Mosley Lane is the 16th episode of season 5 of Criminal Minds. In this episode, the BAU investigates the kidnapping of a young girl named Aimee, taken at a festival in broad daylight. The investigation reveals a married couple as the unsubs, who have been kidnapping children in the same way over the course of 8 years (at least). The episode is Matthew Gray Gubler’s (Dr. Spencer Reid) first directorial debut and sets the tone for all other future episodes directed by Gubler- and that tone is “creepy, but brilliant”.
One of the elements in this episode that adds to the horror aesthetic is the production and costume design. The overall look of the episode remains consistent with the look of the show, except for the scenes at the unsubs’ house and the crematorium. They are a complete contrast, making it feel as if we’ve stepped into the different, secluded world of the unsubs.
The crematorium is lit only by the flames. The creepy wooden house holds no signs of modern living, the only sign of technology being the polaroid camera. The kids are covered in dirt and their hair is ratty. The girls are given vintage nightgowns and the unsubs’ clothing looks like they came straight from an isolated farmhouse in the 1930s. All these added details automatically shift the audience from seeing an FBI investigation to feeling like they’re watching a horror film.
The detail that really ties this altogether is the music. Even if you don’t remember this episode too much, I can guarantee that you most likely remember the music. It’s a soft tune that sounds like a child’s music box and it is incredibly eery.
Of course, the two characters that completes the horror tone to this episode are the unsubs, Anita and Roger Roycewood.
It isn’t just their clothes that seem like they come from a different era: it’s the way they talk and act as well. Another chilling aspect is that their demeanor remains constant throughout the entire episode. Roger stays calm and polite, even when Morgan makes it clear that they’re onto them. He happily spreads Stephen’s ashes on the rose bushes with no remorse. Anita hums a lullaby as she burns a child’s (Stephen’s) body in the crematorium. They are completely emotionally detached from the situation, despite the horrors they commit.
I also like how this episode shows the distinct characteristics between the kidnapped children. We learn so much about them from the brief time we have. Stephen dies very early on in the episode, however the fact that he is killed for trying to protect Aimee and standing up to Anita already says a lot about his bravery. Mae is very sisterly and kindly towards Aimee. She’s very protective over her and even risks getting in trouble by keeping her company.
Charlie starts off as a mystery. It is revealed that he is the one who took Aimee, either due to Stockholm Syndrome, or under threat of death. Therefore, when we first see him onscreen, talking to Aimee after she wakes up, it’s not clear if he’s on the unsubs’ side or not. As Aimee is unsure of him, so are we.
Then, his standing is revealed in the simplest way: he asks Aimee’s real name and then uses the polaroid to take a picture of her. We find out later that he has done this with all the previous victims as proof of their kidnapping. It’s what little rebellion he can afford to do after being held captive for so long. In the end, he defeats his captors by shooting Anita in order to save Aimee from being burned.
Later, he tells Stephen’s parents that “remembering [their parents] was the only way we survived”. This is so important because, despite the psychological torture Charlie endured, his hope for seeing his mother again was just as strong as her hope for him being alive.
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