10 Criminal Minds Episodes Too Hard to Rewatch

Criminal Minds is a police procedural drama known for its dark and disturbing storylines. Some of the cases the BAU investigates become personal for the profilers, from serial killer George Foyet targeting Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner, to Dr. Spencer Reid getting addicted to Dilaudid after another unsub tortured Reid by using the drug. Other cases might not affect the BAU team directly, yet are still so disturbing or sad that fans have a hard time watching the episode, and might even skip it during a re-watch.




Episodes like “Mosley Lane”, “100” and “To Hell and Back” are infamous within the Criminal Minds fandom due to their heartbreaking endings, shocking deaths, or disturbing criminals. Criminal Minds pushes boundaries and isn’t afraid of putting its main characters through multiple life-threatening situations, which is why this procedural drama is so captivating for many. However, there are some episodes of Criminal Minds that many fans refuse to watch again because the heartbreaking or unsettling storylines are just too much to bear.


10 “Derek” Puts Derek Morgan’s Life at Risk

Season 11, Episode 16

Derek Morgan covered in sweat with a fire burning behind him in Criminal Minds. 


Written by

Breen Frazier

Directed by

Thomas Gibson

Air date

March 2, 2016

IMDb Rating

8.0

1:36

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Derek Morgan is one of the most popular Criminal Minds characters, who has been on the show from the very first episode. Morgan is tough and usually the most physically fit out of all the BAU team members, but in “Derek,” his strength and endurance are put to the test in the worst way possible. “Derek” sees Morgan abducted and tortured by a dangerous group hired by the father of serial killer Giuseppe Montolo. Giuseppe’s father held Derek Morgan personally responsible for Giuseppe’s death.


“Derek” isn’t the first time one of the BAU members has been tortured or held captive, as many might remember Emily Prentiss’ torture and fake death in the Season 6 episode “Lauren,” as well as JJ’s torture in the Season 9 episode “200,” for example. However, “Derek” pushes things a little too far and the over-the-top cruel and violent torture Morgan goes through is the the reason main why “Derek” could be hard to watch again for many Criminal Minds fans.

9 “100” Changed Aaron Hotchner’s Life Forever

Season 5, Episode 9

Hotch crying on the phone with Foyet and Haley in Criminal Minds.


Written by

Bo Crese

Directed by

Edward Allen Bernero

Air date

November 25, 2009

IMDb Rating

9.2

George Foyet is a Criminal Minds unsub who personally targeted Hotch throughout multiple episodes, beginning with the Season 4 episode, “Omnivore.” Only this time, Foyet targets Hotch’s family. His ex-wife Haley and their son Jack were under protective custody after Foyet’s latest attack on Hotch, but in “100,” Foyet finally finds them.

“100” might be one of Aaron Hotchner’s most memorable episodes, but it is so heart-wrenching that it makes sense many fans would rather skip this episode when doing a re-watch. Hotch does his best to rush to save his family, but as he talks to Foyet on the phone, Hotch knows he’s not going to make it. Haley realizes this too and knows what’s going to happen, so she makes sure to say her final goodbye to Hotch, while the entire BAU is listening in on the call as well. Hotch’s grief and sorrow, and his rage once he gets to Foyet are scenes that linger long after the episode is over. And while the episode might be one of the best and most powerful in the entire series, it makes sense many can’t watch this Criminal Minds episode more than once.


8 “The Uncanny Valley” Introduced One of the Most Sympathetic Unsubs

Season 5, Episode 12

An unsub nurse sits with a human doll in Criminal Minds

Written by

Breen Frazier

Directed by

Anna Foerster

Air date

January 13, 2010

IMDb Rating

8.4

There are some unsubs in Criminal Minds that might earn the sympathy of the viewers, either because of their background, motivations or due to extenuating circumstances. And such is the case of the unsub from the episode “The Uncanny Valley.” This Criminal Minds episode follows the BAU investigation of a criminal who seems to be abducing a specific type of woman. But the truths the Criminal Minds profilers unearth in “The Uncanny Valley” might be too disturbing and heartbreaking for some viewers.


The unsub in “The Uncanny Valley” turns out to be Samantha Malcolm, a woman who is abducting women to seemingly recreate a doll set she had as a young girl. But while she might be committing a serious crime, the only thing she truly wanted was to have her dolls back. These dolls were a gift from her father, who abused her and put her through electroshock therapy for many years to hide said abuse. The dolls were Samantha’s only means of comfort, and when she saw her father giving the dolls to another girl, it pushed her into a psychotic break. The disturbing abuse Samantha’s father put her through for many years is a dark revelation that many Criminal Minds fans would rather not hear again. And while Samantha’s father is arrested in the end, as well as Samantha herself for her own crimes, there’s really no happy ending in this Criminal Minds episode.


7 “North Mammon” Features One of the Saddest Deaths in Criminal Minds

Season 2, Episode 7

A photo of Brooke Chambers, Polly Homefeldt, and Kelly Seymour in their soccer uniforms.

Written by

Andrew Wilder

Directed by

Matt Earl Beesley

Air date

November 1, 2006

IMDb Rating

8.0

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When three teenage girls go missing, the mother of one of them pleads for the BAU to take their case. And while at first, it seemed like any other Criminal Minds episode, the shocking twist and painful ending to “North Mammon” make it a Criminal Minds episode that might be hard to re-watch. As the BAU team tries to find the three girls, the teenagers are held captive and forced to choose one of them to kill. They have to do it themselves, too, and their abductor assures them that if they choose, the other two will be free to go.

This is a sinister twist by the unsub, who proves just how vile he can be. Feeling as though they have no choice, the girls eventually decide on one of them to kill. The scene as two of the three girls eventually leave their captivity before the BAU even finds them is upsetting, especially knowing they had to kill one of their friends. Even if they survived, knowing the trauma that these girls will have to live with leaves a sour taste in the viewers’ mouths, and makes it hard to re-watch this Criminal Minds episode.


6 “Zugzwang” Was Too Much For Many Reid Fans

Season 8, Episode 12

Spencer Reid crying after the murder of Maeve in "Zugzwang" in Criminal Minds

Written by

Breen Frazier

Directed by

Jesse Warn

Air date

January 16, 2013

IMDb Rating

8.6

Spencer Reid is probably one of the most beloved Criminal Minds characters, thanks to his quirky and innocent personality that strongly contrasts those of the rest of the BAU team. However, Criminal Minds introduced many controversial storylines involving Reid. And one that fans felt took things too far was Maeve’s death in “Zugzwang.”


Reid is one of the characters who’s suffered the most in Criminal Minds. For this reason, when Spencer was finally happy and in love after finding Maeve, many fans were happy and hopeful for his future. But “Zugzwang” took that away from Reid by killing Maeve, and many Criminal Minds fans were upset and disappointed that Reid couldn’t have his happy ending. Seeing Reid’s heartbreak and grief after Maeve’s death proved to be too much for some fans, who were unable to watch “Zugzwang” again.

5 “To Hell and Back” Might Be the Most Disturbing Criminal Minds Season Finale

Season 4, Episodes 25 & 26


“To Hell and Back”

Part 1

Part 2

Written by

Chris Mundy

Edward Allen Bernero

Directed by

Charles Haid

Edward Allen Bernero

Air date

May 20, 2009

May 20, 2009

IMDb Rating

8.4

8.7

“To Hell and Back” is one of the most memorable Criminal Minds season finales, and one of the most disturbing as well. The fact that this Criminal Minds episode is based on real life makes it even more disturbing and hard to watch. “To Hell and Back” takes the BAU team to Canada after a US veteran, William Hightower, crashes into a guard shack on the US-Canada border, and demands to speak to the BAU.


Hightower had a plan in mind when he crashed into the guard shack, however, and once the BAU team arrived and talked to him, they realized Hightower might not be what he seemed. As the BAU investigates, they uncover one of the most prolific and disturbing criminal duos, who were abducting and killing vulnerable people from the streets. They would then dispose of the bodies by giving them to their pigs as food, and this revelation not only traumatizes the BAU profilers, but the viewers watching at home as well. It is mainly because of this last creepy revelation that many Criminal Minds fans have a hard time watching this two-part season finale.

4 “Mosley Lane” Features Unspeakable Crimes Against Children

Season 5, Episode 16

Evan Peters' Charlie looking over in fear with Aimee and Mae cowering against him in Criminal Minds "Mosley Lane."

Written by

Simon Mirren & Erica Messer

Directed by

Matthew Gray Gubler

Air date

March 3, 2010

IMDb Rating

8.9


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There are many Criminal Minds episodes that sadly involved children as victims of some heinous crimes, but many fans remember “Mosley Lane” as one of the hardest to watch. Not only are the unsubs disturbing and their crimes completely atrocious, but the grief of the parents of the young victims is heartbreaking to watch. The Roycewoods were a disturbing couple who would abduct and kill children for years before the BAU team eventually found them. Charlie Hillridge, one of the children the couple abducted, spent eight years with them and was even forced to help in their crimes.


By the time the BAU is able to locate the Roycewoods, not all the children make it alive. In one of the most heartbreaking scenes, Charlie tells the parents of Stephen, another boy who was kidnapped by the Roycewoods, that Stephen died saving another little girl who was abducted. Stephen’s parents’ realization that Stephen was alive just a day ago is a heart-wrenching scene that many Criminal Minds fans would rather skip, as the scene, like the entire episode, might be too much for some.

3 “The Lesson” Traumatized More Than One Viewer

Season 8, Episode 10

Five people on a stage, two strung up as marionettes and one dressed as a robber, Criminal Minds

Written by

Janine Sherman Barrois

Directed by

Matthew Gray Gubler

Air date

December 5, 2012

IMDb Rating

8.2


Many Criminal Minds know that the episodes directed by Matthew Gray Gubler are probably some of the creepiest and most disturbing Criminal Minds episodes. “The Lesson” is proof of this, as it features some creepy imagery and an unsub turning his victims into real-life marionettes.

“The Lesson” is a hard episode to re-watch for many impressionable fans, as some scenes in this Criminal Minds episode might be nightmare-inducing. The human marionettes are frightening, and the twists and revelations in this episode make for a highly memorable episode. One that many viewers might not want to watch more than once.

2 “Into the Woods” Is One of the Saddest Criminal Minds Episodes Featuring Young Victims

Season 6, Episode 9

Bobby Brooks in the Criminal Minds episode Into the Woods


Written by

Kimberly Ann Harrison

Directed by

Glenn Kershaw

Air date

November 17, 2010

IMDb Rating

7.7

“Into the Woods” is one of those Criminal Minds episodes that leaves viewers bitter and hopeless by the end. This episode begins as a couple and their two young children camp in the woods, and while the grown-ups are sleeping, a man abducts the two siblings. What follows are some of the most unsettling scenes in Criminal Minds, where, without showing any gore or violence, there’s enough for the viewers to be upset about.


The unsub in “Into the Woods” is a disgusting and perturbed man who not only assaults one of the two kids, he then tries to give the boy to others to do the same. Luckily, the kids are eventually reunited with their parents, but the unsub in “Into the Woods” is able to escape. The final scene in this Criminal Minds episode is extremely disheartening, and it is understandable why many fans wouldn’t want to watch this episode again.

1 “Lucky” Made Many Viewers Feel Sick

Season 3, Episode 8

Male unsub nicknamed Lucky, Criminal Minds

Written by

Andrew Wilder

Directed by

Steve Boyum

Air date

November 14, 2007

IMDb Rating

8.2


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“Lucky” is probably one of the creepiest and most disturbing Criminal Minds episodes and one that many fans probably remember. This episode deals with one of the most shocking and unsettling Criminal Minds unsubs, and his actions and crimes may make many viewers feel sick. “Lucky” starts with an ominous scene, as a patient at a hospital for the criminally insane is released after he reaches the age of eighteen.

The patient, Floyd Feylinn Ferell, was a cannibalistic serial killer who surreptitiously made other people eat his victims as well. This is one of the most disgusting and shocking revelations of “Lucky,” especially knowing Ferell joined the search party for one of his latest victims, only to feed the victim to the unsuspecting volunteers. “Lucky” is without a question one of the most horrifying Criminal Minds episodes, and it makes sense that many fans are unable to watch that episode more than once.


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