Maybe he's getting some, maybe he's just finally growing up and becoming more aware of the world around him. After all, character-wise, he's nearing thirty, so there's that.

I think that it's just Reid maturing. His character has progressed significantly. I remember particularly noticing it in the ep with Jonathan Frakes when he's accusing/telling him about the molestation and its effects. In that scene, he's intent, confident, and a little confrontational. In previous years, he was more hesitant, made less eye contact, etc.

I also noticed a change in Reid in the episode that MGG directed. I wonder if his portrayal in that episode changed the way that they looked at Reid.

I remember particularly noticing it in the ep with Jonathan Frakes when he's accusing/telling him about the molestation and its effects. In that scene, he's intent, confident, and a little confrontational. In previous years, he was more hesitant, made less eye contact, etc.

The one difference there is in "Elephant's Memory." Significantly earlier, with it being late S3, but there are some big issues being addressed there: One, it's the first time we see Reid confronting his addiction and potential downslide, plus putting himself in the place of the UnSub, Owen. I think that was a real turning point episode for him, with the next one coming with Instincts/Memoriam. Those are both episodes where I see him as growing in confidence in terms of trusting his gut instincts over (or at least with equal consideration) to his intellect.

I know that I've been looking at Reid differently since his S4 two-parter. MGG plays pissed-off Reid very well indeed, and he was seething in that second ep as soon as he found out his dad had always lived ten miles away from him and his mom.

When he had the victim's dad in interrogation and the cop walked in, he spun around, pointed at the cop, and told him to get out because he was taking over the investigation--had me fanning myself. Confrontational Reid is very hot!

I haven't seen the whole ep with Frakes yet (I'm hoping that CBS will rerun it this summer), but I did see that scene on Youtube. When Frakes rather smirkingly called him "Doctor," Reid turned that back on him in equally cutting tones and sliced him to bits. Love watching that.

Reid is my favorite CM character, and has been since midway through S1, in the beginning because he was the quirkiest of the bunch, but later because I just love how MGG has played him. Yes, quirky as hell, but he conveys emotions of all types wonderfully.

Garcia is my second favorite, and I'd love it if she got more screen time but understand that they really can't give her more and keep her character believable as an office-based tech. Her relationship with Morgan is one of my favorites on tv right now.

Hotch has grown on me big-time. In the beginning, I thought he was just an officious grump with a massive stick up his behind, but starting with LDSK, and then the S2 opener when he and Gideon are holding vigil in the hospital while Elle is in surgery, and then in Revelation when he has the team list his faults, I started falling for him. Omnivore was on last night, and that moment in the alley when he's weeping over the Reaper's massacre in the bus--oh, my! I was verklempt.

Tonight's The Closer is hysterical!

I mentioned our little discussion here about Reid over at TWOP, and they're asking for a link. Would y'all mind if I gave it to them? (I always get nervous about linking here from big-name blogs/boards.)

I'd rather you cut and pasted. I'm not a fan of some of the TWOPers

Unfortunately, I fell asleep before the end of the Reaper episode. I hope A&E reruns it soon.

I like everybody except Gideon. David is starting to grow on me.

I like everybody except Gideon. David is starting to grow on me.

Give it time. If my experience and lots of others is any guide, those two poles will keep growing further apart. No use for Gideon, but Rossi just gets better.

Neither Patinkin nor Mantegna are favorites of mine, but Rossi is growing more human.