Criminal Minds

The Washington Post had an interesting little article today about the top ranked shows in terms of viewership and the top ranked shows in terms of online buzz and social networking. Our very own Criminal Minds was number two in the rankings for social networking. The article, “The Most Watched Shows Are Not the Most Talked About” gave the top ten for each category. CM doesn’t appear on this list - as compiled by the Nielsen ratings - but it is number two in the other category, meaning its fan base is talking about it. Great fans for a great show! Here are the lists:

Top Ten for Viewers:
1. Gray’s Anatomy

2. Desperate Housewives

3. NBC Sunday Night Football

4. Dancing With the Stars

5. Two and a Half Men

6. CSI Miami

8. Heroes

9. The OT

10. The Office

Networked Insights Top Ten TV Shows On Social Network

1. Two and a Half Men

2. Criminal Minds

3. House

4. CSI Miami

5. NCIS

6. Brothers & Sisters

7. Cold Case

8. Gray’s Anatomy

9. Family Guy

10. Dancing With the Stars

You can read the article here.

November is almost upon us. Other people in the world are lucky enough to see the sun during this month, but where I live, this is the month with the least amount of sunshine. So to keep the winter blues away, we watch tv. Lots of it. Usually with fatty and gooey snacks and hot cocoa. At least we have some great stuff to look forward to from Criminal Minds. Guest stars include:

Jason Alexander, Ali Landry, and more of Nicholas Brendan. Jason Alexander (aka George from Seinfeld) plays a killer, of course. Says exec producer Ed Bernero:

“It’s a really crazy role. He’s going to come in and turn himself in, but we have no idea who his victims are. So we have to reverse profile.” They’re also racing to save his latest vicitm. Check him out - almost didn’t recognize him.

Meta Golding, who plays JJ’s temporary replacement while the new mom is on leave, will make her appearance very soon also. I think she’s shake up the team a bit - it’ll be nice to have some new blood, so to speak.

Make sure to watch tomorrow when CBS airs “Catching Out.” This one should have some back story on Reid, which I’m looking forward to.

The next CM episode we have to look forward to is “Catching Out.” In it, the team is searching for a killer who is targeting people living near railway lines. Here’s a promo…looks good!

“Paradise” helped CBS continue its good ratings streak, though it was second to the World Series on Fox. According to the Nielsen ratings, 14.7 million viewers tuned into Criminal Minds. So what did you think of this episode?

I know last week, I said I was not 100% electrified by “Minimal Loss.” I liked it; it was good. Not fantastic. Before I talk about my feelings about “Paradise,” let me say that I love this show. I think it’s awesome - I love the actors and the characters. I love me some Garcia and some Hotch. That being said, I did not like this episode. It was good to see a new episode, and I didn’t feel like turning the channel, but I didn’t feel like this was a great one. Why?

How many shows or movies have you seen with this basic setup - couples checking into secluded motels, creepy Norman Bates wannabes? It just seemed overdone. Was anyone on the edge of his/her seat with this one? Criminal Minds tends to follow a certain formula - a series of crimes, current victims, and a race to save them. Usually I think this helps make the show suspenseful, but this time it just seemed predictable. I also felt like the developement of the villain was a bit rushed. When the episode ended, I was left with a “that’s it?” type of feeling.

What are your thoughts on this episode? I really liked “Mayhem” and “Angel Maker.” I liked “Minimal Loss.” “Paradise,” though, left something to be desired for me.

Tonight, CBS is airing “Paradise.” In this episode, a killer is disguising his crimes by making them look like car accidents. Will Wheaton, formerly of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and William Mapother of Lost. Other guests include: Robyn Lively (Cold Case, Saving Grace), David Andrews (A Stolen Melody, Bottle Neck), Joe Unger (South of Heaven, Closed for the Season), Jack Laufer (Sweet Nothing in My Ear, Huff, Crossing Jordan), Sherry Weston (The People I’ve Slept With, In the Eyes of a Killer), Price Carson (Mad Men, Las Vegas), Tom O’Keefe (Crash and Burn, Rules of Engagement), and Tommie Harris (NBC Sunday Night Football).

Viewers in Canada see Criminal Minds on Tuesday nights, and so far the buzz on “Paradise” is very positive. I think we can look forward to a creepy, dramatic time. Tune in at nine on CBS.

Max Allan Collins, author of books based on the CSI and Criminal Minds series has written a new CM book, Finishing School. This book stars our favorite BAU members. Here’s a rundown from Amazon:

The bodies of three young girls are discovered in the woods of Bemidji, Minnesota, the result of barbiturate poisoning. Unable to identify the victims, the local police turn to the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Profiler David Rossi learns that the girls disappeared more than ten years ago from Georgia. Further investigation reveals that the perpetrators have been involved in a cycle of kidnapping and murder for close to twenty years—and are about to start again…

These look like quick, exciting reads if you need a CM fix in between episodes. Click on the link above for more info from Amazon. The book is available November 4, but I believe you can order now. Also, I have a copy for Killer Profile, another CM book, if anyone wants. Here’s a summary of that:

An elite team of FBI profilers is called in to help Chicago detectives investigate a series of bizarre murders. Though all are violent and disturbing, the crimes seem unrelated—until profiler David Rossi makes the connection. He recognizes each grisly tableau as one modeled on the crime scenes of three of the country’s most notorious serial killers: David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer.

Someone is taking the cult of true crime to terrifying extremes, and with so many killers left to emulate, Rossi wonders how he can possibly profile a killer who’s hiding within the killer profiles of others…

If you would like that, please just drop me an email. I’ll give it to the first person who responds - sorry, but I have to limit it to US addressess. Thanks!

Tonight we get a special treat: CM on Saturday! “Penelope” will reair on CBS at 8:00. Season four has some great sounding episodes coming up. Here’s what we can look forward to:

“Paradise” - The BAU joins the manhunt to catch a serial killer who conceals the manner of his crimes by staging car accidents. This guest stars Will Wheaton.

“Catching Out” - The team investigates a series of murders that appear to be connected to a killer who jumps trains and chooses his victims based on their proximity to the railway.

“The Instincts” - When a young boy is kidnapped in Las Vegas, Reid begins to have dreams that force him recall forgotten memories from his childhood as he investigates the case.

“Memoriam” - As Reid’s investigation of a young boy’s murder in Las Vegas continues, he discovers possible connections to his own past.

Jane Lynch returns to the show as Reid’s mother. She’s a great actress in both dramatic and comedic roles. Reid’s mom is also a cool character, and it’ll be interesting to see more of Spenser’s past.

Variety has an article today on the new fall tv season…and so far, CBS is dominating with the help of its best shows, CSI (all three), NCIS, Two and a Half Men, and Criminal Minds. Otherwise, the season is “lackluster,” according to the article. Even with new, highly hyped shows, such as 90210, networks aren’t seeing a lot of enthusiasm for their offerings.

“I keep coming back to the strike. This is the year, as an industry, we’re paying the price for that,” said Preston Beckman, Fox’s exec VP, strategic program planning and research. This has hurt the shows that were new last year and which have returned this year, like Pushing Daisies. It also may have dampened enthusiasm for new shows. Fortunately, people are returning to their favorites - CM among them.

The article also points out that because people can just watch what they want when they want with DVR, the ratings get skewed that way. Also, cable news shows have seen an increase in ratings as more and more people tune in to get the latest financial news - at least a recession is good news for someone, huh? CBS has a bunch of crime procedurals, which, although us young’uns love CM, typically appeal to older viewers. These seem to be impervious to DVR, meaning CBS gathers better live ratings.

You can catch the rest of the article by clicking on the link above. What do you think of this year’s tv selection? I don’t watch much except CM (except my new addiction to The Biggest Loser). Is anything good on?

Joe Mantegna’s daughter has autism, and as a result, the actor is very involved with trying to raise recongition, money, and find a cure or treatment for this mysterious condition. Autism Speaks is a group that is dedicated to these same goals. On November 10, Autism Speaks presents an evening of celebrity readings and music to raise money for this great cause.

This event will take place at the Geffen Playhouse in LA and will feature performances by Gary Dourdan and Marg Helgenberger of CSI, Camryn Manheim of Ghost Whisperer, Bill Pullman, Zach Quinto of Heroes, and Joe Mantegna, among others. The cast of “The Miracle Project,” an HBO documentary, will also perform. According to the Miracle Project website:

The Miracle Project is a theatre and film arts program for children with special needs and their typically developing siblings and peers. Our mission is to provide a loving, accepting nurturing environment which celebrates and honors the unique and often unrecognized talents of these young people by guiding them through creative workshops and artistic programs.

The cast and crew of Criminal Minds are not only outstanding professionals, they are humanitarians. It is said that 1 out of every 150 children are affected by Autism, and more research is definately needed, as is more understanding of what Autism really is.

(Scroll down to read some awesome ratings news)

CBS won the ratings race this last week, thanks to strong performances by CSI, Criminal Minds, and other of its anchor shows. CBS averaged 11 million viewers during prime time, compared to 9.6 million for ABC, 7.9 million for Fox, and 7 million for NBC. CM had over 16 million viewers…awesome!

The season premiere of CSI was #1 for the week - it was great. (By the way, if you missed this episode and have Netflix, you can watch it on Instant Watch). Here are the rest of the winners for the week…CM is #4, which is the highest I can recall it ever being. Great start for season four. (These are Neilsen ratings as reported by the Orlando Sentinel).

1. “CSI,” CBS, 23.5 million

2. “Dancing With the Stars” Monday, ABC, 18.6 million

3. “NCIS,” CBS, 16.3 million

4. “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 16.2 million

5. “CSI: NY,” CBS, 15.9 million

6. “Desperate Housewives,” ABC, 15.5 million

7. “Dancing With the Stars” Tuesday, ABC, 15.1 million

8. “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC, 14.8 million

9. “The OT,” Fox, 14.2 million

10. “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 14.1 million

Here are the most popular shows in the 18-to-49 age group:

1. “CSI”

2. “Desperate Housewives”

3. “Grey’s Anatomy”

4. “The OT”

5. Sunday Night Football, NBC

6. (tie) “Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update,” NBC

“Two and a Half Men”

8. “The Office,” NBC

9. “Survivor: Gabon,” CBS

10. (tie) “Dancing With the Stars” Monday

“Criminal Minds”

“CSI: NY”

We’ll have to wait a week for a new Criminal Minds episode. CM is going to be preempted on Wednesday night because of the presidential debate. McCain and Obama will battle it out at nine on the major networks and public tv stations. We will get treated to a rerun of “Penelope” on Saturday night though. “Penelope” is the conclusion of “Lucky,” in which Garcia is shot by her date.

The ratings for CBS’s dramas, including Criminal Minds, have been outstanding. “Minimal Loss” brought in almost sixteen million viewers, as did the new episode of CSI:NY which followed it. When DVR viewers were factored in, those number jumped and boosted the ratings even more. So, tune in to the debate and CM will be back Saturday with a great rerun and next Wednesday with a new episode.

As an aside, and totally unrelated to Criminal Minds, if you haven’t watched Tina Fey impersonate Sarah Palin at the vice presidential debate, do! It’s hilarious, and the Joe Biden impersonator is funny too.
Here’s a clip from YouTube:

(photo from CBS.com)

What did you think of “Minimal Loss”? The third episode of season four featured Luke Perry as a cult leader - CM mimicked Law and Order’s “ripped from the headlines” type storyline here. Ben Cyrus was accused to marrying the young teenagers in the cult and fathering their children. Reid and Prentiss go in to investigate, posing as child abuse interview experts. From there, the police try to raid the compound, not knowing that FBI agents were inside.

We see Prentiss confess to being an FBI agent and get beaten, Reid “befriending” Cyrus, and the team working to free them, as well as the women and children inside. (Also a glimpse at JJ’s cute little baby belly).

I looked at some fan reviews, and this episode got great ratings from CM fans. I thought it was good, but not great. Why? The guest stars were great - I’m not a Luke Perry fan, but I liked him in this. The storyline was ok. It just didn’t seem to be as dramatic as it could have been. I’m all about the drama! Maybe it was trying to do too much in forty-five or so minutes? Now that I think back on it, though, I can’t pinpoint exactly what I wish was different. Can anyone help me out? What did you think? If you liked it, maybe you can help me see what I was missing…it just didn’t feel as complete as it could have been.

I am definately glad to have new episodes, but I think the first two of the season were stronger than this one. Please disagree with me!! I can’t figure out why I didn’t really love “Minimal Loss.” Luckily, millions of other people did. CM and CSI:NY helped propel CBS to ratings victory. Each show had a cool 15.9 million viewers Wednesday night, helping CBS top the other networks.

Also, tonight is the season premiere of CSI. It’s on CBS at nine. I’m super excited because I’ve been wanting to see this and I thought I missed it when I was in the hospital having my son. I get the best of both worlds - a great new episode and a cute little buddy to keep me company while I watch it. Check out Watching CSI for your latest CSI-related news.

Luke Perry makes his Criminal Minds appearance tonight in “Minimal Loss.” In this episode, Reid and Prentiss go undercover. They infiltrate the cult that Perry’s character is the leader of. Here is a promo from YouTube:

Last week’s episode, “Angel Maker,” burned up the ratings, helping CBS make up some ground in the ratings race. Hopefully, this week is just as successful for CM. I”m looking forward to having an episode in which Prentiss is featured also - it’s time she gets more air time! Tune in tonight at nine to catch this great new episode.

This ought to liven up your Friday:

How did you like “Angel Maker”? I thought it was a great episode and feel very good that this will be a stellar season. Hotch, once again, was a focus as the team investigated a series of murders that mirrored those committed by someone who was executed a year prior. As the episode unfolds, we find out that the death row inmate died hard - it took over an hour for the lethal injection to work. When the second series of murders occurs, people in the small town believe he’s come back from the dead to finish his work - and with a missing body, that makes a certain amount of sense!

This reminded me of an episode of Medium, with Patricia Arquette (if you’ve never seen this show, do. I got it on Netflix and loved it). Anyway, in one episode, the main character, Allison, witnesses an execution. Then, someone is murdered and the executionee (?) is caught on tape comitting the crime.

Anyway, in “Angel Maker,” it turns out that a woman is committing the crimes - to feel closer to her dead serial killer boyfriend. Interesting. In typical Criminal Minds fashion, the team has to figure this out, find her next victim, and save her. Mission accomplished.

I thought the case was interesting, and I liked the twists with people half-thinking this guy came back from the dead. To me, though, what was really interesting was Hotch. He’s not cleared to fly, and is told to stay away from loud noises or his hearing damage may become permanent. Of course, he flies and exposes himself to loud noises. The excavator digging up the grave causes him to clutch his ear in pain. And of course, he’s standing right next to the police officer who ends up shooting the unsub.

I liked how while Hotch was a main focus, it wasn’t overly obvious. We could see how the aftermath of the explosion was affecting him and he was trying to bury himself in work. It’s not completely working though. I’m really excited about the direction of season four - I love Hotch and want to see much more of him. According to spoilers we’ve read of the upcoming season, we’ll also see more of Emily, Reid, and Morgan. JJ’s having a baby, and we’ll also see more of Garcia’s relationship with Kevin Lynch (Nicholas Brandon). But, as “Angel Maker” shows, the cases are still a primary focus. I like how hthe writers blended the case with the personal. And there was a little more humor in this episode - like when Emily touches Reid’s face and says, “He’s so lifelike.” It’s good to see them act like regular people.

So, what did you think of “Angel Maker”? Are you enjoying season four so far?