Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 Review: ‘Hell is Empty…’

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 ‘Hell is Empty…’ takes a step back from focusing on JJ’s grief and transitions back to the mystery that is Elias Voit. That’s not to say that we completely abandon the very real and ongoing struggles she’s quite obviously facing — A.J. Cook certainly doesn’t drop the gutting emotional responses to certain situations, and there’s even a moment where Emily very pointedly tries to get her girl to go home and get some rest — but just as life goes on, so must the BAU’s work. And the work itself takes some very intriguing turns. Some of those might actually make viewers forget who we’re dealing with when it comes to Voit, despite the hour beginning with him the most casually, darkly himself he’s been all season.

This is the type of hour that raises some difficult and uncomfortable questions. With that being said, it includes some interesting highlights and an unsurprisingly strong performance from guest star Aaron Stanford (if you have not watched 12 Monkeys, do that) as our latest UnSub, Kyle Mackey. If his particular M.O. makes your local neighborhood Criminal Minds: Evolution reviewer want to just erase all of his parts from her mind, well. Sorry, not sorry because nope, no, absolutely not to that particular way to die.

As far as an overall verdict on the episode itself goes, it’s just…complicated? Things with Voit have always been complex, sure. But the man we see here, with all the overwhelming evidence of his change, is still just so hard to reconcile with the previous two seasons. So. Complicated feelings there. Yeah.

MORE: Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 3 kind of broke us — but in the best way.

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 TarBecca scenes

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 checks in with Tara and Rebecca by throwing in the tiny wrinkle that is Rebecca’s friend Law School Evan. (Yes, all caps. That’s his full legal name. A friend told me.) Since everything works out fine in the end, I can say I was entertained. It’s always nice to see things like the “jealous” trope or (worse) a triangle type of situation presented as totally absurd. Because, really, both of those things have been overused to death in TV — to the point of the bad kind of absurdity. Here, on the other hand, the alleged tension doesn’t even last. It doesn’t even really exist. Because the Law School Evan situation is just silliness that gives us a break from all the tough stuff and, more importantly, shows how solid of a place this relationship is in.

When Evan first shows up, Tara clearly sees the awkwardness rolling off Rebecca in waves. Even more clearly, she is amused AF. She immediately starts hinting (with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer) around at wanting more information and, especially, taunting “Becca” over the nickname. But it never appears to be coming from a place of meanness or insecurity. Instead, it’s just love. Love and that same sort of playfulness I noted in their love scene in Episode 2. And I appreciate that — because these two have already had their breakup and are frequently too overlooked.

I just really love the absolute, complete and total awkwardness Nicole Pacent brings to both the first Law School Evan scene and the one where he asks Becca to dinner. I actually just cracked up and wrote “AWKWARD AWKWARD AWKWARD” a lot in my notes and particularly enjoyed the delivery when Becca shut down that dinner invite by bringing up her relationship. It’s all very much “deer in headlights, wish I was literally anywhere else.” (Relatable.) Later, when Tara says they all need to have a talk, there’s the “OMG. Oh, sh—” beat after Tara tells Rebecca that no, she shouldn’t be worried…but he should. For her part, Aisha Tyler gives us this flirty, teasing dynamic throughout. No surprise for her to nail the comedy here. She also makes sure viewers know, all along, that Tara doesn’t have doubts…but she’s going to enjoy poking fun.

Later, the characters (and actors) get to reverse roles a bit. Because Tara has her little talk with Law School Evan about peacocking…only to find out he wanted Rebecca to meet his fiancee. (Mazel tov to him. He can go now…but leave the pie, if it’s really that tasty.) I just really appreciate that this is not just a relationship that involves so much teasing, and joy, and goofiness — but also one that shows such a totally different side of these characters. That they get to be in this place after some of what they’ve already been through also just works for me.

That and. Well. There’s this: “No one’s ever fought for me like that.” Uh. Swoon.

MORE: Here’s how Rebecca reacted when Tara was in danger last season.

“I think he’s far too broken to be anything but himself“

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 does the best, and therefore most disturbing, job of humanizing Elias Voit the series has done yet. He steps back into the Sicarius persona long enough to get Ronald Graber’s message, but it doesn’t seem like we really learn terribly much from the message itself. It’s just a quote from Shakespeare’s The Tempest that, ultimately, Prentiss opts not to go down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole with. Even so, the face-to-face meeting between Voit and his devoted follower isn’t a total waste because it does, in fact, start to unlock even more of the former (?) serial killer’s memories.

One of those memories happens to be the first meeting between Voit and “Ronnie,” when Voit was a sweet stranger quipping about dessert (but also, you know, the guy who killed the kid’s whole family). The memory sequence, with an adult Ronald inserted — orange jumpsuit and all — and watching the events unfold is so very old school Criminal Minds. More to the point, we learn that Voit kept an eye on Graber, the “lost soul,” after the killings and eventually recruited him to the network. And he kept the guy on the outside of it for reasons that, thanks to Tyler’s own connection to Voit, we later learn were part of a pattern of him developing a twisted sort of attachment to people who reminded him of…himself.

It’s very strange to think about there having maybe been the tiniest flicker of empathy in there, even before the brain damage that suddenly turned that part of his brain on. If we couple that news with Voit’s visceral reaction to remembering Ronnie — and, uh, seeing him all grown up and bashing his own head into a table now that he’s successfully delivered his message — then that, again, seems to point more toward this new, improved humanity being real. Not an act. That’s especially true if we add Dr. Ochoa’s tests providing instant, on-demand proof that he not only doesn’t get a dopamine rush from violent images but just can’t handle them.

…but what is Criminal Minds: Evolution trying to say here? Because I genuinely can’t decide if I’m still loving the complexity this particular monster presents, weirded out by being asked to empathize with a character like this one when we know what he has done and so do the very federal agents who also seem to believe in him now, or just along for the ride. Regardless of how Voit’s story plays out, Zach Gilford definitely remains a great addition to this series’ cast. Whether his character’s slipping oh, so seamlessly back into his old, monstrous skin or completely lost to the world following his meeting with Graber, Gilford’s performance is as convincing, entertaining, and intriguing as ever.

But, to borrow a question Garcia asks in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6, at what cost?

MORE: In Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 5, JJ opened up to Dr. Ochoa about the Graber investigation as a way of getting Voit involved.

“We did this. Together. All of us.”

Speaking of Garcia, and speaking of this very uncomfortable, yet also very, very interesting, direction we’re going with Voit…

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 is at its most promising and its most difficult to grapple with for most of her scenes. I talked about this a little bit in my Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 1 review, but the idea that Penelope could find a tiny bit of light in even the worst person makes sense. She was prepared to look for “something salvageable” in him even before this whole amnesia…thing. So, of course, if anyone’s going to take Voit at face value — if anyone’s going to want to believe that he really is a changed man — it’s her.

All of this makes it far too easy to fall into this trap of saying it’s kind of beautiful to watch Garcia and Voit work together in this episode. Even her “guilt-trip speed round,” where she reminds him of the ways he’s harmed her, personally, has a certain endearing quality to it. I could give all of the credit for that to Kirsten Vangsness, who is as much of a delight as always, include Gilford’s confused puppy sort of reaction to it all, and sprinkle in some of RJ Hatanaka’s tiny little smiles as Tyler Green is as amused by Penelope as ever. But there’s also something to be said for the strange way all these little interactions are almost…hopeful? It almost makes you forget everything that man has done, all while he’s kind of…cautiously opening up and sharing how his network came into being.

Again, I can’t stress this enough: What unfolds here is as disturbing as it is fascinating. Because Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6 forces viewers to look at this monster through the eyes of someone who isn’t built to believe in lost causes. Someone who saw an “ember of something” in him while she was in the middle of getting him to stop tormenting…the other person that’s in that room, building that computer with them. Voit is so open, and vulnerable, and small as he discusses starting the network. It turns out, in a twisted sort of way, that Sicarius’ network might’ve even…helped…people? Most of all, he was worried about hurting his own family and wanted an outlet.

As Voit sits there, revealing all of this, Garcia listens, laser-focused, and clearly moved by him indirectly admitting to a deep loneliness and desire for connection to people like himself. I, once again, would like to say that the idea of everyone still having something good in them, of finding common ground and all that, is a nice one. But in practice, in the real world, there are in fact folks who don’t deserve that without true amends. Not everything is black and white, but there should also be some clear lines — lines that Voit’s crossed many times over. And yet, it’s nearly impossible not to feel for him at times. Until you take a step back and remember “loneliness” isn’t an excuse for committing such violent acts, that is.

But Garcia and Voit still make sense in an unlikely, yet somehow also natural, sort of way. They get to, for lack of a better way of putting it, nerd out over code. They finish each other’s sentences. Blink and you’ll miss it, but Voit actually indirectly compliments Garcia’s skills when he realizes the code on Graber’s hard drive is similar to his “but way more advanced” and asked Garcia if she added anything to it. Ultimately, it’s our “regular Goofus and Gallant” (OMG HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE REFERENCE) doing their enemies-to-buddies dance that saves the day. That they turn toward each other, sharing the loveliest little grins after a job well done, is another one of those moments that’s going to haunt me. Because, again, it’s sweet? But…it’s Voit.

Either this is some sort of major, brilliant turning point for the character — proving he’s a true miracle — or it’s going to be something I look back on and think “wow, they did Penelope Garcia dirty and played her for a fool.” Because, really, there aren’t a lot of options beyond that. If it turns out there really is some kind of act or plot here, what kind of idiot and caricature does that make of Penelope? On the other hand, if it turns out there is goodness in Voit, and that even tapping into his memories of all of his trauma and all of his evil deeds doesn’t shape him the way the original trauma did, that’s going to provide some major vindication for our ultimate optimist.

But on that last option, I’m again going to have to ask what Criminal Minds: Evolution is trying to say here. Maybe it’s not so much “we can redeem monsters” as it is “you see, you have to seriously damage a monster’s brain in order to rewire it.” In which case, maybe that’ll do.

MORE: No matter what the endgame is here, we still agree with what JJ said in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 4. Penelope Garcia is the best.

More on Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 6

The thing about the Voit flashback is I still miss his pretty hair. (RIP.)
Love how the “I’ll make it easy for you” from Graber actually turns out to be a throwback.
“Life’s too short to skip dessert.” Truth.
I continue to feel icky for saying this, but I’ve missed Gilford’s performance as that version of Voit. Just so calm, in control, unimpressed with the person sitting across from him. Tiniest little raise of the eyebrows for, like, an “I told you so.” Smarta— profiling moment. That smug way he walks to the two-way, bored little head tilt, deadpan “you’re gonna want to grab him,” and just cold on all of it. “Monster” indeed.
Also the tone on this: “So, when you said you killed those families because you wanted to? That was bullsh—. You didn’t have a choice. Because you see, Ronnie. I’m the one who made you. So, give me your godd—n message.”
Thank you to Tyler Green for agreeing with me that Voit “sounded like his old self” there.
I just think that Emily Prentiss in glasses.
It’s been, like, 84 years since I last did a lit crit on Shakespeare. So, uh. Seriously, anyone who actually reads this review who has thoughts on The Tempest and the use of that quote here, please drop a comment. Share your deep thoughts.
Oh, man. It is 100% like Voit’s not even there in the room when he slumps down on that couch.
JJ and Dave looking at each other like “???” when Voit asks if the quote was from the Bible. Big Shakespeare stan, Mr. Lee Duval.
“I’m not convinced it’s that deep.” Someone refuses to be fooled again after last season. (But what if it’s not fooling this time?)
“And the only thing we know is that Voit has dark sh— locked up in that head of his.” Legit.
Love that shot of JJ peeking through the blinds at Voit.
“Weird, seeing him like this. Almost helpless.”
No but seriously she brought…equipment..with her? To the BAU???? To scan Voit’s brain??? Has no one thought about using their own technology????????
“Don’t leave, please.” Like a lost child.
Tara: “Rainbows.” Me: *nods* ‘Tis the Pride month!
Gilford does a great job of showing how Voit physically recoils from some of those images. He can’t even look at some of the worst ones without a sign of actual, physical pain.
“So, he’s not ok with seeing violence.” Tag yourself: I’m Emily’s complete expression of shock.
“Hm. Welcome to my club.” And then, she starts a computer nerd club with him later.
“Oh. I know I don’t have to. I have a choice here. Oh, and just to rectify history: You found the receiver codes. But I hacked them. So, sorry not sorry. You need me. And as Boss Lady said, why don’t we all get some sleep? Huh?” Reminder: Penelope Garcia is not to be F—ed with. Also, check out everyone’s reactions here. Dave with the proud little smile, Emily perking up when Penelope calls her “Boss Lady,” Rebecca clearly impressed, and Luke…not particularly a fan of being reminded of that time she hacked the receiver codes. (Or, you know, not a fan of her flirting with Tyler. Whichever!)
“…but we can’t catch them if we’re exhausted. Even Voit knows that. So. We all need to get some rest? Yes?” So. Pointed. There. Emily.
“You ok, kid?” DAD.
“So, I couldn’t stop thinking about how the timeline tells the story.” Translation: She did not, in fact, get the rest that Emily told her to get.
“Turns out corporate mergers get to be a bit soul-sucking.” “Oh, yeah. You thought DC would be better.” Get him.
“So. Becca…Becaaaa!” “Mmmm. Don’t start. I mean it.” “See, you hate being called that. But somehow, Law School Evan gets a pass.” They’re literally married now. I don’t make the rules.
“Did you absolutely funkify my workspace at Quantico? So hard, in fact, that I set off the fire alarm at the FBI twice just trying to sage away your olfactory evils?” LOVE THE THROWBACK TO HER BEING ALL THE ICK ABOUT HIM LAST SEASON. And Voit’s just confused, all, “yesss????”
“I’m going to translate. A little gentler, with more metaphor. There are these little demon-horn people. That are — that are popping up, one by one, and then they’re talking to each other in CyberLand. And we need to figure out who they are and what they’re saying.” Her little hand gestures and his little facepalm are everything. I almost forgot this wasn’t a comedy, between this bit and the Tarbecca stuff. So, so cute.
…I do not feel great saying anything with Voit is “so, so cute.”
And then, the whole thing about needing something to “whelm” while he looks irritated. Such great work from the always-entertaining Vangsness.
“Look at us. Some build snowmen; we build computers!”
“A lot of people found a lot of comfort in the lonely corners of the dark web.” It’s like Twitter, pre-2023. (Yes, I know that doesn’t actually count as “dark web,” but no, it wasn’t ever sunshine and roses over there. Shhh.)
Very convenient for the computer to start working just as sh— starts to head toward hitting the fan with Tyler and Voit.
“So this is a…smart coffin.” Do not want.
“I just thought, if she could fall in love with me then maybe I wouldn’t have to be like this anymore.” Why do I actually feel bad for him here? I hate this!
Hatanaka and Gilford are so good together, too. Just gutted for Tyler, who really, desperately wants to know but is obviously fighting to keep himself under control and be a good team member. And Voit is…just so vulnerable and actually seems to show regret. He really doesn’t want to talk about Allison. At all.
“How did you do it?” “Can we. Not do this?” “You owe me this.”
Tyler rushing out and taking that deep calming breath is great stuff, too.
I hope this puts all the talk of “but why is he here” to bed because nobody else was going to solve this one in time. It was his personal experience with Voit that helped him put all the pieces together in time for the team to save Ava Mackey.
“Kids always know. You try and keep it from em, but…they can always tell.” OH. JJ’s eyes. Here, we have JJ thinking about her boys not being able to say goodbye to their dad, right as this dude’s beating himself up over being a d—k to an obviously-distressed Claire when all she wanted was to say goodbye to her kid.
“We’re grown a— women.”
It’s the emotion in Paget Brewster’s voice when Prentiss realizes this dude “buried his own daughter” for me.
“Son of a bees’ nest.”
“I’m sorry, Francesca. I will try to make this as painless as possible.”
RIP to Francesca the Laptop.
The “weapons-grade” computer doo-hickey Voit asked about, that Garcia just told him not long ago they shouldn’t be using…conveniently is what they need…Uh. Huh. More manipulation or just a coincidence and/or him being super smart?????
“Yeah. [scoff] Um..have you ever heard of peacocking? Evan?” It’s the way she says “Evan” for me.
“You know, I’m just trying to…save you the heartbreak.” Ok but if he’s peacocking, she’s like…marking her territory. (I approve.)
The way Rebecca just turns to Tara and grins all triumphant-like though.
“…glad she ended up with somebody who’s so protective. You deserve the best.” True.
“You getting in Evan’s face was the sexiest thing you’ve ever done.”
Oh, ok. And the joking about GQ because Law School Evan said something about it. They are such dorks. (Complimentary.)
“Who ever said it was just one?”
…and lockdown. Uh. That can’t be good.