Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders season 2 episode 3 review: ‘The Devil’s Breath’

After spending last week taking on a case in Europe, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders season 2 episode 3 took a trip down to Colombia, and did their part in order to investigate the case of a suicide that was anything but. It was instead far more intricate, and in terms of investigating, the most complicated one of the entire season.

Basically, at the center of the episode tonight (entitled “The Devil’s Breath”) we saw a woman who had a unique ability of persuasion, someone who was powerful, dangerous, and had a way in order to convince people to kill themselves. She was the leader of an entire operation, one where she used children in order to carry out some of her actions. What she did was truly demented, but the same goes for how exactly she went about it. It wasn’t until one of the children in Camela was removed from the equation that some of the others found the power within them in order to properly fight back.

So what was this woman, supposedly a “hotel manager,” motivated by? Well, this was an easy way to rip off tourists, and she carried a deep-seeded resentment against foreigners. She wanted to find a way in order to ensure that Colombia stayed at the center of her country, and that nobody could come in and corrupt it.

Somehow, this episode managed to have a happy ending. Conveniently (isn’t that always the case?), the International Response Team managed to find the UnSub right when they needed to, before she was able to kill any of her children. In turn, the team found a way to help bus the children off to an orphanage that would take care of them and give them a chance at a better life. It was far better than following the orders of a murderer who didn’t have their best interests at heart.

In terms of emotional power, this was by far the best Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders episode of the season. Yet, at the same time it doesn’t resolve one of the show’s central issues in that there’s still not enough time spent on the individual characters. We don’t know enough about them, and that lack of investment makes it harder to think that they’re irreplaceable. We want them to be as unique as some of the UnSubs and the places the team visits on a weekly basis. Here’s to hoping that the remainder of season 2 resolves that. Grade: B.

What’s next on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders season 2 episode 4?

If you head over to this link, you can get some additional news regarding what’s going to be coming next! Let’s just say that there is a personal story ahead for Simmons.

What was your personal Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders season 2 episode 3 review? Share in the comments below. (Photo: CBS.)