The members of the BAU enjoy a Saturday off in vastly different ways. While Rossi and Prentiss help Simmons assemble a new crib, Garcia leads a hacking competition, and Dr. Reid strikes up a... Read allThe members of the BAU enjoy a Saturday off in vastly different ways. While Rossi and Prentiss help Simmons assemble a new crib, Garcia leads a hacking competition, and Dr. Reid strikes up a conversation with a woman named MaxineThe members of the BAU enjoy a Saturday off in vastly different ways. While Rossi and Prentiss help Simmons assemble a new crib, Garcia leads a hacking competition, and Dr. Reid strikes up a conversation with a woman named Maxine
- Darren
- (as JJ Hawkins)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaChuck Palahniuk, whom Garcia quotes at the beginning, is the author of the novel on which Fight Club (1999) was based.
- GoofsWhen Reid talks to Max, he mentions that "the weekend before last week", he and JJ were held hostage. However, there has been a jump of 6 months between the hostage situation and this episode, further supported by Kristy telling Matt she is pregnant at the end of the hostage episode and her giving birth in this episode.
- Quotes
Dr. Margaret Stein: You've been at the BAU for 14 years?
Dr. Spencer Reid: Fifteen.
Dr. Margaret Stein: At a job that dominates your time and focus. Must take a lot out of you.
Dr. Spencer Reid: Sometimes, but I love it, though.
Dr. Margaret Stein: But we all need healthy outlets, so what are yours?
Dr. Spencer Reid: Uh... well, I read, I, um...
Dr. Margaret Stein: Who do you talk to?
Dr. Spencer Reid: I, um... you know, JJ, Rossi, Luke.
Dr. Margaret Stein: Who do you talk to outside of work?
Dr. Spencer Reid: [thinking about it] Nobody.
Dr. Margaret Stein: All right, time's almost up. Take today, don't think about work.
Dr. Spencer Reid: Don't think about work? What do you mean?
Dr. Margaret Stein: Not even a little bit. I want you to have one normal conversation with one normal person, then come back and tell me about it.
Dr. Spencer Reid: Or I could come up with a plan about what I was gonna say, you know, before actually executing...
Dr. Margaret Stein: Just do it.
- ConnectionsReferences Criminal Minds: It Takes a Village (2011)
- SoundtracksHearts Like A Knife
Performed by Far Lands
Played at the end of the episode when all Saturday projects come to their end
Luckily, although the episode will and has divided fans, "Saturday" for me was a big improvement and not only the best Season 15 episode up to this early point (being the only above average one) but also one of the best episodes of the season, one of the few good ones even in my view. It is not perfect or one of the best episodes, but "Saturday" turned out to be a lot better than anticipated and is to me one of the few Season 15 episodes worth watching actually and a huge improvement over "Spectator Slowing". Being somebody who was overall rather disappointed in the season.
"Saturday" is not perfect and it is actually easy to see it is divisive. Would have liked to have seen more of the case, which was diverting enough with the standout scene being the very creepy opening but not focused upon enough.
Alexi's introduction was for my tastes too abrupt and doesn't add an awful lot. Also Simmons' subplot wasn't as interesting or as illuminating as the others and the writing in it is at times on the soapy side.
However, it was very interesting and refreshing to have a change of pace once in a while. People will, and do, feel that "Saturday" doesn't feel like a 'Criminal Minds' episode and feels like filler, but to me actually "Saturday" was a case of a change of pace done well, entertaining and affectionately. Loved what it did with the characters, who all shine in their own way and this is one of the few Season 15 episodes where all were nicely developed in a way that illuminated and almost as interesting as each other (only reservation is with Simmons).
Most of the subplots did work. The one that grabbed me the most and was the most emotionally investable was Reid's, closely followed by the humorous one of Prentiss which sees a different side to her. There are a lot of funny, thoughtful and heart-warming lines with some smile-worthy exchanges throughout. For example Rossi's line about conspiracy theorists, vintage Rossi, made me laugh out loud. It is a well made episode visually, with the music fitting well and all the lead performances are great.
Concluding, worth watching and for me, despite being a change of pace, it was one of the better episodes of a final season that didn't mostly do the show justice. 7/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 26, 2021
Details
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD