Omnivore (18 Mar. 2009)

After being inactive for 10 years, Hotch's first BAU case, an elusive serial killer known as the Reaper, starts killing again.

Director:

Nelson McCormick

Writers:

Jeff Davis (creator), Andrew Wilder

Stars:

Joe Mantegna, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Joe Mantegna	...	David Rossi
Paget Brewster	...	Emily Prentiss
Shemar Moore	...	Derek Morgan
Matthew Gray Gubler	...	Dr. Spencer Reid
A.J. Cook	...	Jennifer Jareau
Kirsten Vangsness	...	Penelope Garcia
Thomas Gibson	...	Aaron Hotchner
C. Thomas Howell	...	George Foyet
Louis Ferreira	...	Ray Colson (as Justin Louis)
James Hanlon	...	Sgt. Michael O'Mara
James Handy	...	Tom Shaunessy
Joyce Greenleaf	...	Nurse
Frank Novak	...	Arthur Lanessa
Lynn Milano	...	Diane Lanessa
Adam Chambers	...	Evan Harvey

Storyline

The BAU is assigned to work on an old case, which was Hotch's first as lead investigator for the BAU, namely that of the Boston Reaper. The case was originally closed ten years ago by Tom Shaunessy, the lead Boston police detective working on the case. When the case officially closed, the killings stopped. With Shaunessy now on his deathbed, he discloses to Hotch the reasons for closing the case. After Shaunessy's death, the killings once again begin. Hotch is taking this case personally as, although he had thought and worked on his own on the case in the intervening years, he feels he could have stopped the Reaper during this time which may have prevented these recent deaths. Beyond the random persons chosen as the murder victims, the one person who may be in danger as a target of the Reaper is George Foyet, the only known person who survived the Reaper's murder attempt ten years earlier. One other person who may provide a symbiotic benefit to the BAU in finding the Reaper this time ...

---

Plot Keywords:

serial killer | wedding ring | hit with a tire iron | deal | hijacking a bus | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 2009 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mark Gordon Company, The, CBS Paramount Network Television, ABC Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

55 min 55 min 42 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Early in the show, a couple in the Boston area is at the side of a dark, country road with two flat tires. The woman in the car is phoning for help and says they're on "Rt. 128." In reality, Rt. 128, also known as I-95, is not a country road but an interstate with 3-4 lanes in each direction.

---

Quotes

David Rossi: Narcissistic killers need other people to recognize their power. That's why they contact the media.

User Reviews

Executioner Returns

Finally an episode that is everything Masterpiece (#4.8) aspired to be, yet failed in its we-didn't-really-think-this-through cleverness. In a series that is mainly episodic, this one also contains several nods to long-time viewers and establishes what probably is as close to mythology (in TV trope sense, not cultural sense) as Criminal Minds will ever get. Kudos! Finally we have an episode that measures up to the standards set by "L.D.S.K." (#1.6), "The Fisher King: Part 1" (#1.22), "Revelations" (#2.15), "3rd Life" (#3.12), and "Lo-Fi" (#3.20).

With an episode like this, it's excellence cannot be thoroughly analyzed without spoilers. Since this seems to be universally a highly regarded episode, there is no need to explain in detail why it is good. Suffice to say, the script is amazing, surprising both plot and character-wise: Hotch is finally made interesting! The BAU is up against a true Chessmaster, not a wannabe like the clown in Masterpiece. Brutal, tense and inventive, this is a must-see. The only reason it's "only" a 9/10? It would be a spoiler...