Criminal Minds Evolution (2×03) Homesick Review

For our spoiler-free review of the two episode Season 2 premiere of Criminal Minds: Evolution, click here.

Last week’s premiere helped set the new path for the season, presenting Gold Star and Voit as the so-called Big Bads. Though not as simple as that, there is plenty more to unpack as far as that story is concerned. Setting so many wheels in motion in terms of subplots, the possibilities for where the story can go are seemingly endless. Working with and against Voit while Gold Star remained at large, the path to both was perhaps made clearer by the end of the episode.

Following the events at the end of last week’s premiere, Voit made it clear that he would not cooperate further without getting to see his family. Continuing to create a rift between JJ and Luke, they were tasked to bring them back, all while they tried to reconcile with whatever Voit whispered in Luke’s ear. It wasn’t hard for them to figure out what Voit was trying to do but the revelation of what he knew, and how others already knew it but kept it secret, got JJ especially riled up as she became a target. Sydney Voit, understandably reluctant to take her kids anywhere close to her estranged husband had some concerns as her family was nowhere near the same as it once was, before Elias was arrested. Maybe they just needed closure.

Prentiss’ conspiracy-theorist neighbor Brian (Paul F. Tompkins, last seen back in early Season 15 of the original series) was creating a stir with the FBI top brass as someone or something appeared to be leaking sensitive information to him so he could spread the information in his online videos. Given her proximity to him, she was begrudgingly tasked to put an end to it. While Brian seemed like a complete kook, there may be more going on. The BAU, meanwhile, had a case but it had nothing to do with Voit or Gold Star. An unsub in Houston, Texas was murdering people who have recently moved in to new homes. With the team split, tackling tasks, it was up to Rossi and Tara to solve the case. That dynamic was a fun one to watch play out on screen but it wasn’t something that they couldn’t solve. A reprieve from all the other drama, it was nice to see them back in their element.

Tyler was awol from the BAU following their recent stakeout. With his own motives to pursue Gold Star, he kept investigating the money trail on his own and in doing so, made an illegal breakthrough and learned that the problem may go further than just the US government. That being said, his status was still cause for concern for the unit, therefore, Garcia was given the awkward task to try and ascertain his whereabouts. Falling in her lap, the question became what to do with what he found.

In the end, kooky Brian didn’t look like much of a kook anymore as the end of the episode saw him lure Prentiss in and set her up to be arrested for what can now be assumed as a staged mugging. While not the first time Prentiss has found herself in danger, how it all connects, assuming it does of course, is the more pressing issue. Seeing everyone go off on tangents changes things up, making for a way to explore the mystery from different angles, but the key is to stay on target.

Homesick is a greatest hits episode of sorts with elements of the past and present that hits all the right notes.

still courtesy of Paramount+

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.