Episode discussion

[a_blackpanther]

This is the discussion post for episode 4x25 and 4x26 "To Hell and Back". Watch out for SPOILERS in the comments.

Comments

[draconifers.livejournal.com]

Commenting again, but I can't wait for some Hotch angst next season =D

[sleepingwgods.livejournal.com]

THIS.

fandom's gonna go wild this summer, ahhh.
and next season's going to be delicious with angst ^^

also, I vaguely know you from around LJ, and I didn't know you watched CM, XD~ randommm but yayyyy

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

I so called that ending.

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

P.S. I doubt that Hotch actually got shot. At least right then.

Also: this episode wasn't nearly as exciting as Amplification, imo. And no, not just because I love Reid. It just didn't make me sit on the edge of my seat. *shrugs*

But: CM I WILL MISS YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!! COME BACK SOON!!!!!!!!!!!



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/__kat__/]

I gave some serious consideration to turning off my TV a minute or so before the episode was over (when everything was wrapped up in an unhappy little ball). That way I could have saved myself from the suspense of the cliffhanger I knew was about to be created.

Well since it went to black *before* the shot I can hope (pretend) that it was a warning shot into the wall *next* to his head. Or! But I seriously doubt Hotch has the kind of reflexes necessary to get to and fire the backup in his ankle holster...

I am going to spend the next few months coming up with increasingly elaborate scenarios that involve Hotch being okay.

Also, what's with messing up Hotch on season finales? This is two in a row. It seems a pattern is emerging.

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

But he does have the necessary reflexes to at least move out of the way. You know he did. And like I told my mom: there will be an ensuing fight (and Hotch will kick his ass).

Or Reid will shoot the guy since he and Hotch seekritly live together.

[setos-puppy.livejournal.com]

Well obviously Hotch has a super secret defense shield around his body that Reid and Garcia designed together to protect him.

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

No, it's three in a row for messing with Hotch. At the end of season two he gets "fired," remember?This is just the second in a row for bodily harm. :P

Re: QUESTION.

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

Whut? I never heard anything about an actor. Just the writers.

P.S. In that preview-y thing that someone posted earlier, with the actors during the filming of this episode, I don't think that Thomas Gibson would have been so... silly, if he weren't coming back. :P ("I think the pigs are beautiful." lolz.) Iono. Just my opinion. Or should it be denial? lolz.

I REFUSE TO BELIEVE ANYTHING UNTIL I SEE IT NEXT SEASON. And I hold to my belief that they'd never kill off Hotch. He's HOTCH. :D :D :D

[parisntripfan.livejournal.com]

I loved the foreshadowing there...Reid worring that case would not end well and being proved right. I knew that Hightower was going to end up killing Mason - I could see that one coming from about second or third act. I didn't see the brother getting killed by the Canadian cops.

And I loved Hotch's monologue at the end. (The bit about how there is not always a quote gave me a bit of giggle).

First impression on the last few seconds, Oh My God...Hotch.

Brain kicks in... Something is wrong here. This UNSUB doesn't kill like that. Hotch did not look scared... My guess, the shoot was a warning shot - and this is only the start of what he is going to put Hotch through. Like maybe using Jack and Haley in some sort of sick game.(Even if they aren't married anymore, he still cares for her. And whatever else, she is Jack's mother).

[bluelarkspur.livejournal.com]

I knew SOMETHING would happen to one of the BAU, but I was confused about what. Since Mason obviously couldn't do anything and Lucas wasn't really armed or dangerous.

[jessicafftheii.livejournal.com]

I called it with the pigs being fed the people. But... for a two hour finale, I felt it could have been wrapped into one hour. It was a good episode, don't get me wrong, but it seemed like a regular episode.

Except, you know, the ending.

But ughhhh I feel like a terrible fan. The ending made me think of A Different Kind of Solitude ( http://kyrdwyn.livejournal.com/254644.html ). I'm totally expecting the next episode to show Reid and Hotch in a house.

wtf, self. learn to differentiate between fandom and canon.

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

I think that more of the "agent in peril" part would have kept us all more entertained. Except for, yanno, like a minute of that part. :/

[0justanothergrl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thought the cops killing the unsub's brother made Canadians look pretty bad.
I'd hope that in a situation like that IRL(unarmed, obviously handicapped) they'd arrest as opposed to STK.

Re: The Reaper doesn't kill like that, that's true - thank you, you gave me a little bit of hope for the next two months. Though this really isn't going to help Hotch's already cracked shell.

The monologue made me giggle, too. I love it when the writers give us cookies!

[setos-puppy.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, being a Canadian, I don't think regular police units have a version of swat... Which... You know, was weird.

[sleepysunshine.livejournal.com]

2nd comment for 2nd Idea Train.

What if HOTCH fired the shot? We all know that Hotch is like Quick Draw McGraw and is excellent with Guns. The Reaper is efficient enough to get the job done, but likes to go Stabby McStab with his victims0.

And then Morgan busts in the door, tackles the Reaper and beats him in a Hulk like Rage. "THAT'S" *punch* "FOR" *punch* "TAKING" *punch* "MY" *punch* "CREDENTIALS" *Punch* And then Hotch and Morgan make out over an unconscious Reaper

[sodoesrachael.livejournal.com]

with Reid

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

I actually fast-forwarded through parts of this episode (to avoid the gratuitous torture and gross feeding-people-to-pigs parts) and I agree that it didn't need to be two hours long.

With the "agent in peril" thing, every time one of the agents was alone I started wondering if they would be the one in peril. I figured it would be either Reid or Morgan.

The reason the cops shot Lucas is that he rushed them. Even if he is mentally disabled, he's still a big guy and he rushed them. They probably thought he was armed.

When everything was wrapped up and everyone was back on the plane, I thought, "So what happened to the agent in peril?"

Then Hotch went back to his apartment or wherever he lives and I thought, "Okay, someone is lurking in Hotch's apartment." That was when my cat woke up and suddenly started to stare intently at the TV screen. It was way too obvious for my liking.

[maisontv.livejournal.com]

I didn't see it coming at all. I thought maybe we were going to see Hotch drinking alone in his apartment, finally breaking down.

[asherz86.livejournal.com]

I was confused the whole time about them picking up people in Detroit but yet going through Port Huron ... and then the BAU were in Windsor and kept talking about Windsor, but yet Windsor is across from Detroit not Port Huron. I at least felt a bit relieved that they mentioned Sarnia at the end so I guess the farm was in Sarnia, and they knew what they were talking about. But it was still totally confusing me because I was trying to figure out the logistics. Unless I totally missed something and it was actually clear from the beginning. *end geography ramble*

I felt too like they could have wrapped it up in an hour... it didn't drag, but it's not like there was tons of action, either.

Ugh, those pigs were fairly terrifying. My Mom is scared of pigs because one attacked her on her uncle's farm when she was little, so she was freaking out the entire time. It was a bit funny, but mostly it just made me more scared of those piggys. :/

The end... I don't know what to think. I feel like Hotch will be okay, unless Gibson really isn't returning... which would completely suck. I'm interested to know what happens... since like people have mentioned, the Reaper doesn't kill by shooting someone. Ughhh I hate waiting until the fall for new eppys.

[setos-puppy.livejournal.com]

I figure they flew to Windsor to the RCMP headquarters. Which, I thought was in Ottawa, but okay, or maybe it was because the guy who worked there knew Rossi and he was the profiler student. IDK.

[maisontv.livejournal.com]

I'm late to the party because I was out celebrating my 21st birthday. About an hour behind on the DVR.

- Looks like we’re going on a field trip! To Canada!

- I like the twist that the unsub isn’t the unsub, but someone trying to call attention to the problem.

- I have no idea what Old McMurder is doing to his victims.

- .....Oh. Experiments. Okay then.

- Using an underground railroad house is pretty interesting.

- BAU to the rescue! (And I just realized what the X on the back of the neck is for - he's paralyzing them so they won't run away or resist)

- Oh my god, if you're going to run do it QUIETLY.

- Ew secondary cannibalism! Victims -> pigs -> unsub

- This dude's totally trying to play Rossi. The guy with the girl doesn't have the capacity to put together that complicated medical equipment. Doctor Paralyzed is the mastermind.

- Reid, I get the feeling a case isn't going to end well all the time. This show doesn't deal in happy endings often.

- Oh he won't get away with this. Military Guy won't let him.

- This girl is smart. I hope she lives. YAY! SHE LIVES! :D

- I love this subverting of the end-of-episode quote.

- Aw, Hotch's sad bachelor pad.....OMFG! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! HOTCH! *flails* (I love not being spoiled)

[a_blackpanther]

Happy (late) Birthday!

That Reid feeling that "the case isn't going to end well" was totally directed at the audience.

[ghostcarnivals.livejournal.com]

I do think Hotch was shot but I don't think it was fatal. (Unless, of course, they really want him off the show.) But because it wasn't the Reaper's MO, I think it was him taunting Hotch. He told Hotch "You should have made the deal." (or something close to that). So what I'm thinking is he shot Hotch in the leg or the arm or something just to be like, "haha!". I don't think he'd kill him like that because I don't think he views him as a threat. He doesn't believe Hotch can stop him. So he does this just to make sure Hotch knows he's back and killing still. If the Reaper really went there to kill him I think he would have stuck to his MO.

I really hope they keep Hotch. 1. because he's awesome. 2. because he's awesome. and 3. because what a stupid way to kill him off. If they really decide not to bring him back next year I'd have rather him die in a better way. Like, trying to save a victim, or protecting one of the team. But to have him shot and killed in his own apartment is ridiculous. Besides, why don't they have security systems?! The unsub who shot Elle got into her apartment effortlessly, too. They have a job where they piss off bad guys who sometimes get away. You'd think they'd have security systems. Right?

Okay, I'm rambling. One last thing. I LOVED Hotch's voiceover. Loved, loved, loved. So perfect.

[a_blackpanther]

I think that Hotch dieing would break the team apart. I really hope they don't do that.

[azangal-icons.livejournal.com]

would they really kill Hotch off?

I dont think they would, maybe would him for a few episodes to show that maybe wat he missed was a chance to be wit his son and (ex) wife and that maybe he needed the time that he never got.

but in a way it sort still leaves will they catch the reaper or be like an episode arch where it still floats in the air?

the finale was just ewwwwwwwww but yet OMG wit the ending and Morgan questioning it his job more since he saw so much but yet still be on the team.waiting for the new season gonna be long and hard bc of the ending cliff hanger.

[knit.livejournal.com]

): I didn't even have to be at work today! How much fail is that? Thankfully supernovatube had it up already.


But omg, Hotch. )': *scared*
Sad Morgan makes me sad. He's had existential-esque thoughts about his job before, but I still worry.
Also I felt giggles about farmboy!Reid.


Did this episode take place in Sarnia, ON? Or did I totally mishear what Hotch was saying at the end.

[lagolindari.livejournal.com]

Do they have a thing for harming Hotch at the end of seasons? Last time with the exploding SUV, now this...

[sidneym-88.livejournal.com]

Well, thanks to the opening credits, and two things that Reid said, I knew what was going to happen at the end. The omnivores comment, and him saying had a feeling that the case wouldn't end well.:(

The show wouldn't be the same without Thomas. It's bad enough that they got rid of some of their best writers.

The episode wasn't terrible. I may have hated the ending, but rest of it was alright. I think I agree with everyone else that has said that the episode didn't need to be two hours. But I'm not gonna complain about that.

[0justanothergrl.livejournal.com]

The omnivores comment
haha! I totally missed that - good call!

[lastrega.livejournal.com]

This.

I also thought the set-up (someone desperate to prove homeless people are missing) was straight out of Legacy (2:22) which didn't impress me much. Aside from the instant OMG! factor of Hotch's contract negotiation possible demise, I wasn't overly impressed with the ep. It all felt a bit recycled.

[asherz86.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I missed the omnivore reference with the pigs... I think I was too grossed out by the pigs eating dead people and then the second hand cannibalism to actually think about the Reaper being an omnivore killer.

[elventree.livejournal.com]

Canada! <3 And the Canadians didn't speak with French accents, didn't say 'eh', and it wasn't snowing! Good job, CM!

Though, I kept thinking that those coffee cups they had should have said "Tim Horton's" on them. Would have been a nice touch. ;)