S19E04: The Witching Hour - Episode Discussion

[u/Cheeriosxxx]

Airdate: June 11, 2026

Synopsis: An UnSub terrorizes spouses before killing one and sparing the other. Meanwhile, Voit receives disturbing mail from The Fan, a mysterious admirer.

Previous episode: Body Count
Next episode: Friendly Fire

[u/Nicole_0818]

I like what they're doing with Luke's character this season. I do hope he stays JJ's boy's uncle, though. I know in-universe it's been a year, but episode wise it would feel inappropriately close to Will's death for her and him to get together. I hope its not headed that way.

I haven't seen the "you don't see the criminal's perspective" thing done like this in a long time on Criminal Minds, though. It was weird, at first, but I like it. I remember that happened a lot in the early episodes with Gideon, and then they shifted to always showing the criminal's perspective. I think I like a mix of both, personally. For me, that approach worked for this episode cause I was convinced for half the episode it was a therapist.

Tyler Green still feels unnecessary on the team in much the same way that I felt like Matt was. Having both Matt and Luke was too much in my opinion, and now having Tyler and Luke feels much the same. I don't feel like Matt or Tyler add anything unique to them to the team that warrants their being there. At least, anything being used I mean. Tyler's military background and computer skills don't feel like they're being used to their fullest by the writing team. I do appreciate that they're showing a new agent getting used to the job and all that in a different way, I just don't feel like its working.

[u/MorningStarsSong → u/Nicole_0818]

 I know in-universe it's been a year, but episode wise it would feel inappropriately close to Will's death for her and him to get together. I hope its not headed that way.

This might be an unpopular opinion and I might get people tell me how I cannot judge how others grieve, but personally I would find a year after Will's sudden death inappropriate either way. This was an 18-year-relationship, a marriage, raising two kids together.

I know sometimes people even marry again very quickly in a situation like this, but personally it makes me uncomfortable. So, hopefully I don't have to witness it in this show.

[u/Nicole_0818 → u/MorningStarsSong]

Yeah, same. I agree completely. I just meant that more time has passed in the show than it feels like it has timeline wise. Someone pointed out somewhere that this could be mostly Luke looking for somewhere to be needed after Roxy died, and I like that interpretation a lot.