God Complex
- Episode aired Oct 24, 2012
- TV-14
- 42m
The team pursues an unsub who surgically performs needless amputations.The team pursues an unsub who surgically performs needless amputations.The team pursues an unsub who surgically performs needless amputations.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaReid doesn't shake hands with people due to germophobia, yet he isn't squeamish at all about using pay phones to call Maeve.
- GoofsWhen Alex/Dr. Blake questions Dr. Smith in prison, she calls him "Mr. Smith," to which Dr. Smith objects (rightly so). When she leaves he stops her by saying, "Agent..." and she responds by saying, "It's 'Doctor' [Blake]. Unlike you, I still have my degree." Except you cannot lose your degree, and Dr. Smith should still be addressed as "Doctor." When a doctor goes to prison for crimes that violate the Hippocratic Oath (e.g. murder, manslaughter, rape, et al), their medical license is usually revoked, meaning they cannot legally practice medicine anymore; however, they still graduated medical school and earned the right to be called "Doctor," even if they cannot work as one.
- Quotes
Dr. Spencer Reid: [phoning] Hello.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: What's wrong?
Dr. Spencer Reid: Nothing.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: Well, it's not Sunday. We talk on Sunday.
Dr. Spencer Reid: I know. I, ah, just thought I'd call.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: Ah, you scared me.
Dr. Spencer Reid: Sorry.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: I thought it was an emergency.
Dr. Spencer Reid: No, it's not an emergency.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: Yeah? Are you sure? How are your headaches?
Dr. Spencer Reid: Good. I mean, I mean they're gone.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: Yeah? Are you taking your riboflavin and the magnesium?
Dr. Spencer Reid: In equal doses, and a sporadic shot of B2 like you said.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: And sleep? Are you letting your gray matter rest?
Dr. Spencer Reid: I'm working on it.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: What's so funny?
Dr. Spencer Reid: What? I didn't laugh.
Dr. Maeve Donovan: Something's amusing you. I can hear it.
Dr. Spencer Reid: You can hear my body language?
Dr. Maeve Donovan: I'm a very good listener.
Dr. Spencer Reid: I guess I just... I think it's funny how we've been doing this for six months and we've never met. You know, like one Google search of me and you'll find my FBI file photo, but I have absolutely no idea what you look like. I've shaved, by the way, since then. I used to be sort of fascinated with the yeti and I thought that maybe if I...
Dr. Maeve Donovan: I don't know what you look like either.
Dr. Spencer Reid: [pause] Really?
Dr. Maeve Donovan: No. The only intimate part of you I've seen is your brain when I studied the MRI you sent me. That's when I said, "This is a guy I need to get to know."
Dr. Spencer Reid: Thanks. That's really nice of you to say.
[his mobile beeps]
- SoundtracksCriminal Minds Theme
Composed by Mark Mancina
Sure it isn't quite flawless, with the second half not being as good as the first. It is still tense and suspenseful, but is also a little rushed and not quite as developed or fully explained as it could have been, with the unsub's motivation not quite making sense. Other than that "God Complex" is very good and often great.
Reid's subplot does take up a good deal of the episode, and maybe there is a touch too much of it, but it doesn't feel too drawn out and it actually serves a point to the story because it helps solve the case and why the crimes are happening. It also saw some great development on Reid. The mystery woman, later revealed in the season as Maeve, hasn't always been the most interesting of characters, but she isn't a problem here and neither is Beth Riesgraf's performance.
Also like Blake much more than her previous few episodes. Previously, she came over as a cold and disconnected character who didn't gel with the team, if not as badly as Kate and Tara (Blake at least had moments where one warms to her, the other two never got going). In "God Complex" she has a fair few shining moments, especially her chemistry with Reid which sees her calling him out and then respecting his wishes. She also shines in her interaction with the inmate with a brilliant final remark.
"God Complex" is a very well made episode, made with class, atmosphere and style, while the music is haunting and melancholic. As with when 'Criminal Minds' was good or at its best, the writing is intelligent, taut and thought-provoking and the story is mostly very tense and suspenseful with an opening scene that was like a shocking horror film. The characters are good, with a great dynamic within the team and the unsub is one of the stronger and more memorable ones of the season.
The acting is very good, with Matthew Gray Gubler standing out especially of the regulars, natural as he is the character that is the main focal point of the team. Ray Wise is simply awesome here, love the love he had for his wife (who is very movingly and charmingly played) and even better is the spine-chilling creepiness.
On the whole, very good episode and often great. The best episode of the season up to that point, and one of the better ones of the season as well. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 6, 2016
Details
- Runtime42 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD