Criminal Minds Review: The Capilanos (Season 13 Episode 17)

If cannibals haven’t been creepy enough and pirates not random enough, Criminal Minds goes directly for our nightmares with Season 13 Episode 17, “The Capilanos.”

Any time an episode is set to be directed by Matthew Gray Gubler, the entire fan base takes a deep breath and prepares ourselves—and for good reason. His have been some of the darkest and strangest episodes of the show, and this is no exception.

Clowns are the stars of many childhood nightmares. For those few who have never understood why, I have a feeling that this episode answers all those questions.

Somewhat surprisingly, the pure randomness of this theme, especially immediately following such a brief but significant villain arc, is the only real complaint I hadn’t about this episode. There’s quite a bit of heart, considering everything we see on screen.

Plenty of unsubs have backgrounds that make you feel for them in spite of their terrible crimes. Tony, though, is one of the few who truly feels like a mostly good man whose life falls apart around him.

True, he is willing to rob people– or at least drive his thief brother around to do so—but he’s doing it to get his family money. He has no idea Sal is actually a murderer (check your believability detectors at the door), and he is horrified by the truth.

When he pays for his crimes with a sentence that seems too much like that of the man who actually beat people to death, it feels like a slap in the face, especially as he says goodbye to his wife and child. Maybe we can understand it, but it still doesn’t seem fair.

I would like to see more explanation as to how Sal has turned out the way he has. When he speaks of taking abuse in the younger Tony’s place, it creates more disconnect between that boy and the man he is now, not less.

Still, we are really here for Tony, not Sal. In his first scene, we may not be sure of his role, but soon after, we realize that his story is a tragedy being written by his brother and by his own flaws.

He isn’t only one who works on our emotions. The moments with Reid and the mother whose young son witnessed his father’s brutal murder are also very poignant, especially given that we know exactly what Reid is talking about as he describes surviving trauma.

Finally, those closing scenes between that boy and Tony’s son offer a small glimmer of home in the middle of everything else. It doesn’t make the episode any less dark, but at least it’s something.

Speaking of that darkness, however you feel about Gubler making our skin crawl, it’s hard to deny that he does it well. From jump scares to creepy music and laughter (and those random horror clowns in the park), it’s a tight race as to what’s most disturbing.

So the next time you want to avoid sleep (Hey, nightmares will keep you awake to study for your big exam,) save this episode for a re-watch. I mean, no children are dragged into sewers and killed, so it certainly could be worse.

What did you think of this episode of Criminal Minds? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Criminal Minds airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on CBS.

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