While I agree with the previous reviewers that this is an outstanding episode, I must add that Alex O'Loughlin's magnificent performance is but a part of the pieces that add up to more than their sum. This is truly the first episode of Criminal Minds that is completely unique. The beginning alone *feels* different - the atmosphere is charged, the turns fast and *unsettling*. It felt more like a beginning to a thriller movie that could stand shoulder to shoulder with classics like The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en. Extremely impressive.
The plot is just staggering. The details so amazing. The nuances so perfect. From cinematography to editing, music and sound effects, this just blows all the episodes out of the water. There is *nothing* thrown in needlessly - the most common flaw in any given Criminal Minds episode - this is locked tight. Way too often the series takes the audience for stupider than we are and has loads of unnecessary exposition and those embarrassing re-enacting scenes - actually for once done right here, setting an example for the following episodes.
The best thing is that there is an unpredictability that keeps the viewer constantly unsure what will happen next. This is the one time the BAU team is not instantly, routinely throwing together a profile. This is *complex*, utterly compelling, loaded with emotion. Unlike #4.8, which had delusions of grandeur starting already with its title, THIS is the first true masterpiece of the series. The lesson: downplay, don't overplay. Engage the viewer's imagination. Achieve the impossible.