Be Reel: Criminal Minds

Those with an interest in criminal justice and the cases of the FBI would be captivated by the popular television series, Criminal Minds. The title of the show explains its premise, as the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI are a group of criminal profilers who literally get into the minds of criminals by studying their criminal and personal history in an attempt to capture them. In an objective opinion, I find this series to be very well made. The acting throughout the series is very good and convincing, not only in the main characters, but also in the subsidiary characters that may only show up in one episode. The emotion that these characters can inflict on the audience is present in specifically one episode where a main character’s wife, Aaron Hotchner, is in the dangerous hands of a serial killer, and the music used to enhance the situation, along with the passion shown on screen made it almost impossible for those watching not to shed a tear. A big part in this series is the suspension in each episode, and this series is able to accomplish this through eerie music choices that are always appropriate for each scene, the proper dark and low key lighting for the given situation, and shot angles that are fitting to create these suspenseful situations. Overall, all aspects of this series is able to give the audience the real rush and experience of a group of crime fighting FBI agents.

Subjectively, I find this series great as well,  as it keeps me interested and wanting more every time. The premise of each episode is a very realistic crime. This often leaves me wondering about the real possibility of these crimes happening, as they are actually achievable in reality. This aspect makes the show even better, given it's feasible factor. Each episode has a new twist and a new adventure that the team has to go on. This makes each episode exciting and interesting, and not boring as many shows can be when they have the same general plot each time. I also really enjoy the characters in the series. They are able to form real, personal connections with the audience, as we are able to get a close insight into their lives outside of the FBI. It’s also easy to do this because of the small character set list, giving off an even more inclusive feeling. I also enjoy the suspense in each episode, and the unpredictability of the outcome. Like many predictable horror films, it's often easy to guess the ending before seeing it, which makes the experience boring and unenjoyable. With Criminal Minds, it's often impossible to foresee the ending due to the many interesting twists, making it more entertaining for the audience.

Trailer to series: https://youtu.be/NTYxiJBbEZk