Criminal Minds is in a transition period right now and we can't overlook that when evaluating these episodes. The ratings are as strong as ever, so there's no danger of the show getting canceled, but there have been problems that needed to be resolved. Both AJ Cook and Paget Brewster were fired for budget reasons while Rachel Nichols was added to the cast. None of the news makes much sense, especially because AJ Cook is returning to the show and Paget Brewster likely will as well since her show was not picked up at NBC. This is the reason why the dialogue throughout the episode obscurely refers to internal change going on in the FBI without going into specifics. As of now, only Thomas Gibson does not have a contract, so there may be more change ahead.
Unlike most Criminal Minds season finales, "Supply & Demand" is not part of a multi-part episode. The story is self-contained and the investigation had more evidence finding than normal because the unsubs were motivated by money and the characters didn't need to look into further motivations. There is a cool twist where one of the kidnapped girls is actually the one in charge and lured other girls in. The writers try to dangle out the possibility of a second part with her near escape, but Morgan and Rossi see through her ruse after several specific questions.
Score: 8.7/10
