Enter The BAU

The show that took you in the minds of some of the most dangerous and deviant minds. 15 seasons, over 300 episodes, and endless hours of entertainment. This is Criminal Minds. This show in my opinion reigns supreme against all other shows. I could watch this and only this for the rest of my life and be perfectly content and happy with myself. Unlike other crime/ drama/ law enforcement shows, this one not only shows you a unique niche of the FBI, but each and every episode is based on a real life case that has happened in the United States. From chasing down bombers, to serial killers, to arsonists and psychopaths this show never disappoints. With almost the same entire cast for all 15 seasons, this has become a comfort show/ staple in my life. I have grown up with show and no matter the challenges I face in my every day life, I always turn to this show for comfort and I always find a new message or meaning in the episodes to use in my life, as well as to help me grow and overcome different situations and obstacles.

To the characters, writers, directors, producers, actors, actresses, extras, editors, and everyone else involved thank you from the bottom of my heart. This show tells us more than just stories of FBI Agents fighting bad guys and fighting crime. It shows that this really happens out there in the world, every case from the show is based on a real life experiences. This show shows us that even the strongest of people still fight their own demons. These characters are representations of ourselves in many ways. They teach us to never be afraid, never back down, and always fight for yourself and what you believe to be true.

Many may see this show as just another form of entertainment, but for me its more than that. This show is the hallmark in many way of why I wanted to become a filmmaker in the first place. Watching these episodes written, shot, and edited in these unique and creative ways fueled the fire behind my passion and as I watched I could hear myself whisper "This is what I want to do. I want to make shows and movies like this. I want people to watch my work and say Wow!"

It takes hard work and dedication to do what I want to do, just like it has taken everyone from this show to do and that is what truly excites me. So again I say Welcome To The BAU.

Here in the mindset of a Criminal Minds mega fan who has seen every episode, every season, and every character time and time again, having now lost count I can say, it doesn't get better than this. From the serial killers or criminals they have tracked down for multiple seasons, to each character's storyline and character development over 15 seasons, to the shock and awe I feel as I watch an episode for about the 100th time. It never gets old.

However just like other fans I do have my favorites, I can't help it. This one particular character is my favorite for many reasons. Some of these being her resilience, her strength, her sense of humor, her beauty, her grace, her mind, her incredibly smart and complex brain, and her humanity and empathy. This character is none other than Emily Prentiss, who fought hard to get into her job in the first place. Being put in the BAU as a spy for one of her bosses, yet she chose to not listen to this boss and instead show her other boss that she was trustworthy and respectful and honest. She fought with life long insecurities about love, family, heartbreak, and grief. She fought on a case to prove her best friend didn't commit suicide, she fought against an Irish arms dealer and wanted mobster, she had an abortion and fought with herself over the grief of this, and she had to fake her own death for months and hide from the only family she knew just to keep them safe.

This character is the epitome of what it means to be a strong, independent woman and I am proud to watch her on the screen and see that she has grown so much over the course of these 15 years and finally she got a happy ending out of it all. So I will leave this here for now, but here's to Emily Prentiss and the entire BAU team. Here's to Criminal Minds, may it never fade and always be at the forefront of what writing and television should be. Here is where I leave you until next time my BAU fans.