couple more thoughts on SPN 6×01
I wrote an episode reaction post at 3am last night, but had a few more thoughts upon waking:
- I know that this episode was structured as a mirror of the series premiere with the boys' positions switched, but I really loved that it also evoked "What Is and What Should Never Be." The djinns were the perfect monster to bring back for an episode that is about Dean actually living that safe suburban life. Dean was going through the motions in an almost dreamlike state; in comparison, he seemed more engaged when it was actually a dream. And in both situations, the central problem that prevents the perfect life from being perfect is that Dean and Sam are estranged. And hey, Lisa even kind of looks like Carmen.
- I love the opening scene. It's entirely the acting that sells it; Dean's first words are "Yeah, I'm good," but the performance tells us the opposite. Dean looks lost. It's not a big teary emo thing; it's a subtle, quiet sense of bewilderment and desperation. He looks so sad. But he's not dwelling on it; the subsequent montage tells us that he's trying very hard to move on and be happy. He's not burdening the people around him, and he's succeeding at being functional, but something essential is very clearly missing.
- Dean actually does both lie to and manipulate Lisa in this episode, but I cut him a lot of slack because he does it to keep her safe and try to avoid worrying her. I would still prefer that he be honest and treat her like and equal/partner, but it's better than lying to and manipulating women for the purpose of getting laid.
- The introduction of the Campbells was very odd, as were the dual resurrections of Sam and Samuel. If the show wants me to be buying this blindly, it's failing; I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it wants me to be suspicious, which I am.
This is a setup episode. I'm not going to call the questions it left open "bad writing"--I'm assuming that answering them is going to be the focus of at least the first half of the season. (Although I am worried about the pacing--season four took so long to deliver that, by the time they told us what Sam did over the summer and what Dean did in hell, I was kind of already over it.)
- I said yesterday that one of the things that keeps me watching this show is that my emotional and intellectual reactions are so at odds, which gives me a lot to think about. Then I realized that, no, that's incorrect--the thing that actually keeps me watching this show is 95% id. Dean is beautiful, snarky, angsty, and he gets beaten up all the time. IT'S LIKE THEY WROTE IT JUST FOR ME.
Originally published at rusty-halo.com. Please comment there or at Dreamwidth.