reviews

Full Moon Fever

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So, it’s Halloween, AKA the one day a year I actually have a legitimate excuse to wear my werewolf masks (no the plural is not a typo – I have two masks, as well as a set of fuzzy ears, a pair of paws, and a tail). As you can probably tell from the above sentence, werewolves are kinda my thing. I’ve spent the last several months reading and watching all manner of lycanthropic entertainment. Now seems like a great time to give you guys the skinny (or should I say the hairy?) on the numerous fur-raising tales I’ve been dipping into!

Enjoy, and let the good times howl!

TV

Wolf Like Me (Peacock) This show was the whole reason I signed up for Peacock. It just looked SO good. And I am thrilled to say it more than lived up to expectations. The show centers around Mary (a werewolf with a tragic past), Gary (a widower struggling to raise a young daughter), and Emma (Gary’s daughter, who suffers from severe anxiety, depression, and panic attacks). Wolf Like Me is a beautifully written and performed story told in six bite-sized episodes. It is part rom-com, part drama, with a little bit of horror thrown in for good measure. You will fall in love with the characters, laughing out loud at some points and holding your breath at others. I devoured this show in about three days, then immediately rewatched the final episode because it was next-level good in terms of the emotional payoff. I have since showed the series to my mom, who also really enjoyed it. When we got to the last episode, I asked her if she was excited for the final installment. She said, “Yes and no.” She wanted to see how it all turned out, but also was sad that there would be no more episodes. It was definitely over too soon, and I can’t wait for season two, assuming we get one (I think we will!).

Wolfblood (Peacock) A cute British show for kids/tweens about a species of werewolf-like creatures struggling to keep their secret while dealing with all kinds of normal teen drama and various supernatural dilemmas. To be honest, this one is worth watching for the accents alone – you’ve got all manner of British, Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and more, and being an American, I could listen to those voices talk all day long. A few of the storylines would definitely be more of interest to younger viewers than adults, but overall I had so much fun watching seasons 1-3 (all they had on Peacock, though apparently there are 2 more seasons floating out there somewhere). The wolves were very obviously CG, but at least they were cute-looking. The characters were very well-drawn, with even people like the mean girls and the class bully getting backstories, so that no one was just one-dimensional, and everyone was a redeemable human (or wolf). By the end, I felt like they were family, and I was sad when it was time to say goodbye.

The Order (Netflix) The pacing is a bit manic on this college-set drama, rushing from one storyline to the next as if the writers thought the audience had super short attention spans or something. That said, the actors are likeable, and have good chemistry together, making me care about the characters and their problems. There were a lot of cool details, including the use of wolf pelts to create the werewolves (rather than the typical “infection by bite” mode) and a practical explanation for the purpose of werewolves and why they eat the hearts of their victims. I found this a refreshing change from the norm. Also of note: season one did a great job of making the werewolves scary by not showing too much. There’d be a paw, or a snout, or a massive silhouette, or even just someone reacting to what it looked like without the beast appearing on screen. The wolves do eventually show up in their entirety, but the build-up was nice. I’d like to see another season of this, especially as it ended on a cliffhanger, but I don’t know if there’s any chance of it actually happening.

Books

Bitten (Once Bitten, Twice Shy, Book One) by Noelle Marie

I found myself engaged by this story of a young woman whose life gets completely upended after she is bitten by a werewolf, witnesses her family being attacked (and presumably killed) by brutal assailants, and then finds herself kidnapped and held against her will by a group of werewolves “for her own protection.” I liked most of the characters, including the lead, Katherine, and many members of her pack as well as students at the special werewolf school she ends up attending. The whole “werewolf society” thing was cool. There was even an awesome, all-female pack that I desperately wanted Katherine to join.

The one thing that grated me about this book was the character of Bastian. I hated him and the way he treated Katherine, which to me read like abusive behavior. He bit her and turned her into a werewolf, jeopardizing her life and her family’s lives simply because his wolf was attracted to her and couldn’t “control himself.” Bastian follows this up by kidnapping Katherine, obsessively micromanaging every detail of her life (she is not allowed to go anywhere or do anything without his permission), peeing on her to mark her as territory (for her “protection”), saying nasty things like “I wish I’d never met you” and then later apologizing that he didn’t mean it, etc. I was cheering Katherine on whenever she did anything to defy him, and cringing whenever they had romantic moments. The reason for some of Bastian’s disgusting behavior is explained by the end of the book, but in my mind the explanation didn’t really do anything to excuse his actions. I want her to ditch his sorry butt.

Unleashed (Wolf Springs Chronicles, Book One) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

This book stands out from the pack (pun intended!) because of the really creepy atmosphere. The main character, Kat, has just moved in with her grandfather outside the remote town of Wolf Springs. Their cabin is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by woods. She is not allowed to go out by herself at night. She isn’t even allowed to step off the porch after dark. Strange noises emanate from the darkness – including screams and weird drumming/chanting from a nearby corporate retreat. A girl has been murdered prior to Kat’s arrival in Wolf Springs, and a second death occurs right after Kat moves in, heightening the fear level. Even the reveal about the existence of werewolves – which the reader should see coming, given the topic of the book – is handled in an eerie and believable way, adding to the creep factor.

Kat did frustrate me at times, taking actions that very obviously were not smart, just in order to move the plot along. Seriously, if people were getting murdered/mauled to death in the woods at night, and basically everyone on the planet had already warned you not to drive home alone, I don’t think you would forget or ignore this information just because of a fight with a guy.

Overall, though, I thought the book was well-written. I have mixed feelings about the end, as there was no resolution to any of the plot points. However, the chilling atmosphere and numerous mysteries kept me engaged, and I definitely want to read the next book in the series!

The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice

I’d never read an Anne Rice book before, and I must say I was very impressed with the writing. Beautiful descriptions, expert characterization, and a compelling tale of a newly-turned “man-wolf” made this a highly enjoyable read. I especially liked that the main werewolf, Reuben, used his gift to dispatch the most deplorable criminals imaginable (including child murderers and someone who was trying to light a homeless man on fire), making him like a really vicious superhero/vigilante. My main complaint would be that never at any point does he consider not killing his victims, even though he’s plenty strong enough to contain perpetrators with nonlethal force. The only other thing that bothered me was that Reuben’s main love interest, Laura, was the only character not particularly well fleshed out. They decided to move in together and spend the rest of their lives together after just barely meeting each other and having sex two times. Insta-love is a big no-no for me, but overall I really enjoyed the book. There are some beautiful philosophical passages as well as a few “science behind the transformation” tidbits which were refreshing because most authors don’t attempt to explain something like that in medical terms. I will definitely read the sequel at some point.

Mercy Thompson Series, Books 1-3 (Moon Called, Blood Bound, Iron Kissed) by Patricia Briggs

As you can tell by the fact that I read the first three books, I am hooked on this urban fantasy series about a Native American woman who can transform into a coyote at will. She also happens to be a mechanic and a total badass who was raised with werewolves and therefore does not take crap from them. So far, these books tend to involve murder mysteries that Mercy gets involved in due to her ties to the supernatural community, which includes fae, vampires, witches, and the aforementioned wolves. I thought the plot of the first book was a tad overly complicated, with possibly too many characters introduced. For a supposed loner, we find out that Mercy is actually close with her neighbor, Adam (the local wolf pack’s Alpha), and Adam’s daughter, Jesse, and Adam’s third in command, Warren, and Warren’s boyfriend, Kyle, and the local cop, Tony, and the fae guy Mercy bought her garage from, Zee, and the friendly-ish vampire, Stefan, and well, you get the picture – it’s a lot of people in her life, and that’s before the folks from her past get involved. So I was a little overwhelmed in book one, but I settled right into book two with all of the characters and relationships already established, and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. I love Mercy’s voice and her personality. Looking forward to book four and beyond!

Cry Wolf (Book One of the Alpha and Omega Series) by Patricia Briggs

I gave this book a chance because my library only had the first three Mercy Thompson installments (plus one from way later in the series, but no way am I reading them out of order). I read the audiobook version, which is not my preference, and may have colored my perception of the story. This book takes place in the Mercy Thompson universe, shortly after the events of Moon Called, so there are some spoilers for that one. The characters were okay, but not as compelling as the main characters in the Mercy books. The book cover did not mention that it was an abridged edition, but I felt like something might have been missing from the beginning. Anna and Charles, who have only just met, are already “mated” to each other in wolf form (meaning their wolves just instantly fell in love/lust/whatever). We didn’t get to see when this moment occurred, but we do know the two are virtual strangers, which made it uncomfortable for me that they were already bonded for life. Another case of insta-love that left me sour, because I think people need to spend a lot of time together before making a commitment like that, whether your wolf is horny or not. The story has some cool elements of magic and a really nice newly-turned werewolf who sadly doesn’t survive to the end of the book. The concept of what Anna is, an Omega wolf who can’t be controlled by an Alpha and has the power to calm other wolves, was interesting, but I didn’t love her character or Charles and therefore wasn’t super-invested in their romance.

Movies

Ginger Snaps

This one had been on my radar ever since I encountered it on someone’s top ten list of best werewolf movies. Given that decent werewolf movies are hard to come by, I was really looking forward to this, and it did not let me down. It was a well-written and well-acted film with a compelling storyline paralleling the brutal changes of becoming a wolf with the volatile body changes a teenage girl undergoes during puberty. I must say this is absolutely the goriest werewolf movie I’ve ever seen. A total blood and guts fest. It was a bit shocking. The other thing that caught me off guard was the amount of suicide imagery. One of the main characters, Ginger, is obsessed with death and the idea of killing herself, and the film is filled to the brim with every graphic image of self-inflicted death you could imagine. If you or the person you’d be watching it with are going through any kind of depression, I would not recommend this movie, as it could be a trigger. The special effects were good, and the final form of the beast is truly hideous. Nothing pretty about this film at all, but it is well-done and worth watching if you can stomach it.

I Am Lisa

Okay, the concept of this movie sounded great – a young woman is brutalized and left for dead in the woods by a group of nasty peers. Instead of dying, she is bitten by a werewolf and then uses her newfound abilities to exact revenge on the ones who attacked her. So yeah, it sounds bloody awesome, but sadly I just felt like the writing was terrible and I couldn’t get into it at all. A lot of the characters seemed flat, and people did not behave logically or with any clear motive. At one point Lisa (the werewolf) and her best friend wisely decide that they should leave town. They then continue to hang around in town as if the conversation never took place. I didn’t finish watching this movie, so maybe it got better in the final third, but life’s too short to watch something you’re not enjoying, so I decided not to keep pushing through.

Battledogs

Like the previous film, this one had a cool-sounding concept. The idea of using werewolves for military applications isn’t explored often enough, and I thought the plot might be cool if nothing else. I’m sorry to say this is a ridiculously bad movie. I think it knows it is a bad movie, and even embraces its own terribleness, and those kinds of movies can be fun to watch, especially with friends. There is no real development of plot or character, it’s all just one action scene after another, weak explanations for elements that just plain don’t make sense, etc. I probably would have finished this one, despite how much it sucked, but I grew uncomfortable with the fact that all the “hero” characters were white, and the two main “bad guys” were Black and Native American. (The lead baddie is actually played by our beloved Dennis Haysbert, who was so memorable as God on Lucifer. His talents were wasted here.) There was one Black character (portrayed by Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters fame) helping the protagonists, but he got senselessly murdered halfway through the film. Shortly after that, I just kind of called it quits. If you like constant werewolf action and blatantly stupid writing, you might like this one.

I don’t have Disney+ at the moment, but at some point hopefully we’ll get it back and I can dive headfirst into Werewolf by Night. In the meantime, I bid you happy watching, happy reading, and a very happy Howl-o-ween!

The Race: The Results! (Finally!)

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At long last, I’ve finished catching up on my tapes, and am ready to declare the winners of this year’s season-long battle for my fangirly heart. Some of my shows let me down this year. Others rose to the occasion. And a rare few delivered action, emotion, and surprises in ways that blew my mis-matched kitty cat socks right off my feet. (Now my toes are cold…)

And so, without further ado, this year’s top winner is…

Supernatural! Yay! It was a surprise to me, because despite a strong season, I just didn’t see this one taking the top spot. The favorites were Castle and Grimm, no question. I definitely felt more excited about those two, leading up to the finales. And then Supernatural just delivered this KILLER, shocker of a season finale, and it totally warped my mind – in a good way.

There are three elements that factor into a show’s final score for the season: 1.) Overall quality of the season, 2.) Surprise factor, and, most importantly, 3.) How badly I want to tune in next season.

Supernatural’s Season Nine was the strongest season since Kripke left. Current showrunner Jeremy Carver seems to have learned from his Season Eight mistakes (e.g. the unrealistic storyline of Sam not searching for Dean), while keeping up an intense season-long mythology. Frankly, I really liked the mytharc in S8, and just thought Carver needed to do better on the brothers’ relationship – which he totally did. Kudos to Carver for listening to fan feedback and incorporating it into his plan for S9. Well done!

Now, let’s talk a little bit about that finale…Whoa. Okay, in the beginning, it was pretty much like a normal ep. A good ep, but not spectacular. The real “wow” factor came in the last few minutes of the episode, as the fight between Dean and Metatron heated up on Earth, coinciding with Castiel’s search for the tablet in Heaven. The way the scene was building, you just knew how it was going to go. Dean had the pulp royally beaten out of him, but he was looking at the First Blade, and it was going to fly into his hand, and at the very last moment, when all hope seemed lost, Cass would destroy the tablet and Dean would stab Metatron DEAD. So, I’m sitting there, all nestled in the couch, entertained but not enthralled, waiting for expected things to come to pass…And then Dean takes an ANGEL BLADE right through the middle of his chest!! What the…???

THAT made me sit up. My eyes got huge and I think I actually said, “Whoa.” So, that was Big Shocker #1. That whole part was great television, building the scene one way, and then veering in a drastically different direction. My attention was riveted in place from that moment onward, because I had no idea how they were going to get out of this – Dean’s injury was clearly fatal. Then Metatron escaped. Fortunately, Castiel took care of him with a clever trap set in Heaven. However, down on Earth, the boys were left in a very dire situation, brightened only by the following exchange:

Dean: “What happened to you being okay with [me dying]?”

Sam: “I lied.”

Aw, Sam – that’s all we needed to hear. That’s all Dean ever needed to hear. I had no problem with Sam and Dean’s relationship this year, because no matter what jerky things they said to each other with words, it was clear all along from their actions that the bond was just as strong as ever. So this exchange, at the end, was just icing for me – sweet satisfaction on top of an already yummy cake.

And then something not-so-yummy happened: Dean died. And I don’t care that they’ve both died about ten thousand times by now, or that it’s obviously not going to be permanent – somehow, these actors still make me care that it’s happening. Their performances keep me in the moment, and bring a little tear to the corner of my eye. 😦

So, Sam takes Dean home, and, predictably, sets about summoning Crowley. Deal time. I settled back into the couch. But then, Crowley was already there, sitting next to Dean’s body. Hmmm. Crowley actually seemed sorry about what had happened, but also strangely excited. As he began to talk to Dean about Cain, I started to sit forward again. The writers had cleverly reminded us, at the beginning of the ep, that Cain was a demon. So as Crowley reached the end of his monologue, the anticipation built to a climax, and I’m betting about 80% of fans, myself included, knew that not only would Dean’s eyes open, but that they would open to reveal pools of jet black.

So, Big Shocker #2: Dean was resurrected as a DEMON. Now, I’ve heard some fans call the end of this episode predictable. I even said myself in the previous paragraph that I knew his peepers would be black when he opened ‘em, and many others likely did, too. So, how is that really a shocker? Because if you’d asked me at the beginning of the episode what would happen, neither dead!Dean nor demon!Dean would be on my list. Because if you’d asked me at the beginning of Crowley’s speech what was about to happen, I still couldn’t have told you that Dean was about to morph into something demonic. I only knew in the seconds before it happened, right when the writers wanted me to know, and not an instant before. That, my friends, is great writing.

And, as with all great finales, we were left with questions that have burned all summer long, filling the air like the sweet scent of barbeque smoke, making our stomachs growl for a taste of Season Ten: How will Castiel survive? Is it possible for him to reclaim his own stolen grace? (Anna did, but hers wasn’t used in a spell). Is Dean a regular demon, or a Knight of Hell? Will he have more loyalty to Sam or Crowley? When and how will Sam find out the truth? Will he be able to cure Dean, or would that be a death sentence, considering the mortally-wounded state of Dean’s body? (Demons can live in dead/dying bodies, e.g. Meg in Season One, but once the demon is out, nature kind of takes its course…) How much human emotion will Dean retain? After all, we’ve seen demons in love (demons in “Sin City,” Cain) and also cases of very loyal demons, like Ruby, demons who have parent-like affection for others (Azazel), and even a demon with a crush on an angel, so the possibilities are wide-open. And I, for one, can’t wait to see where they go with this!

Supernatural Final Score: 9

All right, now that I’ve got the gushing out of my system, let’s look at how the other shows finished out their seasons:

The Mentalist and Castle tied for second place, with Castle leading most of the way, and TM sticking its nose out at the last instant for a photo-finish. Both shows had strong seasons, with The Mentalist’s total creative reboot and Castle churning out one epic episode after another. As Castle drew to a close, we had the emotional arrest of Senator Bracken, the icky politician responsible for murdering Beckett’s mother, and the build-up to the much-anticipated Castle/Beckett nuptials. The Mentalist finished its run with a poignant human trafficking storyline and a hard-core, not-even-a-little-bit subtle push towards a Jane/Lisbon romantic relationship.

While many viewers were probably celebrating this last item on the list, I spent most of the final few eps of TM in Mixed Feelings-ville. It’s not that I don’t like Jane and Lisbon together – I’ve been reading shipper fic since I started watching the show. It’s just…I don’t know whether the writers like Jane and Lisbon together. The nature of the Jane/Lisbon relationship has varied wildly from season to season: gently flirtatious in Season One, strictly friendship in Season Two, platonic but very close in S3, occasional shippy hints in S4 and S5, and finally an aggressive and blatantly shippy S6. Is anyone else’s head spinning?

Castle may have sometimes overbaked its Castle/Beckett UST moments in the past, made the attraction a little too in-your-face obvious, but at least there was never any doubt that these two characters were, indeed, attracted to one another. On The Mentalist, for me, there was doubt. The writing was inconsistent. Rare moments like the “I love you” in the S4 finale were dropped like hot spoons and never picked up again. There was no apparent jealousy on Lisbon’s part when Jane dated Kristina, and as for Lisbon/Mashburn, it was never revealed if Jane even found out, much less got jealous over it. Fanficcers were left to explore these issues on their own. Actors and writers on The Mentalist suggested in post-Season One interviews that the Jane/Lisbon relationship was more brother/sister than romantic, a definite contrast to the Season One interview in which Tunney said that Lisbon probably bought a new pair of shoes for work when Jane started his job at the CBI.

Overall, I got the strong impression that the show had no intentions of ever putting Jane/Lisbon together, and was just throwing occasional bones to the shippers in a sometimes-unsuccessful attempt to make them happy (I know of at least one shipper who bailed early in S2 – she seemed to feel what I did: a complete removal of the flirtation/romantic hints we saw in S1).

And then along came S6. It was clear from early on that the writers were going to “go there.” Which would have been fine, if they took their time and made it natural. I am happy to go anywhere my shows take me, as long as it’s done right. This, however, felt very rushed. And forced – more like a desperate attempt to save the show than something the writers really wanted to do. If they had intended to put Jane/Lisbon together from the beginning, they would have laid a strong and consistent foundation all along. Instead, they thrust Lisbon headlong into a serious relationship with some guy the audience didn’t know (or care about), for the sole and transparent purpose of creating a jealousy storyline for Jane. I felt physically uncomfortable watching Lisbon interact with Pike – I love Lisbon, and here she was, this person I care deeply about, kissing and making plans with a total stranger – not just a stranger to the audience, but a stranger to her. Yikes.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad – we had those gemstone moments in private between Jane/Lisbon, those gut-twisting, all-show-and-no-tell scenes where both characters grappled with her new relationship and the possibility of her leaving. Their dialogue was sparse and simple, leaving emotion to overflow from between the lines. Awesome, powerhouse stuff.

And in the end, with the finale, that’s what won me over. The writing for that last episode was brilliant, and the performances were somewhere in the stratosphere. I’m still not completely comfortable with it, and I’m not sure the writers are, either, but they gave it 100% – everything Jane and Lisbon did in that last S6 ep was in character, from Jane’s trickery to Lisbon’s hurt to Jane’s painful and liberating confession of love. Very sweet, very romantic, very Jane and Lisbon.

The freeze-frame at the end definitely scared me – I mean, it was a nice image and all, but I thought it might very well be the last image of TM I’d ever see. I’m sure the writers were thinking it, too, and were trying to make the ending as happy as possible for a large (but not necessarily the largest) part of the fandom – the shippers. Needless to say, I breathed a long happy sigh when I found out TM was coming back for a Season 7. With all the bold moves the writers made this year – killing Red John, bringing aboard a whole new team, putting J/L together – they deserved a chance to show what they can do with a new year and a totally fresh start.

For me, I’ve never cared so much about how a couple gets together as I do about how their relationship is once they are together. Therefore, I’m way more stoked about seeing how Jane and Lisbon will navigate their new romance than I was about this whole jealousy/engagement thing. I truly can’t wait for next season, and I’m SO GLAD there is a next season. As long as the writers keep it in character, this relationship is going to be SO MUCH FUN!

The Mentalist Final Score: 8.5

Okay, now let’s talk about Castle for a quick sec. Yes, just a quick sec, because I honestly have no complaints here. The resolution to the Bracken storyline was wonderful, emotional, epic. The finale was full of humor, woe, genuine scares, and a flaming shocker of an ending that leaves me wondering who was in the car following Castle, what they did to him, when and how Beckett will find out the truth (he’s obviously not in the fiery wreckage, as she currently believes), and where it will all go from here. Castle is the perfect example other shows should look at when trying to decide whether the main couple should get together, or whether that would ruin the show. The answer: it can ruin the show – or it can make the show stronger, funnier, more romantic, and more exciting than ever! In Castle’s case, it’s the latter, and I’ve never loved the show more than I did this season. I even recently poked my nose into some Castlefic for the first time ever – and was not at all disappointed.

Castle Final Score: 8.5

With a last-minute tie for second, front-runner Grimm ended up coming in third. I loved the end-of-season addition of the new character “Trubel,” a young Grimm with brains, attitude, and some serious fighting skills – she fits right in with our gang without taking away from anyone’s screen time. The storylines all season long were excellent – it’s the perfect popcorn show, and I thought for SURE it would either win the race or at the very least come in a close second. But then something happened. Not something horrible that made me hate the show or anything like that – but just something that made me shave a few points off the final score: the finale.

Was it enjoyable? Yes. Exciting? Totally. But surprising? Not at all. Maybe the blame should fall on the person who put together the commercials for the finale, and not the episode itself, but there was nothing that happened in this episode that you couldn’t predict from the previews. We knew Adalind would replace Juliette. We knew Sean would get shot (still was totally traumatic – he’s one of my favs). We knew Monroe and Rosalie would tie the knot, and it was strongly implied that Nick would lose his powers. Really, the only thing we didn’t know was that Nick and Adalind would actually sleep together – and I don’t count that so much as a surprise moment as I do an “ew” moment. Ew.

Moving forward, I couldn’t be more excited – I seriously cannot wait to find out if Sean survives (he’d better – he’s one of the most complex, intriguing characters on the show), how Nick fares without his powers (wouldn’t that be terrifying, to know these things are out there, and not be able to see them anymore?), whether Juliette and Nick can weather the Adalind storm, and how newlywed life agrees (or doesn’t) with our favorite lovebirds (love-wesens?), Monroe and Rosalie. Also, what’ll Hank be up to next year (me-thinks powerless Nick will need his partner more than ever)?

Despite the predictability of the final ep, it was still a great ride that left me aching to see what’ll happen next. If Grimm keeps up this level of awesome, we may just have a new winner next year.

Grimm Final Score: 8.3

Chicago Fire finished its strong second season in a respectable fourth place. “Reliably lovable” is how I like to think about this one – I sit down, and I know I’ll be entertained. I’ll laugh, I’ll jump, and I might even cry (see “Best Tearjerker Moment” below). The storylines surprise me and make me think – every single time. The characters make me care – every single time. The two-night CF/CPD crossover event was a thing of beauty. Finally, NBC actually delivered something that was both a “crossover” and a “two-night event,” just as advertised. Bravo, Peacock Network!!! I’m so glad it was a two-nighter, too, because I couldn’t have waited a whole week to find out if Shay was okay! And major kudos to Amanda Righetti, because not once did I look at her and think “Van Pelt.” She was a totally new character, and I loved it. They almost had enough storylines with the hospital staff to make a third show: Chicago Medical. Hey, I’d watch it! 😉

The only downside to the two-night event was that it was SO wonderful and SO epic, that the finales for both shows were a little weaker by comparison. I did love that the CF finale focused on Severide, his guilt at overlooking a victim inside a burning building. That was pretty dark, actually, but the Chief’s wedding added some humor and light to balance it out. And of course we had the obligatory cliffie at the end. But overall, it did feel like a regular ep – not the final ep of a pretty dang awesome season!

Chicago Fire Final Score: 8.2

CPD falls just a hair behind its older sister. For whatever reason, CF owns a little bigger slice of my heart. Maybe because I’ve known the characters longer, or maybe just because while cops are out there firing guns and trying to catch bad guys, firefighters are simply trying to save people. There’s an innocence to that, an uncomplicated core of “goodness” we can all relate to. CPD is a great show, but it’s just a little darker, a little meaner, a little less pure than CF. The gruesome death of Jin in the finale showcases this. Antonio’s wife leaving him added yet another shadow to an already pretty bleak season-ender.

Nonetheless, I love the characters, and I’m compelled by the show, especially when it gives me delicious treats like the budding Lindsay/Severide romance. I wanted that so bad, but didn’t let myself hope. It seemed like they were pairing her with Jay, and I figured doing a cross-show romance would just be too daunting for the writers. And then they went there! And my fangirly heart jumped over the moon, landed on the sun, burned to a blackened crisp and was joyfully reborn from the ashes. I ship Lindsay/Severide!! Looking forward to many more scenes between them on both shows…assuming Severide made it out of that explosion…:/

Chicago PD Final Score: 8.1

Honestly, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. should have ranked higher than sixth place. It is an action movie, a comedy, and a sci-fi masterpiece all rolled up together in a hotdog bun. And I can sum up, in one word, why this show fell so far behind in my race: Ward. I’ve just never liked it when shows take a character you really care about and turn him or her “bad” as a way to shock the audience. It always feels like something that was just done on a whim to shake things up. Now, I do recognize Joss Whedon’s a genius, and I can give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he DID plan to have Ward be evil all along. But that doesn’t make the twist any more palatable to me. I feel like I wasted my time getting invested in something that wasn’t real. And that’s probably what I was supposed to feel, because that’s how Coulson and his team felt. The problem is, it didn’t make me like the show more. It made me like the show LESS. Like, a lot less. I missed parts of most of the last few eps, and honestly didn’t care that much. It’s still a great show, but not quite AS great. There’s an emptiness to it, now – a reluctance on my part to become overly attached to characters who might suddenly be revealed as evil to boost ratings.

I do give the writers credit for making Ward a complex shade of gray, rather than a cut-and-dried Prince of Darkness. And yes, the performances were excellent, and the finale did make me laugh out loud when Coulson broke out that huge gun, shot Garrett’s head off, and was all, “Guys, I found it!” Classic Whedon humor. All in all, this show is still very much worth watching, I just hope they don’t make me regret it…again.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Final Score: 7.5

Oddly enough, S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t the only show to turn one of its good guys not-so-good last year. Maybe it was something icky in the water? Whatever it was, Beauty and the Beast drank some, too. (Probably didn’t taste very good!) I know I didn’t like the flavor of evil!Gabe after a season of loving him! Yeah, yeah, I know he started out as a bad guy, but still, I thought he’d redeemed himself, and the return of Gabe The Murderer and, ultimately, Gabe The Murdering Beast just didn’t quite sit right in my stomach. Seemed too easy, too uncomplicated: Gabe is bad, and Cat and Vincent are meant to be. End of story. I would’ve liked more layers. I would’ve liked Gabe not to be a total psycho! It didn’t help that I apparently missed an episode. I have no freaking idea how, either – all I know is, Cat got kidnapped and Gabe was still a good guy, and I couldn’t wait to tune in the next week. When I tuned in the next week (or so I thought), Cat was no longer kidnapped, and Gabe was completely evil. WTH???? Not the smoothest transition for this viewer.

Maybe I got abducted by aliens. There was certainly missing time involved – like, a whole week of it. Whatever the case, I shook off my disorientation and tried to enjoy the remaining episodes. Thanks to the charming cast and funny writers, this wasn’t so difficult. I am thrilled X 1,000 that JT wasn’t killed off, and super-pumped about the potentially X-Files-y type supernatural investigations that Cat and Vincent may plunge into next year. Which we will thankfully get to see, since BATB got renewed! Yay!

Beauty and the Beast Final Score: 7.4

And in last place, we have Elementary. Which sounds bad, but considering that I only watch truly awesome shows, even last place isn’t such a terrible spot! When this show decides to bring it, they bring it like crazy. Problem is, they don’t always decide to bring it, and I think we had a bit of a sophomore slump going on last season. Certain moments and individual episodes really sparkled: Bell’s shooting and its aftermath, Gregson’s marital issues, Watson’s kidnapping, Moriarty’s return, Mycroft’s MI6 storyline. But then, in between those moments, we had some dry, unappetizing filler that didn’t seem to have any real direction or taste (other than cardboard).

My RX for next season: More Mycroft! My mom is always complaining about him getting together with Joan, how they have no chemistry. To which I reply: WHO CARES? Honestly, what does it matter if Mycroft has chemistry with Joan? He has chemistry with SHERLOCK. When those two brothers are onscreen, there is a crackle-fire intensity the likes of which I rarely see on TV. The emotions are all tangled up and crazy – the rivalry, the resentment, the jealousy, and yes, deep down, the LOVE. Mycroft returned to MI6 to save Sherlock from prison time. Baffled, Sherlock asks, “Why? You didn’t owe me anything.” Mycroft: “We’re brothers.” Oooh, watch out Sam and Dean – your spot as Top TV Bros may just be in jeopardy…

Elementary Final Score: 7.3

Miscellaneous Mini-Winners (FYI: I just spelled ‘miscellaneous’ correctly on the first try! Go me!):

Favorite Night of TV: Tuesday, cuz it’s got three in a row – S.H.I.E.L.D., Supernatural, CF!!

Best Tearjerker Moment: Tie: Chicago Fire’s heartfelt reunion between a disabled, alcoholic fire chief and the firefighters who once hated him for saving their lives and Elementary’s episode-closing scene between Sherlock and his dead friend, Alistair (Why did they have to kill him off??? And why did they have to write the ep so beautifully??? **sob**)

Here’s hoping for many more memorable moments from all of my shows next season!

May this fall bring on the best race ever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Year of Firsts

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I’m back!

And more powerful than ever before!

(Okay, not really – it just sounded good 🙂 )

First things first: a huge, teary-eyed “thank you” goes out to anyone and everyone who’s still around after a year of infrequent updates and long periods of static silence. For those who don’t know, my family’s home was struck by lightning during a violent storm on May 31st, 2013. The house subsequently caught fire, sustaining major damage from the flames and the water used to put them out.

In the 365-plus days since then, my family has experienced a long list of “firsts.” First time landing on a family member’s doorstep with literally nothing but the smoke-scented clothing on our backs. First time living in a trailer. First time not having home internet access in over a decade. First time having people slow down as they drove past our house, just so they could take in the destruction.

It wasn’t the easiest year in the history of us. But in many ways, it was one of the best. Sometimes, it takes losing a few possessions to show you that the real treasures, the things that could never be replaced, are the people – and pets – you love. And sometimes, it takes a hard fall to show you just how many folks you have standing around you, willing and eager to help you right back up.

Thanks to the unending support of friends and family, the bravery of firefighters, and the resilience of the human spirit, we survived this challenge and emerged on the other side, stronger, better, and ready to embrace a whole new list of “firsts”:

First night spent in our brand-new house. First time enjoying high-speed internet at home. First time having people slow down as they drive past, just so they can admire the beauty of a skillfully rebuilt home.

Thank you again for riding along with me on this bumpy journey. I hope you’ll stick around for some of the awesome stuff I have planned, including:

FAN STUFF

Great Reads: Fiction and Fanfiction Recommendations

The Race: Results will be in as soon as I catch up on my tape viewing (though, I must say, having seen the Supernatural finale, I have a hard time believing anything can top that!)

Movie Reviews: Going to see X-Men: Days of Future Past tomorrow, so you’ll definitely be hearing about that! Also will be doing mini-reviews of the superhero movies I planned to write about last year, including Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, and Wolverine.

Fangirl Nostalgia: I’ll be taking a look back at some of my earliest fangirly obsessions, including some classic Mary Higgins Clark books and my favorite couple on General Hospital: Kevin and Lucy!

WRITER STUFF

Fiction Versus Faction: Examining the difference, and knowing when one crosses the line into the other.

New Market Research Tools and Calls for Submissions: Just because I didn’t have home internet access doesn’t mean I didn’t find a few nifty things in the last year 🙂

And finally, Book Promotion: My Journey. Just days ago, one of my non-fiction stories was selected to appear in the upcoming book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What? (release date: August 19th,  2014). It will be my first time in print, and also my first time facing the challenge of promoting a book. My successes, my failures, and anything else I learn along the way will be shared with my readers here on ATHF.

Supernatural Review: Episode 8×23 “Sacrifice”

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Review of Episode 8×23: “Sacrifice”
by castiello

I gasped out loud when the Impala got smashed at the end of Season One. I cried during the Season Two closer, as John Winchester emerged from the gates of Hell and helped his boys defeat their life-long nemesis. I covered my eyes as Dean was mauled to death, left my jaw on the floor as Lucifer rose, clutched at my heart as Sam fell into the depths of Hell. Thanks in part to the ever-looming threat of cancellation, Supernatural has learned how to consistently deliver finales that twist our emotions, challenge our minds, and make us oh-so-desperate to know what will happen next. So, how did the Season Eight Finale, “Sacrifice,” measure up against such stiff competition? Let’s have a look:

Dean: Started off too mean for my tastes. Dean quickly earned a frowny face from me when he began enumerating all the things Sam should ask forgiveness for during confession. We’ve rarely seen such nastiness from Dean, not to mention such blatant disregard for Sam’s feelings. It was played half-jokingly, but there was real malice behind it, and that wasn’t lost on Sam. There was another scene like this in “Fallen Idols,” where Dean was on the phone with Bobby, unapologetically blaming Sam for the Apocalypse. Then, as now, I was jarred by how out-of-character this attitude is, coming from a guy who used to spend all of his energy trying to get Sam to stop blaming himself for Jessica’s death. The Dean I know would not want to pile extra guilt on Sam, because Sam already does that to himself.

My frowny face got even frownier as Dean implied that Sam could not be trusted to complete the demon-curing ritual on his own. Note to the writers: a Dean who is nasty and condescending to his little brother is not a Dean at all. It’s just some other guy played by Jensen Ackles.

Fortunately, things improved after takeoff. There were some tender words with Cass, a funny moment with two gay guys in the bar, and then, lo and behold, we got our Brother Moment:

When Dean said to Cass, “Take me to him,” my stomach did that fluttery thing it only does when Dean is in full protective big brother mode. This is the guy I fell in love with waaaaaaay back in Season One. Not the guy who makes nasty jokes about Sam needing a babysitter, but the guy who tells Sam, “I picked you. I killed Benny to save YOU. I’d rather let demons roam the earth than lose YOU.” I loved what Dean said about how they now know enough to turn the tides, I loved how he helped Sam let go of the trials. I love how even after eight seasons, Dean’s deep-down, number one priority is still keeping his little brother alive.

I may have started the ep a little frowny, but by the end I was grinning so hard I almost sprained my face.

Sam: The fact that he was totally willing to die for the cause – not at all surprising. He threw himself into Hell to save the world once – no reason to think he wouldn’t be willing to do it again. What WAS surprising, though, was Sam’s total lack of self-esteem and self-worth. When Dean said, “Finishing the last task will kill you,” Sam’s response was simply, “So?” Like, who cares, right? Shocking to see such a naked self-hatred from someone who has often seemed, at least to me, to have a bit of arrogance. And, although I’ll never condone the “Sam didn’t look for Dean” storyline, Sam’s heartbreak over letting Dean down still rang true. After all, Sam did fail to stop Dean’s death in Season Three, and Sam’s efforts to rescue Dean from The Pit also fell flat, leaving an angel to do the job instead. Sam’s jealously of Castiel is something that’s probably been simmering under the surface since way back in Season Four. Cass did what Sam has repeatedly failed to do – save Dean.

Here, finally, Sam thought he had an opportunity to make up for those failures. He thought locking demon-kind away forever would be the greatest gift he could give to Dean. Fortunately, big brother showed up in time to set him straight. 🙂 It’s always been “family first, job second” for Dean, and the best thing Sam could ever do for his brother is STAY ALIVE.

After a somewhat muddled and uneven storyline for these two brothers, “Sacrifice” has finally put them back on the right track.

Crowley: When he bit Sam, I totally freaked, ‘cause I thought it would somehow de-purify Sam’s blood. Fortunately, it was only a cry for help – and even more fortunately, the person who heard it didn’t give a flying crap about rescuing Crowley. And, although the writers once again failed to have Sam follow the established procedure for curing a demon (the guy in the video was asking QUESTIONS every time he injected the blood – not just walking away!), it was riveting to watch Crowley’s slow transformation. I loved his moment of confusion, his eventual repentance. I truly believed a demon was turning back into a human before my very peepers. Amazing performance by Mark, there, and Jared, too.

Kevin: Kudos to Kev for managing to decipher just enough of the Angel Tablet to confirm that Naomi might be telling the actual truth. By this point, he is totally rocking the prophet thing. It hurts, though, to see how gloomy and downtrodden this once-vibrant young student has become. And what REALLY squashed my poor old heart: apparently, Crowley was telling the truth about Tiger Mommy’s demise. That sound you’re hearing right now isn’t thunder – it’s me growling at the writers.

Sheriff Mills: Confusing haircut aside, once I realized who was sitting at the table with Crowley, my heart began to nosedive. Isn’t it bad enough that we lost Sarah and that kid from “Wendigo”? We couldn’t lose Sheriff Mills, too! And because Supernatural is totally willing to kill off beloved characters without even blinking, I had no idea whether Jody would survive the first five minutes of this episode. Even after all this time, the relief is still palpable. Sheriff Mills lives on! Woo hoo! 🙂 🙂

Abaddon: All hail the King – and for her, that isn’t Crowley. Naturally, one of Lucifer’s Knights isn’t going to take too kindly to the demon who overthrew him. Next time Crowley dials demon 9-1-1, he should probably think about who might be eavesdropping on the line. 🙂

Naomi: She told the truth to Dean and Castiel. She welcomed Cass back to Heaven. She saved Sam’s life. I believe all of it was sincere, but it was the kind of sincere that only comes with the knowledge that time is short. She knew Metatron was probably going to kill her. Therefore, she repented, the same way a condemned murderer might pray for forgiveness on his way to the gallows. Too little, too late? Maybe, but nonetheless it was an achingly good performance by the actress.

Castiel: Wanting to clean up his own mess, willing to face Heaven’s judgment – even if it means death – and, above all, committed to helping Dean when he needs it most. The Cass we know and love from the top of his head to the tips of his pretty wings was out in full force in this ep. I don’t blame him for not believing Naomi’s warnings – basically every word she ever said to him in the past was crawling with deception. And yet, Cass didn’t hesitate when Dean asked to be taken to Sam. I didn’t think it was possible, but my love for Castiel actually expanded in this episode. You could now fit about six full-grown elephants into the space occupied by my Cass Adoration (previously it was four). And apparently, I’m not the only one with a soft spot for our favorite wing-boy – although Metatron stole Castiel’s Grace, I did not see this as an act of intentional cruelty. It was almost more like Metatron was doing Castiel a favor – sparing him the painful fall from Heaven, making it possible for Cass to one day return to Heaven, and, above all, turning Castiel into what he’s been slowly becoming all along: a flesh and blood human.

Metatron: I swear, I just got done saying that he was on the up-and-up, and he turns around and proves me wrong! Not just a little bit wrong, either – very, VERY wrong. I should have listened to that uneasy voice in the back of my head when Metatron enlisted Cass to help kill an innocent creature. I should have known then that Metatron was up to something nefarious. The cool thing about being wrong, though, is that I got to be surprised. I always get a shiver when the angelic little boy gets a murderous gleam in his eye, or the sword-wielding, muscle-bound hero doesn’t end up saving the day after all. Predictability is a snorefest. Twists make for awesome television. I loved the twist of Metatron having very different intentions than he led everyone to believe, and I really loved that even after we found out what he was up to, I still found him to be likeable. His motives were understandable and his anger was just. Top it off with the fact that he seemed genuinely fond of Castiel, and you have a complex, shades-of-grey character I can’t wait to meet again.

Special FX: There’s really only one thing to talk about, isn’t there? The image of thousands of angels plummeting toward Earth like shooting stars, their bodies and wings burning up in the atmosphere. It was the very definition of unforgettable. The show probably blew its whole budget for the episode on that one scene, and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT. I gasped aloud at the sight, thinking it was the best effect I’d ever seen, movies included. Even now, three months later, I still feel that way. Major props to the FX team. Major, major props.

Last Licks: It was a season of kick-a$$ mythology, but less-than-excellent character writing. Carver proved himself more than capable of handling Supernatural’s plotlines, bringing in new concepts like the Men of Letters, while keeping our old favorites, the demons and angels, front and center. At times, the brothers were OOC. Other times, they were spot on. When all the stars were in the right places and Jupiter was lined up with Mars, we got the kind of amazing episodes we haven’t seen since Kripke left. I remember a stretch of at least four or five episodes in a row that were just completely awesome. This gives me hope – bundles and bundles of hope. We know Carver can deliver angels and demons. We know he can deliver effects. The question is, did he learn from what worked and what didn’t in terms of Sam and Dean’s relationship? I’m hoping the answer is a big, water-bloated “yes.”

“Sacrifice” may not have been the most nail-gnawing finale we’ve ever seen, but as far as the cliffhanger part goes, it absolutely made the grade. Everything about this finale made me want to find out what will happen next – Will the angels have any powers on Earth? What will they do down here? What will Castiel do, now that he’s human? Will he even have any memory of his life as an angel? What happens to the vessel, Jimmy, now that Cass is fully flesh and blood? And what about poor Crowley, who’s been left in limbo, mere inches from becoming human again? Can someone else finish the ritual for Sam, or would that be too risky?

Those are the questions that have been nibbling at me all summer. Those, and one other minor issue: What about SAM??? He was going to die if he didn’t finish the tasks, right? And he was going to die if he DID finish them – so what’s going to happen to him? How can he possibly live, if he’s damned either way?

I know I’ll be tuning in to find out. Even though we’re on a new night (TUESDAYS, 9/8c) my schedule will always make room for Supernatural. I have faith in you, Jeremy Carver, so don’t let us down! And don’t you dare kill Sammy!!

Constructive Criticism: Giving Back

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As writers, we thrive on feedback. We need to know which scenes grab the reader by the throat, and which scenes are total snooze-fests. We need to know when our dialogue sounds realistic, and when it sounds like a bad soap opera. We beg and plead for scraps of critique like chubby Dachshunds under the dinner table, just hoping for a few breadcrumbs that might help us improve our stories and get published.

But constructive criticism isn’t a one-way street. If you want other writers to read your work and take the time to give valuable feedback, then you need to be willing to do the same for them. The following are some links, strategies and techniques that have been helpful to me when I’m writing feedback for other authors.

Step One: Getting Started

Before writing any critique, you should ask yourself a few important questions:

1.)    Why are you writing the critique? Is it a genuine attempt to help another author improve, or simply an opportunity to broadcast your opinion?

2.)    Is the story you’re critiquing a first draft, a recently-rejected manuscript, or a finished/published piece?

3.)    What is the experience level of the author? Is this the first time she’s ever shown her work to another living soul, or has she been published twelve times already?

All of these things will help determine the tone and tenor of your critique. For example, you might want to present criticism more gently to a brand-new author, or not be overly harsh on a piece that’s already been published (seeing as how there’s probably nothing the author can do to change it at that point, and any advice you give will have to be applied to future pieces, not the current one). On the other hand, you might want to get more nitpicky when it comes to recently-rejected pieces (since the author will want to figure out why the piece was turned down) or a piece that’s just about to be submitted (since you want to help give it the best possible chance of acceptance, and sometimes that can mean getting a bit critical 🙂 ).

Step Two: Structuring Your Critique

No matter what the situation, the bottom line is that you want the author to hear you. You want the author to take your advice seriously and apply it to his or her writing. The following are some examples of the best – and worst – types of critiques.

Example A: “Wow. That sucked. I mean, truly. The amount of suckage caused by that story nearly popped my eyeballs out of my head – which actually would have been a blessing, since at least I wouldn’t have had to keep reading. You should definitely stick to your day job, because this writing thing isn’t going to work out for you.”

The review above is just plain rude. It personally attacks the author, and offers no valuable information about why the reader didn’t like the story. There is never any excuse to leave a review like this. It is unprofessional, unhelpful, and reflects poorly on the reviewer, rather than the story.

Example B: “Didn’t care for it. Long paragraphs make me snore, and the dialogue felt like cardboard. Definitely not my cuppa.”

Okay, this review is a bit blunt, but it does offer some specific insights as to why the reader didn’t like the story: the paragraphs were too long, and the dialogue wasn’t natural. There are lots of reviews like this floating around the Internet, and there’s nothing really wrong with them, but think about the first question listed above: “Are you writing the review to help the author, or simply to express your opinion?” If your main goal is to give back to the writing community by helping another author improve, then you might consider using a different format – one the author is more likely to respond to in a positive way. Observe:

Example C: “I really enjoyed your description of the rain forest – I could feel the mugginess of the air, and I could hear the exotic bird calls like I was really there. I did struggle somewhat with the long paragraph structure you used in the middle of the story, and some of the dialogue felt forced, but overall the concept of the story was cool, and the setting was well-handled.”

If you look closely, you can see that Example C gives the exact same constructive criticism as Example B. In Example C, however, that criticism is framed by things the reader actually liked about the story. By saying something nice first, you make the author ten times more likely to listen to any criticism that comes later on. By finishing up with something nice, you encourage the writer to keep working on his/her craft (hopefully using the advice you just provided).

This technique is called the “sandwich technique,” and you can read more about it in this wonderful article: “The Give and Take of Critique” (http://www.lspark.com/writing/critique.html). I like the technique because it’s easy to remember, and it works. For other strategies and tips that can help you write the best critiques possible, check out these useful articles: “Tips for Critiquing Other Writers’ Work” (http://www.writingforward.com/writing-tips/tips-for-critiquing-other-writers-work) and “How to Critique” (http://marilynnbyerly.com/page9l.html).

(Special thanks to my writing group member, Pamela, for finding and sharing those resources!)

Step Three: Before Handing it Over

Before you show your review to the author – and especially before you post it online – take a moment to read over what you’ve written. Think about how you, as a writer, would feel if someone wrote this critique about your work. Would it excite you, bum you out, or stomp on your soul like an army boot on big fat cockroach? If you can hear the squishy-crunchy noises of someone’s writing dreams getting squashed, maybe you should tone down your review just a little.

Some reviewers use the realities of the industry as an excuse for writing harsh critiques. I mean, if the author can’t take some blunt remarks, then he/she doesn’t have a thick enough skin to handle rejection from publishers, right? To this, I say: Yeah, you’re right. It is a hard industry. And we do need to have elephant hides in order to survive. But with a steady stream of rejections coming from publishers, editors and agents alike, I believe there should be one group of people we can to turn for some honest feedback and some encouragement to keep going: our fellow writers.

-Gretchen

Mentalist Review: Episode 5×18 “Behind the Red Curtain”

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Review of Episode 5×18: “Behind the Red Curtain” (AKA “Forty-eight minutes of adequately-interesting investigation followed by four minutes of HOLY CRAP!”)
by castiello

Overall: Anyone else getting the whole Jane = Wile E. Coyote, Red John = Roadrunner vibe? Though Jane put in an honest effort, I’m not sure he really made any progress in identifying Red John. While “The Red Barn” had a definite feeling of forward motion, this episode once again had poor Jane running in circles…:( On the plus side, we had not one but two very happy reunions, plus a well-constructed case. And, although Jane may not have gotten much new info, the audience got a truckload dumped on us, so all in all, not a bad hour of TV.

Jane: Can I just say that I love how he can solve a case using roughly two percent of his brain, while the rest of his mind is busy at work on other problems? Also, I gotta have some respect for his unwillingness to give up: even though all signs pointed to the fact that Coma Guy, aka Jason Lennon, would not survive to talk to Jane, Jane still super-glued himself to that hospital hallway anyway, hoping against hope. I wasn’t sure if he could trust the nurse he’d befriended, but it turned out she was the only one at that hospital he could trust, and her instincts regarding Kirkland and Co. (“like monsters about to rip off their masks and show their gross, alien faces underneath”) were dead on. I also kinda loved how she was all, “I know you’re using me, and yet I don’t care.” I feel the same way. If Jane smiled at me and took me out for lunch every day, I’d probably tell him anything he wanted to know. Just goes to show how powerful that glow around him really is. When he turns up the charm, 99% of the female population is helpless to resist.

Lisbon: Hmmmmmm. A rare part of the 1% who can resist the Master of Charm…sometimes. In this episode she was gloomy. She did not want Jane at that hospital, and I had to ask myself why:

Option One: She was just trying to keep Jane from obsessing, because it’s unhealthy and all that jazz.

Maybe, but this was a unique situation – a living Red John accomplice within reach. Surely, Lisbon could see that this was a little different than Jane sitting in his attic, rereading his notebook for the one thousandth time. This was a real lead, and a good one. So, why was she so keen on keeping him away?

Option Two: Lisbon predicted the outcome – that RJ would somehow get to Lennon first and kill him – and was trying to spare Jane the pain of yet another anvil falling on his head.

Possible, but it kind of goes against Lisbon’s typical positive and hopeful attitude. She is usually the one saying “We’ll get him,” “Hardy will talk,” “This is a good clue.” To think that she was expecting Red John to win again is a bad sign. Almost like she’s giving up, and I hate that idea, so, moving on:

Option Three: Lisbon didn’t want Jane to get in trouble with the FBI/Homeland Security for hanging around a restricted-access prisoner.

A more likely option, because she does really care about Jane keeping his job. However, when Jane got caught skulking around the hospital, the punishment was minimal. Basically, he was told to leave and escorted out. I didn’t feel that he was in any danger of getting sacked, so why would Lisbon be so concerned?

Option Four: Thinking back to April Grey’s comments a few months ago, I couldn’t help but consider one last option: That maybe, just maybe, Lisbon has been compromised. That somehow, against her will, she has been hypnotized or brainwashed into doing Red John’s bidding, and that the only reason she wanted Jane out of that hospital is so that he wouldn’t be able to talk to Lennon.

A scary option, but that’s what makes it fun! I would totally freak the heck out if Lisbon had been turned, and the storyline following that revelation would be a rollercoaster of must-see, hate-it-but-love-it TV. Of course, I say this secure in the knowledge that any such hypnosis or brainwashing would be reversible, and our beloved Lisbon would be as unaccountable for her actions as Rigsby was in “Russet Potatoes.”

Cho/Rigs/Van Pelt (!!!!!): She’s baaaaaaaaaaaack! YAY! That moment when VP was just standing in the background, all glowy and happy to be back home – I think my soul fluttered its wings. Beautiful, wonderful reunion scene with her and Rigsby. True, Rigs, Cho and VP didn’t have a huge amount of screen time in this one, but just the fact that she’s back, the fact that she was so warmly and wonderfully received, totally made up for it. I am officially a pile of goo.

LaRoche: Always, always a pleasure to have him onscreen. The actor has a presence, and I can’t help but be enthralled. I love him for his fierce competence at his job, his reluctant affection for Jane and Co, and his complete awkwardness in any situation outside of his comfort zone. Jane was right to bring him in on this investigation, forcing LaRoche to breathe some fresh air and interact with some human beings. Jane learned the importance of that from Lisbon, and it’s lovely to see him passing on the lesson.

Kirkland: What the heck? No, seriously, what the HECK? If anyone can make sense of the last four minutes of this episode, I’m all ears. I mean, I’ve got plenty of theories, but most of them are about as likely as Jane giving up his pursuit of Red John and joining the Ice Capades.

Theory One: Kirkland is Red John, but he had never interacted with Lennon personally. Kirkland decided to make sure his identity was still a secret before killing Lennon either out of mercy, or because Lennon was a loose end who possessed damaging info on Red John’s organization.

Theory Two: Kirkland is Red John, but he uses some form of hypnosis/mind control/disguise to prevent his minions from clearly seeing his face. He checked to make sure that Lennon’s coma had not jarred loose any memories of Red John’s actual appearance, then killed him either out of mercy, because he possessed dangerous info, or because Jane would have eventually been able to undo the mind control/hypnosis protecting Red John’s identity. (Special Note: The idea behind this theory came from a wonderful fanfic called “Reverie by Cho” (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5424258/1/Reverie-by-Cho) which everyone should read for the sheer awesomeness of getting to imagine Jane and Co. as superheroes).

Theory Three: Kirkland is a Red John minion. He wanted to make sure his identity as a RJ disciple had not been revealed to lower members of the group. Once secure in this knowledge, he killed Lennon on Red John’s orders.

Theory Four: Kirkland is a good guy. He is either a mole in the Red John organization, trying to bring the serial killer down, or simply a DHS Agent with lots of insider knowledge. He killed Lennon to stop Jane from identifying and going after Red John prematurely.

Although all of these are total straw-reachers, my favorites are Two and Four. I am totally open to hearing any less-insane theories, though, if anybody has some of those for sale.

Randomness: The case was good. Unpredictable, with a side of real emotion. The motive for the killing seemed a little weak, but I guess desperate psycho people will do desperate psycho things. I loved the mother-daughter angle, even though they’ve used similar storylines in the past. One thing I did roll my eyes at: why did the soon-to-be murder victim tell the murderer she was going to expose him? Don’t any of these characters watch TV? You never tell the murderer you’re going to call the police. You never announce to your lover that you’re going to tell his wife about the affair. Think, people. Think.

Overall: Despite the general and frustrating lack of progress on the Red John front, we do know one thing for certain: Kirkland is a killer. And it shouldn’t take Jane long to arrive at this same conclusion. The nurse will know Kirkland was alone with Lennon. Jane himself saw Kirkland leaving the room after Lennon coded. It’s not rocket science, and surely Kirkland must realize this. Does he want Jane to know he’s a killer? Does he want Jane to know he’s the Killer, the infamous and long-sought Red John Himself? I guess we’ll have to tune in to find out… 🙂

Supernatural Review: Episode 8×15 “Man’s Best Friend with Benefits”

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Review of Episode 8×15: “Man’s Best Friend with Benefits” (AKA “OMG, What’s Wrong with Sammy?!?”)
by castiello

Overall: Well, the streak had to end sometime. This ep, which explored (in possibly too much depth) the relationship between witches and their familiars, was decent but not off-the-charts great. The final five seconds were the most significant of the whole ep, and I’ll howl about those later, but first:

Sam: What happened to the conversations these guys had last week? The ones about each guy wanting to do the trials so the other one would survive? Apparently those conversations went *poof!* and the issue of who should complete God’s trials became a trust issue. Since when does Dean not trust Sam to get the job done? I would think that completing the ultimate task – the one where Sam took control of Lucifer and stopped the freakin’ apocalypse – would be good enough to earn Dean’s trust forever. Obviously, Sam is more than capable of pulling his weight when the crap is hitting the fan, and Dean should know this. Therefore, the “trust problem” raised in this ep seemed a bit contrived – like the writers really needed something for Sam and Dean to fight about during the ep, and resolve at the end. Sure, you could argue that a lot of stuff has happened since Sam stopped Lucifer, stuff that might make Dean a little hesitant to put his faith in Sammy, e.g. Sam covering up the seriousness of his mental illness in Season Seven, or Sam not looking for Dean after Dean was blasted to Purgatory (I like to just pretend Number Two didn’t happen). But bottom line: the trust argument didn’t ring true for me, and I was glad it only spanned one episode.

Sam’s reaction to the dog was cute. We know he loves pooches, so of course he’d let the dog come right in. I also really like how Sam speaks to dogs – I like his “dog voice” and I like how he talks to them as though they can understand exactly what he’s saying – which, in this case, was actually true. His nervous anticipation of Dean’s reaction was funny, and the brothers’ collective reaction to seeing the woman on the bed was priceless. There was a lot of humor in this one (Dean: “That was hot.” Sam: “It was pretty hot.” Sam: “I proud of you, Dean – twenty-four hours and not one bestiality joke.”), though some of the “funny” bordered on icky.

Dean: Is allergic to cats, apparently. I don’t remember him sneezing when that cat popped out during “Yellow Fever,” but then again, he was probably too busy shrieking like a five-year-old girl for the nasal allergies to kick in. This episode also told us loud and clear that Dean doesn’t like dogs. I wonder if this is a lifelong distaste, or something that cropped up more recently because of his experience getting mauled by a hellhound.

There may actually be some merit to Sam’s line “You can only trust you.” In some ways, Dean really is the only person who has always, without fail, been there for Dean. John dropped the ball numerous times, leaving Dean alone to care for Sam when the boys were young. Sam went off to college and has wavered in his commitment to the hunt at various points. Sam also didn’t try to find out what happened to Dean after the exploding-Dick incident, but like I said, I’m not dwelling on that part. So, you could make a case for Dean not trusting Sam to complete the tasks – but that’s not what I felt from Dean in the previous episode. I felt his emotion when he said he wanted Sam to live – and that’s all. Not “I don’t think you’re up for it,” or “I think you’re going to wuss out and go to back to college halfway through the final task.” Just “I want you to live.” Plain and simple. Truth is, Sam’s always been there when Dean really needed him to be, from showing up in the orchard in “Scarecrow,” to dragging himself back to consciousness after Cass knocked down the mental wall. And although Dean eventually came to the whole “we’re stronger together” realization after looking at some flashbacks, this is something he should have known all along.

James: So, Sam and Dean have a cop friend, who’s now a witch. In “Malleus Maleficarum,” the witches gained their power by unknowingly swearing themselves over to the Dark One. The demon in that episode told a member of her coven, “You sold yourself to me, you pig.” So, I thought that’s how witches got their powers – by calling upon dark forces and essentially making a pact with a devil. I’m not really sure how the witches in this ep got their powers, or what they were using them for (aside from James, who apparently only uses his for good), but I was a little confused at the inconsistency. Then again, we’ve seen Sam, Dean, Bobby and Henry all cast spells and perform incantations without the assistance of dark forces, so clearly magic is something that can be learned and used by anyone with the right spell book. Maybe the difference is that the witches in “Malleus Maleficarum” were using magic for their own personal gain, while Sam, Dean, James, etc only use magic for the benefit of mankind?

Portia: A really awesome dog…er, person. I was kind of uncomfortable with her wearing a collar and calling James her “Master.” She obviously has human-level intelligence. She also has strong morals and a great capacity for forming emotional bonds. All of this says to me that she – and the other familiars – should not be subordinates to their witches, but equal partners. Yet, when cat-boy (LeChat) got a “direct order” from his master, he had no choice but to obey. That is just all kinds of wrong. Another thing that’s all kinds of wrong: cropping the ears and tails of dogs. I wish this episode had used a dog with natural ears and a natural tail – not only because I disagree with cropping, but because cropping didn’t make sense with the animal-to-human transformation. I mean, I don’t know about the tail, but wouldn’t parts of her ears be missing in human form, if she’d had them cropped in canine form?

The Last Five Seconds: So, moments after Dean finally declares that he trusts Sam, Sam starts coughing up blood. My first thought: the episode isn’t over, and one of the other witches is hexing Sam. But then the episode ended, making the possibilities so much worse. It could be: A) Something terribly, physically wrong with Sam that has nothing to do with the supernatural. B) A reaction to having his dangerous hell-memories dredged up. Or C) A physical symptom having to do with the trials, which the boys foolishly started without having all the information, because they only have half a tablet. Option C is the most likely, and probably the most terrifying. My best guess for why Sam is suddenly not doing so good: the trials probably have some sort of time limit. Maybe once you start the tasks, you have to finish them within a certain time frame, or you’re screwed. Right now, Sam is screwed. And the worst part is, Dean likely isn’t going to find out for a while, which will make the situation fifty times worse.

Final Thoughts: The worst thing that could happen to Dean: something bad happening to his little brother. The worst thing that could happen to a Dean-girl: something bad happening to Dean’s little brother. Bad things are happening. My heart is a giant, beating lump in my throat.

Mentalist Review: Episode 5×14 “Red in Tooth and Claw”

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Review of Episode 5×14: “Red in Tooth and Claw” (AKA “Ultimate Death-Match: T-Rex vs. Triceratops!”)
by castiello

Overall: Cho and Rigsby duked it out over their favorite dinos, Lisbon went to bat for her youngest team member, Van Pelt got all geeky about a computer class, and Jane danced mental circles around a group of over-stressed grad students. Despite a predictable case, this episode had just enough humor, sweetness, and team involvement to make it memorable.

Lisbon: She fainted at the sight of a worm-festooned corpse…What’s up with that? It seemed highly out of character for this normally-unflappable and non-squeamish agent. I can’t ever remember Lisbon being “icked out” by a body before. Jane, yes – but not Lisbon. Usually when a woman faints on television, it means her character’s either pregnant, or seriously ill. However, the moment seemed to be played purely for comedy, with no follow-up mentions that would typically come after illness- or pregnancy-induced swooning. Therefore, I took it as a weird, not-quite-in-character moment that most likely doesn’t have any further significance in the series (other than letting the audience know that Lisbon has an issue with crawly things).

One of the things I loved about this episode: the way Lisbon talked about Van Pelt. There was clear affection in Lisbon’s voice as she told Bertram how much Van Pelt had been gushing over White Hat. And in a way, I’m kind of glad Lisbon didn’t send Jane to help Bertram with his poker face. Bertram told Lisbon there was no money for the training program, and she took him at his word. It didn’t occur to her that if she got Bertram in a better mood, the funds might magically appear. I like that she still has enough integrity not to think of manipulation as a solution for every problem. That said, I also like that Bertram gave her credit for a plan she didn’t come up with. She has out-maneuvered him in the past, and it’s good that he sees her as someone who can go toe-to-toe with him and come out on top.

Jane: Sometimes, I feel like Jane is my kid. Sometimes, he acts so selfish, spoiled or immature that I just want to cringe. Sometimes, when he gets out of his car at a crime scene, I want to say, “Please, please don’t embarrass me…” In this episode, however, he did the exact opposite: he made me proud. Here, we enjoyed the return of gift-bearing Jane (it’s been a long time since those fancy watches and necklaces…) and helpful Jane, a guy who – without being asked – goes out of his way to do something kind for his friends. In teaching Bertram how to win at poker, Jane helped both Van Pelt and Lisbon. It didn’t risk anyone’s life or cost anyone anything (except that one judge), and was possibly one of the nicest things Jane’s done in a good long time. Any time that Jane is thinking of others, rather than himself, is a time to celebrate!

I did feel his hurt, though, that no one said “thank you” for the gifts. That was kind of rude. Sure, the presents weren’t as expensive as the ugly watches, but in a way the dinosaurs were much more thoughtful – he picked out something he thought each team member would appreciate. If Van Pelt had been there, I have no doubt she would’ve said “Thanks, Jane!” with a big grin on her face. One thing I did question, however: Where was Lisbon’s gift? Or, maybe poker lessons with Bertram were the gift. Getting to tell Van Pelt they’d secured the funding for White Hat was probably the best present Lisbon could’ve received.

Van Pelt: Her excitement about White Hat made me excited for her! I could feel her gloom when she thought she wouldn’t get to go, but I knew it would work out in the end. I think the writers found a good explanation for her character’s absence – it fits with her expertise, and could make for some really cool storylines when she gets back. She’ll be able to help solve cases even faster with her super-awesome hacking skills – hey, maybe she can even hack the Visualize database and get Jane the info about the Ellison farm! The only thing that bothered me about VP’s storyline in this episode is that maybe the writers could have thrown in a mention or two about White Hat earlier in the season, so it didn’t just pop up out of nowhere.

Cho/Rigs: These guys were at it again with their hilarious banter, arguing over whose dinosaur was better. They gave the ep a healthy injection of humor (Cho: “I stopped asking questions a long time ago…” Rigs: “Don’t play with spiders, kids!”) but also balanced it out with the first serious mention of Rigsby’s feelings for Van Pelt in a couple years. I was one of the people who actually didn’t mind how quickly Rigs and VP got together romantically – or how quickly they broke up. In the seasons since then, we’ve gotten to see both of these characters in other relationships – we saw Grace engaged to a man who tried to kill her. We saw Rigsby propose to the mother of his child. We’ve seen both of them change and grow through their experiences, and all the while Amanda and Owain have skillfully played that underlying connection – a connection that gives me no doubt that when these characters finally do get back together, it’ll be better than ever before.

Bertram: What a baby! And a sore loser! Jeez Louise! I do love that we’re continuing to see the poker games, though, and that Lisbon continues to use these opportunities to gain information and make allies. Season Five has done a good job on the card game continuity front, but not such a good job on the FBI rivalry – what happened to that FBI Agent who wanted to go out with Lisbon? Do we still see him at the games? Have we even heard the FBI mentioned lately? I thought they were going to be the big “enemies” this year. Of course, with the new episodes spaced so far apart, it’s harder to view the episodes as a continuum. If I’m ever lucky enough to own this season on DVD, I’ll see if the episodes hang together better when viewed right in a row.

Random Notes: I knew the killer was the Moth Kid pretty much right away. I actually thought he’d faked the new moth somehow and the other girl found out, which didn’t turn out to be the case, but nonetheless I did know it was him. And that it involved the moth. Having the killer revealed so soon didn’t bother me, though, as I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Jane’s brain in action (Memory Palace, I *heart* you!!!) and the scene with Rigsby and the spider was priceless. Also fun: Jane’s version of “bingo” (featuring the word “bad-ass”!). I thought the show did a good job portraying just how much stress the students were under – the lengths they were driven to spoke volumes. I did wish someone would have told that poor cop ex-boyfriend that his girl wasn’t cheating on him – they usually have more of that type of resolution in the show’s final minutes. Having the moth named after the dead girl was a sweet touch, though – another example of how kind-hearted Jane was being in this ep. Oh, and one final note about Jane: he used his wedding ring to deflect a romantic advance. Haven’t seen him fall back on that in a long time. What does it mean?

Final Thoughts: Not a big, mind-blowing episode, here, but lots of little treasures. The team seemed like a family – bickering, teasing, and helping each other. Hope it’s not too long before the next episode, and I really hope it’s not too long before Van Pelt rejoins her colleagues. We’re all gonna miss her so much!!!

 

 

Supernatural Review: Episode 8×13 Everybody Hates Hitler

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Review of Episode 8×13: “Everybody Hates Hitler”
by castiello

Overall: Seems we are on a streak – four strong, entertaining episodes in a row. This ep told an interesting story that felt fresh, despite the fact that we took a look back in time. I liked the use of the Golem (this creature was also used on The X-Files, back in the day, so I had fun comparing and contrasting the two versions). We found out more about the Men of Letters, met some scary Nazi Necromancers, discovered a secret organization of Rabbis – which was really freakin’ cool, btw – and added several more actors to the series of talented guest performers we’ve seen recently. So, all in all, I guess you could say I liked the episode. 🙂

Oh, and the title? Hilariously awesome. Not really something I take into account when judging an episode, but still, it had to be said. 🙂

Dean: Gotta love Dean, grooving on those vintage digs! The Men of Letters’ “Bat Cave” is a perfect match for this guy who loves all things old – from his car, to cassette tapes, to that beat-up leather jacket he used to wear all the time. Dean was born about fifty years after his time, and his appreciation for the décor and even the music in the Bat Cave was totally in sync with mine. What can I say, the man has style. 🙂

As for the Cave itself – I pictured the key as something that could actually be used in various spells. A magical object in and of itself. I didn’t realize it was just the key to opening the archive where the knowledge is kept. So, why did that old dude want Sam to just throw the key in and shut the door, then? If only Men of Letters can cross the threshold, why shouldn’t Sam and Dean use the archives to their advantage, as they did in this episode? Hopefully, my understanding will grow in the coming episodes. In the meantime, though, Dean seemed happy at finding such a wonderful place. He certainly wasted no time in making himself at home, even using the shower facilities and putting on, as Sam put it, a “dead guy’s robe.” I can definitely see them establishing a base here, and to be honest, I think that’s something they desperately need.

As for what I need – I need Baby to stop getting smashed up every time she’s on screen! It’s traumatic! And in this ep, Dean’s body was the actual weapon used against her. Talk about adding insult to injury…His response to the Golem was funny, though (was that a girly scream I heard, Dean?) as was his reaction to being thrown across the parking lot (“Ow, my spleen!”).

I actually thought it was pretty cool that Dean knew enough about those poisoned darts to realize that killing the spell-caster would stop the spell. This is not the first time we’ve seen Dean reference/use magic this season, either. He also squished a soul inside his own arm, released the soul later on, and then reanimated Benny’s lifeless (not to mention skin and internal organ-less) body. Where did Dean learn all this advanced magic? Purgatory, maybe? And, more importantly, will this knowledge come in handy in the future? I hope so, because Sorcerer!Dean is pretty darn awesome.

I also like that Dean is hesitant to allow untrained soldiers into the battle. He and Sam have lost more people in their lives than anyone ever should, and they realize just how quickly even the most experienced warriors can fall. So, I get Dean’s trepidation about Aaron taking control of the Golem and joining the fight. That said, both Sam and Dean respected Aaron’s right to make the decision, and I think Aaron – and his pet Golem – may prove to be powerful allies in the future.

Sam: Oh, Sammy, you are my hero – you get hit in the neck with a black-magic dart, and still manage to carry the red ledger to safety. You rock! Next time, though, maybe pull the dart out right away? That would be my first instinct. Maybe he knew Dean needed to actually see what type of dart it was to know what they were dealing with. I could buy that.

In any case, I love that Sam was the one who figured out the book-switch – that kind of clue is right up his alley. I also love how, while Dean was busy soaking up the Bat Cave’s comfort and style, Sam instantly gravitated to the files. All that information, all that history…As I watched both brothers settle into the Men of Letters’ hideout, I couldn’t help but wonder if they had, in some way, finally found their home. It has beautiful old things for Dean to enjoy, it has tons of info for Sammy to organize and update, and it has a wealth of knowledge that both of them could use as hunters. I can see this as their “place.” I can see Sam embracing being a Man of Letters, I can see Dean continuing to be a hunter, and I can see this as the place that unites them. Maybe Sam’s dreams of college are going away for good, replaced by a destiny he was meant for all along – to be a scholar in the world of the supernatural.

As far as Golems go, Sam’s bafflement matched mine – I, too, thought they weren’t supposed to be able to talk. I also thought erasing a letter on the creature’s body was a way to stop him (the scroll thing was even cooler, though). I definitely felt for Aaron, how upset he was that they were trying to find a way to kill his Golem, but I really couldn’t blame Sam and Dean – I mean, something that powerful, in the wrong hands? Bad. Very bad.

Baby: Despite the repeated window-smashings, I can’t deny how nice it is to see her gleaming, silver-black skin on my screen every week. Last year, it made sense with the plotline to put her in storage, but it hurt the show a little. The Metallicar is – and always has been – the third star of Supernatural. Taking away that element was like stripping out the rock music, or not having the witty, pop-culture-reference episode titles. It wasn’t right, and I didn’t realize how much I missed Baby until she finally came back. Hopefully, the show won’t make the same mistake twice – I need the Impala, and so does Dean.

The Golem: Soft-spoken, enormous, and scary-powerful – this guy (along with his wimpy, I-can’t-believe-this-is-all-real human handler) had my attention all episode long. I love that he could talk, I love that he left clay behind after smashing the bookshelf, and I love most of all the emotion he displayed in quieter moments: talking about what the Nazis had done, coming to trust Sam and Dean, expressing gratitude that his master had finally stepped up and taken charge. Wonderful, A+ acting. Wonderful, A+ storyline.

Other Notes: Why didn’t the Nazis use that fire spell against Sam, Dean and Co.? It seemed pretty powerful. I get not using it when Sam was holding the book – the ledger might’ve burned, too – but why not use it later? Speaking of fire, how hilarious was it that Sam and Dean were actually warming their hands over a burning corpse? And poor Aaron’s reaction: “These guys are insane!” Another funny moment: Aaron’s “I thought we had a connection” scene with Dean. So well-played on both sides. Not many people could trick Dean, but that really threw him off the scent!

Final thoughts: Great emotion, great characters, great story. I really like both Aaron and the Golem, and would love to see them back as allies in the future. Would also love to see a lot more of the Bat Cave. Dean can use it at a place to shower in style and pick up new cases – he’s a hunter, born and bred, and he always will be. Sam, OTOH, has always searched for something more. He has felt out of step with the hunting life, and maybe this legacy will give him what he’s been yearning for. This can be a place for both of them: a true home, and a long overdue one, at that.

Supernatural Review: Episode 8×12 As Time Goes By

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Review of Episode 8×12: As Time Goes By
by castiello

Overall: I feel like I’ve gone back in time to a previous season – and that ain’t a bad thing. This was an “old school” ep, full of Winchester family history, bonds, and oh yes, dysfunction. The boys talked about how they were raised, a cool demon made snarky remarks, and Baby filled up my screen in all her gleaming glory. That, my friends, is an episode of Supernatural.

Dean: Here we got to see Dean as we know and love him – sticking up for John, protecting Sammy at all costs (Dean even called him “Sammy” – how great was that?), and reading Henry the riot act for not realizing that family comes first. These are the qualities that made me fall in love with Dean way back in Season One. I wish the writers hadn’t strayed from this version of Dean in the first place, but I am very glad to have him back.

Seems after everything that’s happened, including finding out about Adam, Dean’s love for John has never truly wavered. Dean still defends John’s child-rearing choices, and holds a hard grudge against Henry for making John feel abandoned as a young boy. The main thing that’s changed about Dean? After all the demon-deals, the time travel, and the short time he spent as Death, Dean has finally learned that you don’t screw around with the timeline. You don’t bring people back from the dead, you don’t try to rewrite history, and you sure as heck don’t take a chance on restarting the apocalypse. Dean, you make me proud :).

Sam: Just like with Dean, we have the return of “old Sam” – the guy who says, “Hey, let’s hear him out,” or “Hey, maybe there’s a good reason for this,” or “Hey, let’s not shoot him until we have all the facts.” In contrast to Dean’s “You hurt my Daddy – prepare to meet my fist” attitude, Sam seeks to understand why things happened the way they did. He gives Henry the benefit of the doubt. He even gives John the benefit of the doubt, wondering whether Henry’s abandonment caused some of John’s failings as a parent. And, in the end, Sam finds some solace in knowing more of his family history and the “whys” of it all – a bookish, philosophical quality that apparently comes from John’s side of the family. Who would have thought?

Henry: “A man of letters,” eh? Interesting. Very interesting. When they first showed him, I thought he was a wizard of some kind. This idea was strengthened by the fact that he did a spell. However, as it turned out, he is more about chronicling magic than actually using it. His derogatory attitude toward hunters was funny. Apparently, his son and grandsons wound up in a lower “class” of the supernatural community, and this guy was not pleased. Henry’s supernatural snobbery didn’t lower my opinion of him, though – in fact, he became more and more endearing to me as the episode went on. He seemed to develop genuine fondness for both Sam and Dean – a sharp contrast to Grandpa Campbell, who left the boys to die in hopes of resurrecting Mary.

In fact, I saw Henry as a kind of redemption for the writers, after screwing up Samuel’s character so badly in Season Six. Mitch Pileggi – and the fans – deserved better. So did Sam and Dean. I’m glad they finally got to experience what real love from a grandparent is supposed to feel like.

Another reason to love Henry’s character: Great taste in cars! Obviously, he couldn’t have recognized the Impala, since it was made after his time. Nonetheless he was drawn to it – probably partly because it was the most similar-looking vehicle to the ones he was used to, but I also like to think that all Winchester men have a special connection to the Metallicar. 🙂

Henry’s shock and heartbreak when he learned of John’s death rang very true, as did Henry’s anguish at Dean’s words. I really felt for Grandpa Winchester as he tried to go back and change things – to be there for John instead of leaving on that fateful night. Henry desperately wanted to fix what he’d broken, even though we all knew it wasn’t possible. I wish Henry didn’t have to die, but anyone who is willing to lay down his life for our boys wins a permanent spot in this gal’s heart. My only complaint about his death is that it seemed like there wasn’t much effort to prevent it. Henry walked in knowing he was going to die, and I feel like Dean would have tried to plan a way where everyone would at least have a chance of making it out alive, even if the odds weren’t good.

Other Notes: We got an official name for the demon-killing knife. I’ve already forgotten it, but still, it was cool to learn what the knife is actually called. We also learned that: there is a special class of demons that the knife doesn’t work on, there exists a physical key to all magical knowledge, a bullet with a devil’s trap can keep a demon in her body, Sam and Dean keep angel feathers in the Impala (Cass: “Here you go – I plucked a few. Use ’em if you need ’em.”), and humans can tap their own souls and time travel on their own – no angels required. Regarding that last item, I might’ve been annoyed if time-travel was just some spell that any random dabbler could do, but the inclusion of angel feathers and the mention of using the human soul to power the journey made it fit with the previous mythology. I like it when things fit :).

Final thoughts: This ep was a throwback in all the best ways. The humor was flying fast and furious – I think I laughed out loud at least five times, especially at Dean’s “mouth-breathing hunters” comment. Family connections were at the heart and soul of the story, and the end of the episode had that melancholy ache to it that used to be Supernatural‘s standard tone for closing an ep. So, by my count, we’ve had three awesome, wonderfully redemptive episodes in a row. Shall we try for four? 😉