"52 Pickup" is the ninth episode of Season Four and the 74th overall of Criminal Minds.
Summary[]
Prentiss and Jordan Todd go undercover in Atlanta, Georgia, to profile a serial killer who has perfected his skill as a pick-up artist and uses his masculine prowess to lure his next victims. Meanwhile, Morgan begins teaching Reid tricks on how to charm women.
Guest Cast[]
- Julianne Anderson - Young Vanessa Holden
- Jon Barton - SWAT Leader
- Sarah Belgrad - Bar Patron
- Joanna Cassidy - Mrs. Holden
- Cutter Cutshaw - Transforming Unsub
- Roxy Darr - Paul's Girlfriend
- Shelley Dennis - Becky Williams
- Stephanie Edmonds - Girl in Blue Dress
- Courtney Ford - Austin
- Meta Golding - Agent Jordan Todd
- Currie Graham - Paul Thomas
- Mitch L. Guy - Club Dancer
- Spencer Hill - Richard
- John Karyus - Pickup Artist Student
- Riki Lindhome - Vanessa Holden
- Rachael Markarian - Ringer Girl
- Marcia Moran - Mrs. Parker
- Jake Newton - James
- Gabriel Olds - Robert C. Parker
- Kimberlee Peterson - Melissa Foster
- Steffinnie Phrommany - Model
- Keri Lynn Pratt - Ashley Holden
- Curt Roland - Young Robert Parker
- Cari Shayne - Detective Rachel Harding
- Geneva Somers - Brandi
Music[]
- "Make U Wanna Dance" by Gen Rubin
- "Suspicious Character" by The Blood Arm
- "Around Here" by Peri
- "28 Butts" by Little Jackie
- "Back to You" by Puddu Varano
- "Million Dollar Baby" by Phontaine
Bookend Quotes[]
- Emily Prentiss: Author Harlan Ellison wrote, "The minute people fall in love, they become liars."
- David Rossi: P.J. O'Rourke said, "Cleanliness becomes more important when Godliness is unlikely."
Trivia[]
- The title probably refers to both the unsub's habit of picking up his victims and the "card game" of the same name, which is sometimes used to teach children to pick up after themselves. In 52 Pickup, which is often "played" as a joke, one player tosses a deck of 52 cards into the air and the other picks them up, referring to the unsub's habit of disemboweling his victims and making them clean up the mess it leaves.
- Cari Shayne previously costarred with Thomas Gibson on the made-for-TV movie The Inheritance, in which they starred opposite each other as lovers.
- Despite being credited in the opening sequence, A.J. Cook, who portrays JJ, doesn't appear in the episode. This is actually the 3rd of 29 episodes in which characters are credited despite not appearing in the episodes. The others are:
- Season One
- "Broken Mirror" - A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear. Penelope Garcia, portrayed by Kirsten Vangsness, also doesn't appear.
- Season Four
- "Masterpiece" - A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "Brothers in Arms" - A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "Soul Mates" - A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "Bloodline"- A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- Season Six
- "25 to Life" - Thomas Gibson is credited even though Hotch doesn't appear.
- Season Eleven
- "The Witness" - A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "'Til Death Do Us Part" - A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "Outlaw"- A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "The Night Watch"- A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "Pariahville"- A.J. Cook is credited even though JJ doesn't appear.
- "Awake" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "Internal Affairs" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "Future Perfect" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- Season Twelve
- "Taboo" - Aisha Tyler is credited even though Lewis doesn't appear.
- "The Anti-Terrorism Squad" - Aisha Tyler is credited even though Lewis doesn't appear.
- "Profiling 202" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "Seek and Destroy" - Matthew Gray Gubler and Aisha Tyler are credited even though Reid and Lewis don't appear.
- "Hell's Kitchen" Aisha Tyler is credited even though Lewis doesn't appear.
- Season Thirteen
- "Dust and Bones" - Aisha Tyler is credited even though Lewis doesn't appear.
- "Neon Terror" - Matthew Gray Gubler and Aisha Tyler are credited even though Reid and Lewis don't appear.
- "False Flag" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "Submerged" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "All You Can Eat" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "Mixed Signals" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- Season Fourteen
- "Broken Wing" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- "Flesh and Blood" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear in present day and is only shown in flashbacks.
- "Sick and Evil" - Matthew Gray Gubler is credited even though Reid doesn't appear.
- Season One