Initial reaction 13.15: "A Most Holy Man"

[caranfindel]

THEN: Mom's still trapped in AU Land with Jack, the plan to get them out requires four major ingredients.

NOW: A skull is stolen from a monastery.

Title card!

(Wow, that was brief. Do you feel ripped off? )

Bunker. Kitchen. Sam's at his laptop; Dean comes in and asks if he found anything on the Seal of Solomon. He hasn't found anything, which is odd, because it took me 5 seconds to find something on Google. You might try that instead of "Search the Web," Sam.

Dean expositions that Cas is in Syria looking for fruit from the Tree of Life. And they don't know where Lucifer is, so they can't get the archangel grace. (Um, Dean, even when you did know where Lucifer was, even when you were in the same hotel room with him, you couldn't get archangel grace. So. There's that.) And the last ingredient is the blood of a Most Holy Man. And considering the name of this episode, I think that's what we're going after today. Sam doesn't know what it is, but has hypothesized that it could be the blood of a saint. Sounds good to me, Sam. And it turns out this stuff is all over the internet (ah, not just for porn any more!), so he doesn't think it will be too terribly difficult to find. He's got a legitimate-sounding lead, in fact. And off the guys go, to meet Margaret Astor in San Francisco.

Margaret Astor is a redhead, so you immediately suspect she's up to no good (or is it just me?). The guys meet up with her in a classy bar or restaurant, dressed in their normal hunter clothing (including Sam's awful orange jacket). But Margaret Astor knows a good thing when she sees it, because she is all over Sam. Sam is very, very surprised to be flirted with, and Dean is both surprised and disconcerted at the sight. But it doesn't take Sam long to figure out how to make the most of the situation, and he flirts right back, and our dear friend Amanda Tapping directed this scene so beautifully, because it's lit so well and we're right up in Sammy's pretty face and if The Husband hadn't been sitting next to me I'd have rewound this one a couple of times, right then and there.





Because LOOK AT IT. Look at the eyes and the stubble and the pretty open mouth and the slight underbite and tell me that Margaret Astor isn't making a good call here.

Dean is more and more unhappy with the situation, possibly because he hasn't been this thoroughly brushed off in favor of Sam since my beloved Dr. Cara Roberts way back in S4.





We need to see more of this.





I'm not even sorry.

She promises to introduce them to a man named Greenstreet, and makes it clear that Sam will be paying her back. But before we can dwell on that, we find ourselves in Greenstreet's lair as he munches on a donut. Sam and Dean "Bond" (heh) have dressed in suits for the occasion, but they still don't manage to convince him that they're legitimate, high class collectors. He tells them he does have the blood of saint, but it's ridiculously expensive, and judging by their cheap clothes he figures they can't afford it. I expect the next step will be that they just come back at night and steal it, but instead, as they leave, he calls them back and offers a deal, if they're willing to be involved in a little bit of chicanery. We get the clear impression that Dean doesn't know what chicanery is, although I'm pretty sure he actually would, but Sam agrees. There happens to be an item Greenstreet is interested in - the skull of Saint Peter, which was stolen in Malta. He thinks it was stolen by someone work for a mob boss named Scarpati. If the Winchesters get the skull, he'll trade it for the blood. He knows the handover is supposed to happen tomorrow tonight, but he doesn't know where, or who the thief is. But surely the boys can figure that out.

As they leave, Sam expresses annoyance. "So this is what we've come to? Thieves?" I don't know if he means being thieves, or working with thieves, but either way, this is nothing new, Sam. And Dean agrees, pointing out that neither of them is perfect. "This isn't a perfect world we're trying to save, okay, and if I'm not perfect trying to save it, so be it!"



But you are perfect, boys. You are so perfect.

Next we see the guys in a coffee shop, where Dean flirts with a girl reading a book about demons until he's summoned (no pun intended) by Sam, who has figured out that only five people traveled from Malta to Seattle immediately after the skull was stolen. And one of them is a guy named Antonio with a "checkered" past. Oh, Sammy. You make me all tingly when you use your brain like that.


Or when you use your face like this.

And somehow Sam has also discovered that the guy is right here in Seattle, at the Patricia Hotel. (And you know, I'm not sure how Sam figured out that the thief must be coming to Seattle. I'm pretty sure Greenstreet didn't mention that. Handwave!) In the hotel, a guy bumps into Sam, and you know something's going on here. It's too obvious. He must have pickpocketed him, or he's a shifter or some monster who needed body contact, or something. So we'll just wait to see this guy again. (And in this brief glimpse he looks a tiny bit like Tim Curry, so for now he's Not!Tim Curry to me.) Sam apologizes, but Not!Tim Curry just looks annoyed. So he seems like a bad guy.

The Winchesters are ready to break into Antonio's room, but someone beat them to it - it's been trashed, and Antonio is dead on the floor. As they kneel next to the body, they hear a gun click behind them. The short balding guy with the gun, who is presumably a law enforcement officer, tells them to go to the window, and then gives them handcuffs and tells them to cuff themselves to the radiator. I'm pretty sure they'll cuff themselves loosely enough so they can just slip out. Seems like what they'd do. As Short Balding Guy searches the room, they realize he's not law enforcement after all. He leaves, and Sam pulls out a lockpick or a handcuff key or something, I'm not sure. "Look at you; you're like a Boy Scout," Dean says. "You're always prepared." Sam responds with "You're like a... I don't know what you're like," and it's awfully cute.



It seems as much Jensen and Jared as it does Dean and Sam.

They head back down to the lobby, where Not!Tim Curry eyes them from behind his newspaper, and go outside. They discuss the case as they walk to the car, and Sam gently mocks Dean's use of the word "whack," as if he's never seen the Sopranos. When they get to the Impala, they're greeted by a team of goons, who tell them Mr. Scarpati (remember, the mob boss) wants to see them. One of the goons insists on driving the Impala (why don't they just put the Winchesters in their own goon car?), which Dean is very not happy about. As the Impala drives away, we see Not!Tim Curry watching. Duh duh duuuuuh!!!

Chez Scarpati. Casa Scarpati. (I, um, don't actually know the Italian term. Sorry.) Scarpati is listening to opera and literally stroking a white cat as the boys are ushered inside. He knows who Sam and Dean Winchester are, for some reason, and it occurs to me that we're 15 minutes into the episode and we haven't seen a monster yet. Hm. He knows they both officially died six years ago. (S7, I suppose, since we're not counting the year Dean was in Purgatory.) And so if they got whacked now, no one would notice or care.


They look so small and uncomfortable. Also, this room, and the guys in suits and coats, gives me "LARP and the Real Girl" flashbacks.

He knows about their deal with Greenstreet, who he considers a scoundrel, because he has no respect for the artifacts he obtains. Scarpati steals them to give them a good home. Dean points out that technically, the relics already had a home, because Dean spends the entire episode not being respectful enough of the mob, and getting glared at by Sam. It's a little awesome. Sam tells him they're only working with him because he has something they need, so they were getting the skull for him, and Scarpati calls it "a devil's bargain." Hey, that was an episode title! It's a theme!

Scarpati explains that he paid half of the price of the skull up front, so the skull belongs to him. And when they find it, they need to give it to him. He'll pay them a finder's fee, and they can use that to pay off Greenstreet. And saying "no" isn't an option.

Back to the Patricia Hotel. Dean's pretty sure the skull, or information leading to the skull, is still in Antonio's room. "I can feel it," he says. "Oh, you can feel it. Why didn't you say so?" Sam snarks. When they get to the room, it's blocked off with police tape and there's a uniformed officer standing guard. Dean pulls the fire alarm, clearing the hotel, so Sam can search the room. And he does. But just as he finds a piece of paper with something interesting written on it, we see Not!Tim Curry behind him, holding one of those giant heavy phones that hotels don't really have any more. He smacks Sam in the head, and our boy is out like a light. (Sidebar: How many times has Sam been knocked out so far in S13? Discuss amongst yourselves.)

Outside, we see Not!Tim Curry flee the scene, and Not A Cop follows him. Meanwhile, Dean shows up in Antonio's room and finds Sam unconscious. We get a nice panicky "Sammy!" and some pawing at his neck to check for a pulse, which I suppose is a welcome side effect of Sam getting knocked out once again.

(Sidebar: I'm writing a fic in my head, and it's nothing but Sam being treated for a head injury. No monster, no plot, just Sam in the hospital being treated for a subdural hematoma. Would anyone read that, or does it need to be part of an actual story with plot and monsters and stuff?)

Outside, as Not A Cop follows Not!Tim Curry with his gun out (no, that's not a euphemism), Sam and Dean turn up outside. Dean's concerned about Sam's head injury, and he should be. He points out that Sam's taken a lot of shots to the head lately, and many fans yell "I know, right?," and then he says "I know that Disney Princess hair gives you some padding, but..." and he touches Sam's hair and then this wonderful conversation is interrupted by the sound of Not A Cop apparently attacking Not!Tim Curry, because the guys come upon an unconscious Not!Tim Curry. Sam identifies him as the guy who knocked him upside the head.

Next, we see Not!Tim Curry dealing with a nasty headache (serves you right, bud) as the brothers ask him where the paper is. He tells them Not A Cop took it, and then gives them his story. His name is Lucca Camilleri (he doesn't look like Tim Curry at all at this point, so I'm glad to have something else to call him), and Dean looks through his wallet and clarifies that he's Father Lucca Camilleri. (I had to cap his ID to get his name, and I've got to say, they did a nice job on it. Obviously not done by the same people who created the Time Life Black Grimoire.) He's looking for the skull, which was stolen from his parish. Sam asks, kind of sarcastically, if he was just going to "steal it back," even though retrieving your stolen item is not technically stealing, Sam, but Father Lucca says he was going to buy it. Dean opens Father Lucca's briefcase and finds it full of money of various nominations. He denies killing Antonio, and doesn't exactly apologize for hitting Sam, but he does admit that he kind of lost it, since he and his entire congregation are so distressed about the loss of the skull. "Imagine you woke up one morning and this thing you loved, this thing your parents and your children saw every week, this thing you prayed to since you were old enough to just form words, was just gone, what would you do?" Dean looks sympathetic and Sam admits he'd try to get it back.



And we haven't seen their pretty faces in a while; sorry about that.

Dean grouses that the world is a screwed up place, and Father Lucca says he wants to change it. "All the time I hear people saying the world's not perfect, and they're right, it's not. Do you use that as an excuse? Do you use it to excuse your own sins? Your failings and your laziness? Do you use it to give a bad man power, because the world's not perfect? Or do you work? Do you try and improve things, in whatever way you can? Guys, the world will never be perfect. If good men do good things, it can be better. Every day can get better."

WOW. It's like he's talking RIGHT TO THEM. I mean, he's literally quoting Dean from earlier in the episode.

The Winchesters are inspired by his speech, and Sam offers to get the skull for him. Dean pulls him aside and asks what he's doing, and Sam explains that since they have to find the skull anyway, he wants to double-cross Greenstreet and give the skull to Lucca instead. Okay, but I thought Scarpati was the one they needed to give the skull to? So they don't get whacked? I guess they're really not afraid of the mob at all, once they're not sitting in front of the dude stroking his cat. And I guess, considering what they've faced down, it makes sense that they're not concerned about mobsters. (And as we're 26 minutes in, and still no sign of a monster, it looks like we're getting mobsters instead.)

Dean doesn't think it's a good idea, but Sam pulls out his phone and shows him what he found about Father Lucca's decades of charity work, and this is the point where I said, huh, this guys seems really good, and pious and pure. You might even call him a Most Holy Man. I'm sure a lot of you figured it out before I did, but I'm old and my synapses aren't what they used to be. Dean's still not impressed, and reminds Sam about the whacking upside of his head, but now Sam understands why he did it, because he's Sam Winchester so of course he does, and of course he's going to forgive the guy who put him that much closer to a permanent vegetative state, and even want to help him. And he knows just what it would take to convince Dean.

If somebody stole the Impala, what would you do?

Murder. I'd murder 'em all.

Right. My point being, I don't want a dick like Greenstreet or Scarpati to win. Not this time.

There'd be torture first, be like, a lot of torture, and then, there, it would end up with death. If I can't have it, nobody can.

Were you even listening to what I was saying?

Oh, god, that's funny.


No, it's not funny, it's deadly serious.

Sam was apparently convincing enough, because we see the brothers driving the Precious, with Father Lucca in the back seat. He says he doesn't remember anything about the guy who jumped him, but he does, somehow, remember the really long number on the piece of paper he almost killed Sam to get. He reads it off and Sam plugs it into Search the Web (oh, no, wait, he uses something called WebSummon now, ha ha, summoning, get it?) and it turns out to be a tracking number. For a package sent from Malta. Well then!

We see Not A Cop at the package shipping office, giving the clerk the tracking number, and I'm pretty sure you can't just walk into a place and pick up a package that way. But I've never shipped anything through IEC, so what do I know. The Winchesters and Father Lucca are conveniently parked right outside. Apparently Not A Cop wasted a little time after he jumped Father Lucca.

They follow Not A Cop to a warehouse, of course, because that's where everything happens. Another car pulls up, and Dean's surprised, which makes no sense, because obviously Not A Cop came to this warehouse to meet someone, right? The other car turns out to be one of Scarpati's goons, I think, because I remember his trench coat. He opens the back door to reveal none other than Margaret Astor. "Oh, look," Dean says, "it's your girlfriend." He is SO jealous.

Inside the warehouse, Not A Cop tells Astor there were complications, and suggests he needs a raise, which she slaps right down. So, he's been on her payroll along along. She greets Scarpati, who's already inside. She's either really brave or really stupid, because she basically admits she stole the skull from the guy who already accepted a lot of money from a mob boss, and now wants to sell it for even more money, and she's standing there with the actual skull in a box and only Not A Cop to back her up, and... I'm going for really stupid. This seems like a very poorly thought out plan. She says if Scarpati won't pay what she wants, "he" will, and "he" is Greenstreet, slipping out of the shadows like the sewer rat he is. He brought backup, so maybe Astor isn't as stupid as I thought she was. Not A Cop opens the box to reveal the skull, and Scarpati gasps as if he can detect its saintliness.

Outside, Father Lucca has moved into Sam's seat. "You're worried?" he says, and I think he means Dean's worried about Sam, because of course he is. "You're not?" Dean says, so I guess I was wrong, because there's no reason for Father Lucca to be worried about Sam. Or maybe there is. Maybe he's already fallen under Sam's spell. It's definitely within the realm of possibility. They have this conversation:

God will see us through.

Yeah, he really won't.

You're not a believer?

Oh, I believe. Hell, I KNOW. God, he doesn't give a damn about you, or me, or anyone else. So if you're expecting some sort of miracle to happen, well, good luck.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean that God would reach down and protect us. Of course that's not going to happen. But I believe all good things are God things. And what your brother's doing, it's a good thing.

Yeah, or a stupid thing.

Or both. Many times they can be the same.

We then hear Sam's voice on the phone saying "I got it," and we cut to him inside the warehouse, being manhandled by somebody's goon. He tells the assembled criminals that he's there to buy the skull, and opens Lucca's briefcase full of money. He moves his jacket just enough for us to see his lit-up phone in his pocket, which is how he's broadcasting to Dean. This is the signal for Dean and Lucca to get out of the car and do... whatever they're going to do.

Astor tells Sam how very good it is to see him again, because of course it is. Of course it is. Greenstreet and Scarpati are less thrilled, since they both thought he was on their side. Astor is all, money's money, I don't care who's working for who. She gives each potential buyer a piece of paper and tells them to write down their best price. Highest price gets the skull. This is... this is not how this works. If you want the highest price, you don't go for sealed bids, you go for a live auction.

While this is happening, Father Lucca approaches a guard and has this conversation.

Pardon me?

What are you doing?

Creating a distraction.

Dean comes up behind the guard and chokes him unconscious. "Creating a distraction?" Father Lucca responds that "lying is a sin." Hee! He's a charming guy, I've got to admit. They take out the other guards, apparently in the same manner, and then Dean tells Father Lucca to stay outside while he goes in and does his thing. Lucca says he'll say a prayer, which doesn't impress Dean at all.

Astor collects all the bids, telling Sam "good luck." I don't know if we're supposed to think she's really enchanted by him, but like I said, it's absolutely believable. She has Not A Cop read the bids. "From Lurch over here, $634,000. And two cents." Well, that was uncalled for, and Sam agrees. Scarpati bids $3 million, and Sam makes a disappointed face, like he really thought he was going to get the skull for $634K. But maybe he's acting. (Also, how did he convert that pile of miscellaneous funds to dollars so quickly?) Greenstreet wrote "0" on his paper, because "I plan to buy the skull, just not from you." He tells Not A Cop that if he kills Astor, he'll pay him a million dollars cash. Astor is sure her loyal employee won't turn on her, but as he says after he shoots her, she "really should have talked about that raise." Sam runs for cover and everybody starts shooting at each other. Outside, Father Lucca hears the gunshots and starts praying. Inside, Dean shows up with a gun in each hand and starts firing. Father Lucca shows up inside and grabs Not A Cop's arm just as he gets a clear shot at Dean, and ends up being shot himself. Luckily, it's just a flesh wound. It's a miracle!

Greenstreet is the only bad guy left alive, and he offers the Winchesters anything they want. Except for the blood of a saint, because it turns out he never had any of that - it was all a lie to get them to find the skull for him. A bit of chicanery. "Chicane this," Dean says, punching him in the face.

Aftermath! Greenstreet is loaded into a police car, and then we see the Winchesters dropping Father Lucca off at an airport or train station or something.

You know it's just a hunk of bone, right?

I do, but everyone, we all have faith in something, even if it's just a hunk of bone.

Hmmmm! I wonder if this will come up later!

Sam tells him he's been reading about him, and asks what an Apostolic Protonotary Supernumerary (I'm sure I've mangled that) is. Father Lucca modestly says it doesn't mean anything, it's just a title the Pope gives you for good works. Because yes, he met the Pope, who called him a "un uomo santissimo" (or at least that's what the CW app calls it, and yes, I sat through all the commercials just so I could get the official closed captioning; you're welcome), and Sam asks what that means, because he doesn't speak Latin.

Ahem. Look overhead and you'll see the Continuity Fairy, preparing to poop on you.

Anyway. It turns out this phrase means a most holy man. Aha! "Before you go, we're gonna need one more thing," Dean says. Well, there's one box checked off!

(And okay, Google Translate detected that it was Italian, not Latin. But Sam knows both French and Latin, and Italian is so close to both that he'd be able to translate that.)

Bunker. Dean examines a tiny bottle of Blood of a Most Holy Man. Sam walks in, in his nice red and black shirt, and isn't all that enthusiastic about it.

What? Come on, I know that look. What's on your mind?

I don't know. Nothing. I mean, you know. You ever feel like we're doing nothing but playing defense, you know? Bouncing from one apocalypse to the next?

Well, it's not exactly our call.

I know that, and I'm not saying we don't do good. But no matter how many people we save, there will always be people who need saving. No matter how many monsters we kill -

There's always gonna be another one around the corner. (Note from Caranfindel: Not in THIS episode!)

Exactly. You think we could ever change things? I mean, really change things? You know, stop all the monsters, all the bad?

That would be nice.

Yeah. So, what are you thinking? Think that will work?

I have faith.

This is a good scene, guys. I mean, I don't know where the conversation came from. They've been here before, when they had the opportunity to close the gates of Hell. I don't know why Sam is suddenly thinking about The Big Picture and not Get Mom and Jack out of AU Land. But what I do know is he's wearing that shirt I love, and he's a little teary-eyed, and Dean's giving us a lovely profile and he bites his lip, and Dean has faith even though Sam's losing his, and this is a damn fine little scene and I just want to give Amanda Tapping a big wet kiss right now.







Or, you know, I could give the guys a few big wet kisses. That'd be good too.

So. After last week's Winchester-lite episode, it was nice to have an ep without all the side characters. On the other hand, no monsters, and I kinda miss monsters. But the guys worked together, the continuity fails were minimal, we stayed with both brothers for the most part, rather than following Dean and ignoring what Sam was doing, it had some nice funny moments and some brother touching, and DANG it was pretty.

Honestly, the worst thing about this episode is that it keeps getting the Police song "Secret Journey" stuck in my head, because of the verse that goes "when you've made your secret journey, you will be a holy man," and I really don't like that song and would prefer to not have it stuck in my head. But I can't blame anyone on the Show for that, so.

What did you all think? And as always, no spoilers in the comments, please!

Comments

[harrigan.livejournal.com]

>> (Sidebar: I'm writing a fic in my head, and it's nothing but Sam being treated for a head injury. No monster, no plot, just Sam in the hospital being treated for a subdural hematoma. Would anyone read that, or does it need to be part of an actual story with plot and monsters and stuff?)

YES!! We would read it!! No plot or monsters required (though always welcome; not always critical.) Some discussion of concussion syndrome would be lovely too. (Just don't watch the movie Concussion before you write it, as I don't want to see any writer turn Sam into one of those victims!)

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

I would read it! (I think I wrote one like about them needing to retire because Sam's head injuries had made hunting impossible. What does it say that I can't remember if I wrote it or read it?)

[harrigan.livejournal.com]

I miss your fic! ♥ I can't complain, since my own writing mojo seems pretty much dried up too, but yours were always on my list of favorites.

And now it's caranfindel whose fic I wait for with bated breath!

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I've got a Big Bang to finish first...

[kazluvsbooks.livejournal.com]

YES PLEASE!!!! gimme this fic!!! Hurt Sam, worried Dean..yes good...goooood.

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

No, I'll never give Sam permanent effects from a head injury. Not my thing.

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

What harrigan said!!!! I would read the hell out of this fic!!!! Pretty please...

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

:)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

As it was full flavour Winchester, and had a cute new character on the side, I was pretty happy with that as an appetiser.

[fanspired]

I think: pick a genre, show. : /

(All-spn posted an "SPN's scariest episodes" article today. Just see how many of them are from the first season).

However, the "I'd murder 'em all" scene almost redeemed the episode, just by itself :D

[kazluvsbooks.livejournal.com]

it definitely wasn't a scary ep!
I think it was a homage to mobster flicks, and a one off, which i like that show does :D

[kribban.livejournal.com]

Yep!

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

I'm writing a fic in my head, and it's nothing but Sam being treated for a head injury. No monster, no plot, just Sam in the hospital being treated for a subdural hematoma. Would anyone read that...

From you? Hell yeah. :)

It was weird that there weren't any monsters...It was kind of like a totally different genre TV show that had our boys plopped into it. But it was our boys for the whole episode and so many great lines between them, and the last scene was both awesomely written and awesomely directed (I think Amanda Tapping appreciates the pretty as much as the fans do...)

[kazluvsbooks.livejournal.com]

I LOVE THE ORANGE JACKET!!! mainly because it actually fits..mmm....
also what is an underbite? Whatever it is i like it \o/

I love me some Amanda, she knows how to do a nice face zoom..yiisss..and i would say that she trusts that J2 know what to do with their faces, she just has to record it.

[gingersnap1224.livejournal.com]

I like the orange jacket too!! I thought I was the only one.

[kazluvsbooks.livejournal.com]

//leaps into the air for a high five (and secret orange jacket handshake)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

This episode really bugged me but it did have its moments, in particular Dean detailing what he'd do to those who took Baby.

Still don't know why there were no monsters, though. Unless I'm forgetting something, this is only the 3rd ep of the show that didn't have anything actually supernatural, and the other two were s1's The Benders and s9's #Thinman, both of which were horror, so still in the show's original genre. We couldn't have at least had a monster mobster?

[kribban.livejournal.com]

I actually liked that there were no monsters. There has been a couple of episodes like that before, where all the villains are human. The trope term for it is mundanger.

Which makes what Sam says at the end even more strange. As if stopping all the monsters would make the world a good place. Huh?

What came to mind

[(Anonymous)]

Maltese Falcon time with the actors rather than the characters' names!

[nofish80.livejournal.com]

I missed the monsters, but I liked the episode. Great Sam and Dean moments, the boys talking, working together, no sideplots... yeah, that was good!
And I‘d really like your Sam with a headinjury story! I was surprised that Dean mentioned Sams knockouts. There would have been lots of potential for nice h/c Sam and Dean scenes. I really need an episode like Red Meat again....

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

I really need an episode like Red Meat again....

DON'T WE ALL. I pretty much want every other episode to be some variation of Red Meat.

[nofish80.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, please!

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

I dug this episode! I liked the noir feel, the fact that it was just Sam and Dean, the humour and brotherly banter and feels, and wasn't it nice to see the boys get some wise fatherly advice from Father Lucca (and I'm fond of him too. Bring him back show, just not so that you can needlessly kill him off!)

I didn't mind that there were no monsters. I got the vibe that these were sort of human monsters and that they were righting a wrong that in the end helped other people and made the world a better place.

My only peeve, while I loved the noir feel, I think the music was a little heavy handed and could have been a little subtler.

(and please do write the hurt!!Sam fic - I don't need any kind plot or other distractions! Pure hurt!Sam is just fine by me)

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

The fic is coming, but it might take a while! :)

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

Oooh, an episode with Sam and Dean finally getting some decent screentime, Sam and Dean working a case together, lots of gorgeous closeups of Sam and Dean, a ton of fantastic references to The Maltese Falcon, no angels, no demons, minimal mytharc, and an end scene strongly reminiscent of the bro-talks at the end of old-school episodes ...? Really, what more could anyone ask for?

I LOVED IT. THAT IS ALL.