Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 Review: ‘Requiem’

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 “Requiem” is one of those episodes of this series that makes you sit back and go “wow, that’s so cool,” only to immediately realize what you just said is messed up, actually. The case of the week features an absolutely chilling UnSub, Marvin Bancroft, whose business-like, placid sort of manner is a total farce and a complete mimicry of humanity. Guest star Joseph Cross is excellent in the role, taking viewers on an increasingly disturbing ride throughout the hour, as Marvin murders his victims with the very tools he uses to prepare other people’s loved ones for viewing and burial. Every so often, some kind of human emotion will creep through that surface layer. But it’s always dark and twisted—even when it’s grief for the dead mother whose portraits Marvin’s so painstakingly trying to recreate.

But to get back to the “so cool” part of this latest investigation, it’s all down to the visuals. As the drama at Marvin’s mortuary unfolds, viewers get a detailed, up close and personal look at every step of the mortician’s process. Living victims are treated as merely bodies long before they’re transformed into exactly that. While this is happening, we listen to a too-calm and reflective recording about grief and/or music that’s totally at odds with the drawn-out action on screen. And all along, this story tells itself in one stunning image after another.

Shots of eyes opened wide for gluing, a brush softly stroking a woman’s hair, the smoke from a candle, blood draining out and dripping into the title card, or the red, red light in the darkroom—all are just gorgeous (weird to say that), with a clear point of view and intense attention to detail. In fact, even Rossi and Alvez’s trip to a crime scene offers a unique, uncomfortably impressive perspective. Stepping away from this standalone investigation and into the bigger picture (not much pun intended), Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 also features exquisite use of images, and light, and shadow in each of Voit’s scenes.

At least once per season, this series delivers an hour like this one—one that’s brilliantly directed with every other technical component standing out before we even get to our cast’s performances. “Requiem” is most definitely the one for Season 19. Director James Takata just gets and recaptures something about those original Criminal Minds days in a way that needs no words. And yet…there’s something fresh here, too. In short, I’m impressed.

But, as much as I’d like to sit here and nerd out, struggling through trying to explain a visual sort of magic that speaks for itself in a way words actually can’t—and shouldn’t!—there is also the issue of how close we are to the end of the season. So, that means Voit and the BAU have very little time to stop The Fan. Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 confirms suspicious about what, exactly The Fan showed Voit in the previous hour. And, as he tries to do his usual thing and reveal only just enough to get what he wants, Voit continues to fail at being in control of the situation. More worrisome: He may also be losing control of himself.

MORE: This season has given us some great guest stars, including Connor Storrie and Dash Mihok in Episode 4.

A very BAU celebration for JJ and Henry

Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 gives viewers a real treat in the form of a surprise party for Henry. This season has been great in terms of sprinkling in little reminders of why the series actually counts as a comfort show for a lot of us. (See also: “Camping” at Penelope’s place in Episode 3.) “Requiem” takes those crumbs of joy and turns them into a whole feast. For one thing, everyone’s here, which means the whole family gets to have a (brief) break from all the darkness. Penelope coaches Tyler and Luke on their (weak) roars while she wears her little cat ears, Dave scolds the “chuckleheads” for breaking the “no shop talk” rule, Tara and Rebecca sit there with their “how did we get here” looks at one point, and so much more. Oh, and those family portraits are, uh, an experience.

AJ Cook’s as great as ever here, both when JJ’s pretending (badly) to truly be surprised and when JJ acknowledges the “long road” to get to this place. The moment JJ and Emily share, just the two of them, is obviously nowhere near as significant as the infamous “it gives me you” back in Season 17. Still, it’s a huge deal in a season when they’ve barely interacted, especially given what they discuss and how. All that joking about Spence still making an offer to get Henry into Caltech—something Dr. Reid has been promising he could do “with one phone call” since the first time he met the kid as a newborn—kind of seamlessly leads us to Emily softening. I love the beat from Paget Brewster before she reminds JJ everyone’s not only there because they’re proud of Henry, they’re proud of her and the late Will, too.

It’s such an honest and natural moment for both characters (and, of course, their respective actors). Emily’s still the person who knows JJ’s not magically healed, and she realizes all of that happiness for Henry exists alongside a sadness because Will isn’t here to see this. She also knows she can say what needs to be said, let JJ have the space to feel what she needs to feel, and not take away from or ruin anything about all the laughter, and love, and light in the space. And JJ does take that quick reflective second, that quick glance down, that quieter and more emotional “it’s…it’s been a long road” before they go back to goofing off with everyone else. Again, super work from Cook. Always…but especially here.

The guests of honor—JJ and the boys—would deserve this little celebration even without what they’ve been through this past year, but it’s all the more important to have now. Finding that joy where you can, and sharing it with the people you love who are still here, is exactly what can get you through the more difficult patches with your grief. And for as much as I just adore seeing these scenes where the whole family’s together doing family things, I’m also really impressed by how well this fits in with everything else happening in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8. JJ’s story, and how it’s so incredibly different from both Elias Voit’s and Marvin Bancroft’s, is what makes the two otherwise unrelated cases fit together perfectly.

You have the contrast between how JJ has handled her grief—who she’s had by her side to help her because of a mutual love—and…what the UnSub does to recreate his mom’s photos. (Which, speaking of photos: That part near the end, with JJ going through the family album while Penelope supports her? My heart.) Then, there’s the other juxtaposition. JJ gets to watch her kids grow up. When they need her, she’s here—maybe not always right at that exact second, but definitely as soon as humanly possible. Voit, on the other hand, is completely powerless to protect his family from the monster he’s helped to create.

MORE: This season has mostly experienced a confusing lack of Jemily.

“I just want to know they’re safe”

After Voit’s visit from The Fan, he reaches out to the BAU—something we learn is a first since they further restricted his access to the outside world—and asks for them to check on his family. Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 confirms that The Fan did, indeed, hold up a picture of Voit’s family during that last meeting. It does this explicitly during the season recap (with Justin Kirk now edited in) near the end of the hour, but really, Voit’s behavior gives the game away the second Tara and Rebecca come to visit him.

His sudden, urgent need to break WITSEC protocol and check in on his family raises enough of a red flag for someone with Dr. Lewis’ expertise. Now, add that to the general feeling of him holding something back—something he’s actually afraid of, which isn’t common for Elias Voit—and acting like a totally powerless child, sitting on a secret he’s bursting to tell. He may as well have a flashing “THE FAN THREATENED MY FAMILY” sign above his head. Not to mention, he doesn’t even push back on any of the attitude Tara and Rebecca both give him. But Voit does very much pout, and sigh, and act like he’s suddenly learned what it feels like to not get his way. In places, his eyes are basically screaming “please help,” even as he stubbornly refuses to explain what it is that he needs help with.

Zach Gilford is great at this in that first scene with an absolutely hilariously stern and, frankly, completely done with the games Tara and Rebecca. Every single time Aisha Tyler talks over him with an “Elias” is golden. And when Rebecca gets her chance to jump in to remind him how hard the marshals had to work to get his family new identities, Nicole Pacent’s tone and that way she works that hand in a circular motion just make what’s a very serious conversation also kind of a comedy. But the laughs don’t last long—because we end with that defeated, pleading look from Voit.

Somewhere along the line, something sets off the alarm bells for Tara—I’m thinking it’s his general demeanor but definitely that last reaction—and that gets the BAU caught up on what happened while they were all out of town on that last case. As it turns out, Joshua Ryan is Alex Ryan’s cousin. He’s just not the person who visited Voit in prison. Instead, The Fan posed as Joshua and made one random visit after 20-30 years, then emailed back and forth with Alex. Until he got what he wanted, at which point he closed his account and/or blocked Alex from contacting him. (Alex’s last email to him bounced.)

While the BAU is figuring all of this out, Voit’s busy fighting his inner demons—er, demon—as the Rossi-shaped devil on his shoulder tries to convince him he’s still up to his old tricks. That inner voice reminds Voit he didn’t tell Dr. Lewis The Fan came to threaten his family. Voit’s answer is alarmingly hoarse with emotion and half-hearted, his head bent low as he points out he asked her to check on them. Then, it’s back to RosSicarius taunting Voit about wanting to escape.

The way these two characters move around each other is fascinating as a general rule. That’s nothing new, even if it’s elevated in Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8. One thing I particularly love is the interaction between the too-bright light coming from the outside and the darkness in the room, as well as how those lights and shadows frame the actors themselves. Additionally, the way Voit walks over to sort of grab at the bars on the windows—right when he’s saying he’s not trying to get out—is a genius use of contradiction. Voit doesn’t want to want to break free, but some part of him can feel that pull and knows it might be the only way.

(That “only I can fix it” mentality, in my opinion, is the only way he’s really still the same old Voit. We’ll see if I’m clownishly wrong by the end of the season or not, I guess.)

Next time we visit Voit, that bright, bright light is again shining in on him from the outside. Now, he’s throwing a basketball in slow, slow motion, as times drags on for him while he’s stuck here—trapped with his own thoughts and that inability to check on his family, much less do anything of use to keep The Fan from hurting them. Gilford is excellent here, as Voit fidgets like he’s aiming for a fix, barely able to keep himself from killing those guards and getting loose.

After a brief flashback to Voit giving Holly driving lessons, Voit’s brought back to the real world by Tara and Rebecca. (Notably, it takes Tara quietly, yet insistently, saying his name twice to get him to even notice.) He’s at an extreme weak point here and doesn’t bother to try to hide it this time. So, as Tara lists all the things he’s gotten wrong about The Fan from the start, he’s a bundle of anxiety, chewing away at his thumb, and staring off toward somewhere not here. When Rebecca points out that focusing on Voit and his family leaves The Fan “free to pursue his real goal,” Voit goes through it.

He covers his face, practically claws at his own hair, then goes back to burying his head behind his hands—this time two tight fists—and looks, for all the world, like some part of him trapped inside his own skin wants to claw its way out. It’s such impressive physical work from Gilford, as is that sharp clap to abruptly end Tarbecca’s part of the conversation. So, we end his part of the story on total, complete hopelessness. He either stops trying to get protection for his family…or he leads the FBI into yet another trap.

MORE: Inner Rossi has been taunting Voit since the Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 premiere. Not-Rossi became significantly more twisted and dark in Episode 2.

More Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 reactions

When you know you should act sad abut your mom’s death but can’t feel anything for anyone, you make…whatever that face was in this cold open.
Speaking of the cold open, I normally don’t like super long ones, but when they’re crafted like this? The length is earned.
I found myself jotting down every single word of these chapters on grief in my notes.
“We bleed,” as we watch the blood…
“Like a deep running river…” Allll the fluids in those tubes.
Like, even the closeup on the victim seizing gives viewers such an immediate feeling of being there, watching, suffering with this woman. Diabolical detail work. (Complimentary.)
You know it’s going to be a good episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution when you’re going “wow, this is f**ked” this early on, huh.
I honestly can’t decide which goofy AF “rawwwwrr” was cuter—Tyler’s or Luke’s. Get you two men who will do this because you command it.
“What?! You call that a roar? With passion!” “I’m sorry. This is a bit…much.” “I feel like the claws are enough.” “How dare both of you.”
JJ SO SIILLY.
“I swear I did not.” Just absolutely the cutest of all time with her big ol’ smile and her little “cut off” type motion near her neck, just in her element, having a blast.
“Your cars are around the corner.” Amazing.
“No, no. It’s cool. I like it. Thanks, Auntie P.” THE HUG. MY HEART. How do I get an Auntie P???
I really appreciate the nods to Criminal Minds history in this hour, both with the Spencer Reid/Caltech reference during the “surprise” party and, later, when Tara mentions Hotch’s time in WITSEC to Voit (without naming names).
If you heard someone absolutely losing their mind over JJ and Emily’s arms around each other before parting ways….yeah, that was me. I’m not pretending otherwise.
Ok, Dad.
That family portrait is a delightful mess. Tyler’s out here, grinning so hard, it’s like his face might break. (Baby’s first official family pic!) Emily’s…so…business-like? JJ’s amused AF about Penelope wanting the “bobcats” version…
…annnnnnnnd the only one who actually does that part after Luke’s count of three is Michael because everyone else is distracted with the case alert. Adorkable. I would watch just this show for 20 seasons. Forget the UnSubs!
Penelope went to work with the ears still on. Obviously.
Jemily finally sitting next to each other?! In this economy???
That “Elias. We got your message” Aisha Tyler opens with very much had me thinking “teacher, scolding very bad student who’s about ready to get sent to the principal’s office again.”
“…frowned upon when government agencies sh** in each other’s litter boxes…”
“Elias. Elias. One of our own went into WITSEC, all right? It’s safe.” Ok, first of all: AARON HOTCHNER!!!! Second: Can we talk about the way she’s looking down her nose at Voit?? Because, uh, wow.
JUST TELL THEM, LEE.
“You have a wonderful rest of your day.” A thing this man does not at all mean—and has even less of a concept of knowing how to fake. Honestly, it’s how most people sound to me when they say things like this because they think they have to instead of because they actually care.
WTF is he feeding her?
“You’re a sick f***.” True.
It’s exactly in how super-composed Cross plays the moment of Marvin wiping himself off that you can see the cracks in the act of normalcy and professionalism the character wears so well. The bigger crack, of course, comes just after that as he holds this woman’s mouth shut to force feed her.
AJ Cook and RJ Hatanaka are both so effortlessly good in this scene where JJ and Tyler interview Mr. Fussel. That sad, little smile from Tyler when the guy mentions his wife “wasn’t too thrilled about” moving to the senior community, JJ kind of sitting there protectively or having her own small empathetic reactions to various things he says…really good stuff. Great work on maintaining presence from both actors—and, dare I say, even better work from everyone involved in spotting those moments to include in the final edit.
“Now, I’m no fashion expert…” The one finger Tyler holds up in warning to a JJ who has no chance, whatsoever, of controlling her face. Amazing.
“Grief introduces chaotic forces that can disrupt our daily routines.” Insert closeup of those wide open eyes…and this creeper behind her, creepy-brushing her hair all gentle-like. Amazing.
The timing on this guy, like, meditating before taking that photograph…and lingering. Insanely thoughtful filmmaking for this hour, truly.
“Ho-ly shit. This is him!” A line reading.
Her face when they realize that’s a trophy!
Wow. Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 19 Episode 8 ends the Jemily drought (with drizzle, but I’ll take it!) and has the newly-ish-weds working together. Thank you for that.
The shot of Voit right up against that door, looking out, with that dark wash of color, just finally feeling the full weight of being locked up and looking out almost longingly, has got to be one of my all-time favorites for the entire Evolution era. And even through that darkness, and with the wiring over the window, that Voit attitude—the irritation with Inner Rossi, the eye roll—is crystal clear. Super.
I also really love the image of Inner Rossi as a dark shadow when he’s first revealed. His actual body position is really interesting, too.
Evil Rossi calls her Dr. Lewis. Voit calls her Tara. So, more familiar/friendly now than the inner monster was with her and the others way back when, huh.
“You know how I know? Because you go quiet. And you start lying to everybody. Including! yourself.” Fun moment from Joe Mantegna here, with the little smirk and the way too upbeat “including!”
Oh. And that smirk as he lays his head against the wall…evil.
The light coming in on Alex Ryan. Whew.
In which Tara Lewis tries very, very hard not to reveal anything but is so busy controlling herself, it’s kinda obvious. Also, the eyes.
“I know what you’re going to ask me.” “Do you?” “It’s about my cousin, isn’t it?” I love the way Aisha Tyler freezes up—like Tara remembers to smile and not react just a heartbeat too late. The nod isn’t exactly the most “normal” for Tara either. “…yes, it is.”
I actually feel terrible for Alex.
“Who would do this?”
Synchronized Tarbecca sigh.
“As anyone who has been forced to read Ayn Rand will tell you, awfulness comes in three parts.”
But how does the color of Rossi’s suit somehow complement the dress that the victim wears?
Diabolical use of this piece of music here.
Grace is tough AF—and, as the formula goes, a survivor.
“Do you know what driving represents?” “Our addition to fossil fuels?” First, the apple doesn’t fall far from the smarta** tree. Second: HIS EYE ROLL AT HIS KID AFTER SHE SAYS THAT.
Dear ol’ Dad with his sarcastic thumbs up.
“…this guy is creeping around in your blind spot. He knows it. And that’s why he can provoke you.” YEP.
“Yeah. And if you’re right, then everything he shared with me is just going to lead you into a trap, isn’t it.” Not even a question. Just exhausted recognition.
Penelope, two boyfriends, JJ, and Dave.
“Thank you. I feel as if she’s still with me every day.” Zero emotion. None. Do customers see it as businesslike? Numbness after a loss? How do they not pick up on how creepy this guy is???
How is a shot of the stairs something I’m going “oh, wow. So good. Holy F—” about???
This whole sequence with Grace trying to escape is exactly what I want from Criminal Minds. (Or a good slasher, honestly.) We’ve got ourselves a scream queen on our hands.
She was so close?!
Intense. Evil.
“Ok, dreamboats. Based on the wonderful parameters that you gave me…” Never change, Penelope. Not ever.
Again: Diabolical use of music.
The whole bit with Marvin putting on that apron and the glove is giving me flashbacks to the good ol’ days of Dexter.
Oh, she’s cracking on “my mom named me Grace, like a blessing.”
The echo effect on her sobs?
My notes are literally just, like: “HE PROMISES HER SHE’S IN GOOD HANDS?! THIS IS F—ED” and “WOW WTF” a lot. (Only without the obligatory censorship to appease the robot overlords.)
If I just say “AJ Cook, folks,” everyone will get it. Right? Right.
The profound reaction to what JJ says about mothers…and then…bang. Oof. Again, this is effffffed up.
I am, once again, disturbed by my own reaction here, but…This. Is. Art! Look at the red, red blood blooming on that white shirt! Before that, the way everything slows as Marvin falls, and the urn falls and breaks, and the ash goes everywhere. ART.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. JJ’s reaction to that photo of the boy and his mom.
“Oh, come on. Indulge. My sweet friend. Indulge.”
“The handsome plane has landed.”
Cook’s portrayal of that proud mommy, seeing her boy all grown up in his nice, new suit after reminiscing over the family album? Just the most beautifully emotional work. After all that grief last season and the trauma the season before, it’s so refreshing to see her get to do this kind of overwhelming emotion. She’s good at all of it! But this is…just rare and precious. Other shows will keep around an insanely skilled actress who can do all the painful stuff and nearly never give her happiness. It’s cruel to the character, cruel to the audience, and a waste of talent. Criminal Minds: Evolution, thankfully, isn’t that kind of show.
Speaking of happiness: “It was a wave of my fairy godmother wand.” Look at Penelope! She’s so proud of herself! And that cute, little wave!!!
JJ’s trying not to cry, I’m trying not to cry, we’re all trying not to cry.
“Ummm, I’m hungry.” Same, kiddo.
I’m…going to ignore the framing that makes it look like the gazing is between these two and not just JJ gazing at her kids while her friends make heart eyes at each other. I do not see anything else. Nope.
There was half a second of a Jemily chat, and Garvez are about to split the bill on this family night out. So there.
Every single one of these scenes is better with Justin Kirk—especially the one where The Fan casually stands there before branding Lance—so I don’t even care that I’m being given a recap of things I already know right now. Usually, I’d be like “y’all’s viewers are too smart for this.” But this is good!
“…I understand what it means to have his heart broken by his idol…” Fans everywhere nodded along.
“Unless…unless Voit’s lying to us.” “I don’t think he is lying. I think he’s wrong…it’s what you said. This guy has thrown Voit for a loop.” In which Emily and I agree, completely.
Do I love a Tara/Emily late night? Sure. Do I hate that Emily is, once again, left out? ABSOLUTELY.
Tara may be working late right now, but at least she has a wife to go home to. (She should go home to her wife. We should get a conversation about the wedding we missed…or something.)
“I know, but why should I have to do something that AI can do in, like, three seconds.” Because it’s a slop-generating drain on resources that’s destroying the planet at an even faster rate than we already were? How about because thinking for yourself is useful? Creativity? IDK.
What a shot in that rearview. What. A. Shot.
Dumb Uncle Andy From Weeds Who???
I—…again with the diabolical use of music.