S1E17 - “A Real Rain”
We are finally in NY baby!! Our unsub gets in a cab where cabby Walter Debrin really hates Larry Brown of the Knicks. Mr. Derbin tries multiple times to engage with the unsub, who ignores him. The cab stops off at a remote location and Mr. Derbin was shot and stabbed.
At BAU headquarters in Quantico Virgnia we learn that this killing is the same signature as two others. Rachel Holman who was found in her apartment 3 weeks ago. And Kaveh Sarani inside his painting studio (I guess 2 weeks ago). All three victims were blindfolded, shot and stabbed. The BAU team is distressed as there seems to be no discernible pattern to the victims. Before we cut to credits there is a murder photo montage with bad special effects that hurt my brain.
We learn that Elle is from NY? And Reid has never been to NY. When Morgan asks why Reid is like “We never had an unsub there” GIRL I KNOW!!
We meet Detective Nora Benett of the NYPD. The BAU discusses the case with the NYPD. Morgan states that the gun shot suggests that the unsub needs “a quick and effective means of controlling the situation.” This may mean that the unsub has a physical limitation or may be small?? Blindfold *usually* means one of two things: Unsure that he will kill his victims OR suggests remorse. Due to the cab driver not being blindfolded (so he saw the unsub’s face) means that this unsub is remorseful
To which an iconic NYPD officer credited only as “Uniformed Cop” on IMBD says: “So we’re looking for a small, angry white guy with a day job?”
Profile: EXECUTIONER
- Almost always male
- Textbook disorganized killers
- BUT our unsub is highly intelligent and not disorganized (because he brings along a murder kit)
Next the unsub shoots a priest. We learn that the murdered priest went to court last year due to pedophilia, but was found not guilty. This makes the BAU suspect that the factor tying all the victims together might be criminal records.
We learn that Kaveh Surani was arrest for vehicular manslaughter and was tried and found not guilty. Rachel Holan was convicted of cocaine possession and administer a fatal dose of heroin to her then boyfriend and was found not guilty. Walter Derbin was found not guilty of spousal battery. All three charged with felonies. All three found guilty. New profile time baby!
Profile: VIGILANTE
- Serial vigilantes are extremely rare
- The exaggerated drama of these killings suggest that they are personal
- Displays a heightened sense of right and wrong
- He or someone close to him is likely the victim of a violent crime
- His first killing was possibly against his original attacker
- And since this initial killing he has developed an overblown sense of justice to justify that killing to himself
- Shoots his victims to subdue them
- Uses a flint knife to provide both an efficient kill and a symbolic retribution (the serpent was killed with a flint knife)
- Then blindfolded (like the statue of lady justice)
- Might work in and around the criminal justice system (bailiff, lawyer, judge)
- Is a cog in the machine (overworked and undervalued)
- Will feed off public fear and media attention
- We also learn from Hotch and Gideon that the unsub might be a cop. But they leave this out of the profile that they share with the police.
The unsub’s next kill is a cop killer named Shawn Cooley who(again) wasn’t charged. Detective Bennett says that some of her fellow officers are saying to just let the unsub be. Elle also plays the BAU a tape from the NYPD’s confidential tip line where members of the public have called in to share their support for the unsub.
JJ is upset by Lance Wagner, a reporter who keeps releasing stories about the unsub despite her best efforts to stop the media attention. Hotch reads the following from Wagner’s article: “Some day a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets.” (quote from taxi driver). The BAU discusses why the unsub hasn’t reached out to the press yet, yet Wagner seems to be constantly releasing stories. The BAU further questions Wagner, thinking he is the unsub. He is not though. He just sucks.
The unsub shoots an undercover cop in Central Park and then turns himself in. Or does he?? The man who turned himself in is Will Sykes, who is trying to take the credit for the murders. The only person he killed was the undercover cop.
Morgan tries to get court transcripts for the cases to see if similar personnel at the courthouse worked all the cases. He realizes that the transcript for the cabby Walter Derbin hasn’t been released yet, the court stenographer is still working on it. Now the BAU suspects the court stenographer- Marvin Doyle.
The BAU break into Doyle’s apartment. They find that he’s sound proofed his home with sound proof foam and tin foil to “stop the voices”. They learn that Doyle’s stressor was his parents being murdered by a robber. They find a box full of flint knives, a worn out keyboard, and boxes upon boxes of transcribed notes. We learn that all stenographers have their own shorthand that only they can translate. And that they also often take transcripts home at night and get over time writing them up. I seriously considered this as a career path and even took a typist test it which could’ve led to a job in this field.
The BAU realizes that Doyle’s next murder with be Ted Elmore. Gideon calls Ted Elmore’s wife and tells her what’s going down. Mr. Elmore walks into his apartment and is followed by the Doyle. Doyle shoots Mr. Elmore and holds him and his wife hostage. Detective Bennett has her SWAT team ready to shoot Doyle, but Gideon’s like… no. Let’s have a chat. Gideon and Hotch go into the apartment and try to reason with Doyle? Doyle seems like he’s coming around, but the SWAT team shoots him. And suddenly… we’re listening to Jeffy Buckley’s Hallelujah?? Why???
Rating Criteria:
Criminal/Serial Killer: 5/20
Character development / character arcs: 5/20
Forensics/Context: 5/20
Script writing: 5/20
Background characters: 5/20
Overall: 25/100