In anticipation of its mildly anticipated spin-off, Criminal Minds held a little bit of a launch party last night … an event that I hadn’t heard word one about, and wouldn’t have realized was transpiring had I not known that Forest Whitaker was set to star as team leader Sam Cooper on the new show. Which is as opposed to last year, when NCIS staged a much-hyped coming-out party for NCIS: LA. Strange, considering both shows are on CBS, but also an appropriate comparison, as both spin-offs appear to fall into the same category: mistakes.
Yes, it’s way too early to tell whether or not this new Criminal Minds will be a good show, but the new premise seems to involve not so much a remix of a solid formula as an upgrade in technology. Lots of screens and fancy doodads, plus a guy nicknamed “Prophet” (Michael Kelly), but not enough of the familiar feel. Law & Order is still the only franchise to have regularly done this successfully, and everyone else should take note — change the players, but keep the basic premise and formula in place. Criminal Minds may end up doing just that, I just didn’t see it last night. And is Garcia going to bridge the gap upon occasion like Abby does on NCIS? Is Director Strauss (Jayne Atkinson) being given a larger profile for that reason as well, like with Director Vance? Can anyone be original?
But all of that being said, I did think that this was a great episode of the original show. I loved the plot, Colin from 90210 (Jason Wiles) actually impressed me as the dad of a teenager, and the new players — in addition to Cooper and Prophet that included Mick Rawson (newbie Matt Ryan), and Gina LaSalle (Beau Garrett, the vegan nut on Entourage) — mixed well with our old friends. Actually, the only character out of place was Cooper … Idi Amin as an FBI agent with a wild streak? A great actor shouldn’t be typecast, but a great actor also shouldn’t be doing certain work that’s out-of-whack and somewhat beneath him. Whitaker’s presence pulled me out of his scenes, and left me not enjoying what was probably some great material between him and Hotch.
Rawson and Prentiss were kind of interesting, but her incessant need for information rubbed me the wrong way. Leave the guy alone! Rossi and Prophet, on the other hand, could make for a cool friendship, assuming Prophet was in prison for something good. He and Rossi could spend their days profiling each other. Gina and Morgan? What’s with casting a token female (ala Kensi Blye (Daniela Ruah) on NCIS:LA) on these shows? It leaves them having to fill multiple stereotypical roles, instead of letting them just be fellow agents.
Good episode of Criminal Minds though. I loved the fight-to-survive aspect of it, and I thought it was a really well developed story, allowing most all of the BAU agents (what about Reid?) to flex their specialty muscles in solving the case. I don’t know if there’d be a way to bring this second group in here and there (I’m sure Whitaker wouldn’t accept an irregular role on the main show, which is all the better), but I think that may be the stronger play for a series that’s struggled a little with character exposition recently.
Adding some interesting counterparts could bring out some cool stuff in our buttoned-up team.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Apr 08, 2010 @ 13:30 EST5EDT
I enjoyed the story, but one part near the end bothered me. They were all at the gym, then Morgan and Gina jumped in the car, Mick headed to the rooftop and I don’t know where Prentiss went. They find out where the unsub is and Morgan comments they are two blocks away and drives there. Then suddenly Prentiss was there and Mick was on the roof across the street. The few minutes between the gym and the parking garage was very confusing to me.
If there is a spin-off, I would check it out. I think the spin-off may focus more on the characters then the cases.
*POST AUTHOR*
I would check it out too, just like with NCIS: LA. I didn’t say I was immune to bad shows. :)
I think that I remember seeing Prentiss running up the parking levels with Morgan and Gina, but I could be wrong. But she may have just been on foot and joined them as soon as she could. Not sure.
Don’t like the spinoff. I give up on Criminal minds. Period.