TVSquad

I actually liked this one - yes, the case itself is a little far-fetched just for some idiot playing around, but there's got to be one like that occasionally...

What I REALLY liked was all the little insights into the team. Stuff we hadn't seen, or only seen glimpses of, until now. Reid's mother (and I assume we'll be finding out just why he's so edgy about seeing her); Garcia's little VR obsession (and THAT was some great acting on Vangress' part, when the computers melted down). Hotch's pirate hat (nice break from all the weirdness).

I was a little freaked when Gideon freaked in his office, though. I realize that he's been through a rough year, but that was... just scary. He's supposed to be the one who holds them together. I can understand WHY he reacted the way he did - and maybe the season premiere will end with them all helping him build a new cabin. The scene just felt weird, though.

But overall, I was engrossed until I saw Elle come home and all of a sudden my "captioning credits" came up - I was like "Oh, crud, they're gonna leave us hanging!" Arrrgh! Well, it gives me all summer to try to figure out which book they need...

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I was betting that for the season finale they'd a) leave us hanging and b) go all-out, and in this aspect I wasn't disappointed. I think the producers have been itching all season to do something on a more cinematical scale (Se7en, anyone?), and for this two-parter they got both the budget and the screen time for it.

Concerning Gideon's breakdown, I've been waiting for it all season. If you recall the first couple episodes, Gideon was recovering from a traumatic event (something to do with a lot police officers dying in a bombing that he feels guilty about, IIRC). I was disappointed when, by the fifth or sixth episode, the writers seemed to have forgotten about that entirely and Gideon seemed to become an unshakable superman. I'm glad that in this episode they decided to show that Gideon still has Issues.

With regards to the "Quest" and the clues and puzzles and the unsub's seemingly unlimited resources (not to mention l33t h4x0r 5ki11z--how obvious is it that Garcia's online buddy is the unsub?), I agree that it's a little hokey, but I found it pretty entertaining. Then again, I've never had much trouble suspending my disbelief.

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My biggest problem is that they let Elle go home at all - Hotch decided to send her home, told Gideon, and I think the whole team knew she was leaving. Seemed kind of odd to let an exhausted, vulnerable agent go home and be there unprotected* moments after mentioning that Hotch's wife and kid were checked into a hotel. He knows their addresses, he's threatening them... take some precautions.

* I'm assuming. Maybe the agent who took her home hung around, but that certainly wasn't what Hotch told him to do...

Anyway, the first half did seem stretched. It was a bit painful watching everyone relax (or whatever) on their vacations when I knew damn well they were going to be called back.

Still better than most TV shows, though.

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I think the book they need is the Gideon Bible...it is in every hotel room (reference to travelers, a "great book")and they would all be the editions(for figuring out the code)...disappointed in season-ending cliff hangers...have to wait too long for conclusion.

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I thought this show was the perfect bookend to a wonderful first season. I like the way this show gives little tidbits about the characters without overdramatizing them each week. The season finale upped the ante a little on each one. I found it all very interesting! The plot? Well, don't most crime dramas (or tv in general) stretch reality? That's why I love it. Otherwise, I'd bore myself silly with all the reality tv crapola. I just found myself totally wound up after it was over. It's going to be a LONG summer. Best episode yet for me.

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I don't think the bullet came from the fisher king's gun. I think that another member of the team (Gideon perhaps?) beat Elle back to her house and was waiting in some other door way.

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Yes, I thought this episode was Great! But now I got to wait all summer to get the rest of the story. If they hadn't streched it out so much it could have fit in one hour. But it was interesting. my favorite actor is Matthew Gray Gubler!

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Well, this episode was defently a keep you on the edge fo your seat kind of episode. But now we've got to wait to whole summer. Did they have to put in all that extra stuff? but I'll never stop watching it. (Till the day I die.) Ha Ha

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This episode was well presented and suspenseful, and by the end of the show I definately thought the offical Criminal Minds website would have posted the clues in review and asked the audience to submit guesses (possibly for a cash prize or something). Alas, no such marketing ploy. Maybe they missed an opportunity. Those long close ups of the sent items and notes, well, it appeared too much of a challenge for some of us to just ignore. It appears they ARE telling us we can solve the mystery from what they have presented but again not really requesting us to write in. Oh well, it would be great PR if they do it next year. Anyway, if anyone thought of using the DaVinci Code for the "mystery book," the one word they highlighted as a clue (118.30.3) is "Lisa's" in the hardcover and "grandfather" in the paperback. I doubt this might be correct and the paperback was probably not even available when they wrote this script. Still, it was an idea. And going with the Kings, Queens and Camelot theme of the killer, did anyone notice that Morgan's T-shirt had "Kings of Oblivion" on it? Or did I read that wrong? It's the 3rd album by the Pink Fairies, from what I can tell. Nellie Fox, the Chicago 2nd baseman died of widespread skin cancer. And in the first scene of the killer, his right hand was looking pretty horrible. I first thought it was an overdone makeup job to make him look old but maybe it was suppose to be cancer. And finally, am I the only one to notice that the team has misidentified the kidnapped victim? The lock of hair is from Rebecca, true, gone for 2 years, but Rebecca is the name of the killer's assistant (or secretary). So we still don't know the true identity of the victim. Anybody else have any ideas in order to solve the mystery? I can't find the origin of the 2 quotes.

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"The lock of hair is from Rebecca, true, gone for 2 years, but Rebecca is the name of the killer's assistant (or secretary)."

Uh, sorry, but no... that intercom is hooked up right into the "prison cell" - don't you recall one of the times when he said he had to go out? She was lying there, listening to his voice, until he left and then she sat up and started screaming. He's taunting her - whatever else she's gone through, this is one more subtle torture that he has his freedom to come and go, and she does not - and hasn't for two years. I can't even imagine what that would be like.

I am wondering if whatever book "Camelot" is based on (I can't recall the exact title) is what they're looking for. My husband suggested "Treasure Island," but there've been too many medieval clues given to us for me to buy that. I'll have to tape it when it comes round again and watch it intently with pen in hand, taking notes rapidly.

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Dr Reid writes to his mother daily regarding the team. She was a professor of 15th century literature. She is very bright and maintains journals. Alas, the team has had a restful vacation only to return to a manuscript by a woman with a disturbed mind.

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I don't like "finales" that do not end and are reborn as "premieres" but that said Why not the book "The Fisher King" by Chretien? He was the the keeper of the Grail I believe first mentioned in the 13th Century but maybe Chretien version was from the 15th Century not sure about that.
It has the tale of a wounded hand and a head decapitated but at least we dont have to wait for 7 years!
Quote: " but the head of Bran persevered in a charmed state of animation for seven years."

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With further research it would appear that the book should be "La Morthe de Arthur" written in 1485 (1485 ) by Sir Thomas Malory (Thomas Malory)

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I didn't think this episode lived up the previous ones. Although most of these shows are fantasies we hope for a little connection to reality, and this was too far fetched and predictable. Letting Elle go home unprotected was a contrivance to get her kidnapped. Never would have happened in real life since it was obvious they were all under surveillance by the unsub, and I agree with #1. It was obvious the Unsub is Garcia's computer crush and she may well be the one who solves the crime. I will tune in to see how it all turns out, but they took it too far. Plus, does every anal, intellectual hero on TV have to have a brilliant but troubled mother? (Bobby Goren, Gil Grissom, Reid).

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i enjoyed this episode very much. and i agree with an earlier post, i believe someone from BAU shot the fisher king. i just find it hard to believe they'd let a main character die. also, WHY WOULD THEY LET HER GO HOME, as soon as they did i knew he would be there. GREAT SHOW..CANNOT WAIT FOR NEXT SEASON

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HELP! My TIVO decided to change channels 37 minutes into the show. I do not have any idea what happened after Garcia makes her confession & gets chewed out. Can anybody give me the last 23 minutes?

Some stuff I found out:

1. The Fisher King has a vision of the Holy Grail & is told to be its keeper. But filled with pride he reaches into the vision?s fire for the Grail. His hand is badly burned. (I think that?s why the gnarly hand looks the way it does in the beginning of the show.)
2. Garcia is VR gaming with a Sir Naith ? interestingly it is the name of an email worm. In Tolkien lore naith means ?spear-point? but eventually Elves use the word for all sharp objects.
3. Dr. Reid brings a book for his mother by or about Margery Kempe. Margery Kempe ? The Book of Margery Kempe (her autiobiography) ? She was born 1337, died 1438 in Lynn, a town in Norfolk, England. She was uneducated, mystic, and pilgrim. As a child, she has a secret sin which she never confesses and this pressure is the beginning of her mystical experiences. She married & had 14 children. She had visions of/dialogues with Jesus, Mary, & the saints. She leaves home & goes on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When there, she dictates her spiritual autobiography. The website http://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/margerykempe.html states that hers is the first autobiography in English, but I thought Julian of Norwich (an anchorite mystic) held that distinction. (By the way, Margery met with Julian.)

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I understand about suspension of disbelief, but was very disappointed with a few aspects of this episode. All of the packages received by FBI agents from unknown sources are simply opened without concern about the possibility of it being a bomb or a poison (anybody remember the anthrax scares?). Also, an agent is assigned to bring Elle home to get sleep but leaves without a sweep of the house (that would surely have found the open windows).

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We've solved the book code over at the Criminal Minds forum: http://www.criminalmindstv.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=1

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I noticed that some of you wanted to watch this again and that one of you missed the last little bit of it. If you want I will record it for you off my DVR and send you a copy. Just let me know. jrc75041@verizon.net
I know how much it stinks to miss the finale!!!

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My husband had thought the book might be "Treasure Island" - which made no sense to me because of all the medieval references. But then I happened to see a CM fansite that has it figured out.

The book is entitled "The Collector" - it was written in 1963 by James Fellon (1963 the year of the baseball card) - on the cover of the first edition is a butterfly like the one JJ received, a skeleton key, and a lock of blonde hair tied with a red ribbon.

THe fansite even has the code worked out - a rather cryptic little poem that will ensure the season premiere will be most interesting -

The book is available on amazon.com, but you MUST have the first edition - the reprint changed the cover.

As long as I'm here, I may as well stick in a plug for a fan-writing site that covers not only CM, but a dozen other shows as well. It's called JusticeWriters,and it's primarily a mystery/crime writer's workshop and discussion forum. We're just getting started, so new members and new ideas are certainly welcome.

http://www.justicewriters.com/forum/index.php?

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