User Reviews

I am an avid fan of criminal minds and came to thoroughly enjoy this episode It seems that every episode there is always an agent that stands out, this particular episode is one were Agent Jareau (JJ) can personally relate to the situation. I found this was a nice touch to shed light on such a sensitive issue such as suicide.

This episode highlights the danger for teenagers and the online world in modern society today- i know for one, if my parents had seen this episode i wouldn't be so free to roam online as i do now.

One thing i particularly enjoyed is that Penelope Garcia also got a more significant role in this episode as she traveled with the team and personally interacted with one of the suspects.

As this is my first review i don't want to give away too much information because i don't know what is considered a spoiler and what isn't But i suggest giving this a watch, although it doesn't involve the psychological processes and intensity as some of the other episodes and cases it does have significant morals particularly for teenagers such as the danger of the online world, competitiveness and the result of peer pressure

Season 5 did have a few bumps with less than good episodes such as "The Fight", "Hopeless", "The Performer" and "Parasite" but mostly it had enough good, and a few outstanding (such as "100", "...A Thousand Words", "The Uncanny Valley" and "Mosley Lane"), episodes to make it a solid enough season.

"Risky Business" to me is one of the best of Season 5, and as well as being one of the first (maybe even the first) instances of 'Criminal Minds' exploring the horrors of the internet it is one of the best instances too. One where one is not shouting at the screen at any lack of research in technology or issues in plausibility (like in "The Internet is Forever") and is actually illuminated by the content shown rather than feeling that what we already do know is being preached at or being frustrated at the victims (like in "Hashtag" or the human trafficking episodes of Season 10 where the internet also played a big part).

As always, it is a very stylishly and atmospherically made episode, being shot with stylish grit and class and evoking a sinister but melancholic atmosphere. The music is suitably moody, with the right amount of haunting intensity and melancholy as well as not being intrusive but still having presence, and the direction is solid, alert but also sympathetic.

The script is tightly structured and thought-provoking and delivers effortlessly on the emotional aspects. The story is disturbingly unsettling, with a subject matter like the internet and the dangers of it that allows for fun with friends and such and a good way something of making them but is so full of danger that it is covered so many times in media today and not everybody is listening. The dangers of the internet, peer pressure and competitiveness are explored wonderfully here, with a lot of thought and emotional impact. This said, it is also a very poignant one and in terms of character interaction with the team and how the team is written "Risky Business" is sublime.

Loved that there was more focus on JJ (a character with not a whole lot of development to her before) and Garcia (more a ray of sunshine comic relief sort of character, though "Lucky" and "Penelope" did wonderful jobs with her character previously), and that they were centred on in a way that didn't feel too forced or shove everybody else into the background.

Story and character-wise, there are a number of things worth of note, a truly harrowing opening sequence, Reid's very to-the-point and fun scene in the classroom, the touching chemistry between Garcia and the boy, JJ opening up which was really touching and makes one feel bad for JJ, the sinister unsub and Hotch showing a humanely sympathetic side towards JJ. It was a bit too obvious from the start that the case was very personal to JJ, long before the opening up, and that it was family-related, all the clues were there and a couple not as subtle as others were.

All the acting is great with no weak links.

In conclusion, a truly impressive episode that takes on difficult subjects and explores them with respect and success in making a disturbing and poignant episode out of it. 9/10 Bethany Cox

A decent episode. Wilson Summers is a horrifying villain, while his son is a fascinating victim. Also, I enjoyed seeing Reid prove to those high school students who's boss. There were some interesting turns, although the ending wasn't as intense as it could have been. But it was entertaining enough.

The thing that really kills me, though, is that the vast majority of this episode's "victims" didn't seem like that at all. No one forced them to hang themselves, and they could have at least bothered to research doing it probably. I understand that sometimes life is too much to handle, but why tempt death when you're perfectly happy with your life? People toss out terms like "peer pressure," but how could anyone be retarded enough to think that HANGING YOURSELF ON A WHIM is cool!

Maybe I just don't understand because I'm a bit of a loner, but the students seem so idiotic. And the worst thing is that although Wilson Summers will be punished and his son might one day be able to function, those games are still going on. If the death of their fellow players didn't deter those teens, then they'll probably just find another site and start the whole twisted cycle all over again.

I don't understand how this episode has such a low rating?!? It is so good! And inLOVE getting to know JJ even more!

Teen suicide is a subject that receives a lot of screen time in media and a lot of pages in books. Teens seem drawn to the topic of death and suicide. This episode touches on it but I wouldn't consider it in depth.

The episode goes a little deeper on suicide games and self-strangulation.

There are some touching moments. One moment that stands out even among many moments through the series is brief. It is the last minute or so before the credits. We see into both JJ and Hotch.