Wait, this isn't the finale?

[a_blackpanther]

This is the discussion post for Episode 8x22 - "#6 ". Watch out for SPOILERS in the comments.

Comments

[x-steffi-x.livejournal.com]

Isn't it a 2 part finale? Or am I wrong?

[wagrobanite.livejournal.com]

no the finale is a two hour bit: Brother's hotchner (with Sean! *whee!) and then The replicator

[private----ryan.livejournal.com]

And now I'm hoping against hope that this episode will somehow line up with Riding the Lightning.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

Nice one, Reid.

[mycha-kk.livejournal.com]

So, any Blake likers after this episode? :)

Personally I like her a lot, and her relationship with husband is interesting, they clearly love each other, or he loves her a lot, and the ending scene was very touching. I also like her phoning him during the case, meaning he was on her mind. Also LOVED Reid/Blake moment. And Rossi/Blake fist bumping moment :D

About the case. Scenario unfortunately, very predictable to me. I suspected the #6 was our unsub the moment the other woman got kidnapped (the change of MO - and lack of any indication the first kidnapped woman had an affair, the mask during the second kidnapping). And when the Unsub played the "victim" it was clear he got off the scenario/situation they were in. Also it was obvious they'll need the estranged wife to save the kidnapped woman. And I find it odd that Maya the unsub wife didn't got a kevlar vest. Her psychotic husband could do anything to her, so I find it careless to endanger her in such a way.

But I liked how the team was focused on profiling different parts of the investigation thus approaching the case from different angles (maps, cars, the victims - the wounds) - a true team work. To be honest I kinda puzzled that I liked the sharing of the case load in this episode. After all they always split in twos and do it that way. But then again maybe in this episodes the team really shared the different aspects that summed up into the whole profile? anyway, I liked the teamwork in this episode. And we got some good ole profiling too.

Do we get a two parter next week for the finale?

[ruralstar.livejournal.com]

I guess the finale is two separately titled episodes but it is aired back to back so....

For me Blake is just sort of there. I don't like or dislike her. I enjoyed her moment with Reid in part because it showed that the Maeve issue still resonates even though we know it's been put to bed for the most part. And it was nice to see someone reaching out to Blake on a personal level. We know Reid knows her from work at George Town but this connection is so rarely referenced it might as well not exist. As for Blake's marriage... it's a bit unconventional but not so odd given the way the world works now. I can't see them ever having children but being parents is not for everyone.

The case was O K. I didn't peg the UnSub right off. Maybe it was obvious but not to me. *shrugs* I did like how everyone brought something to the mix. Good team work.

[full-metal-ox.livejournal.com]

for Blake's marriage... it's a bit unconventional but not so odd given the way the world works now. I can't see them ever having children but being parents is not for everyone.

Bear in mind that this isn't necessarily the first marriage for either one, and they're old enough to have grown children by prior unions.

[ruralstar.livejournal.com]

Good point re grown children but I don't get the impression that Blake has been a parent. *shrugs*

[mycha-kk.livejournal.com]

I don't see Blake nor her husband as a parent either. I got the impression they were their first spouses, and worked well because they both accepted the work-before-personal-life motto. They probably take comfort in knowing there is someone that cares for them and loves them, but at the same time gives them the space and independence they clearly crave. They may change their mind in the future though, deciding to live in more conventional way, because they were hints in the episode it might end up that way :)

[full-metal-ox.livejournal.com]

Don't misunderstand me; that's likewise the impression I got--and heck, I'm childfree myself and about their age. I'm just cautioning viewers to beware of premature assumptions: recall the immortal words of Benny Hill. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6jaKkE0RsI)

[mycha-kk.livejournal.com]

I liked the Reid/Blake moment because it was a reminder of her being there for him and because he's the closest one to her at the moment, simply because they know each other the longest, I liked too, that this connection was brought up to the surface again.

I have to confess I'm glad we don't get much of the Meave issue. I was disappointed they have killed her off, because I was hoping for a happy story line for Reid for once. I was VERY disappointed with another unhappy ending for personal arch of Reid. I don't recall ANY happy arch for Reid in all the 8 seasons, and frankly - as much as I love Reid - i'm getting tired of him being the 'victim' of angst all the time.

About the case obviousness. I guess I just worked out the formula (or more like different variants of the formula...) and now can pick up the pattern, thus realizing who the UnSub is... It has happened to me before. I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan (I simply ADORE her characterizations), but the plotlines, while entertaining, became quite obvious to me in the formulas she used. She usually modified a formula, and after reading like half of her books, I started resolving the cases way before the book ended... Still very pleasant reading, just like CM is a very pleasant watching. :)

[full-metal-ox.livejournal.com]

But I liked how the team was focused on profiling different parts of the investigation thus approaching the case from different angles (maps, cars, the victims - the wounds) - a true team work. To be honest I kinda puzzled that I liked the sharing of the case load in this episode. After all they always split in twos and do it that way. But then again maybe in this episodes the team really shared the different aspects that summed up into the whole profile? anyway, I liked the teamwork in this episode. And we got some good ole profiling too.

One of the signatures of this show has long been the portrayal (and celebration) of multiple intelligences.

(And the team members role-playing UNSUB-victim interactions! Remember when Morgan routinely used to play the Stunt UNSUB?)

[mycha-kk.livejournal.com]

Exactly! The teamwork and the different contributions that build up the profile is what really got me into the show in the first place. I just found myself enjoying the teamwork more then recently, although there didn't seem anything unusual about it...

(the role-playing was great, i hope we'll get more of that next season, although I don't remember Morgan playing the Stunt UnSub... but that's ok, any reason to re-watch the show during summer hiatus is fine by me ;) )

[bittereternity.livejournal.com]

Yeah I think this episode redeemed a lot in Blake's character. She seemed very flat before which changed with the introduction of her husband ( and D. W. Moffett weee!! :D) I liked the Reid/Blake scene, it was a nice flashback to their friendship and when Reid confided in her about Maeve.
As for the unsub, yeah I figured it out as soon as he introduced himself to Emma. He jut seemed too good to me, and I knew there had to be something wrong. I guess we should be thankful that they didn't introduce him in the first ten minutes eh?!
All in all, a good profiling based episode and extra kudos for Reid being a badass. The promo for the finale doesn't look good, but with the way promos go, nothing is probably going to happen to the characters implicated there.

[mycha-kk.livejournal.com]

As for the unsub, yeah I figured it out as soon as he introduced himself to Emma. He jut seemed too good to me, and I knew there had to be something wrong. I guess we should be thankful that they didn't introduce him in the first ten minutes eh?!

I hate when they do that! One of the fun parts of watching the show for me is to try and profile the killer on my own with the clues being revealed as the episode progress. So I hate when they reveal the UnSub identity immediately. I can try to ensemble the profile after that, but it's not so fun anymore when there is no addition of the suspense.

And Blake did seem kinda flat before so I'm happy we've got an episode focused on her, but I'd prefer if they just made Blake/[insert the main team member respectively] personal scene over the whole season when we learn little by little about her via her interactions/talks with the team. I get why people say she's kind of just ...there. Because she has been. And we didn't knew much about her, didn't learn over the time about her, and thus couldn't really grow to love her. (And i'm willing to admit that, even though I liked her from the beginning, as she seemed fine and not Mary-Sue-ish as a certain trainee agent from the past...)

[bittereternity.livejournal.com]

One of the fun parts of watching the show for me is to try and profile the killer on my own with the clues being revealed as the episode progress.

Same! This episode was really strong on the profiling, so it was a definite plus for me. tbh, the only thing that freaked me out was #6 talking about his wife. I have the same name as her and it made me just the littlest bit uneasy.
(yeah, i was always willing to give Blake a chance, because Jeanne Tripplehorn is such a fantastic actress and I never felt like she was trying to replace Prentiss or take focus away from the group dynamics, unlike the other person we shan't name ;))

[subluxate]

They probably didn't give her a Kevlar vest because a knife can penetrate it relatively easily.

[mycha-kk.livejournal.com]

i didn't know that. I'm not familiar with the protective gear, tbh. Were the vests that JJ and Blake had on Kevlar vests? Or just bullet proof vests? Are those the same?

[subluxate]

They're the same. Bulletproof vests can have ceramic or metal plates added, but they're usually Kevlar. I think the ones with plates are probably too bulky and unwieldy.