| O 809. MAGNIFICENT LIGHT O |
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Written by: | O Sharon Lee Watson O |
| Directed by: | O John Kretchmer O |
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| Original Air Date: | O November 28, 2012 O |
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| O When a recent attendee at a popular motivational speaker's conference in Seattle is murdered, the BAU looks at the speaker as the main suspect, but they have to refocus their investigation when the speaker himself goes missing. Also, Garcia is puzzled when Morgan declines to attend a dinner honoring an old family friend. O |
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| O 810. THE LESSON O |
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Written by: | O Janine Sherman Barrois O |
| Directed by: | O Matthew Gray Gubler O |
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| Original Air Date: | O December 5, 2012 O |
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| O The BAU investigates a series of male bodies that have been oddly disposed of in Arizona, finding themselves in search of a killer with ritualistic tendencies. Also, Reid gets anxious when faced with the possibility of meeting his mystery woman. O |
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- What worked? Why?
- What didn't? Why?
- What could have been better? Why?
- What was nearing perfection? Why?
I don't really have much thought on these two episodes. They were alright filler episodes I suppose but they weren't outstanding.
ReplyDeleteI think there was a lot of the supporting cast in both. Again, the casting department did a good job, but I would have preferred to see more of the team being a team and at the forefront.
As for the b stories in both, again they weren't my favourite. Garcia was pretty annoying in Magnificent Light, she came across a little pushy and the formal event was obviously to get Morgan in a suit, rather than the emotional spiel they tried to add.
As for the Lesson, it was an MGG episode, you could tell because it was one of the odder episodes and unsubs.
And the Reid and Maeve thing, again, I wish they gave them a happy ending and didn't add so much drama to the relationship, it felt a little like they wanted Reid to get a love interest but because MGG likes oddness, they made it all weird and doomed from the start.
Don't get me wrong, I thought it was an interesting way and plausible way for the beginning of a love story for Reid, but it felt a little too placed. Like all they wanted was to give Reid some drama for a big storyline in conjunction with the replicator thing, because he hadnt been featured as much and hadnt had a proper arc for a while and if they're going to sh- on Reid, well they going to mAke it rain. But for me, it was obvious that that relationship was going to end badly, because it's Reid and Maeve obviously had something going on, I just wish they had done something different with the ending and kept them from ever seeing each other or have them be happy.
Seeing the snippets of the replicator storyline was great and all, but for me the drama of the Maeve situation took something away from the replicator arc. For me, it felt like the replicator was only a real concern for Two episodes, Carbon Copy and the finale. Rather than making the Maeve arc so dramatic, perhaps they should have made that storyline a little less doomed and kept it quirky and evolve Reid's past headaches story line and just focused on making the replicator more evil and impacting the team. Reid would have still gotten his big storyline with Maeve but it wouldn't have taken so much away from the supposedly overriding season arc of the replicator and the finale might have had better build up rather than the rush of the episode it became.
Despite having watched Magnificent Light twice when it first aired, going back to this episode was like watching it for the first time as I couldn't remember a thing about it. I thought the way they set up Barry Flynn as the possible unsub was very predictable so it wasn't any surprise when the real unsub turned up.On watching it again the guest cast were pretty good and the profiling not too bad. I liked that Reid used his intellect to deduce what was wrong with the unsub - too often they use Reid to just reel off facts but I like it when he connects the dots and solves puzzles.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anon above that Garcia was annoying - she really has become a parody of the sparky, sassy character she used to be. Morgan did look very nice in his tux and I get that it was needed to see the Replicator take his glass and leave us all wondering why - but I think they are trying too hard with the backstories of the team. I wish they would keep the focus on the case.
Final thought on this episode was that Rossi and JJ partnering up works, Morgan and JJ doesn't.
The Lesson is a different matter - I certainly remembered this one! I know they usually give Matthew the weirder stories to direct but he does them so well and it was beautifully shot and very atmospheric, I loved the shocking beginning with the shock of the coma patient waking up.
I agree also with Anon above on the Reid arc. I thought it was so appropriate for Reid to have an unconventional, quirky love story but to kill her off like that was so wrong. Their relationship was exactly right unlike others on the show which are soooo very wrong (Hotch/Beth)!!
I do hope that if Matthew leaves the show at the end of S9 when his contract is up that they DON'T kill him off or let him succumb to drugs or schizophrenia. Give the poor boy a happy ending.
Oh and I was thrown off kilter by Reid's comment that his Aunt Ethel didn't like his hair!! I thought it was always only Reid and his Mom so where did Ethel spring from???
I loved the Blake/Reid moments - I think Blake fits in very well with the team.
The M.E.in this episode was a hoot!
I know that a lot of people complain about all the gore and other nastiness on the show - why they do this always bothers me as this is a show about serial killers, rapists, paedophiles etc for goodness sake! This is a dark, gritty show but the violence it shows is never gratuitous.In this episode you don't actually see much at all but it is all there. The macabre dance sequence I thought was stunning, gruesome but stunning.
To sum up, the Magnificent Light was a bit of a yawn but I will always remember The Lesson. Please give Matthew a less weird story to direct this season just to show the breadth of his talent.
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Where is everybody? Isn't anyone else joining the debate??
ReplyDelete/
I'm a sucker for motivational speakers, personal growth events, etc., so actually liked the theme re the Magnificent Light. It was a little too easy to predict though, so I was fine with the back story re Morgan and Garcia, however I admit that they don't play these two as well as they used to - Penelope was a little too intrusive, while Morgan was too sullen, but the ending was good between them; they looked great at the dinner, and you've got to give Pen credit for being Derek's motivation, so it was win-win for them both in the end and played well into the theme. The last scene did supply some much needed suspense which up until then there wasn't much of. I think the writer's need to go back to the earlier ep's and see just how cool and cute Morgan and Garcia used to be. Something missing this last while and by all means keep Hotch the LEAD man, more of that.
ReplyDeleteI believe that where CM has gotten into most difficulties has been when they've moved a character into a new role that strays too far away from what fans saw them as originally. Even accounting for maturation and getting older major change from one season to the next just doesn't come off well; example JJ sarcastic, bitchy, rarely showing her friendship with Garcia; Morgan sullen and rarely smiling; Hotch weakened in his position as leader; Garcia made to look silly and weak rather then cool and unique. (All not working as I see it). I do however like to see Reid maturing and coming into his own. That transition has been done well in my opinion. I think they've done really good things with Rossi's character and Blake is just starting to come into her own.
As for the Lesson, it totally freaked me, and left me wondering if I'd have a nightmare (TG I didn't) but I also found it strangely intriquing. I thought it was well acted, written and all in all one of the better ep's of the season. It certainly left me with a strange uneasy feeling and a little ambivalent as well. Perhaps that was the goal, do you think?
I so agree with Anon (July 28 at 4.07) regarding changes in characters going too far - such as JJ, Garcia and Morgan. JJ's new sarcastic and snarky persona is so far removed from the empathetic and kindhearted girl we first met - too far for mere maturation.
ReplyDeleteOn another tack, I don't know who is reading this but I am disappointed at the lack of responses given that quite a number of us signed up when it was first announced. I love this show - I mean really love this show. I have watched it from the start and seen all episodes multiple times. I have all seasons on dvd and read everything I can find about it on the internet. I really love debating views on the show with others. I want to find out why some people think it's all about Reid (it isn't), why Morgan and Garcia have become caricatures of their original selves (they have) and why Hotch had so much chemistry with the other women he's crossed paths with such as Megan Kane, Cece Hillebrand and Kate Joyner yet none at all in his flat and sappy relationship with Beth (Yikes! He's still with her in S9!). I love reading and responding to other people's views so where is everyone? CMRT have this great forum for fans - please let's have a few more views especially from those who signed up to the rewatch in the first place.
Sorry - rant over!
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@ / I am out because the first discussions almost all turned into some Morgan/JJ bashing even when they didn`t have many scenes together in the episodes. As a Morgan fan I too do not want to see them partnered too often. I prefer Morgan partnered with Hotch and Rossi. But I got used to Morgan/JJ and it does not annoy me anymore.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with some who said JJ/Rossi is a better pairing than JJ/Morgan as to me JJ/Rossi sometimes is a bit awkward. I like JJ best with Reid and Garcia.
Regarding Garcia, she has become totally annoying to me the last two seasons. But I prefer dark and angry Morgan by far to funny and flirty season 1 Morgan. It would be totally unbelievable if Morgan had not changed into a more serious character after all that has happened in the last 8 seasons.
I am glad that Hotch is still with Beth as I like her.
The Lesson is one of my least favorite episodes of season 8. The characters and the storyline were too bizzare and I did not care for them.
Magnificent Light had an interesting victim with the motivational speaker but the episode was ruined for me by annoying Garcia. What was even more annoying was when some fans in the writer`s chat dared to critisize the OTT writing for Garcia, the chat transript was censored and the Garcia questions and answers deleted.
Z
Sorry Z, but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you. I do not think JJ and Morgan make a good pairing at all.
ReplyDeleteI think JJ pairs best with either Hotch or Reid.She also has good chemistry with Garcia, but I'll take her being paired with Rossi any day over either Morgan or Alex.
I do like that they pair Alex and Reid together. I think they have good chemistry, but I really enjoy the Morgan/Reid pairing and imo that pairing has way more chemistry than the Morgan/JJ pairing does.
OTOH you won't get an argument from me regarding Garcia. I find her extremely annoying at times. And I wish Morgan would just tell her to STFU.
I hate how Garcia seems to get a pass on a lot of her childish behavior.
They just let her rant and rave about things instead of telling her to shut up and grow up.
Meanwhile they roll their eyes at poor Reid and even cut him off at times not allowing him to finish speaking.
For those wondering about the lack of participation.I do not have a dvr so unless an episode is online I am unable to give more than a general critique of that episode.
I do think this was a good idea. I tried getting many of my online friends to participate,but some were just not interested.
Because they were convinced it wasn't going to do a bit of good.
I can't say I blame them for feeling that way, but I do wish they'd been willing to participate.
I guess the appropriate question is "Do the producers/writers get to see this blog?" I think they should. Despite or perhaps inspite of multiple views being expressed, there are recurring themes that they might well pay attention to. It would be a win-win for all.
ReplyDelete