Esprits criminels : Unité parallèle

I like it. Not the best show ever made, but certainly isn't the worst. You have to separate it from the original. I appreciate that they tried to tie them together by bringing Garcia in to it, but there's no way the FBI would have only one tech master so they could have had a completely different character for that roll, but all in all I like it. I like the cast together and don't feel like I'm "missing" the cast from the original because I can watch them too. Too bad people couldn't give this show a shot as a stand alone from the same family. If you can see it as a completely different show I think you'll find its just as good as anything else out there right now. The more episodes I watch, the more I like it, which is unfortunate since its over.

Most people probably dislike the show because they were expected, basically a Criminal Minds, from this point shortened to CM, clone, and no, that is not what you are getting or should expect.

The show have after 3 episodes done a bad job at making you bond with the characters, it's almost like they expected you to have seen the episodes of CM where these people appeared, and then assumes that they don't have to give you a better insight.

In difference from CM, these people don't seem to make much of a profile, they seem more obsessed with finding small hints, that other have overseen. Only the main character seems to have some insight in the minds of the criminals, since he try to place himself in their shoes, and understand why they did what they did.

However it isn't all bad, the criminals are somewhat interesting, as well as their crimes, and there seem to be a element in the series that have been poking my mind, but I have yet to put the finger on, which might make it better with time as one get used to that element (assuming it exists, and my mind aren't tricking me). Currently this seems to be all it is living on, but I am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt(for now), but it really do help to not think of it as an attempt to clone CM, and stop comparing it to CM.

Will not recommend it, at least not in it's current form.

I was very disappointed with the first episode of this show and it seems this will be what show is about, a lesser version of true Criminal Minds.

Not a single character of this show is convincing, Forrest Whitaker has seen far better roles then this one, as a team leader he is weak, not all too likable. Basically, this show is a copy of the real Criminal Minds, only far, far worse, actually it can't stand in the same sentence with the original show. Matt Ryan character, for example, you basically couldn't understand what the guy is saying.

In all honesty, I would be very surprised if this show survives the first season, it just isn't worth it.

It started off feeling rushed and pushed but by the 7th or 8th episode they found their stride, unfortunately we'll never knew the end of the cliff hanger that they left us on in episode 13. I enjoyed how they started to bring in the characters back stories, but it did take until the 5th or 6th episode to get there. The first 3 episodes were scattered and rushed as if they didn't know exactly where they were going to go with it. I really enjoyed the cross over of Penelope Garcia from the original Criminal Minds. I hope Netflix picks this up if the actors schedules are available, however since it's already been about 5 years since this show was canceled, I highly doubt it will get picked up.

I liked it ... If you watch the pilot and first season of L&O SVU, which is also a spin off show, it was very poor. But the producers identified what (and who) worked and what didn't and by the second season fixed it and most people would now say that the show is better than the original. It's always the case with spin off shows, they are very difficult to get off the ground because people can't let go of the original and are reluctant to accept and get comfortable with new characters in the world, created by the "mother ship". Even in the original show new characters are hard to integrate when they are the replacement of a former character when Rachel Nichols came in to fill A.J Cook's position she wasn't greeted with open arms by the shows fan base even though she is a great actress and plays her role very well. But after one episode of CM:SB I would say there is room for improvement but on the whole, if you can forget about Hotch, Reid and the rest of th BAU and try to view it as just another drama series then you'll enjoy it a lot more.