Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 1 Episode 8 Review: Forget Me Knots

When it comes to the types of counseling that Sicarius needs, you would think marriage counseling wouldn’t be his top priority. Well, it is on Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 1 Episode 8, “Forget Me Knots.”

Although the team has been grounded, that doesn’t last long. An investigation into DNA evidence found in Cyrus’ home by North Carolina authorities allows the BAU to keep investigating while Sicarius’ decision to kidnap a stand-in for his wife puts them on his trail.

You may have to suspend your disbelief just a tad about the BAU getting back on the case so conveniently. Given the season length it’s probably better they don’t have to spend time on another unrelated case.

Sicarius trying to roleplay how he’ll apologize to his wife using a kidnapped victim demonstrates just how much he’s gone off the deep end. Gilford’s performance gets increasingly more menacing with each episode, and the escalation is riveting to watch.

It’s a solid episode despite the Sicarius part feeling a little rushed. The biggest twist comes with Sicarius passing off the victim to one of his network killers in waiting, who then dies by suicide by cop without revealing where he’s keeping her.

Despite the BAU saving her just in time before she hangs to death, she’s too afraid of Sicarius coming for her family to agree to identify him. It’s a realistic plot point but also a bit of a contrivance to put the team in danger.

Rossi is stuck having to go door to door in the Pacific Northwest after they realize Sicarius was silencing his phone in the hardware store footage and they can find him from the long list of incoming calls to that area.

It must be his lucky day because he shows up at the Voit house moments after Sicarius calls his wife to tell her he’s coming home. Again Criminal Minds: Evolution is asking you to suspend your disbelief on this one even by crime show standards, which can be a little frustrating. 

The domestic drama of JJ and Will that fills up the rest of the runtime still feels extremely unnecessary to the show. If he’s not actually sick, then why are they spending so much time talking about it?

I could understand if Criminal Minds: Evolution wanted to try to use them as a mirror to Sicarius and his family to make some sort of point, but that doesn’t seem to be what it’s doing either. If anything, Henry skulking around and profiling his parents feels sinister (or maybe I’ve just been watching too many crime shows).

The fact Rossi insists he’s not the “old rumpled Rossi who needs to go into therapy over his dead wife” he was when they started the case highlights how unevenly the characters have been treated this season.

As far as Garcia and I are concerned, Rossi does still need therapy! Instead, we’re getting more scenes of Will and JJ talking about his medical problems and their marriage. 

The BAU is a big team so it’s understandable we’ll always be left wanting more of certain characters. I wouldn’t mind if Luke or Prentiss got some time to talk about themselves and not just their work at some point in the last two episodes or even in the next season.

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

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Criminal Minds: Evolution airs Thursdays on Paramount+.

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