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The “best criminal minds episodes with reid” is a list of 20 Criminal Minds episodes that ranked the best. The list was created by Reddit user “Reid”.
Criminal Minds is one of the most popular crime dramas, including a wealth of gore and twisted situations throughout the course of its fifteen seasons. Fifteen seasons is a lot to get through, so if you don’t have much time, you may want to watch just a few of them.
As a result, we’ve hand-picked the top 20 Criminal Minds episodes for you to watch. Whether you’re curious in the program but aren’t sure if you’ll like it, watch some of the episodes on this list to get a sense of what it has to offer.
20. Exaggeration (season 4 episode 24)
Amplification, a Criminal Minds episode from Season 4, features Chad Brown, a terrorist and serial killer. The unsub in this episode just had one goal in mind: he wanted to show the American people how vulnerable the nation was to a terrorist attack, so he became a domestic terrorist who carried out an anthrax attack.
Spencer contracts anthrax while attempting to protect Morgan throughout the episode, forcing him to race against time while attempting to solve the case under quarantine. Thankfully, there was an antidote on hand.
This episode is a must-see for every fan since the stakes are so high in this case, and it’s one of the few where everyone’s favorite profiler could not make it out alive.
True Genius (19.) (season 7 episode 11)
Reid is the centerpiece of True Genius, a Criminal Minds episode. The BAU travels to San Francisco after they fear the Zodiac Killer has returned years later.
Of course, this was a young kid named Caleb who was fascinated with the unsolved murders, not the genuine Zodiac Killer.
He fit perfectly in with Reid’s wheelhouse as a prodigy, and the episode portrayed him working hard to rebuild the confidence he had lost when he thought he hadn’t lived up to his own expectations in life.
This keeps the program tight and engaging since just a few unsubs got to go head to head with Reid, and such an event always makes for a good episode.
Zugzwang nr. 18 (season 8 episode 12)
Zugzwang is a big Reid episode from Season 8, in which a stalker kidnaps his fiancée and the BAU team must find and rescue her before it’s too late.
Diane, a lady portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was the unsub here. Diane did more damage to Reid than almost anybody else when she killed herself and Reid’s girlfriend Maeve at the same moment, breaking him for the rest of the season.
Viewers were surprised by this episode since Spencer’s friendship with Maeve brought him great joy, and fans hadn’t seen much of it previously.
This is why her death was somewhat more poignant than the others in the series. The fact that this wasn’t initially intended and was only done at the request of Mathew Gray Gubler further surprised the fans.
17. Have a Date Night (season 15 episode 6)
Date Night is one of the best episodes in Criminal Minds’ final season. Cat Adams, portrayed by Aubrey Plaza, is back for her third season as one of the most memorable unsubs.
She first appears as a hitwoman who was apprehended with Reid’s help. She returned after concocting a complicated plan to frame Reid and jail him.
In this episode, she is preparing for her execution, but she has one final move: she wants one last date with Reid before she dies, and she abducts his girlfriend’s father and sister to make it happen.
This episode might be labeled as wonderful only because this duo made a return, but the series went even further into their interaction, leaving fans wanting more of their favorite unsub.
Believer, no. 16 (season 13 episode 22)
The season finale and 299th episode of Criminal Minds, Believer, aired in Season 13. The Strangler, an already well-known unsub, is the focus of the episode.
This information comes from a former profiler who believes the team missed him and has been keeping an eye on him since he left the FBI. The Strangler, a spin-off from Benjamin Cyrus’ prior cult, which the BAU helped shut down a decade ago, is a serial killer and cult leader who tracked down Reid and his followers.
Reid must choose between supporting a double agent in the gang and doing something that will result in Garcia’s death. This confrontation between Ried and the audience makes the program very exciting and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats waiting for his decision.
Mosley Lane is number fifteen (season 5 episode 16)
One aspect of crime dramas that may put people off is the fact that many of the cases involve children. As the writers did with Mosley Lane, Criminal Minds has the benefit of always addressing these situations delicately.
JJ was called by the mother of a missing child when a new, very similar case went public. She believed there was a strong probability the woman’s son was still imprisoned.
The story followed a group of abducted children who were raised like a family by their kidnapper. It was a narrative of hope for those who had gone missing and their families.
Despite the fact that the subject is incredibly sensitive, the program treats it delicately, which is why many fans like the bizarre episode.
Mr. Scratch is 14 years old (season 10 episode 21)
Unlike earlier Criminal Minds episodes, which concentrate on serial killer psychology, this one dives further into the power of suggestion. Three different murderers were all forced to do the atrocities as a consequence of someone else’s actions.
In three more seasons of Criminal Minds, the show’s nemesis, Mr. Scratch, would assault the group of FBI agents.
In a bigger story arc, this episode set the scenario for his escape, as well as the escape of numerous other serial killers. This is most likely the reason why this episode is so popular among fans.
If there’s one thing Criminal Minds viewers adore, it’s a complicated tale that spans multiple episodes, if not seasons, and this episode delivers on that promise in a compelling way.
Entropy (number 13) (season 11 episode 11)
Spencer Reid is usually the subject of hostage situations, however this is probably because he is a fan favorite and the character most likely to talk his way out of a jam.
In the episode Entropy, he had to do more than that, as he had to outsmart an assassin.
As the show started, viewers were encouraged to assume Reid was on a blind date. In reality, he was impersonating a client of an assassin in order to catch her.
Aubrey Plaza, who portrayed the assassin Black Widow, was an excellent guest star with a mind to match Reid’s. It’s easy to see why Cat Adams is one of the most popular unsubs among the fans.
She was maybe the only person the team was looking for who could equal Ried’s brilliance, and judging by the responses of the audience, it was a brilliant decision on the designers’ behalf.
The Tall Man is number twelve (season 14 episode 5)
It’s always fascinating when an episode is less on the case at hand and more about delving into the background of a key figure. In this case, it’s JJ.
After two people go missing in the woods and a third is found, the team investigates a small town ghost tale. In order to better help with the inquiry, JJ travels to her little hamlet, where her elder sister died when she was 11 years old.
Although that aspect of JJ’s backstory was explored previously in the series, this episode provided further details, allowing viewers to have a greater grasp of her character.
JJ is a fascinating character, and despite the fact that the program spent a lot of time on her over the course of the fifteen seasons, many fans wanted to see more of her, and this episode fulfills that need in an enthralling way.
Lauren is number eleven (season 6 episode 18)
Emily Prentiss’ doom was supposed to begin with this episode. The episode, which revealed her previous occupation before to joining the BAU, was the kind of adrenaline rush that most crime dramas can only dream of.
When Prentiss vanishes, the squad must band together to find him. They realize how little they know about her past when they hear she’s following a dangerous opponent from her time as a woman called Lauren undercover.
Some members of the team are better at dealing with it than others. Despite the fact that she was supposed to die at the conclusion of the operation, many fans saw it as a hoax later in the series. Despite this, the emotional effect was not diminished.
Because we discover so much about Emily in this episode, it’s a lot of fun, particularly because the audience don’t know much about her and her character hasn’t gotten much attention in the series.
The Replicator is number ten (season 8 episode 24)
The principal villain of Criminal Minds’ eighth season was Mark Hamill, who portrayed John Curtis, also known as The Replicator.
He was a fascinating villain since he was a former FBI special agent with a genius-level IQ who converted into a serial killer.
He started committing copycat crimes modeled on cases that the BAU had previously solved in season 8. This technique quickly piqued the interest of the fans, resulting in a surge in popularity.
There had been few deaths of significant characters on Criminal Minds until Curtis killed BAU Section Chief Erin Strauss in the episode The Replicator in vengeance for being let to take the fall for an earlier case.
This season finale had a significant defeat, a thrilling climax, and a suitable conclusion to the season. The contrast between this harsher finish and the several relatively joyful endings that preceding the season’s finale is stunning.
9. Minimal Damage (season 4 episode 3)
Minimal Loss was just the third episode of Criminal Minds’ fourth season, but it was essential, and it even had a role in 300, the series’ best episode, which takes up the same case over ten years later.
One of the reasons why so many people like it is because of the link to a later episode that appears many seasons later.
The episode was inspired by the 1993 Waco conflict with David Koresh. Luke Perry portrays Benjamin Cyrus, the leader of a cult who gets defensive when the FBI arrives at the facility to investigate charges of child abuse.
Prentiss and Reid are locked inside the property when a gun battle breaks out between law enforcement and cult members, and the finale is altered when the victims side with the cult rather than the agents, which was an incredibly fascinating twist.
Mayhem is number eight (season 4 episode 1)
In the season 4 opener, Mayhem, the BAU investigates the bombing of an SUV in New York City that was transporting a member of the team.
Because viewers had to wait until season 4 to learn whether or not someone they cared about died, the season 3 finale’s explosion had a lot to live up to. Unsurprisingly, the program met and surpassed everyone’s expectations, which is why so many people like it.
Because the criminals targeted first responders in this episode, which was more of a nail-biting thriller than a search and rescue, Hotch and NY special agent Kate Joiner were forced to keep first responders away after they were hurt in the bomb.
This started a level of hostility between Hotch and Derek that would last the remainder of the season. This fresh perspective elevated the season to one of the most intriguing in the series’ history.
Penelope is number seven (season 3 episode 9)
Garcia, possibly the most popular character on Criminal Minds, battled for her life after being targeted by the new unsub in an episode titled Penelope.
It was both sad and horrifying because she was the kind of person who looked for the good in people, and her excitement at going out on a date only to be shot by a serial killer hurt her as much as the injuries that almost killed her.
On Criminal Minds, Derek and Garcia had a close brother-sister relationship, so it was fascinating to see him struggle to control his wrath while looking for the unsub.
The distinct interaction between Garcia and Derek is another intriguing part of this episode. The two don’t generally argue, but when Derek expresses his displeasure with the manner Garcia was asked out, their relationship takes a turn for the worst.
Most viewers are surprised by the impending fights, and Morgan’s response first irritates them since Garcia was so joyful; yet, after it is shown that he was correct, it comes as a total shock, making the program immensely amusing.
6. Defective (season 3 episode 14)
Damaged is a Rossi-centric episode that follows him as he tries to solve a case that has been plaguing him for two decades. The murder of a couple left their three children without parents, and the case went unsolved for over two decades.
Rossi kept an eye on the kids throughout the years to make sure they had all they needed. Rossi’s eventual return to the BAU was prompted by his grief over this unfortunate case.
In this episode, the team is called in to investigate a similar occurrence, and Rossi obtains a lead on his cold case. He then realizes that his years of assistance have acted as a persistent reminder of their parents’ unsolved murder to the children.
Rossi ultimately arrests the perpetrator and informs the kids, allowing them to have closure. Since the audience are generally only shown Rossi’s cool and calculating attitude, this emotional scene is one of the few that genuinely gives us a more emotional side of him.
Another aspect of this episode that many fans like is the uplifting conclusion, which is a rarity in this series.
300,000 (season 14 episode 1)
A cult leader called Benjamin Cyrus and his followers returned for revenge in the 300th Criminal Minds episode, 10 years after the BAU terminated their operations.
They were now following Benjamin David Merna, a new cult leader who had revived the organization with the help of one of Cyrus’ wives. He was also known as The Strangler, a serial murderer who killed 299 people throughout his lifetime.
In this episode, the Believers kidnap Reid and Garcia, which is made worse worse by the fact that the cult has members inside the FBI. Reid was scheduled to be the 300th victim to make a statement.
From callbacks to the previous 299 episodes to a mystery with roots reaching back over 10 years, this 300th episode has it all. This is why so many people adored this episode, giving it such a high rating on many sites.
Another factor that contributes to the episode’s intrigue is that it revisits a case that started over ten years ago.
4. Awakenings (season 2 episode 15)
Spencer Reid is one of the most fascinating characters on Criminal Minds. He is a bright young guy who fights with his own insecurities and whose mother is incarcerated for paranoid schizophrenia.
In season 2, when he is apprehended by split-personality serial killer Tobias Hankel, several of his neuroses are probed.
The BAU scrambles to locate Reid when a live broadcast of Hankel torturing the agent airs. Reid, on the other hand, has been drugged and is experiencing recollections of his childhood.
In this episode, he was forced to kill his captor since he knew there was someone in need among the many personalities, and this irreversibly changed him.
This episode is at the top of most fans’ lists. The episode was the first time viewers saw the hardships that the apparently perfect Dr. Ried had to confront in his life.
Although the show’s makers had doubts about addressing this side of Spencer’s personality at first, it turned out to be a brilliant choice that helped him grow as a character.
The Fisher King is number three (season 2 episode 1)
The Fisher King was a two-part case that included the season finale of the first season and the season premiere of the second season. Randall Garner, a man who was badly burned in a fire that destroyed almost his entire family, was at the center of the case.
He ended up in the same mental hospital as Reid’s mother Diana as a result of the tragedy’s emotional strain. Despite his evident mental instability, he was freed and set his sights on Reid and his BAU companions.
He chases the BAU members throughout the first season before taunting them. He shoots Elle at the conclusion of the season as a cliffhanger. Elle makes it out alive, and it is Reid who tracks down Garner, who can only stand by and watch as the attacker blows himself up.
For a variety of reasons, the episode remains one of the most memorable of the whole series, but the one that gets highlighted the most is that viewers were left on a cliffhanger until the second season was published.
Many viewers also enjoyed the fact that it was the first time in the show’s history that the steaks were cooked to such a high temperature.
2. one hundred (season 5 episode 9)
The Reaper is without a doubt the most deranged, lethal, and despised villain in Criminal Minds history. C. Thomas Howell’s character was the unsub on Hotch’s first case as a BAU senior, and he had killed 20 people.
Because there were no leads, The Reaper stopped killing. The case’s chief investigator called Hotch 11 years later to say he was dying and that he feared The Reaper would start killing again, which turned out to be right.
In seasons 4 and 5, the Reaper made Hotch’s life a living hell. It all started with the episode Omnivore, which put in motion one of Criminal Minds’ most significant and memorable cases.
The crew was held responsible for Hotch’s execution of The Reaper after he killed his ex-wife Haley, which resulted in one of the show’s most horrifying scenes.
At the conclusion of the episode, there is an emotional punch. The most dramatic scene in the series, according to most fans, is when Hotch is on the phone with The Reaper while fully knowing that his wife is about to die.
The fact that Hotch is also attempting to rescue his kid adds a ray of hope to an otherwise bleak episode, but it doesn’t take away from the tragedy of Hotch’s wife’s death.
1. A work of art (season 4 episode 8)
Jason Alexander portrayed one of the most fearsome and nefarious villains in the show’s history. Henry Grace was a narcissistic serial killer who believed he was destined for greatness.
Henry’s life was destroyed by Rossi’s arrest of his brother William, who was also a serial killer. This made Rossi someone he wanted to kill, and the events of this episode presented him with the chance.
He confesses to murdering seven of the missing women the BAU was hunting for, as well as five more, three of whom were children, who would die if the team didn’t find them, one every two hours if they didn’t find them.
When Rossi questioned Henry, he discovered that the whole BAU team had died in a trap created by Henry. The surprise was that they were aware of what he was doing and were able to rescue everyone without losing any lives, and Rossi chillingly promises Henry that he would be there when he is killed for the earlier murders.
This is perhaps one of the finest Criminal Minds episodes since it emphasizes the fact that the team is more like a family than coworkers. Rossi’s response when the squad is discovered to be imprisoned just emphasizes the point, and the emotions shown throughout the episode are what make it practically everyone’s favorite.
The unsub, as previously said, is another feature that makes this episode so amazing. Henry Grace is one of the show’s most memorable unsubs, which says a lot given the show’s fifteen seasons and a slew of grisly villains vying for the team’s attention.
The “best criminal minds season” is a list of the 20 best episodes from the show. The episodes are ranked, and the rankings are explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the craziest episode of Criminal Minds?
A: What now?
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A: Criminal Minds is a TV series about FBI Profilers who use their expertise to investigate serial killers. The first episode of the show premiered on CBS, January 5th, 2005 and ran for nine seasons.
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