'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 Dance of Love" is not one of the season's best episodes but it is decent with a lot of great things. The case is compelling and what seemed on paper a very predictable and over-familiar case turned out to be one of the season's most twist-filled and interesting. There are enough nice and surprising turns to balance it all out. There is a good deal of suspense but also a little sympathetic emotion
Found that 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, team underuse and not enough procedural/delving into the criminal's mind). In fact, there is a sense that "The Dance of Love" didn't forget what made 'Criminal Minds' work so well in the first place.
The twists keep coming and those towards the end, where at least two thoroughly unpredictable twists are at this point, are shocking. Especially the identity of the unsub, didn't see that coming at all and it left me floored.
Everybody does a great job with the acting, all the regulars are strong as ever, particularly Joe Mantegna, and the support is more than acceptable. Enjoyed the music and radio station aspect, an interesting angle and not one done a lot on 'Criminal Minds'.
Visually, "The Dance of Love" 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. The direction gives the story breathing space while still having momentum.
Not without flaws. Despite my love for Rossi, his subplot took over the episode too much and it was for my tastes too soap-operatic and has exactly the same qualities when the show previously explored his ex-wife dilemmas, found Krystell fairly bland and their chemistry likewise.
Would have liked Craig to have been more interesting and better developed and also the unsub, considering a situation where one can sort of see their point of view and hurt, to be more sympathetic and even given them some self-remorse in the climax which would have made their motivations more understandable. That the episode doesn't go that route makes the climactic take-down lack any powerful punch and come over as fairly anaemic, and the scene could easily have done without Matt's weird and senseless role that he plays in it.
On the whole, decent. 6/10 Bethany Cox
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 Dance of Love" is not one of the season's best episodes but it is decent with a lot of great things. The case is compelling and what seemed on paper a very predictable and over-familiar case turned out to be one of the season's most twist-filled and interesting. There are enough nice and surprising turns to balance it all out. There is a good deal of suspense but also a little sympathetic emotion
Found that 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, team underuse and not enough procedural/delving into the criminal's mind). In fact, there is a sense that "The Dance of Love" didn't forget what made 'Criminal Minds' work so well in the first place.
The twists keep coming and those towards the end, where at least two thoroughly unpredictable twists are at this point, are shocking. Especially the identity of the unsub, didn't see that coming at all and it left me floored.
Everybody does a great job with the acting, all the regulars are strong as ever, particularly Joe Mantegna, and the support is more than acceptable. Enjoyed the music and radio station aspect, an interesting angle and not one done a lot on 'Criminal Minds'.
Visually, "The Dance of Love" 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. The direction gives the story breathing space while still having momentum.
Not without flaws. Despite my love for Rossi, his subplot took over the episode too much and it was for my tastes too soap-operatic and has exactly the same qualities when the show previously explored his ex-wife dilemmas, found Krystell fairly bland and their chemistry likewise.
Would have liked Craig to have been more interesting and better developed and also the unsub, considering a situation where one can sort of see their point of view and hurt, to be more sympathetic and even given them some self-remorse in the climax which would have made their motivations more understandable. That the episode doesn't go that route makes the climactic take-down lack any powerful punch and come over as fairly anaemic, and the scene could easily have done without Matt's weird and senseless role that he plays in it.
On the whole, decent. 6/10 Bethany Cox
