Criminal Minds (TV Series) Sick and Evil (2019) User Reviews

Another disappointing episode

[organicoreo · 5/10 · 13 November 2020]

"Sick and Evil" is the last episode before the Season 14 finale, and it was really disappointing. The opening scene was creepy and the murders were interesting but overall, the episode once again fell flat. There seemed to be no point at all to the mask the unsub wore and the supposed "twist" at the end was not surprising or very good at all. The oddness of the case seemed to be too conveniently wrapped up as mental illness, and it just didn't hit the right notes for me. The carefully built up suspense during each crime seemed to collapse halfway through the episode.

Rossi surprisingly fell flat as well for me in this episode. His dialogue with Courtney during her interrogation seemed very pointless, callous, and misleading for no reason. Courtney as a character wasn't very likeable or interesting--she seemed too annoyingly naive and just...annoying. The team wasn't anything standout this episode and much of the dialogue felt cakey, not thought-provoking, and unnecessary, especially with Garcia and Alvez.

Regarding the ending conversation between Rossi and Courtney, it was odd that her twin sister had died but it hadn't been brought up by Garcia. There isn't much to say with this episode really. Once again, it had potential, fell flat, and ended up very boring and forgettable.

Sick and Evil

[bobcobb301 · 5/10 · 14 February 2019]

I guess the mask looked kind of cool, but this was a pretty forgettable episode of Criminal Minds.

The show has done similar stuff dozens of times. Even worse considering this is right before the season finale.

"Terror made me cruel"

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 22 December 2020]

Immediately didn't have the highest of expectations, despite really liking 'Criminal Minds' as a show, with such an uninspired and quite silly title that sums up almost every unsub and case of the show in one title. Or at least they were my thoughts at the top of my head before reading the recap. Although the idea was interesting, as was what drove the unsub to kill, it wasn't immediately attention grabbing with certain elements of it having been seen so many times before (or similar), so again the risk of it being derivative was high.

While not a terrible episode as such, "Sick and Evil" should have been so much better considering that it was the penultimate episode of the season. It does very little special or new with its concept and what sounded interesting reading the recap elsewhere was very underdeveloped. This is the only episode to me where one of Season 14's lowest rated episodes here struck me as a lesser episode of the season (being someone that actually liked "Broken Wing" and especially "Flesh and Blood"). Liked the team interaction and one supporting character in "Sick and Evil", but the case was wanting.

There are definitely good things here. It is shot with atmospheric style and there are some unnerving horror like visuals in the latter stages. The mask was both cool and freaky. The music also fits the atmosphere well. Really enjoyed the character of Courtney, her switch from initial suspect to being one of the episode's most sympathetic characters was just about believable, and also her chemistry with Rossi, which is intriguing and entertaining.

Rossi is as interesting and well written as he was in "Chameleon", again there is a more serious side to him but it doesn't dull him down and is in keeping with what happened in that episode. Prentiss has some nice empathetic chemistry with him. The team work is at least cohesive and far from disconnected, their coda is fun. Joe Mantegna does a great job as Rossi and Janzy Paralso matches him very well.

It is a pity that the case didn't catch fire for me and that is always more important story-wise for this show. It has its moments certainly and has the odd bit of creepiness, such as the truly creepy beginning, but there is nothing really surprising or distinct here due to doing very little new with familiar ground, so yeah it is not the most memorable of episodes narratively. It is yet another episode of Season 14 where there were some promising ideas either underdeveloped or wasted, both happened in the case for "Sick and Evil", which gave a feeling of incompleteness. For me the motive was rather vague, initially it was promising but by the end of the rushed and predictable climax one is still scratching their heads. Namely because the connection to the crimes is never really delved into, the equivalent of it being brought up briefly but glossed over quickly. The significance of the mask, why the unsub does certain things and a few little things and connections that seemed important to them are not really made very clear to the viewer if at all.

"Sick and Evil" had some sporadic creepiness but the tension and suspense were missing, because of the predictability and how too much didn't make sense or at least was too vague. Even recognisable plot elements, such as Patrick's role in the story, that were not a surprise to me didn't feel delved into fully enough. The pace is not interminable certainly but lacks urgency and intensity. The script could have been tauter and there is not enough done with the unsub to make them sinister or sympathetic enough, everything about them was underdeveloped.

Overall, disappointing and a lesser Season 14 episode. Especially after such a great previous episode. Far from unwatchable but the case could have been so much more. 5/10

One of the low points in Season 14.

[Washi_Washi · 4/10 · 26 January 2021]

"Sick and Evil" opens with Gubler absent from the cast once again.

Despite the case being set in a town "that could be the setting for any horror movie ever made", the creep factor is underwhelming and almost cheesy in places. When compared to the much better direction in "Night Lights" or "Hamelin", "Sick and Evil" consistently ruins how the thrill of anticipation/fear builds in scenes where the UnSub strikes.

The UnSub's motivation for the crimes feels weak and underdeveloped. As a result, the plot seems to rely on convenience more than actual deduction. Rossi's trauma from the previous episode is peppered through the sub-plot without any real purpose, and the feeling that this episode is interim in the lead up to the season finale doesn't go away.

All in all, an interesting premise that could have met far better execution.