Awake
- Episode aired Nov 18, 2015
- TV-14
- 40m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
The team heads to Phoenix, Arizona to hunt a serial killer who tortures his victims using sleep deprivation. Hotch, Morgan, and Garcia continue their on going search for the dirty dozen.The team heads to Phoenix, Arizona to hunt a serial killer who tortures his victims using sleep deprivation. Hotch, Morgan, and Garcia continue their on going search for the dirty dozen.The team heads to Phoenix, Arizona to hunt a serial killer who tortures his victims using sleep deprivation. Hotch, Morgan, and Garcia continue their on going search for the dirty dozen.
Matthew Gray Gubler
- Dr. Spencer Reid
- (credit only)
- Director
- Writers
- Jeff Davis
- Kimberly A. Harrison
- Erik Stiller(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe first time Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) is not present. At this episode airing date, the only person to appear on every case is Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore).
- GoofsDr. Tara Lewis states that caffeine relaxes arteries. Caffeine actually constricts blood vessels.
- Quotes
Jennifer Jareau: [opening quote] "you can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind" Mahatma Gandhi
- SoundtracksYou Are My Sunshine
(uncredited)
Written by Jimmie Davis
Performed by Leah Andreone accompanied by (Todd Lowe) and Lexy Kolker)
Featured review
Fell completely flat for me
Generally Season 11 has been one of the weaker seasons of 'Criminal Minds' (a show that this reviewer is a big fan of), and "Awake" to me was one of the biggest low-points.
It is saved just about from being total dreck by the as ever slick and atmospheric production values, good acting from all the team regulars and some nice little character moments especially with Morgan and JJ over new mother realities (loved the exchange about coffee) as well as with Garcia.
However, "Awake" falls completely flat. Reid's absence is immediately noticeable and very quickly is very deeply felt, which is testament to how such a great and interesting character's (to me he has always been the most developed and likable of the characters) absence can sink an episode.
One of "Awake's" biggest problems is that the story isn't that compelling. Some good ideas, but masked by agreed torture that goes well overboard on the brutality and gratuity factor ('Criminal Minds' is brutal, disturbing and gruesome often but never like this and mostly it happens for a reason, here it was for the sake of it seemingly), very stilted soap-opera-ish dialogue, too much emphasis on JJ and Lewis and not enough on the case and thrown in (almost like it was constructed at last minute) and ridiculous profiling delivery line-up. Plus the pacing lacked tightness.
Two scenes particularly stood out in a bad way. One was the scene with Rossi and Morgan. Although it was intended as an impersonation of Reid to help JJ sleep, it was much more reminiscent of mockery which was insensitive and uncomfortable, painting Morgan and to a lesser extent Rossi (saying lesser because Joe Mantegna looked much less comfortable doing it) in a negative light. The other was the wildly implausible lock-down in one of the worst 'Criminal Minds' endings along with "200" and "Zugzwang", especially considering the wrong two people were involved (one sleep-deprived, the other a newcomer) and no sane boss would agree to it.
As William Taylor, Todd Lowe is good. He did have potential to be one of those unsubs you hate but also feel bad for him, considering his situation it is hard not to, and Lowe did effectively play him that way. What stopped it from being completely successful was the brutality and excess of the torture, that cheapened the character and made him less sympathetic in a way. Lewis is slowly fitting into the team (quicker than Alex Blake and Kate did), if not completely gelling, but it's not easy yet to feel invested in a character that we don't know much about yet and is played with a general lack of warmth by Aisha Tyler.
On the whole, not total dreck but fell completely flat. 3/10 Bethany Cox
It is saved just about from being total dreck by the as ever slick and atmospheric production values, good acting from all the team regulars and some nice little character moments especially with Morgan and JJ over new mother realities (loved the exchange about coffee) as well as with Garcia.
However, "Awake" falls completely flat. Reid's absence is immediately noticeable and very quickly is very deeply felt, which is testament to how such a great and interesting character's (to me he has always been the most developed and likable of the characters) absence can sink an episode.
One of "Awake's" biggest problems is that the story isn't that compelling. Some good ideas, but masked by agreed torture that goes well overboard on the brutality and gratuity factor ('Criminal Minds' is brutal, disturbing and gruesome often but never like this and mostly it happens for a reason, here it was for the sake of it seemingly), very stilted soap-opera-ish dialogue, too much emphasis on JJ and Lewis and not enough on the case and thrown in (almost like it was constructed at last minute) and ridiculous profiling delivery line-up. Plus the pacing lacked tightness.
Two scenes particularly stood out in a bad way. One was the scene with Rossi and Morgan. Although it was intended as an impersonation of Reid to help JJ sleep, it was much more reminiscent of mockery which was insensitive and uncomfortable, painting Morgan and to a lesser extent Rossi (saying lesser because Joe Mantegna looked much less comfortable doing it) in a negative light. The other was the wildly implausible lock-down in one of the worst 'Criminal Minds' endings along with "200" and "Zugzwang", especially considering the wrong two people were involved (one sleep-deprived, the other a newcomer) and no sane boss would agree to it.
As William Taylor, Todd Lowe is good. He did have potential to be one of those unsubs you hate but also feel bad for him, considering his situation it is hard not to, and Lowe did effectively play him that way. What stopped it from being completely successful was the brutality and excess of the torture, that cheapened the character and made him less sympathetic in a way. Lewis is slowly fitting into the team (quicker than Alex Blake and Kate did), if not completely gelling, but it's not easy yet to feel invested in a character that we don't know much about yet and is played with a general lack of warmth by Aisha Tyler.
On the whole, not total dreck but fell completely flat. 3/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•1716
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 8, 2016
Details
- Runtime40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD
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