SPOILERS
“Wheels Up” was a great season opener, resolving the
cliffhanger and definitely setting up for some interesting times ahead.
The episode picks up where the last one ended, the aftermath
of the trap set up by Peter Lewis, AKA Mr. Scratch. Walker is dead and Emily is
missing, but everyone else is sent to the hospital with treatable injuries. It
is up to Garcia, new agent Matt Simmons, Luke, and Spence to use Walker’s and
Emily’s research into Scratch to find his location and rescue Emily. They use
the radio frequency from the trap to track down his “IT department” and from
there his hideout. There is a chase and Scratch ends up hanging off the side of
the building. Luke makes the decision to not help him and lets him fall to his
death. One more monster gone.
There are so many little details in the episode that just
resonated with me. I was surprised at how much they managed to pack in. For
example, Rossi’s little scheme to get Luke and Spence into his office was definitely
worth a laugh. JJ and Will’s little conversation about what the future could be
like, her as a full-time mom and him owning a breakfast place was so cute. Spence
so frustrated at how he’s lost his touch was so jarring, a big hint as to where
his character is going to go this season as he deals with his PTSS from prison.
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| Emily flatlines as Scratch tortures her. |
Of course I have to talk about the scenes with Emily and
Scratch. I didn’t figure out it was all a delusion until she did, so I was
right there with her the entire time. My heart was pounding constantly and I
had to look away for some stuff. I thought it was very clever how they used
Emily’s previous brush with death to be the thing that brings her back and out
of the delusion. I also liked how they brought back up the idea of Hotch again;
I thought I heard somewhere he might be coming back, but maybe they squashed
that rumor in this episode. However, I think using Scratch was a very mature
and not too abrupt way of getting Hotch out of the story.
I am sad to see the character of Stephen Walker go. I really
did like him. But I do like Matt Simmons so far and I will keep an open mind
with him going forward in the season. The team is mostly back together, and I
think the last scene is going to set the tone for the whole season. Emily
shares the mantra that kept her grounded, two simple words, “Wheels up”. Their
words, their little battle cry, their reason for existing, their strength. Last
season they were a bit torn apart, with Hotch leaving and Spence in prison. I
hope this means this season is going to have them even more grow closer as a
family, referencing this episode whenever possible.
Wheels up.
10/10
