You Can't Handle the Truth (about so many things) - Spoilers!
Before I launch into my deep thoughts about this week's ep of Supernatural, I want to apologize for not being around much these days. My life has been madness lately. I have not only the whole two job/puppy thing going on. But I've been coughing for five weeks now (one more week, and my doc is ordering a chest x-ray [I already got an inhaler from her--and I don't have asthma]. The only thing we feel sure about is it isn't pneumonia); my boss just gave his notice, which means his workload is being redistributed amongst his directors--I inherited this massive project I'm honestly kind of dreading; my tenants are being...difficult; the place I'm renting is making me unhappy; I'm not nearly as far along with my Reverse BB as I'd like (don't panic, petite_madame!) and really, you name some petty irritation and chances are I'm being irritated (one of the latest being the loss of my work issued Blackberry--which is my only phone).
I've only been on LJ the bare minimum this month. I know I've missed tons of stuff and I apologize. I'd like to think things will even out eventually. That's what I keep telling myself. If I've missed something important, or failed to be as supportive as you've needed, I'm truly, truly sorry. I value my online pals and am usually better about being there for people.
But enough about my stupid little life. Let's talk about Sam and Dean. I didn't post an episode reaction last week as I knew that ep was basically conceived as a bridge to this ep and beyond. On it's own, I thought it was pretty weak. But I understand its purpose. This week's offering I found much more pleasing.
First off, I find it funny that the true reveal occurs in the previews for next week. I don't know if that's ever happened before (All Hell Breaks Loose II, maybe?). Really, nothing that happened tonight was much of a surprise. I'm one of those fans who gets to pat herself on the back and say she called it. But I really enjoyed the ep. Here, as usual, are my random thoughts:
- Starting at the shallow end of the pool--I'm not sure the guys have ever looked better. There was a shot of Dean sitting at the bar and the light hit his eyes in a way that made them look an unearthly shade of green (I've yet to replay the ep, but I want to say they were almost olive in hue). Freakin' gorgeous. And the shots of Sam tied up at Veritas' place really highlighted his bone structure. Yum!
- I felt so badly for that poor little neurotic waitress who started off the ep. Imagine calling your sis, who you figure is your safety net, and she tells you exactly what she thinks of you. Truly, I felt for her.
- I like what Jared has been doing with this not!Sam (or at least, not Sam as we once knew him). There are some interesting things going in with his acting through most of the episode. This Sam doesn't really know how to be human. He knows what to say, but that's all it is--lip service. He knows he's not right, but he doesn't know how to fix it. Hunting is his safe place. It's what he knows and knows he does well. It's his escape. I found it really telling how any time the question of getting back to work came up, he was all over it. This Sam seems to view that as the only place where he's sure of himself. It's the sole way he is defining his worth these days.
- I couldn't watch the drill stuff, and I wouldn't say I have a morbid fear of dentists. My mom was an office manager at a four-person dentist practice for ten years. I used to work there over the summer.
- Calumet City is outside Chicago. It's nowhere near Springfield, the state capital (says the Chicago native).
- The idea that an anchor in Springfield, IL could afford that kind of house and car made me laugh. Loudly. I would bet such a person would make less than me, and I work at a not-for-profit.
- Bobby as a Tori Spelling fan made me giggle. I didn't really want to think about his love of pedicures.
- Dean not feeling as if he could be in the same car with Sam was heartbreaking. As was Bobby's comment that the worst case scenario might be that's simply who Sam is now.
- I like the guy who directed this week. He has an eye for interesting composition. I really admired the way he shot the guys in their motel room, researching Veritas.
- I'll be interested to see how they'll explain Cas not being able to sense Sam's lack of soul. That seems like it would be something obvious to an angel.
- Even Lisa knows Dean and Sam have an...intense relationship. I like how she said so very little that she wouldn't have said to Dean anyway. The only area where she slipped up had to do with Sam. No surprises there.
- I liked the confrontations the brothers had this week. My only issue is Sam largely swayed Dean with an emotional plea, all the while saying he couldn't feel anything. I don't think the fault lies with Jared's acting. The problem is that, as we've seen since the season began, Sam is clearly missing something. Yet he isn't consistently cold. We've seen him get angry, we've seen him get annoyed, we've seen some degree of concern when it comes to Dean--hell, we saw a kind of fear when he thought Dean might kill him. That's why my first theory as to what was going on with him was centered more on part of his soul having mysteriously vanished. I worry the writers have written themselves into a bit of a corner here. If loss of a soul results in loss of emotion, as opposed to not understanding right and wrong (though that seems to be an issue too), Sam would more accurately be a kind of automaton. He wouldn't take pleasure in knowing his turned brother was going to infiltrate a vampire nest, and he wouldn't turn on the Puppy Dog Eyes of Doom to explain his case. He would explain it logically, focusing on his effectiveness as a hunter, given how he's been freed from fear and restraint. Yet, that's not what's happening. I'm also not sure what we're supposed to think about Sam's realization he needs help. Does he truly believe that? Is it a ploy? If it's real, why didn't he say something from the start? Again, does he understand something beyond the end justifies the means? I can't help but think in some ways the writers want to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to Sam's problem, and his reaction to it.
- I understand Dean wanting to pound the crap out of Sam, not just for what Dean's being turned had done to him, but for what it had almost done to Ben. I do hope, however, that at some point he realizes Sam is a victim in this too (I'm assuming--we haven't been shown anything so far that suggests Sam gave up his soul willingly). Sam has been altered and doesn't have the capacity to make the decisions he would normally make in this instance. Yes, what he did to Dean was unspeakable. But having Sam's soul ripped from him was equally devastating.
- And I wouldn't be the Sam!girl I am without pointing out that once again, although both brothers have had their very selves altered by almost unimaginable events, it is only Dean's pain and suffering that we've seen. Sam's soul was taken off camera, so its effect has been lessened. We didn't get to see the moment when the transformation occurred, nor did we see him try to make sense of himself and his world after this happened. By contrast, we were right there when Dean was violated and then forced to put in danger those he loved. We got to see his remorse and his pain. This follows the show's established pattern and it's unfortunate. I hope we get to see a little of Sam's side somewhere along the way.
- Next week looks great! Can't wait to learn what this all means!
Thanks for sticking around to read my blathering. :-)
I've only been on LJ the bare minimum this month. I know I've missed tons of stuff and I apologize. I'd like to think things will even out eventually. That's what I keep telling myself. If I've missed something important, or failed to be as supportive as you've needed, I'm truly, truly sorry. I value my online pals and am usually better about being there for people.
But enough about my stupid little life. Let's talk about Sam and Dean. I didn't post an episode reaction last week as I knew that ep was basically conceived as a bridge to this ep and beyond. On it's own, I thought it was pretty weak. But I understand its purpose. This week's offering I found much more pleasing.
First off, I find it funny that the true reveal occurs in the previews for next week. I don't know if that's ever happened before (All Hell Breaks Loose II, maybe?). Really, nothing that happened tonight was much of a surprise. I'm one of those fans who gets to pat herself on the back and say she called it. But I really enjoyed the ep. Here, as usual, are my random thoughts:
- Starting at the shallow end of the pool--I'm not sure the guys have ever looked better. There was a shot of Dean sitting at the bar and the light hit his eyes in a way that made them look an unearthly shade of green (I've yet to replay the ep, but I want to say they were almost olive in hue). Freakin' gorgeous. And the shots of Sam tied up at Veritas' place really highlighted his bone structure. Yum!
- I felt so badly for that poor little neurotic waitress who started off the ep. Imagine calling your sis, who you figure is your safety net, and she tells you exactly what she thinks of you. Truly, I felt for her.
- I like what Jared has been doing with this not!Sam (or at least, not Sam as we once knew him). There are some interesting things going in with his acting through most of the episode. This Sam doesn't really know how to be human. He knows what to say, but that's all it is--lip service. He knows he's not right, but he doesn't know how to fix it. Hunting is his safe place. It's what he knows and knows he does well. It's his escape. I found it really telling how any time the question of getting back to work came up, he was all over it. This Sam seems to view that as the only place where he's sure of himself. It's the sole way he is defining his worth these days.
- I couldn't watch the drill stuff, and I wouldn't say I have a morbid fear of dentists. My mom was an office manager at a four-person dentist practice for ten years. I used to work there over the summer.
- Calumet City is outside Chicago. It's nowhere near Springfield, the state capital (says the Chicago native).
- The idea that an anchor in Springfield, IL could afford that kind of house and car made me laugh. Loudly. I would bet such a person would make less than me, and I work at a not-for-profit.
- Bobby as a Tori Spelling fan made me giggle. I didn't really want to think about his love of pedicures.
- Dean not feeling as if he could be in the same car with Sam was heartbreaking. As was Bobby's comment that the worst case scenario might be that's simply who Sam is now.
- I like the guy who directed this week. He has an eye for interesting composition. I really admired the way he shot the guys in their motel room, researching Veritas.
- I'll be interested to see how they'll explain Cas not being able to sense Sam's lack of soul. That seems like it would be something obvious to an angel.
- Even Lisa knows Dean and Sam have an...intense relationship. I like how she said so very little that she wouldn't have said to Dean anyway. The only area where she slipped up had to do with Sam. No surprises there.
- I liked the confrontations the brothers had this week. My only issue is Sam largely swayed Dean with an emotional plea, all the while saying he couldn't feel anything. I don't think the fault lies with Jared's acting. The problem is that, as we've seen since the season began, Sam is clearly missing something. Yet he isn't consistently cold. We've seen him get angry, we've seen him get annoyed, we've seen some degree of concern when it comes to Dean--hell, we saw a kind of fear when he thought Dean might kill him. That's why my first theory as to what was going on with him was centered more on part of his soul having mysteriously vanished. I worry the writers have written themselves into a bit of a corner here. If loss of a soul results in loss of emotion, as opposed to not understanding right and wrong (though that seems to be an issue too), Sam would more accurately be a kind of automaton. He wouldn't take pleasure in knowing his turned brother was going to infiltrate a vampire nest, and he wouldn't turn on the Puppy Dog Eyes of Doom to explain his case. He would explain it logically, focusing on his effectiveness as a hunter, given how he's been freed from fear and restraint. Yet, that's not what's happening. I'm also not sure what we're supposed to think about Sam's realization he needs help. Does he truly believe that? Is it a ploy? If it's real, why didn't he say something from the start? Again, does he understand something beyond the end justifies the means? I can't help but think in some ways the writers want to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to Sam's problem, and his reaction to it.
- I understand Dean wanting to pound the crap out of Sam, not just for what Dean's being turned had done to him, but for what it had almost done to Ben. I do hope, however, that at some point he realizes Sam is a victim in this too (I'm assuming--we haven't been shown anything so far that suggests Sam gave up his soul willingly). Sam has been altered and doesn't have the capacity to make the decisions he would normally make in this instance. Yes, what he did to Dean was unspeakable. But having Sam's soul ripped from him was equally devastating.
- And I wouldn't be the Sam!girl I am without pointing out that once again, although both brothers have had their very selves altered by almost unimaginable events, it is only Dean's pain and suffering that we've seen. Sam's soul was taken off camera, so its effect has been lessened. We didn't get to see the moment when the transformation occurred, nor did we see him try to make sense of himself and his world after this happened. By contrast, we were right there when Dean was violated and then forced to put in danger those he loved. We got to see his remorse and his pain. This follows the show's established pattern and it's unfortunate. I hope we get to see a little of Sam's side somewhere along the way.
- Next week looks great! Can't wait to learn what this all means!
Thanks for sticking around to read my blathering. :-)