Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #699 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-04-06
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Number of discs: 5
• Running time: 823 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
"Find the fetish, find the fiend." This is the queasily compelling Criminal Minds' version of "Save the cheerleader, save the world," and it drives each dark and disturbing episode. Before this pivotal season can really get down to cases, it must deal with some unfinished business. Mandy Patinkin, who announced he would be leaving the series, was given a graceful exit, but not before his character, ace FBI profiler Gideon begins to doubt his abilities and sanity in the aftermath of the murder of his girlfriend at the end of last season. Meanwhile, his protégé, Hotch (Thomas Gibson) is under pressure from Section Chief Erin Strauss (Jayne Atkinson) to resign the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), and Prentiss (Paget Brewster) submits her resignation rather than get dirt on him for Erin. All it takes to keep the team intact is for Strauss to join them at work on a particularly disturbing case involving a man using his son to lure unsuspecting women ("He's going to kill you, you know"). And speaking of unfinished business, enter Gideon's replacement, David Rossi (Joe Mantegna, an inspired choice), a BAU legend who returns to the unit he helped found. He claims he just wants to help with the BAU "an agent down," but his true motivation will become clear as the season unfolds Suffice to say it involves an extremely cold case that continues to haunt him. Rossi's introduction is the accessible entry for viewers new to the series, as they, along with Rossi, get to meet the other team members, including hunky Derek (Shemar Moore), bookish genius Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), and colorful computer whiz Penelope Garcia (Kristen Vangsness). This season, the team is confronted with nightmarish cases, involving all manner of killers (including one cannibal). Working together to catch these "unsubs" before they can claim another victim offers further opportunities for what Rossi calls "personal growth." In a two-part episode, Shemar must confront his crisis of faith. In another episode, Reid attends a support group for his addiction (another development from last season). Two cases hit particularly close to home. In one, a team member is shot, and in the explosive season finale, another is targeted by terrorists. Considering Criminal Minds's intensity level, even the bonus gag reel, comprised of pratfalls, tension-breaking clowning, and even a birthday cake break for Mantegna, can be unsettling! There is something to be said for having a week to unwind between new episodes. A Criminal Minds marathon can seriously creep you out. And we mean that in a good way. --Donald Liebenson

Synopsis
This popular show follows a group of FBI agents as they go inside the minds of vicious murderers. Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna stars as David Rossi in this third series (replacing Mandy Patinkin), an original founder of the Behavioral Analysis Unit who returns to action as a profiler; in addition to Mantegna, CRIMINAL MINDS stars Thomas Gibson as the group's leader. Solving mysteries by delving into the psychology of serial killers and terrorists, each of the group's members are able to offer special insight into specific cases: Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore) helps to solve crimes of obsession; Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) employs her computer skills to gather clues; and Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) uses his considerable intelligence to crack cases, despite his substandard social skills. Offering insight into both real and fictional crimes, this show is an essential for drama devotees. This collection presents the complete third series.

Customer Reviews

Criminal minds just gets better
Having thoroughly enjoyed seasons 1 and 2 of criminal minds I have been watching the third season on Virgin 1 over here, which finished two weeks ago. Season 3 is fantastic and criminal minds just keeps getting better. This season sees the departure of Mandy Patinkins character Jason Gideon, he is replaced by David Rossi (played by Joe Mantegna).

This season was affected by the writers strike in America so it has been cut short by 2 or 3 episodes. However it is full of fantastic episodes such as the 2 part episode Lucky and Penelope the latter focuses on Garcias character and we learn more about her. other fantastic episodes are true night, damaged in which we learn a bit more about David Rossi, in heat and tabula rasa.

This season also has the episode Lo-Fi the absolutley mind blowing season finale, which will leave you hungry for season 4. I'm getting this as soon as it comes out. This is the season not to be missed by any criminal minds fan.

Good TV
I missed Criminal Minds when it was on TV and have been catching up on DVD. Now I can't wait for Season 4 to come out on DVD. Criminal Minds is great TV and well-written and acted. The thing that has really impressed me is how the writers and producers and everyone on set took up in season 3 after the hasty departure of Mandy Patinkin (playing Jason Gideon) at the end of the second season. As the oldest member of the team and the emotional centre in many ways, you'd think Gideon would be hard to replace, but the new man, David Rossi (Joe Mantegna, Mamet's 'go to' guy) is even better at holding the troubled world of the serial killer in view. He brings depth and a bit of tension to the team. The pace has changed and in good ways.

Yeah, it's just TV but there are few shows with such confidence. Occasionally the plots are solvable by the watcher before the close but that's less important than the coherence of all the different performances.

Sometimes I feel the direction is a bit untrusting of the viewer. The camera jerks round to catch everyones' reactions in a conversation and that's just not necessary. If they'd trust us (and the actors) more, there would be more energy or understanding into the thing. A quibble only. I like it.

Goes from strength to strength !
Veteran actor Joe Mantegna has filled Mandy Patinkins boots nicely considering how well the latter moulded the role of Gideon as being something of a father figure for the BAU members.He plays legendary David Rossi,who was with Gideon and a few others when profiling was in its infancy and even keeps the horrid Strauss on a tight rein.A real mix of criminals and crimes this series from abductions and home invasions to paedophilia and of course your usual share of murders. There's even some comedy when Garcia is computerally challenged by Kevin the nerd brought in to check her history by the IAD. Will he be up to the task of unravelling all her passwords,checks and security covers? He thinks he will but she thinks not. There is an incredible last episode that is a real edge of seat job involving serial killings but then it's realised that something much more ominous is going on. A cracking finale leads onto Series 4.I have to say I'm as glued to this now as when I saw the first couple of episodes.