Reaction to 7x12, "Time After Time"
I wanted to post this yesterday but I was soooper biiiizy, and this morning I couldn't roll my ass out off bed, so it just had to wait. But DUDE! Wasn't that a fantastic ep? It's definitely in my Top 10 of the series' run so far :) There was only one thing that annoyed me, and I'll save that for later. For now? Must gush :)
Why is it that whenever Dean makes the face he's making in my icon, the world becomes a brighter place? Seriously. It's so rare we get to see any kind of childish glee in Dean, especially nowadays. Sure, he used to wear it when he'd get his latest copy of Busty Asian Beauties, or when Sam won free meals for life at Biggerson's, or in the ep said icon is from, "Tall Tales," when Dean is telling Sam that his purple-nurple gal has a sister. But since season 4, as the world has nearly ended and he lost Sam, only to get a Sham back, and then nearly lost Sam again to the wall coming down, and then Cas dying, and now Bobby dying, too...it's not often we get to see a truly happy Dean. Even last week, he had to FORCE a smile onto his face, just to try and keep going. That is why I'm so thankful for eps like "Frontierland" and "Time After Time," when Dean gets a chance to geek out and really enjoy himself. It also helps him get his groove back about fighting and knowing that what he does makes a difference. It also gives him a break in a way--lets him put down the world for a little while, relax his shoulders, and just enjoy being a badass again. It's good for him! So yeah, just wanted to say how much I appreciate these episodes on Dean's behalf. ::waves Dean flag::
So seriously, what wasn't there to love in this ep? First off, quote after hilarious quote, from "Don't give me that dirty diaper look" to "How does paper beat rock? It's stupid." to "Don't worry, we'll pretend this never happened" to "Sweet merciful awesome!" to "I learned it from watching you!" and SO many more. I'm loving Robbie Thompson as a writer and I hope he sticks around. I also loved Dean fanboying Elliot Ness, played by the fabulous Rat Boy, aka Nicolas Lea. They had great chemistry and it was so nice to see someone portray Ness as something more than a boy scout; I enjoyed it so much that I'm willing to handwave the fact that Ness was no longer with the FBI, much less the police, in 1944. Yes, I knows my history. Anyhoodle. The two just fell into such synch, from Ness using his version of a lock pick (kicking the door open) to Dean playing right along with Ness' disgruntled soldier story while interrogating the bookie. Very cool. I also really loved that Ness seemed to be just as impressed with Dean, even if the man from the future did talk funny ;) Also loved the lady!Bobby person from back then. Love that she planted one right on Dean, and who can blame her? The guy looked HAWT in those clothes, with a well-fitting suit for once and the slicked hair and the big biceps in the white shirtsleeves and the long coat and fedora and then later with the tommy gun and excuse me, I need a minute alone...
::Refreshed:: Okay, where was I? Oh yeah, gushing praise about the episode :) Besides getting a chance to see fanboy!Dean, I loved the continuity in two other forms of Dean: good-with-electronics!Dean and smart!Dean. Hee, when he hacked into the surveillance and one-upped Sam on the computer for the first time in his life, that was so hilarious! And then figuring out not only writing the letter to Sam (which I totally called in this thread from my post from a few days ago, even though I was slightly off in guessing that Dean would send it to Sherriff Mills), but figuring out where Sam was sleeping AND knowing his brother well enough to know he'd lie flat on his stomach and have his head turned to the left, so that's where Dean should leave his clue. AWESOME! It's so nice to show Dean being smart and capable instead of being told what to do and having to be rescued. Wish Show would show it more often, in fact, but hey, I'll take what I can get ;)
Now on to Sammy. Though I hate how much Show keeps splitting the brothers up this year (seriously, it's almost every episode so far), I do love that the brothers are really finding their way back to each other. As much as I love Dean taking care of Sam, I also love Sam taking care of--or in this case, worrying about--Dean. He doesn't sleep, he doesn't stop! And we all know Sam cares about Dean just as deeply as Dean cares about Sam, but Show doesn't SHOW it as often from Sam's POV, so I relish times like this. His sheer joy when he brought the letter to Jody, knowing he was going to be able to get him back and come through for Dean! Love it :) And how awesome was the good Sherriff tonight? She's an awesome character and I hope she sticks around; the boys could sorely use an ally, and one that's kinda like a surrogate mom is just gravy. She made a great researcher and I loved the part with the Johnny Walker and Rufus' begrduging letter to Bobby. I also loved that she insisted on drinking it. I also ALSO loved how she scolded Sam when he wasn't sleeping (though on that paper-thin excuse for a sleeping blanket, who could blame him. Honestly, I think quilted toilet paper has more stuffing!). And hey, Sam got the kill, so it isn't like he didn't get to do ANYthing, right? Though it would be nice if Dean got a kill more often...seems like it's always Sam these days. Of course, it would be nice if Sam got an ep where he got to fanboy and really enjoy himself! Wonder if Show will ever come through on both accounts? Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Saying that, there is one trend as of late that has me fairly annoyed: the "Suck It Up, You're Not Allowed to Feel Bad, Dean Winchester" speech. It's getting ridiculous. Elliot's speech was the third one this season! First Bobby, then Frank, now Elliot. And it's so dumb, because Sera Gamble and Bob Singer have both said in several interviews this season that Dean is doing a lot of soulsearching. WEll apparently he's not ALLOWED to soul search, cuz any time he admits to someone that he isn't doing well and doesn't really know why he's bothering anymore, he gets speechified. And the one person who SHOULD be telling him it's okay--that would be Sam, duh doi--is NOT telling him it's okay! Yes they've shown that Sam is concerned about Dean and his state of mind, but he hasn't once sat down and said "Hey, man, I get it. This all sucks. But it's okay to feel anything but okay." Instead, we've got a Dean who is finally letting his walls down and showing just how miserable he is on the inside, and now everyone wants him to clam up again! Why is it that only Ellen's spirt has told Dean to share what's going on in that brain of his before he explodes? Are dead people just that more compassionate? I don't know. I just hate the mixed messages :-P
So that's really the only thing I didn't like. Other than that, it was a brilliant ep. Oh!!! If you'll allow me to do some fangirling of my own now :) One of my all-time favorite movies is "Back to the Future." Seriously, I used to be obsessed with that trilogy, and I still watch the first one every year on Oct 26th. That would be the day that Marty went back in time. Oh yes. So did I enjoy the fact that they used November 5th as the date of the letter and the date Sam had to use to get Dean back? Yes I did, cuz it was also the date where Marty returned to the future in the original films. It was ALSO also the date they had to return to in the first sequel. And did I love that Dean said of Chronus, "He's using the Biff strategy"? Yes I did, cuz Biff used the Gray's Sports Almanac to bet on races and create his fortune in the alternate 1985 of the first sequel. Hee! I was a happy geek :) I also loved all the stuff from "The Untouchables," of course, including Agent Costner and the Sean Connery line. Honestly, I'm amazed they didn't do a split screen at some point in homage to De Palma. Ah well ;) One final note of geekery was Dean saying he was "12 Monkeyed either way," a reference to another great film "12 Monkeys." I should watch that again. I remember when it came out, I saw it 3 times in the theatre, I was so blown away. Plus crazy!Brad Pitt was a hoot to watch ;)
Hokay! Think that's it. Guess now we have to wait until Feb. 3rd for a new ep. I hate when they make us wait :-P