Criminal Minds

Gideon: Joseph Conrad said, "The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary. Men alone are quite capable of every wickedness."

Criminal Minds is a CBS crime drama that has been on the air since September 22, 2005. The show follows the lives of a team of FBI profilers from the Behavior Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. You might think that this is just another boring crime drama with the same plot lines, investigations, and murderers. So what exactly sets this show apart from the rest?

It isn't only because of the fact that a quote relating to the episode is stated at the beginning and at the ending. It isn't only because of the fact that the special agents analyze their criminals to see who is the criminal in an investigation. Rather, it's because of the fact that the show focuses on the actual criminal more than the case.

The BAU is comprised of six main agents: Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), the head of the unit, who is generally viewed as someone who cannot have fun because of his position; Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), a confident, assertive character who puts his heart in his job (in one episode, he stayed with a woman while agents were diffusing a bomb in her car even though Hotch considered it stupid); Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), the genius whose intelligence far surpasses those of his colleagues, yet whose unique personality and generally nice disposition make him a valuable and lovable character of the team; Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), the daughter of an ambassador who does her job well, although wants to know if she can be human and objective; Jennifer "JJ" Jareau (A.J. Cook), the athletic and fully qualified agent who, even though has suffered psychological scars from a case, likes being the person that the relatives of the victims can talk to; Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), the talented and funny technician of the team who can provide background information or media about anything whenever asked.

The show isn't just all work and no play, however. Often during the series Derek makes good natured jokes about Dr. Reid's intellect, and Garcia playfully flirts with Derek. There are those happy moments, but besides that, there are those times when all of them have to pull together and do their job, especially during the episode where Reid was kidnapped, beaten, drugged, and close to death. Together, the team meets their challenge to the best of their ability, and using every ounce of their resources and people, they overcome it. They do their jobs to put the sadistic criminals in their rightful place - jail.

It isn't too late to start watching Criminal Minds. After all, the series is only entering its third season. If you want that familiar crime drama with the little twist, likable and unique characters, and a show that focuses on the criminal's actions and thoughts rather than the case, then this show is right for you.

Wit and teamwork is used to solve the cases. Besides that, the characters basically think like criminals. After all...To catch a criminal, you have to think like one.