False Flag
- Episode aired Dec 6, 2017
- TV-14
- 43m
The BAU is called to investigate when two members of a conspiracy group in Roswell, N.M., perish in quick succession.The BAU is called to investigate when two members of a conspiracy group in Roswell, N.M., perish in quick succession.The BAU is called to investigate when two members of a conspiracy group in Roswell, N.M., perish in quick succession.
- Dr. Spencer Reid
- (credit only)
- Doug Downey
- (as Antonio Robles)
- Truther
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGuest star Zelda Williams (Melissa Miller) is the daughter of Oscar-winning comedian Robin Williams, who named her after the titular princess in the "Legend of Zelda" video games, of which he had been a fan.
- GoofsAfter interrogating Bob, Prentiss then uses her cell phone to call Tara.
The whole reason for Prentiss and the sheriff flying out to Bob's house is there was no cell service in the desert where Bob lived.
- Quotes
Melissa Miller: We're veering dangerously close to "bull crap" territory.
Emily Prentiss: We could call it murder. If the profile was Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, we could arrest the piece of coral, I guess. Or we could just accept that life is...
Melissa Miller: Messy, random. Yeah.
Emily Prentiss: Until it's not.
Melissa Miller: What does that mean?
Emily Prentiss: Well, that seemingly unimportant book, there was one additional detail Bob Orci told us about that I forgot to mention. No, I... I didn't forget. I was holding back for dramatic effect.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Criminal Minds: Miasma (2018)
Season 13 so far has not been too bad, in fact it's been quite good. It is already so much better than Season 11, which started off well actually but quickly went downhill, and has generally settled quicker than Season 12. As far as the previous Season 13 episodes go, "Wheels Up, "Killer App" and "Dust and Bones" were particularly good. Up to this point, only "To a Better Place" and "Neon Terror" were a little disappointing, with a lot of admirable qualities but also an over-familiar and not much special case.
"False Flag" actually for me was one of the better Season 13 episodes. The case has enough nice and surprising turns to stop things from being too familiar and a lot of creativity. In fact, it is the most unpredictable and unique case of the season up to this point and one of the most unpredictable and unique of the season overall.
The team work, the procedural aspects and how it's all solved evokes prime 'Criminal Minds', there is lots of each and it's all thought-provoking and delightful. It doesn't make the mistakes that many latter season episodes made (i.e. too much unsub, unsub revealed too early, problematically executed cases, too much reliance on convenience, lack of balance, too many soapy personal life subplots, team underuse and not enough procedural/delving into the criminal's mind). In fact, there is a sense that "False Flag" didn't forget what made 'Criminal Minds' work so well in the first place. The twists keep coming, many genuinely shocking, and the unsub reveal was not an obvious one at all.
Plenty of room for little character moments within the team, one of my favourite things about 'Criminal Minds' and something that lifts even the lesser episodes. There are not enough of them, but everybody shares the disbelief and what the heck reaction to Melissa's absurd theory. Am usually not a fan of Tara, she being one of my biggest problems with Season 11, but really liked her no-nonsense approach and saw her point of view.
Everybody does a great job with the acting, all the regulars are strong as ever and Zelda Williams is simply delicious as Melissa. Really liked the colourful character of Bob too.
Visually, "False Flag" is stylish and atmospheric, while the music is haunting without being over-bearing while having presence still, the script is taut with a touch of sweetness and poignancy here and there and Joe Mantegna's directing is some of his best for the show, the interrogation scenes having effective claustrophobia.
Would have liked more team character moments in a flashback and interrogation heavy episode.
But for me the only big criticism was the motive for the crimes, with such a surprising unsub, a creative case and twists that genuinely shocked the motive underwhelms in how clichéd and ordinary it is.
Overall though, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- May 16, 2018
Details
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD