Episode discussion

[a_blackpanther]

This is the discussion post for episode 4x01 "Mayhem". Watch out for SPOILERS in the comments.

Comments

[califmole.livejournal.com]

Argh! I know it's really shallow of me, but they just announced President Bush will be addressing the country at 9PM tonight, and my first thought was "What will CBS do with the Criminal Minds premiere?"

[a_blackpanther]

Probably still go ahead with it. I wouldn't worry too much - who wants to listen to Bush when you can hear the summary at the 11 o'clock news?

They wouldn't cancel it, would they?

[maisontv.livejournal.com]

- Shut up, President Bush. I want my CM!

- Hotch is in shock. Ouch, Kate. That's gotta hurt.

- Hotch's yelling in the background is so heartbreaking.

- Run, bitch. Give Morgan an excuse to shoot you. Please.

- I'm suspicious of the EMT. He's using them to get to the hospital. I feel it.

- Now that Kate's taken care of, Hotch can let his injuries take over him. Mom won't show weakness until he knows that the kids are okay.

- Who gets a signal in a hospital basement? I can't even get a signal in my own basement.

[shoshannagold.livejournal.com]

Who gets a signal in a hospital basement? I can't even get a signal in my own basement. I know! I thought the same thing. Garcia's genius can explain Morgan's cell, maybe, and the unsub had the powers of evil on his side or something?

[rita36020.livejournal.com]

wow...this epi really had me going!!! i loved it!

[buffyaddict13.livejournal.com]

i do not hit my cyxie.

but i do hug you.

*smish*

[sugar-high-07.livejournal.com]

AH HA! I CALLED YOU FAKE EMT! I love my college course in First Aid so much. Even if it might have just been the actor not knowing what the hell to do. >.> But CM, from what I noticed, is usually very good with little things like that. So, I'll pretend it was a hint for my neurotic mind. :P

Anywho, great episode. I wish that it was a bit less of *OMG!SUSPENSE* When it was pretty obvious what was going on.

[diemme.livejournal.com]

I did too! He definitely had that "up to no good" vibe.

[saturniia.livejournal.com]

*throws hands up*

Wee! That was just... I'm probably the only person thrilled Bush addressed the nation, because 1) I was still driving (okay, being driven) home from work, and 2) that means I got to see more of an episode for which I forgot to set the recorder... and what an episode it was! Not necessarily the best season premiere they've had, but one heck of a roller-coaster ride, and worth waiting four months to finish.

I especially liked the way they played the exploding ambulance and "identity of Echo" scenes. It was terrifying to think Morgan might be dead, and immensely satisfying to see him stand up in Central Park, yards away from the explosion.

Even after a near-death experience, he can't stop flirting with Garcia... aww!

About Echo's lack of identity, I thought it was a nice reminder that CM is about two things- the team and the unsub. The victims and their families matter, yes, but not every member of the team is as obsessed with survivors as Gideon.

[maisontv.livejournal.com]

I was really only upset about Bush speaking because I was so bored that I had to watch 90210 while I was waiting for CM. I think the 15 minutes of that show that I watched killed a few thousand brain cells.

[sweet-revenge00.livejournal.com]

Wow, great episode!

- Hotch was awesome. I'm glad the writers gave him something good for an episode. And can I just say I hope Hotch gets blown up in every episode? The blood and messy suit look really works for him.

- Ah Morgan, Morgan, Morgan. As amazing as you are, you are an idiot to go find a bomb big enough to blow up the entire hospital by yourself. Even if it gave us a great conversation between him and Garcia.

- For some reason, I loved the scene with Hotch in the hospital gown. Not only was it amusing to see him in it, it was also amusing seeing him be all "Where the eff are my clothes, people?!"

All in all, good episode. Proving that Criminal Minds (unlike most shows) gets better with each new episode.

[ahollowplay.livejournal.com]

I was able to watch the beginning on CTV because I'm super close to Canada, but then it cut to infomercials when regular programming was back on. So I got to rewatch it. Woot woot.

Anyway - Hotch. Oh god Hotch.
MORGAN. I freaking love Morgan.

[ohshiznaps.livejournal.com]

Was i the only one that cried after the morgan/garcia exchange? Yes? thought so.

oh my god the episode was fantastic. i was freaking out my dogs by yelling.
when the ambulance exploded i screamed.

Prentiss is freakin gorgeous. i'm sad Cooper has a wife/kids. they're adorable together.. and he's a cutie.

[empressnan]

Was i the only one that cried after the morgan/garcia exchange? Yes? thought so.
*raises hand* Nope. You weren't alone. I cried too.

[mcgarrygirl78.livejournal.com]

I too liked the exchange with Cooper and Prentiss. All the good ones are so seriously taken.....poor girl.

Mmm, I dont think I have the strength to get into how much I loved Hotch in this episode. I am really hoping when I close my eyes tonight I get to revisit him in that hospital gown. He was such a battered hero tonight and I just wanted to hug him while yelling at him to kick someone's ass. Anyone really, as long as they're a bad guy.

Um, Morgan......yeah, I am so in love. I didnt think I could fall any harder but yeah, I'm done. Flip her over. The thing with him and Garcia tonight, I was almost in tears. Didnt quite cry ohshiznaps but I was close. There is just something between them that defies definition and we got just a little taste tonight, FINALLY, of what he feels too.

I was glad for the lack of Reid *ducks* but still happy with the ensemble. Hotch telling Morgan that he had and always will trust him with his life, I want to hear that repeated like everyday, it was so sincere and I could hear the slight hurt that Morgan didnt feel the same. The idea of them in a car together for three hours........100 people are attempting that fic as we speak. Its not me, I swear.

Phenomenal episode, great start to what I hope is the best season yet.

[ohshiznaps.livejournal.com]

when morgan was stalking the ambulance and garcia started talking to him, i LOVED that he answered "yeah, baby?"

he's about to encounter a big freaking BOMB, and he still thinks of her enough to call her baby.

[mod-feminist-85.livejournal.com]

Loved it. Morgan about gave me a heart attack. I loved the end of the exchange when he gets up and makes her promise never to stop talking to him and she says that she can't because she's mad at him. I also knew that he would be the first person Garcia called after hearing about the SUV. The Hotch in the hospital gown demanding his clothes was just priceless.

[vomitsmoothie.livejournal.com]

I AM SO PISSED OFF!!!
I had been anticipated this episode for a long, long time. I was so excited when it was finally time to watch it. I enjoyed the first 45-50 minutes with no problem, and then with the dramatic ending where the crew finally figures everything out, my station had "technical difficulties" and there was NO SOUND for the last 10 or so minutes! Luckily I could watch what was going on, but I could not HEAR anything.
Is there any place where I can see this show online? CBS doesn't seem to provide their shows online like the other channels do. ARGH!!!

[dragonladyk.livejournal.com]

It should be on YouTube in another couple of days. Google the episode number.

Did anyone else mourn the lack of quote? I hope that was a time thing and not a "we're not doing that anymore" thing.

But the ep? Was awesome. I completely forgive them for Kevin Lynch for that AWESOME ambulance/post-explosion conversation.

And I'm glad Joyner died. Though I will say that officially everyone who has harmed/nearly killed/killed one of Hotch's has died: The Fisher King, Henkel, Colby, and now the terrorists. It's kinda freaky. Makes you wonder what kind of dark secret Hotch is hiding...

DragonLady

[shoshannagold.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm Shosh, and I'm new around here. *waves* I mainlined all three seasons this summer and I'm totally gone on this show in a way I haven't been in a long time. I haven't done the intro post thing yet, because I haven't had a lot to say, and, um, I'm a little shy. But tonight's show totally rocked and none of my friends are really into CM and, really, I just have to babble for a while.

So, the really important thing first: Dear God, what is with JJ's shirt?!?! I mean, city at risk, big bombs, multiple unsubs, yeah, yeah. But that SHIRT! I couldn't stop staring at it whenever she was in a scene. Pregnancy doesn't kill your fashion sense! Wardrobe, are you on crack?

The first 20 minutes or so, before Morgan showed up, and it was just Hotch alone with Kate - and, fine, the kid (Sam? I clearly need to start taking notes if I watch it when it airs, because I'm so used to being able to rewind whenever I want.) Hotch, I get that you were just blown up, but you're on a New York street in the middle of a crisis, and there's only one guy around? And then a lone paramedic? A weird one, at that? Hmm. Anyway, it was just so powerful, because Hotch is usually the one in control, manning the command centre, directing SWAT, that kind of thing. And there he is, all alone with his friend dying, with help just out of reach. It hurt every time he called for help and nobody came. I like the way those scenes were shot, too, all dark with only light on Hotch.

Did Morgan profile a cop in a split second, or were there actually Marines on the ground? It wouldn't surprise me if he had, I just wasn't paying close enough attention to the other guy - and, really, can you blame me, because OMG Morgan, go save your man!

I did a double-take when I realized Hotch was driving the ambulance. Of course he would be, because there's nobody else to do, and there's nothing that man can't do, but it caught me by surprise. And how totally Hotch, to hold on until Kate's being taken care of, and then to just go down. I have undying love for Hotch. And they can put Thomas Gibson in a hospital gown anytime they want. I also thought that it was really awesome that Morgan sent for Hotch's go bag without even had talked to him. They all know each other so well and it comes out with tiny, intimate details like that, which make my heart go all smooshy.

I wanted to hold Garcia's hand for the entire episode. I mean, more than I wanted to hold everybody else's hand, too. Prentiss, Rossi, Reid, and JJ all had each other for most of the ep, but there's poor Garcia, phone lines going down all over the place, calls going to voice mail when people might be dead, her boss - who she totally loves and respect and is one of her family - getting blown up in front of her over and over again, Morgan playing the hero all night long ... okay, you all watched, too. You know what I mean. *grins* Anyway, all this is happening, and Garcia is all alone with this tech who she barely knows. Great girl, good head, but not one of her team, you know? Then again, I loved the way she's in the middle of all this, knows that Morgan's out there with the bad guys, and trusts that he can talk to her and do his job at the same time. That relationship, the way they care about each other - I totally cried.

There was barely any Reid tonight (or any Rossi, really, but I'm fine with that). Very tempting to do a recap from his point of view.

[shoshannagold.livejournal.com]

(I exceeded comment length. *blushes*)

Morgan's going to be the death of me. First, a dark subway tunnel with a guy who just blew up Hotch, and then the ambulance with a big bomb that BLEW UP! No, please, take as many unnecessary risks as you have to. It's fine. I'm sure my heart will start again any second.

Lovely moment with Hotch in the hospital room, taking care of Kate however he can, even if it's just her body. So, a woman to whom he's close, who is the spitting image of his ex-wife, basically bleeds out in his arms. I don't suppose that this is somehow symbolic of his love for Haley dying, so he can move on and stop being so broken? That's totally wishful thinking, isn't it? He's just going to keep on being broken. WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE FIX HOTCH! If there's anybody who deserves to be taken care of, it's him. Or maybe he can't let other people in enough to do that?

We go from Hotch saying, 'You do your job very well, and people notice,' to 'You don't trust, therefore you are (somewhat?) untrustworthy'? I had a really hard time reading Hotch during that scene, but what I got out of it was, 'I don't want to lose you, too, even if it makes you hate me.' And, okay, the ep needs to show up online now (I haven't any way to tape it, sadly) because I need to watch that scene about a dozen times, because I feel like there were nuances there I couldn't catch in one go. Anybody have any thoughts on that? Or on Morgan's reactions?

Wow. This is more than I've posted in my journal in like a month (writing my thesis, no personal life allowed, etc). And I totally abused italics. I just have so much love for this show - you may have gotten that - and I'm so happy that it's got such a nice fandom, with a place where I can go on and on...

[chelseabagel.livejournal.com]

So it would seem that Criminal Minds loves to toy with my emotions. Most of the episode was spent with me on the edge of the couch trying not to fall off/cry/throw up while my dad was laughing at me.

I am so glad that none of the team died.. though I pretty much had the exact same reaction that Garcia did when the ambulance blew up.

I'm glad I didn't have to see Bush's speech.. I got dancing with the stars instead.

[vomitsmoothie.livejournal.com]

Yup. CM throws me for an emotional roller coaster...and I get bitchy (and panicky) if anyone tries to interrupt my CM watching experience. And so I just about died when the sound went out on the network station.

[darkhawkhealer.livejournal.com]

You GUISE! What is up with Joe and Paget getting first billing in the credits? Did I miss something? Has it always been this way?

Now, admittedly I haven't seen like the last four eps of last season, but hey! I'm confused!

Also, I love how Hotch waits until AFTER the crisis has passed to have the breakdown. That's my man. *adores*

Grubler does omg!terrified SO WELL. Also? His kevlar is too big for him -- he looks like he's playing dress-up. *hearts*

I still hate Paget's Dominatrix Bangs.

Fake!EMT looks like he's wearing eyeliner. Some days it's too easy to make jokes about cross-dressing crazy people. XD

The commercials for the new seasons of the networks' shows look SO COOL. They all make me hate working nights. :)

Garcia's got mad skills. Like, woah. And she's so awesome about being responsive. I love how she gets so mad at Morgan. I heart her. And she cries! She's got those two perfect tear drops and everything! I love her!

Morgan used to be bomb squad, right? This is why he's got NERVES OF STEEL? And also, knows how to hotwire a car? AND HE LIVES!

*wibble* She needs a hug. I'm so serious, those two are more OTP than ANY other show I've ever seen. And normally I would advocate for her to be all sapphic with someone, but she's one of the few characters I can never see having any less-than-straight leanings for.

I love Agent!Reid. Almost more than Scholar!Reid (with the glasses and the tweed) or Nerd!Reid, who discusses Star Wars like it's nothing.

Hotch looks (understandably) tired. *pets* Morgan needs to stay with the team! Learn to build trust! Be with your babygirl, who will, indeed, stop talking to you if she can't see you regularly!

This? Was TOTALLY worth getting off work early for. *satisfied*

[a_blackpanther]

The credits have been like this since Joe Mantegna joined the show early last season.

[mariemjs.livejournal.com]

LOVED THE NEW EPISODE!!!
Im so glad CM is back, I was SO missing the show, it was killing me...
Great suspense, fantastic action rythm and amazing finale, loved every minute of it even if I knew the EMT was fake, it didn't matter!

Can't wait for next week!! Yeah!

[astral-angel.livejournal.com]

OMG, love for the new episode. Just LOVE.

Everything was brilliant - from the scenes they replayed from Lo-Fi, to the scene between Morgan and Hotch. The cinematography, the music, the freaking split screen shots, just, wow. My love for this show is never ending.

Character wise, Garcia totally stole the show for me. Yeah, Hotch's reactions were brilliant, just on an aside? Him yelling while Morgan was talking to the Marine/cop, just omglove. But yeah, Garcia - just the whole thing from the start, when Rossi told her about the SUV, to when she was trying to find everyone. Fucking brilliant.

Random scenes - when the team was sitting at the table trying to figure out where they were going to bomb next, I was like, screaming, OMG, the HOSPITAL. Well, not really, but in my head!

And that little scene between Em and Cooper right at the end. It was sweet and awkward and nicely played.

But yeah, Hotch, and Kate! I didn't actually like her much, but that scene where they were mopping up the blood and Hotch walks in? Yeah, this is why I love this show. They show you so much without actually showing you!

[kalldoro.livejournal.com]

OMG SO MUCH LOVE! I love love love Morgan and Garcia, they are adorable! Morgan is like the cooooooolest man ever ever ever and Hotch is THE MAN!

Sorry, I just watched the show and I'm still ALL CAPS EXCITED!

I'm so happy to have my show back, it's my baby!

[dustbunny105.livejournal.com]

Okay, late to the party, but. This episode is love. Seriously.

Pretty much everything I would have said has already been said better, so. I'll just send my love to Hotch and Morgan and GARCIA OMG. And Emily. The way she's walking on eggshells around Cooper at the end there, that really killed me. I mean, yeah, it's a relatively minor thing, but I didn't need it on top of everything else, y'know? I was already dying from love. Then Hotch and Morgan had their little scene and killed me even deader, thanks a lot, guys :<

Um, about Morgan and Garcia. People will hate me for saying this, but I really need to get it out: I like them best as just friends. BEFORE YOU THROW STUFF AT ME, I do 'ship them together romantically. If the show ever takes them down that road, you won't hear any complaints from my little corner of the world. Far from it. BUT. Their relationship is flirty and playful, and there is definitely some attraction in there, and Morgan has outright stated that he loves her and now there's this. Like I said, I do like the idea of them as a couple, but that a man and a woman can be portrayed as having this kind of friendship just fills me with so, so much love for my pet show.

[a_blackpanther]

Really? Where?

The only one i see is the one where none of them shot at the guy with the cellphone. Blast the damn thing out of his arm - no more kaboom. Also probably meant they'd get him alive and that would have lead them to the other cell members.