Summer may be running short on content, but we still have some characters who have resonated with us.
Whether they were navigating grief, confronting impossible choices, or relentlessly chasing the truth, these Characters of the Week drove some of the week’s strongest stories.
From a long-overdue spotlight on Criminal Minds’ Luke Alvez to a supernatural reckoning in Widow’s Bay and a scene-stealing journalist in I Will Find You, these are the characters who left the biggest impression on us.
Luke Alvez – Criminal Minds
The emotional development for Luke Alvez has been a long time coming, but Criminal Minds Season 19 has delivered.
Just after the heartbreaking loss of Roxy (and we all felt that one!), Criminal Minds Season 19 Episode 5 had Luke investigating the death of his friend, Tom.
In a shocking turn of events, we learned that Tom was definitely murdered, but not by the man holding the gun.
Throughout the hour, Luke worked through his grief, even opening up to JJ and acknowledging that it wouldn’t be fair to her. I’ll give JJ her props — nobody owns grief, and she stepped up in the way Luke needed her.
We got to see depth for Luke’s character, and he figured out the mystery behind the murder. He even stepped back when he thought it was best for the case, showing maturity and understanding.
In the end, only Luke could solve the case because knowing someone well is the difference between making assumptions and considering all the facts.
Tom Loftis – Widow’s Bay
Tom spent most of the season doing what he does best: avoiding uncomfortable truths and hoping they’ll somehow resolve themselves.
Unfortunately for him, Widow’s Bay isn’t the kind of place that lets you ignore reality for long.
By the finale, Tom was faced with an impossible choice. Kill Ruth and potentially save his son, or spare a woman who had spent her life helping others and risk everything.
What made the story so compelling wasn’t the supernatural mystery but watching Tom realize that every answer only created bigger problems.
Just when he thought he understood the island’s curse, he learned that Evan wasn’t merely caught up in the story. He was the story.
Tom may have spent years trying to protect his son from Widow’s Bay, but now he’s staring down a future in which keeping Evan safe could require sacrifices no parent should ever have to make.
The storm may have passed, but Tom’s troubles are only beginning. And considering the island just rang up eight more sacrifices like it was updating a grocery list, he’s going to need all the luck he can get.
Rachel Mills – I Will Find You
If you’re looking for a fun binge that makes “Next Episode” feel like a little treat. It’s twisty, entertaining, and stacked with a great cast, and as we mentioned in our I Will Find You Review, it’s just downright fun.
And at the center of all that action is Rachel Mills. It may be David Burroughs fighting for his life, but it’s Rachel who emerges as the MVP of this limited series.
As a formerly disgraced journalist and the devoted aunt of the missing kid in question, she’s the one who believes in David from the beginning and becomes the ride-or-die who goes on quite an adventure to prove it.
Rachel is such a dynamic character that she commands every scene that she’s in.
Her interest lies in finding the truth, doing what’s best for her loved ones, and clearing David’s name in the process, and she takes all of those tasks seriously.
She’s a force of nature, not without her flaws, but arguably the most compelling character of the series.
Over to you, TV Fanatics! Sound off below with your favorite characters from the week.
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Luke Alvez, Tom Loftis, and Rachel Mills lead this week’s Characters of the Week, showcasing the complexity of heroism, humanity, and personal sacrifice.
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