For me, Season 5 is one of the better overall seasons of 'Criminal Minds', and while it's one of the very best episodes of the season "Faceless, Nameless" gets the season off to a very promising start.
As ever, "Faceless, Nameless" looks great, everything looks slick and stylish in the way it's shot and edited, the locations are striking and well chosen and the way it's lit is in a way that's not inappropriately bright or too dark that you can't see what's going on. The music is sparingly used, but utilised when used in a way that's fitting with the mood and not being intrusive, jaunty or pedestrian. It doesn't enhance as such, but it never distracts either. The theme tune still haunts and hypnotises.
The writing is very strong on the whole, though the somewhat too close banter between Garcia and Morgan is overdone and can be annoying in general on the show (it also seems unrealistic considering the job) and it's true in "Faceless, Nameless". The main case is very compelling, tightly but never too hurriedly paced and it doesn't feel convoluted or underdeveloped. The flashbacks between Hotch and Foyet are absolutely chilling.
Charles S. Carroll directs solidly, and the characters are written well with a nice dynamic in the team. The unsub is well played and solidly written if somewhat forgettable compared to other unsubs on the show. To be honest, Foyet's return here and his torture and taunting of Hotch is much more memorable. The performances are very good, with Paget Brewster and Matthew Gray Gubler coming off strongest of the regulars and C. Thomas Howell being unforgettably creepy.
Overall, a promising start for Season 5. 8/10 Bethany Cox