Tumblr informs me this episode might be upsetting. But then, it's tumblr.

[a_blackpanther]

This is the discussion post for Episode 8x12 - "Zugzwang". Watch out for SPOILERS in the comments.

Comments

[blue-sunflowers.livejournal.com]

Well that ending sucked.

[lythinae.livejournal.com]

*shuts the fridge door*

[lady-agrias.livejournal.com]

WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

[meepalicious.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm Frances and I'm new and I'm here because my heart just got ripped out of my chest and then stomped on by a TV show.

[a_blackpanther]

Oh dear. Welcome to the club. We have cookies, but those aren't nearly enough to help.

[liliaeth]

Way too much Reid, but then I've been wanting a Reid light season for years

[jsks.livejournal.com]

WTH?

[knightsblack.livejournal.com]

Goddamn. God. Fucking. Damn.

That is all.

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

I think upsetting was a bit of an understatement for this episode, especially the end. Heartless, cruel bastards at CBS need to give me back the heart they ripped out of my chest then stomped on.

[eiffelicious.livejournal.com]

Cruel is the perfect word. Unnecessarily cruel.

[miss-sarac.livejournal.com]

woah these comments are worrisome....PLEASE SPOIL ME.

[wagrobanite.livejournal.com]

I really don't understand Breen's thought process in this whole Reid mess. He knows the fans love Reid... why give him a girlfriend and then kill her? It makes absolutely no sense and frankly it was dumb... I love this cast but this show has been sliding downhill at an accelerating pace. I know we've had this discussion before but when you show who the unsub is in the first 10 minutes, its not about the criminal mind anymore..

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to feel about this show the way I did about CSI (original). I would rather they end it before it goes completely off track and I end up hating what it's become.

[junejuuri.livejournal.com]

That ending was so unnecessary. It made me angry. Even though almost every episode they manage to talk down the unsub and save the hostage victim, this one time it doesn't work? I was really happy about Reid finally having a girlfriend but what was the point if they were just going to kill her off after a few episodes?

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

Yep, this exactly. I liked how they built their relationship. I liked that they were attracted to each other for their brains and the connection they shared that had nothing to do with physical appearance, because that is exactly what you'd expect Reid to need and want. Then to kill her off at the end of the episode where he sees her for the first time? Cruel and heartless. That takes "break the cutie" to a whole new level.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

Is anyone else having visions of Maeve in a coma and Reid visiting and reading and talking to her for a season or so? I'm also wondering if this is setting up Reid to leave after the next season. I'm not sure when MGG's contract runs out.

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, there's a possibility but I hope not.

[hitz-girl.livejournal.com]

I did not like the ending at all!!!!!!!!!!

[mzkitteh.livejournal.com]

I fricken needed this thread last night. TOO MANY EMOTIONS! Did anyone else shout at their tv? I sure did.

[eiffelicious.livejournal.com]

I shouted! I used all the bad words I could think of then made up some new ones for good measure.

[heretic-x.livejournal.com]

I think Breen loves to torture Reid fans because the character is so popular.

*Spoiler ahead*




and yes he confirmed that Maeve is dead, could be lying though.

[blue-sunflowers.livejournal.com]

That chat was almost as disappointing as the episode. I knew he was gonna go for the cliche'd stuff, and justification, but still. That they'd prefer to rehash old ground instead of cover new ones just boggles the mind. Timewise, it upsets me too, because technically there's no way I'll ever believe Reid can move on from this (and into a relationship no less) in the time it'll take before the show *is* eventually canceled, pretty much meaning all his hopes and dreams of family etc just really won't come true. But I'm sure the show will force that anyway, so the massive dissonance between what would REALLY happen and the complete washing out of the impact of this storyline will get ignored.

I'm also pretty pissed at him now that his "God Complex" chat can be put into proper perspective. The Sherlock hints *weren't* clues, the team stalker really had no play in the storyline (except the opening phonecall, which I caught), and he "hopes we're happy!" with the result.

[jupisan.livejournal.com]

I wanted Reid and happiness damn it.

Knew Dawn was the stalker when she asked Reid by saying Doctor.

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

This was a really good episode. I liked that it was a departure from the usual blood-and-guts torture porn and was more of a psychological thriller. Having a woman as the UNSUB/stalker was interesting since everyone assumed the stalker was a man.

[aim2misbhave.livejournal.com]

I know! There was recently a post here where most people ended up saying that the torture porn type stuff was kind of reaching their limits... then we get an episode where you're really, really trying to figure out what's happening almost the entire time... and then they fridge the woman?!?

[annievh.livejournal.com]

Me thinking that maybe Reid will get on with Hotch's brother now, since he may come back in future episodes?
I'm just trying to be hopeful.

[partly.livejournal.com]

After all the time I've spent defending this show as not being misogynistic, pointing out that they give women agency and independence, that they don't just write them in as props -- and they do this shit?

They create a female love interest who's only point of existence is to die and make Reid all sad? WHAT. THE. HELL?

[blue-sunflowers.livejournal.com]

OMG I know! The worst part is it totally feels like the haters won. Like they cared more about full-filling *those* expectations than, y'know, normal people. The worst hater of all Breen actually seems buddy-buddy with and responds to her all the time. Trust me, it's a complete two-faced turnaround when the person's using her many other IDs to go EVERYWHERE to bash the show and the writers.

[gaudy-flowers.livejournal.com]

Just watched it my DVR of it and came running here. And all I can say is really?!? You don't create that kind of story arch, espeically for Reid, and then end it like that. I'm more angry then sad, it's like they just want to keep reinforcing the stereotype that smart, quirky people can't find somebody to love when we know they do. Seriously writers, fuck off.

[periantari.livejournal.com]

very upsetting :(

[sentinelsoul.livejournal.com]

I saw the description of next week's episode beforehand, so I pretty much knew it was coming. What bullshit. If you wanted to torture Reid, dude, there are a hell of lot of other ways to do it than just killing off his love interest. (Poor Beth Riesgraf, Leverage gets cancelled and her character is killed off on CM shortly thereafter.)

I get it, this show is about the darkness and pain in people, even the good guys. There's a line, though, and once you cross that line it's not meaningful and deep, it's clichéd, overwrought, and ridiculous. It makes you look like an idiot, the show look awful, and it upsets the fans. And guess what? It also pisses off the network, because they're having to deal with fans being vocal about just how upset they are, and how some might even jump ship. (I don't blame them. I'll keep watching for now, but I fear it's all downhill from here.)

*slow clap* Great work, dumbass.

[lily-nee.livejournal.com]

I follow this community for a while but never left a message. But this time ?!?

I'm totally upset. Ok, whoever write this episode : I HATE YOU !!!

I'm about to boycott the show. God damn I love this show but WTF !! What they are doing for a while is bullshit >.<

PS : I'm sorry for my probably bad english, I'm french and too upset xD

[luscious-words.livejournal.com]

No need to apologize. You're saying what many of us feel. Welcome!

[eiko82.livejournal.com]

I had already read the comments here so I knew Maeve would die and was prepapred for it somehow but seriously, WTF was that? The ending sucked BIG TIME.

You know, I was really happy that Reid was getting a girlfriend and I loved the way it was handled so far. It made sense that they would each other for their brains/intelligence. So I was rooting for them. But this conclusion, that is bullshit right there. All it accomplished was upsetting fans and creating unnecessary drama/angst for Reid. I honestly don't even see the point in giving Reid a girlfriend if you're just gonna kill her off like that.

*very disappointed*

[bittereternity.livejournal.com]

I watch the show but I've never commented here before. After watching this though, I feel like I have to. Firstly the positives: I thought it was an excellent episode, after too many of the gory and creepier episodes, I welcomed the change of pace to something more psychological and emotional. Loved the use of the Penrose triangle and Thomas Merton. Since I hang on to every Reid scene (As with most people, he's my favorite CM character), I welcomed the spotlight on him. MGG was phenomenal. But then, the ending. I mean, what the fuck.

As if, as if Reid hasn't had enough tragedy already. I know Breen Frazier said that Rossi and Hotch have also lost family/spouses, but combine that with being tortured, Dilaudid addiction, being abandoned pretty much throughout his whole life especially with his dad and Gideon leaving, getting shot, getting anthrax, getting shot AGAIN, having headaches and schizophrenia issues, and a constant fear of not being good enough and he's pretty much the unluckiest person EVER. To introduce a pretty great character just to have her die is... deeply sadistic and so, so cruel. I mean, yeah sure Hotch heard Haley being killed and it was very painful, I agree, but come on, give this guy a break, he has nothing! I wouldn't be surprised if he jumps off a cliff.

That being said, I'm looking forward to having more of a Reid arc. MGG's performances are always a treat. <3

/rant.

[eiko82.livejournal.com]

As if, as if Reid hasn't had enough tragedy already. I know Breen Frazier said that Rossi and Hotch have also lost family/spouses, but combine that with being tortured, Dilaudid addiction, being abandoned pretty much throughout his whole life especially with his dad and Gideon leaving, getting shot, getting anthrax, getting shot AGAIN, having headaches and schizophrenia issues, and a constant fear of not being good enough and he's pretty much the unluckiest person EVER.

And having to care for his mother with schizophrenia, where he had to make the difficult decision of having her commited to a mental institute.

But yeah I agree with all of this so much. Reid has been through enough emotional abuse that we really don't need to see more of it. I was looking forward to seeing Reid happy and content for once in his life.