User Reviews

'Criminal Minds' is another one of my most watched and most re-watched shows. It has always been interesting to see which episodes still hold up as good or more, which fare better or worse on re-watch and which still leave me cold. It is one of those shows that has enough good to outstanding episodes to make it a personal favourite.

Season 9 has always struck me as one of the most wildly variable and weaker seasons of 'Criminal Minds'. There are great episodes such as "Gabby", "The Caller" and "Angels"/"Demons", the first two being two of the best 'Criminal Minds' episodes of the latter seasons (post-Season 6). Season 9 however has also had two of the show's low-points "200" and "The Black Queen" and its worst season premiere in "The Inspiration", "Mr and Mrs Anderson" also underwhelmed. Then there are many episodes that fit in neither extreme and range between average and solid.

"Bully" is one of Season 9's solid episodes, though closer to being one of the season's better episodes than the worst. While a lot of good effort went into developing Blake, who features heavily here (perhaps a little too much in places), and any questions one has about her in previous episodes are answered, the whole father and brother relationship and conflicts isn't quite as interesting as it could have been. Her chemistry with her brother is entertaining and tense, but her father is a little underwritten and not as compelling. Jeanne Tripplehorn, Brennan Elliot and Tom Bower all give good performances and work well together this said.

To me, the climactic scenes were written a bit too conveniently and patly. The outcome of the case is not that hard to foresee and shows an unsub giving up too easily and what were dilemmas and conflicts before were too quickly and easily resolved especially in this case with so much time gone.

However, "Bully" is a typically very well made episode. It is very stylishly filmed and atmospherically lit. The music is haunting and melancholic, fitting very well with the episode's mood while never quite enhancing but never distracting. The direction lets the story breathe while still maintaining the momentum.

"Bully" is also smartly and thought-provokingly scripted, and despite Blake dominating the team are still interesting, serve a point, function well and are not side-lined (certainly not to the extent of "200" and "The Black Queen"). Could understand Morgan's anger and hurt (being a character who has gone through the same thing as Blake) but also why members like Rossi and JJ defended Blake. Loved the team's genuine concern for Blake too. The very final scene with the barbecue is somewhat sappy but also adorable and a fond reminder of how well the team get on together.

The case is a tense one but also very sad. Also found myself relating to the subject, having suffered merciless bullying myself in school, have felt its damaging effects (still do) and have always felt strongly about it being taken much more seriously than it is. Despite the crimes, and in no way can one condone his actions, did find myself feeling a pang of sympathy for the unsub without feeling like the episode tried too hard to do it.

All the acting is very strong all round.

Overall, solid episode though had potential to be better than it turned out to be. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Not for the first time, the writers of Criminal minds paint people who listen to metal as violent, aggressive people, making a big point of the music itself, whereas we never see people blaring hip-hop or gangster rap before they go on a psycho murder spree, despite the fact that hip-hop and rap are linked to more violent crimes than heavy metal ever has been. It's a tired old cliché that TV shows further perpetuate because it's easier to make them the scapegoat because they're a minority and stand out from the crowd.

This episode is also an attempt to add depth to Blake, possibly the most uninteresting one-dimensional character to have ever been on the show, and it doesn't work. She's still boring and unlikeable.

The whole episode just falls flat with uninspired plot, tired clichés and some bad acting on the parts of Jeanne Tripplehorn, Brennan Eliot, and Tom Bower.