Thoughts on Supernatural 7.13 – “The Slice Girls”
Somehow, the gap between this and the last episode felt simultaneously long and short. Maybe because there has been a lot to process about the show recently or maybe because this season has at times, felt like different seasons meshed together. This episode in particular did not feel gelled with many of the other episodes season seven has brought us to date. It was visceral, dark and despairing and all around, pretty decent, if somewhat depressing.
Technical Stuff
This episode was full of some beautiful shots and on occasion some odd editing choices. We opened one a particularly gruesome teaser scene involving murder and dismemberment. Fading out and leaving the handless, footless corpse in our view amidst the red blood splatter was a pretty bold image.
Some of the shots in this episode and the lighting were fabulous. First, let me thank whatever deity gave us a shirtless Jensen in this episode (the tattoo!). Yum. Second, while I was drooling over him, some of the lighting in the bedroom scene gave some breathtakingly beautiful casts to the contours of Jensen’s face. The moonlight effect was soft and Dean looked vulnerable and remarkably young (but still legal!) in some of those frames.
The editing of cutting between the love scene and the gruesome murder was an interesting choice and I liked it. There was a contrast of soft and hard between these two scenes and it was notably well cut together (like Lydia throwing Dean against the wall, cut to victim being thrown through the wall). A favourite shot here was the black and white shot of the body with the red blood.
Now, the weirdest choices in this episode were the super-close up shots on the eyes and lips of Dean and Lydia in the bar. I don’t know if this was an attempt at intensity, to create a “spark” or “connection” between them but I just found it strange and distracting. Why were these such jarring close ups? I took nothing from this effect, and it really served to pull me out of the story more than anything. That was my one gripe in an otherwise visually pleasing episode.
The Plot
There isn’t actually a whole lot to this episode plot: we have some Amazonian tribe who breeds with successful men and produce children overnight. Said children are then sent out to murder their fathers as part of their initiation. These creatures are all female, human in visage and have a taste for man-flesh. Naturally, Dean fathers one of these creatures who return to kill him. Like I said – not an elaborate plot by any means but I think this episode was really about the characters. Despite the small plot the episode was decently paced over all and kept the story moving along well. I liked the story of this episode too – not complicated but it had an emotional hook for our characters.
Guest Characters:
The Coroner
Try as I might through IMDb I could not track down the name of this actor, nevertheless, I really enjoyed this guy. His character did not really do much but I appreciate the laid back but helpful attitude. Particularly when he helped Sam out with lady-detective. The coroners on this show tend to be a colourful cast, and I especially enjoyed our young ME this time around.
Head Amazon Chick
Again, no name to be found yet on this actress but the character was enjoyable if only for the over-the-top evilness about her. This character read so cartoonishly evil that she circled back around from ridiculous to ridiculously entertaining. She had the threatening demeanor, the dark hair (which looked to me like a wig at times) and dress, the cult-like speeches about the tribe. Despite the fact that this character was almost silly, I don’t think she detracted from the episode in anyway but rather walked the line quite well.
Detective Amazon
We didn’t really see much of this one, she poked up to aggravate our boys and was put down pretty easily. As a character she didn’t do much for me and really only served to get our focal characters from point A to point B.
Lydia
Hey, it’s Aunt Jenna from TVD! Well, this was another kind of blah character for me, but maybe it’s because I’m not too fond of Sara Canning. Lydia felt pretty one note to me and she was conspicuously strange when Dean came over to get the flask. Lydia was an okay plot device, but wasn’t an especially strong one-episode character. I liked the coroner better.
Emma
Okay, here we get to some real drama. Emma, played by Alexia Faust, is actually a season one Supernatural alum – she was our very own Missy Bender way back when. This means she’s tried to kill Dean twice. That aside, I did enjoy Emma’s character. She was shown as hesitantly engaging in some of the rituals with the rest of the new recruits and left some niggling doubt about whether or not she was truly bad or genuine in her plea for help. She played it just right when talking to Dean, I think tears would have been too much to convince him. And showing up with her suitcase was kind of a nice touch. Like Dean though, I wasn’t surprised to find she’d come to kill him and I’m glad that Dean wasn’t blinded by her claims of wanting help such that he left himself open to murder and dismemberment.
The Professor
Mayor Wilkins a.k.a. Giant Snake from BTVS! I do love seeing Buffy alum on Supernatural. Harry Groener was great in this role. He wasn’t going to work for free, but the academic curiosity and joy at the study material was great to watch. He was a frustrating comic foil for the brothers. And I like to think that having him present the data on the carvings to them in a university lecture hall on a slide was a slight nod to Buffy…but them I’m partial to see those everywhere.
Main Cast: Those Winchester Boys
Here we get to the real heart of this episode, as I felt The Slice Girls functioned as a kind of character study for the boys and a good one at that, at least for Dean because I’m still not believing Sam’s perfectly fine mental state.
Sam and Dean seem exhausted and in large, frustrated at each other or life in general. Dean is clearly spiralling further into depression, or something akin to that, and Sam is just irritated with the situation at hand. He was remarkably well together this episode, given his supposedly unravelling mental state and hallucinations in general. The boys go off to investigate this so-called serial killer which Dean reads as unlikely to be in their field while Sam is positive it is, confirmed by the “not human” tissue between one of the victims teeth.
Dean
Dean is despondent. That much is clear. I don’t know if he’s trying to get through things using Frank’s advice or not. He seemed pretty half-hearted in his attempts to woo Lydia and I think that sleeping with her was kind of a bonus, like his goal was more to drink and not think than pick up a woman at the bar.
Dean was also not especially engaged by the investigation at first, which is odd. Usually Dean’s MO involves throwing himself into work but that wasn’t his approach this time as he was very unwilling to see a case at all. I’m not sure why that it, only that is shows how disengaged Dean is at this point.
Dean was very attached to that flask, wasn’t he? And I have to say that I don’t understand why Sam didn’t understand this. It truly isn’t uncommon to hold onto mementos of a loved one after they pass – Dean certainly has a history of this: his dad’s jacket (among other things), Cas’ coat and now Bobby’s flask. Maybe Sam was more concerned that Dean was drinking rather than confused by the flask itself. I like that he has Bobby’s flask and I thought it was touching how concerned he was about getting it back. He was almost reverent when explaining to Lydia the value of it and why he needed it. Bobby’s presence was very much felt in this episode.
On that note, let’s talk about the spirit in the room. First we have the beer and now the paper that they desperately needed turns up at just the right moment. The first and only spark of any life in Dean was witnessed when he was trying to convince Sam maybe Bobby had something to do with the papers moving. He let it go but I’m convinced that Bobby is still around and helping his boys.
It was great to have Bobby mentioned so much in this episode and to see his books. I appreciate learning what the boys did with his body (burned) though of course it leaves us to wonder how it could be Bobby’s spirit giving aid. I also find it interesting that the boys continue to use present tense when referring to Bobby. It’s a peculiar thing and I leave the theorizing on this to those who do it so well, but perhaps this speaks to the altered timeline thing as well? Probably just making something of nothing here, but it’s worth thinking about.
Okay, time to address the final bits of this episode: Dean versus Emma. I knew this set up was coming, in light of the recap including the Amy thing, and I don’t really get why Sam was pissed with Dean over this. Dean didn’t say Emma should live, and I don’t think he was going to let her walk. I just don’t know if he could pull the trigger himself and I get that. Sam couldn’t kill Amy because he was connected to her in some way and while Dean wasn’t friends with Emma, it was still his daughter in a technical sense and there was a connection of some kind. So he couldn’t kill her – he never said Sam shouldn’t have killed her, so I’m not sure was the big deal was there. Do I think Dean was entertaining letting her walk? Maybe but I think he knew she had to die and didn’t object or intervene when Sam pulled that trigger. And had she gone at Sam, I’ve no doubt Dean would have shot her point blank.
Dean promises Sam to do his best to not get killed. And he wasn’t all that convincing in this promise. Oh boy, are we an unhappy soul right now. Maybe Cas’ return will snap Dean out of this funk? Please, I hope so. Suicidal Dean? Not so fun.
Sam
Sam gives me trouble in this episode for a number of reasons, but primarily because he felt like season three Sam in many ways, or maybe season four Sam to some extent: strong and stable, pre-Hell fire and brimstone, focused on the hunt but not robotically so and teasing his brother while showing concern. Hmm. I’m not saying I don’t like this Sam, it just doesn’t make sense. But let’s set that aside for a minute and consider the episode context only.
We had the epitome of hunter in Sam: did the research to find the case, tracked down a professor for the deep mythology stuff, kicked a little Amazonian ass and put down the threat to his brother. Sam was in tiptop investigative form on this case.
I appreciate that the concern for Dean was demonstrable by the somewhat worried glances as Dean drank from the flask, but that there wasn’t comment on it. I also appreciate the teasing manner he approached Dean for bits of this episode with.
Admittedly, I was confused by his absolute unwillingness to consider Bobby (or something) helped them on this case. He was very much convicted in this and almost harsh in shooting down Dean’s hope. Again, I’m not saying it was crossing a line or that he was mean, per se, I just think he tends to employ a gentler approach with Dean on these heartfelt matters.
Turning to the end conversation: Sam’s anger at Dean, as I said, was confusing. Maybe he was just mad because he felt Dean took a reckless risk with his own life, which I get. He’s got to be frustrated with his listless brother after all these months but why he was compared it with Amy the way he did and as angry as he was over that aspect of what took place (that Dean couldn’t kill Emma) was just bizarre.
I am very much looking forward to the breakdown of this character in a few episodes, because I feel like we might actually get to the real Sam under all…this…whatever it is. Again, not saying I don’t like this Sam nor am I really criticizing anything he’s done or said (the comparison with the Amy situation is fair) just that he seems out of character or just plain off in some respects. (I will say: the fact that this was so comparable with the Amy thing makes me wonder if the writers have a mapped out over all plan for the season, or if this was coincidental and conveniently planned as this episode was being written, rather than back when the Amy drama was unfolding. It feels almost like the detailed touches of plot links from the golden era of Supernatural).
Little brother Sam was good to see here when Sam asked Dean not to get killed. Again, reminiscent of season three but the vulnerability and sort of deflated way Sam expressed it did feel more like the Sam who belongs in season seven (fed up with Dean, not ready to lose anyone else, etc) than many other points in this episode.
Final Thoughts
Not a bad episode, overall. It clipped along well, character development was a good focal point and we ended on a note of disharmony which somehow seems about right for this point in this season, because we are geared up for a change in atmosphere and shake up in the boys lives sooner rather than later. Best episode? No, but I’ll watch it again for sure.
What did you think, fellow viewers?
Thanks Elle.Â
I really liked this one, and I wasn’t expecting too. I give it 9/10.Â
I thought the dialogue was great. Loved the teasing and banter. The relationship was front and centre this week, even though they are both too caught up in their own issues to really connect which is a shame.Â
Loved that Sam was depicted as firmly in the driving seat (even down to him actually driving which is pretty rare). And I think that is in character. Sam is focusing on work to help him deal with everything. He needs to shut other things out or he will break down. We’ve seen this single minded focus before when he was left without Dean in MS. Its how he copes. Dean’s lack of enthusiasm for the case is also in character. He has lost his motivation for anything but drinking and getting revenge on Dick.Â
I think this ep was designed to show us what a great team the boys are; each taking some of the load from the other when the other is struggling. This is the juxtaposition / role reversal they were talking about. Not ‘Dean was horrible to Sam, now Sam gets his own back’. It’s about teamwork and having each others back. At the moment Dean is way off his game and Sam is having to pick up the slack. Earlier in the season it was the other way round.Â
People can debate whether Sam’s actions were right, just as we did with Dean. Personally I think it was a clear and unambiguously right decision. But there is no question they sometimes make mistakes. They make life and death decisions all the time in a split second. So getting that right depends on their instincts being honed and focused. At the moment neither are at the top of their game. A couple of years ago, with Bobby helping them, and their mental states less broken, this case would have been solved in hours. They are struggling as people and as hunters. I think that is actually very cleverly done by the writers.
I dont think Sam is so much angry with Dean as he is worried about him. But it comes across as anger because of his own inner turmoil. He is distracted by Lucifer in his head all the time. But he is terrified of losing Dean, and is trying to shake him out of his funk because he is way off his game. Sam’s fear in that last scene, that he disguised (poorly) as anger was very well written and played. It reminded me of the ‘just quit the act and be my brother again’ speech from s3. When he said ‘just don’t get killed’ with his voice breaking it was incredibly sad.Â
I loved this ep. One of my faves.
I agree with everything you wrote Geordiegirl, so I won’t repeat it.
Loved Sam in this episode as the worried protective little brother who is actually terrified Dean will get himself killed by his depression and not being on top of his game.
I think Dean would definitely have killed his daughter as she would not have given up on killing him. So glad it was Sam who did the job. Sigh of relief from me!
Personally I loved the lighting and camera work at the bar as it emphasized that gorgeous face of Dean Winchester! I’m so shallow sometimes. And the love scene was much too short and too far away from the camera. :-*
I’d give this one an A- as I did enjoy it immensely.
I liked this epi. It was very moving. I loved the brotherly banter when they were figuring out if Dean was the “daddy”. The one thing I miss lately are Jensen’s tears. Even when Bobby died, he didn’t cry. It was something he did well, and was always so heartwrenching. I still think he is the best actor I’ve ever seen,and over the top with Jared!
I am reminded of a conversation I had years ago with my mother. I asked her why adults cry less intensely than children, and her theory was that as you get hurt more things hurt less. I’ve been wondering lately if Dean has reached that point. He’s had so much hurt lately that there isn’t anymore room. He’s already at the bottom of the pit, what’s a few more rocks thrown on top of him.
Elle, when I saw the preview of this episode, I was already hating it, but it wasn’t as bad as the preview.
I thought all the closeups were a sign that Lydia was working some spell on Dean to seduce him.
I agree, that Bobby’s flask wasn’t the problem, but the fact that Dean was sipping from it constantly, that is what was bothering Sam. Like season three, Sam wants his big brother to live.
I also agree that Dean was not going to allow Emma to walk away. He was waiting for her to do more than just stand there and pose with the knife. If she would have gone after Sam, then Dean would have emptied the clip in her ass. 😆
It is nice to know that the Buffy alumni can get a job on SPN. ‘Ringer’ is in danger of not coming back next season, maybe Sarah can bring ‘Buffy’ to the world of SPN? Also, having ‘Missy Bender’ play Dean’s daughter who tries to kill him with a knife no less. Talk about deja vu.
I think that the reason that Sam seems a little off is because he is still dealing with seeing Lucifer.
Overall, not a bad episode, I was surprised that I enjoyed it. Next week’s preview looks all kinds of stupid, a fudging unicorn?????
Dean did entertain letting her walk. He said..when Sam was outside the door..that she hadn’t killed anyone yet. He told her to walk away and he wouldn’t come after her. Sam heard that!!
Same thing Sam told Amy. I’ve been waiting for a parallel episode to that situation in episode 4 and this episode gave it. Yes..I have complete faith in the writer’s and do believe they have an overall plan for the season. The Amy situation is part of that plan.
Sam is barely holding it together. Not only is he dealing with Lucifer daily and holding back hallucinations, but he’s also trying to..as best he can..keep Dean together. I think that’s part of why his character may seem somewhat off. Just imagine having someone needling you constantly..someone that you know no one can see but you and it takes all your strength to not acknowledge or respond to that someone. Yes..he’s barely holding it together!! He needs Dean to be that big brother, and right now he can’t be that for Sam(not that he’s not trying), so Sam’s trying to hold Dean together(play that role of “big brother”) and it’s getting harder and harder.
He’s a ticking time bomb..and that time is running out.
I loved everything about this episode!! These boys are heartbreaking to watch, because both are in a really bad place and I don’t see it getting better. That conversation at the end was so sad..both are hurting. Like you said maybe Castiel reappearing will help Dean..I just hope it’s not to late for Sam.
Great article! I liked this episode. It’s good to know that Dean does take precautions and like many others, things can go wrong even when you do.
The brothers’ banter was good to see. Oh, but…Poor Sammy and Dean! That ending just breaks my heart!
As for the cast and crew…they did a wonderful job as always and Jerry Wanek did such a great job on his first directing gig!
So…next week’s episode involves clowns. My daughter and Sam have that BIG thing in common. They both HATE them. She hasn’t liked them since seeing the movie [u]Killer Klowns from Outer Space[/u]. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!
I saw the episode pretty much the way you did, and I really liked it. I would give it a 9 or 9.5, only because the Impala is still missing. God, that was one ugly car.
I actually liked all the actors in this one and thought they all served their purpose well. Yes, the young ME did an excellent job. It’s good to see someone be nice to one of the boys, just to be a nice person.
I wasn’t confused with Sam’s behavior. In fact, I thought the episode did a good job of showing where both the brothers are. Dean is really spiraling and not functioning well; yet we saw a smart Dean and a Dean with all his instincts intact. We saw Sam trying to take care of Dean while barely hanging on himself. He needs Dean to be strong and Dean just isn’t. I think some of his remarks sounded like he was mocking and condescending to Dean, but that is his frustration showing. He’s having trouble helping Dean, Dean is being Winchester stubborn, and Sam is trying the best he can to keep himself and Dean stable. Yes, Sam seems ‘off’, because Sam is off. He has been all season. That’s his story.
I’m very interested to see what causes Sam’s mental breakdown and how Dean reacts to that. This could get very interesting.
ETA: While everyone’s acting was top notch in this one, I find JA incredibly talented. He shined in showing every emotion Dean was going through.
I also wasn’t confused by Sam’s behaviour. Sam is worried sick about Dean and terrified of losing him and, as is very often the case with these boys, the worry and fear came out as anger.
As for the episode, it was okay. It’s not going to ever be in my list of favourites but it was okay enough. I think it’s just that I have had more than my fill of Dean angst and depression this season. I find I’m not enjoying the character as much as I used to in earlier seasons and that makes me sad. I really really really miss the badass, snarky, competent Dean of previous years.
[quote] I really really really miss the badass, snarky, competent Dean of previous years.[/quote]
Me, too. I posted on the other thread that I am ready for the Winchesters to get the family jewels back. Dean left his checked at Lisa’s door way back in S5 and he still hasn’t found them. I want action from my heroes against the supernatural evil, not a season upon season look at his screwed up psyche.
Realistically, they are too deep into this story to back off, so I hope the three finale episodes have Dean finding his again.
[quote][quote] I really really really miss the badass, snarky, competent Dean of previous years.[/quote]
Me, too. I posted on the other thread that I am ready for the Winchesters to get the family jewels back. Dean left his checked at Lisa’s door way back in S5 and he still hasn’t found them. I want action from my heroes against the supernatural evil, not a season upon season look at his screwed up psyche.
Realistically, they are too deep into this story to back off, so I hope the three finale episodes have Dean finding his again.[/quote]
Me, three. I am so NOT enjoying Dean this season. His depression is being overplayed for me. I have no sympathy for him anymore and I hate how self-centered he has gotten. He only talks about Sam’s mental problems to throw it back into Sam’s face. When Sam is trying to help Dean, Dean just brushes it off. But Dean never shows any type of concern or worry for Sam to Sam on his own. I know Dean’s depressed, but he has gotten so wrapped up in feeling sorry for himself.
And what is making it worst for me, is that Dean being so depressed makes it seem like it’s the only thing that matter. It has had so much focus that Sam’s mental problems coming back look more like a way to kick Dean when he is down. This has been the most Dean-centric season for me.
It’s has gotten to the point where Sam’s concern looks more like Sam being smug and condescending. Because Sam is too far in the background. He looks too healthy compared to Dean. So, instead of people being remind of Sam struggling too, it’s only shown Dean is struggling and Sam is fine. But we’re told Sam isn’t. But no one really asks about it or sees it. Dean’s depression and drinking is acknowledged in every episode.
I don’t know how to feel about Dean. Sam giving me some trouble because I feel like we don’t get to see what is happening to him. But at least for Sam, I’m curious and want to see more. Dean not so much. If Dean can’t get his mojo back soon, then it’s going to be tough for me. Because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to connect or sympathize with him again. Because I’m always going to questioning whether or not he wants to be with his brother. I know the writers are in too deep to change the direction of this show, but they need to move past it already. The depression is sucking a lot out of the show and overplaying it may possible damage Dean and Sam characters more.
I’m like, the complete opposite. It’s Sam that I’m not enjoying this season. I’m tired of the “what’s wrong with Sam” and the “multiple Sams” storylines that we have been getting for the past few seasons. I no longer know who Sam will be in any given episode. I’m also finding that I can’t sympathize or relate to the character like I once did.
So far, Dean’s story, the leviathans, and a particular character’s future return, are keeping me interested.
So you like to drive with Dean’s character in a sea of depression, a self-centered spiraling down and hoping that Dean only misses his BFF and that Dean is heading to a calmination in his arc when reunited with that “BFF”who harmed Sam for nothing? Well I am absolutely NOT looking forward to the episodes with that “BFF”and if I would know that Sam wouldn’t be in it, I would ditch them.
I understand that you can’t relate to Sam anymore because the show doesn’t give us any deeper connection to his character and he is not connecting to others…guest-stars. Why they are doing this with one of the main-characters I have no profound idea, but it makes me very sad for the Sam. I still love him to death and have no idea what the show will do TO him and where they are going WITH Sam. Maybe we are not supposed to connect to Sam and to feel for him and so I am wrong to still feel so much connected to Sam. I would have preferred a meaty, human storyline for him, maybe not with that amount of depression, sadness and self-centering Dean has now (and since years), but to see him deal with the real repercussions of his life and hell…
Cindy…We know whats wrong with Sam there is no mystery. He went into the pit was pulled out souless by Cas then had his soul put back in then had a wall put up to protect him , then it was pulled down by Cas and he is supposed to be dealing with those memories,
It isnt Sams fault that yet again the writers decided that Dean issues were apparently so much more urgent and important . That the writers are making the same mistake they have made before with Sam.
Do you think I have found a 7th season now of Deans issues compelling ? no I dont . Sam has gone through so much in his life it isnt just Dean yet the show presents as if it is. I dont blame Dean but I do look at the writers.
[quote]
Sam has gone through so much in his life it isnt just Dean yet the show presents as if it is. [/quote]
Exactly my thoughts the way they have shown it in the show is exactly like that
While I’m looking for a badass Dean that is angry as Hell itself, I’m not seeing Dean the way you do. I have great sympathy for Dean, but I’m ready for slaughter, murder, and mayhem of all things bad….or at least for the show to get on with the mytharc and hope it includes all those things when it does.
Quite frankly and especially after last season, I am more than glad to have a Dean-centric season. I think they worked it in perfectly with Jared’s real life happy happenstance. I’m so glad the show can make this accommodation, and I can’t wait to hear what he and Gen name the little guy. Jared is absolutely bubbling with anticipation.
[quote]While I’m looking for a badass Dean that is angry as Hell itself, I’m not seeing Dean the way you do. I have great sympathy for Dean, but I’m ready for slaughter, murder, and mayhem of all things bad….or at least for the show to get on with the mytharc and hope it includes all those things when it does.
.[/quote]
Yes absolutely
[quote]While I’m looking for a badass Dean that is angry as Hell itself, I’m not seeing Dean the way you do. I have great sympathy for Dean, but I’m ready for slaughter, murder, and mayhem of all things bad….or at least for the show to get on with the mytharc and hope it includes all those things when it does.
Quite frankly and especially after last season, I am more than glad to have a Dean-centric season. I think they worked it in perfectly with Jared’s real life happy happenstance. I’m so glad the show can make this accommodation, and I can’t wait to hear what he and Gen name the little guy. Jared is absolutely bubbling with
[/quote]
The problem is every season is Dean focused because he is the main pov character . Last season was no different . When Dean had season 4 the show didnt turn round a make season 5 Sam centric it was a season seen through Deans eyes again . And next season if there is one what happens? do we make it Dean centric again because Sam has a few episodes dealing with his insanity?.
I think you’re getting awfully close to the Dean -vs- Sam thing, but I’ll just say that I think the POV argument is more about not liking Sam’s story this season because it isn’t connected to the mytharc. I didn’t like the direction they took Dean last year at all, but I lived through it. I wonder if that is T-shirt material: I lived through S6 of SPN. 😉
Honestly, every season could be Dean-centric and I’d be one happy girl. But that’s not the way it works. I’m still seeing a story of two brothers on my screen every week, and I am so very thankful that it’s still there to be seen. I’m really curious as to what the trigger will be that sets off Sam’s insanity.
I’m also really excited that it looks like a S8 is a pretty sure bet. Who would have thought that the show would last this long, despite the bumps in the road it sometimes takes.
Ginger I dont need Sam tied to a mytharc been there it isnt a need for me . I lived through season 4 so again no real problem it is simple my issue is a lack of focus on Sams hell and yes too much Dean angst on top of what we have had already;
It isnt a uncommon thought so I cant see there is anything wrong with that and I cant change my view.
And cant deny it has put me off now we are in the second half of the season that hopeful will change.
As you want certain things others want different . 😉
But we are in different places with this so it is best we leave it at that 🙂
It’s subjective, but every season in my opinion focuses on Dean’s feelings and his POV. Sam may have the mytharc, but he rarely gets the POV. We know everything about Dean and nothing about Sam. Stuff happens to Sam – I’m not saying it doesn’t – but that’s completely different from POV.
Sam, at this point, is a plot point. He’s barely a character. Am I overloaded on Dean’s POV? Sure, but that doesn’t mean I hate Dean. I just want the writers to show me some Sam POV as – I’m sorry – but his storyline is the ONLY interesting thing to me this season. Dean’s depression has been touched on for like three seasons. I’m just as over it as people are of the “Is something wrong w/Sam” plots.
The writers could have told Dean’s story in a much more interesting way, IMO, but they haven’t. I love both brothers equally, and am dissatisifed w/BOTH of their stories this year. Sam’s story is non-existent so far, and Dean’s is being poorly told w/no resolution. Yay!!
I was pleasently surprised by this episode. I thought I expect nothing especially regarding Sam, but Sam was quite presented in this episode.
Sam was given a voice!
And Sam was allowed to react and to show some feelings, be it anger, sadness, fears. That was about damn time! He is no robot or machine and the show comes to fruition when the brothers relationship is in the center. This episode gave us the brothers banter, reactions to each other and it was for me more vivid and lively than most of the other episodes this season.
First I liked that Sam drove the car, Dean taking a nap. We know Dean is a tired man and feels older than he is (he was in hell for 40 years)and all the loss(es) in his life did a toll on him ….and I have waited for a long time to see Sam take on the wheel (in a double sense) and in this episode Sam even drove twice !
The flask drinking is reminding me that Dean has his alcohol problems and the flask reminds me and the brothers of Bobby! Well, seemingly that thing is the connection to ghost Bobby, I think that Bobby stayed on earth to help the brothers. I would assume that Sam should sense something since he is the psychic in the family, but nope, he pulls the EMF! Nonetheless I still hope that the flask is not the connection to Bobby but that Sam pulled the amulet out from the trash and keeps it with him and Bobby gave it to Sam. This could be a connection! Because Sam din’t only get the amulet but gave it to Dean. So they would be both involved if Bobbys ghost is around them.
He doesn’t want to put some hope in the image that Bobby is still there in some etherial form. Bobby should be cautious as ghost essence he could turn to something the brothers might have to eleminate!
Sam is right now more like the older brother in the duo! Dean is just without direction, mourning about Bobby and not embracing his life as a hunter, hesitating in killing the monster daughter and therewith risking his life more than neccessary! When he continues to be like that, he is in a dangerous zone, for himself and for his brother, who is depending on Dean while they work together and I assume Sam is not that stable, he only doesn’t show it Dean and The Show doesn’t show it to us!
Till now Sam has proved that he is capable of living that life of an experienced functioning hunter. For me its still a miracle that he is doing it so good without any signs of resignation, abstraction, fears, halucinations, atleast WE don’t see it onscreen (still mad at the writers for this). But we know this doesn’t last much longer, because Dean said it already to us viewers and to Bobby (the other shoe will drop)
Sammy is taking charge in a really responsible way towards Dean and the cases. What gets my attention is that Sam is avoiding any chit-chats with others, but Dean is really ready to talk with everyone in a lighter way. Sam is just cut off, when its not about the case. Only with Dean Sam is showing that he doesn’t avoid tough communication with his brother, for whom he came back from the coma in “The Man Who Knew To Much”.
I am glad that the writers didn’t take the daughter thing to far so we should feel anything for that kid. She was a killing monster and only tried to distract Dean so she could finally kill him. She was much more a ruthless killer than Sam’s friend Amy from “The Girl Next Door”. And how fast the monster girl grew up was for me as viewer good, so I couldn’t connect to her in any way!
I could handle this Dean in the episode way better than the last 10 episodes this season. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Sam was more present in this episode. I think also that “The Dean Angst Arc” was not to much showcased in this episode and I am waiting for it to come to an end (hopefully soon) with a satisfying solution for Dean and and especially Sam (Sam because he is quietly suffering and nonetheless takes over unmitigated the wheels of the brotherhood since an amount of time!
Aside from this I want Dean back in this show, this guy who calls himself Dean now is almost unknowable for me! and it makes me sad to say this!
What I liked very much are the scenes with Sam and Dean bantering, there were some of it in this episode.
I give the episode a 7, because I was positively surprised and because the amount of Sam as a bouncing counterpart to Dean, how it should be!
Sorry for some mistakes in english, I am still german!
Just a side note: I am actually liking the way the brothers split up, interact with other characters on their own, but are still working the same case. I think it works well with the emotional separation of the season, but I wouldn’t mind more of that in the future.
Yes me too
Nice job with the review. I surely didn’t recognize little Miss Bender with her hair nicely done this time.
Normally the Winchesters stick to the family. I can see why Dean couldn’t kill Emma. Besides the fact that I couldn’t kill my one children neither. That is also the reason why it is hard for me to understand the fact that Sam killed his niece in cold blood – that is so not Winchester like.
One other think.Did anyone else besides me laugh when Dean mentioned – No Ducks – I believe this ep was filmed during the crazzyness of Cliff’s ducks. To funny to get that into an ep.
I laughed about the ducks! A nice shout out to all that duck craziness that was going on in Vancouver!! 😉
About how angry Sam got with the Bobby thing–i think either he’s so conditioned not to get his hopes up he gets angry when Dean does or Sam is afraid that if Bobby is still hanging around then they’ll have to some day gank him–he did die in a very violent way after all.
Though i wish the writers would throw in more clues to Sam’s mental state, like the little hopeless look he did in the hospital waiting room after he squeezed his hand–little distracted or sad or sidelong looks into empty space that tell us that Lucifer is still alive and well in Sam’s noggin.
What a fine episode, really, I only wished it to be a tad longer… I would have loved to find some scenes more explored.
Uh-oh, but the Amazon myth, ooops – I guess the writers didn’t do their research “in depth”. The amazon’s mother was not the goddess Harmonia. Harmonia was Aphrodite’s and Ares’ daughter, married to King Kadmos.
I guess the writers just took the mythical “fact” that Amazons were considered daughters of Ares and mixed it up Supernatural style.
But, well, just as with Samhain in an older episode, this missed the target just a bit 😉
I know I am nitpicky about this. I am amazed when they get it right and do their research properly, and I can’t help to notice when they don’t. 😆
I kinda like the idea of Bobby being a helpful ghost. Casper, anyone?
Cheers, Jas
Nice to see you here Jas, haven’t heard from you in a while, hope you’re doing well. I’ve missed your psychological insights.
You know, I kind of always liked the mythology surrounding the Amazons. What’s not to like? A tribe of fierce warrior women that can kick any man’s ass! They fought in the Trojan War along side the men. Greek mythology has always been a fascination of mine, so I was pretty excited about the MOTW. Sure TPTB play around with the mythology, but it’s all good. I won’t hold it against them.
Here is a chance to see the Dean/Lydia love scene without the intermingled gore. If you haven’t seen this yet, you definitely should!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqdwqb14JY8
Without the cutting back & forth, this scene really emphasizes the “Amazon” theme . . . but I have to admit to loving it because it is just so damn hot! For me, I was surprised by how much more impact the scene had when it wasn’t interrupted.
Thud! I love that song, and Dean and that song just go together. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks suzee51. You are right this uncut shows the force of the Amazon/Lydia, and as for Dean…*thud*
In another post, I was wondering also why Sam was having such a hard time getting on board with ghostBobby, but someone pointed out to me that Sam has an already difficult grasp with what is real and not, it needs to be more concrete. I guess that makes a certain sense to me.
All in all, I really liked this episode. I was impressed with Jerry Wanek’s directing job, and I kind of liked the whole scene at the bar, with the focus on the eyes, then the mouth, it felt very flirtatious to me.
I was also glad that Sam was the one doing the “gangking” of Emma. Dean’s psyche is already pretty fragile, I think if he had to kill his own daughter, it may have sent him over the edge.
Well Sam is the one with the already broken pysche so yes the odds are he although we arent seeing it that he is not allowing himself to believe too much and just stay focused on what he can .
HEAD AMAZON CHICK IS JILL TEED.
NOT DEANS KID, NO HUMAN DNA. JUST A MEANS TO AN END.
STILL LIKED IT VERY MUCH.