I Really Like This Episode, In Large Part Because Of This Line And How That Feeling Continues Throughout

i really like this episode, in large part because of this line and how that feeling continues throughout the episode. i appreciate cm's attitude towards it in general, as the concept of the "less dead" is something that i feel very strongly about. that's not to say cm never plays into it, or into Missing White Woman Syndrome. Even in this episode, the victim we're focusing on, Maggie, is an attractive White woman with nice hair and teeth (possibly a little justified as she's a sex worker and i believe not unhoused? but it's still worth commenting on that the victim we follow in the episode about victims who are considered disposable has traits that make her more "palatable" to the audience).

I hope I'm making sense lol. There are definitely people better than me to talk about these concepts and associated tropes and how cm both plays into and averts them, but it's on my mind a lot and I really like episodes like this one where an effort is clearly being made to not only avoid but to comment and criticize them.

Lord help me. I've been given three manageable tasks. all at once

get his ass

having Thoughts about gideon comforting johnny mulford while he dies, mostly "why him?" neither of the mulfords are what i would consider to be among the ranks of the "sympathetic" unsubs, although johnny is definitely more sympathetic and they're not among the least sympathetic either—there's a definite "never had a chance" feeling about them both (particularly johnny)

it might just be that at the moment, all gideon is seeing is a kid who's afraid to die, because johnny is only twenty-two. i wonder a little bit if it's partially because there are some very slight similarities to reid. (both have abandonment issues, both had a severely mentally ill person as their primary caregiver, and johnny specifically shares some (again, very slight) physical similarities with reid. this is also only six episodes after gideon watched reid (temporarily) die and could do nothing about it, so maybe he's projecting reid onto somebody he can comfort. but i'll be honest im not super confident about that analysis lmao. i think it's largely just that johnny is super young and afraid and all gideon is seeing at the moment is a frightened kid, with his relationship with reid possibly contributing. regardless i just think it's an interesting action for gideon to take.

Al rewatches Criminal Minds (for the third time yes) || No Way Out: The Evilution Of Frank - S02E23

self-rbing this with my own tags screenshotted because rahhhh derek morgan character of all time. also the post im referencing is this one.

morgan's face when reid brings up having nightmares is gonna make me cry. he goes from teasing him over the amount of sugar in his coffee to concerned so quick. i need to lay down.

he is the best friend and he has so much love in his heart he can't contain it. derek morgan i love you dearly.

you are though!! you are!!

this scene just makes my head explode. the instant switch from teasing to concern. the facial expressions. telling reid to talk to gideon and then doing it for him when it becomes clear he's not going to. what if i collapsed.