For 'Criminal Minds', "The Tribe" is different, with a not yet seen before (for the show that is) focus on the Native American Indian Apache and more gruesome murders than usual.
By all means, "The Tribe" is not one of the best episodes of 'Criminal Minds', and there's also better in the season. This said, it is hard not to forget it, not just because it is a change of pace for 'Criminal Minds' and stands out as more unique compared to usual (in a fascinating yet slightly tonally odd way) but also there is a lot to remember about the episode's execution too.
Gideon, the show's most interesting regular team member at this point, takes a backseat and is very underused, and that is true sometimes for most of the team. The regulars that make the biggest impression here are Hotch, in what is at times a Hotch-centric (which is a dream come true for Hotch fans, and after seeing episodes throughout the show recently where he's invisible to see him used so well here was refreshing) and Garcia, who lightens things up masterfully back when she was a ray of sunshine and not a pale and annoying caricature. Reid also has a delightful scene in the classroom, and the depiction of the Native American Indian culture was intriguingly and sensitively handled rather than being stereotypical.
"The Tribe" benefits also from having strong supporting characters, especially the character of Blackwolf, who brings some welcome humour and great one-liners as well as being world-wise and sincere. The tribe of the title are chillingly sadistic and dangerous, and their leader a true psychopath in every sense of the word with not a redeeming quality in his body. Hotch's brother is good fun too.
Case itself is diverting, with some neat twists and turns, especially the revelation of who was behind the kidnapping (did not see that one coming) and the tribe's motivations for killing, and interesting profiling. The murders and modus operandi are very gruesome when being described, but maybe could have done with being a little gorier and a little less sterile (which would have made the team's reactions more horrified and not quite so indifferent) so that the viewer feels the full impact of the crimes.
Acting is very good, with Thomas Gibson and Kirsten Vangsness coming off best of the regular cast members and Gregory Cruz is excellent as Blackwolf. The direction is solid, the production values are stylish, the music is haunting and while lacking in tightness and polish in places the script does balance the humour and the serious at least very well.
On the whole, there are better episodes in Season 1 but "The Tribe" is certainly very high on the "memorable" and "different" factors. 7/10 Bethany Cox
