Criminal Minds 5×11 — “Retaliation”: This was a pretty good episode. I like it that the writers took a chance and veered away from the formula for a change. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I think it worked this time.
After the serial killer was captured during the opening sequence, I figured we would get the dreaded “xx hours earlier” title card and go back in time to see how events led to the capture. But obviously I was completely fooled, as the story just continued right on from there. I do have to wonder, however, why the BAU was involved in the first place. The main perp was a bank robber who got out of jail and killed a junkie. He wasn’t a serial killer. Yes, he abducted his daughter, but surely the Missing Persons unit would get the call instead, wouldn’t they?
I loved seeing A. Martinez on the show. I’ve liked him ever since his Santa Barbara days. It’s too bad he was on there for such a short time!
NCIS 7×10 — “Faith”: I usually don’t include NCIS in my roundup, but since none of my other shows were on this week, here it is. I didn’t particularly like this episode, as none of the storylines were interesting at all. I’m not a fan of the Gibbs/father angst, nor did I particularly care for the Christmas subplots. It would have been better to see the team doing nice things for each other than for characters we’ve never met before. And why, exactly, would Dolores’ info about a doll she didn’t get for Christmas as an 8-year-old be in her personnel file??? I didn’t buy that Tim would be able to use MTAC to hook up the boy with his mom. Like she was the only person on the ship with family who wanted to talk before Christmas?
As for the main plot, meh. I picked the brother as the killer as soon as he walked into the house during the first family interview — and I never guess crap like that. Whatever!