Criminal Minds is Not Your Average Crime Drama

Have you noticed the crime drama craze sweeping our air waves? There are so many CSI shows on television now I can hardly keep up. CSI New York, CSI Las Vegas, and CSI Miami, all three are great shows but have a few things in common. For on the first three letters in their name, but also plots seem to follow one another, and the characters are basically the same. Let's face facts here people, murder is murder, on the East coast the West Coast and everywhere in between. What takes real talent is putting a twist on your average crime drama, to spice it up and make it fresh, Criminal Minds on CBS does just that.

The show revolves around a group of seven specialists that work for the Behavior Analysis Unit or BAU. This team is called on from all over the country to get inside the mind of serial killers, and they do a great job. Each member of them team offers something unique that contributes to solving the crime. For instance Dr. Spencer Reed is a genius, able to asses a situation at a glance, and read entire novels in a matter of minuets. Penelope Garcia is the computer analyst who stays at Quantico giving vital data to the team from a far, and Special Agent Jason Gideon, a senior field agent who always offers a cool head and words of wisdom in the most stressful situations.

The cases the BAU handles deal with murders for the most part, although there have been a few episodes dealing with abduction. The object of the team is to gather as much information as possible from the crime scene, victim's remains, and surrounding area to put together a profile of their suspect often called an un-sub or unknown subject. The way a profile works starts at the crime scene itself. What method did the murderer use? What was the significance of the body laying in a certain position, what did the wounds mean? All these questions come into play as well as outside evidence. A phone call made by the un-sub says what? Was he nervous, excited calm and cool, or evasive? By compiling this along with common sense and Dr. Reed's brilliant mind the case come together.

This show is one of the more graphic dramas on TV today. The way the bodies are describes, and the methods of their demise are gruesome to say the least. Often times torture is involved that exceeds the average person's realm of thinking. It's hard to imagine the ways human beings can think up to kill one another.

The abduction cases are slightly less graphic, but mentally disturbing. The team takes you into the mind of a child predator, rapist, and other delusional figures. The physiological aspect of this is mind blowing. In most cases the team is able to recover the victim and capture the un-sub with little physical damage done to the victim, although some episodes can throw you for a loop.

The show really keeps you guessing and there are clues at every twist and turn. The way people think is actually very disturbing and the reason why they kill, abduct or commit other crimes is beyond comprehension. The cases the BAU takes are unlike anything you'll find on your usual crime scene drama, and the worst part is, these things actually happen. This show is loosely based on fact, the crimes are fictional, but allusions are made to famous murderers like Ted Bundy and Jack the Ripper often, giving validation to the things stated in the show. After watching a few episodes I'll admit I was hooked big time, and you will be too, just promise me one thing, don't try and profile your friends after seeing Criminal Minds, although it is fun!