Despite quite big initial worries, especially with most of Season 11 being so disappointing, Season 12 so far (meaning its first three episodes) has been nowhere near as bad as feared. Nothing yet to say "classic 'Criminal Minds' is back" or that has stood out of my chair, but intrepid expectations have been bettered if not blown away.
"The Crimson King", that started off Season 12, was pretty good, especially considering how troubled behind the scenes for the season was and how many changes there have been. "Sick Day" was decent, with an outstanding AJ Cook and an engrossing enough story, but at the same time it was also rather unbalanced and Hotch deserved a far better "final" (with him on screen that is, regardless of whether one agrees or not with Thomas Gibson's firing it was such a slap-in-the-face treatment of one of the show's longest serving and most popular characters) episode than what he got with the character handled rather indifferently.
Season 12's third episode "Taboo" is the weakest of the three episodes of the season up to this point. Not terrible, not at all, but pretty average and not much special here. There is enough to stop "Taboo" from being rock-bottom 'Criminal Minds' (like "200", "The Black Queen" and the worst of Season 11) but there is also nowhere near enough to make it one of the show's best episodes too (like the best of Seasons 1-5, the fourth season being the most consistent with the highest number of great or more episodes).
Lets start with the positives. Can't fault the production values. It's very well shot and lit and is overall stylish, gritty, classy and atmospheric. The music is moody in the haunting and melancholic sense and fits well, without either enhancing or distracting from it. The direction has momentum but also has instances where it allows things to breathe. Considering 'Criminal Minds' track record for new characters, Alvez while not completely gelling just yet has good potential, here he is also showing more development with an interesting back-story, and Adam Rodriguez is doing a good job.
"Taboo" is notable for the return of Emily Prentiss, last seen as series regular (excepting her guest turn in Season 11's "Tribute", an example of an episode that promised more than it delivered) in the season 7 finale "Hit"/"Run". Considering that she is one of the show's best characters, it was a much anticipated return and not just a welcome one but in some ways a necessary one, she settles in very nicely and Paget Brewster proves that she hasn't lost her spark as the character. Just as much notable is Alvez's back story, which is more interesting than most back stories in the show's varying attempts to delve into team members' personal lives (saying this as a big and loyal fan, just not afraid to admit that 'Criminal Minds' didn't do everything right all the time) and sees more development to him which was nice. His dog is adorable too.
Acting with the regular cast is very good, Brewster and Rodriguez having the most interesting material and doing wonders with it. There are a couple of amusing lines here and there too.
However, "Taboo" could have been much better. The team interaction is charming enough, but there is not much mind-blowing here and there is still the feeling that some team members are underused. Despite there being an on-screen explanation provided for Hotch no longer being there, that still won't stop fans including myself from feeling that a great character has been done an ill-service.
More disappointing was the case, which just did not grip me. The team do work more cohesively than before but again more profiling and psychological delving into the criminal mind would have been more welcome. The case itself is predictable and run of the mill, with not much suspense, creepiness or tension with a somewhat obvious unsub that is very vanilla in personality and whose methods and escalations (as well as the more climactic moments verging on unintentional comedy).
Even more troubling was the big revelation regarding a relation to the unsub, granted it is this revelation that sets the episode apart and it was an attempt to do things differently but it was such a ridiculous and convoluted revelation that one really struggles to get their head round. "Taboo" is a rare case in 'Criminal Minds' where the support acting, with the sole exception of a merely good Sherilyn Fenn, was off. Particularly the rather insipid unsub, who fails to give any sense of menace or the sympathy factor, one even doesn't properly believe that he is messed up judging from his acting.
In summary, pretty average and disappointing but not a complete mess by any stretch. 5/10 Bethany Cox
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