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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 18 Episode 3 “Time to Say Goodbye.”]

A.J. Prepare dinner delivers her finest efficiency of the sequence within the Prison Minds: Evolution episode (directed by Joe Mantegna!) following the surprising loss of life of JJ’s husband, Will. It’s one that ought to however sadly in all probability gained’t get the acknowledgement by awards voters it deserves.

This can be a JJ who’s attempting to be robust for her children and her mom (Sweet Clark), fighting having Will’s mom, Connie (Linda Lavin), round criticizing and blaming her for not realizing about her son’s well being points, and customarily simply attempting to carry it collectively. She succeeds in doing that final bit, however simply barely and understandably. All in all, it’s a strong post-death episode, particularly for one which has as main an affect on a foremost character as this one does (they had been collectively 18 years!) and it options Matthew Grey Gubler‘s long-awaited return as Dr. Spencer Reid.

Whereas the remainder of the workforce continues to work the Voit (Zach Gilford) case, Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) and Prentiss (Paget Brewster) are there for JJ … as a lot as she’ll allow them to be. Meaning taking cellphone calls about Will’s dentist appointment and serving to search for his final birthday current for his or her son Michael; Connie has passive aggressively promised to undergo the entire home. Placing herself first shouldn’t be egocentric, Prentiss tells her, and he or she desires to curve into the fetal place simply watching it as JJ holds everybody else collectively. She’s all the time been the glue, Garcia provides. JJ wonders what the choice is as they head house for the night time.

After Connie learns from her grandson Henry (Mekhai Andersen) that Will had an oncologist, JJ assures her these checks had come again all clear and explains protecting his well being personal was his resolution. However as Connie sees it, she deserved to know and will have visited extra. It will get worse when, the morning of Will’s funeral, issues are tense on the breakfast desk over frittatas and the household recipe. As soon as the children are out of the room, JJ asks if they will simply discover a method to assist each other, however Connie argues she has no thought what she’s going via, that dropping a partner and youngster usually are not the identical factor (so there’s one thing else she doesn’t know…). Connie seems like she’s drowning, and the one means she thinks that JJ might ever perceive how she feels could be if Will handed down no matter sickness that was and her boys died earlier than her. JJ, after all, doesn’t react properly to that and reminds Connie that her sons misplaced their father. As JJ sees it, Connie’s appearing like a toddler and he or she tells her she must “develop the f**okay up or get the f**okay out,” and her mother-in-law slaps her throughout the face then walks out.

Then, Connie declares that she’s not planning to attend the funeral. She does, although she refuses to drive over with the others. Rossi (Mantegna) is the one to get via to her, in a candy scene with the 2 of them and JJ’s mom Sandy. He shares that he and his spouse misplaced a toddler, which finally led to the loss of life of their marriage. How they grieve isn’t all the time as much as them, he notes. Going contained in the church, watching the boys develop up, that’s one thing Will can’t do, Connie says, and he or she doesn’t know why she’s outlived her son.

Contained in the church, Prentiss factors out flowers from Hotch, Morgan, and Reid, who despatched her a textual content … and that’s when Matthew Grey Gubler returns (wanting similar to Reid all the time has), becoming a member of JJ and the boys to hug them every and as a household. He then sits with the others.

Prentiss is the primary to face as much as converse, citing one of many instances she and Will had been at risk and he advised her he was going to marry JJ, then did. “You and May have a sort of love that comes round as soon as, when you’re fortunate, and my God, had been you two fortunate,” she says to JJ. Garcia then recollects Will calling her and providing to assist her transfer and being very critical about it, with a lot bubble wrap that it made her really feel cherished. She is aware of it will destroy him to see all of them holding their damaged hearts.

Then it’s JJ’s flip — and a masterful efficiency from A.J. Prepare dinner — as she reveals that Will left her notes each morning all around the home that she’s positive he knew she saved even when she by no means advised him. “I’ll discover you in each lifetime and love you much more,” she reads, and “Don’t get shot immediately. We’ve a sizzling date tonight.” She shares, “He was a romantic. Each morning, it doesn’t matter what, he would write me considered one of these little notes. Besides that morning. He wasn’t himself. I ought to have recognized. As a result of he didn’t write a observe.” Then she begins crying and her façade breaks.

“This isn’t the deal we made. Our boys aren’t imagined to develop up with no dad!” JJ says, getting offended. “We had been on this collectively! That morning, you didn’t get Michael and Henry off to high school, they didn’t get to see you. That morning would be the final time I heard your voice and it wasn’t goodbye or I like you. You wanted assist, and I couldn’t prevent. I allow you to down, and I’m so sorry.” She then turns to her sons, “I’m so sorry for that, boys. I’m misplaced. I don’t understand how to do that.” And that’s after we see that Connie is standing at the back of the church, watching her.

As everybody recordsdata out after, JJ remarks she nonetheless can’t consider Reid made it. “I’m all the time right here for you guys,” he guarantees earlier than becoming a member of the others outdoors for hugs (and kisses, from Rossi, after all).

Reid’s the final one to stick with JJ at Will’s graveside after the burial, earlier than they stroll off collectively. And that’s it from Gubler. It’s a brief, bittersweet return from Reid. It’s likes no time has handed. And sure, JJ wanted him by her aspect — these two had been shut, although to be trustworthy, we do attempt to neglect that love confession ever occurred — however it will’ve been good to additionally get to see him concerned within the case as a result of watching his mind work was all the time such an enormous a part of the character as properly.

Following the funeral, the workforce and JJ’s mother collect at Garcia’s. It’s right here we learn the way Reid was in a position to present up and why he left: His supervisor labored with JJ on the state division and gave him the morning off. (And so we nonetheless have questions on simply what Reid’s doing nowadays.) That is additionally when JJ acknowledges that she must really feel all of the ache and grief. She admits to Tara (Aisha Tyler) that she’s having bother sleeping as a result of each time she closes her eyes, Will’s proper there, so it’s both preserve her eyes open to keep away from the fact the place he’s not there or sleep and get misplaced within the dream he’s. Tara tells her that her grief will are available in waves, so all she will be able to do is simply experience it out.

Then comes top-of-the-line scenes (and hugs) of the episode: Rossi speaking to JJ about dropping his partner and their final phrases. He couldn’t bear in mind if he mentioned “I like you,” however he is aware of she knew, similar to Will did. Demise is each an finish and a starting, of a unique relationship, he explains. She’ll nonetheless converse to her husband and surprise what he thinks about one thing, what he’d say to the children when she wants him, as a result of he was her different half and he lives on in her coronary heart. He advises her to do extra of what she did on the church and say what she feels when she does as a result of it exhibits her boys it’s okay to let it out.

Again house, JJ and Connie do start to make things better. Connie thanks her for loving her son, her grandsons, and herself and asks if she will be able to go to extra. And since she goes to mattress, she makes positive to inform JJ she loves her.

The episode then ends on the reveal of Will’s ultimate present to Michael, which Henry discovered: The LaMontagne’s How-To Information (fish, shave, make espresso, the frittata, and so on.). Will didn’t wish to threat lacking something, JJ realizes, as a result of caring for the boys was his life and being gone was his worst concern. And with that, JJ and Henry cry collectively over their loss.

What did you consider Matthew Grey Gubler’s return as Reid and the farewell to Will? Tell us within the feedback part under.

Prison Minds: Evolution, Thursdays, Paramount+