgot or was faking (that was pretty much the whole point of the trail) but regardless, a great many killers come across as "lost" and nonthreatening. That`s how they lure their victims. A prison guard should ALWAYS keep that in mind, no matter how much empathy they`re feeling for the prisoner. So yeahz she was totally stupid.

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

Gideon, I always thought, was... well, not homophobic, exactly, but less than comfortable around gay people. When Jeremy announces his new love interest, Jason's expression sort of freezes, as if he's not quite sure what to say. Then he comes out with something neutral like "Well... that's a good reason." Jeremy, of course, then hands him the key to solving the case.

Then in "Somebody's Watching", when the lesbian artist (another nicely written/acted bit part) starts telling him how attractive he is, Jason practically has a panic attack.

The show definitely views gay characters as solidly normal, of course. Even Rossi gets into the act, practically tearing Clueless!Abusive!Dad a new one in "In Heat". I think Gideon is just a product of his (our) generation, and not altogether comfortable with the concept.

[gsyh.livejournal.com]

Agreed, he was uncomfortable, but I don't think either Rossi or Gideon was homophobic (the guy they were both based on, John Douglas, had the same attitude, it wasn't seen much during their era but they know what evil is and it's not teh gays). He was uncomfortable because how you react to something like that is not his heteronormative social index. Heck, I'm queer, and a surprise outing throws me off my footing too - mostly because of the potential that it could lead to them telling you that their parents have disowned them, and I don't know how to handle that because I can't fix it.


Um, the lesbian artist was lesbian? I thought she was just saying it to be shocking. I think Gideon was uncomfortable in that scene because she was invading his personal space, and she was creeping on him, telling him that she thinks it's hot that he reminds her of her therapist dad! EW! If it's what you are in to, you don't spring that on someone who did not consent m'kay? If there genders were reverse, there be a macing.

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

About the artist. Hmmm. Well, I guess it's just one of those things we can't know for sure. If she wasn't just being shocking fer kix, she was throwing out more creepish stuff than you could fit in a box.

I wouldn't describe Gideon as narcissistic, but I think he does have this tendency that when his... emotional stability? self-image?... comes under attack, he goes into a very self-protective mode. In "Fisher King", first it seemed like the evilest thing the unsub did was violate Gideon's Fortress Of Solitude, then after Elle was shot he seemed more worried that Elle would agree that he did the right thing than whether Elle was going to survive. His actions can look very self-centered sometimes, and I think that's why some people see him as narcissistic; I don't agree, I just think Gideon knows that his emotional health is a little fragile and is very protective - sometimes over-protective - of it.

I said that to say this. Gideon reacted to the lesbian? artist encounter as you might expect - he got the hell out of there. But his self-centeredness shows in the way he dragged Spencer willy-nilly along with him. Personally, I think if I were Spencer I would have been "Um, Gideon? I'm off duty, and I got a little spark thing goin' with this cute blonde, so, um, I'll either catch a cab or meetcha at the airport in the morning, K K?"

[nwjarvis.livejournal.com]

She definitely said she was a lesbian; gsyh was questioning whether she actually was or was just saying that to shock Gideon. That seemed to be the least shocking thing she said, though. *g*

[citjara.livejournal.com]

She does say something to the effect that if she weren't lesbian, she'd jump him right there.

I'm not sure whether it's homophobia or just being hit upon without restraint that made Gideon run. I mean she was young enough to be his child, that alone probably made a few red lights go on inside him.

[full-metal-ox.livejournal.com]

He was uncomfortable because how you react to something like that is not his heteronormative social index.

Agreed that there desperately needs to be a non-binary form of address analogous to "Sir" or "Ma'am"?