Criminal Minds: The Complete Fourth Season
by Anna Foerster, Bobby Roth, Charles Haid, Charles S. Carroll, Edward Allen Bernero
List Price:
Our Price: $18.63
You Save: $21.35 (53%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $17.00 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Matthew Gray Gubler, Shemar Moore, Thomas GibsonDirector: Anna Foerster, Bobby Roth, Charles Haid, Charles S. Carroll, Edward Allen Bernero
Brand: CRIMINAL MINDS
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Box set, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 1107 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-09-08
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Paramount
DVD Reviews of Criminal Minds: The Complete Fourth Season
DVD Review: Great Crime Procedural Television
Summary: 4 Stars
Crime procedurals often get lumped into one large genre with little distinguishing qualifications made to separate them from one another. If any distinction is made it's between the more technically oriented CSI and the more character driven Law and Order series, of which there are many. Criminal Minds takes a third route and explores an alternate venue: the psychological profile. With a new serial killer for each episode, you'd think the shtick would have gotten tired by its fourth season; but you'd be wrong. The show remains as compelling as ever and makes for some great episodic television.
Since Mandy Patinkin (as Jason Gideon) walked off the set of Criminal Minds after the second season, the reins fell into the lap of Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner (Thomas Gibson), Gideon's once right-hand man. Under Hotch, the Behavioral Analysis Unit has successfully profiled dozens of killers and remained a tight-knit group. Hotch has a reputation for being level headed, so much so that at times he's downright disconnected from his team, which is where David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) comes in. Rossi acts as an emotional substitute of sorts and offers the closer senior relationship that a few of the younger team members need to stay in the game. Among them are Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) and Jennifer `JJ' Jareau, the woman who decides which case the team tackles each week. Acting in a cyber-support role is the quirky and fast-talking Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) who acts as a magic wand to make any and all technical problems go away.
Without its focus on serial killers, Criminal Minds would have little to recommend it above other crime shows. The cast has great chemistry and an interesting selection of personalities; for me the episodes highlighting the Dr. Reid character stand out as some of the best. But what really makes or breaks a show like Criminal Minds is their multi-part episodes. To its credit, the fourth season of Criminal Minds features two dual part storylines. Oddly enough one of the two-parters arrives rather quickly on in the season (only 6 episodes in), but it really helps the season gain momentum. The second dual-part storyline is the season finale - which is fantastic television. The show has some spectacular profiles driving its episodes.
Another interesting caveat in the series' credit is its guest roles. The best of the season easily being a really rare and unexpected dramatic turn by Jason Alexander (George from Seinfeld) where all of the high-pitched neurotic screaming he usually displays in all his roles goes on hold in favor of a more measured and eerie mind game persona. If the guest star pattern of Criminal Minds has any drawback it would be the inconsistencies. In one episode ("Demonology"), Bruce Davison (Senator Kelly from X-Men), James Remar (Harry Morgan from Dexter), Walton Goggins (Shane from The Shield) and Carmen Argenziano (House's copy Henry Dobson from House M.D.) all make rather front and center appearances in the show. Coming off a few episodes of rare guest spots, it was odd to see all four lumped into one. Perhaps it was the episode's strongly Catholic subject matter, or just serendipity. Whatever the case the season has some great cameos, even if they're oddly spread out.
DVD Extra Features:
Most discs in the boxset feature one or two "Working the Scene" featurettes highlighting one or two action-intensive sequences from an episode on the disc. One such featurette breaks down the filming of the fight choreography for an episode where a suspect hangs about in a fight club. After you've burned through those there's a collection of character profiles as well as a gag reel. Fans of the show will enjoy both, while the casual observer might only want to watch the latter.
Even if you're not a police procedural junkie, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised by what Criminal Minds has to offer.
Description of Criminal Minds: The Complete Fourth Season
Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most prominent agent is David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), a founding member of the BAU, who returns to help the team solve new cases, while pursuing some unfinished business of his own. Each member brings his or her own area of expertise to the table as they pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them.