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Oct. 13th, 2007 08:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
llywelaSupernatural 3.02: The Kids Are Alright. Woohoo! Loved this episode so much.
Okay, first – theory number one totally confirmed: Glossy Blonde Ruby is an underling of Ol' Yellow-Eyes. I suggested in the recap of The Magnificent Seven that she might be - it's the only explanation that makes sense of the glossiness! Or of her interest in Sam. Thank you, show, for cheering me up immensely with that reveal, nice and early in the season. The moment she started talking to Sam in the diner it was obvious. Really interested to see where they go with this one. Nice new twist in the show's mythology, after so much had seemed to be cleared up in All Hell Breaks Loose. Especially with the reveal about the YED killing off all of Mary's friends, following on from what it showed Sam, that Mary recognised it. And I love that the YED didn't keep its underlings in the loop about what it was doing or why, that's a nice parallel to John, leaving them behind to pick up the pieces of the mystery. Sam is still keeping the whole thing a secret, as well, not telling Dean about any of it – not about Glossy Blonde Ruby, and not about what he's learned. You'd think the whole 'secrets are bad' message would have sunk in by now!
And the fact that Ruby is waving Dean's life in front of Sam like bait on a hook, that's bound to build up to something nice and juicy later in the season. I mean, it's the perfect temptation, and something the YED never really thought of. He was all for killing off loved ones, threatening their lives, to try to turn his special children into what he wanted them to be. For Sam, though, every death has just hardened his resolve; the temptation of being able to save Dean's life is potentially far more powerful.
Oh, and the moment we saw that little girl in the teaser, I knew we were in for a creepy kiddie episode. Always awesome. What is it about kids that's so freaky? Oh, and the power-saw. The moment something like that appears in a scene? That's the moment you cover your eyes, and then they dragged it out for so long. Gory!
This episode was not about demons. Except for that one, of course. But it wasn't about newly released demons, which is nice, because solid standalone monster-of-the-week stories are always entertaining as a break from the mytharc, and because it kinda implies that all those newly released demons are going to ground and doing their own thing, rather than forming an army. And that means that tracking them down is going to be harder, but, on the other hand, they'll probably be easier to take out one at a time, rather than wholesale. There's something so...solid about watching the boys working a standard job, and working it so well, so effortlessly, even with all their other stuff going on. They didn't share many scenes in this episode, which is always a shame, but still pulled off the case like clockwork.
I love watching Dean making flame-throwers! And I loved seeing Smart!Dean in action, figuring out not only what the clay was, but where it came from. See, this is where Dean's proclivity for sticking his fingers into icky things comes into play. Sam looked and thought blood; Dean touched and was able to analyse and identify. But more than that? It was another total 'I was right!' moment for me. When Sam first saw the stuff, the windowsill was inconclusive, but the stuff on the fence looked too pink to be blood, to my eyes. And I thought it would be unlike the props department not to get their fake blood right. So being proved right pleased me immensely. I can love this episode for making me feel clever as much as for anything else. *G*
So, Dean's hit the nostalgia stage of the whole coming to terms with impending death thing, although this episode teaches the lesson that nostalgia doesn't generally mix well with the reality of here and now. I like that, after their showdown at the end of last week, Sam's still in indulgence mode, totally not going to say no to anything Dean wants to do, as long as it isn't life-threatening in any way, and I love that they both have a sense of humour about Dean and his 'last dying wishes', no guilt, no guilt-tripping, no rancour, just acceptance that it is what it is, make the most of now. And Sam's researching in secret - which is another good reason to encourage Dean to go off and enjoy himself - and has Bobby researching in secret, because what Dean doesn't know about can't kill anyone, can it? Or so Sam is presumably hoping.
Sam is really bad at dissembling if he hasn't had time to dream up a cover story. Almost surprising that Dean didn't call him about the obvious lie about who he was on the phone to at the start, but Dean has other things on his mind, and maybe doesn't want to know. They already had it out once, he's not going to want to go there again.
Dean and the kid. On the one hand, it was kinda predictable that it wasn't going to be Dean's kid. But on the other hand, I think they kinda tried a bit too hard to make Ben a miniature version of Dean. Was that just to sell the maybe to Dean, or what? And although the idea kinda freaked him out at first – lifestyle not ideal for kids? No kidding – he does genuinely like kids and relates well to them, has since early on in the show, so it provided an excellent opportunity to explore some of those wistful regrets that we already know he harbours. Even after Lisa initially told him that Ben wasn't his, right at the start, he still wasn't sure, entertained that maybe. Plus, Dean always does like to connect with the people he meets when working a job, so the fact that he already knew Lisa added even more motivation to solve the case and protect her and her son, even if Ben wasn't his. Ben might not be Dean's son, but you can bet he'll always remember him – just another life touched for the better by Dean Winchester. And I especially loved that Lisa got it, at the end there. Even if she doesn't know the details, she recognised and understood the regret. You can bet she now regrets that Ben isn't Dean's as well! I really appreciated that this time it was an outsider giving Dean affirmation rather than Sam, for once - carries a whole different weight when someone you barely know assures you that you've made a huge difference in their life, that your existence has mattered.
I'm a little fascinated to learn that Dean took a short road trip 8 years ago and left John and Sam alone to finish up a job, if only for a few days. It's the kind of trivial detail of life back then that we're so sorely lacking! It would be great to hear more snippets of life back then.
Sam drove the Impala. On screen. For the first time since Devil's Trap. Now there's an incident worthy of being noted!
And...that was kind of incoherent, but my thoughts are not coming together neatly this morning. Too much to do, not enough time. I have lots more thoughts, but most of 'em are going to have to wait for the full recap, which should be up later in the week, time allowing. Where do the days go? Answers on a postcard, please.
Grey's Anatomy, meanwhile, just gets more and more frustrating, because there is still a lot of stuff in it that I like, and yet it always ends up annoying me.
There was a lot that I liked about this week's episode. I loved Bailey, as usual. I enjoyed Alex's story this week - struggling to teach someone old enough to be his grandfather? That felt very real. I liked the scene where Meredith finally gave a little and talked through Susan's notes with Lexie. Callie's disintegration is pretty brutal to watch, but also feels very real. I even liked the scene where George stood up to Izzie, because I like it when George finds his backbone.
The rampant unprofessionalism and frequently cavalier behaviour toward patients will always be irksome. But I think my biggest problem with the show is Izzie. She's just so self-absorbed, and that big emotional speech in Really Old Guy's Doorway? When he was so obviously already dead? That was embarrassing to watch. She's turning into such a cariacature of herself.
And yet I keep watching.
Okay, first – theory number one totally confirmed: Glossy Blonde Ruby is an underling of Ol' Yellow-Eyes. I suggested in the recap of The Magnificent Seven that she might be - it's the only explanation that makes sense of the glossiness! Or of her interest in Sam. Thank you, show, for cheering me up immensely with that reveal, nice and early in the season. The moment she started talking to Sam in the diner it was obvious. Really interested to see where they go with this one. Nice new twist in the show's mythology, after so much had seemed to be cleared up in All Hell Breaks Loose. Especially with the reveal about the YED killing off all of Mary's friends, following on from what it showed Sam, that Mary recognised it. And I love that the YED didn't keep its underlings in the loop about what it was doing or why, that's a nice parallel to John, leaving them behind to pick up the pieces of the mystery. Sam is still keeping the whole thing a secret, as well, not telling Dean about any of it – not about Glossy Blonde Ruby, and not about what he's learned. You'd think the whole 'secrets are bad' message would have sunk in by now!
And the fact that Ruby is waving Dean's life in front of Sam like bait on a hook, that's bound to build up to something nice and juicy later in the season. I mean, it's the perfect temptation, and something the YED never really thought of. He was all for killing off loved ones, threatening their lives, to try to turn his special children into what he wanted them to be. For Sam, though, every death has just hardened his resolve; the temptation of being able to save Dean's life is potentially far more powerful.
Oh, and the moment we saw that little girl in the teaser, I knew we were in for a creepy kiddie episode. Always awesome. What is it about kids that's so freaky? Oh, and the power-saw. The moment something like that appears in a scene? That's the moment you cover your eyes, and then they dragged it out for so long. Gory!
This episode was not about demons. Except for that one, of course. But it wasn't about newly released demons, which is nice, because solid standalone monster-of-the-week stories are always entertaining as a break from the mytharc, and because it kinda implies that all those newly released demons are going to ground and doing their own thing, rather than forming an army. And that means that tracking them down is going to be harder, but, on the other hand, they'll probably be easier to take out one at a time, rather than wholesale. There's something so...solid about watching the boys working a standard job, and working it so well, so effortlessly, even with all their other stuff going on. They didn't share many scenes in this episode, which is always a shame, but still pulled off the case like clockwork.
I love watching Dean making flame-throwers! And I loved seeing Smart!Dean in action, figuring out not only what the clay was, but where it came from. See, this is where Dean's proclivity for sticking his fingers into icky things comes into play. Sam looked and thought blood; Dean touched and was able to analyse and identify. But more than that? It was another total 'I was right!' moment for me. When Sam first saw the stuff, the windowsill was inconclusive, but the stuff on the fence looked too pink to be blood, to my eyes. And I thought it would be unlike the props department not to get their fake blood right. So being proved right pleased me immensely. I can love this episode for making me feel clever as much as for anything else. *G*
So, Dean's hit the nostalgia stage of the whole coming to terms with impending death thing, although this episode teaches the lesson that nostalgia doesn't generally mix well with the reality of here and now. I like that, after their showdown at the end of last week, Sam's still in indulgence mode, totally not going to say no to anything Dean wants to do, as long as it isn't life-threatening in any way, and I love that they both have a sense of humour about Dean and his 'last dying wishes', no guilt, no guilt-tripping, no rancour, just acceptance that it is what it is, make the most of now. And Sam's researching in secret - which is another good reason to encourage Dean to go off and enjoy himself - and has Bobby researching in secret, because what Dean doesn't know about can't kill anyone, can it? Or so Sam is presumably hoping.
Sam is really bad at dissembling if he hasn't had time to dream up a cover story. Almost surprising that Dean didn't call him about the obvious lie about who he was on the phone to at the start, but Dean has other things on his mind, and maybe doesn't want to know. They already had it out once, he's not going to want to go there again.
Dean and the kid. On the one hand, it was kinda predictable that it wasn't going to be Dean's kid. But on the other hand, I think they kinda tried a bit too hard to make Ben a miniature version of Dean. Was that just to sell the maybe to Dean, or what? And although the idea kinda freaked him out at first – lifestyle not ideal for kids? No kidding – he does genuinely like kids and relates well to them, has since early on in the show, so it provided an excellent opportunity to explore some of those wistful regrets that we already know he harbours. Even after Lisa initially told him that Ben wasn't his, right at the start, he still wasn't sure, entertained that maybe. Plus, Dean always does like to connect with the people he meets when working a job, so the fact that he already knew Lisa added even more motivation to solve the case and protect her and her son, even if Ben wasn't his. Ben might not be Dean's son, but you can bet he'll always remember him – just another life touched for the better by Dean Winchester. And I especially loved that Lisa got it, at the end there. Even if she doesn't know the details, she recognised and understood the regret. You can bet she now regrets that Ben isn't Dean's as well! I really appreciated that this time it was an outsider giving Dean affirmation rather than Sam, for once - carries a whole different weight when someone you barely know assures you that you've made a huge difference in their life, that your existence has mattered.
I'm a little fascinated to learn that Dean took a short road trip 8 years ago and left John and Sam alone to finish up a job, if only for a few days. It's the kind of trivial detail of life back then that we're so sorely lacking! It would be great to hear more snippets of life back then.
Sam drove the Impala. On screen. For the first time since Devil's Trap. Now there's an incident worthy of being noted!
And...that was kind of incoherent, but my thoughts are not coming together neatly this morning. Too much to do, not enough time. I have lots more thoughts, but most of 'em are going to have to wait for the full recap, which should be up later in the week, time allowing. Where do the days go? Answers on a postcard, please.
Grey's Anatomy, meanwhile, just gets more and more frustrating, because there is still a lot of stuff in it that I like, and yet it always ends up annoying me.
There was a lot that I liked about this week's episode. I loved Bailey, as usual. I enjoyed Alex's story this week - struggling to teach someone old enough to be his grandfather? That felt very real. I liked the scene where Meredith finally gave a little and talked through Susan's notes with Lexie. Callie's disintegration is pretty brutal to watch, but also feels very real. I even liked the scene where George stood up to Izzie, because I like it when George finds his backbone.
The rampant unprofessionalism and frequently cavalier behaviour toward patients will always be irksome. But I think my biggest problem with the show is Izzie. She's just so self-absorbed, and that big emotional speech in Really Old Guy's Doorway? When he was so obviously already dead? That was embarrassing to watch. She's turning into such a cariacature of herself.
And yet I keep watching.
