Here is an explanation of the murderers “Soulmates” from Criminal Minds. “Thinking Like a Criminal” debuted in 2005 and featured an elite team of FBI agents tasked with profiling and tracking down serial killers. The series became one of the most popular CBS procedural series, lasted an impressive 15 seasons and ended in 2020. The show became popular enough to get two spin-offs in “Thinking like a Criminal”: “Behavior of Suspects” and “Beyond Borders”. although both failed to establish contact with the audience and were quickly canceled.
Since “Thinking Like a Criminal” revolved around BAU tracking down murderers, he often explored dark and disturbing topics. In fact, the original main character Mandy Patinkin left “Think Like a Criminal” after season 2 because she couldn’t stand the darkness of the material. There are some really disturbing killers in the series, from Tim Curry’s Billy Flynn (aka “The Prince of Darkness”), who was partly inspired by Richard Ramirez, to C. Thomas Howell’s “The Reaper” and Aubrey Plaza’s Kat Adams.
By nature, most serial killers tend to work alone, but the “Think like a Criminal” “Soulmates” team is a rare exception. In the episode “Soulmates” of Season 4, the episode begins with a lawyer named William Harris (Michael Boatman) being arrested by BAU, who believes he is responsible for a series of kidnappings and murders of teenage girls. However, when the last victim turns out to be dead while he was in custody, the team comes to the conclusion that he is working with a partner. He soon discovered that he and his next-door neighbor Stephen Bailman (George Newbern, father of the bride) formed a partnership of serial killers.
The methods of Crime Minds “Kindred Spirits” were that they targeted local teenagers, whom they abducted and delivered to a local warehouse. After both took turns committing sexual harassment, they killed the victim and disposed of the body. It is noted that their relationship is unique even among the duets of serial killers, since none of them is dominant. There are also signs that they are in love with each other, having formed a bond due to the shared pleasure of killing. They both lack empathy, despite the fact that they seem to be good, decent citizens, and it’s only when Stephen kidnaps Harris’ daughter that he fears his partner will cause a painful death to his child.
This is what brings “Soulmates” to an end: Harris arrives at the warehouse with a wire to save his daughter, and BAU “Thinking like a Criminal” moves in after Steven confessed. Both were knowledgeable and presumably imprisoned for their crimes, and while they weren’t the most prolific killers featured in “Thinking Like a Criminal,” their pathology made them unique.
