I didn't get to watch tonight, but i'm looking forward to the reruns. I have to watch Crossing Jordan on wed. now that they moved it. If you hadn't seen it catch in in reruns this summer, while I catch up on crimial mind. I did read what everyone wrote so that it didn't spoil it for me this summer. Donna

i missed the very end of criminal minds season finale... what did Prentis say at the very end?

I'm not a fan of slasher flicks, so I haven't seen "Saw", etc., so there weren't any instances of "Oh I've seen this before" on my end. I also don't mind that we know from the start that someone will try to be saved, because sometimes they aren't. I mean, for me, trying to save someone puts the dramatic tension into the episode. What I liked is that although the druggie was being saved, the BAU team didn't really *know* that someone needed to be saved ... no one knew the druggie was gone, they just knew that there was a killer out there.

I agree that the druggie's teeth were way too nice ... but that's a Hollywood druggie I guess! LOL!

I like that in many episodes, you get just a glimpse of the team's outside-the-office personalities, even if they're in the office. I liked the Charlie Chaplin scene at the end, because blowing off steam is hard to do unless you have people around who understand the steam ... in this team, only other team members *really* understand the horrors they constantly deal with ... I think that's why you see Hotch watching the movie with the team, rather than being home with the family.

On the whole, about a 5.5 on the scale ...

Great recap, Jonathan!

Well i've seen a few old slasher films and knew from the beginning as well, they'd be rescuing someone at the end.

what got me was the supposed druggie they were rescuing, she goes from all drugged out getting picked up in a van, and as soon as she's in the meat plant, she's coherent and looks perfectly normal, nice teeth by the way for a druggie. It seemed a big unrealistic for me that she wouldn't even be in some sort of withdrawl and she kept smacking her nose on things.....

Hotch's humor is always the best, love him. And would love to see Mcgee back as well...

I liked this episode. I didn't see "Saw", "Hostel" or whatever, so I can't compare. I do agree with you, however, about McGee. It would be great if he was involved in another investigation with the team. I'd love to see how he would interact with Reid!

Also, I thought the Charlie Chaplin thing was great, because the writers were trying to show that the characters are friends outside of work. That there is another side to them other than hunting serial killers...I think this was the first time I saw any of them laugh.

Criminal Minds is hands down the best crime drama on broadcast TV. Rating: 5 out of 7!

Yeah I agree Hotch was the bomb. His sarcasm was funny as hell. Good stuff, I am sad it is almost over.

Maybe it was a copy of other things, but any episode which starts off with a lunatic whistling "Joanna" from Sweeny Todd can't be all bad. This is 2 weeks in a row with plucky, kick ass women fighting back, that is fun! The whole meat packing slaughterhouse location was also cool, I mean it's a death factory anyway, where animals were led to slaughter.

I loved the OCD cop who was convinced he knew things that no one else noticed and the chief dectective was Mr. X from the X Files - so I thought the irony of him denying 63 people had been abducted was funny as hell.

Hotch was greast in this episode, going from "not convinced" himself to defending the findings of the OCD cop was cool, he really stood firm against the lead dectective. YAY Hoctch.

2? Are you kidding, this was at least a 6!!! It was great show last night!

So, I'm watching the beginning of the show with my wife (who loves this show) and I'm telling her how lame the whole premise is, and she's basically promising me to keep watching, because it'll get better. It didn't. I don't watch slasher / SAW / HOSTEL flicks either but understood then entire bit from the very first time the old man was wheeled by the door with the flames in it.
Me: "So, basically, this entire show is a snuff film with another victim to be rescued at the end"
Wife: "Just keep watching"(They'll do something to make this different)
[at end of show]
Me: "Well, this was crap"
Wife: "Hey, you told me (this episode) was crap (before the opening credits), you didn't have to sit here and watch it"
Me: grrr...

I am in my late 50's and don't like "slasher" flicks, so I didn't see the resemblance.
I love this show and thought the episode was entertaining. It wasn't the best the show has done, but I gave it a 5 of 7.