Review | 8x18 | Freaks and Geeks

[galathea_snb]

Freaks and Geeks, by courtesy of Adam Glass, is a pretty standard standalone episode that mainly explores the theme of child-hunters, and as such it obviously offers a lot of parallels to Sam and Dean’s childhood experiences. I like the episode well enough, but since I find it really difficult to warm up to the guest characters - and they are

Comments

[de_nugis]

Yeah, the problem with the character reversions is that they seem to be skipping large chunks of canon -- not exploring the changes in Dean's feelings about John over the years between s1 and As Time Goes By, apparently completely writing out Dean's own arc of desiring a stable life and a family, putting aside the fluctuations in Sam's attitude to hunting. Even if I accept that certain kinds of reversion under stress are understandable, it's really bizarre that both of them, on a wide range of things, should revert back to 2005 rather than any other time in their lives

[galathea_snb]

it's really bizarre that both of them, on a wide range of things, should revert back to 2005 rather than any other time in their lives.
Exactly. I have been writing about Sam and Dean for 7 years now, and if I was able to count on one thing in this show it's that the characters genuinely felt like an accumulation of their past experiences - and that feeling is pretty much gone this season. Sometimes I feel like the things that drive Sam and Dean at any given moment this season are randomly picked from anywhere in the timeline. It's quite distressing, really. I miss Sera Gamble fiercely this season.

It's like they have an index card for each character made when the series was originally conceived that they use for reference and believe in the face of all intervening evidence.
And isn't that a sad thought. :(

I've heard the fears about baby plot, and, though it has a certain horrifying plausibility, I don't think it's wildly likely.From your mouth to Carver's ears. LOL Although there are plenty of other scenarios they could think up

[maenad]

Dean is actually more likely to open up about his emotional state than Sam is.

I find it amusing that the writers clearly think that this is vintage Dean characterisation, when by the third episode of season one he was baring his soul to a small child while Sam looked on. Which is to say that, yes, I agree: nuance would be nice. If this were really 'vintage' characterisation, the snark in the opening scene would almost certainly have led to a deeper and more honest conversation by the end of the episode.

That was how those stories worked: the issue is raised and vehemently dismissed; the episode explores the issue thematically; Sam and Dean find a way to talk about the issue.

Moreover, I feel suspicious of the writers’ motives for repeatedly bringing the topic up again.I shudder every time they talk about Sam's normal life. Partly because I still don't understand what the hell was 'normal' about the Amelia situation. Partly because I think it is stomping on years of characterisation. But mostly it is because I don't really believe

[galathea_snb]

That was how those stories worked: the issue is raised and vehemently dismissed; the episode explores the issue thematically; Sam and Dean find a way to talk about the issue.
Man, how I miss those days. The writers once excelled at this kind of character driven standalone episodes.

That means we should be due for at least one highly dramatic Amelia-centric episode at the end of the season.
You're quite possibly right. Even if it is not a pregnant Amelia, there are just too many ways that the return of the character can go terribly wrong. I even speculate that Sam might be forced to sacrifice Amelia in order to complete the trials; I am not sure if the current set of writers would see any problems with such a turn in the story. Overall, I can think of no scenario where she returns that I would even remotely appreciate.

It feels like that should have been a slow, difficult recovery.Yeah, this is the second time that Dean's potentially interesting storyline is simply brushed under the carpet. The first time was his post-hell arc, but

[maenad]

Man, how I miss those days. The writers once excelled at this kind of character driven standalone episodes.

Yeah. It's funny. Some of the best episodes were standalones. It's not a difficult formula, either. I'm not sure why they're having so much difficulty following it.

Even if it is not a pregnant Amelia, there are just too many ways that the return of the character can go terribly wrong. I even speculate that Sam might be forced to sacrifice Amelia in order to complete the trials; I am not sure if the current set of writers would see any problems with such a turn in the story. Overall, I can think of no scenario where she returns that I would even remotely appreciate.

I keep cycling through potential horror stories. I should stop, because it's making me paranoid. Every time someone says 'normal life' my brain goes 'Pregnancy, dead girlfriend, soap opera angst, childish fights with Dean, love triangles, betrayal - BOOM!' :)

Yeah, it's kind ironic, isn't it? I mean, on the one hand the writers frequently look back to S1 for

[galathea_snb]

I thought TV shows had mechanisms in place to preserve continuity and characterisation.
There are! The story editors are in charge of continuity. I have no idea who took over the position as story editor from Robbie Thompson last year, but I am guessing it is someone who isn't really all that familiar with the show. :(

It's not hard to grasp that the characters have developed over the years, and some of their attitudes have shifted while others have remained the same.
I honestly think the writers and producers don't care anymore. It's like they said to themselves at the beginning of the season: Well, 7 seasons of mythology and character development is just too much to keep track of, let's just throw it all over board and play it by ear. The characterisation is all over the map; it feels like the writers randomly pick those parts of the characterisation they feel serve their story best at any given moment.

I don't know if you've seen the latest one yet, but oh the continuity issues.No, I haven't! I hate that SPN moved to Wednesdays.