‘Criminal Minds’ Relationship Focus: Prentiss and Rossi, Tragedy and Trust

Criminal Minds fans can pinpoint the exact moment when the working relationship between Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) and David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) became a true friendship.

In the episode “Demonology,” Prentiss opened up to Rossi about a very traumatic experience in her past. During an investigation into her friend’s death, Prentiss was convinced her friend was murdered, despite evidence to the contrary. When Rossi asked Prentiss to explain why she believed her friend was killed, she told him about their connection as kids. Prentiss spoke about getting pregnant as a teenager and how her friend supported her through an abortion and made her feel loved. But Emily also felt a tremendous amount of guilt, as her friend first started questioning his beliefs and going down a bad path after he helped her. Emily’s story cemented Rossi’s belief that something more was going on, and the two worked together to find the man who killed Emily’s friend. After bonding during that case, the two have shared a level of trust and intimacy all their own.

Several seasons later, after Emily’s death and resurrection, Rossi drew on his bond with Emily and opened up to her about something very personal that was happening in his life. Rossi told Prentiss about his ex-wife’s illness and her request that he help her end her life. Prentiss was visibly shocked by Rossi’s revelation, but she composed herself and asked her friend what he planned to do.

As it turned out, Rossi had already made his decision and was not seeking Emily’s advice, but merely wanted to talk to a friend about something that had been weighing on his mind. It was such a nice, full-circle moment between the two, as Emily was able to be there for Rossi the way he had once been there for her.

Rossi and Prentiss have an incredibly fascinating dynamic. They work well together, but it is the intimacy of their friendship that brings a certain familiarity to their scenes, something that is supported by the quiet chemistry the actors share.

Though Rossi and Prentiss may not spend much time together in their off-duty hours (at least that we have seen), there is a mutual trust and understanding in their relationship that makes it easy for them to confide in one another when the need arises.

I, for one, look forward to their next heart-to-heart; though I hope it will occur without another tragedy in their personal lives.

What do you like most about the dynamic between Rossi and Prentiss?

Megan Cole
Contributing Writer

(Image courtesy of the CW)

Megan Cole

Contributing Writer, BuddyTV