"Damaged" seems to be one of Season 3's most polarising episodes (perhaps of the whole show as well), and one can see why. This reviewer however liked it very much on the whole, it's nowhere near one of the best of the show but it's not even close to being one of the stinkers too.
The main plot-line is solved rather too easily and felt somewhat rushed, also it felt like things were missed that would have helped Rossi solve the case more tangibly. Was also a bit disappointed in the unsub, mostly 'Criminal Minds' excels really well in making the audience hate those responsible or feel sympathy towards them but this unsub wasn't a particularly memorable one, not enough really to make one feel either of those things, plus Morgan's treatment of him was somewhat too extreme for an unsub who in comparison to most of those on 'Criminal Minds' not that evil a person.
On the other hand, it is agreed that "Damaged" is a very poignant episode, and it is very clear that it is a personal case for Rossi that has clearly haunted him for so long. There are quite a few times where tears are induced, especially in little scenes between Rossi and the children of the victims. Also loved seeing a more compassionate and softer side to Rossi, which gave more dimension and likability to a character that to that point was somewhat cold and old-school.
"Damaged" has a second running plot-line, that between Hotch, Reid and a serial killer on death row (who oddly enough makes more of an impression than the unsub, and portrayed in a way that will make the skin crawl). Those scenes had a lot of intensity and were thought-provokingly written. The final scene between them is particularly chilling, where my reaction was similar to Reid's. One mustn't forget the comic elements, courtesy of Garcia, that considering the serious nature of the story could have felt out of kilter. Actually, to me, they were interwoven with the seriousness beautifully and was genuinely hilarious too.
As always, it is a stylishly and audaciously made episode, with great atmosphere too. The music is haunting and melancholic, especially towards the end, while the direction is solid and the writing is thought-provoking and balances the comedy and the seriousness beautifully as aforementioned. The pacing has been criticised, with the main plot-line being dragged out and the rest of the episode feeling rushed, it didn't feel that way really to me though it was an episode that could easily have done, with the incorporation of two cases in one episode when there have been episodes in the show that have struggled with just one.
Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson and Matthew Gray Gubler are especially strong of the leads, who are all very good and the chemistry still shining. The Galens are movingly portrayed and Michael Shamus Wiles is skin-crawling. Matthew J. Cates does his best but doesn't have an awful lot to work with.
Overall, flawed and understandably polarising but haunting and poignant episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox
The main plot-line is solved rather too easily and felt somewhat rushed, also it felt like things were missed that would have helped Rossi solve the case more tangibly. Was also a bit disappointed in the unsub, mostly 'Criminal Minds' excels really well in making the audience hate those responsible or feel sympathy towards them but this unsub wasn't a particularly memorable one, not enough really to make one feel either of those things, plus Morgan's treatment of him was somewhat too extreme for an unsub who in comparison to most of those on 'Criminal Minds' not that evil a person.
On the other hand, it is agreed that "Damaged" is a very poignant episode, and it is very clear that it is a personal case for Rossi that has clearly haunted him for so long. There are quite a few times where tears are induced, especially in little scenes between Rossi and the children of the victims. Also loved seeing a more compassionate and softer side to Rossi, which gave more dimension and likability to a character that to that point was somewhat cold and old-school.
"Damaged" has a second running plot-line, that between Hotch, Reid and a serial killer on death row (who oddly enough makes more of an impression than the unsub, and portrayed in a way that will make the skin crawl). Those scenes had a lot of intensity and were thought-provokingly written. The final scene between them is particularly chilling, where my reaction was similar to Reid's. One mustn't forget the comic elements, courtesy of Garcia, that considering the serious nature of the story could have felt out of kilter. Actually, to me, they were interwoven with the seriousness beautifully and was genuinely hilarious too.
As always, it is a stylishly and audaciously made episode, with great atmosphere too. The music is haunting and melancholic, especially towards the end, while the direction is solid and the writing is thought-provoking and balances the comedy and the seriousness beautifully as aforementioned. The pacing has been criticised, with the main plot-line being dragged out and the rest of the episode feeling rushed, it didn't feel that way really to me though it was an episode that could easily have done, with the incorporation of two cases in one episode when there have been episodes in the show that have struggled with just one.
Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson and Matthew Gray Gubler are especially strong of the leads, who are all very good and the chemistry still shining. The Galens are movingly portrayed and Michael Shamus Wiles is skin-crawling. Matthew J. Cates does his best but doesn't have an awful lot to work with.
Overall, flawed and understandably polarising but haunting and poignant episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox
