There are better episodes in Season 2 of 'Criminal Minds', such as "Profiler, Profiled", "Revelations", "North Mammon" and "The Boogeyman". This said, "Aftermath" is better than "Honor Among Thieves", somewhat of the odd one part in one of the show's strongest and most consistent seasons.
"Aftermath" is a good, sometimes very good, episode, but falls short of great. It does get credit for dealing with Elle's PTSD powerfully, boasting one of what is easily Lola Glaudini's better acting performances of the character (usually am indifferent to her but her performance here had raw intensity and a degree of poignancy) and for not making Elle cold or annoying.
It, as always with 'Criminal Minds', is a very well-made episode, very stylishly photographed and atmospherically lit. The music is moody and haunting, while the direction allows the action to remain taut. The script is very thought-provoking, with standouts being the lovely scene between Reid and Elle (have always liked those two together) and Morgan's "It's a work call" which brought some welcome and thankfully not misplaced humorous levity to a grim case.
Much of the story is very absorbing, it does start off like an ordinary rape case but piles on the tension before exploding towards the end, which one really does not see coming and it leaves one in complete and utter shock. The acting is excellent from all the regulars (Glaudini really nails it here in a way that she didn't previously) and the criminal is suitably repellent, one that one really wants to see done to justice.
Where "Aftermath" is let is in some strange credibility issues (pretty basic too), especially the BAU's sloppy investigation of the incident (or what felt like lack of it), them not noticing how bad her behaviour had gotten when so many tell-tale signs were there and putting her in a bait situation that she should never have been put in in the first place.
Overall though, a pretty good episode. A lesser Season 2 episode and would have been better without those issues but a lot is done right too, and the episode achieves a couple of things that I honestly thought was never going to happen (saying this as a fan too). 7/10 Bethany Cox
"Aftermath" is a good, sometimes very good, episode, but falls short of great. It does get credit for dealing with Elle's PTSD powerfully, boasting one of what is easily Lola Glaudini's better acting performances of the character (usually am indifferent to her but her performance here had raw intensity and a degree of poignancy) and for not making Elle cold or annoying.
It, as always with 'Criminal Minds', is a very well-made episode, very stylishly photographed and atmospherically lit. The music is moody and haunting, while the direction allows the action to remain taut. The script is very thought-provoking, with standouts being the lovely scene between Reid and Elle (have always liked those two together) and Morgan's "It's a work call" which brought some welcome and thankfully not misplaced humorous levity to a grim case.
Much of the story is very absorbing, it does start off like an ordinary rape case but piles on the tension before exploding towards the end, which one really does not see coming and it leaves one in complete and utter shock. The acting is excellent from all the regulars (Glaudini really nails it here in a way that she didn't previously) and the criminal is suitably repellent, one that one really wants to see done to justice.
Where "Aftermath" is let is in some strange credibility issues (pretty basic too), especially the BAU's sloppy investigation of the incident (or what felt like lack of it), them not noticing how bad her behaviour had gotten when so many tell-tale signs were there and putting her in a bait situation that she should never have been put in in the first place.
Overall though, a pretty good episode. A lesser Season 2 episode and would have been better without those issues but a lot is done right too, and the episode achieves a couple of things that I honestly thought was never going to happen (saying this as a fan too). 7/10 Bethany Cox
