'Criminal Minds' has always been one of my most-watched shows and was a personal favourite for a while. Seasons 1-5 was its best period, Season 4 was especially great. It did get hit and miss from Season 6 onwards, with a mix of good and more episodes and disappointing and less episodes. Season 11 was, apart from about 5 episodes, pretty weak. Season 12 was inconsistent but generally an improvement, its weakest episodes nowhere near as bad as the low-points of Seasons 6, 9 and especially 11.
Season 13 so far has not been too bad at all, pretty good even actually. It is already so much better than Season 11, which started off well actually but quickly went downhill, and has generally settled quicker than Season 12. As far as the previous Season 13 episodes go, the only one to be a low-point was "Annihilator". There aren't any classics yet though, but most of the episodes have ranged from decent to very good.
"The Capilanos" for me was one of the very good episodes and one of the season's best, the best Season 13 episode since "False Flag". The case is very compelling and eerie with an unpredictable nature when needed and a genuinely unnerving creepiness. Killer clowns are enough to give one the heebie jeebies. There are also enough nice and surprising turns to balance it all out. There is a good deal of suspense but also sympathetic emotion.
The team work, the procedural aspects and how it's all solved evokes prime 'Criminal Minds', there is lots of each and it's all thought-provoking and delightful. It doesn't make the mistakes that many latter season episodes made (i.e. too much unsub, unsub revealed too early, problematically executed cases, too much reliance on convenience, lack of balance, too many soapy personal life subplots, team underuse and not enough procedural/delving into the criminal's mind). In fact, there is a sense that "The Capilanos" didn't forget what made 'Criminal Minds' work so well in the first place. The twists keep coming and those towards the end are shocking. The climax avoids being clichéd and goes a different direction, and one that made just as much sense as what it could have been, to what is expected.
Although very creepy, with some inspired horror touches worthy of cinematic quality, there are emotional and quieter moments too, namely Reid's interaction with Dylan and his mother, both sympathetic characters.
Everybody does a great job with the acting, all the regulars are strong as ever and the support is more than acceptable. The unsub's identity does shock and they are an unsub that provides a lot of chills while providing a little of the sympathy factor.
Visually, "The Capilanos" is stylish and atmospheric, while the music is haunting without being over-bearing while having presence still, the script is taut with a touch of poignancy. Matthew Gray Gubler does a wonderful job directing, easily one of the season's best directed episodes.
Not much wrong here. Would have liked more character moments within the team, a couple of them slightly underused, and wouldn't have said no to a personal side story as long it balanced well with the case and added something to the character.
Overall, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
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