Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 7 Review: Garcia Saves The Day

After finding out Garcia had testified in favor of Voit, we knew Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3 Episode 7, “The Furies,” would find her and Rossi navigating the tension between them. What we never expected was for Kirsten Vangsness to deliver one of the best Garcia performances we’ve seen on the show.

Not only does Vangsness navigate the tension between Rossi and Garcia perfectly, but she also saves the day by helping the unsubs, who are actually the victims, feel seen for the first time. She proves, once again, why she has always been the best choice to play Garcia.

Rossi’s anger is understandable, but what’s incredible about this storyline is the way Garcia stands up fr herself and her convictions. That is something that even Rossi has to agree is admirable.

The way Garcia points out the double standards and the unfairness of Rossi’s judgment is absolutely perfect. She doesn’t attack him for his actions nor does she judge him; she simply makes it clear that it’s not fair to judge her when he’s done his thing too.

What’s also quite perfect about this storyline is Prentiss forcing them to work together. She knows they’re both stubborn, and the only way to get through this tension is to force them to be together and collaborate.

Even though she uses the whole “we work better as a team” thing as an excuse, they prove it true. By having a conversation they didn’t want to have, their eyes turn in the right direction when it comes to the case.

There are two particular scenes in which Kirsten Vangsness delivers her best performance. The first one happens when she gives Rossi her speech in the conference room after Prentiss forces them to work together.

Garcia stands up for herself and her convictions, saying everything she thinks about the situation, and making Rossi understand that it’s okay for them to act differently, but he can’t hold himself to a different standard. Vangsness says everything in perfect Garcia tone, with a posture that makes it clear Garcia isn’t hiding away from this conversation.

The second scene comes when Garcia asks Rossi to let her speak to Maria and Ruby. He trusts her to do the job, and when doing so, Vangsness delivers a heartwarming and gut-wrenching performance.

The way she connects with Maria, the emotions in her voice and her facial expressions, and the need to help them feel seen make the viewers feel every emotion with her. We understand why Garcia wants to do that rather than let Rossi lead. She can connect with Maria and Ruby because she has the empathy and the understanding they have been looking for all along.

While Garcia saves the day, the man she helped keep alive continues to make viewers second-guess whether he is trustworthy. Everything Voit has done regarding the Fan has been extremely confusing. Episode after episode, we’re left wondering if he’s redeemed himself or he’s just pretending.

His meetings with Joshua Ryan (if that’s really his name) further prove that he’s not to be trusted. Voit is taking matters into his own hands, even after Tara has told him he can’t be involved until he proves he can be trusted.

But his pretending (if we can call it that) while talking to the Fan and saying he can make him a god is inevitably backfiring on him. Voit has always believed himself to be the smartest person in every room, but now he has found a rival to match him.

Whatever the Fan showed him has shaken Voit to the core and could potentially turn things around.

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Criminal Minds: Evolution airs Thursdays at 3/2 am on Paramount+.

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