How Criminal Minds Fans Really Felt About Aubrey Plaza's Episodes

Actress Aubrey Plaza is still likely most beloved for her role as April Ludgate in the wildly popular sitcom "Parks and Recreation," but over the years, she's proven herself to have an impressive range, with tons of iconic roles in both comedies and dramas. She gave one such performance as a guest star in "Criminal Minds," putting her often chaotic energy to new use as serial killer Cat Adams, also known as Miss .45 and the Black Widow Killer.

First appearing as a guest star in the Season 11 episode "Entropy" in 2016, Cat meets up with main cast member Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), who works for the FBI. As the episode progresses, it's revealed that Cat, who poses as a hitwoman to kill paying men's wives, actually kills the murderous husbands instead. This stems from her childhood of abuse by both her biological and foster father, the former of which also killed her mother. Cat's story is based on real-life murderer Joanna Dennehy.

As people on the internet are wont to do, they have some opinions on the character. Here's what "Criminal Minds" fans have to say about Cat Adams.

In a Reddit thread on the r/criminalminds subreddit, user u/nabnig made a post inviting fellow fans to voice their opinions on Cat Adams and her role in the show, writing, "I personally loved [her episodes] because I found the way her and Reid talked very interesting and entertaining."

Many commented on Aubrey Plaza's incredible performance and great chemistry with Dr. Reid, where there appears to be some romantic tension even though the two are at each others' throats. User u/fr8g_ commented, "if it wasnt aubrey plaza i wouldve been enfuriated [sic] watching those scenes, but shes so talented and her chemistry [with Matthew Gray Gubler] on screen is incredible. i agree her backstory was one of CMs best / unique of serial killers."

Some fans, such as u/mosaic_br0ken_hearts, thought that the character overstayed her welcome, writing that they "loved the first episode she was in, but I think that should have been the end of it. The prison baby and the Max thing were just way too much," referring to Cat's return in the Season 12 episode "Date Night," where she forces Reid to go on a date with her and falsely accuses him of causing her miscarriage.

Still, it's impossible to deny the character's popularity, as her debut episode earned the highest IMDb rating of the 324-episode series.