The FBI's International Response Team go to Thailand where three American volunteers go missing during a trek to Bangkok.The FBI's International Response Team go to Thailand where three American volunteers go missing during a trek to Bangkok.The FBI's International Response Team go to Thailand where three American volunteers go missing during a trek to Bangkok.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMae makes an indirect reference to the 2014 murder of British backpackers David Miller and Hannah Whiteridge in Thailand's Koh Tao island.
- GoofsGary Sinise is seen driving a left hand drive vehicle while in Thailand. Thailand use right hand drive vehicles, and it is unlikely the FBI would import a vehicle for his use for a murder case.
The FBI does bring its own vehicles along with it. There is a specific scene in which the loading of the vehicles is shown, and almost all shots on board the plane show the vehicles in the back.
- Quotes
Jack Garrett: [opening quotation] A Thai proverb reminds us "What's done in the dark soon comes to light."
- ConnectionsReferences Criminal Minds (2005)
Featured review
No smiles to be had in this episode
Was really hoping that 'Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders' would be at least okay, the potential was there (it had Gary Sinise on board for goodness sake), despite really not caring for the first 'Criminal Minds' spin-off 'Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour'. That show was a big disappointment, being a fan of the original 'Criminal Minds', even though it is not a consistent show with the latter seasons being hit and miss. So there was the hope that 'Beyond Borders' would be better.
Sadly it managed to be worse. 'Suspect Behaviour' may have been dull and badly written and acted with very little of what made the original 'Criminal Minds' so good, but at least it wasn't offensive or reach the depths of it. That can't be said for 'Beyond Borders', and it is not just me who feels that way. One of the worst examples is its very first episode "The Harmful One", probably one of the worst first episodes for any show and one of the very few that puts one off from continuing. Did continue myself in order to be fair in the hope it would get better (it didn't) and being a fan of the original 'Criminal Minds'.
The biggest criticism aimed towards "The Harmful One" is its inaccurate portrayal of Thailand, visually and culturally, and the people who live there. Despite being set in Thailand, there is never a sense of being there and there is no real authenticity in look or atmosphere, the episode was shot somewhere but it was certainly not Thailand. What we actually see of Thailand is awkwardly inserted stock footage that never really shows the beauty of it. The Thais are basically caricatures and insensitively characterised ones at that, the representation of their loving culture being the complete opposite and like it was thinking of somewhere else.
As one can guess, "The Harmful One" doesn't look good visually. The way it's shot and edited is incredibly choppy, with it being incredibly obvious when stock footage is used, and completely lacks atmosphere or a sense of mood, either being overly-bright or drab. The music is also annoying, it is too loud and too constant with not a sign of a break and with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, it also does not fit at all (a lot of it is misplaced actually) as well as cheap and out of date.
Even worse is the writing. Writing that condescends to the viewer and filled to the brim with cheese, convolution and awkwardness. The story on top of not being particularly original is both dull and convoluted, with it down to being quite thin and then never really properly explaining. It never rings true, both the case and the team's involvement. complete lack of tension or suspense in action-oriented parts. There is no chemistry at all within the team with no great little character moments (one of 'Criminal Minds' greatest strengths), and the mystery elements (that 'Criminal Minds' did with profiling and psychologically delving into the unsub's mind, excelling so brilliantly at it as well) are severely under-utilised and underdeveloped to the point of non-existence.
None of the characters are interesting or compelling, and have absolutely nothing worth relating to or liking, Mae is an incredibly bland and insensitive character that never seems like she belongs and Russ is basically a pale imitation of Garcia instead being annoying and uninteresting. With the unsub, it is very familiar territory with nothing new and the unsub is also very vanilla, with none of the menace, feel-bad-for factor or development. The episode even shoehorns in Rossi, who has lost his sass (outside of "words don't make you bulletproof", which is pretty uninspired by Rossi's standards) and feels very out of place.
Regarding the acting, that was poor. Gary Sinise has a lot of talent as an actor, but is very wooden and looks incredibly bored and expressionless throughout, at no point does he connect with his material. Annie Funke is incredibly weak as Mae with a very limited and stiff acting range, while Tyler James Williams is dull and obnoxious. Joe Mantegna, one of the main reasons as to keep sticking with latter season 'Criminal Minds', doesn't have the same sparkle and doesn't look as comfortable.
If there is one saving grace, it is enigmatic Alana De La Garza who gives by far the best performance here that deserved a far better episode.
Overall, very poor start all round apart from De La Garza. 1/10
Sadly it managed to be worse. 'Suspect Behaviour' may have been dull and badly written and acted with very little of what made the original 'Criminal Minds' so good, but at least it wasn't offensive or reach the depths of it. That can't be said for 'Beyond Borders', and it is not just me who feels that way. One of the worst examples is its very first episode "The Harmful One", probably one of the worst first episodes for any show and one of the very few that puts one off from continuing. Did continue myself in order to be fair in the hope it would get better (it didn't) and being a fan of the original 'Criminal Minds'.
The biggest criticism aimed towards "The Harmful One" is its inaccurate portrayal of Thailand, visually and culturally, and the people who live there. Despite being set in Thailand, there is never a sense of being there and there is no real authenticity in look or atmosphere, the episode was shot somewhere but it was certainly not Thailand. What we actually see of Thailand is awkwardly inserted stock footage that never really shows the beauty of it. The Thais are basically caricatures and insensitively characterised ones at that, the representation of their loving culture being the complete opposite and like it was thinking of somewhere else.
As one can guess, "The Harmful One" doesn't look good visually. The way it's shot and edited is incredibly choppy, with it being incredibly obvious when stock footage is used, and completely lacks atmosphere or a sense of mood, either being overly-bright or drab. The music is also annoying, it is too loud and too constant with not a sign of a break and with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, it also does not fit at all (a lot of it is misplaced actually) as well as cheap and out of date.
Even worse is the writing. Writing that condescends to the viewer and filled to the brim with cheese, convolution and awkwardness. The story on top of not being particularly original is both dull and convoluted, with it down to being quite thin and then never really properly explaining. It never rings true, both the case and the team's involvement. complete lack of tension or suspense in action-oriented parts. There is no chemistry at all within the team with no great little character moments (one of 'Criminal Minds' greatest strengths), and the mystery elements (that 'Criminal Minds' did with profiling and psychologically delving into the unsub's mind, excelling so brilliantly at it as well) are severely under-utilised and underdeveloped to the point of non-existence.
None of the characters are interesting or compelling, and have absolutely nothing worth relating to or liking, Mae is an incredibly bland and insensitive character that never seems like she belongs and Russ is basically a pale imitation of Garcia instead being annoying and uninteresting. With the unsub, it is very familiar territory with nothing new and the unsub is also very vanilla, with none of the menace, feel-bad-for factor or development. The episode even shoehorns in Rossi, who has lost his sass (outside of "words don't make you bulletproof", which is pretty uninspired by Rossi's standards) and feels very out of place.
Regarding the acting, that was poor. Gary Sinise has a lot of talent as an actor, but is very wooden and looks incredibly bored and expressionless throughout, at no point does he connect with his material. Annie Funke is incredibly weak as Mae with a very limited and stiff acting range, while Tyler James Williams is dull and obnoxious. Joe Mantegna, one of the main reasons as to keep sticking with latter season 'Criminal Minds', doesn't have the same sparkle and doesn't look as comfortable.
If there is one saving grace, it is enigmatic Alana De La Garza who gives by far the best performance here that deserved a far better episode.
Overall, very poor start all round apart from De La Garza. 1/10
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Jun 28, 2019
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What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of The Harmful One (2016) in Brazil?
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