With a nod to creepy child-based horror tropes, "Hamelin" starts off thrillingly. Even with the urgency usually felt in episodes involving child abductions, this particular one manages to up the creep factor unexpectedly, and for the direction I give props.
Unfortunately, the writing doesn't quite do the case justice. The premise behind the method used by the UnSub is an interesting one, but it is underdeveloped. You don't quite get a clear picture of the How and the episode skates past that connection to finding the UnSub. Too much information about the UnSub's motives and trigger is revealed in too short a frame, and the pieces don't fit together as organically as the show has proven to be capable of. The direction is undermined by the shoddiness of the story, and you're left feeling quite unsatisfied at the end of the case.
An element of Criminal Minds that I greatly enjoy is the look into the team's lives beyond their work. It has driven some of the best episodes of the show overall, and provides a much needed regular dose of levity through the seasons. While the subplots that revolve around either the team as a whole or members individually/in sub-units are a welcome window into their personal lives, a common criticism of the later seasons remains that far too much focus is given on a particular member. "Hamelin" thankfully, stays truer to form. It's an emotional look at JJ's personal trauma and how that impacts her relationship with her mother, and AJ Cook puts thought into her work: the attention paid to body language is clever. The sub-plot doesn't overwhelm but that might be more because it is the only well written portion of the episode.
Given that this season has been pretty Reid-starved, I liked that he got to show off a little physical skill for once. It tips a hat to his character development over the course of the show, and is a nice touch for a traditionally nerdy character!
Unfortunately, the writing doesn't quite do the case justice. The premise behind the method used by the UnSub is an interesting one, but it is underdeveloped. You don't quite get a clear picture of the How and the episode skates past that connection to finding the UnSub. Too much information about the UnSub's motives and trigger is revealed in too short a frame, and the pieces don't fit together as organically as the show has proven to be capable of. The direction is undermined by the shoddiness of the story, and you're left feeling quite unsatisfied at the end of the case.
An element of Criminal Minds that I greatly enjoy is the look into the team's lives beyond their work. It has driven some of the best episodes of the show overall, and provides a much needed regular dose of levity through the seasons. While the subplots that revolve around either the team as a whole or members individually/in sub-units are a welcome window into their personal lives, a common criticism of the later seasons remains that far too much focus is given on a particular member. "Hamelin" thankfully, stays truer to form. It's an emotional look at JJ's personal trauma and how that impacts her relationship with her mother, and AJ Cook puts thought into her work: the attention paid to body language is clever. The sub-plot doesn't overwhelm but that might be more because it is the only well written portion of the episode.
Given that this season has been pretty Reid-starved, I liked that he got to show off a little physical skill for once. It tips a hat to his character development over the course of the show, and is a nice touch for a traditionally nerdy character!