Dust and Bones
- Episode aired Nov 15, 2017
- TV-14
- 42m
The team heads to Austin, Texas, where two women are abducted and disfigured, only to be located a day later with no recollection of what happened to them. A third emerges shortly after the ... Read allThe team heads to Austin, Texas, where two women are abducted and disfigured, only to be located a day later with no recollection of what happened to them. A third emerges shortly after the team's arrival in Austin.The team heads to Austin, Texas, where two women are abducted and disfigured, only to be located a day later with no recollection of what happened to them. A third emerges shortly after the team's arrival in Austin.
- Dr. Tara Lewis
- (credit only)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe blood tests Reid orders for Liz Meyers are a Partial Thromboplastin Time and an Activated Partial Thromboplastin time, which are both tests done to determine blood clotting factors, namely the amount of time it takes for the blood to begin to clot. He then orders a Fibrin degradation product test which is used to determine the amount of time it takes for a blood clot to be dissolved by the body, which is what happens when a scab over a abrasion or puncture wound is broken down before being covered by scar tissue. The Creatine kinase test is to determine if there is any muscle damage in the body, like in the case of myocardial infarction (heart attack), rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown which could be due to muscle atrophy from being confined), muscular dystrophy and acute kidney injury. The P.O. 4 test is testing for phosphate levels in the blood which would be used to determine if there is a vitamin or mineral deficiency and can be a indication of how recently a person has eaten.
- GoofsAt the beginning, Liz Meyer says she is downtown, on Sixth. Her car is at an intersection of two two-way streets. Sixth Street is a one-way street downtown.
- Quotes
Dr. Spencer Reid: If it is alright with you, doctor Bateman, I'd like to order a few additional blood tests
Dr. Michael Bateman: Okay
Dr. Spencer Reid: So, a PTT, APTT, along with FDP, and creatine kinase, creatine calcium, PO4 and CK-serum as well as type and screen and electrolytes to start with
Dr. Michael Bateman: Uh, agent Jareau introduced you as Dr. Reid, but I didn't think you were a medical doctor
Dr. Spencer Reid: Oh, I'm not
- SoundtracksThird Day Of A Seven Day Binge
performed by Marilyn Manson
Played at the beginning of the episode just before the opening tune
Season 13 so far has not been too bad, in fact it's been quite good. It is already so much better than Season 11, which started off well actually but quickly went downhill, and has generally settled quicker than Season 12. As far as the previous Season 13 episodes go, "Wheels Up" and "Killer App" were particularly good. Up to this point, only "To a Better Place" was a little disappointing, with a lot of admirable qualities but also an over-familiar and not much special case.
"Dust and Bones" actually for me was one of the better Season 13 episodes. The case has enough nice and surprising turns to stop things from being too familiar and a lot of creativity. There is a good deal of suspense, genuine creepiness (with a fairly unique modus operandi and a few touches, like with the tongues, not being for the easily unsettled), but also sympathetic emotion and a little weirdness that's never overdone.
The team work, the procedural aspects and how it's all solved evokes prime 'Criminal Minds', there is lots of each and it's all thought-provoking and delightful. It doesn't make the mistakes that many latter season episodes made (i.e. too much unsub, unsub revealed too early, problematically executed cases, too much reliance on convenience, lack of balance, too many soapy personal life subplots, team underuse and not enough procedural/delving into the criminal's mind). In fact, there is a sense that "Dust and Bones" didn't forget what made 'Criminal Minds' work so well in the first place. The twists keep coming and the unsub reveal was not an obvious one at all, credit is due for taking precaution in not making it obvious at the start or too early in general.
Plenty of room for little character moments within the team, one of my favourite things about 'Criminal Minds' and something that lifts even the lesser episodes. Reid's explanations and theories in particular are classic Reid and the Luke/Phil subplot is done with a lot of heart, both characters having immense likeability (Luke has been more interesting than this season). Matt has settled well, is a likeable character and gels very well with the team, much more so than most new team members who either took a while to settle or never did anything for me.
Everybody does a great job with the acting, all the regulars are strong as ever and the unsub despite their awful acts is one that one feels sorry for at the same time with such a troubled past.
Visually, "Dust and Bones" is stylish and atmospheric, while the music is haunting without being over-bearing while having presence still, the script is taut with a touch of sweetness and poignancy here and there and the direction is alert and accommodating.
However, for me the ending was a little rushed and while there is credit for not going the typical end of takedown route it just felt like an anaemic end for a case of this nature.
Another flaw for me was the unsub's explanation rant. That came over as contrived and over-explanatory and was not really needed, when reiterating what we knew already from the team deduction.
Summing up, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- May 8, 2018
Details
- Runtime42 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD