4.13 After School Special: I’m Looking For The Brutal, Funny, Maybe Even Painful Truth

[bardicvoice]

4.13 After School Special: I’m Looking For The Brutal, Funny, Maybe Even Painful Truth

Ghost high school bully
Drives nerds to revenge on jocks;
Sam sees with new eyes.

Comments

[mtee]

Very good review.

I wish we had been able to see the scene that is your icon! I was waiting for that.

[bardicvoice]

Thank you!

I knew that the icon had come from a behind the scenes shot, but it would be really great to get one glimpse of the Winchester brothers being so carefree, wouldn't it?

And thanks to winchester84 for the icon!

[yourlibrarian]

It’s all caught up in what I chose as the title for this review: a line delivered in the background by Mr. Wyatt, describing the essay assignment he gave to Sam’s class to write three pages on their most memorable family experience.

Yes, I was wondering who decided to change the script to include that meta-ish bit of dialogue.

I suspect that Dean never had a Mr. Wyatt, but also that it wouldn’t have mattered if he had.

I imagine it would have been a Mrs. Wyatt instead, but, yes, Sam was a field ready for the seed.

And I chuckled for the historical accuracy and political incorrectness of the Truman High athletics teams being called the Bombers.

I love that you pointed that out, I hadn't even noticed what they did there.

[bardicvoice]

Thank you ever so!

Funny: I heard Wyatt even behind the dialogue between Sammy and Dirk ... that line just cried out to be noticed. That was a really nice touch ...

And on the Bombers - I'm an airplane nut, so the name and the airplane graphic just leaped out at me!

[labseraph]

Ah, it was worth the wait for your meta, dear Mary. You hit everything we thought about (and some that we didn't) right on the head; so concisely and comprehensively too.

Dean’s hate for Truman High wasn’t for Sam having been bullied and beaten up there, or even for Amanda having struck back at him with such perfect aim: it was for having had the pathetic core of his life laid bare not just to others, but to himself. Hunting, saving others, was the only thing he could claim that gave his life value, but it wasn’t a value that anyone else could see or credit.This has got to be one of the best examination of Dean's soft underbelly, elucidating how little he thought of himself; which, in turn, explains his willingness to sacrifice himself. His code of heroism is very close to John's persona: if so, how could he acknowledge the part of himself that is still the little boy who misses his father

[bardicvoice]

Thank you! I loved what this episode gave us about the younger boys ... it rang so true with what we've seen of their grown-up selves.

And your comment on Amanda is dead-on, I think. On re-watch, Dean's protestation of heroism felt less of, less forced, precisely because I saw it through that lens: he was trying to save face and I don't think he really thought about what he said to her. although he'd remember the visceral emotional discomfort. Yes. That's it, I think.

[fannishliss]

thanks -- great meta as always!!

my favorite line of Brock's was when he said, "Dude, I don't do parents." His openness with Sam in that scene, compared to his "rude, crude and socially unacceptable" (as we used to say in HS) persona, was perfect for Dean. Plus the line reveals that he knows how shallow his cool persona is-- that he wouldn't be able to keep it in front of adults who are not charmed/attracted to/in awes of that persona, but instead, critical of it, and who always have a ton of questions he's not prepared to answer (what does your Dad do, why is he away, you take care of your brother by yourself, what are your plans after graduation etc etc, ---- questions that would make Dean Extremely Uncomfortable.)

re his I'm a Hero line -- it's a line he himself is trying to buy into -- and of course we know that Dean is not really as satisfied with his life as a Hunter as he wishes he were.

here's a cropped version of the icon -- I wonder if little Sam was EVER that beamingly happy. Probably ONLY in his brother's gruff hug

[bardicvoice]

Thank you! I agree on your favorite Brock/Dean line, and I love your observation about how open he was when he said that to Sam - nice call, there.

I think Sam got that happy at this age only when he forgot everything else, and I would bet that only happened when Dean took him there.

I love these brothers ... at every age.

after school special

[anonymous]

Thanks for a great review. I look forward to them each week because you always see something that I missed. I go back and watch it again after I read, although this episode I had already watched at least 4 more times before I read and still I missed some things you mentioned. Your insight to all things Supernatural makes understanding it so much more fun. Keep up the good work.

Re: after school special

[bardicvoice]

Thank you! As long as this show is on and I'm breathing, I'll be writing these things ... *grin*

Re: after school special

[coug80]

Wonderful analysis, Mary! I did not notice the reused scene - nice catch! Your reasoning made a lot of sense. I would also accept the occasional borrowing of a scene here and there for some great music.

Something I enjoy about Jensen’s performance of Dean is exactly that he portrays all of Dean’s facets equally, both the sterling qualities that make him admirable and the failings and weaknesses that make him reprehensible.

That is so true. With all of the supernatural craziness going on all around him, Dean is almost glaringly human. And he's more than happy to show it to us, the good and the bad. Jensen never fails to delight and amaze!

Re: after school special

[bardicvoice]

Many thanks!

Knowing that the show took a budget cut this year, I am consistently amazed at what they still manage to pull off. The trade-offs must be agonizing, though ...

I love Dean's humanity - warts and all!