"It's a little spooky, isn't it?"

[llywela]

I desperately needed distraction from Real Life this weekend, so buried myself in the recap for the latest Supernatural. Which I loved, as I have every episode so far this season.

I would have polished it up a little more and edited in a bunch of pretty pictures, but I don't have time this week because life sucks and I have to devote too much time to keeping my chin above water (or not as the case may be).

So, without any further ado, here is this week's recap:

"I'll man the flashlight."

Screencaps found at Screencap Paradise, marishna and oxoniensis

Comments

[bowtrunckle.livejournal.com]

Bravo. Great review! I have to say you're more tolerant of the plot holes, blabbery exposition, flip-flopping characterization, needlessly convoluted back story, and the level of cruelty and violence in this episode than I am. However, I did enjoy the laughs and appreciated the gorgeous shots of Bobby and the boys in the Squamish sunshine. :)

I especially liked your insight into Sam's behavior as a form of self-protection. I was attributing his detachment to suppression and denial and not having truly dealt with Dean's death, therefore, not being able to experience EMOTIONALLY Dean's return even though he knows intellectually he's back. Poor, damaged Sam.

I absolutely agree that the boys ultimately have to CHOOSE each other, not be tethered together out of NEED. Only then can they truly be each others' strength and not a weakness. Not to mention it takes a certain kind of fortitude to pick up the pieces and carry on alone instead of instinctively grasp for straws and try to recreate the past. I think a big theme in the latter half of S4 and early S5 will be healing ... something that needs to happen if these boys are going to remake their relationship into something stronger and DIFFERENT than before.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Hallo - I thought you were on LJ hiatus? Something I should probably do, but man - I need the diversion!

Grin and bear it is my general policy on plot holes and the like. *G* Or...grit the teeth and bear it, at times. The good generally more than makes up for the bad. Generally. Although there are episodes (and other isolated moments) I will never be at ease with. For this one, I chose to be tolerant of new writers finding their feet, as they've done a much better job than many new writers before them. I can live with the plot holes, however much I don't enjoy them - I do so appreciate an episode where I can rationalise absolutely everything, though!

attributing his detachment to suppression and denial and not having truly dealt with Dean's death, therefore, not being able to experience EMOTIONALLY Dean's return even though he knows intellectually he's back.
And that explanation works, too! Probably it's a bit of all of the above...or maybe Show has some other explanation up its sleeve that they will hit us with eventually. But mostly I'm glad you saw detachment, too - the initial reaction of my flist seemed to be glee at Sam's patience and forebearance, which puzzled me because I mostly saw irritation and dissociation!

[bowtrunckle.livejournal.com]

I thought you were on LJ hiatus?

I am. My breaks are mostly me not posting to my own journal, which I do now and again for various reasons. I've only started announcing it because I want people to know all is well and I'm just taking a break. However, I still scan my flist and I couldn't help responding to your entry. :)

I chose to be tolerant of new writers finding their feet

It's good to be encouraging. Drawing together a complete story is hard work, esp. with such a picky fandom. It's a wonder the Show gets the thumbs up as much as it does considering it's under the collective fannish microscope.

the initial reaction of my flist seemed to be glee at Sam's patience and forebearance, which puzzled me because I mostly saw irritation and dissociation!

Sam did have his brotherly moments (trying to move to a ground floor room, calling Dean from the pulp mill to tell him to hang in there and he and Bobby have a plan). But I would've liked to see more of his reaction to the prospect of losing Dean again. Like you, I thought even a repressing Sam would've had brief panic-ridden flashbacks of losing Dean, being without Dean, burying Dean. What I would've liked to have seen was a tiny solo Sam moment of grief/desperation/determination even if it be a five second shot of him gripping Dean's gun or getting angry at the poor fearful spirit for infecting Dean. Anything. Just because it's a Dean-centric episode doesn't mean that there can't be ANY Sam insight.

I'm still patiently waiting to get into Sam's head this season, our flaming anvil episode helped but it didn't elucidate much regarding those missing 4 months. And I'm finding that without those gaping blanks filled in I'm having trouble understanding what Sam is doing/thinking this season. And without the context he's coming off as a block of ice or a robot or a zombie.

I also liked your point about this episode not revealing anything NEW about Dean's psyche. I hope Show doesn't repeat the same mistake with Dean that it did last season with Sam's "I'm gonna save you, Dean" (i.e. "I'm afraid my baby brother is evil."). My fingers are crossed for a better episode this week.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Sam did have his brotherly moments
He did, it is true. But they were pretty intermittent compared to his frustrated huffs and puffs. I couldn't help comparing his behaviour here to the previous occasions where Dean's life has been on the line...and it is completely different. There's just no urgency about him at all - he's worried and resolute, but there's none of the frantic care and concern of the previous occasions. I was pulling together the early stages of a List of Love for Faith last week (won't be posted for ages as I don't have time to finish it right now) and the contrast is staggering.

I'm finding that without those gaping blanks filled in I'm having trouble understanding what Sam is doing/thinking this season. And without the context he's coming off as a block of ice or a robot or a zombie.
You know, I haven't liked to say anything like that, but...

Context is everything. I can think of all kinds of reasons why Sam is behaving the way he is, so emotionally withdrawn, after everything he's been through. But it would be nice to know. I'm still expecting mid-season revelations and turning points, which should hopefully clear up a lot of confusion - Show does so love its retroactive storytelling, wherein all becomes clear by means of hindsight.

It didn't bother me that nothing new was revealed, because Dean's hallucinations did draw together a lot of underlying fears and concerns, some of which we already knew and some we'd only predicted, and it confirmed just how many issues are worrying away at him right now. I really liked the episode, overall, in spite of its flaws. I'd like it more without all the holes, but it is both funny and touching...with a dark, disturbing core. A placeholder episode, more or less.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Heh, I actually don't have anything to add this time. You already know that I think pretty much exactly the same. I really love the union of humour and darkness in this episode. I watched it 3 times already and still enjoy all the character work they snuck in here. I don't really care about plotholes as you know. *shrugs*

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Hee. How many times have you and I posted to one anothers' reviews just to say 'we already talked about this, but I wanted you to know that I read it'...? *G*

The episode is flawed, sure. But I enjoy it, and that's all I ask of it right now!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

It surely is flawed, but as bowtrunckle points out, it's not easy to pull together a story and plotholes/inconsistencies happen even with the more experienced writers on this show. *cough*Gamble*cough* It's the characterisation that I care most about and they had that pretty much down. I don't ask for more for a first time ... :)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yes. We shan't talk of certain veteran writers of the show who are more carried away with the excitement of their ideas than they are concerned with, shall we say, logic...

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Yeah well, but she gives me what I crave most, pretty sappy emo!scenes between the boys! *g* I should care more about the plot consistencies than I actually do I guess, after all I would like the show to be perfect in every aspect and a well thought out plot adds to rewatchings. Otherwise I am tempted to just jump to the brother scenes LOL.

[sevenandthree.livejournal.com]

i don't know how i missed this!

*reads*

:D

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Well, it only went up last night!

Hope you enjoyed the read.

[gwendolyngrace.livejournal.com]

Just a geography note: we don't know where Bobby lives, exactly, but Colorado and South Dakota are separated by Nebraska. There is also no such place as Rock Ridge. But Pueblo, which is on the eastern side of Colorado, and Rapid City, SD, which is on its western side, are 8.5 hours away by car.

(When I was researching drive times for "Harvester of Eyes" I used Caleb because Lincoln was about 2 hours closer to Pueblo, IIRC.)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

*notes information*

...actually, it's been so long since I watched this episode, I can't remember why the geography is important, but I'm still grateful for snippets of info!

If's funny looking back, actually, and seeing my declaration of love for this episode, because hindsight now declares it one of my least favourite of the season. Too many inconsistencies, too trite, too shallow, too brutal, not enough meaningful character insight, and the cheap laughs (not as funny as they should have been) don't make up for it.

You've had quite the catch-up session, huh? Life finally slowed down a little?

[gwendolyngrace.livejournal.com]

Things have slowed to the point where I can spend major portions of a Sunday reading recaps. Not necessarily slowed down for real, though!

Besides, it's been wicked hot. No energy for doing much else besides TV and the intarwebz.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Aye, Life does tend to have...well, a life of its own! I know I don't have anything like the free time I used to for writing the darn things, which is why S5 is almost here and I still haven't finished recapping S4, although I'm almost caught up now!

A busy Life is a good thing, though, of course. *G*