Supernatural 4.7 & 8

4.7 "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester"


Okay. So I have many thoughts on this episode. I need to start doing my review the second that I get done with the episode, but I need time to let it all stir around in my brain juice.


This episode's rating: 8/10 ... and 3/5 ... let me explain:::


Sam: [Upon meeting Castiel for the first time] Oh, my God! Er, ah, I didn't mean to... sorry. 


Sam's reaction to the Angels was... priceless. I know that it's supposed to be "I'm a religious person and everything I hoped was true, is now standing in front of me" but I got more of a "Holy Shit-Balls! I'm in trouble!" His nervousness and fear, at standing in front of two Angels, was a perfect counter-point to Dean's relative calm. Here are two semi-hostile supernatural creatures, that we don't have to immediately figure out how to destroy, and Dean is ... well, Dean. He handles the situation. Since standing up to John and then dealing with hell, Dean has a new set of balls. And unlike Samuel, who is in a position of feeling necessary reverence and respect for Castiel and Uriel, Dean already knows that if he wants any leverage in his relationship with Castiel then he has to take power whenever he can. 


Castiel... this kid cracks me up. He's always staring right into Dean's eyes like Dean is a toy or a puzzle that he just can't figure out. So far, the best moment of this was in their first meeting, when Castiel realized that Dean just doesn't like himself. Now it seems like everything Dean says Castiel is weighing very carefully against some other knowledge that we don't really have at this point. It's great. This actor is perfect, all of his acting is really in his very subtle body language and facial expressions. Which is perfect since Dean operates in a similar manner. There's a ham in there - but in serious moments, everything is quite subtle and can be taken for granted as almost the opposite. Versus Sam - everything is on his chest and over-acted all the time. Bad acting. But it might be why the writers sometimes totally screw with Dean's character - it's like some of them only read the words this man says and forget that they have a fantastic actor performing them in a unique way. (And this is why we have episodes where Dean is "Mr. Playboy" or "Mr. Hardass" or "Mr. Dick" <- none make any sense when you see Jensen Ackles perform... but I digress.) 


So here we are, there's a witch in town and the boys have to stop her/his evil plans ('cause witches are ALWAYS evil, straight up) because if s/he succeeds, then one of the seals is broken and out comes Lucifer and all of hell to play. And Sam whines and Dean stands up. And Uriel is a big-time creeper. And Castiel is curious and amazed.


Can I wax poetics about Castiel for just a second? I love that he is so... almost child-like in his dealings with Dean. He has "orders" that he must follow, which is great to know because it places him in a warrior-class, but everything Dean says is so beyond his frame of reference. Uriel is dismissive and demeaning towards humans, but Castiel has this whole shock-and-awe thing going for him. Nice to see another Angel and be able to weigh his reactions to Castiel's.


Uriel:  The only reason you're still alive, Sam Winchester, is because you've been useful. But the moment that ceases to be true, the second you become more trouble than you're worth, one word, one, and I will turn you to dust. 


Sam practically peeing himself when he sees the Angels for the first time = not so priceless. Sam using his demon-powers and then telling a "superior" creature that they are the assholes = why this rating wavers between a 3 and an 8 on my rating scale. Dean and Sam both have blind faith when it suits their own purposes - much like EVERY religious person I have EVER met. Dean thinks the Angels are kinda sketchy, but is down with their prohibition on Sam's demony-powers. Sam thinks the Angels are noble, brave, and true... total grovelling-worthy guys - until one of them points out that he's an ass for using power he doesn't know (a) how to control or (b) it's original purpose. 


Sam, in this Angel-worshipping scenario, comes off as much more of an ass. His attitude (which I've known in my religious family all my life) is: As long as we agree, god and I are cool. But the second I want to do something he doesn't like, I don't need him. These are the kind that come running back to ultra-conservative beliefs once they fall. Religion is a crutch. These are also the kind that end up following ridiculous rules for no reason.


Dean, however, is much more interesting. He's more like a someday-may-convert-guy rather than a die-hard-born-and-raised-guy. His attitude seems more: I'm not really sure, but when we agree on stuff, I take that very strongly to heart. But -  I'm going to disagree with you, which is okay because you aren't human. Which is arms-flailing-fascinating. To bring religion to a level of human vs. non-human.... in which the "big picture" is all one knows, or the small-stuff is all one knows... very interesting, and very unique. Dean seems to totally understand that the Angels have a hard time grounding themselves in human-reality, because they have no real connection to it.


And a subtle distinction. Why does Sam's attitude piss me off? Because it's true. Why doesn't Dean's? Because it's how I wish more people would act. I've really had it up to my limit with the religious-right lately. Ack! Digression.

Castiel: You misunderstand me Dean. I'm not like you think. I was praying that you would choose to save the town. 
Dean: You were? 
Castiel: These people, they're all my father's creations. They're works of art. And yet, even though you stopped Samhain the seal was broken and we are one step closer to Hell on Earth for all creation. And that's not an expression Dean. It's literal. You of all people should appreciate what that means. Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell another soul? 
Dean: Okay. 
Castiel: I'm not a hammer, as you say. I have questions. I-I have doubts. I don't know what is right and what is wrong anymore, whether you passed or failed here. But, in the coming months, you will have more decisions to make. I don't envy the weight that's on your shoulders, Dean. I truly don't.

This is my closer. Something big is going on with Dean and Castiel. And it's all I want to see. The monster-of-the-week bothers me, we all know this. The relationship between Dean and Sam is completely hindered by bad writing and Padalecki's bad over-acting. After three seasons of Sam-the-Demon-General and Golden Boy, with poor Dean just hanging on to his coat-tails for deal life, dealing with the ever-looming presence of impending death; NOW, finally, Dean is being set up as Dean-the-Angel-General and potential Golden Boy. And since I saw this coming in the first episode (seriously - let's set up a Prodigal Son motif and spend THREE years pretending that we didn't = serious thorn in my side) I'm ready. I'm on the ride, I've been slowly creeping up the tall, tall, tall-tall, drop and I can finally see the tracks beginning to bend forward. I'm ready for the drop. I'm ready for this ride to get serious, for the characters to really start moving towards ... anything.

The boys:

Dean: 7/5 for standing up

Sam: 2/5 for being a douche

Castiel: 10/5 for being a confused Angel - TOO CUTE!!

4.8 "Wishful Thinking"

Dean: I shouldn't have lied to you. I do remember everything that happened to me in the pit. Everything. [...]  I won't lie anymore, but I'm not gonna talk about it. [...] You really think that a little heart-to-heart, some sharing and caring, is going to change anything? Huh? Somehow heal me? I'm not talking about a bad day here. [...] The things that I saw, there aren't words, there is no forgetting, there's no making it better. Because it is right here, forever. You wouldn't understand and I could never make you understand. So I am sorry.

Why do I feel like Dean has had to say this to Sammy before? Oh right, because he has at least a half-dozen times. Pre-hell Dean finally opened up and Sam had what to say? Oh right, absolutely nothing. Post-hell Dean is not obligated to tell Sam anything. Because he's right, talking to the person you love about hell (literally or figuratively) doesn't make anyone feel better. It's about damn time Dean finally said this, the right way. Now - I know, because I'm watching this show, that the writers will force these characters to have this conversation a few million more times before Sam gets it through his thick head that he's pushing the wrong button. 

But! I'm hoping that when/if we get details about hell, it will be between Dean and Castiel. After seeing the park-bench heart-to-heart between Cas and Dean in the last episode, any emotional connection that I could have had with this scene between Dean and Sam was gone. Because really, after going to hell and back you feel the need to apologize to your brother for not being Mr. Sharing? All kinds of wrong.

The boys:

Sam: 2/5 - good detective work, but needs to stop being so whiny

Dean: 5/5 - for saying what needed to be said

Castiel: sadface - for not being present