Going slightly insane - any Criminal Minds experts around please?

[MistressoftheDarkSide]

Evening all,

I'm posting here in desperation as I think I've invented two episodes/stories from Criminal Minds that don't appear to exist in the way I remember them.

I watched it consistently from it's beginning to around 2011 when a profound lifestyle change took me away from TV watching in general, and now due to a similar change I've got access to all the apps etc so am playing catch up when I need distraction from my real world problems.

I've been binge watching Criminal Minds from the beginning and accept I've probably slept through a few episodes but despite goggling I cannot find the two episodes that stuck in my mind.

The first is about Garcia going not exactly rogue but being more independent and doing her own investigation possibly in the wake of her serious boyfriend being killed. As I recall he's ginger? Anyway it's all a bit ambiguous until the end when it's revealed that she's hallucinating her dead boyfriend to be her partner in the investigation, and once its resolved she comes to terms with his loss.

The other episode is about Spencer Reid being manipulated into helping a wealthy and sophisticated serial killer and him then having to spend a period of time either in prison or in a secure facility being debriefed / cured. I don't think it's the one where he's turned into an addict, nor the Mexican prison one - it's a much slicker and more convoluted plot.

If anyone could shed any light on where I've imagined these stories from I'd be mightily grateful......

TIA 😊

Are you possibly remembering elements of the multi-episode SVU Olivia-William Lewis-juror-escape-kidnap plot?

I'm not sure but I'll have a look thank you 😊 my memory is pretty scrambled these days lol.... you know how you can sort of "see" snapshots of programmes in your head? It's like that and it's really irritating me lol 😆

I've watched it from start to finish twice. The last time recently and I don't remember either of those episodes. The only one I can think of re garcia is when she goes back to her old contacts as the Black Queen. Can't think of what Reid episode could be

I watched Criminal
Minds from the start and you have not invented either of those storylines. They definitely happened!

Thanks - I'm honestly beginning to think it's a weird personal Mandela Effect at this point 😆

It's a shame because they were pretty gripping episodes on my head which is why I was looking out for them. And the Garcia one was a very touchy feely wholesome thing in the end if you see what I mean.

Ah well....

This is the SVU juror, if it rings any bells ...

Oooh 😮 Really? I've googled really hard and turned up zero!!!

I reckon your second one is actually about the wee young student in Bones.

How have I missed these??!

Oh now that is possible - I did watch Bones as well....

Season 3 of bones with the gormagon - watch that and see if that’s what you are remembering!

Same

I don't recall either one.

Anyone watching the new one on Disney and think TURN THE LIGHTS UP!!

Definitely think you are thinking of Zack in Bones for the second.

The Garcia one is ringing a bell.

The first one sounds familiar but I haven't watched closely enough to be certain

Could you have watched a criminal minds spin off -one of those had Garcia as a cast member? So could be that series.

I’ve watched CM and don’t remember either episode or think that you’ve merged some of your favourite programmes.

I would watch The Black Queen Episode where we see Garcia before the FBI. There is an ex bf in that episode.

I don’t remember the Reid one - he’s had his confidence shaken a few times because of fear of having his mum’s mental illness and being in prison but I don’t recall him being in rehab. He visited his mum and spoke to her doctors a few times- maybe he discussed the genetics part of schizophrenia?

Yes I can remember both of those episodes too.
I only watched the whole thing less than a year ago so it seems strange that they're not there now.

Yes. The social media accounts show screenshots that are properly lit but the actual episodes are so dark.

Phew, I think it is my mind confusing Zak Addy with Spencer Reid, but I'll have to watch all of Bones to be sure obviously lol, in the interests of my own sanity.

I'll check out the Garcia spin off theory...

Ain't the human brain a peculiar thing lol ....

I can "see" in my minds eye the Spencer thing playing out with the team all shocked yet sympathetic....

I might need more sleep lol 😆

Garcia main boyfriend was Kevin (xander from buffy) who just disappeared due to real life actor issues. He was ginger.

Other datee shot her as he was fooling her for sone reason.

There was a Garcia episode where it showed how she was recruited into the BAU where she was doing sketchy hacking stuff, and then the time where she was checking the records of victims to keep them active so the investigations would continue. That may or may not have been in the lead up to her being shot, I can’t remember.

Towards the end there was a story line with spencer and the attractive but crazy woman where she said she had drugged him and stolen his sperm and he went a bit crazy, I can’t remember if he ended up in prison though, but there were some weird episodes around then (the ones written and produced by the actor who plays spencer iirc).