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Articles Episode Related "Swap Meat" - So How Was It?
Articles Episode Related "Swap Meat" - So How Was It?
"Swap Meat" - So How Was It?
Thursday, 28 January 2010 19:47 | 
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Okay, it's episode night! Tonight, the body switching tale of "Swap Meat." Just like everyone else, I'm very very curious how this one is going to go and what the fan reaction will be. So, let's go into it with a huge open mind and I'm sure there will be plenty to say when its all done! Happy episode everyone.
However, the ending, blah. Part of me wanted Sam to break free and use his powers to save that boy. No such luck. Maybe the point of the episode was lost on me though. Was it trying to show that Sam and Dean were missing out of a new set of problems if they had a normal upbringing?
Now we know that the demons have a contract on Dean.
I think the 'message' part was that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence - Sam & Dean always assumed the normal family life would be perfect.
Interesting that Dean's starting to acknowledge his previously buried desire for a normal life more openly. Guess it's more evidence on how heavily the apocalypse is weighing on the guy. And Sam's changes, how hardened he's become, still worrying him, echoed back to Wishful Thinking
Jared’s acting was great. His face at being called a sasquatch… I like Gary too and his girl…can you say shades of Harry Potter. There were holes granted, the demons have had more than one opportunity to get Dean, and the concept of teens just finding a witchcraft book is a bit much. But we got some good info too. Like Sam’s spirit not having to say yes to Lucifer…only his body… That’s a wrinkle I didn’t expect. I think that will have many consequences in the future. Maybe the same is true for Dean’s body. That leaves open a wide range of possibilities.
Really a fun time. I did enjoy it a lot. Next weeks looks a LOT more sinister. Back to the past, hopefully for both boys this time, and Anna returns, for the good I hope….didn’t look like it though.
So, could this possibly be Sam "burying" his feelings? If so, he really is empty right now.
I dunno. I did really like this episode. I'm sure I'll watch it many times. I just really want some more plot. I've almost forgotten it's the Apocalypse. That's why I'm looking forward to next week's. Looks plot-filled and angsty! Just the way I like it. =]
Oh my...maybe the body swapping has just begun!
My God, the teaser had me rolling, one of the best teasers ever!! Jared was hilarious!! "Crystal, I would love to have to sex with you" ROLF
I liked the kid playing Gary and Nora, Trevor was an ok douche, very annoying but a little boring. PossessedNora was really creepy. Kudos to the actress, she nailed it.
The GaryInSam with Dean -moments were funny. Esp. the bit where GaryInSam drives the car. GOLD, I laughed my ass of. But as it went forward it became really sad 'cause you could see that THIS is what Dean wants with Sam but they aren't like that... and maybe never will be. But I hope they will, someday. It reminded me of Sex&Violence a lot.
The fact that Sams body can be used like that seems... I dunno, a little convenient(?), and very scary 'cause it doesn't have to be SAMs consent, just anyones who's in his body so Lucifer can take over. Creepy. But still, I feel a little cheated, it kinda takes the whole 'Sams' choice away from him, you know? And btw, why didn't the demon just kill SamInGary?? Or maybe that severes the connection, I dunno.
The end was weird. Like watching Bugs with a bodyswap. Sam and Dean with their respected (& reversed) broken dreams breaks my heart *sigh* Deans dream is to have a family, and Sam... hell, I doubt he has any dreams anymore. Maybe he just wants this to be over. Or maybe he is burying them with the rest of his feelings deep down. Boy, has he issues, but he's following the family code of denial. And it's gonna backfire, bigtime. Like Lucifer-wearing-him-to-the-proom -big.
Fave quotes
- "We're gonna do IT" *armpump* hilarious!!
- "Master Chief in da house bisatches(?)" What the hell was that last word LOL
- "You're gorgeous."- "I know!!" Scratch that, EVERY line in the teaser was perfect!!
Nex week looks awesome!! I can't wait!!
Other than that, like Pete said, Sam and Dean seem world's apart indeed. But i think that is just it. They seem but are not really. I think they understand each other very much and have switched shoes and perspective. Their problem is their inability to talk to comunicate that and read each other like they used too. Usually, Sam would have instantly recognized the meaning behind Dean's question and would have seen that Dean was bothered by his answer. And Dean would have realized why Sam has changed his tune. Dean has seen the worst of the worst and is just realizing that normal apple-pie life isn't bad at all and is a blessing; while Sam is suffering from self-hate and defeat in the eyes of destiny. His hope for a normal apple-pie life died when Dean died. And seeing as he is guilty of breaking the last seal and sees himself as a monster, he has abandoned all that.
That moment Dean had with Gary in the bar killed me on the inside. I wish Sam and Dean could communicate and relax like they used too.
So far, i don't see the brotherly re-connection that Kripke promised us this season. All i see is them pushing them apart even more. It makes me sad to see my favourite conjoined twins on opposite sides.
If only they could open their eyes and see that they are both hurting and pull each other up again before it is too late. I hope that commment Dean made about not drinking with Sam in a bar for a while isn't going to be the reason we get a future drunk Castiel episode coming up. I think that is just bad taste and makes no sense if only to torture Dean on how much he is not hanging out like he used to with Sam.
Would it kill the brothers to really listen to each other and man up and reach out.
I wasn't sure what to expect from the episode, not a classic but i enjoyed it, the salad shaker made me laugh as did Sam in the fast food uniform. Maybe Dean should have caught on sooner but after last week maybe he just thought Sam was acting out!
I know they're not as "close" as they used to be but they are being more open and honest then they ever used to be wih each other and that, in my books, is nothing but a good thing.
For a moment I actually believed they might do it now, already, get Lucifer into Sam’s body, and we’d spent the rest of the season dealing with that…
Okay, would have been too early, I guess, but interesting nonetheless. Did I mention I love this show because – among other reasons – it keeps me on my toes all the damn time?
"A leather jacket and a sasquatch." Now that's just goddamn funny.
An episode that certainly demands rewatching because of the toyed-with relationship dynamic between the two, especially the ending, and I'd really like to do that before commenting and making as little sense as I probably would, so I'll just skip to the "easy" part: I loved the geeky teenager comedy bits (though, even looking like Sam, pretty ballsy moves in the bar), the further enrichment of the mythology with the Satanic shenanigans, but the two things that immediately bugged me (and overall, I dug the episode) were 1)Sam not using his powers to bust out and 2)the whole vessel=body not soul.
The first is easier to rationalize within the world's continuity, though personally, I was hoping he would simply because of how much he knows Dean would hate it, thus ratcheting up the self-angst even further, thus pushing closer to the breaking point where the two REALLY need to talk, thus, thus, thus. There was a resigned wistful sentiment in Dean wishing for a normal life. He finally realizes that that ain't happening, but he can appreciate its existence, something worth trying to beat the devil for.
As for the "anyone can say yes," given how important and visceral one's humanity is to the spirit of the show, I'm surprised. It's not all that inconsistent in a technical sense, for demons can possess humans? Though that simply reduces the soul to a mere possessor of a meat suit and then we're busting out ancient philosophy about ones and forms and a bunch of other stuff and fighting the apocalypse in togas wouldn't be very convenient.
It's evident that there are many layers, again, here, and the sequence with the kids plunging into demonology certainly requires debate and analysis in a way...
By the way - I read somewhere in the past that 'Sasquatch' actually was Jared's nickname. If that is true (I tend not believe anything these days), the idea of that line in the episode would be a nice nod...
Apocalypse in togas... oh, I'm totally feeling up Monthy Python
The idea about anybody in Sam's body saying Yes doesn't make sense to me. If that would be so, that is, if all Lucifer needs is an empty vessel, just the meat suit, then anybody could be that vessel. But he specifically wants Sam. Given that a complete human being is body + soul/conscience, there must be a good reason why Lucifer wants Sam (what reason, I'm sure we'll find out) and not somebody else. We know that even possessed people are 'awake' at times and are aware of what is going on with them, with their bodies, we've seen that a lot in the show. So, I think Lucifer needs/wants the complete Sam (for whatever reason) and not just his body. Looking forward to see that issue resolved.
Aah, the Winchester brothers issues... They don't seem apart from each other to me, they seem depressed, frustrated, sad. Tired. And maybe just don't want to burden each other more than necessary. Not healthy, now, that healthy salad won't compensate that, Sam
I do agree, that Dean was suspicious early on, but should have reacted earlier. I mean, their cell phones were gone, hello? Maybe he chose to observe GaryInSam for a while, wanted to be really sure because he didn't want to hurt his brother?
And there were again some funny moments that made me crack up. My favourite: "Reverse. ... Reverse! ... Reverse!!!"
I re-watched it just now, and I'm still liking Swap Meat, I laughed harder than last night at Jared's "I'd like to order some alcohol" and all the other scenes Jared was in... *sigh* I think I'm gradually becoming a Sam-girl now...
Overall, a good episode... I'd give it a 8/10... ok, fine 8.5/10!!!
What stod out to me more was not the eps per se: this many stand alones in season 5, it's really starting to look like if there's a season 6 (seems likely now), the apocalypse will still be goign on then.
I was hoping we'd be done with it by the end of season 5, but know it's starting to feel like we'll end this season in Detroit, when Sam supposedly says YES (what a cliff hanger that'll be!)
BUT I'm not entirely sure if it works that way, because I agree with you guys on the whole Sam-package thing. It simply doesn't make sense if anything in Sam's body can say The Big Yes. If it doesn't matter what soul or being is inside that body, couldn't Lucifer simply kill Sam so that his soul vacates the body, and then immediately jump him bones? I think there HAS to be some deeper relationship between Sam-body, Sam-soul, Sam-conscience, or whatever along those lines, with respect to both his powers and The Big Yes..you get what I mean right?
I liked this episode. Sure most episodes will have flaws but all in all I think this eppie was good, despite the fact that I'm still wondering, like most of you, "where the hell is the apocalypse???". Lucifer has got to be up to more mischief than just messing around with some teenaged wannabe-witches (Teenage Mutant Wiccans? I smell a new comic..heheh).
Anybody find it interesting that Gary was running from the apple-pie life by turning to the supernatural, whereas Sam did the opposite? I also thought Dean suspected Gary!Sam pretty early on, but hey..for all intents and purposes he seemed to be dealing with his BROTHER, and people aren't exactly programmed to mistrust family aren't they.
The were a lot of little bits that I liked. Sam in the uniform, the Health Quake Salad Shake (I like my veggies, but eeewwww), the metallicar in the hands of Gary!Sam (noooo! sigh, baby takes another one for the team), Sam getting tied up AGAIN, leather jacket and sasquatch
Narcissus, great point about the body being infected with the demon blood, and you might be right, since it seems that the BODY, not the SOUL is key. If one of your TMWT (Teenage Mutant Wiccan Tools) has the juice to say yes in Sam's body, then I suppose the power would lie there and not with Sam while inhabiting Gary. I'm simply hoping we get some clarity on the subject, because I like my geek suspicions confirmed either way.
Dammit, there was something else someone said related to this whole "what constitutes one's being" gig I wanted to touch on but I'm rereading everyone's comments and can't find it and wonder if I'm merely going senile. Oh well.
Dean knew something was up with "Sam," but even in a world populated with the, er, supernatural, one is going to assume that that's one's brother/sister/parent who's simply acting a little weird, surrender, surrender. Though I suppose going from that psycho shake (I love a good salad too, but dude, eat the burger.) to dead cow parts is a bit odd.
I think maybe Dean was suspicious of Sam, but because he didn’t know what he was dealing with he decided to wait it out. After all it couldn’t be a possession.
I can’t see it being that easy for Lucifer to get control of Sam’s vessel. I also believe he needs Sam essence and soul, why else would Lucifer be telling Sam to keep that anger that he was going to need it.
Regarding character development, there wasn't a whole lot, but I did like (in a angsty kind of way) that Sam has totally put all those dreams aside. In "When the Levee Breaks" he told his younger self to grow up for thinking he could ever get away, and this is just an extention of that. Sam doesn't seem to have any dreams left. Like others have said, he is empty.
Way, way, way too many things to nitpick on for one.
First off, bad camera angles ruin so much, if Dean is still with Sam's body, granted Gary is in it, he should not be looking down; same goes for the scenes of Sam in Gary's body at his home.
Great that Dean has memorized the exorcism but why didn't the demon just high tail it out of there rather than wait to be exorcised. We know that's possible from Jus in Bello. Great that Dean memorized it and did it in tandem with Gary but contrived to say the least.
Being gluten intolerant myself it's just plain wrong -- although I know they were going for the funny -- that one little bite of bread would have Sam in the bathroom -- not how the condition works at all. Why even have him suggest he has asthma if gluten intolerance is where the joke/moment is.
Uh, how is it that the family contacted Sam and Dean in the beginning in the first place. They've gone through so many cell phones over the years -- especially in Fresh Blood we know they threw their phones away/destroyed them so that Gordon couldn't track them so by what twisted method was the mother, formerly Winchester babysitter, able to contact them?
Why, oh, why when Sam realizes he's in such trouble (when he's first returned to Gary's home) and is making phone call after phone call does he not call Bobby. Granted Jim Beaver isn't in the episode but no attempt on Sam's part? Really?
Speaking of the cell phones what happened to all the phones after Gary threw them away. Really. Dean didn't figure that one out? How come he didn't get the call on his own cell phone, you know, the one he's carrying. How is it that Gary got that one from him. That's so blatantly inexcusable I'll rewatch just to see if I missed that moment when Dean lost it, gave it to Gary or somehow parted company so that no matter what Sam couldn't catch him. (Yeah, I've only watched this once.)
I did like that the demons have put a 'hit' as it were out on Dean. Seems fitting. We've seen Zacharia using humans to track down Dean, so it makes sense the demons would act similarly.
I did enjoy the conversation with Dean wondering if Sam missed having a family, apple pie, the whole white picket fence and the sorrow Dean (via Jensen) expressed over Sam's complete disinterest -- this is when Sam is still Sam) is believable. It's a good discourse, as is Dean wondering that Sam and he are actually having a drink. Continues the thought that while the brothers remain together the strain is still evident and some things that have changed have yet to improve.
Gary is not at all believable as a 17 year old, sorry, not for one second. He looks about 15, I assume the producers et al were attempting to avoid a statutory rape bit thus making the youngster 17 but geez folks, can't we just mature a bit and get away from the constant adolescent fascination with sex? Just for a moment? It would have been better to simply have Gary getting so drunk he boots his daquiri and the woman disappears. At that point Gary could have quite disappointedly received his phone call and spilled his part of the plan as we learned about.
The part about the ghost/witch whatever attacking Gary when Gary was about to shoot Dean makes no sense. Why not attack Dean first? He's the one digging up the grave. Also, why didn't we see the ghost first, we usually do. Would have been better if there was some part of Sam, his body, that wouldn't allow him to kill Dean. (I know, it's a stretch but at least it didn't readjust all we know about ghosts in four and a half years)
I like that Gary figured out Dean's a good guy but that quick? Really? Just as he's getting ready to shoot the guy he decides instead he's a guy worth saving? Wow, that was a quick (unbelievabel) turn around.
Can we have enough of the fascination that Dean eats junk food and Sam eats salad -- I don't buy that Sam eats salads all the time at all, anymore than I buy that Dean eats nothing but junk food at all. So, let's mix it up a bit, that joke is old, old and just plain old.
I like that Dean figured it out that Sam wasn't Sam through his interactions but all in all, this episode was contrived, plodding and uttely forgettable.
Bring on next week's angst.
Loved that the bacon cheeseburgers are back on Dean's menu. Sad that Gary/Sam was so in sync with Dean.
Jared was a hoot, but yeah, why not call Bobby? And Dean looking down on Sam was quite noticeable.LOL!
And what about the family coming home and finding their son dead in the basement? He sure looked dead to me!
Dean not seeing that that wasn't Sam right from the beginning kinda bugged me bc isn't he supposed to know Sam way better than that? I know that thighs aren't the same between those two (yes they really look like they're worlds apart) but common!
And all that talk that anyone in Sam body can say yes to Lucifer is a complete nonsense to me!
Next week... bring on the angst! Better get those kleenex ready it looks like it's gonna be one of those episodes!
Those moronic spoiled brats! The Teenage Mutant Wiccans (thanks Randal
The brothers drifting apart, I touched on that after watching it the first time, and still don't think it's that much expressed. But I'll go with what many of you commented - they are empty. And it's heartbreaking to watch that. I wonder if we'll get a brotherly-1st-season-style episode ever again, miss the bickering and subtle love-ya-brother moments.
Still wondering about the can-anybody-in-Sam's-body-say-Yes indication.
Must give Kudos to the Nora-actress, she was brilliant!
Geez, needed the dictionary more this time. So, sorry for any clumsy wording, guys.