Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 3, Episode 8 Review

Warning: SPOILERS for Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 8.Criminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, episode 8 was a refreshing change of pace with beautiful cinematography, but the overall narrative is gearing up for an overly convoluted climax. This season of the crime procedural reboot has already included plenty of drama and heartbreak, includingWill’s death inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, episode 2. Yet, for all of A.J. Cook’s scenes of mourning as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau, the most important member of theBehavioral Analysis Unitthis episode was undoubtedly Tara Lewis (Aisha Tyler), the character for whom the episode is titled after.

Though Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) has been lingering since his debut inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 1, episode 1, the main antagonist of season 3 has been both fresh and formulaic, predictable yet powerful. In accordance withVoit’s amnesia storyline,the season-long villain has been the hijacked Sicarius network — headed by Voit’s most passionate“Disciple”, who hopes to bring back the real Voit. On behalf of the reformed killer, the Disciple and his soldiers have carried out sadistic and cruelly strategic attacks, including a cliffhanger shooting that caught Tara in the crossfire.

Aisha Tyler as Tara Lewis in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 8.

Tara’s Near-Death Experience Is Tragic & Tragically Under-Utilized

Despite The Episode’s Title, Tara’s Scenes Are Constrained

The cliffhangerending ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, episode 7left Tara and Evan Delray’s (Geoff Stults) fates uncertain, while Rebecca Wilson (Nicole Pacent) was left to earn theCriminal Mindsrite of passage of seeing your loved one covered in blood. Episode 8 immediately opens with Tara“waking up”from a“nightmare”of being shot, only for slightly off and uncanny details in her bedroom — a bloodstain on the pillow, an empty bookshelf, the unusually cold temperature — to remind her of the truth:Tara suffered two gunshot wounds to the abdomen.

Ironically, the BAU doesn’t find out about Tara’s condition until nearly ten minutes into the episode, when Rebecca calls Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster), who had just discovered Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) peacefully sleeping in Voit’s hospital room. Immediately, Rebecca reveals that Evan would be perfectly fine, but Tara’s injuries required emergency surgery. Within a surreal, dream-like state,Tara explores an otherworldly liminal space until she comes upon her deceased motherin one of the rooms.

Nicole Pacent as Rebecca and Aisha Tyler as Tara in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3, episode 8.

Tara and her mother are tender and nuanced in all the ways a complicated mother-daughter relationship ought to be.

For the rest of the episode, Tara and her mother discuss Tara’s most vulnerable memories and how they’ve contributed to her biggest flaws. The scenes with Tara and her mother are tender and nuanced in all the ways a complicated mother-daughter relationship ought to be.Tara’s mother (or at least visions of her) force Tara to confront her fears, encouraging her to fight and have the courage to love Rebecca fully. These pivotal moments are touching and perfectly acted, but they’re too widely dispersed and sadly end up feeling like the subplot instead of the main storyline.

The BAU’s Investigation Focuses On An Unlikely Suspect

Law School Evan Is Recontextualized But Eventually Redeemed

Meanwhile, the BAU hone in on the shooting, leaving JJ, Emily, Penelope, David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), Luke Alvez (Adam Rodriguez), and Tyler Green (Ryan-James Hatanaka) to work through their exhaustion and emotional distress. Yet, Tyler’s role as the BAU’s trainee works against him in “Tara,” as Tyler zeroes in on Evan as his prime suspect. There are clear clues that support the conclusion, chief of which being that Evan was the DA who convicted the man suspected of being the masked shooter — a killer Voit previously ousted from the network.

Voit kicked out the killer (known as “Mr. Lonely Heart”) because of an identical rant posted on the site and a public forum, meaning his digital footprint would have jeopardized the network.

Prentiss and Rossi ignore their skepticism when Tyler presents DNA evidence on a Yase-Otoko mask found on the dead body of Jeff Darcy (Derek Basco), Voit’s combative lawyer. The details line up a little too perfectly for such an experienced attorney, but the BAU are slow to realize thateverything connecting the shooting to Evan was meticulously planned by the Disciple. By leading the BAU on a murderous wild goose chase, the team’s attention was diverted from the true investigation: taking down the network and everyone involved.

Criminal Minds: Evolutiondoesn’t merely offer Evan as a red herring— it presents information in such a way that his guilt seems irrefutable.

Rather than quickly dismiss him as a suspect, however,Criminal Minds: Evolutioncleverly makes the audience question the reality of Evan’s character. In many ways, the show does exactly as the Disciple did; the show doesn’t merely offer Evan as a red herring — it presents information in such a way that his guilt seems irrefutable. The back-and-forth is a refreshing and totally unexpected narrative choice that makes the truth that much more effective. Rather than Tyler seeming foolish for falling for the trap, I end up identifying with him, having been swindled all the same.

Unsurprisingly, The BAU Will Need Voit’s Help To Take Down The Disciple

The Resident Killer Somehow Has An Important Connection To Rebecca

Given the Disciple’s masterminding, it’s understandable that Voit comes to assist the BAU. At this point, it would be stranger for an investigation to happen without the BAU tagging in its resident serial killer. Nonetheless, the normalcy doesn’t make it any less repetitive. The Sicarius plot is the only storyline that has never wavered since the reboot’s 2022 premiere, butI can only hope that conquering the Disciple will close the chapter of Elias Voit. Granted,Criminal Minds: Evolutionspoiled Voit’s fate, but there’s no guarantee it’s truly the end.

All episodes ofCriminal Minds: Evolutionare streaming on Paramount+.

What’s most frustrating is that the show only seems to be further entrenching Voit into the BAU, withGarcia seeking comfort in Voit inCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, episode 7. I don’t buy for a second that Voit is the“only one”who could understand Penelope’s feelings, and it feels like nothing more than a budding excuse to keep Voit around in season 4. “Tara” ends by implying a detail from an old case connecting Rebecca and Voit is the key to taking down the network, but eventhe BAU’s impending victory will feel inseparable from Voit.

Tara & Rebecca Get A Happy Ending (For Now)

Even In Its Happiest Moments, Criminal Minds: Evolution’s Flaws Shine Through

Despite the tumultuous investigation and the traumatic fallout, Tara’s injuries prove to be no match for true love. After a final conversation with her mother where scenes from Tara’s life literally flash behind her, Tara wakes up. Two weeks later,emboldened by her death dream, Tara proposes to Rebecca. It’s so sweet it’s nearly saccharine, and the comedic pacing fails to land a single time, but it’s a deservedly optimistic ending. Truthfully, I hadn’t realized how necessary a hopeful ending was untilCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3, episode 8 gave it to me.

Still, amidst the merriment and romantic cover of “Stand By Me,” there are issues nagging at the back of my mind.JJ’s promised instability inCriminal Minds: Evolutionsuddenly disappeared after her single therapy session, and I’ve been waiting in vain for weeks, hoping her storyline would truly resolve. Beyond that, there are so many talented members of theCriminal Minds: Evolutioncast of charactersthat haven’t been properly used. I can’t remember the last time Luke had an individual storyline, and even Prentiss and Rossi seem like mere figureheads at times.

These are problems the series has struggled with all season, and none of them take away from the emotional powerhouse that “Tara” was. Yet, I find myself continuously disappointed by the procedural’s inability to incorporate its full ensemble. I’m cautiously optimistic thatCriminal Minds: Evolutionseason 3 has an ambitious finale planned, but only time will tell if the drama’s underlying issues are cracks in the foundation or easy fixes that will be remedied in season 4.