Things I Love About Season 1: Skin (Part 2)

[fanspired]

Continued from Part 1

WARNING: This is a very dark and confronting episode. It contains images of sexualized violence and deals with overt themes of misogyny and violence against women.
My review does the same.

Comments

[dragonardhill]

The shifter feeling a special connection with Dean is also supported by the shifter’s decision to stay with Dean’s face when he goes to see Rebecca. The shifter’s M.O. had previously been using the face of someone the victim trusts i.e. the victim’s loving husband or boyfriend in order to inflict the most awful psychological as well as physical torment. In this case, the person most trusted (between Sam and Dean) for Rebecca would be Sam but the shifter stayed as Dean? Maybe the shifter wasn’t aware that she was closer to Sam? In any event it’s a departure from the shifter’s typical pattern

[fanspired]

That's a really great observation about the shifter sticking with Dean's skin to visit Rebecca. I think what it indicates is that the shifter had already chosen his victim, and it wasn't Rebecca; it was Sam. He was channeling all Dean's jealousy and resentment about Sam having friends and a life, and the pleasure he would derive from killing Rebecca had more to do with taking those things away from Sam, and the pain and anguish it would cause Sam to know that his friend had been tortured and killed. I'd like to discuss this more in the final part of the review. Would you be OK with my mentioning your name and your comment

[dragonardhill]

Oh sure. It’s fine to use name and comment if you would like. Your warning about the next part certainly has my interest piqued. Dark content isn’t something I shy away from but I appreciate the warning!

[fanspired]

Thanks so much :) I'll be posting Part 3 tomorrow.

[kazluvsbooks]

So interesting!!! Loving all your thoughts and I really like the screenshots you chose.
Imo this is the first ep that in S1 where we really feel like we are starting to get inside the boys heads, and their motivations.
So much rich history here.

[fanspired]

It really was easy to get great caps for this episode. The direction is so good, every frame is a winner! Skin really is a masterful episode, but then so many season 1 episodes are!

I'm planning to post the final part of this review on Sunday, then I'm starting on Hook Man.

[kazluvsbooks]

Looking forward to it 😊

[fanspired]

Just finished the first re-rewatch. Starting in on the capping re-rewatch now 😁

[dizzojay]

I love that you touched on Dean's inner struggle as he had to - in effect - kill himself - or at least his evil twin. That was a real metaphor for an internal battle; the ego and the id, and Dean, the ego won out, thankfully.

I enjoyed that exchange in the sewer when the shifter comments on how he chose 'the handsome one', sit always makes me mile when Dean (or fake Dean) does his little bit of self-promotion!

This is a really fascinating episode, that really delves into some very dark and distasteful psychological corners. As always, I watched it on a very superficial level, so reading your reviews always makes me feel like I'm watching the whole episode again - then I can go and watch it again armed with all these new ideas!

[fanspired]

I'm so pleased you find these rambles add something when you rewatch the episodes. That's what it's all about at the end of the day :)))

I mention the Id in passing in part 3, and also Dean's self promoting quip :)And I really get into those dark and distasteful corners. It's already up, btw, but I forgot to add a link from this part when I posted it. You'll find it here whenever you feel ready for it: https://fanspired.livejournal.com/134792.html

Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I'm so pleased you're enjoying the series. Hook Man will be coming soon. I'm working on it right now :)

[casey28]

I think the shifter took on Dean's memories, but still had his own identity, so what we got was a mix. The scene where the shifter was talking about being "hideous and hated", I don't see this as something to do with Dean. This is how the shifter sees himself. I find the entire scene very disturbing and hard to watch.

I like the end scene, when Sam says that he never really fit in at Stanford. And they'll both be freaks together. :)

[masja_17]

Is this the start of the A/B/O writing in fanfics? I know I read somewhere that the SPN fandom started this trope.
Thanks for your insights!

Edit: I do think Sam noticed that Dean was off somehow at the moment he met shifter!Dean. IMO...

[fanspired]

Yes, I think you're right. Sam did seem to catch on very quickly.

I have no idea where the A/B/O thing came from, I'm afraid. I've always wondered. Like you, I heard it started in the SPN fandom, and maybe it began with one fic or series that just caught on. I can't really see much in canon that might have inspired it except that, if you apply psychological pack dynamics to the Winchester family in the first season, John, Sam and Dean fall readily into the categories of alpha, beta and omega respectively. In season 6 the show starts talking about alpha monsters, of course, but I think the fandom trope started before then. It's a bit of a mystery! :D

[masja_17]

I found the history!

https://fanlore.org/wiki/Alpha/Beta/Omega

Interesting...

[fanspired]

Oh, well done! You haz mad research skilz! :D It explains a lot, I guess! :D