I haven’t watched yet! I am trying to avoid chatter on Twitter at the moment … opinion seems divided which …. is normal, just another day in the SPN fandom, I suppose.
I will watch tomorrow!
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that’s two in a row that have felt less than the sum of their parts. Last week’s frustrated me. Two episodes smashed together, sapping the most interesting parts of both away: not exploring much with the motw’s powers, and how it related to S&D; and then what felt like a few bits and pieces at the bunker that were plotty but not particularly emotional. A few nice scenes and moments.
And then this week, again, no real time taken to infuse the motw powers with an emotional arc for Sam except in a glimpsing superficial way — and Dean in extreme caricature mode, so nothing going on there either except for some amusing clowning from Jensen. I think in the end Cas was the most enjoyable part! Some good lines and reactions, a lively but specific performance. A lot of bits where I’d say I liked that — oh, I liked that (Sam + cups felt like a cheap reference but I gotta admit it was cutely done; gross deaths; a solid underlying idea and nicely creepy stuff from the first Justin Smith and his wife; Dean scooting along the car Sam at the end saying I don’t like the bunker at the moment; all of Bill Dow; etc).
There were at least three separate, unrelated, belaboured metaphors for Jack and his powers and they all drove me around the bend. And did Jared film his final diner confrontation at a different time to the main baddies? There was no connection between him and the other people in many of the shots and edits. And why was he there anyway? And why was there no actual police investigation of the death? And how did the town spring out of whole cloth? None of it really withstands more than a cursory glance, which undermines the fun bits as well. But Cas was enjoyable and that’s a victory I suppose!
Cas was definitely the star player here – he had one response to Sam’s “wife” that was hilarious – Misha/Cas at his deadpan confused best!
I was frustrated by the superficiality here too – especially since it’s been a while since Sam has been “taken over” – instead of just being a concerned dude reading a book. There were some opportunities missed – and I wonder if that’s partially because Cas was there instead of Dean?
You know how in former episodes – like Bugs (sorry) – or Into the Mystic – or many others – there’s this ongoing “what would life look like if we weren’t doing this?” – and Dean being weirdly drawn to comfort, and Sam – after almost going that route pre-pilot – is more comfortable with chaos and not-knowing – blah blah … I don’t trust anymore that those in charge over there have a handle on these subtextual themes, or conflicts – that have been in operation for 12 years, 13 years – if Sam is actually, subconsciously, drawn to the Pleasantville world in the town … and therefore submits … what will that do to the relationship with Dean? Unfortunately, we can’t know, because Dean was off giving Jack pep talks.
And the final scene between Sam and Dean was superficial – “I said I was happy but it wasn’t real” – and that was it. That THING between them just isn’t really there anymore. That neurotic THING. I miss it.
This griping aside – which is really a larger issue about the show in general now – I liked the ambition of the episode. I liked that they went big, took risks – as a team. There was a real sense of atmosphere – the extras! the costumes! the decor! – they went really BIG with it, and it’s a relief, after so many episodes where half the damn thing happens IN THE FREAKIN BUNKER.
never say sorry about Bugs!!
– if Sam is actually, subconsciously, drawn to the Pleasantville world in the town … and therefore submits … what will that do to the relationship with Dean? …. And the final scene between Sam and Dean was superficial – “I said I was happy but it wasn’t real” – and that was it.
Talking about lack of trust, treating us like fools, and so on. At the end of every episode one of the questions I ask myself was did we learn anything new, did we see anything different or interesting about S and/or D and/or their relationship and in this instance, we kinda did, right? There were some really interesting ideas thrown up about happiness and Sam’s reaction to the death of the alt-world nameless hordes and what does that mean specifically for the guys at this point in time, and they likely could have gotten away with the superficiality of this one if there had been some supporting emotional structure underneath. It might have plugged into the season in a really nice way, with a bombshell ending: Sam saying I hate this place, I can’t stand to be in here right now and Dean having to hear that, while dealing with the reverb of having contained/failed to contain Michael (any lingering issues there? no?). Trying to build a nice pretty new house on crumbled and vacant foundations. Maybe the episode was a meta comment on itself lol.
Still, that aside, everyone seemed to be having a good time and there were plenty of amusing things happening and like you I was glad that they swung hard on the case of the week!
// Sam saying I hate this place, I can’t stand to be in here right now and Dean having to hear that, while dealing with the reverb of having contained/failed to contain Michael (any lingering issues there? no?). Trying to build a nice pretty new house on crumbled and vacant foundations. //
yeah … it’s like; these things are THERE, but they aren’t punched up, or zoomed in on – which then makes me wonder if I’m projecting? Or we just know the show/characters better than they do?
It’s not like I need it to be obvious, with arrows pointing down at scenes like “here is the issue” … but I’m just thinking back to former seasons – just off the top of my head – Season 7 – which, okay, Leviathan, Dick Roman, sure, plot, whatever – but there’s that lengthy OTHER arc of Dean lying to Sam about killing his childhood monster girlfriend – which takes episodes to work itself out – and loops us into what really matters, which is teh relationship between these two men. There’s no tension in anything else – certainly not at this point – when they’ve died so many times, saved the world so many times … the only hook that really matters is THEM.
so … yeah. It’s lightweight – and all of the hero-worship talk – Mr. ROGERS??????? – just makes it worse.
I know, the unwillingness to let things play out with stuff activated underneath. It’s funny, I was thinking about how the show used to withhold and circle and let things be unresolved and how that felt, watching, week-to-week, and it’s almost the same as I feel now! Like I was going nuts. I like it when the show doesn’t give me what I want, I like it when the show creates tension in the viewing relationship — but now, things just….slip away. They resolve, offscreen, and evverything’s okay again. I don’t need Sam and Dean to be on the outs, I don’t need big crying scenes, I just need there to be something. That’s why the coffin-building episode might go down as my fave of the season. Dean striding out of the bunker to points unknown after that awkward hug gave me a huge emotional jolt. It withheld — it drew me in. That was good storytelling.
// I like it when the show doesn’t give me what I want, I like it when the show creates tension in the viewing relationship — but now, things just….slip away. //
Yes, it’s so interesting how this has happened.
There were some epic comment threads going on underneath those SPN Tweets I did the other day – and I missed a lot of it – so many Tweets! – but some of the points people were making were so insightful – made me (and us) feel less alone.
Like: what has happened on SPN is the epitome of letting the fans – or the most vocal fans – dictate the show. This is why it all feels so fanfic-y, I believe. Whereas back in the day – Kripke – and Manners – kept their own counsel, trusting the audience to follow, but building in all of these unexpected elements to torture us, and keep us hooked in.
Now it’s leftovers in the kitchen, and talking-through-feelings and domestication – which is so SPN fanfic-y – everyone just can’t WAIT to make everyone do laundry and have cappuccino.
Which is fine for fanfic – but has wrecked the show.
// That’s why the coffin-building episode might go down as my fave of the season. Dean striding out of the bunker to points unknown after that awkward hug gave me a huge emotional jolt. It withheld — it drew me in. That was good storytelling. //
Yes! And whatever was “resolved” at the end – remained unfinished – Sam “agreed” but was unhappy about agreeing – Dean was determined – but also desperate – so you just knew that this was going to come back and bite them in the ass.
It kept THEM on the hook and it kept US on the hook.
It’s so frustrating. I wish I could just stop watching!!
They couldn’t resist putting in a “sam and dean are the best people I know” exchange. It’s like an addiction with those people over there. They can’t stop themselves. It shows a lack of trust, in my opinion, in what they’re doing.
Ohhhh, man, THIS so hard! I was expecting someone to point out, for the umpteen-millionth time, that they SAVED THE WORLD. So I guess I’ll take a “the best men I know” instead. *eyeroll*
An exact copy of what Jody said in the Asa Fox episode! I hate it so much I’m going crazy! How can they continue to do this to us?! How can they think this is what we want to hear?!
The only saving grace I can think of is that this instance of it is going to end up in dramatic irony because What Would The Winchesters Do is stupid-ass life advice and I’m really pretty sure that it’s gonna end up with Jack sacrificing himself by the end of the season. We’ll see.
// I hate it so much I’m going crazy! How can they continue to do this to us?! How can they think this is what we want to hear?! //
I’m desperate to never hear such a speech again.
// because What Would The Winchesters Do is stupid-ass life advice //
This is the thing that gives such a disconnect for me. The show is strong when the guys are like “we’re lost, don’t do what we do, have a real life, go forth, we suck, you don’t want to be us …”
Now suddenly every single person is like “they’re amazing, let’s be like them.”
It’s driving me insane.
and Asa Fox. VOMIT.
“the best men I know”
I know!
One of the things the show used to do really well was let these guys be self-loathing – let them stew in how much they SUCKED – how much they felt badly about the decisions they made – and the writers over there right now seem very VERY uncomfortable with this. It’s pandering – every episode someone has to remind them how great they are.
Mr. Rogers is particularly a low point. I love Fred Rogers. But he has no business being compared to Sam/Dean – who are basically serial killers whom we adore.
That complexity – these guys drenched in blood – and having to suck it up even though their lives suck – how much mileage have they gotten out of this?? Giving them constant pep talks about how awesome they are serves no one. BAH.
“It shows a lack of trust, in my opinion, in what they’re doing.”
That’s exactly the problem for the past three or more seasons, but the question is why? Does CW not trust the show runners anymore? It seems almost that CW has been trying to pull SPN into the “normal” CW mode of beautiful people meeting drama/horror while their lip gloss stays shiny and not a hair falls out of place. The show may have started out that way but somewhere along the line, CW discovered what they had in the relationship between JP, JA and Misha and pretty much left them alone. That appears to be over. Is it because the end is near? This is a series where the three leading men have 8 children among them. They’re not in their 20s anymore. It’s so frustrating.
Carolyn –
// It seems almost that CW has been trying to pull SPN into the “normal” CW mode of beautiful people meeting drama/horror while their lip gloss stays shiny and not a hair falls out of place. //
yes, I really see what you are saying here, and I agree. the “house style” of the network has always been an issue for them – even back to the earliest days when network suits didn’t understand why the show had to be so dark, why everyone was in shadow.
The Wayward Sisters was a bad sign – it showed the pULL of that house style, even down to the casting. And Claire’s sudden insanely dramatic makeup – which made her look like she would have fit in on Dynasty in the 80s. Like … for real?
// They’re not in their 20s anymore. It’s so frustrating. //
Real life issues aside … what’s frustrating for me is it’s potentially more interesting now that they’re middle-aged guys. and they’re just not dealing with it.
I did enjoy a lot of this episode though!