Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things: Supernatural Episode Review

[sylvia_bond]

You can read my review of the Supernatural episode "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things" at pinkraygun.com. Thank you!

An excerpt:

Sam, of course, knows better, and back at the motel, the boys have a major dither as Sam calls his brother to task. I’m sure it must be getting old for him trying to make Dean talk, trying to make him admit that the

Comments

[apgeeksout]

If someone could explain the whole zombie thing, then I could get more excited about the MOW this week.

For me, it's that they're genuinely horrifying: they used to be people... maybe people you knew... and (depending upon their origin - radiation, virus, magic, etc.) you could easily become one too. And like you said, there would be maybe some compensation for being a vampire, but there's nothing sexy about being a zombie... you might be sentient or you might not... you're definitely doomed & might doom everyone around you. Zombie stories, especially ones in which there's a shambling horde & a seige, tend to be bleak & sometimes apocalyptic & I could watch all day. Probably they're an acquired taste, though - if you're not already crazy about them I don't expect to be able to convince you.

I especially love the zombie here though, because it, as something dead that should've stayed dead, resonates so sharply with the boys' lives & especially with Dean's trauma. In the same way that it had to be a werewolf for Sam to identify with in "Heart", the episode would have been altogether different with a different MotW.

[sylvia_bond]

I once saw an icon that said, "What's dead should stay dead...except for Sammy!" The picture was of Dean in this ep as he's shouting at the poor dad for maybe bringing his daughter to life. I thought it was so true, because I think, in part, that's what this ep was about -about what you're willing to do for someone you love. I think the whole zombie thing was a metaphor for that, like you say, another monster would not have done the job as well.

At the same time, yeah, I know. Zombies are fun! I knew you were looking forward to this review because of the whole zombie thing...I just could not figure out the attraction! I even called my sister who has zombie dreams a lot, and had her try to have a go at why they were so fun. She said much what you did, about the whole apocolyptic bit, and the shambling and how they never ever tire and they will catch up to you one day. And about how the mindlessness of them is even more scary than a monster that can think because they will just keep coming for you no matter what.

What I really feel badly about, in addition to not getting the whole zombie thing, was that I didn't mention Sam's pasley shirt - and he was wearing one, wasn't he?

[apgeeksout]

Zombies are fun! I knew you were looking forward to this review because of the whole zombie thing...I just could not figure out the attraction!

Yeah, I suspect "zombies, zombies, zombies!" is a kind of visceral response that you either have or don't. It's hard to explain or understand rationally.

Yes, this episode marks the first appearance of Sam's damnably ugly pink paisley blouse. I must have been too distracted on Tuesday to geek about it properly!

[sylvia_bond]

You and my sister and my friend Dan and a whole host of other people I know would get along so well!

Plenty of time to geek during season 2 about that damn shirt, and I'm totally looking forward to it! And the part in Sam's hair. I kind of went off about it in the next review. You'll see. My sister goes..."boy you sure are negative about that!" But he looks so SWEET in bangs!