'Criminal Minds' Season 15 Episode 5 Recap: Matt risks it all to save Luke and we truly adore this friendship
After the sweet episode that was 'Saturday', 'Criminal Minds' shook us all this week with our favorite agents Matt Simmons and Luke Alvez getting kidnapped to be killed. Now you have to understand just how terrifying it is to have the main characters of a show that's on its way to the end, come in harm's way. We were almost certain that we lost them but the BAU leaves no man behind.
The absolutely terrifying, super emotional and fast-paced episode started off with random strangers being killed by a shooter who's like a ghost - no one sees the UnSub and no one knows where the shot comes from. The team starts investigating the shootings, only to figure out that it could be a copycat of a serial killer they had caught earlier. They first think of Phillip Dowd from season one, the budding long-distance serial killer and shooter but then realized that Spencer Reid had shot him. They then start looking for a copycat - and it lands them straight in Illinois.
Knowing that the copycat was sticking to Dowd's victimology, the team thinks that the next target could be the local police chief. But as it turns out, it wasn't a copycat at all. It was someone shooting the victims at a close distance so as to get the BAU's attention, most importantly, Luke and Matt's. So while tailing the chief, the two get kidnapped and the shooter turns out to be the brother of a former gang member, someone the duo had put away. His brother had been beaten to death in prison and he blamed them for it. And, of course, there were multiple shooters.
Outnumbered, drugged and tortured, the two come up with a plan to divide the gang, but Luke suggests he use himself as bait. Can this man ever try not to be selfless? Thankfully, Matt beats him to it. He lies to the kidnapper that he had used Bobby as an informant and that someone in the gang had found out and killed him. By this time, Matt's managed to get himself free of the handcuffs after using a nail on the wall that he took out with his bare hands (sigh!) and he immediately grabs the kidnapper. Luke also breaks free and the two shoot most of the men using their own guns. But, they don't see a shooter creep up from behind. He almost shoots Luke, but Rossi breaks in at just the right time and kills him.
This episode, called 'Ghost' was all about unfinished businesses but what was truly a great theme was the brotherhood between Matt and Luke. The team is like a family as Reid later points out on the plane and 'Ghost' really showed us that. They work like a well-oiled machine, but with feelings. Gotta love that!
Catch 'Criminal Minds' on Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/PT on CBS.
