Kurjuse kannul Lucky (2005– ) Online

One of the best episodes of Season 3, and up to this particular point in 'Criminal Minds' run no other episode to me disturbed me as greatly as "Lucky". No, not even "North Mammon", "The Fox" or the "No Way Out" episodes.

"Lucky" is certainly Season 3 at its most disturbing, and few episodes before were this sadistic or graphic. Just like "Elephant's Memory" was Season 3 at its most poignant and the season finale "Lo-Fi" was the season at its most tense. Season 3 was not a perfect season certainly, starting off a tad bumpy (but still actually doing surprisingly well considering the circumstances) but there are some great episodes, even exceptional. "Lucky" is one of the exceptional ones.

'Criminal Minds' nearly always had top notch production values, apart from a few lesser episodes suffering from editing problems on top of everything else wrong with them. "Lucky" is no exception. Visually, it is dark and stylish stuff, reminiscent of what you'd find for a moody thriller or a truly creepy horror and actually a combination of both. The music is full of haunting atmosphere and never feels over-the-top.

Script is thought-provoking, taut and intelligent, while the story is unsettling, tense and suspenseful to the point of giving the viewer nightmares. As said, "Lucky" is a sadistic (especially the unsub and his sickening crimes), shocking (the ending was completely unexpected and makes one really care for the fate of the character in question) and graphic, but in a way where these elements add to the atmosphere instead of feeling gratuitous like it did in another graphic episode like "Corazon" from Season 6.

No disappointments to be had with the team's chemistry, their team-work and their dynamic. Particularly strong is the challenging relationship between Morgan and Rossi (whose initial appearance when joining the show was shaky but he is steadily settling and one likes him more with each episode and he has since gone on to be one of the few reasons why the show's still being stuck with).

The revelation of Morgan's lack of faith in God and the reason also well done. The moment of friction between Morgan and Garcia was the one slightly odd note, not enough to bring down the episode but while Morgan's intentions were meant well his way of words showed a less than pleasant side to him, considering how close the two characters are that was a little jarring.

With the acting, nothing to complain about either. Kirsten Vangsness is particularly terrific of the regulars, but Jamie Kennedy was the biggest surprise. Was expecting him to be a disaster (then again was expecting that too from Frankie Muniz in "True Night"), but actually not only was he unrecognisable but out of all the unsubs from Season 3 Kennedy's Floyd is easily the freakiest, a side that one does not expect at all from Kennedy.

In conclusion, a "classic/elite" Season 3 episode, not many episodes (speaking as a huge fan) of 'Criminal Minds' have properly disturbed me but "Lucky" is one of them. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Great episode, except for the GOOF, right in the beginning!! Having lived in Florida for a long time, and familiar with the nicknames, history, etc. of Florida, when JJ is giving out the preflight briefing on the case at the BAU office... she says that 'the case was in Bridgewater, FL and that the body was found just at a nearby park, right along Alligator Alley.. a nickname for I-75.' The information about the nickname is, however, innacurate. The nickname 'Alligator Alley' is not a nickname for the entire length of I-75 in Florida, it only refers to the section of I-75 that runs east and west along the Everglades. It is the section that only runs from the Ft Lauderdale area to the Naples area. Bridgewater,however, is up closer to the Orlando area. It would be a good 3+ hour drive to dump the body along the 'Alley,' so it would not be refered to as 'right nearby.' Before improvements to the Alligator Alley section of roadway, the added lighting and the added fencing along the sides to protect the wildlife from entering the highway, the road was a tiny, two-lane road, one lane in either direction. Passing another car, in the pitch black, was indeed a death trap. If you had to pass another vehicle, you would have to drive into oncoming traffic with speeds in both directions readily exceeding 80+mph! Passing another car, was essentially like playing an extremely deadly game of 'Chicken!' Being face to face, having to drive into the oncoming traffic lane, knowing that there would be vehicles traveling at great speeds that were headed right AT YOU!! When there were crashes, and both vehicles were going 80-100 mph.. it was like driving 160-200 mph, right into a brick wall! Back in the day, before the improvements, it was definitely a white knuckle drive! Also, to add to the danger on this already scary, small two lane road, and nothing but wetlands as far as you could see, with a waterway canal running right alongside the length of the road, the gators would come out of the water and were often out sunning themselves on the embankment. Often, they would even lay themselves all the way onto the warm pavement, causing even more traffic accidents! (With so many gators - that even the most prosperous zoos would be envious - all lying so close and onto the roadway, over this particular section that crosses the Everglades/marshlands, is what originally, caused the creation of the "Alligator Alley" nickname!) Trying to stop quickly enough, once the gator appeared out of the pitch black and into the headlight beam, often proved fruitless, causing many traffic accidents and huge pileups! Nowadays, however, with the improvements of adding lanes in both directions (no more passing into oncoming traffic!) and even a separation median, new fencing, and new lighting that runs on both the north and south sides, it is protected from the gators reaching the pavement and the games of 'Chicken' from being played! The gators are still seen, very, very prevalently, sunning themselves along the canal waters embankment! It's a great drive for kids to see all the wildlife! Actually, it is a pretty great sight for tourists, and even us local residents, as well!!

Usually Don't worry about the "Outcome" of an Unsub. Lot of times they are taken Out In the episode. "Lucky" is ONE Time I'd Want to see one In The Chair!! ("Riding the Lightning" is the One time I Didn't!) Excellent Episode.

As I recall, from the one episode I saw in re-runs, Garcia was recruited by the BAU after she was caught hacking into their computer system. If I remember correctly, she was offered the job as an alternative to going to jail. Yet as the facilitator of a support group, she flagged the names of victims so the cases wouldn't be forgotten. Later, she met a man in a coffee shop who turns out to be the unsub on some open cases. He invited her for a date, and when he escorted her back to her apartment, he attempted to kill her. She accepted the date in the first place because she was angry with Morgan, who just tried to warn her to be careful about a man she knew nothing about. After she returned home from the hospital, she was given police protection. Then one of the officers protecting her was murdered. Did she even express remorse that she caused all this drama. Where were the consequences for Garcia, not that I expected her to be arrested, but it seemed to me, that she took it upon herself to flag cases, something she had no business doing, and what, everyone held her hand? Why doesn't she ever have to suffer the consequences for her wrongheaded, and possibly illegal actions. That is a real puzzle for me. She is the computer expert, so she knows the power of the internet, she was hired because she hacked into the BAU system, yet it seems nothing ever happens to her, she needs a wake-up call. Instead she puts on her I just want to see a world of sweetness and light and kittens and... gag me. I'm tired of her irresponsible behavior for which she never has to face the consequences. Have you guessed that I am not fond of this character, perhaps not Garcia herself, but the things that she takes it upon herself to do.