Criminal Minds S14 Recap Ahead of S15 Two-Hour Premiere in 7 DAYS!

Criminal Minds S14 Recap Ahead of S15 Two-Hour Premiere in 7 DAYS!

I thought you dear readers might like a bit of a refresher before we head into what looks to be a helluva final season for our show, so I’ve asked @r31dfan on twitter to bless us with one of her concise but thorough recaps! She graciously agreed, so feast your eyes below, in preparation for **drumroll** January 8, 9/8c on CBS! 

Season 14 begins with the series’ 300th episode, really a do-not-miss installment! Last season ended with a showdown happening at the FBI parking garage: Garcia is being held in the backseat of a car and Reid is facing off with our apparent UnSub, Agent Mary Meadows.

300 begins with a brief recap of ‘Believer’ and a retro look at the introductions of each of the present BAU members, and then we pick up the team returning to the BAU to find chaos as a pulled fire alarm has triggered a mass evacuation of the building.

  • Alvez and JJ find an injured Quinn.
  • Rossi and Prentiss discover their cult leader prisoner has been sprung.
  • Quinn tells them Reid and Garcia have been kidnapped by the cult members.

In the cult’s warehouse, Reid orchestrates a diversion allowing Garcia to escape and she eventually makes her way back to the BAU to let the others know what has happened. The race is on to find Reid before the cult kills him. They determine that Reid is intended to be the cult leader’s 300th victim, a sacrifice to ensure their continued safety.

Prentiss and Rossi make the connection to the Liberty Ranch group from the season 4 episode ‘Minimal Loss’. Between the clues Reid dropped – one cryptic comment to Garcia and another signed in sign language picked up by Alvez – they eventually surmise the Believers are setting up a new camp somewhere within a few hours drive and Garcia’s computer research, coupled with the team’s diligent work brings them to realize the cult’s new location.

The team arrives just as Reid is about to be sacrificed and a shootout ensues, killing the cult leader and resulting in the arrests of Meadows, et al, and the safe retrieval of their kidnapped agent.

There’s callbacks to past episodes, connections made and backstory for several of the characters in the episodes following the season premiere:

14.03 ‘Rule 34’ provides a look into the Simmons family, and recollects the events of season 13’s ‘Ex Parte’.

14.04 ‘Innocence’ has Garcia revisiting PTSD from the ‘300’ kidnapping and the estrangement of her (step?) brother which is resolved in this episode.

14.05 ‘The Tall Man’ is a creepy, well done story about a legend back in JJ’s home turf and gives us some major backstory on her, telling the story of her sister’s death and connecting the current events with Roslyn’s death and the legendary tall man.

14.06 ‘Luke’ we get a whole lot of backstory on Alvez, and a return visit from season 13’s ‘Dust and Bones’ guest character ‘Phil’, Luke’s friend from their Iraq days.

14.07 ‘Twenty-Seven’ introduces us to Prentiss’ possible new significant other, also in law enforcement, Andrew Mendoza who reappears later in another episode. 

14.09 ‘Broken Wing,’ Tara Lewis is revealed to have been previously married when her ex-husband contacts her for a case, and we learn why their marriage broke down.

14.10 ‘Flesh and Blood’ tangentially revisits the season three episode ‘In Name and Blood’ where the UnSub turns out to be someone they already know from the past case.

14.15 ‘Truth or Dare’ We see Rossi’s recent rekindling of his romance with his third ex-wife Krystall that culminates in their remarriage. The episode’s case encompasses a life or death situation where JJ is facing execution and confesses to Reid that she’s “always loved him”, a revelation that’s yet to be resolved.

Even the episodes that I haven’t touched on actually have interesting cases or good character moments in them, there’s not a bum episode in the group this season.

Next Wednesday just cannot come soon enough for me.

****

Me too – and THANK YOU, @r31dfan! 

24 thoughts on “Criminal Minds S14 Recap Ahead of S15 Two-Hour Premiere in 7 DAYS!

  • January 1, 2020 at 9:50 am
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    This is a great recap, I cant wait either.

    • January 2, 2020 at 10:25 am
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      I am sad this show is ending. The biggest mistake was letting Thomas Gibson go. He was the true leader on this show. I will miss Reid, Garcia, Rossi, JJ, and the others. This is a show that I came to love & very sad it will be gone. Think about CBS

  • January 1, 2020 at 11:12 am
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    Can’t hardly wait. It’s too bad this is the last season. Criminal Minds is one of my three favorites. It makes me sad. Garcia is my favorite, took a quiz, got a t-shirt that says Garcia is cool (my person from quiz).

  • January 1, 2020 at 11:24 am
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    I love this show. I don’t know why they are ending the show especially when it is such a popular show. So sad…. the creators should listen to the fan’s.

    • January 1, 2020 at 9:08 pm
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      Amen!!!!! I think it should keep going, besides BIG BANG It is one of the longest show to air. Are they bored, are the writers pooped out. I want it to keep going. ❤❤❤I will forever miss this actors.

      • January 2, 2020 at 3:20 pm
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        Wow!! I can’t wait to see the new season and a little bit sad because is ending, love the cast specially jj and Spencer.

      • January 2, 2020 at 4:08 pm
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        Best show ever. Love Reid,JJ,Prentiss, and Rossi.

    • January 2, 2020 at 2:33 am
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      I am saddened at the fact many of my favorites have been slowly going away. First csi’s all went , then bones and a few others I cannot think of because of the pain I am and being very tired because of over doing it sadly. All good shows and then what all the nci’s that what suck big time. This show will be misses a lot because the plot twists are awesome and usually never the same story is done over and over and over so that keeps me interested. Also saddens me that shemar more went and one or two more, wasnt surprised at the actor who played the boss at first going but shemar and some others going did. Well I’ll be bored again sorry to say. I will miss the bau who figures these bad guys out!!!

    • January 2, 2020 at 10:09 am
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      Please dont end this show. Best show on TV. Great writers and excellent cast!

  • January 1, 2020 at 1:50 pm
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    I agree. I look forward to this show. I even watch reruns all the time. I will miss this show.

    • January 1, 2020 at 7:00 pm
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      PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Don’t END CRIMINAL MINDS!!!!!! WHY???? IS THE MOST AMAZING AWESOME GORGEOUS SHOW EVER!!!!!!

      • January 1, 2020 at 9:53 pm
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        Hey all, why lament the fact it’s ending, when there’s nothing we can do about it? The last episode was filmed last year, the sets are struck, the die is cast, and whingeing about it won’t help us.

        Let’s instead look forward to what we have! TEN bright, shiny new episodes to look forward to with our favorites, and an honorable sendoff that I’m sure will give us all chills and thrills! And who’s to say what might happen in the future? I would love to see a REUNION movie a few years down the line, wouldn’t you?

        Let’s enjoy what we have left, and soak it all in while we can. Our beautiful BAU babies have worked hard and long to give us these final ten episodes – let’s revel in what we have left of them, and look forward to the future!

    • January 1, 2020 at 9:09 pm
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      Me too every Monday and Tuesday on ION

      • January 1, 2020 at 9:39 pm
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        By all means take off a realistic show that is so close to reality it makes you think twice.
        I’m a huge fan from the 1st episode. I watch anytime I can. Reruns every mon, Tue on in and wed on we channel.
        Please ease please please please don’t take it off the air I won’t no what to do with myself PLEASE don’t break my heart

    • January 2, 2020 at 3:47 pm
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      Bring the show back!!! It’s not fair to end good shows!

  • January 1, 2020 at 2:33 pm
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    Where can I watch Seasons 13 thru 14? No cable

    • January 1, 2020 at 2:48 pm
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      You can purchase online at Amazon Prime by the episode, or check your local library for the free DVDs.

    • January 1, 2020 at 11:10 pm
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      My favorite crime drama since day 1 and soooo realistic. Learned alot from this show and became more vigilant than ever!!! Thank you Criminal Minds, you did good and will be greatly missed.

      I do so wish you weren’t ending. 😥

  • January 1, 2020 at 8:20 pm
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    I can understand why you are ending Criminal Minds I being enjoying this show for many years that messed up, damn good show don’t let it go

    • January 2, 2020 at 1:04 am
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      This is the best show ever!!! I watch it every week, even the reruns that is on that week on other channels. My favorite and SVU is in 2nd place. Please bring it back on the air.

  • January 2, 2020 at 2:36 am
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    Sad the show is ending. I’ve spent many hrs watching the episodes several times. My final thought: Does anyone else think Garcia & Alvez would make a good couple?

  • January 2, 2020 at 10:27 am
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    Channel ION check online their schedule

  • January 2, 2020 at 10:53 am
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    I love Criminal Minds, it’s the best show ever , I enjoy everyone on the show , I always thought Reid and J J would get together and Garcia and Shamar would make an excellent pair ,but none of that would happen , and I think in a few years there should be a Reunion of the BAU , and Bring them all back , the same Actors and Actresses, including the Big Boss and Shamar Moore , I guess everyone is gonna have to watch RERUNS, but I can hardly wait until Wednesday Night , when the new episodes start , I Love Reid he is so handsome , cute he’s just about what any woman would want In a man , I wish that I could meet him in real life , but that would be IMPOSSIBLE , for me I’m in New Brunswick , Canada , but I can dream , and dream the IMPOSSIBLE , I think he’s younger than my son and my son will be 32 , I’ll have to look it up , but Please don’t take the show off it gets excellent ratings , why would anyone stop a Program when it gets high ratings , it’s Stupid , Please keep it going , Please grant everyone that wish to keep the show moving forward .

  • January 2, 2020 at 1:16 pm
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    I have been huge fan of this show since it began. I’m so upset that it’s ending! I have looked forward to this show weekly. I will truly miss it after this season! I guess I’ll have to be content with reruns on other channels! 🙁 !

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