The BAU team searches rural Oklahoma when women are found murdered after being robbed of one of their five senses. Also, JJ and Prentiss get the cold shoulder from Reid as he deals with thei... Read allThe BAU team searches rural Oklahoma when women are found murdered after being robbed of one of their five senses. Also, JJ and Prentiss get the cold shoulder from Reid as he deals with their deception about Prentiss' presumed death.The BAU team searches rural Oklahoma when women are found murdered after being robbed of one of their five senses. Also, JJ and Prentiss get the cold shoulder from Reid as he deals with their deception about Prentiss' presumed death.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAt the end, "Mambo Italiano" by Dean Martin plays in the background. Joe Mantegna (SSA David Rosso) played Dean Martin in the movie The Rat Pack (1998).
- GoofsReid states that sulfuric acid can turn human flesh into soap. This is not true. Saponification, or soap formation, occurs when fats are hydrolyzed in the presence of caustic solutions, like lye (sodium hydroxide). Dr Reid should have known this.
- Quotes
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: I get it, okay? You're disappointed with the way we handled Emily.
Dr. Spencer Reid: [dodging her] Listen, I have a lot going on, all right?
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: But, you... you know what I think it is?
Dr. Spencer Reid: What?
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: You're mad that Hotch and I controlled our micro expressions at the hospital and you weren't able to detect our deception.
Dr. Spencer Reid: [hurt beginning to show beneath his anger] You think this is about my profiling skills? Jennifer, listen: the only reason you were able to manage my perceptions is because I TRUSTED you. I came to your house for ten weeks in a row, crying over losing a friend, and not ONCE did you have the decency to tell me the truth.
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: [guiltily, fighting tears] I couldn't.
Dr. Spencer Reid: [skeptically] You COULDN'T or you wouldn't?
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: [frustrated] No, I COULDN'T!
Dr. Spencer Reid: [a little more calmly now] What if I had started taking dilaudid again? Would you have let me?
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: [a little nervously] You didn't.
Dr. Spencer Reid: Yeah, but I thought about it.
[starts to leave]
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: Spence!
[Spencer stops and looks back at her impatiently]
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: I'm sorry!
Dr. Spencer Reid: It's too late! All right?
[He walks away, leaving JJ almost in tears and the rest of the team looking concerned]
- ConnectionsReferences Iron Chef (1993)
It is definitely creepy and unsettlingly disturbing, definitely the creepiest Season 7 ever got. At the same time, the torture/murders were disturbing to the maximum there are worse examples of unnecessarily gratuitous scenes in 'Criminal Minds', the nature of the torture and murders added to the atmosphere and may have made even more of an impact if the episode provided a reason for that particular method.
In a way, the reputation somewhat that "Proof" has for being uncomfortable to watch by some has to me been exaggerated. "Proof" is definitely creepy, the creepiest Season 7 ever got and the scariest episode of 'Criminal Minds' since perhaps "The Longest Night", but there are also more frightening episodes ("Mr Scratch", anyone, that terrified me but in a good way).
"Proof" as ever is very well made visually and hauntingly and melancholically scored, as well as directed with solidity and atmosphere. The script is tight and thought-provoking, with Reid's dialogue being both heartfelt and rays of sunshine. The repercussions of Prentiss' return and the deception generally is developed more and more believable, with the only fault being Morgan being too implausibly forgiving too quickly, considering his tough guy attitude and considering the events in "Lauren" it would have been perfectly natural that he was the one most angry and most affected.
Reid's hurt and anger here is absolutely understandable and justified, especially when one considers how big the lie was that is not at all easy to forgive in a hurry. Can not be a fan of the team unwinding/"happy families" endings, but it was very sweet and not too sappily overdone and said a lot about the team dynamic. The case/story itself is incredibly high on the creepy and suspense factor, which more than made up for the occasional predictability and lack of surprises.
With a killer that's interesting, deceptively disarming and harmless but actually frighteningly dangerous, one's scared of him but considering his condition and why he killed there is a pang of sympathy. The unsub is developed well, and the story develops and evolves very well if rather too quickly too soon. The last scene with the watching of the video was not necessary though, we were told it was going to happen earlier we didn't need to be shown it too, especially one that jarred with what happened before.
Acting is strong, Matthew Gray Gubler is particularly brilliant of the typically great work from all the regulars. Andy Milder excels with a character incredibly difficult to pull off, portraying somebody with a developmental disorder/condition is one of the hardest tasks to get pitch perfect in acting (on the same level as portraying a blind person), Milder does so valiantly and although the speech awkwardness is occasionally forced he very nearly nails what the role demanded.
Overall, good and hugely atmospheric episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Sep 26, 2016
Details
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD