How did Reid feel about his mother being used in a clinical study?

That was addressed on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 11 when it became clear there was something Reed did not like about the clinical study. 

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 11 Online

Meanwhile on this hit drama series, the team were shocked to find that a homeless man had a hieroglyph in his armpit. 

The plot thickened when it emerged that it was the exact same as one found on a victim many years before. 

Did the team manage to crack the case?

View Slideshow: 11 TV Characters Whose Loss Looms Large

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up with the latest developments for the characters. 

How bad must a serial killer be to bring the entire team together on Criminal Minds?

After watching the clip below, I'm wondering if maybe we didn't really want to know that answer.

Before we get into the details, I'm ashamed to admit I had never even seen the beautiful new poster with almost all the members of BAU present and accounted for. 

Only newest member Walker (Damon Gupton) isn't on the map, but all else considered, it's a great bunch.

It also reveals the importance of Rossi's history with the team even though Prentiss was chosen to lead it.

I'm sure that will also be very apparent as the shocking case on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 12 is uncovered.

"The Good Husband" requires the BAU's help because a killer is so brash as to leave the torsos of his victims lying in wait for discovery.

The team puts together an incredibly detailed profile that indicates a measure of torture so disturbing it will stick with you throughout the day.

The killer's victims appear to be specific men in troubled relationships.

If only they knew their trouble was the very least of their worries.

Check out the clip below and be sure to come back Wednesday, February 8 for a full review of the hour after it airs.

If you want to see more of this incredible team in action, watch Criminal Minds online anytime.

When an episode peaks with a nameless, ditsy blonde having car trouble in the opening scene, that's not good.

That about sums up the problem with Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 12.

There was a humdrum case of the week featuring an abusive serial killer (as opposed to a sadistic serial killer, I guess).

Then, about every 15 minutes, there was a reminder that Spencer, after much of 12 seasons with a minimal personal life, is now saddled with the care of his schizophrenic mother.

In other words, it was a bridge to get from Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 11, which was a Spencer-centric hour to Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 13, which will be more of the same (and aptly titled, "Spencer").

Let's start with the case of the week.

One male torso was all it took to get the BAU on the plane to sunny Palm Strings.

It's a good thing there were more dropping throughout the hour.

Kudos to Prentiss for giving condolences early on to the police chief there for the two officers killed last October by a convicted felon who somehow got ahold of an assault rifle. That helps to better tie fantasy into reality.

The unsub turned out to be a gay man in a floundering marriage who started out killing surrogates for his younger spouse who left him before he turned to killing others who just pissed him off.

Let me get out my psychobabble to English dictionary to profile the unsub: His father, the butcher – who was a mean drunk – used to have him cut up the carcasses in his shop, giving him mad skills with a cleaver. Then, after a divorce, his father disappeared.

He had tons of rage from that, but funneled that negative energy into dominating his young partner. But the end of his marriage sent him and his cleaver raging out into the bars of Palm Springs.

In short, he was nuts. Not maniacally nuts like some on this show, but nuts is nuts.

So, instead of the typical TV stereotype of the abused wife trying to escape from her abusive husband, you had the submissive gay spouse attempting to flee from his domineering husband.

That's equality for ya.

I think the unsub was asking to get caught. Why else would he have kept pulling off those murders close to his home?

I know the idea was to bring his spouse running back to him out of fear, but really.

The first people the BAU look at are friends and acquaintances, and it was only a couple degrees of separation from the last murder victim to the unsub. 

It's not hard to connect three dots.

And hey, stash the cleaver under a floor mat in the van. There's just no good explanation for a bloody cleaver and bloody clothing in the bathroom.

So, not one for the ages.

Anyway, even though the case took up three-quarters of the hour, that wasn't even the prime focus.

It was the waking up of Spencer Reid.

It started with Reid thinking that all he needed was a comprehensive plan to make everything work. He could handle both work and his mother, once he figured out how to do it.

That's just the thing. By distracting my conscious mind, you allow my subconscious mind to form a plan at up to ten billion times the speed.

Reid [to Prentiss]

• Permalink: That's just the thing. By distracting my conscious mind, you allow my subconscious mind to...
• Added: February 08, 2017

Then he got a call from an understanding nurse essentially telling him that his mother needs him there, that only he can handle her.

At the end of it all, he realized that he can't do it and needs to find a better solution. Reid's a smart man; he just needed to get past his emotions.

Prentiss: Spencer, I couldn't be more proud of you.
Reid: Why?
Prentiss: Because it's difficult caring for family. And it takes tremendous strength to ask for help.

• Permalink: Because it's difficult caring for family. And it takes tremendous strength to ask for help.
• Added: February 08, 2017

That's what I like about Prentiss as leader. She's an emotional mother hen constantly checking up on her charges. I could see Hotch swatting Reid on the shoulder and saying "Buck up." That's probably not what he needs to hear.

Previews hint at Reid being in some kind of trouble. As many viewers have feared, has that beautiful mind finally run off the tracks? After all, mental illness runs in his family.

I'm just hoping that this mother storyline is just a blip for Reid, and not the beginning of his end. After all, they've rarely traded up when original characters leave and replacements are brought in. Rossi for Gideon was a draw, maybe, but otherwise ...

To catch up on Reid's infrequent appearances this season, watch Criminal Minds online.

What did you think of the case of the week? Was there some subtlety I flat out missed? What should Reid do? Comment below.

View Slideshow: 2016 TV Fanatic Awards: All the Winners!!

Did the team manage to crack their most difficult case yet?

That was addressed on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 12 when male bodies were turning up with no way to identify them. 

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 12 Online

This sent the team on a wild goose chase as they tried to find links between previous murders. 

Did a shocking blast from the past hold the key to finding out the truth?

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up with the latest developments for the characters. 

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending February 3, 2017

You don't want to miss all the drama. 

The difficult year of Dr. Spencer Reid continues.

Poor Reid. Just being a dutiful son eventually lands him in a Mexican jail on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 13.

In jail in a foreign country where he doesn't speak the language without his most lethal weapon: his beautiful mind, as Garcia puts it.

Apparently, the unsub behind this frame-up knows Reid well, enough to know what he's doing.

The BAU team members naturally assume that Peter Lewis, Mr. Scratch, is behind this. Why? Because he's this season's boogeyman.

Good a guess as any, since nothing was proved in this draggy first part of a two-parter spotlighting Reid.

The why for Reid's trip is simple: to find a holistic treatment for his mother that might slow her Alzheimer's.

So that's where that swamp water he's been giving his mom came from.

What's not so simple is why he shut out his teammates from his plans.

After all, a U.S. agent heading into Mexico, without letting anyone know what he's up to, that's just asking for trouble.

And that's what he got: drugged up, framed for murder and drug possession.

If it hadn't been for the technicality of the victim of the crime being a dual citizen, which won Reid a trip back to the U.S., he would have been in deep doo-doo.

I can't imagine the life expectancy for American law enforcement in a Mexican maximum-security prison is terribly long.

Heading into a dangerous country alone is a pretty stupid move for an awfully smart guy.

Reid also got his teammates annoyed and confused by not consulting with them.

Lewis: He was making decisions with his heart and not his head.
Garcia: Which I am intimately familiar with, but none of this would have happened if he would have just let us help.
Lewis: Well, Penelope, that's what we're going to do now.

• Permalink: Well, Penelope, that's what we're going to do now.
• Added: February 15, 2017

The squad was scrambling to figure out why Reid was in Mexico and who was targeting him.

And while Reid and the others slowly somewhat pieced together what had happened to him, there were still all kinds of questions to be answered.

Who killed Rosa? Did that same person plant the evidence in his trunk?

How did Reid get the speedball and other drugs in his system? Surely, with his bad past experiences with drugs, he would have some idea that he had been shot up this time.

Who was Reid chasing at the beginning? I guess the killer, but only he can remember for sure.

And how about that depiction of Mexican police work?

You've got a gringo with cuts on his hands and drugs in his trunk, so he must be guilty.

They don't bother to take into account the testimony of his co-workers.

Castenada: You're not considering the obvious?
Rossi: You wouldn't either if you knew Spencer Reid.

• Permalink: You wouldn't either if you knew Spencer Reid.
• Added: February 15, 2017

I guess that beats the other trope of all Mexican police being corrupt.

It was good to see Clara and Daniel from Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders again. Why CBS has held that while trotting out so many other weak-ass dramas (Pure Genius, Training Day) is beyond me.

I enjoyed Beyond Borders during its brief stay last spring and am looking forward to CBS finally bringing it back March 1. 

I guess I prefer my psychos in colorful settings rather than dank basements.

It will be interesting to see what Reid remembers next episode as he comes out of his drug-induced fog. Hopefully, that will clear up this well-constructed frame.

This whole thing's been a nightmare, but mark my words, kid, we're going to get you out of this.

to Reid}

• Permalink: This whole thing's been a nightmare, but mark my words, kid, we're going to get you out of...
• Added: February 15, 2017

I'm hoping that they'll get Reid off. I don't want to see another original character written out, especially one of the most intriguing ones.

To catch up on what Reid's been up to, watch Criminal Minds online.

Who do you think is behind this? What was Reid thinking? Why is the FBI so quickly abandoning him? Comment below.

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending February 10, 2017

Why was Spencer put behind bars?

That was addressed on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 13 when he got in trouble in Mexico.

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 13 Online

The International Response Team was called in to help. 

However, the case against Reid seemed airtight, but who could have been the one orchestrating the case against him?

The team conducted their own investigation on the sidelines to get a clearer picture. 

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending February 10, 2017

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up with the latest developments for the characters on this grisly drama series. 

The upcoming hour of Criminal Minds looks like it's going to be downright horrifying to watch.

Sometimes, it's difficult to put ourselves into the shoes of the victims, but it won't be too hard with Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 14.

The sadistic unsub featured during this hour will featuring a two-layered approach to his criminal activity.

His condition is one that gets him off by witnessing terrible things happening to other people, such as fires, and in this case, car accidents.

Since he can't be the one to create the accident and watch it at the same time, he's concocted a way to turn innocent drivers and their cars into powerful killing machines.

He even has a "final" victim type in mind, one that makes the team suppose he's out for vengeance against a certain individual.

The crime deserves a specialized touch, and that touch earns Garcia her wings. She doesn't do it too often, but she's on the plane when it goes wheels up.

When your everyday devices suddenly become weapons controlled by killers and used to kill, threre's nobody else I'd rather have on my side than Penelope Garcia.

Who's with me?!

You'll also note by watching the exclusive clip below who is not with the team as they hunt down this terrifying unsub – Prentiss.

That's because Prentiss is off dealing with Spencer, who will receive a bit of bad news during the hour.

Considering where he was last we saw him, is it safe to guess he's not going to be released from custody as soon as expected?

To find out, you'll have to watch.

But first, get more insight about what to expect of the unsub and his evil ways when you take a look at the clip below.

It reveals a good bit about the unsub and what's happening to both levels of his victims. If ever there was a time for "this show may contain disturbing content" to appear across the screen, it's now.

So be warned!

And if you need more info on where Spencer will be, you can watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up on his latest...ahem...adventure!

Mr. Scratch has definitely put Baby Boy in a corner.

Unlike his quickly resolved efforts earlier this season, Peter Lewis continues to put the screws to Reid on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 14.

Reid may be home, but he's definitely not safe yet, as more and more evidence piles up against him. 

I found it pretty unbelievable that the Mexican police were able to recover the knife that was the murder weapon from where it was tossed in the desert.

Seriously, with all the lawlessness in parts of Mexico, how likely is it that enough police could be spared to search the entire route of the high-speed chase from Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 13?

And that his blood and fingerprints were intact after several days of the knife baking in the sun?

I'd think that a good lawyer could get that tossed. I'm betting chain of custody in Mexico isn't up to U.S. standards.

Nor are forensics. That's why there was never a CSI: Juarez.

Fortunately, thanks to Prentiss, Reid now has a great defense lawyer in her old friend, Fiona Duncan.

I liked how she laid everything out in black and white for Reid.

Reid: What would you do if you were in my shoes?
Fiona: I'm not in your shoes. It's a decision only you can make.
Prentiss: Whatever you decide, I'm in your corner. We all are.

• Permalink: Whatever you decide, I'm in your corner. You all are.
• Added: February 22, 2017

Her providing a hard dose of reality is just what Reid, who is much more comfortable in the theoretical realm, needs.

I'm not sure that having Prentiss as Reid's liaison was the best use of personnel.

After all, JJ is the one who has been looking in on Reid's mother, so having her nearby made more sense than sending her to Florida while Prentiss stayed behind. 

Also, with all those big brains on the BAU, couldn't someone figure out a way to counteract Reid's short-term memory loss? After all, it would be really helpful if he could give Fiona some of his memories to work with.

Right now, what little bit he remembered certainly isn't going to help his case.

I'm glad Reid decided to roll the dice based on his faith in his teammates and the fact that, well, he's innocent.

I just feel bad for his mother, who has lost her main anchor to reality.

Spliced in between the Reid scenes was a fairly interesting case of the week.

Yes, Criminal Minds dipped into one of TV's newest tropes: Someone taking over technology to commit some sort of crime.

Lewis: An unsub turning cars in murder weapons. That's terrifying.
Alvez: It could be a whole new frontier for serial killers.

• Permalink: It could be a whole new frontier for serial killers.
• Added: February 22, 2017

Since the unsub was a hacker, Garcia got to go out in the field.

Next time, Penelope, remember comfortable shoes for running. You don't want to slow down the inevitable car chase.

And the best part was that Garcia got thrown together with Alvez, who she has been treating like crap simply because he's not Morgan.

I don't 'go with.' I'm precious cargo.

to Alvez}

• Permalink: I don't 'go with.' I'm precious cargo.
• Added: February 22, 2017

Garcia performed pretty well in the field. Thank God for laptops, since she can do her job in the BAU from anywhere.

She found the computer nerd unsub on the dating web site way too easily. The same goes for tracking the car and overriding its controls way in time.

It was almost like Alvez was there only to drive like a maniac and slap on the cuffs.

Still, the two of them contributed more than the rest of the team combined. I'm guessing their heads weren't really in the game with Reid's hearing upcoming.

Now, the hearing itself. I can't believe that Reid's sterling record at the FBI didn't get him bail. Trips to Mexico to get drugs for his mom makes him a flight risk?

Granted, he obviously knows how to leave the country undetected, except unfortunately by Scratch. Still he should have gotten the benefit of the doubt.

So next is the obligatory cop-in-prison episode. Good thing he's got Harold Perrineau, of Oz fame, as a cellmate, to explain to him how things work inside.

Otherwise he might get shivved for accidentally talking down to prisoners who probably don't want to hear about recidivism rates.

To catch up on what Mr. Scratch has been up to this season, watch Criminal Minds online.

Is Reid getting out or getting off the show? How long is it going to take? Is this Prentiss' first leadership crisis? Comment below.

View Slideshow: Quotables from Week Ending February 17, 2017

Why was a killer setting up fatal car crashes?

That was addressed on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 14 when a string of fatal car crashes involving pedestrians and drivers started happening across the country.

Did the team manage to bring the perpetrator to justice?

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 14 Online

Meanwhile, Reid received some bad news about what happened in Mexico. 

Did this signal the end of his career with the BAU?

View Slideshow: Quotables from Week Ending February 17, 2017

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up with the latest drama for the characters on this hit drama series. 

Of all the characters to have filtered through BAU, Dr. Spencer Reid heading into a prison cell is the most likely.

Perhaps that's what makes this exclusive look at Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 15 so effective.

As Reid filters into his new "home" with all the other convicted and potentially guilty or innocent men he'll be spending his foreseeable future with, it hits home how easily anybody can find themselves in that situation.

Memory loss, an unbelievable tale of innocence or the lack of any other potential suspects could all be viable reasons you become the target of an intensive investigation.

Would your background be squeaky clean enough to keep you out of the hot seat?

I would have thought Reid's, if anybody's, would have given him a get out of jail free pass.

On "Alpha Male," he'll find himself in new and unsteady surroundings trying to survive.

But before he meets Criminal Mind's version of Augustus Hill from HBO's OZ, who asks him to trust him for his own safety, Reid has to survive intake.

I'm sorry that I'm going to say this out loud, but Dr. Reid looks mighty fine with a bit of the bad boy coursing through him. You know how the girls like a bad boy, right?

A little scruff looks good on him.

We've been wondering what this whole fiasco will mean for the future of Reid with BAU, and if he sticks around (we have our fingers crossed), will what he endures while trying to prove his innocence change him significantly going forward?

It seems impossible that anyone can come out something like what he's in the middle of without being at least somewhat different.

How different and whether it affects his future with the home he's made at BAU will be what concerns us the most.

What about you? Is it hard to think about the case of the week with the once so sweet and unaffected Reid suffering such a misfortune?

Be here tonight for a full review of the events and watch Criminal Minds online if you have missed what led to this disaster.

They're going to be a distracted BAU for the next few weeks.

It was more about who wasn't there than who was on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 15.

The BAU is having to learn to function without its big-brained Boy Wonder.

And Reid is having to learn to survive in a place where logic won't serve him well.

Fortunately, the team had a particularly gruesome case to solve this week, with an acid-spraying misogynist attacking the pretty people of Philadelphia.

The poor BAU, having to make sense of an unsub that attacked with no seemingly unifying pattern.

But it was simple really, in a twisted way (what other way is there on Criminal Minds?). The unsub hated all those who were getting laid when he and other "uncels" (unvoluntarily celibate) such as himself weren't.

Good thing most people in that situation just fester inside and drink, rather than take destructive action.

This was to a large extent a Garcia spotlight, since much of its solution required mining the Web.

Unfortunately, we got to learn about the "manosphere," another of those dark corners of the Internet where hate flourishes.

And poor Garcia had to hold her nose and go there.

Walker: Garcia, see if you can pull it up.
Garcia: See if I ... you doubt me, sir? Watch me bulldoze through 137 pages of manifesto muck without cracking my lip gloss.

• Permalink: See if I ... you doubt me, sir? Watch me bulldoze through 137 pages of manifesto muck without...
• Added: March 01, 2017

It was another of those "degrees of separation" solutions. Find the victim that doesn't fit the profiled description, ,locate her boyfriend, then identify his antisocial friend that works at a chemical company.

I suppose that's quicker than checking chemical-company employees.

Anyhoo, Walker,finally made his presence felt by nullifying Alan. chatting him up and telling him what he wanted to hear while blocking him from attacking the singles-night crowd.

I'm betting Alan's manifesto never got widely distributed as promised, however.

So scratch another pathetic, self-pitying unsub who kept the BAU preoccupied for a little while, at least.

And kept them from dwelling on Reid, even though Prentiss was shown staring forlornly about every 10 minutes.

At least she addressed the elephant in the room.

I know it's going to be hard not to think about Reid in prison. We'll get through this, and more importantly, Reid will too.

Prentiss

• Permalink: I know it's going to be hard not to think about Reid in prison. We'll get through this, and...
• Added: March 01, 2017

It's to be expected that Reid would have adjustment issues. 

I don't expect encyclopedic knowledge is a superpower much valued in prison.

Fortunately, he found a guide in Calvin, a former lawman  who had learned to survive in prison.

It's a counter-intuitive place, so Reid is going to need all the advice he can get.

This is our ocean. One day it's calm, the next day there are waves the size of mountains. It will be hard at first, but trust me, you shouldn't fight it. You just gotta learn how to survive.

Shaw [to Reid]

• Permalink: This is our ocean. One day it's calm, the next day there are waves the size of mountains. It...
• Added: March 01, 2017

And why is that guard, Wilkins, being such a dick to Reid? You would think there would be a bond among law-enforcement types, but he's pissed off at Reid for some reason, one that hopefully will be addressed in the next episode in two weeks.

Could Garcia have come up with a less appropriate poster for communication with Reid? Flowers and rainbows? At least there were no unicorns that I could see.

Alvez: Why do you get to visit [Reid] first?
Garcia: Because I made the chart. And if anyone has a problem with that, tough nougees.

• Permalink: Because I made the chart. And if anyone has a problem with that, tough nougees.
• Added: March 01, 2017

Is Garcia ever going to ease up on Alves? It ceased being cute really early in the season.

Now how long is this Reid-in-prison storyline going to strung out? There's seven episodes left in the season, and frankly it would be nice to get him home to his sick mother sooner rather than later. I mean, they're going to run out of prison cliches fairly soon.

Having an extended storyline for Reid should do away with any talk about Matthew Grey Gubler leaving the show. They wouldn't have invested this much time into the character this season just to get rid of him. They'd just throw him into Witsec (too soon?).

Also, why isn't clearing Reid more of a priority?

I understand politically it's a delicate situation -- an agent being charged with murder. But the BAU has rarely let interference from above keep them from pursuing cases. Also Section Chief Cruz has been mentioned parenthetically at best this season, so out of sight, out of mind.

Add to that the prime suspect in the framing of Reid is thought to be Mr. Scratch, a fugitive, so they've got all the reason in the world to track him down.

To follow Reid's hard year, watch Criminal Minds online.

Did you like the case of the week, or did it just burn? Isn't it beneficial for Reid to have a veteran TV prisoner as a mentor? Are you ready for him to be out already? Comment below.

Did Dr. Reid manage to find a way to return to his old life?

That was addressed on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 15 when it became clear the odds were stacked against him. 

Did anyone help him settle into his new surroundings?

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 15 Online

Meanwhile, the BAU investigated when several young men and women were the victims in horrific disfiguring and acid attacks. 

Did the investigation lead them to the truth?

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending February 24, 2017

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up with the latest developments for the characters. 

There is a show on Investigation Discovery called Evil Kin.

Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 16 looks like it might play out an awful lot like one of those episodes.

In our exclusive clip below, Alvez and Rossi are going over the possibilities of a suspect for a vicious case.

Educated, gainfully employed women are all found at nightclubs with alcohol and drugs in their systems.

The drug makes the women feel empathy. Alvez calls it a love drug. That's a terrible thought in itself, right?

The guy is likely a sadist, meaning he's punishing the woman and enjoying their pain.

But what if you were the mother of such a man, discovering the writings of the son you now believe to be a madman?

A "bone crusher"?

That would be a tough one to get over, but the BAU is going to meet one such mother, and you can catch a glimpse of her evidence and who she is in the exclusive clip below.

If you watch Criminal Minds online, then you might be waiting to here this, and I'm sorry to announce that elsewhere in the hour, Spencer will getting more acquainted with his new home, prison.

Who he's going to be when he gets out of this mess (if he gets out) will be something to see.

Watch the clip and be back here after Criminal Minds airs at 9/8c on CBS for a full review.

The BAU headed to New York City to solve another freaky case.

But the ghost of Spencer Reid hung over Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 16.

The case of the week was yet another misogynistic sadist taking out his issues on the women he abducted.

Yeah, I know. Women are more than half the population, but they end up being 90% of the victims on Criminal Minds, especially when torture is involved. It's getting more than a little old.

And torture was definitely involved in this episode, as the unsub nicknamed the Bone Crusher kept breaking as many bones as he could while keeping his victim alive.

In a nice change of pace, the BAU got the unsub, Danny White, handed to them before the first commercial break. They just had to believe.

I figure that wall of broken-bone artwork in the unsub's apartment was enough to make believers of anyone.

Then it was simply a matter of tracking him down.

That's where his mother, Miranda, came in. She got to sketch out his long, sordid history for Alvez, who did well in drawing out each tiny nugget that brought them one step closer to Danny.

Tatum O'Neal was convincing as Miranda, blaming herself for all her son's sins. It was good to see her back on the small screen for the first time since Rescue Me went off the air in 2011 (unless you count her handful of straight-to-video movies).

I blame the father that ran off with the neighbor lady for some of Danny's problems. However, Danny had enough crossed circuits in his own right.

Miranda does have to shoulder some of the blame since giving him ecstasy did make him a more functional human being but also enabled him to put his dark thoughts into action.

And hey, why was it so difficult to track Danny? Let's take a page from the NCIS playbook and use some of those hundreds of surveillance cameras. Just plug in his image and voila! 

But that's not how we do things on Criminal Minds. We analyze the hell out of the unsub, then catch a lucky break and find the places that are special to him, then catch him. Unless, like Danny, he jumps.

Well, that works too. Just with a lot less action.

I just felt bad for Miranda, who never did get her son back, kinks and all.

Now let's turn to the part of the show we actually care about: Reid.

It was JJ's turn to visit Reid and get ogled by the inmates. A smart woman such as JJ should know when to dress down.

This episode continued with the ongoing question of whether Reid is going to make it out alive. I'm thinking yes, but he's certainly not helping himself out.

First, the FBI agent-turned-con has been offering up some profound Shaw-shank wisdom, and Reid just isn't absorbing it. To put it simply, lay low and don't draw attention to yourself.

His finely honed sense of justice, such as caring what happening to Luis, was bound to get him beat. And, what do you know, it did. It's a small prison, and word gets around.

I still don't understand why Reid is in Gen Pop. Some have speculated that he's there undercover, to somehow smoke out Mr. Scratch. But I can't think of anyone less qualified for such an assignment. Even Garcia would be a better choice.

At least Rossi came up with a great analogy of the Cubs finally winning the World Series. Bottom line: Hope springs eternal. The BAU has to believe they'll find a way to get Reid out.

Not if they keep getting pulled away on other cases.

It appears to be more of the same next week, a little Reid behind bars and a case of some sort. 

How about we wrap up the junior-jailbird storyline? it's more distracting than involving.

Hey, there were about two solid minutes of lightness. It was enjoyable having Alvez banter with Garcia and even get the better of her. But she turned the tables when she cooed to Walker later.

To follow the trials of Reid, watch Criminal Minds online.

Is Reid going to make it out alive? While Danny was a scumbag, did you have any sympathy for Miranda? Was Prentiss even in this episode (I truly don't recall.)? Comment below.

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending February 24, 2017

Did the group find a way to get Reid out of prison?

That was addressed on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 16 when a regime change in prison threatened to put him in danger. 

Did he make any friends?

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 16 Online

Meanwhile, the group tried to find an elusive murderer known as the Bone Crusher. 

With limited leads, a young mother stepped forward to reveal some key details on the matter.

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending February 24, 2017

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up on the latest drama for the characters on this CBS procedural. 

Shemar Moore is returning to Criminal Minds Season 12 as Derek Morgan.

If you're a fan of Moore, then you know he's not one to totally abandon any role.

Years after leaving his role of Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless, when the character's brother needed him, Moore was ready to reprise the role and do his part as a character he loved.

Now, Moore hasn't been gone that long from his role as Derek Morgan, but once again, he has something the team needs and wouldn't ever consider letting it ride.

So, Shemar Moore will return to Criminal Minds to guest star on the series' 12th season finale, Wednesday, May 10 at 9/8c, on the CBS Television Network.

An original cast member is coming home!

In the episode, Morgan brings the BAU a lead in the case against serial killer and escaped convict Mr. Scratch, who has wreaked havoc on the team all season.

Will that mean some much-needed help for Spencer Reid, assuming he survives that long while in prison (gulp...did I just say that out loud?)?

There's little doubt Spencer could have used Derek's support while he's been going through hell this season, and I can't wait to find out if the two have been in contact all along. 

The things you can do with a guest appearance will stun the mind, you guys.

For his part, Moore is excited being back with his old pals, writing on Instagram: "BOOM. My secret is out !!!! I'm excited to say.... Your Baby Boy will be back to play with my Criminal Minds family for the season 12 Finale!!"

At the time of his departure last March, Moore chatted with ETOnline telling them he wasn't leaving because of money issues or to try to become an even bigger star. He just wanted to take a breath.

After 11 years of the intensity on Criminal Minds, who could blame him, right? It's not his fault he's one of our favorite characters and we miss him so much. Well, maybe it is his fault, but that's a good thing.

“Derek didn’t die, so anything is possible,” he hinted at the time, adding, "When I come back, I'm going to come back guns blazing and excited and ready to perform and dance and, hopefully, the fans will enjoy what I'm doing."

I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for the hello between Derek and Garcia, and hope he sneaks up on her with a bit of a behind kiss, just like above.

Even though Derek will be delivering a very important, almost dire lead the team needs very much, I'm also hoping for a light moment between Derek and Alvez because seeing how they interact will put a lot of people at ease.

Sometimes knowing how the team member who has left accepts those who have joined in their absence makes all the difference to the team going forward.

And not just the BAU, but those of you watching who may not have been able to warm up to the new agents just yet.

What do you think of this news? Total excitement all around?

How will his lead affect the story? Is he coming in to save the day?

Let's hear it! And if you dream of more Derek Morgan, you can watch Criminal Minds online for more Moore!

View Slideshow: 13 Characters Who Simply Don't Have a Clue

It's our favorite time of the week again!!

The Criminal Minds/Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders double header is nearly upon us and we have clips of both for you.

Today you're getting a sneak peek into the thought process of profiling a criminal or criminals who are targeting a neighborhood.

The BAU team has already been hard at work trying to nail down a suspect, and the evidence board supports that on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 17.

After all, Garcia is hot on the trail of people of a certain type when she picks up the phone in the clip below.

But the BAU believes two unsubs may be operating at the same time when victims are killed in two drastically different ways are discovered in the same city.

Alvez will have a theory of his own to add, and Prentiss lobs it by the local authorities, but it doesn't pass muster.

Instead, the team wonders something horrific. 

What if the very houses the victims live in are marking them as targets for one of the killers at large?

Think about that. What don't you know about the past of your house the might set some fool on a murderous rampage?

"Hey, I think I heard while in the joint that one of the houses on this street might be holding a giant stash of cash from back in the day. No way the owners know. Let's find it!"

Yes, that's just an assumption on my part about what could happen in a house without our knowledge. After all, I'm a TV Fanatic, and I watch way too much TV!

If I can come up with that possibility, what will the BAU discover?

Meanwhile, the team is still grappling with how to keep Reid safe in prison. Does that mean they've finally figured out he's been kept from his original destination of protective custody?

Is there anything they can do?

Check out the clip we have and be here for a full review of the episode after it airs on CBS Wednesday, March 22 at 9/8c!

If you've missed any of this amazing show, you can watch Criminal Minds online via TV Fanatic to catch up.

It's hard to feel sorry for someone who killed close to 10 people.

But I ended up feeling sympathetic for the unsub on Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 17.

Trey Gordon was himself a victim.

First, his father neglected him to the point where he was molested as a young boy. That left him with several mental conditions with which to deal.

Then the medical establishment failed him as well. He ended up with a drawer full of pills but still no peace of mind. No one would take his call when he realized what he had become, leaving him screaming in frustration.

That's why he was killing night and day, to get out his rage which started right after his father died.

There was a great opening scene when a hunter lining up a shot at Bambi was shot. It was kind of poetic justice.

But it was a really weird setup, with seemingly two unsubs killing by different methods in a small city such as Burlington, VT. 

Death by cheese, maple syrup, cannabis or high-end ice cream, sure. But shooting and stabbing, not so much.

My money was on a pair of unsubs, working together.

But the sets of victims didn't really add up. Shooting drunks and bullies, stabbing yuppies. Maybe both groups were deserving, but still.

I never did get why Trey, the unsub, got more precise at stabbing. Practice? it wasn't like he was any more alert as time passed. All the evidence he left proved just the opposite.

Also, I was fuzzy on why Trey's DNA wasn't in the system, and the team had to use a process of elimination to identify him. He was definitely a victim previously, but I guess he never did anything to get arrested before this.

It was good to see Lewis finally contributing something, as she was the one who picked up on a pattern that seemed to break the case. Maybe she'll get an additional scene in a future episode.

I'm guessing that the lack of sustained sleep was what finally caught up with Trey when he messed up one stabbing and left his target alive.

Usually I get a feeling of satisfaction when the BAU takes the unsub into custody. Most deserve what they get.

But not this time. Trey fell through the cracks, and both he and his victims ended up paying the price for it. Even as he was being arrested, Trey was asking for help, not forgiveness.

It was a good week for the newbie.

Alvez finally proved he belongs.

In his prison visit, Alvez was derided by Shaw as being the slow one on the BAU.

That's fair to a certain extent. Going from the military to FBI's fugitive squad wasn't a difficult transition. But going to the BAU is a jump to the big leagues.

But his analysis of Shaw shows that he's been learning from the stellar profilers around him. It was he who determined why Shaw finally turned himself in and that his reason for killing his C.I. wasn't as noble as previously suggested. 

He also effectively put the screws to Shaw in order to keep Reid safe, which nobody else had been able to do through legal channels.

Also, he and Garcia finally reached a rapprochement. They're never going to coo at each other like she did with Morgan, but it seems like a better working relationship has been established.

That is good because he'd done nothing to deserve the abuse she had been dishing out. It's not his fault Morgan left (at least until the season finale).

Now back to poor Reid at the state pen.

So he's gotten beaten up, but doesn't want to cause any waves about it.

And he still felt a need to protect Luis, his buddy from the prison bus. 

That is an automatic weakness and probably led to Luis's graphic demise.

Alvez managed to get Reid protection from Shaw, but Reid better not make any more friends/targets while inside.

Now Reid is being pressured to run contraband for the mean prisoners. (I've failed to catch names. I think they just have numbers.)

And how useless has the super-lawyer Prentiss got for Reid been? "The justice system runs slowly" just isn't an acceptable explanation. Apparently she has no connections. Pull some strings, woman. At least figure out why Reid ended up in GenPop.

From the previews, it looks like Reid may be turning on his protector. It's already been proven that Shaw isn't the innocent he originally seemed to be. So what's his angle with Reid? Will Reid use that big brain to get on top of things inside?

And when are we going to get an update on his mom? His being imprisoned can't be helping her state of mind.

To follow Reid's travails, watch Criminal Minds online.

Did you feel sorry for Trey? Are you annoyed about how long Reid's imprisonment is being dragged out? Do you think more of Alvez now? Comment below.

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending March 18, 2017

Was Reid safe in prison?

That was addressed Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 17 when some of his fellow prisoners were upset at the fact a former detective was inside. 

Did the team manage to find a way to save him from the outside?

Watch Criminal Minds Season 12 Episode 17 Online

Meanwhile, the BAU believed two unsubs were operating at the same time when two victims popped up and were killed completely differently. 

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending March 18, 2017

Use the video above to watch Criminal Minds online to get caught up on the latest drama for the characters as they try to keep the streets safe.

Worrying about the fate of your favorite CBS shows?

Worry no more. 

CBS today announced a mass renewal that includes The Big Bang Theory, Blue Bloods, Bull, Hawaii Five-0, Kevin Can Wait, Life In Pieces, MacGyver, Madam Secretary, Man With a Plan, Mom, NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, Scorpion, Superior Donuts, Survivor, 48 Hours and 60 Minutes. 

All 18 will return during the 2017-2018 series. As for The Big Bang Theory ( renewed for two seasons!) and NCIS, both of these series were already renewed, but the press release CBS release confirmed their return. 

Neither of the five renewed freshman series have been a breakout success, but they have performed well enough to stick around for additional seasons. 

Bull's renewal was hinted at earlier this week when it was announced a new showrunner would be brought in for Season 2.

With that good news, there is a shed of doubt for some of the series left off the early renewals.

Criminal Minds not one of the early renewals, but even with decreased ratings in the wake of several cast departures, it's still a lock to return for another season. 

The same cannot be said for its spin-off, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Last season, a late renewal came in for both shows after it was announced they were packaged together when it came down to the wire in negotiations. 

It's unlikely a similar tactic will save the series again this year. Season 2 is averaging just 5.2 million viewers and a 0.9 rating among adults 18-49. 

There was no doubt about whether Madam Secretary and Scorpion would be renewed because of syndication purposes. 

Then, there are the following:

• Code Black
• 2 Broke Girls
• Elementary
• The Great Indoors
• The Odd Couple
• Undercover Boss
• Pure Genius
• Ransom
• Training Day
• Hunted

Out of those shows, only Code Black, 2 Broke Girls, and Elementary have a fighting chance at returning. We should have more clarity on what is toast in the coming weeks as we approach the network's upfront presentation in May. 

What do you think about the renewals?

Which show is missing from them that you want to make it into 2017-2018?

Hit the comments below!

View Slideshow: Quotables for Week Ending March 18, 2017