Magnum Opus
- Episode aired Jan 23, 2013
- TV-14
- 42m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
While Reid copes with a loss in his personal life, the rest of the BAU travels to San Francisco to investigate blood-drained victims discovered in the Mission District.While Reid copes with a loss in his personal life, the rest of the BAU travels to San Francisco to investigate blood-drained victims discovered in the Mission District.While Reid copes with a loss in his personal life, the rest of the BAU travels to San Francisco to investigate blood-drained victims discovered in the Mission District.
Photos
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJamie Luner, who plays a gallery owner, played Rachel Burke on Profiler (1996). Both of these shows are about FBI profilers.
- GoofsNear the beginning, when the team first reviews the case, Penelope says that one of the victims was found near a cable car stop in San Francisco's Mission District. Cable cars don't go into the Mission District; they travel through the financial district, up to North Point, and down California Street as far as Van Ness Street.
- Quotes
Dr. Spencer Reid: [closing, voiceover] "Sometimes the hardest part isn't letting go but rather learning to start over." - Nicole Sobon
- ConnectionsReferences The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991)
- SoundtracksSugars of Someday
Performed by American Head Charge
Featured review
Pedestrian episode and an indication of the show running out of ideas
As a fan of 'Criminal Minds', Season 8 has been a mixed bag while not as variable as Seasons 6 and 9 or as underwhelming as 11.
There are good episodes such as "All That Remains", "God Complex", "The Good Earth" and "The Lesson", and also some disappointing ones like "Magnificent Light", "Through the Looking Glass", "The Wheels on the Bus" and "The Replicator" (potentially good story arc, and a quite effective one for most of the season, that fizzles out badly which was a shame), not to mention a mostly decent "Zugzwang" before frustrating with its slap-in-the-face ending.
"Magnum Opus" to me is another one of the weaker episodes of Season 8. It is not an irredeemable episode, none of the 'Criminal Minds' episodes are not even the very worst ones, but, considering that 'Criminal Minds' is so brilliant when on form and even at its best, "Magnum Opus" underwhelmed hugely.
Starting with what "Magnum Opus" does right, Have nothing to complain about with the production values, it's very well shot and lit and is overall stylish, gritty, classy and atmospheric. The music is moody in the haunting and melancholic sense and fits well, without either enhancing or distracting from it.
Love the team interaction and it registers far more than the case itself. Reid's grief is genuinely moving (acted beautifully by Matthew Gray Gubler), the team's concern and support for him is every bit as touching and Garcia is like a ray of sunshine. Barbara Moore is a charming character, and yes her chemistry with Morgan was nice to watch. Most of the actors do a good job with what they're given which is beneath them mostly really.
With exceptions. Blake is still a cold, dull and disconnected character, and while Jeanne Tripplehorn is a long way from a bad actress she does look uncomfortable here and her line delivery is wooden. "Magnum Opus" also signals a fairly rare case of me feeling absolutely nothing for the unsub, this unsub is too vanilla and rather dense and there is nothing creepy, menacing, conflicting or interesting about him. More often than not, the unsubs on 'Criminal Minds' are solidly to brilliantly played, can't say so for the very weak performance of John Patrick Amedori who seemed to have no idea how to portray the character.
Regarding the story, it is one of the season's most pedestrian and considering that there is very little special about the case and very little atmosphere let alone creepiness, tension or suspense there is an indication of the show running out of ideas. That the unsub (also revealed too early and shown too much) is a complete misfire of a character doesn't help, nor does the lazy writing for the case (with the profiling and psychology criminally under-utilised) or undistinguished direction.
In summary, pretty mediocre and pedestrian episode. 4/10 Bethany Cox
There are good episodes such as "All That Remains", "God Complex", "The Good Earth" and "The Lesson", and also some disappointing ones like "Magnificent Light", "Through the Looking Glass", "The Wheels on the Bus" and "The Replicator" (potentially good story arc, and a quite effective one for most of the season, that fizzles out badly which was a shame), not to mention a mostly decent "Zugzwang" before frustrating with its slap-in-the-face ending.
"Magnum Opus" to me is another one of the weaker episodes of Season 8. It is not an irredeemable episode, none of the 'Criminal Minds' episodes are not even the very worst ones, but, considering that 'Criminal Minds' is so brilliant when on form and even at its best, "Magnum Opus" underwhelmed hugely.
Starting with what "Magnum Opus" does right, Have nothing to complain about with the production values, it's very well shot and lit and is overall stylish, gritty, classy and atmospheric. The music is moody in the haunting and melancholic sense and fits well, without either enhancing or distracting from it.
Love the team interaction and it registers far more than the case itself. Reid's grief is genuinely moving (acted beautifully by Matthew Gray Gubler), the team's concern and support for him is every bit as touching and Garcia is like a ray of sunshine. Barbara Moore is a charming character, and yes her chemistry with Morgan was nice to watch. Most of the actors do a good job with what they're given which is beneath them mostly really.
With exceptions. Blake is still a cold, dull and disconnected character, and while Jeanne Tripplehorn is a long way from a bad actress she does look uncomfortable here and her line delivery is wooden. "Magnum Opus" also signals a fairly rare case of me feeling absolutely nothing for the unsub, this unsub is too vanilla and rather dense and there is nothing creepy, menacing, conflicting or interesting about him. More often than not, the unsubs on 'Criminal Minds' are solidly to brilliantly played, can't say so for the very weak performance of John Patrick Amedori who seemed to have no idea how to portray the character.
Regarding the story, it is one of the season's most pedestrian and considering that there is very little special about the case and very little atmosphere let alone creepiness, tension or suspense there is an indication of the show running out of ideas. That the unsub (also revealed too early and shown too much) is a complete misfire of a character doesn't help, nor does the lazy writing for the case (with the profiling and psychology criminally under-utilised) or undistinguished direction.
In summary, pretty mediocre and pedestrian episode. 4/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•22
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 11, 2017
Details
- Runtime42 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content