10.08 Initial reaction: It’s not a vampire

[caranfindel]

Another MotW episode with a dollop of angst at the end.

For me, this episode was just okay. Not bad, but not on my rewatch list either. Partly because it just didn't have enough Sam and Dean in it. I love Jody, but I want to see her working with the Winchesters.

Things I liked

Sheriff Donna, you precious little cupcake.

“I'm gonna swallow a bag of knives if I gotta keep looking at this stuff.” And yeah, research is boring. But Dean really just wants to hunt.

“Looking for the sheriff.” (Everyone raises hands.) “Of Hibbing.”

“You know, this badge means something”
“I made it at Kinkos”
“Yes, you did. Be proud of that.”

“Call this a big one? I hope you drive a Porsche. “

“Till you’ve actually lost a husband, you keep your mouth zipped about mine.” Ouch. And also, yay, because let's not forget Jody's tragic backstory.

“She hasn’t gotten mixed up with this crap yet. Let’s try to keep it that way.” Foreshadowing!

"Monsters. Sucking on your fat."

I liked that they showed Sam and Dean changing into civvies (well, kind of changing - Sam was putting on his jacket) because so often they just transition from suits into flannel and jeans with no opportunity or reason (for example, in Everybody Hates Hitler, they're in suits when they leave for the library, and in civvies when they get there).

Things I could have done without

The killings themselves. This is just so, so wrong. Vampires drink blood. They don’t eat human flesh. And the first victim’s neck is untouched, so they didn’t drink the blood (as vampires do) and then eat the flesh. Although I guess they could have drank it from somewhere else. But still. Dean’s first reaction was “it’s not a vampire” (file under “maybe it’s lupus,” for you House watchers), and as far as I'm concerned, he was right. This isn’t vampire behavior, not even for a weird vampire sect that decides to follow some faux-Native American “we use all parts of the person” philosophy. And why are they only taking belts and wallets? At first I thought they were collecting leather for some reason. (Heh. Kinky vampires.)

Things that call for some discussion

I didn't realize Hibbing was also the setting for The Benders until cassiopeia7 pointed it out. She's also the one who noticed that the butler from Ask Jeeves was the same actor who played Roy LaGrange in Faith. Observant little thing, isn't she?

When Jody called Sam, I was excited that she called him, and not Dean, because I love her and Sam (platonically) and I desperately want them to be friends and her to be kind to him (someone please, for God’s sake, be kind to Sam). And then it turned out she called him because she thought Dean was still missing, and then the whole conversation was just off for me. Because if she thought Dean was still missing, that would mean Sam should still be freaked out, and instead of calling him kind of casually for a hunt, she should have started out with some concern for his well-being, and asking if he’s heard anything about Dean, and anyway. I digress. I was pleased later, after she knew Dean was around but still called Sam. Please, Jody. Take care of Sammy. Someone needs to.

When Jody calls Sam a second time, she gets the voice mail message of Agent Frehley. Does Sam change his outgoing message every time he uses a new pseudonym? What if someone from an older case calls? Also, he presumably has more than one phone, just as Dean does. Does the fact that Jody called his FBI phone mean she’s close enough to him to know that since he’s in FBI mode today, that’s the phone he’ll have on him? (Which makes me happy.) Or is that the only number she has? (Which makes me sad.)

This conversation broke my heart:

"For the first time I been back, I didn't feel like the Mark was pushing me."
"First time."
"All I know is, back there killing those vamps, I felt like me again"
"All right. So that's good, right."
"Yeah."
"Kay. Then let's go with that ."

Oh God, it is not okay, it is very not okay. And if Sam's reaction wasn't a big enough clue, we close with Dean rubbing the Mark on his arm. And the way it was intercut with Jody and Donna's conversation, with Donna facing what she's learned, Jody offering to help, and the two of them forging some kind of friendship, highlights the fact that Sam and Dean's conversation is in some ways completely the opposite (no relationship-building, no dissemination of information, just more secrets and lies) and in some ways parallel (things are bigger and darker than you think, Sam.)

As always, I'm unspoiled for next week, including the preview, please help me stay that way.

Comments

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

The killings themselves. This is just so, so wrong. Vampires drink blood. They don’t eat human flesh. And the first victim’s neck is untouched, so they didn’t drink the blood (as vampires do) and then eat the flesh

Whoa. I was so busy counting ribs, I didn't even notice his neck, but on a second look, yup, you're right. No vampire eats like that. Maybe they're a hybrid of some sort? New creature entirely? I wonder if the Hibbing "vampires" could link back to the "unknown monster type" that Dean called Cole's father . . .

Observant little thing, isn't she?

*cough* I believe the word is "obsessed." ;) TBH, I made the Hibbing connection mainly because of this scene:

One doesn't easily forget such a thing. ;)

Sam and Dean's conversation is in some ways completely the opposite (no relationship-building, no dissemination of information, just more secrets and lies) and in some ways parallel (things are bigger and darker than you think, Sam.)

Yes, yes, YES. For me, that scene -- the comparisons and contrasts between Jody and Donna, and Sam and Dean -- was what made the episode. Donna's just had a door opened and a light turned on for her while poor Sam is being kept in the dark as Dean slowly closes the door on him. I love that scene and its implications SO darn much!

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Wait a minute... You watched that scene and noticed the car? ;-)

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

In the closeups where Dean tries to jimmy the handcuffs -- minus his distracting full-body shimmy -- you can also see what's written on the door.

. . . that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. XD

[anactoria.livejournal.com]

At first I thought they were collecting leather for some reason. (Heh. Kinky vampires.)

I also thought that! I'm kind of disappointed that it wasn't. ;)

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Oh well. That's what fanfic is for. ;-)