The Good Earth
- Episode aired Oct 31, 2012
- TV-14
- 42m
The BAU is asked to investigate when 4 unconnected men go missing without trace. When the body of one victim is found the evidence just adds to the mystery.The BAU is asked to investigate when 4 unconnected men go missing without trace. When the body of one victim is found the evidence just adds to the mystery.The BAU is asked to investigate when 4 unconnected men go missing without trace. When the body of one victim is found the evidence just adds to the mystery.
Photos
- Cara Barrett
- (as Raquel Houghton)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJJ is describing a conversation with her husband that her son overheard. She mentions that they need a cone of silence in the house. The cone of silence was a running gag in the series Get Smart. Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, a secret agent working for CONTROL, would insist that the Chief activate the cone when having top secret conversations. A clear dome would drop from the ceiling to surround them and prevent eavesdropping. The joke was that they couldn't even hear each other.
- GoofsThe toxicology report for the victim's vomit, as shown on Garcia's screen, is clearly fake. Analysis of vomit can only show what has been ingested. This panel of hormones, CBC, and liver function enzymes are derived from a blood test. Also dopamine, is misspelled as 'dopemine' on the screen.
- Quotes
Jennifer Jareau: Excuse me, everybody. I have an announcement to make. As I'm sure some of you were aware, Henry was a little nervous about going trick-or-treating this year, but he's decided to go anyway.
David Rossi: Great. What changed his mind?
Jennifer Jareau: The BAU did. I told him that he should go out on Halloween and try to figure out which monsters are real and which ones are not.
Derek Morgan: So he wants to be a profiler.
Jennifer Jareau: Ah, he wants to be his favorite profiler.
[Henry appears in Reid-like wear]
- ConnectionsReferences Get Smart (1965)
- SoundtracksHoney You
Written by James Trimble and Michael Brian Jenkins
Performed by 'The Dirty Guvnahs' (as The Dirty Guv'nahs)
"The Good Earth" is not quite a great episode, a small step down from the very good if imperfect "God Complex" and is not among the best of 'Criminal Minds'. At the same time it is a long way from the worst. For me it is towards the top end of Season 8, which had a solid if slightly disappointing start (especially due to Blake) and fizzled badly on the solution to the Replicator story arc.
Sure, there are definitely things that could have been done better. Still haven't warmed to Blake (a character this reviewer has already been mixed on), she's gelling better and her chemistry with Reid is enjoyable but she does lack personality and is still disconnected. She also definitely should have been called out for her actions in the denouement, which wasn't just lies or trickery, it was deceitful.
Other areas of sloppy writing are the pointless and completely out of place attack of the pregnant woman and the lack of medical research for the disease Scleroderma, which is incurable and life-threatening, the opposite of what is said in "The Good Earth".
However, "The Good Earth" gets off to a very eerie start and the ending with Henry as mini-Reid is simply adorable, a cute and charming end to a very grim case. In between, we get an unoriginally standard but still very atmospheric and eerie case, terrifying treatment of the victims which really makes the viewer squirm in their seats and a shocking motivation for the unsub's actions. Sometimes the team taking so long to solve a case can be a big hindrance, but this time it wasn't a problem seeing as the writing for the victim's unspeakable suffering and the unsub is so good.
Even better are the little character moments within the team that one looks out for all the time in 'Criminal Minds' as they are such a large part of the show's appeal. Particularly enjoyable were the funny exchange between JJ and Reid and Rossi's hilarious quip about Reid's high pitch IQ, as well as the adorable ending. Also really appreciated the toning down of Morgan and Garcia's banter, which tends to be unrealistically overly-flirtatious and annoying.
"The Good Earth" is also very high in production values, nicely directed with a lot of tension and suspense, thoughtfully and smartly scripted and hauntingly and melancholically scored. The acting is very good from all the regulars, apart from the lack of personality for Blake, and Ann Dudek is absolutely fantastic as Emma, who is convincing in her love for her daughter but also chilling in the treatment of the men, one also feels sorry for her for her condition, which despite the lack of research has some harrowing moments.
In conclusion, some truly great elements though the episode itself is just good. 7/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 16, 2016
Details
- Runtime42 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD