The Longest Night
- Episode aired Sep 22, 2010
- TV-14
- 44m
As The Prince of Darkness continues his murderous rampage across California, the BAU go after him to save Detective Spicer's daughter from him.As The Prince of Darkness continues his murderous rampage across California, the BAU go after him to save Detective Spicer's daughter from him.As The Prince of Darkness continues his murderous rampage across California, the BAU go after him to save Detective Spicer's daughter from him.
- Kristin
- (as Austin Highsmith)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIsabella Murad, who plays 8 year old Ellie Spicer, was actually 12 years old at the time.
- GoofsEllie is very obviously not 8 years old as everyone claims. Isabella Murad was 12 when the episode was filmed.
- Quotes
Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau: Billy? Billy Flynn? Mr. Flynn, I don't know for sure if you can hear me. My name is Jennifer Jareau. I... I work for the FBI as a Communications Liaison for the... the Behavioral... uh... okay Mr. Flynn, I... I want to talk you about letting Ellie Spicer go. I mean, I want to ask you to. See uh, I'm not a hostage negotiator. I've never done anything like this at all ever... but um... sometimes circumstances its... Look. You can tell, I'm not a hostage negotiator, but I am a mother. I know what your mother did to you when you were little, what she was, what she made you watch, what she let men do to you and it makes me so... it's just not fair. And no one can make that better, I wish I could, I do, but if I could somehow go back there, you know, and make what was happening to you stop, I could just pick you up and just tell you it'll all be okay. That's what moms are supposed to do. They're not supposed to be the cause of your pain, they're supposed to make it go away. They're supposed to hold you and tell you everything is going to be alright. They're supposed to tell you that thunder is angels bowling. And that it's okay to be afraid of the dark, and it isn't silly to think there might be monsters in your closet. And that it's okay if you want to climb into bed with them just this once because it's scary in the room all alone... They're supposed to say it's okay to be afraid, and not be the thing you're afraid of. But most importantly, they're supposed to love you no matter what. What happened to you it isn't fair, it isn't right. I'm supposed to empathize with you... sympathize... understand... but I can't. That... that would be a lie. The truth is I don't understand what you've done, I don't sympathize with you killing people all these years, and I especially don't understand you taking Ellie. What I can do is tell you what a mother should tell you, that you can't take away your pain by hurting someone else, that it doesn't make all the nights you had to hide scared and alone any better if you scare someone the way you're scaring Ellie. What happened to you... it isn't fair, but what you're doing to her isn't fair either. And if anyone should understand what that feels like it's you. You have the power, you can do what you want to do, but for once you can chose to use that power to do for Ellie what should have been done for you. You can chose letting her go. You can chose teaching her that, yes, there are monsters, and it's okay to be afraid of them. But it's not okay to let them win, and it's not okay to be one.
It was flawed sure, like lapses in continuity and credibility and one performance that didn't do much for me but overall it was a solid season finale.
The general consensus is that "The Longest Night" of the two episodes forming the two parter is the better episode, and it is a consensus this reviewer very much agrees with. The case is more developed, more is learnt the character of Billy Flynn and one is told why he is like this and slightly (if not by much, who could really fully sympathise with sometimes who's killed so many people) understand so.
"The Longest Night" is not perfect, with Robert Davi agreed having very little to do and there is a little humour here and there that doesn't really mesh well in such a dark story. As well as more development on the mystery and Flynn's character, what makes "The Longest Night" an improvement over "Our Darkest Hour" are fewer continuity lapses, credibility is more consistent and after not being hugely impressed by her in the previous episode with meatier material and wider range of emotions needed Isabella Murad's acting is much improved and much more confident.
'Criminal Minds' has always been a very well made series, and "The Longest Night" is not an exception with stylish filming, nice locations and while not as chilling as in "Our Darkest Hour" use of lighting and darkness is still effective. Music is pretty minimal here, but what there is, most of it being some very haunting use of Leonard Cohen (especially "Dance Me to the End of Love") fits well.
Writing here continues to be solid on the whole, Flynn's dialogue especially his answer to why he kills is bone-chilling, the ending is tense and somewhat moving and JJ's speech over the radio is one of the series' most poignant moments. The story is more developed this time round, it's paced well and it all makes sense and has good atmosphere. The chemistry between Flynn and Ellie is crucial to making the story work, and the dynamic works wonderfully with some genuine tension going on between the two.
All of the regular 'Criminal Minds' cast excel, Shemar Moore gets the lion's share and Morgan's angst is acted with real brooding intensity but one has to credit AJ Cook too, she shines very well here too especially in the speech. Once again though, Tim Curry dominates, the creepiness he brings to Billy Flynn being positively skin-crawling and in the best of ways.
In summary, a series premiere that improves over a still solid series finale. 8/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jun 29, 2016
Details
- Runtime44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD