Over the Edge + December 9th, 2009

Criminal Minds: Only

SAMANTHA FARROW
ARTS EDITOR

CSI fans are everywhere, and I don't
happen to be one of them; I prefer
\ «Criminal Minds. I think there's a dif-
) ferent flavour to Criminal Minds. I find
that it’s not as farfetched as CSI. I can

assure you from taking a Crim class that there is no
way they get the lab results back as quickly as they do
on CSI, The other reason I am a bigger fan of Crim-
inal Minds is character development; the characters on
Criminal Minds have much more depth to them.

The head, or now the ex-head of the Behavioural
Analysis Unit (or BAU) is Supervisory Special Agent
(SSA) Aaron Hotchner. Played by Thomas Gibson,
who also played Greg on Dharma and Greg, Hotchner,
or Hotch as he is often referred to, is a deep, complex,
often non-reactive character. He rarely smiles, and is
known for keeping a cool head during intense investi-
gations. This persona has started to fall since the mad-
man, Foyet, targeted his ex-wife, Hailey and his son,
Jack, forcing them into piding. In the 100° episode,
airing on November 25° , Foyet finds Hailey and Jack
and shoots Hailey before the team can get to them. A
few episodes before this, Hotch was replaced as the

The Adventures of Captain Awesome by Andrew Bailey, EIC

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head of the BAU by SSA Derek Morgan, after a few
incidences that may have compromised the team and
an intense dislike from the BAU Section Chief, Erin
Strauss,

The newly appointed head of the BAU is Derek Mor-
gan portrayed by Shemar Moore. This yammy, yummy,
oh and I do mean yummy man, is also deep and com-
plex, but unlike Hotch, is prone to smiling. And what
a beautiful smile it is. However, there is more than just
good looks behind this agent. Morgan is known for his
quick thinking, lack of fear, and genuine compassion.
He is especially close with the Technical Analyst for the
team, Garcia. He is usually the one to contact her while
they're working on a case, referring to her as Baby Girl.

Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia is the technical
mastermind behind the show, Her skill with computers
could shame Bill Gates, and as an ex-hacker and Goth
gitl, she can access almost anything, Nothing is safe in
any data base with Garcia around, Kirsten Vangsness
plays this role very authentically, adding a quirkiness to
Garcia that makes her extremely endearing.

Next on the docket, we have SAA David Rossi,
played by Joe Mantegna, who replaced Jason Gideon
(Mandy Patkin) as the Senior Supervisory Special

Agent. Rossi is a fairly new character, joining the team

COMIC CREATED BY MELISSA FARROW

Arts and Culture 5
the Best Show on TV

in Season 3 (2007), after Gideon's departure. Although,
Rossi was in retirement, the BAU coaxed him to join
the team. Rossi had an agenda of his own for agreeing,
his need to solve the very first case he ever worked on
some thirty years earlier.

One of my very favourite characters is the younger
Dr. Spencer Reid, Reid was a child protégé, graduat-
ing from high school at the age of 12. He holds a PhD
in Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering, a BA in
Psychology and Sociology, and is working on a BA in
philosophy. Although his I.Q. is 187, Spence has little
to no social intelligence, and often misses the pop cul-
tural references made by the others. Reid is portrayed
by the strangely attractive Matthew Gray Gubler.

SSA Jennifer Jareau is the team’ liaison with the po-
lice and media. She is skilled at giving press conferences
and speaking to the public. It is Jareau’s responsibility
to decide which case the team will work on next. She
prioritizes the cases by circumstance. Jareau balances
work with her new family, fiancé William LaMontagne
Jt, and their baby, Henry.

Finally, we have SSA Emily Prentiss. Prentiss joined
the BAU replacing SSA Elle Greenaway in the second
season. Prentiss is a self admitted nerd who lacks dating

skills and because of this, the BAU is her life. Origin-

Bella, |Hnow
ifs yar b-day,

ally, Strass hired Prentiss on to spy on Hotch; although
she ended up refusing to give up information against
Hotch, she was kept on as part of the BAU.

Every week, the team is presented with a new case
and a new suspect to profile. Most of the profiling
psychology is chillingly accurate. Some of the most
frightening episodes are the ones with the home inva-
sion murders, including the episode with the UNSUB
The Fox, who watched families for weeks before gain-
ing access through the pet door with the dead pet's col-
lar. How creepy, and plausible if you have a sensory pet
door, is that? This was just one of the many suspense-
ful, nail biting episodes, and I am huge horror movie
fan who doesn't frighten easily. Not only are there many
suspenseful, and sometimes scary, episodes, there are
the tear- jerkers as well, such as the last episode when

Hailey gets shot or the episode when Agent Gideon

leaves the show. So for all you CSI fans out there, who
have yet to discover Criminal Minds, give it a watch on
CBS, Wednesday nights at 9 pm. I am very certain you

will become a convert, or at least a fan.

COMIC CREATED BY DELORES UMBRIDGE

Mr. Goodtime

yy its
Karaoke night

Sort

But have you seen these nmscles?
They now need 3 or 4 pairs to get

through the DAY! I'm just dousing
them in good looks.

;
) : Headdesk,

by Aria Cheng

Mir. Goodtime, you're a man of inspiration,

Yeah, I know! I'm an inspiration
to all. In fact, I was the man
who started the La Senza craze.

%
o Huh?

Before me, girls only needed 3 or 4

pairs of panties to get through
the week.

3