S3E2 - “In Name and Blood”
So we open and it is steamy. Its all red and steamy. We got some caressing action going on. And then WABAM. The camera turns and she’s not actually on a bed, she’s tied up to pole. And wow! It’s already the unsub.
Cut and we see JJ waking up Reid who has slept in Gideon’s office. Apparently they were supposed to pay chess, but he never showed and won’t answer his phone. Next we learn Hotch has been suspended and is at home. Hayley is saying how it is a blessing in disguise and they get to spend time together, but Hotch doesn’t seem pleased. Cut back and it’s just Morgan, JJ, and Reid in the office. Morgan is like “it’s been two weeks and they can’t be on time?” And Prentis isn’t showing either. Reid is like “should we wait 15 minutes?” what an academic. JJ decides to say fuck it and brief those who are missing while on the plane, and gives them the rundown without those who are MIA.
So the writers have decided to take us to Milwaukee! Take a shot every time Dahmer is mentioned. And since we’ve already seen the Unsub we have a little bit of an idea of what we’re getting into. Turns out that this hot and steamy unsub has been kidnapping women and cutting out their hearts. What do these women have in common? Well, say it with me - they are all white, in their 30s, married with children, although that doesn’t directly connect them. They’ve all been abducted from the same area, in public places without witnesses. And they’ve all been dumped in the same area.
Back at the BAU Hotch has shown up, and Morgan is like HELL YEA HOTCH, and doesn’t realize that Hotch isn’t coming. Hotch is like “i have a meeting with the section chief” - remember her? The blonde bitch with bad hair and kids she doesn’t love? Anyways, Morgan is all “I’m just glad you’re back. Things have been a little bit shaky around here”. And that’s when Hotch hits him - and us, with “Morgan, I’m requesting a transfer”. And Morgan - like us - does not take this well! Morgan and Hotch exchange some more words - Morgan being like bro you cant leave “wanting to hang out with you and wanting you to lead us are two different things” and Hotch just walks away with “it’s been a privilege”.
Hotch meets with Strauss and basically the deal is that after she completes her investigation on him - which again is So Dumb Hotch will essentially get his choice of department t to transfer to. We learn that Hotch used to be a prosecutor and so maybe he’ll get some white collar job so he can spend time with his family. But all of this is interrupted when Prentis comes in and says she’s resigning immediately. So now we know he’ll get his job back. But this is still good DRAMA. And i honestly did not see this coming. And then AND THEN Blonde Bitch says she’s going to be overseeing this case, despite NOT HAVING FIELD EXPERIENCE.
Cut to the BAU jet (hey girl) and JJ is all “from this angle she almost looks human!” about Blonde Bitch. And Reid serves as more exposition saying “has anyone heard from Emily?”
And then Blonde Bitch saunters over and is all “correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe it is protocol to brief everyone before arriving at the crime scene?” HER VOICE IS SO ANNOYING. So JJ complies and now we get BRIEFED.
Here is the profile/brief:
This unsub is abducting women from very public places with no witnesses.
Holds them captive for 48 hours
No sexual assault
Then dumps their bodies sans heart
Something that Reid shares that I think is very Reid is “there is an obvious dichotomy in the skill the unsub exhibits in abducting these women and the fact that he cuts their hearts out so crudely.” Morgan suggests its someone with a psychotic break, and someone comfortable with a lot of blood - a hunter or butcher. And a misogynist! Yay!
Cut back to the BAU and Garcia tries to convince Hotch to stay - she also gives him the Milwaukee file to try to tempt him to stay. In Milwaukee they get to the crime scene and meet the detective who is working the case. Apparently he worked the Dahmer case, so you know this should go either really fast or really slow considering how that case went. Hopefully with less racism!! But all these victims are white so we know it’ll go fast. Too much? You can shut me up Mac.
So they talk with Greg 2.0 and learn that this is an upper-middle class suburb, and the unsub wraps the bodies kinda loosely so they’re not immediately recognizable. They also suspect he has a van or truck so he can back up and unload the body and stay hidden. We also learn that this victim was abducted from a supermarket, and was supposed to pick up her son from school, but ya know, she didn’t. Blonde Bitch very quickly insults Greg 2.0 and is like ‘YOU SHOULDVE CALLED US SOONER” blah blah blah - because insulting them is gonna be productive! Thankfully JJ calls her out, because JJ is tactful af, but BB still is like “don’t question me!”
Cut to Greg 1.0’s house. (Hotch) and Hayley catches him looking into the file. His phones are ringing and Hayley is UPSET, asking what BB told him to do. She is super all for the 9-5 white collar job option. Morgan calls Hotch and they discuss the case - Hotch mentions that that all the victims were kidnapped between 3:10-3:25 - when school gets out, and then dumped between 7:50 - 8:05 two days later, right before first bell - so this suggests that our Unsub is maybe someone who works in the school system!
Cut to some shopping time. We see a lady in clothes store, and a little kid taps her back. He’s like “I’m looking for my dad” “i’m not lost, im just not sure where I am”. So he leads the lady to a hallway? And our porn star Unsub appears, and pulls out a knife - threatening to kill the boy if she does not go along with him. She complies and shopping time is over.
We learn her name was Claire Thompson, and Garcia has found the security footage of the child approaching her. Morgan thinks about what Hotch said regarding school hours - so he proposes that maybe the unsub is using his son to snatch the victims.
And now it is time for the profile:
This unsub would not be driving something that stands out because he’s in the business district. He may even have a company logo on his truck or van.
He abducts women in Wauwatosa and dumps their bodies somewhere in the third ward - which means he probably lives in Wauwatosa or the third ward
The people that live there will know the unsub
No sexual component to these crimes - this means it is more about this unsub making a point
This might be the sickest way he can think of “disfiguring” the women
So, what is he doing with these women for 48 hours? And why his own son?
And if it is his own son - he likely has a borderline personality disorder
People with borderline personality disorders believe that all relationships revolve around them
It will be very visible to others that they have BPD
No grey area in anything - very tunnel vision like
They will have intense bouts of anger and depression
May have problems drinking
He will be highly sensitive to rejection
Additionally, it is not easy to crack a breastbone, so this unsub is used to working with his hands and hard labor.
Next we see sexy unsub showering next to the hearts. Also this is the kind of sexy he is - he looks like he’d be in straight porn. He’s talking to Claire Thompson and its again, very weirdly sexual. “You’re going to be really really nice to the boy, not like the little bitch we know you are”. Cut and we see Hotch feeding his kid mac and cheese. But Morgan calls hotch and he says they still haven't heard from Gideon, Reid is freaking out and they really want his help - especially now that he’s snatched Claire Thompson and they think the kid is involved.
So now it’s dinner time at the Unsub’s house. And they’re play-acting happy family. And wow the kid is doing extra credit - he’s doing multiplication even though the rest of the class is still on division. And now McSteamy is like ‘THE BOY. HAS GOT TO LEARN TO DO THINGS HIMSELF.” but he asks stand-in mommy for a sandwich. And she’s like aight, and he’s like “lets go clean up your room” AS IF SHE’S NOT GONNA TRY TO ESCAPE NOW. I don’t understand why they a) have SO many doors. And B) why she doesn’t just jump through the window.
Cut and now Hotch is making a mad dash for Milwaukee. He tells Hayley how Gideon didn’t show up so they need his help - and she’s really upset still, saying how “its never going to stop” and “there will be another and another and another” (case). And honestly, they both have points. Now Hotch is barging in on Emily’s sweet-ass, mommy’s rich money house? Apartment? And says she’s gotta come help, but she doens’t want to, but he still manages to convince her. Especially because he manages to call her on her plan with BB. Back with the BAU JJ points out that the trauma would manifest in the kid more than the unsub. They call Garcia and she answers with “talk dirty to me” not realizing its BB on the other line - this is a nice funny moment for us all. They track down different grade schools, students, and every guidance counselor. So they do and present them with all the trauma behavior they’re looking for. EWHY DONT THEY SHOW HER THE PICTURE OF THE KID.
Next, cut to all the little tots leaving and we see The Boy getting into his dads truck. He slaps him ayay trauma! Hotch and Prentis finally roll up, and BB is not pleased but doesn’t stop them because she realizes they actually do need the help. Back at home with the Unsub we see that playing house isnt going amazing. She asks The Boy for some cereal and it is so pathetic, and he’s like “you know he’s going to kill you”. And he does. We don’t see it, we just see that her body is found the next morning - because you know, the slow search they were going on with didn’t work well. And BB does not handle seeing the body well! It is a different dumpsite than normal, so he knows they are on too him - apparently? During this body discovery, Hotch and Reid talk about Gideon - and Hotch says that he’s probably at his cabin.
Now, back at the Detective headquarters, Reid is like guys we are all wrong, we should be looking for a single-parent household and a model student - remember that extra credit? But like over the TOP pleasing. We find out that this kid is - are you ready - the whitest name - David Smith. We see him being walked home by another young woman. And his dad makes furniture - a big van. They roll up to the house and David Smith is alone in the family room watching Looney Toons?
Daddy is torturing the school nurse who walked him home in the basement. BB doesn’t want them to just barge into the house because they don’t have jurisdiction. Prentis demands they still go in anyways, but since Prentis is technically not even on the team or the FBI at all, she’s like haha you have no authority over me I’m just gonna knock on the door anyway. She does and she talks to David. Emily goes down the basement and sees the nurse being held hostage, but Daddy knocks her in head with like a 2by4 and takes her gun. She’s still able to signal, but barely. Daddy tries to get David to shoot her but it doesn’t work and the rest of the team barges in anyway and saves the day. As Daddy is being detained, he’s like “I didn’t even tell the boy to bring me this last one”
BB relents and is like yeah, you all work well together. So she’s okay with Hotch and Prentis being back, but Hotch says he needs to talk to Hayley. Hotch shows up back at home, and Haley and Jack are gone.
Reid rolls up to Gideon’s cabin. Turns out - thank god, Gideon didn’t kill himself. He instead is...on the lamb. And just bopping around the world trying to find sense? A purpose?
Rating Criteria:
Criminal/Serial Killer: 20/20
Character development/ character arcs: 20/20
Forensics/Context: 15/20
Script writing: 10/20
Background characters: 15/20
Overall: 80/100