‘Criminal Minds’ season 12, episode 12 review: ‘A Good Husband’; Spencer’s realization
How much you enjoyed Wednesday night’s new episode of “Criminal Minds” is probably going to be based mostly on how much you enjoy episodes where the UnSubs are the stars more so than the members of the BAU.
The UnSub this time around was a man named Mark responsible for killing a series of Palm Springs, and there were suspicions of a tie to the gay community. What we learned over time is that this man was specifically fulfilling a need in order to ensure that the person he loved could stay. He had an inherent need to remain close to his partner Bill at all cost, and ensure that their marriage stayed together. Every time there was a roadblock when it comes to their relationship, he would go out and take out his rage on someone. The conflicts and murders continued to escalate, and by the end of the episode, he had decided to murder one of Bill’s closest friends.
Unfortunately for this UnSub, what we ended up seeing was a situation where Mark became Icarus and flew a little bit too close to the sun. It was easy for the BAU to figure things out at this point, and Mark’s desire to keep Bill close also ended up blowing up in his face. Right before Bill was about to die, the BAU showed up and Mark was carried away … good on Reid for being there for him after it happened! After everything he went through, he needs all of the help that he can possibly get. Reid informed him that he can legally testify against Mark, even though some other confessions that he made may not hold up nearly as well in court.
Your Spencer update – While he was in Palm Springs trying to help the BAU with the case of the week, we saw Reid having a conversation with Diana’s caretaker, one where she informed him that the care she was receiving at home really was not better than a live-in facility. It may have its moments, but at the same time you have to remember that he’s gone so much that there are still many challenges.
At the end of the case, Prentiss went to Reid to talk to him about what he was doing, and whether or not his plan for Diana was ultimately the right one. She offered up some smart advice, and he decided to take a little bit of time in order to figure out what was right.
Did the episode work? – In some ways, you can argue so given that you did have a compelling, twisted case at the heart of the story. Still, following up last week’s “Surface Tension,” you probably would have wanted something that was a little more about the characters we already knew. Grade: B-.
Next week – You better be prepared for “Spencer.” This episode, named after Matthew Gray Gubler’s character, is going to be a game-changer. Be sure to head over here now if you’re interested in getting some additional news about it. (Photo: CBS.)