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caranfindelOkay, here’s the deal. I’m just going to have to pretend the middle 20 to 30 minutes of this episode didn’t happen.
Because I have to ignore the fact that GARTH IS A WEREWOLF NOW and we’ve changed or forgotten everything we knew about werewolves (excuse me, lycanthropes) like how they’re created, and that they turn during a certain phase of the moon, not just at will, and that they have no control over themselves when they do turn, and they eat human food when they’re in human form, and I have to ignore that Sam and Dean are willing to accept werewolves can be “nice monsters” like the vampires who only feed on animals, and does that mean Sam killed Madison for nothing, and shit, I just can’t. This storyline, I’m just, no. Not happening. Didn’t happen.
Scenes from the Writers’ Room
Have you ever seen the show?
No.
Ever read a script?
No. Why, does it matter?
No, it’s okay. You write the MOTW part and I’ll do the rest.
So let’s put that ugliness behind us look at the rest of the episode. The parts that DID happen.
The boys find themselves unexpectedly thrown together over a case while separated, just like in season 7 when they split up over Amy and ended up investigating psychics. I like that, once again, they recognize that they can work together even when they’re not getting along. (I also like that Dean tries to trick Sam into abandoning the case and gets totally owned by Sam.)
Sam smacking Garth into consciousness. No, it wasn’t nice, but it was funny. And I’m a bad person.
DJ Qualls looks rather attractive tonight for some reason. Sam’s hair, sadly, does not.
“Cain? Like the wrestler?” “No, I wish. That would be awesome.” Ha!
Now, I thought Dean bearing the Mark of Cain would be a bigger reveal. I would have liked more from this conversation. I wanted Sam to know the significance of the mark. After all, he is the genius scholarly type who was told he was descended from Cain and Abel, so you’d think he’d have been curious about that at some point. (Or maybe he doesn’t know? Michael told Dean about that connection while Sam was temporarily dead. Maybe Dean never told Sam?) Or if he didn’t know what it was, I would like to see him freaked out about it. I would have also liked some comment about how Dean was suddenly hunting Abaddon, when just two weeks ago he was on a mission to kill Gadreel. But considering that they were interrupted by the lack of Garth noises coming from the bathroom, I’m okay. I’m going to assume that some of this would have come up otherwise.
Dean could start a fight in an empty house. Heh.
Guns waving, the jawlines and the hair? It’s very intimidating. Again, heh.
So, was Garth’s absence really a thing? The “Then” makes it look that way, but I don’t remember either of them being particularly concerned about him. More annoyed at his absence than worried or even curious. And when he showed up, I was afraid he’d force them to kiss and make up by reminding them that they’re brothers, blah blah blah. I’m relieved that didn’t happen.
The end, it really spoke to me. The uneasy cease fire. I’m glad they’re getting back together, and I’m glad Sam isn’t backing down.
Dean, in his nonapology, says “What’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is more wrong.” I understand why you think it was right to trick Sam into living, even though it was actually wrong (and it’s hard for me to judge you for that since I probably would have done the same thing). And if by “what’s wrong is more wrong” you mean “I was wrong to trick you and I was more wrong to lie to you about it,” then yes, I agree. And you know what people do when they’re wrong and more wrong, Dean? They apologize. The words after “and for that” were supposed to be “I’m sorry.” Why did you not say those words, Dean?
Instead, you said “Whatever happened, we are family.” You’re telling Sam he has to forgive and forget “whatever happened” (way to gloss that over, Dean) because he is your family? Not going to work. Of course, if you’d modeled this behavior in the past – if you’d shown him how YOU forgive and forget because he’s family – maybe he’d be able to do the same for you now (but probably not, because non-con angel possession? kind of a big deal). But Dean, you pick and poke at Sam’s mistakes and make it clear that you might never forgive them, and if you do, you still won’t forget them. Even when he apologizes. Sure, when he’s taken that to heart, to the point that he’s ready to sacrifice himself, you insist that none of that matters. Do you understand that as far as Sam’s concerned, you tricked him into living twice? Once in the church and once in the coma? But it’s not what you do when he’s dying that matters, it’s what you do when he’s living.
So let’s put that ugliness behind us look at the rest of the episode. The parts that DID happen.
The boys find themselves unexpectedly thrown together over a case while separated, just like in season 7 when they split up over Amy and ended up investigating psychics. I like that, once again, they recognize that they can work together even when they’re not getting along. (I also like that Dean tries to trick Sam into abandoning the case and gets totally owned by Sam.)
Sam smacking Garth into consciousness. No, it wasn’t nice, but it was funny. And I’m a bad person.
DJ Qualls looks rather attractive tonight for some reason. Sam’s hair, sadly, does not.
“Cain? Like the wrestler?” “No, I wish. That would be awesome.” Ha!
Now, I thought Dean bearing the Mark of Cain would be a bigger reveal. I would have liked more from this conversation. I wanted Sam to know the significance of the mark. After all, he is the genius scholarly type who was told he was descended from Cain and Abel, so you’d think he’d have been curious about that at some point. (Or maybe he doesn’t know? Michael told Dean about that connection while Sam was temporarily dead. Maybe Dean never told Sam?) Or if he didn’t know what it was, I would like to see him freaked out about it. I would have also liked some comment about how Dean was suddenly hunting Abaddon, when just two weeks ago he was on a mission to kill Gadreel. But considering that they were interrupted by the lack of Garth noises coming from the bathroom, I’m okay. I’m going to assume that some of this would have come up otherwise.
Dean could start a fight in an empty house. Heh.
Guns waving, the jawlines and the hair? It’s very intimidating. Again, heh.
So, was Garth’s absence really a thing? The “Then” makes it look that way, but I don’t remember either of them being particularly concerned about him. More annoyed at his absence than worried or even curious. And when he showed up, I was afraid he’d force them to kiss and make up by reminding them that they’re brothers, blah blah blah. I’m relieved that didn’t happen.
The end, it really spoke to me. The uneasy cease fire. I’m glad they’re getting back together, and I’m glad Sam isn’t backing down.
Dean, in his nonapology, says “What’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is more wrong.” I understand why you think it was right to trick Sam into living, even though it was actually wrong (and it’s hard for me to judge you for that since I probably would have done the same thing). And if by “what’s wrong is more wrong” you mean “I was wrong to trick you and I was more wrong to lie to you about it,” then yes, I agree. And you know what people do when they’re wrong and more wrong, Dean? They apologize. The words after “and for that” were supposed to be “I’m sorry.” Why did you not say those words, Dean?
Instead, you said “Whatever happened, we are family.” You’re telling Sam he has to forgive and forget “whatever happened” (way to gloss that over, Dean) because he is your family? Not going to work. Of course, if you’d modeled this behavior in the past – if you’d shown him how YOU forgive and forget because he’s family – maybe he’d be able to do the same for you now (but probably not, because non-con angel possession? kind of a big deal). But Dean, you pick and poke at Sam’s mistakes and make it clear that you might never forgive them, and if you do, you still won’t forget them. Even when he apologizes. Sure, when he’s taken that to heart, to the point that he’s ready to sacrifice himself, you insist that none of that matters. Do you understand that as far as Sam’s concerned, you tricked him into living twice? Once in the church and once in the coma? But it’s not what you do when he’s dying that matters, it’s what you do when he’s living.
Don’t take this to mean that I don’t love you, Dean. I do. I love that you’re so human and so flawed and have such impossible standards for yourself and your loved ones, and all of this is very in character for you.
Also, I’m adding something to my wish list for this season. I want Sam to rescue Dean from the consequences of the Mark of Cain.
I haven't read anyone else's review yet; I'm really curious to see what you guys think. And I didn’t watch the preview for next week; please help me stay unspoiled!
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no subject
Date: 2014-01-30 03:20 am (UTC)My God, you're right, I'd forgotten all of that stuff about werewolves. Although Madison didn't turn at the full moon, but turned at some point later. Now I'm relieved I forgot that stuff about werewolves, because I'd been shrieking at the screen.
Wonderful, snarky review that also gets your points across. SO agree with your analysis of Sam and Dean! Can I bitchslap Dean now?
no subject
Date: 2014-01-30 10:41 am (UTC)Only if you promise to hug him afterward.