When on form, and even better at its best, 'Criminal Minds' is one of my most watched and most re-watched shows and is a personal favourite. It is nowhere near as good now, but there are still good to great episodes made every now and then when the show doesn't forget what it's about, but Seasons 1-5 was its prime period.
Admittedly, Season 5 did have a higher rate of average or less episodes than the previous four seasons, with "The Fight", "Hopeless", "The Performer" and "Parasite" being underwhelming episodes. Season 5 also saw outstanding episodes such as 100", "...A Thousand Words", "The Uncanny Valley" and "Mosley Lane", also think highly of "Risky Business" and "Solitary Man" and that "Our Darkest Hour" is better than given credit for.
"The Eyes Have It" is neither among the best or worst Season 5 episodes, instead being around comfortable neutral. It isn't perfect, with the gore occasionally getting a bit too much and instead of enhancing the creepiness it seemed there for the sake of shock value (this said it is nowhere near as gratuitous as "Hopeless", one of the gratuitously violent and gory episodes of the whole show).
Strauss is as cold, uninteresting and dictatorial as ever, while Reid and Hotch are underused (while one knows the reasons, due to accommodating Matthew Gray Gubler's real life injury and the whole Reaper vs. Hotch season story arc, it just doesn't feel right for such great characters to be underused and not have much of note). The Morgan stepping up as leader subplot is neatly done, less good is his side subplot which is soap-operatic and unprofessional.
However, the production values as always are very high in quality, being atmospheric and stylish, while the music has the right amount of the ominous touch and the pathos. The direction is alert and sympathetic and the script is thought-provoking with some welcome humour from Garcia and delightful team interaction. Loved that Rossi was written very honestly and realistically here, with him actually daring to ask the questions and utter what everybody is thinking but not having as much courage to say out loud.
The story draws one right in with the creepiness and amps up the tension and suspense. The unsub is a scary one, while the team work cohesively with some nice profiling. Mostly the balance of focus is done very well, with only the gore being too much in places. The acting all round is very good.
In conclusion, good episode if not an outstanding one or one of the season's best. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Admittedly, Season 5 did have a higher rate of average or less episodes than the previous four seasons, with "The Fight", "Hopeless", "The Performer" and "Parasite" being underwhelming episodes. Season 5 also saw outstanding episodes such as 100", "...A Thousand Words", "The Uncanny Valley" and "Mosley Lane", also think highly of "Risky Business" and "Solitary Man" and that "Our Darkest Hour" is better than given credit for.
"The Eyes Have It" is neither among the best or worst Season 5 episodes, instead being around comfortable neutral. It isn't perfect, with the gore occasionally getting a bit too much and instead of enhancing the creepiness it seemed there for the sake of shock value (this said it is nowhere near as gratuitous as "Hopeless", one of the gratuitously violent and gory episodes of the whole show).
Strauss is as cold, uninteresting and dictatorial as ever, while Reid and Hotch are underused (while one knows the reasons, due to accommodating Matthew Gray Gubler's real life injury and the whole Reaper vs. Hotch season story arc, it just doesn't feel right for such great characters to be underused and not have much of note). The Morgan stepping up as leader subplot is neatly done, less good is his side subplot which is soap-operatic and unprofessional.
However, the production values as always are very high in quality, being atmospheric and stylish, while the music has the right amount of the ominous touch and the pathos. The direction is alert and sympathetic and the script is thought-provoking with some welcome humour from Garcia and delightful team interaction. Loved that Rossi was written very honestly and realistically here, with him actually daring to ask the questions and utter what everybody is thinking but not having as much courage to say out loud.
The story draws one right in with the creepiness and amps up the tension and suspense. The unsub is a scary one, while the team work cohesively with some nice profiling. Mostly the balance of focus is done very well, with only the gore being too much in places. The acting all round is very good.
In conclusion, good episode if not an outstanding one or one of the season's best. 7/10 Bethany Cox
