tv reviews

Supernatural Review: Episode 8×16 “Remember the Titans”

astheherofliesLeave a comment

Review of Episode 8×16: “Remember the Titans”
by castiello

Strip away the demons. Peel off the angels. Dig past layers of werewolves and vampires and demigods, and what do you get? A show about two brothers, trying to save the world, and trying to save each other. At its core, Supernatural is a show about family, and whenever the writers remember that, we get an episode that’s not only worth watching, but worth talking about. “Remember the Titans” is definitely one of those episodes.

Dean: A perceptive Dean is always a good thing. Though Sam did his best to cover up some alarming physical symptoms, Dean had more than a clue that something major was off in Little Brotherville. Sam’s secretiveness at the beginning of the ep, combined with his disheartening admission near the end (“Maybe I was being too optimistic…”) gave Dean all the info he needs: Sam’s hurting, and he might not make it out of this. So, Dean did what any amazing big brother would do – he called on his own personal guardian angel to watch over his little bro. The sweetness of this scene stays with me like a sad song, stuck in my head. My heart shattered multiple times in this ep – sometimes for Sam, sometimes for Dean, and yes, at the end there, it cracked a bit for Castiel, too. When Dean said, “Where are you?” I actually howled at the screen: “He’s being tortured by a psycho angel-lady! Save him!”

As always, to see Dean praying is powerful stuff. We know he only reserves that for times of true desperation, so it speaks volumes about how concerned he is for Sam. Their conversation in the Impala ripped right through me: Sam, trying to prepare Dean for the worst. And Dean coming back with: “Oh, hell no. You promised you’d live, so no taking it back, now.” I am behind Dean two thousand percent on this one. Sam is not allowed to die. He just isn’t.

Since this was already a raw and emotional episode for Dean, I really thought he’d be drawn to the little boy, but it turned out he was more connected to the boy’s mother, Hayley. She seemed strong and capable, considering all of the weirdness she’d been exposed to, and I think she reminded Dean of Lisa. There was a definite sense of closeness between the pair of them, from Dean partnering up with her on the research detail, to him putting his arm around her at Prometheus’ funeral, and it felt natural to me. All of the guest cast members did a nice job, helping me become emotionally invested in their characters’ lives and giving the episode just that little bit of extra shine.

Another thing that made the episode sparkle: Dean’s hilarious facial expressions while Sam was talking to Artemis. Just watching the range of expressions cross Jensen’s face, from “Nice one, Sam” to “Hmmm, maybe he’s onto something” to “Crap, we’re screwed!!” was an absolute pleasure. Supernatural may be a show about family tragedy and loyalty and sacrifice, but it doesn’t work without some laugh-out-loud moments to break up the doom and gloom, and Dean always provides more than a few of those precious LOLs.

Sam: I felt for him, I really did. Trying to cover up his pain. Realizing that he’d bitten off more than any one person could chew. It was rough, watching him change his tune from a firm “I’m going to do this, and I’m going to survive!” to a faltering “Maybe I was overly optimistic…” And unfortunately, Sam does have a point: Nobody goes into the battle intending to die. And yet, it happens. Happened to Bobby, Rufus, John, Ellen, Jo, and too many other Winchesters and Winchester-allies to name. But Sam has a weapon that none of those other people had: a big brother named Dean. There’s a reason I’m a Dean-girl. I have faith in my guy. Somehow, some way, he will keep Sam breathing.

Dean wasn’t the only one showing off his skills of perception. Sam took a mighty leap of intuition and basically figured out all the important details of Artemis and Prometheus’ relationship, thereby securing Artemis’ help. Way to go, Sammy! Also, way to go on trying to make a connection with the little boy, which is usually Dean’s department. The kid may not have liked Sam’s ice cream suggestion, but at least Sam got the boy talking again, which was nice. I feel like Sam could relate to this boy because they were both a little “different.” Sam had the whole demon blood/psychic powers/Lucifer vessel thing going on, and this child was the son of an immortal. Not your average kids, by any stretch, and I think this is what drew Sam over for an attempt at interaction.

Prometheus: A sympathetic character with a compelling background. I love how this episode took me back to my AP English class and brought all of those stories to the surface again. I also love how Prometheus’ act of stealing fire for mankind was explained in a way that was very relevant to the subject matter covered on the show: namely, monsters. Without light, creatures like werewolves and vamps ran amok, terrorizing the human race unchecked. A previous episode dealing with Greek and other ancient gods (“Hammer of the Gods”) felt a bit out-of-place in the Supernatural universe. This one, because of the careful way the writers related the story to hunting and hunters, fit right in. The focus on family was strong in Prometheus’ story – his love for his son, his love for Hayley, and his sacrifices for both mankind and his child – which paralleled beautifully with Sam and Dean’s own story. It all came together, making for an emotionally engaging and cohesive episode.

Randomness: Always a pleasure to see actors enjoying their roles, and Zeus looked like he was having a blast. When the performer is really into the scene, the audience gets drawn in, too. I enjoyed every minute Zeus was on screen. And the cop at the beginning – the one who wanted to hunt zombies. He was awesome! Sam and Dean totally need to bring this guy into the fold at some point, because he’s ready (“Aim for the head!”). Hayley had a weak moment, breaking the circle like that, but I forgave her – her boy’s life and future were on the line, and her fear-driven actions were understandable. Stupid, but understandable. Absolutely loved Dean looking at the flame on the lighter, as though appreciating it for the first time. Where would the world be without fire? Where would the hunters be? No burning bones, no fire-related rituals or spells? Yikes. Also love that they continued the focus on fire by showing the funeral pyre burning. Nice, tight writing all around.

Last Thoughts: Sam will survive. Sam will survive. Sam will survive. Sam will survive. (If I keep saying it, that’ll make it come true…right?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

astheherofliesLeave a comment

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.

Supernatural Review: Episode 8×14 Trial and Error

astheherofliesLeave a comment

Review of Episode 8×14: “Trial and Error”
by castiello

There used to be these two guys. Their names were Sam and Dean. They were brothers, and their childhood was pretty messed up. Their dad, John, was always off hunting werewolves and demons and stuff, so the boys basically raised themselves. As a result of this, they grew very close. So close, in fact, that they came to care more about each other than about themselves. Dean would’ve happily given his life for Sam. Sam would’ve gladly given his life for Dean. Each man wanted the best life and future for his brother, even if it meant the greatest sacrifice of all.

Four nights ago, for the first time in a really friggin’ long time, we got to see those guys.

Welcome back, Sam and Dean.

Dean: “Awwww” moments abounded as Dean set up his new room, complete with weapons on the walls, a Memory Foam mattress (“It remembers me!”) and a faded picture of Mary. If my heart wasn’t already a puddle at that point, the last bit of melting occurred when Dean made some exquisite sandwiches (burgers?) for himself and Sam as a final part of the nesting process. Three cheers for all the fanfic authors who wrote Dean as an artist in the kitchen – your stories are now backed up by canon! It makes sense, too, that Dean knows his way around the stove – growing up, he would’ve been the one cooking dinner for Sam while John was out hunting. ‘Course, back then, he didn’t have much to work with ingredient-wise, so it was nice to see him strutting his culinary stuff in this ep. Sam was so impressed he even took the meal with him!

As touched as I was by Dean’s homemaking, though, his disregard for Kevin’s well-being brought out my grumpy face. 😦 Once again, we have Dean treating a non-family member as expendable. Dean did at least tell Kevin to shower and eat a salad – that was good. But giving Kevin possibly-dangerous, almost-certainly-addictive drugs to mask the pain and keep himself awake? So not cool. If it was Sam running himself into the ground like this, you can bet Dean would be saying, “Slow down, take it easy.” Whether Dean knows it or not, he’s treating Kevin like a pawn, and that sucks.

Considering that Dean’s most notable previous experience with a hellhound was getting ripped to pieces, I thought he’d have more of a fear/anxiety issue with facing these creatures. I almost thought that’s why he wanted Sam to stay behind – because Dean couldn’t bear the idea of Sam getting shredded by one of these things. But then Dean gave the real reason he wanted Sam to stay safe: Dean wants Sam to have a life after the quest. Dean feels that whoever does the challenges is bound to get killed in the process. Now that the role has fallen to Sam, I have only one thing to say to Dean: Keep your brother alive!

Honestly, those scenes between the two of them – the one before killing hellhound and the one afterwards – were just magic. Those were the best performances we’ve seen from Jared and Jensen all season. Our guys are talented enough actors to elevate any material they’re given, even if the writing isn’t fantastic. But when the writers give these guys something really powerful to work with – dialogue and storylines that are epic and emotional and true to the characters – that’s when the show really takes my breath away.

Sam: That little nod he gave after inspecting Dean’s room? Perfect. Just a tiny moment that conveyed so much: approval at Dean’s decorating skills, emotion at seeing the picture of Mary, and a sense of righted wrongs. Sam understands that this is how it should be. Dean should’ve had a room his whole life. Sam’s little nod, to me, said, “’Bout time.”

Nice to know Sam appreciates his brother’s cooking. Having an orgasm over eating a cheeseburger is usually Dean’s thing, so to see Sam love the sandwich that much, to see Sam actually come back for the plate – you know it had to be good. 🙂

Sam, at least, did have some proper concern for Kevin. He advised Kevin to slow down and take better care of himself. I like that Sam objected to the drugs, but I wish he had been more forceful, maybe even found a way to take the pills away – he can see Kevin is headed down a dangerous path, even if Kevin and Dean can’t. In the old days, Sam was always in a rush to find Dad and avenge Mom so that the Winchesters could be done with hunting and move on to normal lives. Of course, by now Sam has realized that every time these guys finish one task, they end up with a whole new crisis to deal with. Sam has learned from his experiences – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I only hope Kevin takes Sam’s advice before it’s too late…

Just like Dean, Sam has his own reasons for taking on this latest quest: he doesn’t just want Dean to live – he wants them both to live. Sam earned buckets of my love for his speech about how Dean is a smart person with a promising future (“What about your room?”). Neither one of them is expendable, and they both have a chance to live past the final task. I love you, Sam! I just hope the show’s writers agree with you, because killing off a Winchester is not the way I want to see this series end…(Though, from what I just read over at SFO, we now have at least one more season before that end comes!!! 🙂 )

Kevin: Poor baby. He is treating his body like crap right now. I had a hard time even watching him ingest all that coffee – not to mention the nauseating quantities of hotdogs. Blech! Actually, I’m a vegetarian, so double-blech! I was disappointed to see Kevin turn to the pills in the end, rather than taking Sam’s advice on slowing down. You’d think with all of Kevin’s obsession about test-taking and proper study habits, he would know that taking better care of his body would result in a better performance from his brain. He’s already had nosebleeds and “possibly a small stroke,” so who knows what grim fate awaits him if he keeps pushing himself? 😦

Ellie: A tough, sympathetic and beautiful girl. She sparked with Dean like that blonde in the tech tent sparked with Sam. Also, she made a demon deal to save a family member’s life. Seems like a good match for Dean, if there ever was one. 🙂 I hope Sam and Dean do manage to close up hell for good, so this girl won’t end up down there. It was interesting, the question she asked Dean: “What would you do for your mother?” Interesting, because most often, the battle has been about saving Sam, saving Dad, saving Bobby, saving the world…Mary isn’t actually mentioned that often. However, she was front and center in this episode, from her photo at the beginning, to Ellie’s words near the end, and I think that was to remind us that it does all come back to Mary: John and the boys became hunters to avenge Mary, and now Sam and Dean are driven to lock away all demons, in no small part because of the one that took their mother.

SFX: Good special effects on the hellhounds. I like how they were ghostly/vague/see-through-ish. Less is always more – especially on a television budget – and the current show-runner seems to understand that. Last year’s Leviathan effects were a bit too over-the-top for my tastes. The best CGI is stuff that just blends with reality, not stuff that stands up and screams, “COMPUTER-GENERATED IMAGE!!!” Back in Season Two, after I watched “Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things,” I read that the tips of the scissors used to stab the zombie – complete with congealed bloody goop hanging off – were computer-generated. I had no idea, because it was so well-integrated. If I don’t know it’s fake, then it’s a great effect.

Random Notes: Loved the holy-fire-scorched specs. That was brilliance. Also: Sam and Dean, in glasses? I think it’s getting hot in here…Also (x2): Does it bother anyone else that these guys are risking their lives based on info obtained from HALF of a tablet? I mean, would you make a casserole for your family if you only had half of the recipe? What if some of the ingredients are left out? What if there’s a necessary step on the missing part of the page, like you have to brown the meat before dumping it in there? This is my main fear right now – Kevin, Sam and Dean are acting like the information is complete, when there is almost certainly something vital left out. Something that would be way more disastrous than some under-cooked ground chuck.

Final Thoughts: A thrilling, emotional ride. Best episode of the season so far. Looking forward to the next one with equal parts eagerness and dread. But not the dread of “Oh, what are the writers going to put me through now?” More like the dread of “Are my guys going to make it out of this thing alive?” I’m invested. And that’s exactly as it should be.