The best episodes of Season 10 are "Mr Scratch" (a contender for the best episode of the latter season) and "Nelson's Sparrow" (one of the show's most genuinely emotional and also somewhat affectionate).
"Lockdown", this said, is not a bad episode at all. In fact, there are some excellent things here, though a few elements stop it from being top-tier. For a hit and miss season, it's one of the stronger ones from personal opinion.
It is easy to see why some are not totally enamoured by the episode. It does focus a lot on the inmates and not enough on the BAU, who have been much more interestingly developed and the dynamic is not quite as close-knit. The good news however is that the inmates are interesting and there are some very tense (the incredibly well done prison break where Morgan's, Kate's and Pollinsky's suffering really harrows and affects and the violence of the prisoners and Shavers's corruption and evil-incarnate qualities shine every bit as much) and shocking (especially the third murder, one of the most shocking on-screen murders on 'Criminal Minds' of the latter seasons to me) moments.
Other flaws are the under-using of Garcia, and when she does appear she doesn't feel necessary and is somewhat annoying too, Garcia often is a ray of sunshine but in some of the latter seasons (especially Season 9 and 10) she has been a sad caricature of her former self somewhat. Also the team not knowing that they were being watched, that was sloppy writing and very obvious, and the reveal of the perpetrators is not surprising and easy to guess early on.
However, "Lockdown" as always with 'Criminal Minds' is very well made and superbly directed by Thomas Gibson. The prison setting provides a real sense of foreboding. The writing is very intelligent and thought-provoking and although the BAU are not focused on as much as they should have been, their methods of working out the case in ways that are a huge part of the show's appeal helps make it feel like 'Criminal Minds'. Rossi and Reid have some particularly great dialogue, the delving into the files being a highlight of the episode. The story is taut, tightly paced, tense and shocking.
Acting is very good, with very well characterised inmates and William Sagsdale is chilling in the latter parts. Joe Mantegna and Matthew Gray Gubler stand out of the regulars, but a big surprise is Jennifer Love Hewitt. Have found too much that Kate doesn't fit within the team and that Love Hewitt feels out of place and dull, but neither of those problems are present in "Lockdown", in fact Love Hewitt nails the prison break and final scenes, actually looking vulnerable, wounded and haunted.
On the whole, some excellent things with also some flaws. Not quite top-tier 'Criminal Minds' but for Season 10 this was really quite good, very pleasantly surprised. 7/10 Bethany Cox
"Lockdown", this said, is not a bad episode at all. In fact, there are some excellent things here, though a few elements stop it from being top-tier. For a hit and miss season, it's one of the stronger ones from personal opinion.
It is easy to see why some are not totally enamoured by the episode. It does focus a lot on the inmates and not enough on the BAU, who have been much more interestingly developed and the dynamic is not quite as close-knit. The good news however is that the inmates are interesting and there are some very tense (the incredibly well done prison break where Morgan's, Kate's and Pollinsky's suffering really harrows and affects and the violence of the prisoners and Shavers's corruption and evil-incarnate qualities shine every bit as much) and shocking (especially the third murder, one of the most shocking on-screen murders on 'Criminal Minds' of the latter seasons to me) moments.
Other flaws are the under-using of Garcia, and when she does appear she doesn't feel necessary and is somewhat annoying too, Garcia often is a ray of sunshine but in some of the latter seasons (especially Season 9 and 10) she has been a sad caricature of her former self somewhat. Also the team not knowing that they were being watched, that was sloppy writing and very obvious, and the reveal of the perpetrators is not surprising and easy to guess early on.
However, "Lockdown" as always with 'Criminal Minds' is very well made and superbly directed by Thomas Gibson. The prison setting provides a real sense of foreboding. The writing is very intelligent and thought-provoking and although the BAU are not focused on as much as they should have been, their methods of working out the case in ways that are a huge part of the show's appeal helps make it feel like 'Criminal Minds'. Rossi and Reid have some particularly great dialogue, the delving into the files being a highlight of the episode. The story is taut, tightly paced, tense and shocking.
Acting is very good, with very well characterised inmates and William Sagsdale is chilling in the latter parts. Joe Mantegna and Matthew Gray Gubler stand out of the regulars, but a big surprise is Jennifer Love Hewitt. Have found too much that Kate doesn't fit within the team and that Love Hewitt feels out of place and dull, but neither of those problems are present in "Lockdown", in fact Love Hewitt nails the prison break and final scenes, actually looking vulnerable, wounded and haunted.
On the whole, some excellent things with also some flaws. Not quite top-tier 'Criminal Minds' but for Season 10 this was really quite good, very pleasantly surprised. 7/10 Bethany Cox
