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Criminal Minds
SERIES: CBS, Wednesday 9:00p (60 minutes)


8.7

based on 21 reviews
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based on 103 votes
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Get more information on this show at TV.com.

Official Show Site

Starring Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Lola Glaudini, Matthew Gray Gubler, Shemar Moore, and A.J. Cook

Surprise! It's another police procedural on CBS. This one follows an elite team of FBI psychological profilers who solve grisly crimes with smarts. Or something like that.

GENRE(S):	Crime, Drama
CREATED BY:	Jeff Davis
FIRST AIR DATE:	September 22, 2005

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Wall Street Journal Dorothy Rabinowitz

From the evidence of the first few episodes, "Criminal Minds" may be a hit, and deservedly.

People Weekly Tom Gliatto

It's not clear how seriously Patinkin takes the whole thing--it's the same actorly mystery that makes David Caruso's whispery bitterness such a kick on CSI: Miami. [31 Oct 2005, p.39]

Chicago Sun-Times Doug Elfman

It's kind of good.

Chicago Tribune Sid Smith

May well be worth a look.

Variety Phil Gallo

It has a few points going for it: Mandy Patinkin's onscreen magnetism; some truly eerie episodes; and a smartness that it wears on its sleeve. On the downside, it draws on too many other recent hits -- "CSI," "Crossing Jordan," "Medium," "House," "Law & Order: SVU""Law & Order: SVU" -- for visual style, character tics, mind games and an ability to find the truth in confounding evidence.

Philadelphia Inquirer Jonathan Storm

Viewers certainly like this sort of thing. CBS has become the No. 1 network with an incessant stream of it, and Criminal Minds is as well-made as any of them.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen

Solidly plotted and filmed.

San Francisco Chronicle Tim Goodman

The problem with "Criminal Minds" -- other than there are 48 series in a similar vein, 39 of them on CBS -- is that every person in this cast has an area of expertise, and they spend the hour telling you about it in the most unrealistic workplace conversations you'll ever hear.

Hollywood Reporter Barry Garron

Now and then, there are instances in which the profilers, and Gideon in particular, literally walk out of one scene and into another. It's a nice touch and a visually creative change of pace, but it's not enough -- not even with frequent shots of Patinkin's expressive face -- to distinguish this series in a particularly crowded genre.

Entertainment Weekly Nicholas Fonseca

Do yourself a favor and read some Nietzsche instead of watching this junk. [23 Sep 2005, p.82]

Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert

It's not a cool-science show, but its crimes blur together with what we already see on the ''CSI" series, and its supporting cast is indistinct.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Melanie McFarland

"Criminal Minds" doesn't present any spin on the crime TV genre you haven't seen before, save for taking savagery against female victims to new heights.

The New York Times Ned Martel

The problem with "Criminal Minds" is its many confusing maladies, applied to too many characters. As a result, the cast seems like a spilled trunk of broken toys, with which the audience - and perhaps the creators - may quickly become bored.

PopMatters Marco Lanzagorta

Unfortunately, Criminal Minds confuses critical thinking with supernatural abilities.

Los Angeles Times Robert Lloyd

Patinkin looks especially unnatural in these scenes — just give that man a song to sing, I say, and let him do what he was born to.

New York Daily News David Hinckley

"Criminal Minds," which generates almost no creative energy of its own, has the aura - or is it odor? - of being patched together from scraps of failed CBS dramas of the past.

USA Today Robert Bianco

Everything about Criminal is patched together from other shows, from the FBI setting to the tired visual gimmickry.

Baltimore Sun David Zurawik

Big talent meets weak script and every TV crime cliche known to prime time.

Detroit Free Press Mike Duffy

A slick 'n' grim crime procedural piled high with deadly dull cliches

Newsday Diane Werts

The whole project feels salaciously sleazy, unless you're enjoying the proceedings, in which case it's juicily depraved.

Miami Herald Glenn Garvin

CBS' crummiest imitation of CSI yet.

The average user rating for this tv show is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 103 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Ashwal S. gave it a9:
Excellent insight into serial killers...its a tad bit unrealistic but who wants to see realism on TV...I can watch the news for realism.

Jenni J. gave it a10:
I love this show! it's set to record on my DVR every Wednesday!

Tom R gave it a10:
My favorite show on television. The great acting, well-written script, and over-all suspense keep me wanting more.

SUICIDE gave it a9:
A Good Mix Of Cerebral And Action & Absolutely It a Brilliant Show

B Mack gave it a2:
This show is full of bad actors especially that dorky guy who wears his gun on his front pocket and the lead dude who has ZERO personality . . . the story lines are cool but that's it.

gave it a10:
The last 3 episodes have been great. The cast is well of without Mandy Patinkin. New guy is great.

Laurie F. gave it a9:
I miss Gideon. But, I'll still watch hoping he'll be back somehow.

Criminal Minds SERIES: CBS, Wednesday 9:00p (60 minutes)

Criminal Minds
SERIES: CBS, Wednesday 9:00p (60 minutes)