They pick up right in the action and give us a season long arc of the killer they are tracking. A good moment in the final scene if they made JJ really dumb with how she handled things.
12 Reviews
Caught a mistake...
briagrace10 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The scene 38 minutes in, right before the team shows up, the buzzer rings and he's about to start slicing... the unsub looks in the mirror, and takes off his shirt. He's not wearing the skin vest though. This contradicts the scene from right before he puts his victim (the other coroner) down with the needle. In that scene, he looks in the mirror and sees his skin vest exposed and buttons up his shirt to better hide it. There should be no opportunities for him to have removed it between the two scenes. :-) :-) :-) that's all! Anyone else notice this one?
what a action thriller like movie
phuketboy19 March 2020
Where have we seen this before...?
jendarden21 March 2020
I realize it's been about 30 years since the film Silence of the Lambs was made but so much of this episode mimics that classic film it should embarass the writers/producers or at least
make them feel sheepish. From the making of a "skin suit" to the scenes where the viewer thinks one character is showing up at the right place which turns out to be wrong then quickly alternating to another character arriving at the right place (in SOTL, the FBI mistakenly shows up at an abandoned residence just as Jodie Foster in her amazing performance as Clarice Starling knocks on the door of the actual serial killer, the one making the skin suit, (albeit from women's skin for totally different reasons) it feels like outright plagerism. Perhaps there was an assumption that the 30 year lapse would make viewers forget but I for one am extremely disappointed with Criminal Minds for doing just that. While I do realize that Silence of the Lambs itself culled from some real historical killers such as Ed Gein who made lampshades and other things (I think even the "skin suit" from women's bodies he obtained by grave-robbing) this just has a cheap, rip off feel not like the high standards Criminal Minds has entertained us with for years. Not a great episode to begin with but the plagerism sort of adds salt to the wound as the saying goes. Ah well, final season and CM has been losing steam (and quality) as it's on its way out but still, a disappointment.
Stop making law enforcement look dumb!
jaccer1110 January 2020
Quite A Few Flaws in this
dlmvegas30 January 2020
Supposedly this is the last season of this show and looks like they're rushing to get it over with. JJ is in the garage and has these two people covered and disarmed. Yet she does have communication with her team as we see later at the end of the show. Why didn't she let them know she had the suspects and also they were at gunpoint. Instead she takes her eyes of the subjects gets shot and still doesn't call anyone on the rest of team. Only then when they try to contact her she doesn't respond.
Unreasonable
apd89 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
When Lynch was escaping with Grace, seriously, one agent at the meeting room? Without other guards like in any other episodes? Then two more officers in the hallway, which were btw not seem to be patrolling or guarding anything. Then ONE more showed up at the stairway. Even JJ became super unbelievably stupid when faced TWO criminals who she already knew that they SHOT their way out and were trying to escape. HOW on earth would she not let them cuff themselves first!?
HAHAHA WT fork? GTH.
HAHAHA WT fork? GTH.
"Man is not what he thinks. He is what he hides"
TheLittleSongbird5 January 2021
My overall feelings on Season 14 were mixed to positive, with three great episodes, a few average ones, most in between and one big disappointment. It was far from the best or most consistent season of 'Criminal Minds', Seasons 3 and 4 are my favourites. It was also not one of the worst, not like Seasons 9 and 11. After watching Season 15 in its entirety, to me overall apart from two episodes it was one of the worst seasons as well.
"Under the Skin", bringing back the characters that featured so memorably in one of the previous season's best episodes "Chameleon", was watched with mixed expectations. Despite being really impressed by "Chameleon", part of me was nervous after being so disappointed by the season finale "Truth or Dare". My feelings on the episode were mixed, it is certainly better than that episode, is one of the better episodes of Season 15 and at least feels like a season opener. But the characters that made such a big impression in "Chameleon" deserved a better story than the one here.
There are a lot of things that are good in "Under the Skin". Cannot fault the production values, with it being atmospherically shot in particular. The music isn't used too much and isn't too loud and has an eerie moodiness. The episode starts off very well and is genuinely creepy at first, which sets a promising tone from the outset. The JJ and Reid plot in "Truth or Dare" was near-universally panned by fans, and while the writing is still pretty cheesy and soapy the chemistry between AJ Cook and Matthew Gray Gubler actually struck me as quite sweet.
Moreover there are lovely moments within the team, which to me is one of 'Criminal Minds' biggest appeals (the little character moments with the main characters), and one does understand what it means to them to solve the case. All the regular actors are on strong form and Tom Anandes really makes the skin crawl.
However, "Under the Skin" is indicative of 'Criminal Minds' having run out of ideas. Too much of the case is fairly bland and predictable, as well as quite thin, after a strong start. There are some good ideas here that are not followed all the way through, which was a problem in some of Season 14 and in Season 15 of my recent viewings of 'Criminal Minds' episodes. The connections were interesting on paper but rather underdeveloped in execution. A lot more suspense was needed too.
The truth is too obvious too early in my view and could have taken a little more time to be revealed. The ending felt rushed and anti-climactic and the way the truth is revealed would have benefitted from more show and less tell. The dialogue can be thought provoking but it also can be quite cheesy.
All in all, watchable but pretty average start to one of the show's weaker seasons. 5/10
"Under the Skin", bringing back the characters that featured so memorably in one of the previous season's best episodes "Chameleon", was watched with mixed expectations. Despite being really impressed by "Chameleon", part of me was nervous after being so disappointed by the season finale "Truth or Dare". My feelings on the episode were mixed, it is certainly better than that episode, is one of the better episodes of Season 15 and at least feels like a season opener. But the characters that made such a big impression in "Chameleon" deserved a better story than the one here.
There are a lot of things that are good in "Under the Skin". Cannot fault the production values, with it being atmospherically shot in particular. The music isn't used too much and isn't too loud and has an eerie moodiness. The episode starts off very well and is genuinely creepy at first, which sets a promising tone from the outset. The JJ and Reid plot in "Truth or Dare" was near-universally panned by fans, and while the writing is still pretty cheesy and soapy the chemistry between AJ Cook and Matthew Gray Gubler actually struck me as quite sweet.
Moreover there are lovely moments within the team, which to me is one of 'Criminal Minds' biggest appeals (the little character moments with the main characters), and one does understand what it means to them to solve the case. All the regular actors are on strong form and Tom Anandes really makes the skin crawl.
However, "Under the Skin" is indicative of 'Criminal Minds' having run out of ideas. Too much of the case is fairly bland and predictable, as well as quite thin, after a strong start. There are some good ideas here that are not followed all the way through, which was a problem in some of Season 14 and in Season 15 of my recent viewings of 'Criminal Minds' episodes. The connections were interesting on paper but rather underdeveloped in execution. A lot more suspense was needed too.
The truth is too obvious too early in my view and could have taken a little more time to be revealed. The ending felt rushed and anti-climactic and the way the truth is revealed would have benefitted from more show and less tell. The dialogue can be thought provoking but it also can be quite cheesy.
All in all, watchable but pretty average start to one of the show's weaker seasons. 5/10
Too many plot holes get under your skin.
Washi_Washi27 January 2021
This last season of Criminal Minds opens in continuation of season 14's "Chameleon" to a strong start. The plot seems compelling and the story appears to have promise with its tribute to the classic Silence of the Lambs.
Unfortunately that doesn't quite go the way one would hope. The writing falls apart midway through the episode, and a lot of tactical decisions not only seem implausible, but for profilers that study human behavior, it feels downright stupid to not anticipate some of the clues that quickly become apparent to us as viewers. The team's progress relies on convenience once again and consequently, the episode's potential to be good drops significantly.
The nail biting end of the episode is a good attempt at recovery. Criminal Minds has often been criticised for reverting to either becoming the JJ show or an entire season of "How Best Can We Traumatise Spencer Reid Next". Having gotten quite sick of the fall back tropes, I have hope that this season does not stoop to relying on it. As far as season openers go, this is not the show's best and it remains to be seen how the final season conducts itself.
Unfortunately that doesn't quite go the way one would hope. The writing falls apart midway through the episode, and a lot of tactical decisions not only seem implausible, but for profilers that study human behavior, it feels downright stupid to not anticipate some of the clues that quickly become apparent to us as viewers. The team's progress relies on convenience once again and consequently, the episode's potential to be good drops significantly.
The nail biting end of the episode is a good attempt at recovery. Criminal Minds has often been criticised for reverting to either becoming the JJ show or an entire season of "How Best Can We Traumatise Spencer Reid Next". Having gotten quite sick of the fall back tropes, I have hope that this season does not stoop to relying on it. As far as season openers go, this is not the show's best and it remains to be seen how the final season conducts itself.
Why so many logical mistakes
torfly5 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I used to live this show because it made sense. The bahaviour of the team etc. Now why would JJ not call immediately for backup? Why try to pick up the unsubs gun? Makes no sense. The episode could have been a nice start to season 15 instead it is a continuation of season 14s downfall of this show. The characters making dumb mistakes and acting like imbeciles rather than smart profilers. Criminal Minds have become dumb minds. Even Reid seems to have lost his sharp character and is more Busy about being a romantic than a smart nerd. Poor to say the least. Get back the writers from seasons 3-4-5.
Snore fest
joecareyagain14 March 2020
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
