Product Details

• Actors: Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Widescreen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Stereo)
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 5
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: September 16, 2008
• Run Time: 860 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (128 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001AI776G
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,074 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"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

Product Description

Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. The Behavioral Analysis Unit's most prominent agent is David Rossi (Joe Mantegna), a founding member of the BAU, who returns to help the team solve new cases, while pursuing some unfinished business of his own. Each member brings his or her own area of expertise to the table as they pinpoint predators' motivations and identify their emotional triggers in the attempt to stop them.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars season three...better than ever June 11, 2008

By tv is my friend

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

i have to say i was leery about season three when i heard mandy patinkin was leaving. but my fears were for nothing. season three is probably my favorite yet. it has many strong episodes, tries new things (true night, one of my favorites) and gives us a peek into garcia's life in several riveting episodes.

i don't care about rossi the way i cared about gideon, but he's a good character and i'm glad he's not a carbon copy of jason. the team works together very well and season three shows that cm is more of an ensemble show now...which i very much enjoy.

as usual, cm has excellent supporting actors in every episode, riveting story lines, and makes fantastic use of background music choices. i can't wait to buy season three, and i'm looking forward to season 4. season three is especially worthwhile to see how much doctor spencer reid has changed and grown from season one. highly recommended.

imo, the best season 3 eps are:

in birth and death
scared to death
7 seconds
true night
lucky
penelope
third life
damage
higher power
elephant's memory
tabula rasa

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another cracking season October 20, 2008

By Mike Purkis

Format:DVD

Another cracking season of criminal minds, brilliant program.
Only 1 small criticism. The review on the website (and to be, fair the back of the dvd) state this dvd has English subtitles. I find sometimes the characters say things quickly or quietly and you miss important bits and have to repeatedly rewind. Don't be fooled. There are no subtitles on this dvd!!
Anyway, other than that, this season is excellent, with some interesting twists on the bad guys. Well worth the money.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars They keep you wanting for more! November 5, 2008

By Guadalupe Montes De Oca

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoyed very much the first two seasons. But when I read that Mandy Patinkin had left the show I was disappointed and thought that was the end of Criminal Minds. I was so wrong! And don't get me wrong, he was a great asset being the character they most turned to for advise in all areas of the psyque. Joe Mantegna is more likable -sorry Mandy- and though he was brought to the show almost abruptly, they show you how he adapts gradually to everybody and the new way things are done at the BAU since he had been part of it when it began. Throughout the season, Joe Mantegna integrates the team like a piece of a puzzle that didn't quite fit was removed and placed by the perfect one, and now I see that the show will not only survive it's leading character but will do better with the new one.

Now, the plot. Unfortunately, there are so many sick in this world that they will never run out of new ideas for a show. Every episode is good, has new twists, and some episodes are even better that what we would sometimes expect; you are guessing who is going to be the bad guy and how they are going to figure out, by his/her personality or behavior, who committed this or that murder. It's just so wonderfully made that sometimes I think I have a bit of a psychologist in me!

It never gets boring and even though it is about solving mostly murders, I always finish watching with a sense of satisfaction.

The only bad thing is that I watched it so fast that now I am tapping my fingers waiting for the fourth season. Don't miss this one!