This week’s episode of Criminal Minds is a special rebroadcast called 52 Pickup. Agents Prentiss (Paget Brewster) and Todd (Meta Golding) go undercover to profile a serial killer, or pick-up artist, who uses skills of persuasion to lure women into danger. This is a very creepy episode.

Some of the highlights include a witness who has the guts to call Agent Morgan an alpha-male baldy, and make a scary come-on to Agent Prentiss in the same interview. This may be the first time I’ve seen Agent Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) peeved with one of his team members this season, as Agent Todd illustrates she might say anything to get a witness to open up.

Guest stars include Riki Lindhome, Keri Lynn Pratt, and Jake Newton. The episode airs on Wednesday, April 15, at 9:00 PM ET on CBS.

One of the scarier aspects of this episode is that it’s about a guy who basically uses persuasion to lure victims. It’s been said that persuasion is the most researched skill, and in this case, it can be the most dangerous.

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A birthday shout out is in order for Numb3rs star Judd Hirsch (March 15). He portrays Alan Eppes, dad to two crime solving brothers, Don and Charlie Eppes on the CBS series. Hirsch is also best know for his performance in the film, Ordinary People, and his years on the TV series, Taxi. This award winning actor also received a SAG award for his performance in the film, A Beautiful Mind which stars Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly.

Happy belated birthdays to Criminal Minds’ stars Matthew Gray Gubler (March 9) and Paget Brewster (March 10). Gubler has been with the series since its inception in 2005. He recently completed a role in the film, Pornstar, has a role in the animated film Rapunzel, and is doing the voice of Simon in the latest animated Alvin and The Chipmunks installment. One thing you can say about Gubler…he is versatile when it comes to acting. Gubler also has a role in a romantic comedy called (500) Days of Summer.

Paget Brewster is no stranger to animation either (American Dad! as Thundercat, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, as Birdgirl). She also appeared in the FOX comedy series, Andy Richter Controls The Universe from 2002-2003 before she came to Criminal Minds as Special Agent Emily Prentiss in 2006.

Images: Newscom

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For me, this is one of the most painful scenes to watch, but I’m sure Brewster is very proud of her work here. Read more about her featured role tonight, and of what she reveals about the story.

In Demonology, the team determines that a priest (Bruce Davison) is performing exorcisms outside the guidelines of the church, and his actions are related to a series of deaths that occur with religious overtones. Additionally, James Remar (Sex In The City) and Walter Goggins (The Wire) will guest star.

What’s key is that Paget’s character, Prentiss, has a personal reason for wanting to investigate this case. As a result, we’ll learn a lot more about Prentiss’ past, as daughter of an Ambassador (previously portrayed by Kate Jackson).

On Hooking Up With Hotch

Brewster says that she never realized so many fans wanted their characters, Prentiss and Hotchner, (Thomas Gibson) to “hook up”, and now they playfully “flutter” their eyelids at each other on the set.

On Having Moonlight Star Alex O’Loughlin On Set

She says they just finished filming an episode with O’Loughlin. and many departments were “vying for his attention”.

The best news of all is that Criminal Minds is giving us a whopping 26 episodes this season, and with most shows doing 22, they are obviously working hard for the fans. Finally, no word on what the finale will be, but judging from last year’s explosion, we expect it to be pretty hot. You can read the full interview over at TV Guide.

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One fan asked TV Guide’s Mitovich if Agents Hotcher (Thomas Gibson) and Prentiss (Paget Brewster) will become a couple at some point. This is a logical question since these two have a bit of history …of sorts. He met her though a security clearance process for her mother, who is an Ambassador. It was noted these two have had some good scenes together this season.

Prentiss reported to Hotchner when she first came to work at the BAU, as you can see in their “first meeting” in this short video. Talk about uncomfortable moments.

So far, the closest the writers have come to couplehood on Criminal Minds is a secret affair (that led to a pregnancy) between Jennifer Jareau and Detective LaMontagne, a New Orleans investigator. Sure this is nothing to sneeze at, but this hasn’t satisfied the fan’s need for two BAU members to get closer.

So what’s the verdict for these two as as far as becoming couple-like? Later this season, Hotchner will support Prentiss regarding a case that is very personal to her, which will bring them closer. We’ll learn more about her life as a teenager, including some revelations about a past romance.

So do you think a hot romance between two agents would be a good storyline, or do you think it would ruin the story?

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From the moment Reid and Prentiss (Matthew Gray Gubler, Paget Brewster) entered the cult compound, to Agent Hotchner’s (Thomas Gibson)run-in with the Attorney General, and to the moment the cult leader began pouring the Kool-Aid, I was numb.

It was hard to watch one of our favorite (and female) FBI agents get kicked and beaten by a calm but crazed cult leader, and to watch another appear to help him with advice.

Luke Perry did an amazing job as the charismatic cult leader. Special Agent Rossi’s (Joe Mantegna) role as lead negotiator was masterful in that his analysis of the situation was dead on. I was relieved the episode was not a run-of-the-mill portrayal of the Waco Siege incident, and liked the fact that the ending was realistic in that there were casualties, and our agents got “dirty”.

Another nice surprise was the addition of guest actor Connor Trinneer, who portrayed Agent Dan Torre. Trinneer is a what I consider to be a veteran of some of my favorite sci-fi series (Stargate Atlantis, Enterprise). However, he has guest starred in other FBI dramas (Numb3rs, Without A Trace).

Overall, Minimal Loss has to be a top episode of the season for Criminal Minds’ fans.

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According to the latest press release, the show’s opener debuted, and exceeded last year’s season opener ratings. They rated No. 1 in households on Wednesday, September 24.

From 9:15-10:15 PM, CRIMINAL MINDS (P) won its time slot in households (10.5/16), viewers (17.01m), adults 25-54 (6.3/14) and adults 18-49 (4.7/12).  Compared to CRIMINAL MINDS season premiere last year (on 9/26/07), CBS was up +28% in households (from 8.2/13), +40% in adults 25-54 (from 4.5/11), +34% in adults 18-49 (from 3.5/09) and added +4.30m viewers (from 12.71m, +34%).

In this episode, someone died as promised, and there was truly mayhem in that someone else almost died. Interestingly,  the writers still delivered with a scary but sweet moment for Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness).This episode left us with some questions…about Morgan (Shemar Moore), Prentiss (Paget Brewster), and Hotchner (Thomas Gibson). Here’s hoping next week fills in for us.

Via CBS Press

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• A.J. Cook has sent a Thank You Note with a lovely picture of her very pregnant self, holding some beautiful roses over to Criminal Minds Fanatic. The roses were sent to celebrate her birthday. Sweetness all around!
  
  

• Former Criminal Minds star Mandy Patinkin is gearing up for a road tour with Patty Lupone with a concert of duets, beginning March 2009. The show is called…what else..an An Evening of Patty Lupone and Mandy Patinkin. The show features songs from South Pacific, and Sunday in the The Park with George and Evita. Although I miss Mandy as Gideon, his singing voice is phenomenal. The show has been performed since 2002, and you can check here for the cities and dates of this amazing show.

• Shemar Moore was spotted according to Marc Malkin at The Pearl inside the Palms Casino in Las Vegas recently. He was checking out the comedic stylings of Katt Williams. Katt is a very funny guy by the way.
  

• At a recent CBS party, it was reported that “Minds” star and Chicago native Joe Mantegna weighed in on whether he’s prepared to crown the Chicago Cubs as World Series champs. He gave a cool answer, by revealing that he’s “pessimistically optimistic”.
  
• It’s pretty cool that Paget Brewster has been a voice actor for the animated series, American Dad, and Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law.

Via IMDB, Blog.nola.com, Baltimore.broadwayworld.com

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(spoilers ahead) For example, Agent Morgan (Shemar Moore) is damn good at his job, and although I haven’t imagined him with his own field office calling the shots, it was revealed that his background as a police officer and his BAU chops have put him in the running for a career change, possibly to take charge of the NY field office if he desired. The question is…is he ready for it?

Agent Prentiss (Paget Brewster), the youngest member of the team (referring to how long she’s been with the BAU) is one of those people who will never be beaten down by the BAU (as Morgan so aptly put it in the conversation with Rossi in the bar). She has the ability to not just profile, but to also let her emotions help lead her thought processes. It was impressive the way she quickly figured out the real reason the victim was killed almost a block away from her.

Everything that’s happened with J.J.’s (A.J. Cook) plotline has gone too quickly for me. However, it’s quite interesting that her baby’s daddy showed up in NY, and quit his job. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there’s nothing tragic in the wings for him. Agent Hotcher (Thomas Gibson) also seems to have a friend in the past that we met tonight, but he was married then…

Now that the truths are out, the ending was too stressful. Someone, who may be very close to our hearts is dead, but the who is unknown until August. How’s that for a gut wrenching finale!

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Criminal Minds’ stars Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss) and Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid) are celebrating birthdays! Matthew’s birthday was Sunday March 9, and Paget’s is Monday March 17.

One fun thing to do on your birthday is read your horoscope, so I’ve included Matthew’s here:

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Beware of wallowing in your exaggerated feelings today. You feel problems acutely, now you have to articulate them well. Causes, possible solutions, need to be presented concretely. Move past emoting.

Remember, horoscopes are just for fun! Happy birthday to you both!

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