Mandy Patinkin has always been sort of an enigma to me. The man is incredibly multi-talented, yet full fledged across the board stardom has always seemed just out of reach. Perhaps part of the problem is that he is too well-rounded. Most big stars only have one talent (or a very well paid publicist) so the focus hits them dead on for doing the same thing over and over. Patinkin, on the other hand, has over his illustrious career entertained Broadway audiences with his phenomenal singing style and theatre audiences with his skills as a dramatic, comedic and physical actor. Though he has been in the business for far longer, my first memory of Many Patinkin was as expert swordsman Indigo Montoya in "The Princess Bride." While every character in that film had their opportunity to shine, it was Montoya that most people fondly remember. After that I saw his name pop up a few times in movies, but it wasn't until a PBS airing of "Sunday in the Park with George" that I found what a gifted singer he was.

After that I made it a point to pick up his Broadway inspired CDs (who along with Anthony Warlow produce some of the some of the best I've ever heard, by the way), none of which have ever disappointed me.

Then all of a sudden he seemed to drop out of sight for a lengthy period of time, an analogy that is rather fitting as he was suffering from a debilitating eye disease and it was feared he would lose his sight. Slowly he began to creep back into the limelight, first with Showtime's excellent series "Dead Like Me" as Rube, the foul-mouthed, foul-tempered, yet sympathetic head of a group of Grim Reapers. Unfortunately that series was cancelled after the 2nd season (stupid Showtine), but he bounced back as the lead in the new CBS series "Criminal Minds."

"Criminal Minds" gives us a lean, mean Mandy Patinkin as Jason Gideon, an FBI criminal profiler. He heads an elite team of profilers who each week find themselves pitted against murders, kidnappers, and the like. The series was surprising in just how rough it was willing to get as far as the crimes that were being. It was brutal in the way that CSI is, only without all the flash and glitter. Murder is an ugly business, and it gets pretty ugly in this series. I was also surprised to see Thomas Gibson cast as his second in command Aaron Hotchner. I was so used to seeing him in a comedic role with "Dharma & Greg." Here he stretches his dramatic chops and holds his own against Patinkin.

The rest of the team is made up of Derek Morgan (played by Shemar Moore - who is still trying to shed his "Young and the Restless" image), Spencer Reid (Matthew Grey Gubler), Ellen Greenaway (Lola Glaudini), J.J. Jareau (A.J. Cook) and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness). Though the series seems to focus mainly on the three leads (Patinkin, Gibson and Gubler), the rest of the cast does a great job of filling in all the sidelines of the series.

The DVD for the 1st season of "Criminal Minds" offers up all 22 episodes, and since the series has been picked up for a second season it will give viewers a chance to catch up on everything before they start into the new season. Since I had not watched the series during its original airing, I was especially appreciative of the opportunity. And as is the case for most newer shows released to DVD, the video looks fantastic. The transfer is excellent and the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound makes good use of a home surround system as far as creating a good atmosphere.

As for extra features, you'll find three commentaries (listed below) by various members of the creative team, a look into the making of the series, a visit with real profilers who comment on what aspects of the show are realistic and which ones… aren’t. There is also a feature on actor Matthew Gary Gubler and a handful of deleted scenes.

"Criminal Minds" is one of the better new 'cop' shows and those of you who didn’t catch it on the original run won’t be disappointed by this set, especially the lack of commercials!!

Episodes:
Extreme Aggressor (Commentary by Mark Gordon, Deborah Spera and Jeff Davis)
Compulsion
Won't Get Fooled Again
Plain Sight
Broken Mirror
L.D.S.K.
The Fox
Natural Born Killer
Derailed (Commentary by Edward Allen Bernero, Glenn Kershaw, Felix Alcala, Ian Foster Wolf and Henrik R. Fett
The Popular Kids
Blood Hungry
What Fresh Hell?
Poison
Riding the Lightning (Commentary by Edward Allen Bernero, Simon Mirren, Dayne Johnson, Vincent Jefferds, and Chris Long
Unfinished Business
The Tribe
A Real Rain
Somebody's Watching
Machismo
Charm & Harm
Secrets and Lies
The Fisher King, Part 1

Starring: Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Lola Glaudini, Shemar Moore, Matthew Gary Gubler, A.J. Cook
Extras: The Making of Criminal Minds, Inside Quantico & The Criminal Mind, Meet Matthew Gary Gubler, Deleted Scenes
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 11/28/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Criminal Minds: Season 1 a B.