This episode built a lot of interesting things with the missing serial killer with high disguising skills and issues with Rossi on the record, the upcoming marriage of Rossi and the third wife, the tense relationship between JJ and Reid and a psychopath playing puppet master with his victims transforming them in surrogate killers. A lot of subplots with potential for tense and interesting development that by the exact middle of the episode derails miserably.
While the serial killer transforming his hostages into forced killer it's a fascinated story for Criminal Minds audience, by the end of the episode suddenly he became like a child bent on playing a violent game of "Truth or Dare" only, Reid and JJ suddenly surrender to the killer because the plot needed and his takeover was completely insane: the killer puts a pause with the main issue that made him a killer to power play with JJ while Reid reached his new secondary gun alluded at the beginning of the episode without being noticed by the killer. A secondary gun that apparently he used to cheat his shooting test and that, by the way, couldn't help him to avoid the issue that put him in prison in the previous season (the main point that made him bought this second gun). A little under average ending for the main plot, but ok I guess...
The most shocking and baffling reason to absolutely dislike this episode however it's how they defiled JJ and Reid relationship that was carefully handled for 14 years! It's true that in the first 2 or 3 seasons of the show it was built a romantic tension plot between the two of them but this issue was long ago buried and ended 12 years ago, JJ stated to see him as best friend, found the love of her life which became a sporadic staff in the show, had 2 kids and a husband that are very close to the team and never looked back in this decision... until now. Since the ending of the previous season the show ther writters decded to try very softly revive this unholy plot where JJ had still feelings for Reid that weirdly enough she ignored for 10 or more years while best friends with him. A light hint of what was about to come always dreaded the core audience of the show when Reid was taken hostage and JJ got desperate thinking about losing him in a romantic way or when she called him in the previous episode asking if he ever though about his projected future in some other way like she were doing now (implying that she was beginning to fantasized them together in a platonic romance). In a very poorly, gross and disasteful manner they ended the episode with JJ confessing his love and feelings for Reid under gunpoint, not taking back this absurd aftewards and even indirectly saying that they were meant to be together. There is even a scene were the show brings a speach implying that doesn't matter if it took a lot of years, it's ok JJ throwing her whole family and relashionship characteristics just to chase a new adventure with Reid because... it's fate. This hits like a slap in the face of the audience, it's almost like saying "forget everything you know about Criminal Minds protagonists and all we built so far, let's restructure the whole show dynamic". Nobody wants that!!!
Finally, there is the good old season finale tension that the audience expects which makes us wonder if anyone will be hurt by the end, if some serial killer will show up again, some plot twist will keep us engaged to watch the next season or if they will deliver a happy and relieving conclusion. There is a lot of build up to Rossi's wedding which makes the audience expect something big will happen there, a serial killer is on the loose, every big protagonist and even a special guest appears but nothing happens and, worst of all, that were no calm nor tense ending, it stopped awkward and uncomfortably.
They are taking a lot of risks reviving resolved issues in the series, mostly have worked, like the Rossi third wife reappearing (when it was stablished long ago that he was not looking for marriages anymore) or the suicide of JJ sister (which they decided to put a twist in it) but this romantic plot now is a complete absurd that should be stopped even in the conception stage.
One of the worst season finales I've seen!
While the serial killer transforming his hostages into forced killer it's a fascinated story for Criminal Minds audience, by the end of the episode suddenly he became like a child bent on playing a violent game of "Truth or Dare" only, Reid and JJ suddenly surrender to the killer because the plot needed and his takeover was completely insane: the killer puts a pause with the main issue that made him a killer to power play with JJ while Reid reached his new secondary gun alluded at the beginning of the episode without being noticed by the killer. A secondary gun that apparently he used to cheat his shooting test and that, by the way, couldn't help him to avoid the issue that put him in prison in the previous season (the main point that made him bought this second gun). A little under average ending for the main plot, but ok I guess...
The most shocking and baffling reason to absolutely dislike this episode however it's how they defiled JJ and Reid relationship that was carefully handled for 14 years! It's true that in the first 2 or 3 seasons of the show it was built a romantic tension plot between the two of them but this issue was long ago buried and ended 12 years ago, JJ stated to see him as best friend, found the love of her life which became a sporadic staff in the show, had 2 kids and a husband that are very close to the team and never looked back in this decision... until now. Since the ending of the previous season the show ther writters decded to try very softly revive this unholy plot where JJ had still feelings for Reid that weirdly enough she ignored for 10 or more years while best friends with him. A light hint of what was about to come always dreaded the core audience of the show when Reid was taken hostage and JJ got desperate thinking about losing him in a romantic way or when she called him in the previous episode asking if he ever though about his projected future in some other way like she were doing now (implying that she was beginning to fantasized them together in a platonic romance). In a very poorly, gross and disasteful manner they ended the episode with JJ confessing his love and feelings for Reid under gunpoint, not taking back this absurd aftewards and even indirectly saying that they were meant to be together. There is even a scene were the show brings a speach implying that doesn't matter if it took a lot of years, it's ok JJ throwing her whole family and relashionship characteristics just to chase a new adventure with Reid because... it's fate. This hits like a slap in the face of the audience, it's almost like saying "forget everything you know about Criminal Minds protagonists and all we built so far, let's restructure the whole show dynamic". Nobody wants that!!!
Finally, there is the good old season finale tension that the audience expects which makes us wonder if anyone will be hurt by the end, if some serial killer will show up again, some plot twist will keep us engaged to watch the next season or if they will deliver a happy and relieving conclusion. There is a lot of build up to Rossi's wedding which makes the audience expect something big will happen there, a serial killer is on the loose, every big protagonist and even a special guest appears but nothing happens and, worst of all, that were no calm nor tense ending, it stopped awkward and uncomfortably.
They are taking a lot of risks reviving resolved issues in the series, mostly have worked, like the Rossi third wife reappearing (when it was stablished long ago that he was not looking for marriages anymore) or the suicide of JJ sister (which they decided to put a twist in it) but this romantic plot now is a complete absurd that should be stopped even in the conception stage.
One of the worst season finales I've seen!