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<\/a><\/p>\n\nGetting a really good feeling, people! That was a wonderful episode – and truly in Robert Singers relationship-focused directorial wheelhouse. We’ve got a good conflict now going between the brothers – a conflict with long long roots. Back to season 2, when Dean admitted that John told him to “save or kill” Sam. Sam’s long memory of his own life – and the pain\/issues\/conflicts it has created in his character – was beautifully played by Padalecki – it was clear what he was playing even BEFORE he brought it up to Dean. Good acting. <\/p>\n
The explosive argument at the end of the episode – wow. Things haven’t gotten that hot between them in a long time. As a matter of fact, this argument already stands out in the Pantheon of arguments between the brothers as more out of control, more angry, more filled with unspoken built-up resentments. It was thrilling to watch both of them. <\/p>\n
Missouri! A callback to season ONE. SEASON ONE. What a RELIEF after an entire season where MOM has returned to the show and there is literally NO exploration of all the intervening years, about their childhood, about the past. This episode here was filled with references to the far past. Loretta Devine! Ackles’ reading of “Yes, ma’am.” <\/p>\n
And finally: I’ve been pretty open about my dislike of Castiel’s continued presence on the show. I am now re-watching Seasons 4 and 5, and it makes me feel even more just how much that character has become … useless. He is so PHENOMENAL early on. Anyway, I realize he is a fan favorite – <\/p>\n
\n \n… so I understand why he has stuck around. <\/p>\n What I really liked about the final moment in last night’s episode was: <\/p>\n 1. It sort of re-introduced the “strange” element of Castiel, his Other-ness – something SO missing in the series for 4 years now, 5 years. All told, I felt it was a very good episode. I’m very encouraged by the focus on the argument\/disagreement between Sam and Dean. I also projected onto that scene – as well as onto many of their individual moments throughout – a relief that finally these wonderful actors were being given SHIT TO ACT. They both seemed unleashed to me. They’ve been penned up for a year. Look at what happens when you let them go.<\/p>\n Thoughts?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Getting a really good feeling, people! That was a wonderful episode – and truly in Robert Singers relationship-focused directorial wheelhouse. We’ve got a good conflict now going between the brothers – a conflict with long long roots. Back to season … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/giphy-3.gif\")
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\n2. We were just talking about how awful the set for Hell is, its literal-ness, its cheap-ness. I never want to see that freakin’ dungeon throne-room again. In re-watching Season 4\/5, I fell in love all over again with the “green room” set. How strange it is. How familiar and yet how … “off.” All of this is to say, I love the pitch-black-floating-indeterminate space Castiel is discovered in. And I loved how even though it looked like he was floating in the ether, there was a flat space on which he lay – a space you couldn’t see at first. It was an illusion. It was somewhere else, somewhere not literal. <\/p>\n