Houses of the Holy
Apparently, there was a string of S2 eps that I had stuff to say about last year, 'cause lookee, here's my entry on "Houses" from last year. This year . . .
I'm struck most by how Kripke and Co. completely lost their focus in S5. Rather than the Padre's exposition of Michael reading as enlightening or encouraging or comforting in retrospect, it now comes off as . . . almost a parody, if you think forward to S5. My thought was, "Wow, Kripke. You really dropped the ball on that one, didn't you. You turned Michael from an awesome warrior for God and force for Good into a whiny brat. Way to go."
Sam recognizes the picture of Michael immediately. (Sam, keep that in mind. Dean's gonna be really important to him later.)
As the padre describes Michael, the Archangel Michael, with a flaming sword (you taking notes, Dean? You're gonna hear that whole sword thing again). Fighter of demons (well, that description certainly fits Dean), holy force against evil. See, that Michael (and Dean-as-Michael) I can get behind. What we ended up with? Not so much.
Then when the padre administers the Last Rites to the ghost of Father Gregory, he calls upon the Archangel Raphael to open the way. Now, since I'm not Catholic, I don't know if this is an accurate rendition of the Last Rites or not, but within the context of the show, the rites did set the spirit to rest. The Raphael we get in S5? The one who killed his brother Castiel? The one who left his vessel a drooling invalid? The one who wanted the Apocalypse that would destroy a good portion of mankind? I can't see him taking the trouble to open the way for anyone.
An early example of Sera setting it up, and Kripke failing the execution.
Ret. Con. Fail.
But this episode? I like. It made me nervous at first, but I ended up really pleased with the way it went.
I'm struck most by how Kripke and Co. completely lost their focus in S5. Rather than the Padre's exposition of Michael reading as enlightening or encouraging or comforting in retrospect, it now comes off as . . . almost a parody, if you think forward to S5. My thought was, "Wow, Kripke. You really dropped the ball on that one, didn't you. You turned Michael from an awesome warrior for God and force for Good into a whiny brat. Way to go."
Sam recognizes the picture of Michael immediately. (Sam, keep that in mind. Dean's gonna be really important to him later.)
As the padre describes Michael, the Archangel Michael, with a flaming sword (you taking notes, Dean? You're gonna hear that whole sword thing again). Fighter of demons (well, that description certainly fits Dean), holy force against evil. See, that Michael (and Dean-as-Michael) I can get behind. What we ended up with? Not so much.
Then when the padre administers the Last Rites to the ghost of Father Gregory, he calls upon the Archangel Raphael to open the way. Now, since I'm not Catholic, I don't know if this is an accurate rendition of the Last Rites or not, but within the context of the show, the rites did set the spirit to rest. The Raphael we get in S5? The one who killed his brother Castiel? The one who left his vessel a drooling invalid? The one who wanted the Apocalypse that would destroy a good portion of mankind? I can't see him taking the trouble to open the way for anyone.
An early example of Sera setting it up, and Kripke failing the execution.
Ret. Con. Fail.
But this episode? I like. It made me nervous at first, but I ended up really pleased with the way it went.