True Genius

Matthew Gray Gubler takes center stage in this Reid-centric episode. Once considered a boy wonder, the years are adding up. It's a bittersweet birthday he tries to ignore, suspending reality by leaving it unannounced. What distinguished Reid as a youth doesn't seem so rare at thirty, especially as a psychopathic genius taunts that he's not as smart as he thinks he is. As the case mirrors a high stakes chess game, Reid searches for the culprit as well as a renewed sense of personal validation.

Eerily written, "True Genius" plays upon the echoes of the past, demonstrating just how easily the innocent can become pawns in the hands of the criminally insane. Distant deeds, good and evil, unearth a reluctance to set aside the notoriety of youth for both hunter and hunted. For the prey, it's much more than escaping a present danger. It's the past that threatens to overtake, precluding safe passage into the future.

Guest star, Jeff Newburg, delivers an unsettlingly layered performance as the brilliantly disturbed Caleb, drawing sympathy and repulsion in turns. The way Newburg's Caleb gets under one's skin is reminiscent of the creep-factor Michael Emerson elicited when he turned a guest shot into a series regular role on LOST. Perhaps the unresolved nature of Caleb's fate could likewise lead to a CRIMINAL MINDS recurrence that only a true genius could devise.

For those that, like myself, are binge-watching Criminal Minds after having only previously caught the odd episode on the TV: this is the episode that you most likely vaguely remember, and that you really ought to watch again. There are only a couple dozen or so 'memorable' Criminal Minds episodes out there and this is certainly one of them!

The plot is incredibly engaging; though initially (and overall, to some degree) not one of the most original concepts for an episode, the plot is well-developed and the resolution seems just. Though season 6 and 7 are rife with forced-dramatisation and oddly placed emotional appeals, the development of this particular episode allows it to stand alone, but not as the typical 'Baddy of the Week' that we've come to expect. Instead, it is supported by its own merit: it is a good episode with great development, characters that are human, and above all it is worth the 44 minutes!

There is also an overall advancement in Reid's character, and development of the team as a whole, which is always something great to look out for in this series.

I have been a fan of Criminal Minds for a long time. I am a loyal viewer and want to say that this episode was particularly gripping. Since Caleb has such a mind for crime and he wasn't killed off is is possible that the character may come back to actually help solve crimes? I found the twists from the beginning well played out. The character of Caleb from the very beginning was complicated. I found him sinister and very off balance and then at the end actually felt sorry for him. Perhaps if he comes back Criminal Minds can explore this person more and viewers can better understand what led to his actions. Could he actually possibly be "reformed"?

For me, "Foundation" and "True Genius" are the two best episodes of Season 7, which had a fair share of good episodes and a few mediocre or less episodes ("I Love You Tommy Brown" and "There's No Place Like Home" being the worst.

As always for 'Criminal Minds' (apart from a couple of exceptions), "True Genius" is stylishly filmed and atmospherically lit with a lot of grit and class. The music is haunting and melancholic, the pacing never feels rushed or drawn out, instead being very taut and gripping, and the direction lets the story breathe while never spoiling the momentum.

The writing is smart and thought-provoking and develops the characters and the adorable, family-like bond between the BAU beautifully. The balance between case, character development, any scenes with the unsub and the role of the BAU is wonderfully done and feels equal.

With the story, it may not be an original concept but that does not matter when the tension and suspense is so frightening, the personal moments and conflicts so heart-warming and emotional and the profiling and psychology so intriguing. Reid has always been one of the best characters on 'Criminal Minds', and one of the few reasons why the show is still being stuck with despite its staggering decline, and loved his development and his chemistry with the team, especially his sweet one with Prentiss.

Regarding the acting, that is top-notch (not very often was it less than very good, though admittedly coming from a fan there were exceptions). Matthew Gray Gubler is a revelation, while Jeff Newburg is skin-crawlingly creepy as a remarkably complex unsub.

Only the slightly anti-climactic ending disappoints, but not badly enough to bring down the episode.

In summary, one of the best episodes of Season 7 and sees 'Criminal Minds' on form. 10/10 Bethany Cox