On the most part, Season 2 was an improvement over the first. It did repeat a lot of the same mistakes that all the episodes in the first season did but there were aspects that did improve. That is not to say though that it was a good season, to me it wasn't particularly and even the best episodes, while certainly better than the least bad episodes of Season 1, were very flawed and the flaws sadly were quite big and very difficult to overlook.
"Made In" is generally one of the best episodes of Season 2 and of the whole of 'Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders'. Unlike most (well actually almost all) episodes of Season 1, there are good things and it is a lot more culturally respectful, though there are still inaccuracies and not enough done with the setting, than all of the episodes of Season 1 and than most of the episodes of the whole show. "Made In" also sadly could have been a lot better and a lot of the mistakes that were made in the previous episodes are made here too.
As said already, that it was not as culturally insensitive and not as stereotypical as the previous episodes of 'Beyond Borders' was appreciated. There were inaccuracies still sure, but there are far more offensive ones in other episodes. The cultural insensitivity and distaste was a general big strike against the show and this was one of many episodes from it that didn't suffer as badly. The unsub is one of the show's better and better developed ones and actually had menace and complexity in a show where most of unsubs are very vanilla.
Personally actually wasn't all that impressed with the acting (though it was worse in other episodes), but do agree that Jeremiah Caleb did a great job. The episode did start off very well.
Sadly, "Made In" has a number of drawbacks. The story is pretty derivative with no real original tropes and nothing fresh, and while other episodes did far worse at not making sense and being silly "Made In" is just as bad at not having enough tension or suspense. Do agree that it feels incredibly rushed and hastily put together, which is reflected in a script that is both limp and like the writers were racing against the clock to finish the script on time. The denouement felt anti-climactic. Only the unsub is interesting of the characters while the team seem disconnected still and underdeveloped.
Only Caleb gives a good performance here, for me everybody else sleepwalks or irritates. The production values look hastily put together, with the setting the episode is meant to be set in only really shown in poorly edited holiday snaps-like form, and quite sloppy and the music is forgettable at best.
In conclusion, one of the best episodes but still lacklustre. 4/10
"Made In" is generally one of the best episodes of Season 2 and of the whole of 'Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders'. Unlike most (well actually almost all) episodes of Season 1, there are good things and it is a lot more culturally respectful, though there are still inaccuracies and not enough done with the setting, than all of the episodes of Season 1 and than most of the episodes of the whole show. "Made In" also sadly could have been a lot better and a lot of the mistakes that were made in the previous episodes are made here too.
As said already, that it was not as culturally insensitive and not as stereotypical as the previous episodes of 'Beyond Borders' was appreciated. There were inaccuracies still sure, but there are far more offensive ones in other episodes. The cultural insensitivity and distaste was a general big strike against the show and this was one of many episodes from it that didn't suffer as badly. The unsub is one of the show's better and better developed ones and actually had menace and complexity in a show where most of unsubs are very vanilla.
Personally actually wasn't all that impressed with the acting (though it was worse in other episodes), but do agree that Jeremiah Caleb did a great job. The episode did start off very well.
Sadly, "Made In" has a number of drawbacks. The story is pretty derivative with no real original tropes and nothing fresh, and while other episodes did far worse at not making sense and being silly "Made In" is just as bad at not having enough tension or suspense. Do agree that it feels incredibly rushed and hastily put together, which is reflected in a script that is both limp and like the writers were racing against the clock to finish the script on time. The denouement felt anti-climactic. Only the unsub is interesting of the characters while the team seem disconnected still and underdeveloped.
Only Caleb gives a good performance here, for me everybody else sleepwalks or irritates. The production values look hastily put together, with the setting the episode is meant to be set in only really shown in poorly edited holiday snaps-like form, and quite sloppy and the music is forgettable at best.
In conclusion, one of the best episodes but still lacklustre. 4/10