Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 6 Review: An Inside Betrayal That Shakes Things Up
While there is beauty in focusing on Garcia during Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 6, “Proxy,” the episode’s ending takes that joy and completely destroys it. If there is someone the team never thought would betray them, it was Garcia.
Rossi’s anger and hurt are completely understandable given everything Voit has put him through. However, we all know that Garcia’s strong suit is her empathy. During the previous season, we saw her believe that Voit could actually be better.
Nevertheless, when Brian mentions someone in the FBI who testified as a character witness, we never expect it to be Garcia…and neither does Rossi.
Garcia’s quirkiness and can-do attitude are on full display on Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 6, “Proxy,” as she tries to balance investigating two separate cases. Kirsten Vangsness delivers a phenomenal performance, reminding us why we fell in love with Penelope in the beginning.
However, Vangsness’s performance is brilliant in the way she allows Garcia to slowly crack, letting things fall through said cracks and missing clues that might help the team. As Garcia continues to struggle to keep her balancing act going, the secret she’s been keeping throughout these episodes slowly begins to pour out of her.
As viewers, we have no idea that the exhaustion we see her deal with will eventually push her to reveal that she’s betrayed the team. Because, as mentioned before, we never imagined she could be the one to betray them. She is their village, the number one supporter and carer of the team, and this doesn’t feel right.
But the truth is, if someone were to advocate that Voit was changing, it would be the only team member who strives to see the good in people. Sadly, this comes at the cost of betraying the team and, more importantly, Rossi.
Rossi has spent the entirety of Criminal Minds: Evolution fighting Voit and everything this serial killer makes him feel. Viewers can still see it this season as he struggles to face Voit every time.
Not-so-deep down in his core, Rossi knows that Voit hasn’t changed. He believes the monster they put behind bars is waiting to attack again, so Garcia’s testimony is a direct attack on everything he believes. He expected everyone on the team to have his back, and this comes as a punch he might not recover from.
During Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 6, “Proxy,” we see Rossi once again confronting Voit about his obsession with his books. Chances are that the Fan picked this up from Voit and is running with it.
Rossi believes there is more Voit isn’t telling about the Fan, and that’s soon revealed when Brian walks in with Voit’s recording.
Surprisingly, Brian seems to be the only one who has ever played Voit. He is allowing the serial killer to believe he can be manipulated, only to deliver the evidence to the BAU and help them figure out their next step.
Looking at the characters this season, Brian is a great addition. He is funny without even trying, and adds a layer of relief that viewers need when watching a show about murder and torture. Every scene Brian is in allows us to breathe and regain our energy for what’s coming next.
However, the moment he forces Penelope to confess, we are left unable to breathe at all. Brian might have pushed the team to an edge they can’t come back from.
While there has been some repetition in Voit’s storyline, which made it a tad boring, Criminal Minds: Evolution is doing its best to deliver plot twists that keep viewers engaged. Making Garcia the “bad guy” in Rossi’s eyes is a twist no one was expecting, and it definitely changes everything.
One thing that will for sure always stand out is the show’s focus on highlighting how, as a society, we’ve become obsessed with giving serial killers a nickname.
What did you think of this episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Criminal Minds: Evolution airs Thursdays at 3/2 am on Paramount+.
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature known as a Media Relations Expert. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Eulalie Magazine, Geek Girl Authority, W Spotlight, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.