Passing the time with 'Criminal Minds'

Over the past several years, the “true crime” genre has exploded and public fascination with serial killers is at an all-time high. While I wouldn't call my self a murderino, I have explored the genre via some of the popular the podcasts Crime Junkie, My Favorite Murder, True Crime Obsessed. The names of these podcasts invoke the addictive quality of these stories and fan culture—your favorite murder ocupying the same mental shelf as your favorite food or favorite color.

Enter the show Criminal Minds, firmly in the “fake crime” genre. It builds on the fascination with serial killers and the profilers who hunt them while giving us the satisfaction of quick resolutions and zero loose ends. While in real life, cases take years to solve and more often go cold, the crack agents in the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) and their local law enforcement counterparts have them tied up in the blink of an eye. Not that there isn’t tragedy and personal sacrifice along the way.

Marco Lanzagorta (correctly) criticized the show for “depicting profiling as supernatural gift rather than scientific endeavor.” This penchant for the supernatural permeates through the entire show and is embodied for instance, by Dr. Spencer Reid’s “photographic memory” and the show’s depiction of cognitive interviewing techniques. The team uses cognitive interviewing to get witnesses to revisit scenes from the past and without fail, they are suddenly able to recall extremely specific details with a high degree of accuracy after years.

“Think back to that night....look around you [as extremely traumatic thing is happening]. Was there anything in the background? A car? What color? Can you make out the license plate? Ok we’ll run the partial. *finds match instantly*”

With that said, they key to my enjoyment has been not overthinking it.

There are twelve seasons available on Nextflix, out of a total 15. I have been immersed in this world over the last few weeks, indulging in both serial (marathon) and spree (2-3 episode) sessions. It can't help but grow on you after a while.

When I think about what distinguishes this show from other procedurals such as NCIS, I always come back to the main cast. Shemar Moore’s Derek Morgan is an intelligent, pretty boy with a heart of gold. While there are plenty of nods and winks to his physicality (and teasing from friends), this in no way detracts from his competence. He is openly affectionate with his friends, fiercely loyal and emotionally intelligent.

His relationship with the incomprable technical analyst Penelope Garcia and the obvious chemistry between the two charmed and delighted fans for years. There was a lot of will they-won’t they but after a while, we happily accepted that two were destined to be BFFs and it didn’t detract from the love they had for one another. Penelope is confident, neurotic, kind and relatable.

"Getting into someone's mind and trying to find the God-awful thing that happened to them that made them do the God-awful thing to somebody else has seriously impaired my ability to giggle, and it makes my brain all wonky, and I don't like it."

-Penelope Garcia

Garcia's delightful origin story has her joining the FBI as a way to stay out of jail after hacking a cosmetics company testing their products on animals (Season 9, Episode 12- The Black Queen). In flashbacks, we see her dressed in all black with severe make up and an even worse attitude. When presented with the opportunity to hunt psychopaths she perks up slightly but then asserts “I am a psychopath,” which she couldn’t be further from. Who among us doesn’t remember a time when caring about something was the most uncool thing you could do? And performing your disdain for anyone who did lest anyone catch on to you?

She accepts the job and the rest is history. Her past catches up to her in “The Black Queen,” and she’s forced to get back into character as the titular monarch to get the cooperation of an old flame. He is generally uncooperative in the most obnoxious way possible, calls her a sell-out and even comes after the thing that we hold the dearest: Penelope’s relationship with Derek Morgan. Her ex, Shane, has apparently been keeping tabs on her and assumes that Morgan must be her romantic partner, disparaging her choice of a “brainless, metrosexual action figure.” RUDE.

After she eventually comes to his rescue, Shane tells Penelope (now dressed as her regular self, complete with hair jewels) wryly that “You know, we used to make fun of chicks like you.” Her response:

“No, you used to make fun of chicks like me. This is who I always wanted to be and I was too afraid to tell you because I didn’t think you’d like me.”

I can absolutely relate to this fear and the instinct to try to shrink yourself down for someone else, something that can be as painful as it is futile in the long run. We love strong, imperfect female characters standing in their truth.

Whenever it is that I emerge from quarantine and step back into the office, I hope it is with as much grace, courage, and color as Penelope Garcia.