Season 9 generally has been an inconsistent season for 'Criminal Minds', one of the show's weakest (though it is universally agreed that Season 11 is the worst, where only three or four episodes were good).
When Season 9 was good, like with this episode, it was quite great. However when it was not good, the episodes in question especially "200" (such a waste of a milestone episode and didn't feel like 'Criminal Minds at all) were some of the worst of the whole show. "Gabby" however was a season highlight, not quite top-tier or flawless but very close. And to me it's one of the better latter season episodes, one of the few episodes in the season that had genuine power and made me feel something.
My only complaint actually was the ending with Morgan, JJ and Garcia, which felt rushed, cheesy and forced, and could easily have been excised. To a lesser extent, AJ Cook also seemed a touch distant, but it could have been to do with how JJ was coping with the horrific trauma she suffered in "200".
Production values in "Gabby", as always, are very high, love the grit, dark atmosphere and style. Other good things are the music, which is hauntingly atmospheric with a touch of melancholy, solid direction that ensures that the suspense doesn't slip or that the episode doesn't rush through the events and very intelligent writing and had what made the best of 'Criminal Minds' so great all over it.
"Gabby", to me, most excelled in the storytelling. 'Criminal Minds' have nearly always handled the child abduction episodes very well, and have done a great job making the viewer feel shock and anger towards the situation. "Gabby" is one of the better examples, and what is found out about the unsub is genuinely disturbing. While the unsub is suspected by the viewer early on, how the team find out, what they find and the unsub's attitude towards the situation and their motivation (a motivation that actually was explained and didn't feel that extreme) still made the revelation a shock.
Characters are still interesting, with an adorable team dynamic between the BAU (actually didn't have a problem with Blake here), sympathy for the mother and anger towards the unsub. The acting is very good from all the regulars, while Sianoa Smit-McPhee provides subtle chills and Ashley Jones conveys her character's anguish very poignantly.
Overall, a Season 9 highlight and quite a powerful episode. 9/10, and it actually was a 10 until the ending. Bethany Cox
When Season 9 was good, like with this episode, it was quite great. However when it was not good, the episodes in question especially "200" (such a waste of a milestone episode and didn't feel like 'Criminal Minds at all) were some of the worst of the whole show. "Gabby" however was a season highlight, not quite top-tier or flawless but very close. And to me it's one of the better latter season episodes, one of the few episodes in the season that had genuine power and made me feel something.
My only complaint actually was the ending with Morgan, JJ and Garcia, which felt rushed, cheesy and forced, and could easily have been excised. To a lesser extent, AJ Cook also seemed a touch distant, but it could have been to do with how JJ was coping with the horrific trauma she suffered in "200".
Production values in "Gabby", as always, are very high, love the grit, dark atmosphere and style. Other good things are the music, which is hauntingly atmospheric with a touch of melancholy, solid direction that ensures that the suspense doesn't slip or that the episode doesn't rush through the events and very intelligent writing and had what made the best of 'Criminal Minds' so great all over it.
"Gabby", to me, most excelled in the storytelling. 'Criminal Minds' have nearly always handled the child abduction episodes very well, and have done a great job making the viewer feel shock and anger towards the situation. "Gabby" is one of the better examples, and what is found out about the unsub is genuinely disturbing. While the unsub is suspected by the viewer early on, how the team find out, what they find and the unsub's attitude towards the situation and their motivation (a motivation that actually was explained and didn't feel that extreme) still made the revelation a shock.
Characters are still interesting, with an adorable team dynamic between the BAU (actually didn't have a problem with Blake here), sympathy for the mother and anger towards the unsub. The acting is very good from all the regulars, while Sianoa Smit-McPhee provides subtle chills and Ashley Jones conveys her character's anguish very poignantly.
Overall, a Season 9 highlight and quite a powerful episode. 9/10, and it actually was a 10 until the ending. Bethany Cox
