9.13 Immediate reaction - be not afraid!
Feb. 5th, 2014 10:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caranfindelGuys, I think we know things are going to get ugly in the fandom. I haven’t read anyone else’s review yet, but yeah, it’s inevitable. Let me just say that this review has no ugliness or character bashing on either side (some well-intended loving lectures, perhaps but no bashing), so if you’re trying to avoid that stuff, COME ON IN. IT’S SAFE, I PROMISE.
First, I had low expectations for this episode, which is always helpful, since you’re not disappointed and might be pleasantly surprised. I assumed we’d be ignoring the elephant in the room, and other than the bits at the beginning and the end, they pretty much did. The boys’ vibe was obviously different, but there wasn’t a whole lot of talk about their problem. Until, of course, there was.
But first. Half of the observations I took down last night were about The Pretty, so let’s get right to that.
The Pretty
In the hotel room when the hotdog eater’s wife comes knocking? And we have Dean in the dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the loosened tie AND THE GUN? OH DEAR GOD THAT IS SO HOT. As much as I like Single Layer Sam (which is A LOT)… this? This buttoned-down, loosened-up, holding a gun look? This is what makes me weak in the knees.
But first. Half of the observations I took down last night were about The Pretty, so let’s get right to that.
The Pretty
In the hotel room when the hotdog eater’s wife comes knocking? And we have Dean in the dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the loosened tie AND THE GUN? OH DEAR GOD THAT IS SO HOT. As much as I like Single Layer Sam (which is A LOT)… this? This buttoned-down, loosened-up, holding a gun look? This is what makes me weak in the knees.
And on the other side of the spectrum we have Sam exposing more skin than we’ve seen in a long time, and damn. That’s some nice skin. That’s some seriously nice skin. And also, I’m sure it’s not a deliberate choice on the writers’ part (because, do they even make deliberate choices any more, ha ha, but I digress) but I love the idea that it’s actually a character trait of Sam’s that he has this body and he just doesn’t care. That he works out and eats right so he can be a better hunter, not so he can look amazing. That he wraps it in multiple layers of loose-fitting clothing because it’s functional, not decorative. (Although I’m glad to see he obviously took the time to visit a tanning salon before his yoga class, because seriously, the boy should be pretty pasty under all that denim and flannel.)
Also, Sam’s post-yoga hair is really, really pretty.
The scene where the boys are talking to the sheriff in the spa, where the light hits their faces in a way that we rarely see on this show… nice.
When Sam finds the body in the kitchen, and that whole fight in the dark, that’s just really working for me. The hair, the backlighting… guh.
Also, Sam’s post-yoga hair is really, really pretty.
The scene where the boys are talking to the sheriff in the spa, where the light hits their faces in a way that we rarely see on this show… nice.
When Sam finds the body in the kitchen, and that whole fight in the dark, that’s just really working for me. The hair, the backlighting… guh.
All right, enough of this shallowness. Oh, and was Dean ever showing enough forearm that the Mark of Cain should have been exposed? I’ll have to check for that on rewatch.
Other fun things
I loved the Doctor Who homages. Yeah, try to tell me this wasn’t inspired by the adipose. Also, Alonzo? Allons-y, Alonzo!
Cupping is really disgusting. Oh, hell, wait, there’s something more disgusting than cupping! That was cool. We don’t get much of that shock value any more.
Pudding! \0/
Sweet potatoes!! \0/ \0/
Other fun things
I loved the Doctor Who homages. Yeah, try to tell me this wasn’t inspired by the adipose. Also, Alonzo? Allons-y, Alonzo!
Cupping is really disgusting. Oh, hell, wait, there’s something more disgusting than cupping! That was cool. We don’t get much of that shock value any more.
Pudding! \0/
Sweet potatoes!! \0/ \0/
“You're weird around girls. I'm just being honest.” Dean, you magnificent SOB.
Dean's matter of fact "I was drugged." And “How do you know what roofies look like?” “How do you NOT know?”
“You're not the only one who's dated someone bendy.” I loved Sam’s awesome little smirk, as well as the shout out to past episodes – at least ONE writer seems to be aware they exist. But when would he have dated someone bendy? Who was Sam’s bendy girlfriend? And more importantly, when is someone going to write this fanfic?
The Sheriff was so sweet. I’m really glad she didn’t die.
Having us see the monsters find out they’re hunters before Sam and Dean know they’ve been outed? That was a pleasant twist on the usual storyline.
"A fish taco?” I saw that coming and I still laughed.
Sam and Alonzo fighting in the dark. Logically, it made no sense (see below) but visually, I loved it.
Things that made me roll my eyes
Peruvian fat suckers, I can't even. How stoned were they when they came up with that.
Using a flashlight to look for Alonzo was stupid. It simply guarantees that he can see you while you can’t see him. Turn on the damn lights. You’ve already lost the element of surprise.
The elephant in the room
To me, it was significant that when Sam is convincing Dean not to kill the Peruvian Fat Sucker (lol), he compares her to himself being worn by Gadreel. To Sam, Gadreel!Sam is a monster. This is what Dean still doesn’t get – that in Sam’s eyes, when Dean “saved” him, he actually condemned him to be a monster. And considering that Sam has, in the past, begged Dean to kill him if/when that happens? For Dean to actually deliberately do it to him is the worst kind of betrayal.
Back at the bunker… what the hell is this little room? Is Dean hiding from Sam? Is that why it looks like he’s in a storeroom or something?
I love Dean’s non-apology because it’s so in-character and such a slice of what’s going on in Dean’s mind right now – I saved you! Why is that a bad thing? And I love Sam’s refusal to accept it, and turning it back on Dean that he did it for Dean, not for Sam. Because yes. That’s what he’s always done. The first time he saved Sam, in Cold Oak, it wasn’t for Sam. Dean knew exactly how it felt to have someone you love sell their soul so you could live, and he knew it was horrible. And yet he did that to Sam anyway, and even agreed with Sam later that it was selfish. And please don’t take this to be Dean-bashing, because it’s not. I love Dean and I love that he has this fucked-up reverse imprinting. “Save Sam” is such a dominant part of Dean’s personality that he doesn’t – maybe he can’t – consider whether Sam wants to be saved or not.
I also think that if Dean would, just once, say “maybe that wasn’t the right thing for me to do,” if he’d say anything other than insisting that he was absolutely correct to ignore Sam’s wishes and do the one thing Sam finds abhorrent, if he’d just sway a tiny bit in his conviction that he made the right decision, that Sam would probably forgive him.
And Dean is crushed when Sam says he wouldn’t do the same thing for him under the same circumstances. But that’s the important part – the same circumstances. Sam would go to extremes to save Dean. He did it with the faith healer, he considered it with Doc Benton. But those were very different circumstances. Here, Sam is saying that if Dean were ready to die, and the only way to save him was to go behind his back and do something to him that he would have refused if given the choice… Sam wouldn’t take control of that situation away from him. But of course Dean (who is hurting and is hearing this through his own filter of “no one loves you or needs you as much as you love and need them”) is going to interpret it as “I don’t love you enough to save you,” instead of “I love you enough to respect your decision.” Just as Sam interprets Dean’s actions as “My needs are more important than yours.” And that’s heartbreaking.
At least, that’s what I believe. That’s what the history of this show would teach us. I just hope the writers have been watching the same show I have.
Dean's matter of fact "I was drugged." And “How do you know what roofies look like?” “How do you NOT know?”
“You're not the only one who's dated someone bendy.” I loved Sam’s awesome little smirk, as well as the shout out to past episodes – at least ONE writer seems to be aware they exist. But when would he have dated someone bendy? Who was Sam’s bendy girlfriend? And more importantly, when is someone going to write this fanfic?
The Sheriff was so sweet. I’m really glad she didn’t die.
Having us see the monsters find out they’re hunters before Sam and Dean know they’ve been outed? That was a pleasant twist on the usual storyline.
"A fish taco?” I saw that coming and I still laughed.
Sam and Alonzo fighting in the dark. Logically, it made no sense (see below) but visually, I loved it.
Things that made me roll my eyes
Peruvian fat suckers, I can't even. How stoned were they when they came up with that.
Using a flashlight to look for Alonzo was stupid. It simply guarantees that he can see you while you can’t see him. Turn on the damn lights. You’ve already lost the element of surprise.
The elephant in the room
To me, it was significant that when Sam is convincing Dean not to kill the Peruvian Fat Sucker (lol), he compares her to himself being worn by Gadreel. To Sam, Gadreel!Sam is a monster. This is what Dean still doesn’t get – that in Sam’s eyes, when Dean “saved” him, he actually condemned him to be a monster. And considering that Sam has, in the past, begged Dean to kill him if/when that happens? For Dean to actually deliberately do it to him is the worst kind of betrayal.
Back at the bunker… what the hell is this little room? Is Dean hiding from Sam? Is that why it looks like he’s in a storeroom or something?
I love Dean’s non-apology because it’s so in-character and such a slice of what’s going on in Dean’s mind right now – I saved you! Why is that a bad thing? And I love Sam’s refusal to accept it, and turning it back on Dean that he did it for Dean, not for Sam. Because yes. That’s what he’s always done. The first time he saved Sam, in Cold Oak, it wasn’t for Sam. Dean knew exactly how it felt to have someone you love sell their soul so you could live, and he knew it was horrible. And yet he did that to Sam anyway, and even agreed with Sam later that it was selfish. And please don’t take this to be Dean-bashing, because it’s not. I love Dean and I love that he has this fucked-up reverse imprinting. “Save Sam” is such a dominant part of Dean’s personality that he doesn’t – maybe he can’t – consider whether Sam wants to be saved or not.
I also think that if Dean would, just once, say “maybe that wasn’t the right thing for me to do,” if he’d say anything other than insisting that he was absolutely correct to ignore Sam’s wishes and do the one thing Sam finds abhorrent, if he’d just sway a tiny bit in his conviction that he made the right decision, that Sam would probably forgive him.
And Dean is crushed when Sam says he wouldn’t do the same thing for him under the same circumstances. But that’s the important part – the same circumstances. Sam would go to extremes to save Dean. He did it with the faith healer, he considered it with Doc Benton. But those were very different circumstances. Here, Sam is saying that if Dean were ready to die, and the only way to save him was to go behind his back and do something to him that he would have refused if given the choice… Sam wouldn’t take control of that situation away from him. But of course Dean (who is hurting and is hearing this through his own filter of “no one loves you or needs you as much as you love and need them”) is going to interpret it as “I don’t love you enough to save you,” instead of “I love you enough to respect your decision.” Just as Sam interprets Dean’s actions as “My needs are more important than yours.” And that’s heartbreaking.
At least, that’s what I believe. That’s what the history of this show would teach us. I just hope the writers have been watching the same show I have.
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no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 04:37 pm (UTC)Bravo. If they were capable of actually hearing and comprehending where the other is coming from there would be much less pain.
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Date: 2014-02-05 11:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-06 01:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 05:01 pm (UTC)My mind went totally Adipose but Alonso Allons-y! I totally missed that! Making me laugh so hard.
I loved the sheriff!
They did try to turn on the lights though. Sam even scowled, so legit torch usage.
Basically Yes to All of the above.
I can't wait to see if Sam ends up 'doing a Dean' and snatching him from the jaws of damnation against his will. That would be cool, n'est pas? x
no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 05:15 pm (UTC)Ugh, I missed that. Probably distracted by the pretty hair.
I can't wait to see if Sam ends up 'doing a Dean' and snatching him from the jaws of damnation against his will. That would be cool, n'est pas? x
So many possibilities!
no subject
Date: 2014-02-07 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-07 05:14 pm (UTC)Have you seen the name on the side of the truck that get's them at the end of S1? I nearly peed my pants! x
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Date: 2014-02-07 05:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-07 06:11 pm (UTC)That was so cute. My friend is having a baby and I'm trying to persuade him to call it Amelia if it's a girl so I can say 'Come along, Pond' when we go for a walk : ) x
no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 05:22 pm (UTC)Yes to this. a) Dean needs to talk back to Sam and b) Dean needs to let Sam be whatever kind of person he is when Dean's not in the room.
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Date: 2014-02-05 05:37 pm (UTC)And yes, Sam loves his brother AND respects him. I think Dean loves and respects Sam really, but just doesn't quite realise what some of his choices DO to Sam. Hopefully the writers are good enough to pull this off...
Anyhoo, many many pretty pretties. Very happy about that.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 10:55 pm (UTC)Ugh. Yes, five more minutes would have made a huge difference.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 05:45 pm (UTC)Oh man that's a great point about Gadreel!Sam being a monster. I've read various accounts of why he might have brought that up rather than, say, when he was a monster in control of his own actions (demon blood?). To that, I say, but she didn't choose to be born a monster, like Sam didn't choose to take on an angel, AND it's the most recent and personal thing he can fling at Dean in order to not have another Amy situation on his hands. But this idea that Sam has begged Dean to kill him if he ever became a monster and how much more of a betrayal this makes it... Man I wish we got Sam's POV more explicitly in this show. Arg.
I did a little talking to myself this morning, maybe prepping to write a tag for the episode, about the moment Dean understands what Sam means when he says "Same circumstances." It would mean Dean was done, tired, ready to go, terrified of hurting someone else by being alive, and had finally found some peace -- because I don't think Dean actually understands what "the circumstances" were for Sam. He saw the "promise it'll be final," but I don't think he gets the lead up or any of the related feelings. I hope we get to see the moment he realizes /why/ Sam feels the way he does.
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Date: 2014-02-05 05:48 pm (UTC)Please do write your tag. I'd love to read it.
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Date: 2014-02-05 05:51 pm (UTC)I think SPN has been pretty good about finding actual mythologies and massaging them a bit to make them into logical puzzles (solvable cases), or just to make the story fresh, or give an old legend a spin or origin.
I keep wanting to write a review of last night, and it keeps being an exploration of the episode's treatment of fat people. But if I can drag myself away from that, I'll think about this possible tag.
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Date: 2014-02-05 06:17 pm (UTC)I really like how you've put this and it nicely sums up my own thoughts on the matter.
However, as I was watching the episode, I wondered if the writers weren't actually favouring Dean's interpretion of Sam's words - I'm a dedicated Dean-girl, but I still thought that the way Sam's opinions were handled was a bit unfair by comparison.
no subject
Date: 2014-02-05 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-02-06 06:07 pm (UTC)HOW DID I MISS ALLONS-Y ALONZO, though I caught the Adipose thing (couldn't miss that)? :-) I liked what they did with the idea, and loved that the two female characters survived the episode. I loved many of the things, as I said in my review. Thanks for sharing yours.