Between Voit’s amnesia, the Zookeeper, and Will’s death, Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 episode 2 kept pain at the center. I was pissed Voit woke up but to worry about his amnesia in the same episode that JJ loses her husband was awful. Losing a parent hurts more than anything, so this plot hit close to home for me.
As I watched season 3 episode 3, "Time to Say Goodbye," I felt all Henry and Michael's emotions: lost, confused, and wondering how life can change so fast. The storyline shed light on grief within a family: Will’s spouse (JJ), his sons (Henry and Michael), his mother (Connie), his mother-in-law (Sandy), and his friends (law enforcement). Each person’s reaction broke my heart as I analyzed this week’s evidence in our recap and review. SPOILERS BELOW.
What happened in Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 episode 3
In episode 3, grief takes center stage as JJ processes Will’s sudden death. Although she’s breaking inside, she’s still holding everyone together. She comforts everyone to keep from falling apart, which makes this episode even more heartbreaking. From family drama with her mother-in-law to trying to solo-parent, JJ never backs down from standing up for her sons.
As the team prepares for the funeral, they distract themselves by trying to recover Voit’s serial killer memories by reconnecting him with his lone survivor. Voit still doesn’t know who he is or what he’s done, but he’s relearning words and discovers the heartbreak of not seeing his family.
The funeral mentions former agents and memories from the last 18 years with Will. Emily reminds us how JJ and Will had a love like no other, Penelope touches on Will’s kindness, and JJ reveals Will’s morning notes to her. Every piece of Will is heartwarming.
A serial killer with amnesia
Voit’s amnesia pisses me off and breaks my heart. He’s a convincing villain to the point of soul-crushing. He doesn’t know who he is, why he’s cuffed, or why he can’t see his family, and I don’t know how to feel. If he doesn’t recover soon, my emotions are going to be permanently out of whack.
His only survivor, Ramona, decides to start healing by helping the BAU prove that Voit is the serial killer we know he is. I clapped for her as she faced Voit, as she saw firsthand his memory loss. The man of her nightmares didn’t remember hurting her, but she remembered it all. Hopefully, she can uncover his serial killer side and be the voice for all those he silenced.
Dr. Spencer Reid returns for Will LaMontagne Jr.'s funeral
Grief is a fickle thing, and Will’s sudden passing hit everyone hard. Everyone was shocked and broken because Will touched many lives on and off the job. His memory will live forever through his family, friends, coworkers, and Criminal Minds fans. Sadly, his funeral paved the way for Spencer (Matthew Gray Gubler) to return and finally hug his friends. Every little moment made me cry.
Reid reminded JJ that he’d always be there for them. Along with the Will and JJ flashbacks, Spencer’s visit made the episode feel like the original Criminal Minds run. Everyone reminisced about the 18 years we had with the LaMontagne-Jareau family.
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 episode 3 review
Criminal Minds: Evolution season 3 episode 3 broke my heart as it shed light on grief. Although Criminal Minds is known for death and gore, the death of a recurring character, of a husband and father, hurts so much. It is a reminder that loss can happen anytime. Criminal Minds fans have experienced the team losing a spouse before: Rossi lost Krystal to her illness, and Hotch lost Haley to a serial killer. All cases were awful. One thing remains constant: the team shows up for each other.
I love that Hotch, Derek, and Spencer sent flowers for the funeral. Just mentioning them felt like coming home. But then, Reid walked in the door. Like fans, Henry knew Reid would show up. Henry and Michael will still have father figures among the men who have moved on (Hotch, Derek, and Spencer) and those in the BAU (Rossi, Tyler, and Luke). I think Josh Stewart knew Will’s family would be in good hands.
I appreciated that Will’s funeral and the grief were the main focus. Voit’s scene didn’t overshadow the team’s loss; instead, it served as a distraction as they processed the news. Life doesn’t stop, but we can remember to focus more on those around us.
Additional Evidence
- Rossi tells Connie and Sandy that grief isn’t always up to us, and our actions aren’t who we are during this time. But, reminded them Roslyn and Will would want them to live for those still on earth.
- Prentiss reveals that Spencer got the morning off because of JJ’s time at the State Department. The callbacks in episode 3 were soul-crushing, but also felt like coming home to the early days of Criminal Minds.
All seasons of Criminal Minds are streaming on Paramount+.