Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Piranha

Even though Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 has been good, it has certainly felt repetitive. Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 Episode 7, “Piranha,” is here to remind us why we fell in love with the show to begin with.

JJ and Luke get to work on a case unrelated to Gold Star, David Rossi doesn’t see Voit in every scene he is in, and Emily goes on a journey to bring home a character that reminds us of the BAU’s history. “Piranha” definitely has OG vibes that make us feel at home, too.

Yes, Voit still makes his presence evident. The few times he is on camera, he reveals his true nature (yet again) by pushing his lawyer to break a few laws and find a case that must be given to Damien. This is another reason why he is not to be trusted.

A New Case

Watching the team work on a new case completely unrelated to Gold Star is thrilling and refreshing. Even though only JJ, Luke, and Garcia work the case, it still feels like the old Criminal Minds we love so much.

The violence, graphic scenes, profiling, and ultimate arrest are the perfect formula that made viewers fall for this show when it first premiered. However, this formula hasn’t always been present in Criminal Minds: Evolution, as the show heavily focuses on Voit.

The plot twist at the end, when JJ and Luke discover Emma and the baby have been dead all along, is completely unexpected. Nevertheless, looking back, one can pick up on certain clues that led to that moment.

One scene that is done perfectly and hints at Emma’s terrible ending is when she and Roger talk in bed. They face opposite sides, never speak to one another, and don’t turn when holding hands.

Eventually, this scene and others like it are shown again from the FBI’s perspective, and viewers see Emma and the baby’s corpses. Until that moment, as the audience, we are part of Roger’s delusion, believing everything Emma says is real.

The case is nearly perfect. It’s a great storyline to bring this sort of episode back, but we must criticize the fact that the FBI quickly finds out who Roger is after Luke introduces his theory. Sadly, we don’t see that process, so this revelation seems abrupt.

Old and New

The re-introduction of a case unrelated to Gold Star isn’t the only thing that reminds us of the original show. It starts with Emily profiling Tyler simply by looking at his handwriting. Those little moments are golden and make the show work.

Her profiling doesn’t end with Tyler. As Jill Gideon is introduced, Emily must put her profiling to the test by finding a way to make her want to cooperate with them. In the end, bringing Tyler along for the ride works.

Even though Jill wasn’t part of Criminal Minds, her memories of the past, the mentions of characters who have left, and the revelation of her relationship with Rossi make us feel as if we have known her all along. She isn’t new; she is an extension of who Gideon used to be.

This becomes even more obvious when she steps into Quantico and has an emotional moment in Gideon’s old office. It is probably closure for her, but also for those viewers who might not have mourned Gideon completely.

The introduction of Jill also makes North Star more interesting. As the team tries to discover who could have used Rossi and Gideon’s paper, viewers will surely better understand what the BAU’s creation was like.

Even though this isn’t Felicity Huffman’s first appearance on TV since her return to the industry, it surely feels like an incredible comeback. Portraying a character with a history tied to the BAU isn’t an easy task, but she has proven to be up for the challenge.

Jill is a refreshing add-on to a case that has been dragging on for many episodes. Hopefully, with a fresh point of view, the team will be able to narrow down the suspects.

However, even with Jill, ending Gold Star won’t be easy when Voit is still around.

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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 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

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