Secrets and lies came out on Criminal Minds Season 19 Episode 6, and it threw the entire BAU for a loop.
Throughout an hour in which Penelope Garcia proved she is the Tech Queen of the BAU, I kept waiting for something to happen that would show she was burning out.
I kept waiting for someone to stop her and properly check in on her, and it just didn’t happen.
What I didn’t expect was for her to admit to being the one to vouch for Elias Voit so that he would get life in prison instead of the death penalty.
Of course, that secret coming out was going to crack the BAU’s armor, as those whom Voit has deeply affected see Garcia’s actions as a betrayal.
However, something else stood out in the scene: Garcia saying she had been acting erratically.
Garcia Felt Very Much Like Herself
Throughout Criminal Minds Season 19, Garcia has felt very much like the person we’ve come to know and love.
She’s offered JJ and her sons space after issues with their new house, and she’s been there for Luke after Roxy’s death.
Garcia has consistently been the person who can work her magic with the keyboard when the BAU has run into issues with a case, even proving she can work on two cases at the same time.
Even her actions with Mr. Wednesday and the mentions of Mr. Saturday didn’t seem too out of the ordinary when you consider the Garcia we’ve come to know since Criminal Minds: Evolution started.
Nobody ever mentioned that Garcia was out of sorts, and as she worked on two cases at once, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Sure, she forgot some things for the cam girl case as she got so invested in figuring out the typewriter details, but that wasn’t all that surprising.
Prentiss worried that she wouldn’t be able to work both cases at the same time.
So, when she mentioned that she was acting erratically, I had to question when.
For a while, it felt like bad writing, but then I stepped back and realized it was a power move, especially for that hour.
We’ve Overlooked Garcia Just Like Her Friends
Now, it could be bad writing, but I also get a sense that it was intentional, the more that I considered just how Garcia has been overlooked by her friends.
JJ has been living with our favorite tech analyst and never mentioned it. Surely, if there was anything off about her actions or behavior, JJ would have noticed.
Luke hasn’t said anything.
In fact, he just made jokes about the men who have been in her apartment, making it clear that it appears relatively normal for her to be like this — and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it!
If her closest friends haven’t noticed that she’s been erratic, why would we? And that’s the key.
We’re in the dark just as much as anybody else, because there’s been no reason for us to pay attention.
It took an hour of Garcia expertly going back and forth between two cases for us to even be a little worried.
That was the point at which I feared she might burn out or forget something, with Prentiss or Rossi encouraging her to seek support. It’s not like she hasn’t pulled in support before.
By not showing any hint of an issue, we’ve been in the dark, as have the remaining characters.
We can feel the shock and betrayal the rest of the BAU feels as she shares her Voit secret.
Now it’s time for us to go back and look at her earlier behavior, which her friends will have to do as well.
I don’t even think that what she did was wrong, and she should have owned her decision. We know Garcia hated Voit, and we got that epic stare-down just two seasons ago.
Her decision to believe that Voit had empathy didn’t just come out of nowhere, and she didn’t always believe it. So, there’s a backstory there, and it’s time for Criminal Minds to tell it to us.
It’s also time for her friends to pay attention. Sure, they’ve all been going through their own things, but it’s clear Garcia has, and she’s made time for them. They can return the favor.
Agree? Disagree? Have another theory?
We love hearing from you and chatting about our favorite shows together! Feel free to drop your thoughts about the latest Criminal Minds plots in the comments.
When Garcia mentioned that she had been erractic on Criminal Minds, I had to ask myself when. Then I realized it was a power move.
Garcia’s abilities are put to the test, as the BAU tackles two distinct cases on Criminal Minds Season 19 Episode 6.
Luke Alvez, Tom Loftis, and Rachel Mills lead this week’s Characters of the Week, showcasing the complexity of heroism, humanity, and personal sacrifice.
