#my fav cm reunion

[meganskane]

SPENCER REID AND PENELOPE GARCIA

criminal minds || 12x21 green light

[sassycassi]

"Well you three seem no worse for wear."

[notallwonder]

First impressions! Criminal Minds Evolution/CM 16, episodes 1 & 2.

Spoilers below the cut!

I'll also be tagging with all the variations of CM spoilers I can think of so you can filter/avoid going forward.

Vindication! Nicole Pacent for the win(ning Tara Lewis' heart)!

It's great to see these characters again so far. I love them! In the first episode everything still feels a little wooden though, a little stiff. Second episode things start to loosen up a bit more.

Unfortunately the CM writers still have a habit of writing dialogue divorced from the way real people talk. Not all of it is bad, but you can feel the difference when the actors have enough to work with/relax into. In fairness, good dialogue is a non trivial task, but I want the pros to do better!

I'm enjoying Rossi. His anger and grief are a bit heavy handed in the writing esp in the first ep, but it suits his character and Mantegna wears it well. I appreciate the way this motivates one on one scenes with other folks. Esp with Garcia! And with Prentiss! I just love their relationship, it's nice to see again. Also I think I'm still weirdly charmed by the microwave mac and cheese dinners too. #relatable

Also appreciating:

+JJ's big guns and wardrobe's very correct decision to put AJ Cook in a sleeveless shirt. *praise lesbian jesus*

+the Tara / DOJ Pacent reveal was pretty low-key, if expositional, as was the confirmation that Tara's bi. Also Emily's teasing & support warmed the jaded-by-network-TV cockles of my heart.

+that callback to Garcia's pink sticky note! nice

+Garcia, babe, I love ya. I'm so glad we get to see more of your substance. KV is crushing it. The scene with Rossi was wonderful. I don't remember if those two have ever had such a great moment together previously.

+I think this may be one of the few times I actually believe the JJ/Will chemistry? Will's "Am I in trouble?" was hilarious.

+I died, DIED, Wheezing Laughter, at Emily's exasperated "am I the only one not getting laid?" YES MORE OF THIS PRENTISS SASS MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE, I am Greedy for it. I'm so happy they're letting her have a personality again!!!

+I laughed so much I missed all the rest of that scene, the Rossi joke, JJ looking surprised (in a teeny tiny bit mad kind of way? as opposed to laughing kind of way?) at the Tara's girlfriend comment, good thing I watched it again like 5 times

+I appreciate that the first "fuck" of the series was uttered by an otherwise innocent civilian when presented with crime scene photos in an interview

+I agree with Rossi that they should name the guy Fuckhead rather than Sicarius. A+ no notes. Luke concurs.

+y'all, we're going to have a new problem in the fandom now - sexy serial killer thirst. I guess that's not completely new, are there folks out there who love Foyet? I haven't been paying attention to the men when it comes to shipping etc. Anyway Zach Gilford is lovely as always, except in a sinister way.

+I was incorrect before to be sad about Emily Prentiss' fancy office duds. If lesbian jesus ever chooses to bless me with another appearance of Cargo Pants Prentiss I will scream for joy and prostrate myself in gratitude, but I'm just happy to see her on my screen again.

+JJ/AJ lookin' good.

My wishlist:

+bureaucratic antagonists that are like....not so cartoonishly villainous/inept/out of touch. Honestly I miss Strauss in that role, Jayne Atkinson was great. The new guy (whom Prentiss could/should snap like a twig) Bailey is a silly little noodle compared to Barnes but they both just...tired treatment of institutional conflict imo.

+I still want a little nostalgia reunion tour with some favs: Jordan Todd, Morgan (at least a mention! A text thread! A voicemail! A photograph in Emily's office! s o m e t h i n g), Roxy cameo, Grant Anderson, Kate Jackson (her last acting credit was Ambassador Prentiss, very unlikely this would happen but can you imagine!!), Hotch or Jack cameo, Blake, Grandpa Rossi, SERGIO, etc etc etc

+Someone to call Prentiss a fox to her face, she deserves to flirt

+honestly, just a little more Prentiss personal life. I don't even necessarily mean romantic life, just some time in her world where she's not fighting with budgets and silly noodles and giving boss lady exposition. In case it is not clear from my blog, I'm here for Prentiss first and foremost.

+Y'know what also would be Great? An Emily gives Luke advice or shit (or both) about Garcia scene.

+JJ & Emily exchanging meaningful, possibly amused, looks. Context hardly matters to me at this point, since Jemily has long since graduated into the realm of AU/canon divergence. I just like to look at them looking at each other, I'm a simple gal.

+Tara and Rebecca go on a date, smooch, or generally continue to be cute. It's so much fun to see Nicole Pacent again. I first encountered her in the Anyone But Me web series lo these many years ago. That was really important to me at the time it was coming out because I was also coming out around then. Go check it out.

+more hugs all around. Garcia is on the right track there.