garretsr

I liked this episode once I thought of it as sci-fi.

Criminal Minds regularly borders on being science fiction with things like miraculous data retrieval and omniscient profile development. This episode went farther for most, using science fiction to explain what appeared to be something out of a fairy tale.

The episode's name, Hamelin, show that writers either recognized or intended this. What makes the episode science fiction is that the underlying mind control method is just discussed with a conclusory explanation that this is what happened. Never is there a reference to this, or anything like it, actually happening in a lab, or anywhere in the real world, other than in the fairy tale the episode is named for.

Once I accepted that it was sci-fi, the episode was as enjoyable as a Marvel or Star Trek/Wars movie. Just accept the science of the other universe and enjoy.

I watched all of these, and the first couple of episodes opened a number of plot lines. Unfortunately, by the end, most of these plot lines were still almost complete mysteries, as if they were holding them back for Season 2.

Most of the later episodes did little to resolve the questions, while dealing with stories that might have been interesting, if the main plot lines were also moving forward.

I am reminded of lots where the producers said "Everything happens for a reason." but failed to point out that they were still trying to come up with a reason.

While I might have watched an episode or two of a second season to see if it went anywhere, I recently heard that the show was not renewed and find myself ambivalent.

The film's biggest flaw is that it is just slow. The vast majority of the time is spent on dialogue that does nothing to move the plot forward. The dialogue is not funny, exciting, inciteful, or even memorable.

The movie is almost three hours long, which is acceptable if it entertains, but the brief bits of entertainment get you nowhere. There are also cheesy references to indigineous peoples' culture that got more laughs than sympathy. For example when an elder shows up with a lip plate--even ignoring the fact that it is a male elder and lip plates are generally used by female tribe members --the caricature caused laughs and groans from the audience. If the character said anything important, nobody heard it because nobody took him seriously. I hope that the character was not intended as comic relief.