sweetondean’s Wrap Up of “Supernatural” 8.03 – “Heartache”
You know what I love about this show? Everything. The end. No, really,well that, but really, I love how we all come at this show differently. I love how we all see different things, feel different things. Sometimes some of us don’t like an episode that others really dig. I think that’s kind of great, because I think that this demonstrates that “Supernatural” has many layers and as individuals we experience these layers, this story from different angels, just like life itself.
I enjoyed “Heartache”, even if it left me with one! I loved the dynamic between the brothers. I’m really digging that so far this season. Even though they’re at odds, I’m enjoying watching them work through it. I can’t remember the last time they spoke so honestly to each other. It’s been a couple of seasons! I heard this episode called a filler, but I felt it was far from that. “Heartache” focused on the other arc of the season, not the mythology arc about the Word of God and the gates of Hell, but the arc running concurrent to that one, the one that’s been the centre of this show from the very beginning, the one we all care about, sometimes a little too much. For me, “Heartache” was all about Sam and Dean’s arc, the monster story and the title, being a metaphor for where the brothers are, both as individuals and as partners.
I like a story that unravels slowly. I’ve never been someone who needs all the answers right now. In life yes, but not in books or movies or TV. I like the sense that I’m not sure how this is going to play, what’s going to happen next. I love being left with the urge that I just have to turn the page. “Supernatural” season 8 makes me want to turn the page like a crazy woman! For the first time in a while, I feel like I have absolutely no clue as to how this whole Sam and Dean thing is going to pan out. I mean, Sam’s obviously not going to walk away. Say, even if he does for an episode or two, he won’t walk away forever; the obvious reason being this is a show about two hunting brothers! Something’s going to have to bring him back into the fold, make him happy to be riding shotgun with Dean again. But I have no idea what. I don’t want something horrible to happen to him or anyone he cares for, to force him back into the life, I want him to get there by his own volition, because he wants to be there, wants to be fighting alongside Dean. But I just can’t see how that’s going to happen and it’s driving me crazy! And by the way, I love it!
The brothers are in very different headspaces from each other right now and both have got to where they are because of the experiences, of not just the last year, but the last seven years.
Let’s talk about Dean,because, well,you know why! Actually, I need to share something with you, because I think you might get a giggle out of it. Last week, on my personal blog, I was criticised for not being enthusiastic enough about Dean! Can you believe that? Me? Being criticised for not being enthusiastic enough about Dean? Seriously? Ugh, you can’t win sometimes. Anyhoo, Dean! I love post Purgatory Dean, both in his flights of fury and his zealous and overly enthusiastic approach to the job. I love that he has a spark back under his pretty backside. Of course he broke my heart in this episode. He may have been all perky, but we all see right through you Dean. We see his fear of being alone. His fear of being abandoned. His comments to Sam in the car; “Things are really coming together man, you and me, it’s all good! I know where I’m at my best, right here, driving down crazy street, next to you” made me literally say out loud, to no one in particular, “Oh Dean!” Ouch. My Dean-lovin’ heart. I just felt so damn sad for him. There’s no place he’d rather be and no person he’d rather be with than Sam and Sam just ain’t feelin’ it. Which makes me want to weep for both of them.
I mean, for the first time in a long, long time, Dean actually seems reasonably happy. He looks great (redundant comment), he’s off the booze or at least off slamming down all the booze in the world, I bet he’s as fit as a fiddle after chasing monsters around Purgatory for a year. He feels good. He feels happy to be back in the game. All he needs is his brother back on board. Wibble.
You know what he reminded me of? Do you ever get overly enthusiastic about something because you really want a friend to enjoy it? Or you want them to feel good when it looks like they’re feeling bad? So you’re all up and positive and jazzed to try and get them up and positive and jazzed too. That’s what it looked like Dean was doing to me. Not that I think he doesn’t believe what he’s saying or doesn’t genuinely feel this verve for life, but I think he’s over compensating, because he can see, Sam doesn’t feel the same way.
One thing about Dean that impressed me (apart from everything) was that he never lost his cool with Sam. He got sarcastic, poking his brother for walking away from the family business and he gave Sam a bitchface at the farmer’s market that rivalled anything the younger Winchester had thrown his way over the years, but he never got narky with Sam. I think, partly because he doesn’t believe Sam can or will give up the life and partly because he thinks if he just lets this play itself out, Sam will come around to Dean’s way of thinking. Dean would never consider walking away from Sam. Even when Dean briefly entertained the idea while with Lisa, it didn’t take much for Dean to hit the road again with his brother. Even when he was so depressed he could barely face each day, he stayed in the game because of his brother. Dean’s never been very good at understanding that people may feel a bit different about a situation than he does, so if he feels that him and Sam are back on track, he’s assuming that Sam will eventually feel the same way too. Dean’s in denial. I’m calling it, Dean-ial.
If Sam left hunting, Dean would see it as Sam walking away from him. Even though Sam wouldn’t be disconnecting himself from Dean, Dean would see it as his brother leaving HIM, not leaving hunting. I thought Sam’s comment “Maybe you don’t need me. Maybe you’re at your best hacking and slicing your way through all the world’s crap alone, not having to explain yourself to anybody” was one of two things; 1. Sam trying to talk himself into that being a realistic option and 2. WHAT? Really,if there’s one thing we know about Dean, he does not want to be on his own. Sam found that out right back in season one when Dean said, “I can’t do this alone” “Yes you can” “Yeah,well I don’t want to.” When Dean said he couldn’t do this alone I never thought he meant hunting, I always thought, Dean couldn’t do this alone, emotionally. He can’t. He needs Sam, not just because he loves him but because Sam keeps Dean grounded, Sam is his touch stone, Sam is the one person who understands Dean and understands everything Dean’s been through. Sam keeps Dean human. And visa versa because Sam without Dean has not been a pretty picture in the past. There’s a reason these two were soul mates in Heaven.
I have a feeling Sam without Dean in his “happy” gap year, was not entirely what he’s making it out to be. If you’re truly happy, you don’t slip away to some old cabin spasmodically, to do whatever amongst the ghosts of those you love and you sure don’t slide out in the middle of the night on a girl that you see in golden, glowing tones in your memory. But I can see how, after a year out, Sam might find being his brother’s sole connection to this world, a lot of pressure. I can see how Sam could feel trapped by not only the life, but also Dean’s expectations of who they are and the need for his brother to be as an integral part of his life as he has been for the last seven years. Let’s face it their relationship is a tad on the co-dependent side. Which I personally love! Oh dear, I don’t think this means Sam loves Dean any less. The fact that he’s by his brother’s side, even though he doesn’t want to be doing the job, is evidence of this and speaks volumes.
The way Sam is dealing with Dean, I’m wondering if it’s fear. That his disconnection is reflective of the trauma he went through after being left alone in that lab. I’m wondering if Sam is too scared to go down this road again with Dean. That losing his brother was so traumatic, that the very real fear that Dean could “die” again, is making him keep Dean at arms length. He’s obviously happy his brother is alive, he obviously loves Dean enough and is loyal enough to see this last case through, but he seems disconnected and I’m reading that as an side affect of the trauma of losing his brother and not wanting to get hurt to that level ever again. He’s watched his brother die over and over. Enough. His panicked reaction to hitting the dog, his panicked reaction to trying to find Amelia in his flashback scene. He’s scared. He’s scared of losing the people he loves and he’s scared of ending up alone. Kinda like Dean really, Right now, I see Sam as full of fear and if we ever get to see him immediately after the disappearance of Dean, which I really hope we do at some stage, I think we’ll see how bad it was for him and have a greater understanding and empathy for the Sam of the last three episodes.
I get how Sam and Dean have got to the place that we find them now as individuals. How they’ve sort of both come full circle. I heard someone on a podcast I listen to call this repetitive story telling, blaming eight seasons and running out of plot for revisiting something initially raised in the very first episode. But I think this is overly simplistic analysis. This theme of Sam and Dean’s different perspective on their lives and their jobs has always been an ongoing theme and has never gone away. It’s at the centre of who they are and what makes them and their relationship so interesting.
It’s no surprise to me that Sam would revisit this “normal life” mindset when left alone. He hasn’t really had time to do that in the past. He was searching for the YED while dealing with visions, he was trying to save his brother, he was under the spell of the Demon Ruby and her blood, he was facing his destiny of being Lucifer’s vessel and wondering how to save the world, he was soulless, he was broken!then!he was alone. With everything and everyone stripped away from him, no wonder he had a good, long look at where he’s been and what he wants. No wonder he decided he didn’t want any of that, because who would! He had time to think and I think, he realised, those things that he wanted, way back when, he still wanted them, because seriously, that’s better than being tortured in Hell! He just hadn’t had a moment to draw breath and consider it before now. Sam’s always wanted to be normal. Yet he had demon blood dripped into his mouth and demons manipulating his life and he was born to be Lucifer’s partner in the Apocalypse and he fought his way, alongside his brother, out of each and every one of these things and came through the other side, but only after paying a price too painful to bear, losing Dean. That’s why he snapped at Dean about free will in the season opener. Sam is fighting his destiny one more time. Sam is trying to be who he always wanted to be. I think somewhere inside him, he probably knows he’s fighting a losing battle. I never believed the Sam who said all he wanted was Lilith’s head on a plate, bloody. This Sam who wants to be normal, feels like Sam to me.
Dean of course, had a similar experience with Purgatory. When we first met Dean, he was gung-ho about hunting, but as time went on and sacrifice upon sacrifice piled up around his ears, Dean lost his mojo. He’s always wanted family and when he lost his, he tried to find solace with another, only to discover that hunting and his brother were the only things that would ever make him whole. But he struggled through the following years, as Sam and Dean were tested over and over, as they tried to find their place together through all the soullessness and the broken wall and all the other horrors put upon them. I think this is a big reason why Dean drowned so many of his sorrows in the bottle. Yes, he lost Bobby, yes he lost Cass, yes he lost all those that fell before them, but the greatest loss was his brother. From the time Dean went to Hell, nothing was ever quite the same. They never really found their footing again, because so much crap was being constantly flung at them. Then Dean has his year in Purgatory and the experience is pure, it’s a rush, it’s what he does really well, it’s what he can be proud of, it’s simple and black and white and it reignites all those feelings as to why he loves doing the job, including all those feelings about fighting next to Sam. So Dean came out of Purgatory reinvigorated, except this time it’s different, because now he’s doing the job for himself, not out of loyalty to a dead father, but because it’s what he enjoys and it’s what he’s good at and it’s where he wants to be. Thank the Lord! Because I really love this Dean. I hope depressed Dean is gone for all time!
In my opinion, the brothers coming full circle to closer to where they were when we first met them is self awareness, not repetitive story telling or lack of character growth. It’s maturity. It’s only as we grow and mature that we begin to accept ourselves and who we are, even if it’s at odds with who we think we should be or others expect us to be. Sometimes we find that who we are now is closer to who we were when we were younger, but fought against out of expectations from family or society, or out of a belief that we’re supposed to live a certain way. As you get older, those things seem to clear to a better understanding and acceptance of yourself and what makes you happy. I think this is what happened to Sam and Dean. When faced with this time apart to assess their lives as individuals and with no expectations weighing them down, they came back to whom they’ve always really been. A warrior who loves the hunt. A boy who just wants to be normal. Of course, it could also be that without each other keeping the other grounded and in touch with the reality of the Winchester’s world they both reverted to a life that seemed more simple, easier to understand, before all the nightmares of their destinies began to change who they were! Either way, I like it. I feel like this show has really grown up.
I think it’s ok for Sam to pine for a different life. I think he’d not be Sam if he didn’t want more than hacking and slicing through a world of crap, but I think it’s unrealistic to believe that a normal life can ever be an option for him. He’s Sam Winchester. How he didn’t get hunted down during his “gap” year is baffling! Not only that, he’s just not safe to be around. Dean discovered that the hard way with Lisa. There is no getting out and those around you are in danger because of it. Man, these poor guys.
One thing I’d like to note and if I could point it out to Sam I would, when Sam was in the throws of the job, he was digging it. He was in to the research. You could see an ember of enthusiasm sparking up as he accessed medical files and whatnot. He may have said, “You want me on board, I’m on board” but it looked more than that to me and I wondered if Dean saw that too and that’s also a part of why he’s holding back and just seeing how this all plays out with his little brother. Dean’s a smart cooke. He understands his brother even when they seem worlds apart. Sam’s lack of connection with wanting this life, in my opinion, is not about the work, but about what the work has cost.
All this brother commentary, their back and forth, which was surprisingly honest, was juxtaposed with the case of Brick Holmes and his wife Betsy. Brick was ancient Mayan warrior whose only reason for living was combat, who found his life’s purpose through battle, who couldn’t bear the thought of carrying on the fight without his partner in life, who had made sacrifice after sacrifice to survive, who was so tired he just wanted out. Of course everything here relates directly to Sam and Dean, what they’ve been through and where they find themselves now. Both have been exhausted by sacrifice, both have been so tired they want out, Dean is now invigorated by the combat, but that will not sustain him alone because he can’t face doing it without Sam. Sam is tired of the sacrifices, of being tied to a destiny he wants escape and he just wants to be out.
You know the brothers being at odds about their future and Dean’s response to Sam not looking for him is going to go boom at some point. It’s bound to get worse before it gets better. Angst! I see angst in our future!
I should also mention a couple of things. Jensen directed this episode, as we all know. I always get excited when his name pops up with that director’s credit. I feel weirdly proud of him. Actually, it’s not weird at all, I am proud of him. He’s talented and watching those talents blossom and grow, both in his acting and his directing is a pure joy. His Dean was just wonderful in “Heartache”. Gosh I enjoyed Jensen’s performance. He did a good job directing this episode too. I don’t think you can pick between him and the veterans who work on this show, which says a lot, seeing as this was only his third time in the chair. I noted that he made some interesting composition choices, which for me, seems to be becoming a bit of a trademark. They should just give him the premiere episode next season; I reckon he’s up to it.
I loved seeing Jensen’s daddy, Alan Ackles in the show. I liked his cop a lot. About time a cop gave some sass back to those smart mouthed Winchesters! I couldn’t help but think, that withering look Papa Ackles’ character gave Dean was probably a look Jensen was on the receiving end of numerous occasions when he was growing up! Having Alan in that scene, made it all the more fun.
I’m still enjoying the mystery that is Sam. I was expecting more flashbacks, but I kind of enjoyed just noodling around in Sam’s head instead. Sam’s always been so thoughtful, as in, he’s a thinker, so to me it seems kind of appropriate that he appears to be really thinking things through and we are experiencing that process and not necessarily seeing purely actions indicating his position. It’s almost like; he’s not figured it out yet, so we have to wait too and we’re riding the brainwave with him. I thought his flashback was interestingly over romanticised. Apart from his obvious panic in the moment he thought Amelia and then Riot had disappeared, it was all happy and glowy and golden. I guess we have a tendency to up the happy on happy memories. By the way, I don’t think for a minute he’d never had a birthday cake, just that he was relieved to find Amelia and was touched by her surprise cake. I mean, who doesn’t like surprise cake! I’m still waiting to like her more than I do. She kind of spoke to him like he was Riot! Sit. Eat. (Roll over). Well, she is a vet. I guess we’ve not seen much of her so I’ll be quiet now until we do!
The closing scene with the brothers in the car, Dean not wanting to hear Sam, Sam trying to make Dean listen!owwwwwwww. How can this show hurt so much! You know what though, wistful memory, sweet smile, teary puppy-eyes aside,Sam walked out on his normal life in the middle of the night with a car full of weapons and headed to a cabin where he thought no-one would be!. Why?
And, I love having my Dean back.
Oh blimey! I’ve gone long again. Suffice to say, I enjoyed “Heartache”. I enjoyed the brother’s interaction. I’m loving the mature dialogue. I thought the monster was kind of cool and Betsy was kind of sad. I like that Sam is still with Dean, out of loyalty and love, to finish this one last job (yeah right Sam), I LOVE that Dean is bad-assed and happy and didn’t have booze in his hand once. I loved how healthy the boys both looked! Can anyone say hiatus tan? I think JC may have to tell the Js to stay out of the sun a bit before a new season kicks off! It looked like Sam and Dean had been to the beach! Ok,now I’m thinking about Sam and Dean in board shorts frolicking in the surf so it’s time to bug out!
One more thing about Dean!Dean and the strippers “Smell that?” “You’re gross.” Oh Lordy, that was nearly as awesome as when he covered the Winchester family jewels with his hands as he went through the metal detector in last week’s episode. I missed rowdy Dean!. Oh and by the way, I’ve been to that strip club. Wait. On the location tour! On the location tour!
Oh and, Dean got an app! BLESS!
Alrighty, let me know your thoughts. You are all wonderful, intelligent human beings with valid opinions (unless they disagree with mine!I KID, I KID), so please, be respectful and play nice in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
-sweetondean
OMG. This was simply beautiful. Sometimes I was feeling like I was out in left field when I read what other people posted about not liking this or that. Since I’m a newer viewer I chalked it up to that because I am loving this season.
Love a mystery and since I watched all the other seasons in 7 months it was so very different than watching from week to week. I got all my answers quickly before. I am enjoying the mystery, guessing, and over analyzing I get to do now. I’m in my realm with over analyzing. And I love the deep perspective you give me. I’m kind of deep anyway, and am always looking for underlying tidbits. But you express it like I can’t.
This show makes me laugh, cry, think, escape and just plain enjoy it all. So many undercurrents to topics that make great discussion. And best of all, it brought an old friend and I back together again. Love ya Gayle. Thanks for introducing me to this show.
You’ve done it again. You are channelling what I’m thinking, almost to a T. That’s scary. But, I guess that’s why I look forward to your reviews. It kinda validates my own thinking – though I look forward to the challenge when we don’t think alike! LOL
Another fabulous review. Is it time for the next ep yet?
Love your comment as always. The analysis of Dean’s is so into my heart. As Sam’s I never thought that afraid to lose Dean again is the reason to keep until reading your review. But still a bit doubt whether he just had enough and want out. I saw this as he is trying to fulfill a dream that Dean cannot have or unsuccessful to sustain. And I am kind of expecting what Benny will affect the decision of Sam leaving Dean and hunting. How he feels if Dean really let him go? I love S8 so far, it’s more organized and full of energy at the same time. The strip club, I almost forget, have to find my photo of the tour and re-watch the ep LOL! Finally, I think Jensen did better than the previous seasons as a director, more mature in skill.
i really enjoy what you write, it seems that you put down the things i have in my head, even if english is not my language.
you have a smart way to write about episodes and you must believe me, i feel just the way you write about things! that’s why i felt i had to tell you.
thanks for sharing your thoughts!!!
I think your analysis of the storytelling is probably right on. I have to admit, though, that the difference in Dean’s character between the first two episodes and this one was jarring, and I’m a[i] lot[/i] worried that PTSD Dean is just done and gone. This show has a reliable long history of just dropping plots where Dean is concerned. Purgatory Dean was a great “hook” for the season, the only thing that kept me on-board after S6 and S7, so they better not!
I can’t speak about Sam’s story, because I don’t know what it is. I am sure it is [i]not[/i] Amelia and a dog, though. I’m curious and wish they would get on with it. But, like you, I do see a blow-up in the future — just don’t know what kind of a blow-up it will be.
While I liked the episode okay the first time around, it took a second watch to realize it was pretty solid. That’s because during the first watch, I kept waiting to see flashbacks into Sam’s lost year and they just never came…and because a seriously messed up PSTD Dean just seemed to have disappeared sometime when I wasn’t watching, becoming a normal Dean with his mojo back.
Although I agree that Dean’s story has been dropped before, I really am attributing Dean suddenly not having PTSD to the fact that this episode was shot first and Jensen didn’t have a real handle on how damaged Dean was in Purgatory. It’s logical to me that they sent Jensen this script first so he could prepare for the shoot and he just didn’t know how the first couple were written. Well, that plus the writers have written less than stellar episodes in the past, so they may have flopped in the characterization, or been unaware that they were supposed to make that more obvious. With Benny still out there and Castiel still MIA I’m pretty sure Dean will be dealing with PTSD for a while longer.
I’m wasn’t too worried about the difference in Dean. I know a lot of people were but I don’t have those concerns. This was a different job and there wasn’t a lot of fighting going on for him to get his teeth into.
I think the fact that he was keen to get onto another job and was excited about hearts being ripped out was representative of how he’s handling being back from Purgatory. It reminded me of after he first did his Hell deal and all he wanted to do was hunt…it’s easier to hunt and focus on the work than have to think about, say Cass. This has always been how Dean operates, to try his darndest not to think about the stuff deep inside him. I think it’s possible, that’s what was going on here. I also think as I mentioned, that a lot of his perky upness was about trying to get Sam on board because he could see Sam wasn’t.
I know there are more Purgatory scenes on the horizon and I don’t think we’ll walk away from this story.
Thank you both for your comments, you guys always get me thinking!
Thank you. I really enjoyed your review. I think i’m overly tired of Sam being a mystery. I want in his head; his heart. I have doubts even JC will let us in and see all the goodness inside.
I feel so bad for Sam, wanting, yearning for something he will never truely get to have. He will never be truely happy because in his heart and soul he isn’t a hunter or warrior. But he will do it simply because he loves Dean. Dean on the other hand will always be happy because he is in his soul and his heart a warrior.
I wonder….what will happen when Sam and Benny meet for the first time? Sam will be grateful Dean had Benny on his side in Purgatory, i think. But my question is this? Will knowing about benny make Sam realize/think/beleive conclusively that Dean really doesn’t need him? In Benny Dean will have the brother that loves the life as much as Dean does. And eventually Castiel will return.
And I wonder if Dean will have talked about Sam behind his back to Benny. And if Benny will verbally attack Sam like he did Castiel?
I too am sick Sam being a mystery. It’s season 8 for goodness sake, can’t we start with Sam’s headspace for once? This post makes me sad, because you are right Sam will never get the life he wants. All he will be is someone to make Dean’s life better and Dean has never even been able to sympathize with Sam’s need for a safe, normal life, because Dean doesn’t want it in the same way.
I agree percysowner; the show is set up in such a way that Sam will never be able to achieve happiness because what he wants does not sustain the premise of the show. I find it problematic that he is in some sense responsible for Dean’s life and happiness as the expense of his own. Dean wants Sam by his side, hunting. Sam keeps Dean grounded and human etc.. but what does this do for Sam? It puts an enormous burden on him, forcing him to do the one thing, hunt, that he does not want to do and forces him to continually sacrifice his own happiness for Deans.
Another thing occurred to me though about Sam’s idealized ‘normal’ life. How come he has not even attempted to call Amelia? How come Amelia has not even attempted to call him? Its as though she doesn’t really exist. “There was a girl, and then there wasn’t.” So baffling.
Amelia has the potential to be a really interesting part of Sam’s life. When we first met her most of us felt she was a bitch and a terrible vet. Really what vet doesn’t even look for a dog’s owner, tells someone that hitting a dog makes him a terrible person (vets of all people know that dogs run out in front of cars all the time), and then forces someone who has indicated that he doesn’t have the resources to take care of a dog to take care of a dog? This seemed to be setting her up as a not nice person. The second look shows her in dreamlike conditions that are shot in a style that makes us wonder if this is a real memory of simply a highly idealized memory. But what if Amelia was never real or at least not real as Sam’s girlfriend. We have three portrayals of her. The first watching Sam leave and saying nothing with Sam not saying goodbye. The second with her acting completely OOC for a veterinarian. The third shot in such a way as to indicate the memory is not accurate at the very least.
The only outside POV to indicate that Sam’s memories are accurate is the fact that Dean smelled dog in the car. And all that means is that Sam had a dog in the car recently. It is possible Sam hit a dog, although a purebred Australian Sheppard is a dog that a vet should have tried see if it had an owner. What little we have seen is pretty much and ideal for Sam, minus the panic attacks. Dean saying he smelled dog makes me think there was a dog, but maybe not the perfect purebred dog, that led to a girlfriend. Maybe he hit a mutt and did keep it for a while. Maybe what he told Dean, I hit HER dog is true and his leaving Amelia was simply his staying the night to make certain that the dog he hit and carried in the car to find its owner.
One post I read somewhere pointed out that in both Sam’s flashbacks start with THE DOG. Amelia is the girl who was and then wasn’t. In DSOTM, one of Sam’s happy memories is Bones, the dog. Maybe the dog is the important thing here, not the girl.
Perhaps one way for Sam to have something he wants while still hunting with Dean is for Dean to drop his no dogs in the car rule. For Dean to compromise enough to allow Sam to have something that he desperately wants and needs. His one piece of normal. A friend that isn’t Dean and that helps Sam feel safe and grounded.
I agree with you about Sam’s memories just because there is dog smell in the car does not prove that Sam’s memories are real. He might have hit a dog, might(?) have gone to a vet but that doesn’t mean his memories are real or true. It just might have set off a chain of events. Who knows at this point? Too little info being doled out about Sam.
I have to agree with Sweetondean about Dean’s feeling about dogs at this point and I added a few more that I could recall.
I know you’re right, but I so badly want Sam to get SOMETHING he wants. I know Dean is traumatized by dogs, but gosh darn it! He sent Sam to Plucky Pennywhistle’s knowing Sam was terrified of clowns and Sam still had Hallucifer in his head at the time. Why does Dean’s trauma get careful handling and Sam’s trauma is a chance for Dean to mock and laugh at Sam?
I know what you are saying percysowner but isn’t it a little,tinsy bit funny about Sam being afraid of clowns. I know “clowns kill” but Dean was rip to shreads by big assed devil dogs. I think even Sam chuckled at the clown thing at the end of Pluck Pennywhistle’s.I know Dean can be insensitive at times believe me!
Sorry, but I can’t take Dean’s dog phobia too seriously because these are two macho guys who spend their lives hunting down things that scare them. Dean was traumatized from his mom being killed by a demon, but that doesn’t stop him from hunting demons. He was turned into a vampire, but that isn’t stopping him from getting a new vampire BFF.
Much the same could also be said about Sam’s clown phobia. I don’t think he will be getting a clown best friend anytime soon, however!
I thought Plucky’s was funny, so yeah, I’m putting Sam’s clown phobia and Dean’s dog phobia in the same basket.
I’m the wrong person to ask. My best friend and my daughter’s best friend from high school are absolutely, positively terrified of …NO, not clowns, butterflies. I mean full on freak out when they see them. I don’t find it funny, I just would never in a million years send them to a butterfly exhibit.
My point is less that Dean is insensitive, because his insensitivity didn’t bother me in ELAC, but the fact that Sam was suffering from hallucinations and trying desperately to stave off a complete and totally breakdown and Dean completely ignored that in sending Sam into Plucky’s. Yes, Sam’s phobia has always been treated for laughs and yes Dean was torn to shreds by Hell Hounds. But we also know that Sam was left at Plucky’s when he was a relatively defenseless kid and frankly IRL pedophiles often pick jobs that puts them into “innocent” contact with kids, so I’m not that sure that Sam doesn’t have as concrete a reason to be afraid of clowns as Dean does of dogs. If he does we will never know, but I am tired of Dean’s fears get respected and Sam gets told to suck it up.
Fair enough, but I do think Dean’s dog issues have been played for laughs pretty often also.
And I would hope that Dean wouldn’t put a clown in the back of the Impala. But it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. He has got a warped sense of humor at times.
[quote]Too little info being doled out about Sam.
[/quote]
Bottom line, imo, this is what is wrong with the season so far, and what continues to worry many of us. I do feel better about the episode, but can’t totally let go of all my fears. Why oh why do we have to go there, AGAIN!
Give us some Sam POV so we can ALL get on board with the season!
If, as someone was suggested somewhere, it’s after the midseason break before Sam’s year is more clearly divulged, I’m going to expect some incredible insight just for forcing us to wait that long. And of course, we know how well that’s worked in the past. :-*
[quote]It puts an enormous burden on him, forcing him to do the one thing, hunt, that he does not want to do and forces him to continually sacrifice his own happiness for Deans. [/quote]
I agree that this season is set up (right now) that if Dean has to be happy it will mean Sam having to compromise his idea of wanting normalcy. This might change. Lets see.
But u use the words ‘continually sacrifice’ in ur comment. I dont see how thats fair to Dean. Whenever Sam has joined Dean its becos there is something in it for Sam as well (Jess death, YEDs plan, Lucifer vessel etc.) So am not sure he has sacrificed his happiness in the past becos of Dean.
I have always believed that they both loved each other and wanted to be by each others side becos they wanted to, not becos they had to. Both brothers have openly said this too. Maybe am a dreamer 🙂 but it makes me feel better to think of their relationship as symbiotic and not selfish.
[quote][quote]I have always believed that they both loved each other and wanted to be by each others side becos they wanted to, not becos they had to. Both brothers have openly said this too. Maybe am a dreamer 🙂 but it makes me feel better to think of their relationship as symbiotic and not selfish.[/quote]
This is how I feel and how I’ve always felt too CJ… you’re not alone 🙂
You know, I think it’s ok for Sam to want more and I don’t think that means he can’t be happy hunting. I’m not sure how he’s going to get from here to there, but he will.
Most of us, happy or otherwise, daydream about the life we wish we could have. Wanting more, wanting something different is very human. It doesn’t mean we’re not happy in the moment or can’t be happy in what we’re doing now. In many ways wanting more keeps us moving forward and working towards bigger goals.
So I don’t see Sam as wanting more from life but enjoying being with his brother on the hunt as two opposing positions that can only bring him sadness.
The mystery around Sam for me, isn’t Sam himself but Sam’s year and I’m cool with that and nutting through what happened there. To be honest, I feel this is the most interesting Sam I’ve seen for a while, because this is Sam being all human Sam instead of Sam crushed under the weight of some horrific Supernatural thing. Sam’s humanity is a beautiful thing, I’m enjoying him dealing with normal human wants and needs rather than not having a soul or drinking demon blood.
That line about Amelia being there and then not there, has been gnawing at my bones. But I wonder if it was just Sam being obtuse because he just didn’t want to get into it with Dean because he’s not sure what ‘it’ was or is.
But I agree, it’s peculiar there has been no attempted communication and it’s peculiar that he walked out on her in the middle of the night. I can only assume that they had a conversation and he left, that maybe she was tired of his random trips to Rufus’ cabin, that maybe Sam was not as happy as he is making out and his post Dean disappearance disorder was not something Amelia could live with.
I’m looking forward to finding all this out.
I can’t imagine Dean being comfortable with a dog in the Impala….I’m not sure he’s ever looked at dogs the same after being ripped apart by Hellhounds. I think he might still be a bit twitchy around dogs!
Sweetondean-
Thats so funny-I never even thought about the hellhounds. Futhermore wasn’t a dog responsible for one of his Mystery Spot deaths. And his terror at the little dog when he hag “ghost sickness”. And it seems like there might have been another little dog incident, I can’t remember exactly. It makes his reaction a little more understandable!
Exactly! Dean and dogs don’t mix so well…
There was also the moment in the Fate episode where he literally clung to Sam as they had to walk passed a couple of German Shepherds!
I instantly thought of all of his when he was rousing on Sam about the dog!
Oh, right I’d forgotten that one. HA.
There was something in Exile on Main Street too. Was he hunting the neighbor’s Yorkie? I can’t remember exactly.
THAT”S the other little dog incident I couldn’t remember. I believe Dean was juiced up on djinn(sp?) juice and thought something bad was in the garage and was startled and almost shot the Yorkie. Make’s me smile just thinking about it.
And don’t forget Dean’s fear of that little Yorkie in Yellow Fever!
But seriously, Sam really needs to consider that Dean has been extremely traumatized by dogs and it may take A LOT of convincing to get him on board with having one around.
Sam wont have a dog . Between Dean’s fear and the Impala being Dean’s car there is more chance of me flying to the moon on paper wings.
If this a serious discussion, the only one of these incidents that would be traumatic was the hell hounds. The mystery spot one he didn’t remember, and the rest were just a running joke. I’m sure Dean can distinguish between a hell hound and a pet.
He didn’t seem unnerved by Bonesey in heaven at all, just hurt by Sam’s memories. And his remark about the car smelling of dog didn’t have any twitchiness or fear to it. I agree that meeting Riot is unlikely to be a huge trauma to him.
[quote]So I don’t see Sam as wanting more from life but enjoying being with his brother on the hunt as two opposing positions that can only bring him sadness.[/quote]
Beautifully said. Couldn’t agree more.
With regards to Sam’s storyline… am actually liking the slow reveal. I know a lot of fans feel there wasn’t enough flashbacks for Sam in this episode. But sometimes less is more. This has made me more intrigued abt what’s happening/happened to him. Am sure JC has something up his sleeve.
I’m loving Dean this season. Actually I’ve always loved Dean. But this season he is freakingly hot and his enthusiasm is refreshing. This Dean is a changed man… he didnt get all giddy at the strip club and he’s off the booze as well. Good to see the back of drunk & depressed Dean. I cannot believe Dean bought an app. I was as surprised as Sam 🙂 I’d hit the roof if he adds an ipod jack to Baby.
This season has me excited for quite a few reasons: 1. Dean purgatory sl & its impact on him
2. Dean’s relationship (issues) with Sam, Cas & Benny
3. Sam’s reaction to Benny
4. Sam’s past year and how he is going to return to the hunt
5. And obviously the overall mytharc of how to close the gates of hell forever
Overall am all pepped up and happy.
Last but not least THANK YOU for this lovely review. U are always positive and it makes it so much more nicer to read. Really appreciate the effort & time you have taken to give us this review. Keep them coming.
Hi Amy, I like your thoughts about Benny and Sam meeting, I am really looking forward to this encounter as well. I can’t see Sam liking, trusting or approving of Benny, and maybe their meeting will help shake Sam out of his lethargy and disconnect and help him re-connect with Dean and the hunt.
I would really like it if we could get a parallel scene between Dean and Amelia. Supposedly we are going to meet Amelia in real time, and I’d love it if she could in turn shake Dean up. She’s been presented as the no-nonsense type of woman who would have no problem confronting Dean about Sam; That would be awesome to get these kinds of parallels going.
[quote]
And I wonder if Dean will have talked about Sam behind his back to Benny. And if Benny will verbally attack Sam like he did Castiel?[/quote]
And if so, will Dean stick up for his little brother?
You bring up some sad points, Amy. Poor Sam!
Am sure he will stick up for Sam. In fact he stood up for Cas in purgatory. Sam means much more to Dean. So am sure he will not let Benny attack Sam, at least not right away.
But as the season progresses its possible for Benny to drive a wedge between them esp since Sam seems to want out. Hope it doesnt come to that cos it will be a rehash of the Ruby scenario with roles reversed.
I hope he does, but Dean caved pretty quickly to the Angels stating that Sam was an abomination and had to be stopped. Now Dean is even more hurt and angry because Sam didn’t look for him and Sam is stating that he doesn’t want to hunt for the rest of his life. There are more bad feelings between Dean and Sam and more reasons for Dean to not defend Sam.
I am one who believes that the wounds inflicted on the relationship in season four have never really healed, especially for Dean. So I think it will be easier for Dean to not defend Sam now. Eventually I think he will defend Sam, but for now, I’m just not sure.
I don’t think those wounds ever truly healed either….
I agree, I think there will be anger from Dean. This Sam not having looked for him thing is going to blow up at some point and I think it’ll be soon.
I hope, if it comes to it, Dean does jump to Sam’s defence like he jumped to Cass’ defence…but it really depends on what’s being said. Only time will tell.
Benny’s gonna stir up trouble though, of that much I’m certain.
[quote]Benny’s gonna stir up trouble though, of that much I’m certain.[/quote]
A friend of mine suggested that Benny could be like Stefan Salvatore (I dont watch TVD so pls dont hate me). She says he’s a good guy who feeds on animals. So it could be entirely possible that Benny is sort of good too and hence the moral dilema for the boys (esp Sam) on how to deal with him. If he is shown to be evil/manipulative it would seem too much like the Ruby storyline again, wont it?
Why would that be a moral dilemma for Sam in particular? Sam has pretty consistently taken the view that monsters (or beings who have arguably made themselves monsters, like Cas in 7.1) aren’t constrained by their natures, can choose otherwise, deserve a second chance. He knows how close he came to becoming a monster, and he knows that he was able to change: he explicitly made that his argument for believing that Cas was still reachable when he was souled up. I’d expect it to be a harder dilemma for Dean, who has been more inclined to take the stance that monsters who have once made the choice to kill will inevitably do so again, and who has been more skeptical of claims that monsters can be good.
I somehow don’t think they’d be setting Benny up the way they have, talking about so many choices with a funeral in the background, if they meant him to be a purely benign figure. I rather doubt he will be all out evil, either, but I expect him to do some seriously shady things and probably not to be a benign influence on Dean. I don’t at the moment think he’s pulling a long con, like Ruby, I think he’s probably sincere in his friendship for Dean, but I don’t think his values are going to align with Dean’s now that they are topside and not in the sheer survival world of purgatory, and I think Dean is going to be conflicted about it.
If they have Sam arguing that he should be killed just because he’s a vampire and they kill vampires, I really will throw up my hands in despair at the characterization.
I do think the Amy thing will be brought up at one point. Monsters reverting to their natures and all. I dread this, the whole Amy thing left a bad taste. I think the Benny situation is leading up to Dean having to make a decision about Benny. Does he cut him some slack because he had Dean’s back or kill him because he fed on someone. Benny does not seem like the cattle feeding type. Let me add PLEASE NO, not that again. If this happens Dean(or Sam) will have to kill him giving Dean another thing to weigh him down just as he seems to be getting stronger.
Yes, that would be completely OOC for Sam! He has always followed the thought that they only kill monsters that actually kill human beings. If Benny is eating animals, then I wouldn’t think Sam would hve a problem w/him b/c that’s what Lenore and her group were doing.
I should have clarified. I said Sam might have issues becos of the Amy thing. Monsters will eventually revert to their natural behavior. I agree Sam has always been more willing to see shades of grey and has wanted to give them a second chance. But after the Amy thing his view did seem to change a bit (he did agree the other shoe will drop someday).
For the parallel with Amy to work, Benny would have to have been killing humans, not living innocently on cows.
Sam’s concession on the Amy thing wasn’t a definitive statement that Dean was right that Amy would kill again, it was agreement that he himself had been subjectively biased, that he might (not would, but might) not have let her go if she’d been an indifferent case. To go from that to Sam thinking that a vampire who was living on animals, like Lenore, had to be killed because he would inevitably some day kill . . . no, I can’t see that at all.
Guess u’re right. Didn’t look at it that way at 1st. but yes if Sam has issues with a vampire that doesnt kill humans it will seem inconsistent & OOC. Agreed 🙂
The whole Amy plot was a mess. It was never clear – at least to me – why Sam suddenly wasn’t angry anymore. That story had no clear direction or point, so I hope it would not be used in any future stories.
And for me having Benny be a “good” monster is even worse because YET AGAIN if DEAN likes a supernatural creature the wonder of Dean means they are inherently good. But if SAM trusts a supernatural creature the are inherently and permanently evil. The writers had to make certain that we saw that even Lenore should have been killed instead of saved and that Sam’s judgement are so suspect that he really shouldn’t be allowed any opinions or thoughts that contradict Dean, EVER.
I’m sick of Dean the insightful and Sam the failure. I would rather repeat Ruby than repeat Sam IS WRONG for the however manyth time.
[quote]
I’m sick of Dean the insightful and Sam the failure. I would rather repeat Ruby than repeat Sam IS WRONG for the however manyth time.[/quote]
I’m with you there, percysowner, although I NEVER viewed Sam that way (too many shades of grey for both boys here), many did, and it does seem to be the overt slant.
I don’t think that what happened with Lenore affirmed, or was meant to affirm, that Sam had been wrong to persuade Dean to spare her initially. It was Cas who killed her, and that at a point when we were supposed to be seeing just how goal-driven and callous Cas was becoming; Sam and Dean both looked shocked. I view Lenore being influenced by Eve much the way I view humans being influenced by Famine or a Siren: the fact that humans will do horrible things under those influences doesn’t at all imply that it is human nature to do evil and all humans should be killed lest they some day fall under such an influence. As long as Lenore had her free will, she exercised it and didn’t kill; Sam’s judgment of her was correct.
Meant to affirm, maybe not, but it doesn’t change the fact that the supernatural creatures that Sam trusts or tries to help all turn bad. I mean we never saw sweet, sad Lucky, poor little doggie woggie that he was do what he became a skinwalker and attack innocent individuals under Eve’s influence. And why? Because Dean empathized with Lucky. Dean felt sorry for him, so his reluctance to hunt him down has NO negative consequences. In season 4 working with a demon was the worst thing ever. Come season five, DEAN decides working with Crowley is okay and guess what it doesn’t go bad for the rest of the Apocalypse storyline. Then in season seven Dean decides that Meg, MEG! who murdered Jo and Ellen is deemed trustworthy enough, by Dean, to stand guard over an incapacitated Cas and guess what, she turns into a great ally because SHE has the Dean seal of approval.
We talk a lot about showing and telling as a story technique. The show has told us that Sam’s judgement is impaired through Dean and then they reinforce it by showing us that every single time Sam tries to make a choice it is wrong.
[quote] I mean we never saw sweet, sad Lucky, poor little doggie woggie that he was do what he became a skinwalker and attack innocent individuals under Eve’s influence. And why? Because Dean empathized with Lucky. Dean felt sorry for him, so his reluctance to hunt him down has NO negative consequences. In season 4 working with a demon was the worst thing ever. Come season five, DEAN decides working with Crowley is okay and guess what it doesn’t go bad for the rest of the Apocalypse storyline. Then in season seven Dean decides that Meg, MEG! who murdered Jo and Ellen is deemed trustworthy enough, by Dean, to stand guard over an incapacitated Cas and guess what, she turns into a great ally because SHE has the Dean seal of approval.[/quote]and this has always irked me too.
Heh. I dont’ think the show has been as biased in Dean = right and Sam = wrong as you do, and there are many points on which I will defend the writers, but the Meg thing makes me furious. Jo and Ellen? She murdered Pastor Jim. She murdered Caleb, and made John listen to his death rattles over the phone. She possessed Sam, threatened Jo and shot Dean in his body, and murdered an innocent hunter while Sam was awake and aware of what she was using his body to do. She was instrumental in Bobby getting paralyzed. I understand why Crowley feels to them like an adversary they can temporarily work with even if they will never trust him, but Meg? At the very least, if they are absolutely forced to work with her, we should at least be seeing their history with her in their reactions, and especially Sam’s — being possessed is pretty personal, Sam should feel towards her something of what he feels about Hallucifer, a being who got inside his body and his head. On that score I absolutely condemn the writers for carelessness in imagining their characters, and you will get no defense of them from me!
Hear, Hear!!
Agree with that completely. Meg as a adversary OK, not an ally. Original Meg was a awesome villian. I know they don’t trust her, but it still makes no sense they would align themselves with her after all she has done.
[quote]I’m sick of Dean the insightful and Sam the failure. I would rather repeat Ruby than repeat Sam IS WRONG for the however manyth time.[/quote]
Actually I’ve never seen it that way. I think both have made mistakes and both have been right on many, many occasions. The only reason they made Sam choose Ruby was to set up the Michael vs Lucifer plot. Apart from that both have been on pretty even keel.
I actually feel bad that u think Sam is shown as a failure. Far from it. He’s as much a hero as Dean is. I’m a huge Dean fan but I love Sam very, very much too. He overcame the demon blood in him and came out trumps when it mattered. Thats an awesome feat if u ask me. SS was all abt Sam being the ultimate hero. I wish I could make u feel better. I really do. Sam’s not a failure or a loser. Not on this show.
[quote][quote] Sam’s not a failure or a loser. Not on this show.[/quote]
Exactly. He’s the ultimate reluctant hero. But hero he is, (both are) at least to me.
I just wish more folks saw him that way, which ultimately means that the writers need to make it more explicit.
The funniest thing about this show is that (some) Dean fans often feel Dean is being slighted and he never gets a good storyline on the show. Sam fans feel the exact same thing about Sam. So the only reasonable conclusion I can make is that the show probably treats both its leads the same crappy way 🙂
[This is just a joke. Am not trying to make any sweeping generalizations here. Its just for fun. No offense to anyone]
For me personally I feel both are heroes. Both have done great things but more importantly they are both human and flawed. It makes them that much more endearing. I dont want them to be perfect.
Actually I think Sam has had good sl’s the sl’s themselves haven’t hurt Sam it is the way they have been told. Dean having so much of the pov and storytelling as always been in a different position for me.
I thought last year was a terrible way to demonstrate the devasting wall break , this season while I have enjoyed the episodes in themselves again I feel Sam has been put in a position that I dont feel has been necessary , and mysteries around Sam never do him any favours. Sometimes the first 3 episodes can be as important as the last 3 and if you miss a step with Sam it stays with the character.
[quote]it is the way they have been told.[/quote]exactly my thoughts…
No, they have not healed! I will always say Kripke broke something he couldn’t quite fix again!
I totally agree with that. I hope that Carver can find a way to repair the damage, but I honestly don’t see how after all this time.
I am on-board that the damage done in S4 has not been repaired and that Dean is carrying cumulative hurt from it, compounded by Sam not looking for him this time around.
While I buy into this MotW representing where both brothers are, I also agree with you, percyowner, that there are always problems when filming episodes…and this one really was the worst for that since the show has been on. Monster Movie, too, was one of those.
My problem remains that from what we know about the schedule, neither Sam’s or Dean’s flashbacks stories will be shown in this week’s episode, then there 8.05 should deal with either Dean or Dean and Sam’s both, and the 8.06 will, in all likelihood, be back to Sam and Dean okay and just on another hunt. Honestly, I want consistency and steady plot pacing this season. I got enough whiplash last year.
I agree with enough with the whiplash! I do have hope that Dean’s story will get examined. Benny is still out there, Cas is scheduled to come back and both of those characters tie into Dean’s story. Amelia is supposed to come back, but if her appearances continue to consist of 30 seconds and one line she is getting a really easy paycheck. Nice work if you can get it. I’m less confident that Sam’s story will be told, everything we have heard is that Sam hit a dog is the entirety of his year apart from Dean. However last year at the end of episode 2 I thought that Sam’s insanity was the logical place to take the season and instead we got bupkis. So, they could dump Dean’s story and have it be “All About Benny”. As much as I want a story for Sam, if Dean’s PTSD gets dropped like Sam’s insanity and Dean’s Hell PTSD, I will be angry.
Sadly, I don’t think these writers appreciate the damage that was done to the brotherly bond in S4 that was never rectified.
IMO, the boys were only ever okay in SS, the second half of S6, and the first three episodes of S7. The relationship is all out of sorts now, which negatively impacts the show, IMO.
I agree. I don’t think the writers are aware that not only do the fans think the that the relationship never healed, but the writing never showed the relationship healed IMHO.
True! It wasn’t until [i]Swan Song[/i] that the boys were okay in S5, and then it wasn’t until LAV that the boys were okay again. For most of S7, they were co-workers.
Sam is so detached this year that I’m not getting any emotional impact from the brothers’ relationshi. It sucks and makes for bad viewing, IMO.
Actually, I had a weird reaction to the second half of season 6. The boys seemed really connected, were getting along great, were agreeing with each other and working well together in the wake of Soulless Sam, and I for one was so incredibly bored. For me, the second half of season 6 was such an incredible snooze; there was no drama in the boys relationship, so there was no drama period. I like the brothers to have a bit of conflict and to argue. Since when do these guy’s not fight? The show began with them in a fight that had been going on for three years. Season three was essentially one long fight between them and their opposing views on Dean’s deal. Too much getting along is boring and not dramatic IMO. Of course, I was one of the fans who LOVED seasons 4 and 5. Yes, the brother’s relationship was pretty rough, and some of the episodes were hard to watch, but in the end they fought for each other and succeeded because of their brotherhood. I was on the edge of my seat during the whole of each season, couldn’t wait for the next episode…. compelling drama, for me anyway. I am sure many of you will disagree, and that’s ok, ‘different strokes’ and all that.
Season 4 and 5 were also some of my favourite seasons, E. I enjoy some conflict between the brothers, too, but I really want some original causes for the conflict! They can fight and argue about different takes on the mytharc or characters, etc. But enough of the alternating ‘I’m done/want out’ attitudes.
Yes, but isn’t it human and natural for members of a family to re-hash old situations over and over again? You can always count on your mom (or dad or brother etc) to bring up that one time you did that embarrassing or painful ‘whatever’ at every family gathering without fail so that they can embarrass or chastise you all over again with it. I don’t find this tiresome at all, I find it real.
Totally agree E, I think brother conflict has been an integral part of the whole series. From the first minutes to now. They are so different, yet for the most part their love and loyalty have not waivered. I made a comment recently responding to another comment lamenting them being at odds. I said I thought that was what they do. Some disagreed. I think you said it much better. Family is the bottom line in this show. It is not boring. Uncomfortable on occassion, sure.
It’s not a weird reaction. When Sam came back after getting his soul, he had his compassion, but he had lost the edge that he had in earlier seasons. With the exception of his reaction to Dean about wiping Lisa and Ben’s memories, Sam almost never stood up for anything or argued against Dean. He never showed anger, passion, or drive. I thought at the time that maybe it was because of the wall. A person needs balance – good and evil, faith and despair. The wall shut out the Hell part, and maybe all of Sam’s darker traits, so I thought that might be what was missing.
But then Sam got his memories back in the finale and came back in season 7 pretty much the same as he was in near the end of season 6. So I like that Sam seems more human this season, and I don’t mind some natural-feeling conflict. My problem is mostly that this person we’re seeing doesn’t feel completely like Sam. Some of it is Sam, but a lot just feels off.
The thing I’m holding onto is that Ben Edlund wrote Repo Man last year. When he had to write an episode that explained why Sam let his Hell memories back in, he chose to make it about saving Dean. Some of that decision was probably Gamble’s, but I think Edlund believed in the motivation. I feel like Jeremy Carver is pretty much an unknown at this point. I loved a lot of his earlier episodes, but he has been gone too long, so I need to see more of his recent work to get a feel for his style. But Edlund is still an important voice in the writing team, so I can’t believe there’s not a twist to the “Sam didn’t look for Dean” story we’ve been getting. He gets that Sam would sacrifice himself for Dean. He wouldn’t just trade up to someone better as soon as Dean disappeared from his view.
I am inclined to trust in Jeremy Carver just based on the overall quality of his work, not only on Supernatural, but also on Being Human. And with the extended hiatus this year, he has had quite a bit of time to prepare, get up to speed on what has been going on in the past several years and to plan out this season. I am still holding out hope. Check back with me in about 5 episodes though!
Well, after Sam got his soul back, he pretty much became “wallpaper.” He didn’t do much for the rest of the season so that may be why you found it boring in terms of the brothers’ relationship. I, personally, enjoyed the first half of S6 much more than than second half, but the entire season was better than S5, IMO!
I would also disagree that the boys are always in conflict. They may disagree over a hunt or what course of action to take but for the most part, IMO, they work in harmony and get along.
I loved S4. S5 was pretty bad, IMO, in terms of redeeming Sam and addresing the real issues between Sam and Dean. There are episodes I enjoyed (SS, TSRTS, MBV, TE), but it is not a season I re-watch. In fact, I was so disappointed in S5 that I had horribly low expectations of S6. S6 surprised me though. I thoroughly enjoyed the premiere and everything else though I wish more had been done w/Sam in the 2nd half of the season, esp. since nothing was accomplished in S7.
I think that they can have conflict and still love each other and work well together. They are such different people that there have always been differences and always will be. It makes it interesting that they can disagree and moments later be joking around. I don’t personally think they are in conflict all the time but it is a part of their dynamic. As it is with some siblings. The love is still there.
Hi lala2. I guess I see the brothers as more fundamentally conflicted than you do: (sorry for the excess of detail)
Season 1 – Sam leaving for college was a pre-series conflict that came up again and again. They again clashed on how to go about finding their father, and clashed further on how to deal with Sam’s emerging powers.
Season 2 – More conflict over Sam’s powers and how Dean was handling his guilt over his father’s death.
Season 3 – Conflict about Dean’s demon deal and how to handle it.
Season 4 – Very obviously about the angels and demons, the demon blood stuff and lilith, the boys were very separated at this point and as antagonistic toward one another as we’ve seen.
Season 5 – conflict surrounding Sam’s actions from season 4 and the rising of lucifer and Deans spiral into depression and despair. Conflict on weather Dean should say “yes” to Michael.
Season 6 – Soulless Sam, and weather or not he should get his soul back. S&D were really on opposite pages about this one. Nothing much in the second half of the season, the boys were getting along great zzzzzzz.
Season 7 – um…. hmmm…. it was… they were…. sorry, I got nothin’.
Now I don’t mean to say that they were at each others throats over these issues all the time, but they would percolate underneath the surface throughout the season and would flare up from time to time to outline their fundamental differences as human beings as well as to give great opportunities for POV and character growth . Heck sometimes it seems like its only when they are fighting are they willing to actually talk to each another. It’s through their conflict that we see them care about each other the most, so I welcome the conflicts! Whew, long winded, sorry. 🙂
I do agree that the boys have had conflict throughout most of the seasons. You summed it up quite well E. What I have problems with is when the view on the conflict is so slanted in one direction, which since season three has been predominantly showing Dean’s wants to be “right” and Sam to be perpetually wrong. I had that problem with season four and to some extent season five and I am having MASSIVE problems with the tight Dean POV this season. Dean’s blaming Sam for not wanting to hunt by telling him that Sam is personally responsible for the people who die if Sam doesn’t hunt is pretty anvilicious that we are supposed to agree with Dean that Sam should just give up and do what Dean wants. We have been shown that Sam not wanting to hunt with Dean endangers Dean and hurts Dean’s feelings.
Sam’s explanations for wanting out have been muted and what led him to these decisions has been left completely off screen. In fact Sam has been given no other explanation than I got out and I liked it. The show refuses to let Sam fight for or even state what normal was like for him or how hunting makes him feel or give him any context for his wanting what he wants. And when they do, Dean dismisses it entirely. After many, many seasons of Dean being the POV character, this type of writing is damaging to Sam’s character. I don’t mind conflict, I do mind that only one side of the conflict is currently getting any play.
E, I actually don’t disagree w/your analysis, but for me, there is a difference in the conflict presented in the latter seasons (4 to present) than the former ones (1-3).
In Seasons 1, 2, and 3, the conflict was there as you pointed out, but I never got the impression that the brothers didn’t like each other or want to be around each other. The conflict felt natural and organic during those seasons. Yes, they may disagreed on how to save Dean, but I knew they loved each other. I always felt they wanted to be around each other and were on this journey together. So, while the conflict was internal, it didn’t shake the foundation of their relationship (i.e., the show) as it has, IMO, in the latter seasons.
Season 4 started the boys being on their own separate paths and journeys. And I know many will disagree w/me, but I never really saw BOTH brothers as in the wrong during S4. Is that b/c of the slanted POV of the season? Probably, but to me, Dean was the one who made the most sense. I know many thought Dean didn’t trust Sam when he questioned Sam about using his powers, but I thought it was a honest question and that Dean accepted Sam’s answer, which turned out to be a lie. I know people also felt that season showed Dean picking an angel over Sam, but I didn’t. Dean heard from an angel that Sam was making the wrong decisions and that they would stop Sam if he continued, so he implored Sam to stop. I don’t have a problem w/that. I felt Dean had his brother’s best interests at heart.
In any event, this season set up the whole Dean is good (i.e., aligned w/angels) and Sam is bad (i.e., aligned w/demons) angle that has basically continued throughout the show. Prior to this season, I thought the boys had a healthy, normal relationship w/organic conflict/problems. Now, this is just my opinion but a lot of damage was done to SAM in this season. Sam was the one who was using demon-given powers, drinking demon blood, and associating w/known demons. None of his decisions, IMO, could be supported by Dean. And much of Sam’s reasoning for his actions was left unexplained. IKWYDLS was not an adequate explanation for associating w/Ruby for many viewers. A lot of Sam’s reasoning was all over the map depending on the episode. Simply put, not enough attention was paid to his part of the story. He needed an episode like TMWWBK to help the audience understand him since the writers refused to tell his side throughout the season. I remember hearing that Sam’s story was being told “in the background” or some other such nonsense. Huh? Who does that to main character? Since he was the one making the most controversial decisions, his story needed to be at the forefront, IMO.
Ultimately, IMO, S4 created questions about whether Sam respected Dean as a person, and at the end of the day, most viewers saw it as Sam choosing a demon over his brother. That’s how I viewed it, and that’s how it was presented to me. Unlike the seasons before, this really, IMO, damaged the brothers’ relationship. What happened in S4 was deeper than “should we look for Dad” or “we need to break your deal.” S&V and the strangulation in WTLB had me wishing Dean would drop Sam off on Ruby’s doorstep and keep it moving. I had NEVER felt that way before. The damage done to their relationship during this time was significant largely because it was never resolved. I never started hating Sam for S4, but sadly, some viewers did, which is why his actions during this season are constantly raised by those who dislike/hate him. The writers did a poor job w/Sam in S4 despite my enjoyment of the season during its initial run.
I was very excited about Season 5 b/c I just knew we would get some insight into Sam and see him redeem himself from his S4 actions, but that never happened. Season 5 furthered the whole Dean is good (vessel for angel) and Sam is bad (vessel for the worst evil in the world) angle. And, unfortunately, Sam didn’t get much of a redemption b/c he didn’t do much of anything the entire season. IMO, we got very little insight into Sam’s thought processes during S4 and even less in S5. We also got very little insight into how Sam felt about his current predicament (i.e., being Lucifer’s vessel). There was the end of 5.03 and the beginning of 5.04, but that was it. Most of the season was spent on how Dean felt about being a vessel and about Sam and about his life in general. Dean was a depressing mess in S5. He was quite annoying, to me, from TE to maybe the episode w/Brady. His sadness and depression was overwhelming and ruined the show for me. By the time DSOTM aired, I had had my fill of Dean’s issues. When he threw away that amulet, IMO, he threw away his brother and their relationship so screw him is all I felt. I wanted Sam to ditch him! The overall feel of that season, IMO, was depressing largely b/c it was solely told from Dean’s POV. They didn’t really get into anyone else’s head during the season. Even SI was about Dean and the weight on his shoulders. They threw in some crap about Sam having inexplicable rage and anger . . . . uh . . . since when? Sam didn’t even get a good redemption arc during this season. We never got to really delve into his reasons for hooking up w/Ruby or anything he did. [i]Fallen Idols [/i] didn’t help Sam’s case or adequately explain things. Towards the end of the season, I got the feeling that Kripke destroyed something (the brothers’ relationship) that he didn’t quite know how to fix. It is only by [i]Swan Song[/i] that I felt the brothers were back to “normal.” It was like Dean finally liked his brother again. The brothers were not “fun” during this season. It wasn’t enjoyable for me to watch, which is probably why I’ve never rewatched this season. The boys are too far apart and don’t have much of a relationship.
I welcomed the love in the second half of Season 6! We hadn’t seen the boys in a good place with each other since S3. The second half of S6 was a nice change of pace to me. At least it didn’t feel like one brother fundamentally disliked the other as it did in parts of S4 w/Sam and all of S5 w/Dean. It was just nice for them to be in a happy place with each other.
In S7, after HCW, they are strangers or co-workers traveling in the same car. Do they have conflict? Not that I recall. They just travel together, barely speaking to each other. The loving and caring Dean we see in HCW disappears for the rest of the season. We get a scene or two of Sam’s concern about Dean, but not much else. Not even Sam’s “near death” episode sparked any emotion from either brother. It was an all around bad season if you ask me. That episode w/the clowns was the only other episode I recall where it felt like the boys were “the boys” again. That was a nice episode w/an early season feel to it.
Now, in S8, we are back to a S5 feel, IMO, of one brother (this time Sam) not wanting to be w/the other brother. In this past episode, it looked like Sam would rather be getting a root canal than sitting in that car w/Dean. This does NOTHING for their relationship and only hurts the show, IMO. Right now, Sam seems “off,” but the writers need to expand on that and explain to the audience what Sam is thinking, etc. We need to get into his head, or else it will just seem like the brothers are at odds yet again, and not in a good, interesting way but in an annoying way.
To me, this show is about the brothers’ relationship. That is the foundation of the show. The writers seem determined to keep dismantling that relationship. I’m not sure why. This show does not work if the brothers don’t want to be together or don’t want to hunt. So, I’m all for conflict. That’s fine. But I prefer conflict that doesn’t damage the core of the show.
Sorry for the equally long response 🙂
Wow, great rebuttal! I can’t disagree with what you had to say here, except in that with the exception of season 7 where they did behave like colleagues instead of brothers, I never felt, even in seasons 4 or 5 that they didn’t love one another. Angry, hurt, fearful, yes, but not indifferent or uncaring. I guess that is where we differ in our views. For me, their intense frustration, Dean’s demands Sam’s sneaking around, were so heightened because of their love for one another, and it was their love that finally won out in Swan Song. You can never be hurt as much by someone you are indifferent to as by someone you love. The unfortunate nature of the story the PTB chose to tell meant that one brother was going to have to come out right and the other was going to have to be wrong. But I do agree with you that they could have done a better job of showing why Sam was going down the path that he was, and given his POV more weight, so that he didn’t end looking “wrong, wrong, wrong” and a fool to boot. (I agree with you also about s4, I never really saw Sam as wrong either!) I think people tend to forget that Sam and Dean were fighting for the same thing in season 4, it was only their methods that differed. Lucifer rose because they were both being tricked by the angels and the demons; Dean was just lucky enough to find out before he killed Lillith (which was his main goal the whole season) and Sam wasn’t.
I do agree however, that the damage done to Sam’s character has never been repaired, and I too would love to see him do something completely noble and selfless towards Dean this season to help and rectify the situation. His current distance isn’t helping matters. I am wondering if we will get some Cas/Sam bonding over Dean’s connection with Benny? That could be interesting. So, at the risk of repeating myself, I still believe that Sam’s motives will be revealed to be good ones once the dust settles, at least I hope so… it’s about time Sam got to be right for a change.
Interesting thoughts….thank you….And I am glad to see Dean not boozing and jumping every pretty girl in sight.
Thanks, sweetondean, for another lovely review.
As one who initially HATED this episode, and really wasn’t sure I could continue watching, I’m starting to look at it – and the season – differently (thanks to you and Far Away Eyes)…
Looking forward to getting more from inside Sams head! (Please Carver!)
Sweetondean, thank you. Your reviews always brighten my day and give me a happy glow.
You really get the Winchester boys the same way I do! We have the same mindset for this show, I do believe.
Bless! 😛
Hi Bevie, What you said! I am enjoying the season so far. I love the secrets that are yet to be revealed. A little more on Sam’s story would be nice but I am expecting further revelations and am willing to wait. I don’t miss last years Dean at all. I am so glad he feels focused again and time will temper his razor sharp edges.
Sweetondean, such a pleasure to read your reviews!
Dean and I bought SmartPhones at the same time. I have not bought any apts.
There you go, again; hitting the nail on the head! Loved the review. I agree with your assessment of where the guys are at in their heads. It’s important to take into consideration all the characters have been through and not to jump to conclusions about the plot getting old or running out of places to go. It’s equally important to see that SPN is and has always been about symmetry. Remember? Chuck said it! We have to see shades of Season 1 when the guys are questioning their motivations for continuing in “the life”. And, as you said, it’s maturity; doing it for their own reasons, not just for John, or because it’s the family business, but doing it because they love it or need it, or need to be backing eachother up, because, like it or not, they are all they have. Dean doesn’t want to hunt without Sam and Sam doesn’t want to lose Sam. So, perfect co-dependent set-up for our show. And we like them that way!
Of course, I meant Sam doesn’t want to lose Dean. Sorry
when sam was in the cage and come back dean told him that he wants to be with lisa and ben to protect them or whatever and told him that he is out and staying out and didn’t go hunt with him so why dean can’t accept that sam want anormal life now, dean maybe go hunt with his new blood brother benny
I don’t think it’s that Dean can’t accept it, I think it’s that he doesn’t want to accept it. He wants Sam beside him. He always has.
Dean didn’t stay out of the hunt though even though he told Sam that’s what he was going to do. The next episode, when Sam called, Dean left Lisa and Ben behind and joined his brother. He learnt the hard way that a normal life isn’t possible for him, just as I think, it’s not possible for Sam.
We’re not going to see Dean choosing to hunt with Benny over Sam because that’s not what this show is about. But I think there sure is going to be some conflict coming our way when Sam finally meets Benny and finds out Dean is buddies with a vampire!
This is perfect, Sweetondean. Exactly what I was thinking as well, especially about how Sam seems to have built up in his head, that his year off was better than it really was, probably because he was so lost, perhaps even contemplated suicide again. I’m glad to see, despite the negativity from others, that there are still so many who are enjoying the ride and want to see where it go.
Hey, I just thought of something. Maybe Dean getting the language app was Dean’s way of trying to reach out and connect to Sam in the communication-challenged Winchester way.
Maybe! Sam certainly looked, surprised and impressed and somewhat amused! And here I was thinking he got the app so he could learn swear words in all different languages 🙂
Oh thank goodness someone else agrees with me! I was getting a little worried reading some other comments and reviews but it seemed that you have read my mind since I concur wholeheartedly with you.
you know? I totally LOVE your reviews.. ! I also love this season so far… I think we’re having exactly what Jeremy said we would… a mature relationship. that’s it. I loved this episode … and I’m so so looking forward to the big and angsty BOOM ! :’) holy cow!
Repetitive??? Well, anyone who thinks this is a repeat, is watching a different show than I am! This is shaping up to be the best season yet! It is like a perfectly played piece of music. Hitting every note-just right.
Loved your article, as always. You put a lot into this one. Totally agree. The brother’s relationship is front and center-where we like it. TNT ran the pilot again. The mix of hunting,brother interaction, and comedy. All flowing together without missing a beat. Which is what we are seeing this season as well. They can “repeat” THAT any time!!
I enjoyed your review. It is a relief to read such a positive one as I am thoroughly enjoying season 8 so far and the new emphasis on the brother’s relationship which has definitely matured. I love how honest they are being with each other on one level whilst both obviously keeping secrets. I’m sure there will be plenty of angst to come as the story slowly unfolds for the audience. I’m looking forward to more Purgatory flashbacks and also to seeing what happened to Sam during Dean’s absence. Sam’s panic at momentarily losing sight of Amelia and Riot was so sad – I’m wondering whether he did consider suicide after his brother’s disappearance before trying to give “normal” life one final try.
sweetondean: I would like to say a very heartfelt [b]THANK YOU for your positivity and support [/b] for Supernatural. I really can’t convey how terribly disheartening it is to truly enjoy watching an episode like “Heartache” and be on such a high then read such negative dislike from SO many fans the very next day.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion, this “nothing good has happened on this show since Season 5” and “watching a five second preview and deciding exactly what had better happen or I am going to be pissed” attittude is really hurting the rest of us SPN fans who are really in to watching and enjoying this show.
Your reviews are like a breath of fresh air. Thank you and please keep writing in support of the rest of us who love this show and will keep watching no matter what.
I just wanted to let you know that we’re in the same boat, suzee51. I too was a bit disheartened [and confused!!] for awhile until I read this review and its comments, the majority of which appear to be positive, upbeat, and constructive. I’m glad that there is something for everyone of any opinion/position to be found on this site.
Sweetondean: YOU’RE AWESOME !
I agree totally and loved everything you said!! Think there has been too much negative thoughts this season and I see it like you do. I am so excited for this season and how it’s going and how we are going to get there! Great review once again!
Oh my, sweetondean! I thoroughly loved this article and I agree with you on ALL points, esp. these:
“The way Sam is dealing with Dean, I’m wondering if it’s fear. That his disconnection is reflective of the trauma he went through after being left alone in that lab. I’m wondering if Sam is too scared to go down this road again with Dean. That losing his brother was so traumatic, that the very real fear that Dean could “die†again, is making him keep Dean at arms length. He’s obviously happy his brother is alive, he obviously loves Dean enough and is loyal enough to see this last case through, but he seems disconnected and I’m reading that as an side affect of the trauma of losing his brother and not wanting to get hurt to that level ever again. He’s watched his brother die over and over. Enough. His panicked reaction to hitting the dog, his panicked reaction to trying to find Amelia in his flashback scene. He’s scared. He’s scared of losing the people he loves and he’s scared of ending up alone. Kinda like Dean really…”
You plucked on all my heartstrings and left them twanging out this tender, bitter, soft melody. I love you.
Jeez! I really love these brothers’ love story.
Great article like always.
i like you analysis of Sam and Dean’s characters , it always makes me think more of them!
i liked the episode , i didn’t see it as a filler, because i think the case was sort of a mirror to sam and dean’s situation now. like you mentioned perfectly!
I think we all should remember that Sam and Dean are different persons. they can have their different views on life, Sam never wanted the hunting life but he went with his family because that’s where he belongs and he knows that.
Dean was a hunter , and he’s much more a happier hunter when he hunts with Sam.
but accept the fact that these two are different! they just are and that’s why it makes them interesting to watch!
and for those who say SHOW doesn’t want Sam to be happy?! how that can be?!!! they made the freaking Sam and Dean Winchester!!! how they cannot!
Is there a possibility that the romantic thing with Amelia is just all in Sam’s head as part of his PTSD? (Good Lord, I hope not, although that will be interestingly painful.)
Could AMelia be supernatural, too?
This is such a lovely review. Thank you. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this episode as I’d read the reviews beforehand concerning the lack of Sam flashbacks and, also, I’m not a fan of the writers of this episode but I actually enjoyed it very much indeed. I also didn’t see it as filler but as a mirror to Sam and Dean’s situations right now.
My heart is absolutely breaking for poor Sam. To me he’s so very sad and so desperately unhappy. The look on his face when he read the letter where Brick said he was so tired of it all made my heart go all wibbly. He wants out. Like all of us he wants a life in which he can be happy. As you said, he’s back to being that boy who wanted normal. he kid who wanted ‘safe’. He knows what the life costs and he doesn’t want to face all that pain and heartbreak again. I agree with you, I think he’s too scared to go down that road again.
[quote]Sam’s panic at momentarily losing sight of Amelia and Riot was so sad – I’m wondering whether he did consider suicide after his brother’s disappearance before trying to give “normal” life one final try.[/quote]
I’m wondering this too. When Sam talked to Dean about whether Brick had hoped that he’d burn to nothing when he crashed his car it made me wonder if Sam possibly had tried to do the same thing, if he had wanted to “burn to nothing” in the immediate aftermath of Dean’s disappearance. And that was when he somehow hit the dog. I am so looking forward to seeing more of Sam’s storyline unravel. There is much mystery there.
I’m loving this Dean we have this year and his Purgatory storyline. I am so glad Depressed!Dean is gone. I’m enjoying Dean for the first time in quite a few seasons. Poor Dean is in denial right now. He’s so happy, he’s where he wants to be, doing what he wants to do and he can’t bear to consider the alternative of Sam not being alongside him in that car. Good grief…these boys really do rip your heart to shreds.
Great episode.
Ok! I’ve finally watched the ep again, and I liked it much better the second time around. It probably didn’t hurt that I watched it and actually paid attention to it rather than sitting around waiting for Sam’s backstory to happen. I am still sad about the lack of back story, but the episode itself was better than I gave it credit for being the first time around. It wasn’t perfect, but for this particular writing duo, I will count it as a win as they are among the weakest IMO.
The good
1). the MOW and the investigation. We haven’t seen S&D do this kind of legwork in a long time. They really had to puzzle out the facts and put everything together themselves, and they took a good chunk of the episode to do it in too.
2) Eleanor/Betsy; I really liked the actress and I found her very sympathetic and believable. Its very hard to be responsible for so much exposition and she handled it really well.
3) The closet scene: The writers spent a lot of time with this quiet little scene; it was detailed and nuanced as the bro’s went through the MOW past life. Liked it a lot!
4) The brothers together. Working together, talking to each other, almost all the way through an entire episode! I mean, when’s the last time we saw THAT!?!
5) Jensen’s directing; he’s got a great eye for visual effects and framing. Loved the scene in the restaurant with them sitting at a bar type table in a window, with Dean close in the frame and Sam just beyond and a tad blurred. Gorgeous framing and use of natural light there.
6) Connection to the overall brother story. I was more aware this time around of the connection being made between Betsy and what Sam and Dean are currently going through. Her experiences were relevant to both of them. However, having said that; a little LESS subtlety would be nice especially when it comes to Sam. Dean’s Purgatory sl is both overt and mysterious. We know that he had a life changing event, its been clearly stated and is obvious, and yet, there is also mystery in his connections to Benny and Cas. The set up is intriguing and makes me excited to learn more. Sam’s story is currently so shrouded in mystery it isn’t even clear if there is a story there at all. Some say yes (I believe it anyway) and some say no and there has been much speculation and argument over this point. And while the amount of speculation going on could be seen as a positive, this type of vagueness isn’t necessarily a good thing story wise, as it frustrates rather than engages the viewer.
The not so good
1) As Alice said in her review; the phone call interrupting the boys at a pivotal moment in their conversation. Yuck, what a cop-out that has been happening a lot lately.
2) Randa. I have no problem with the actress, she was fine, but.. why red eyes? why the war paint scene? none of this was necessary IMO as it was never explained further, was irrelevant to the boys stopping her, and it took time from other things that were more interesting.
3)Plotting; I found it a little muddled and hard to follow. On second viewing it made more sense, but I had to work at following the through line, and had to backtrack frequently in my head to make sense of it. An interesting plot not handled very well.
4) Monologuing monsters. A poster on another thread commented on this. Why do we have to have this tired cliche? Who cares? Its not hard to figure out why the organ donor recipients wanted to keep their organs, so why tell us?
5) Editing/Pacing/Fightscenes etc.. In the fight scenes lately, one character will disappear (in this case Sam) to facilitate the monster monologue (see complaint #4) only to show up suddenly in the last second to rescue the brother in trouble (in this case Dean). Not only is this a process that I am growing tired of, like the ill timed phone calls, but this one was particularly badly done. Sam is attacked and falls out of frame and then what??? he’s unconscious, dead, rolling on the floor in pain, at a day spa? He’s just not there. Then the monster gets to monologue for like 2-3 minutes while Sam……? does his nails, fixes his hair? Where was he? Not even a set up shot to show why it took him soooooooo long to finally get around to helping Dean.
So, there is my incredibly long winded and overly detailed reaction to this ep! Not as bad as I first thought, not as good as I’d have liked, but I’ll take it. It hasn’t shaken my belief that this season has direction and purpose.
“Then the monster gets to monologue for like 2-3 minutes while Sam……? does his nails, fixes his hair? Where was he? “
Definitely fixing his hair. I’ve been very up and down in my hopes and fears this season, but Sam’s hair is clearly getting a lot of loving attention!
I agree! a luscious, lustful, wild thing is Sam’s hair. I itch to run my hands through it.
E – I agree (and have stated) that the episode improves on second (and third!) viewing.
Unfortunately, I can’t imagine that many viewers will watch it repeatedly, and the damage done by initial reactions hurts the show. And any episode that takes multiple views to ‘get it’ just isn’t a great episode.
Ultimately, even tho’ I appreciate Jensens work, and like the episode now – my scoring of this one as a fail, and not helpful to the series, stands.
[quote]E – I agree (and have stated) that the episode improves on second (and third!) viewing.
Unfortunately, I can’t imagine that many viewers will watch it repeatedly, and the damage done by initial reactions hurts the show. And any episode that takes multiple views to ‘get it’ just isn’t a great episode.
Ultimately, even tho’ I appreciate Jensens work, and like the episode now – my scoring of this one as a fail, and not helpful to the series, stands.[/quote]
This is so true! My first reaction was quite negative. I thought it was a very boring episode. I have read several comments from people who liked it better the 2nd time, but I don’t think one should have to watch an episode multiple times to like it. It should be enjoyable upon the first viewing.
Yeah, except that most Supernatural fans are nuts and watching an ep multiple times = normal.
[quote]It probably didn’t hurt that I watched it and actually paid attention to it rather than sitting around waiting for Sam’s backstory to happen. I am still sad about the lack of back story,[/quote]I agree
sweetondean: it’s reviews like this that make me LOVE the SPN fandom. Your giddiness and enthusiasm makes me even more giddy and enthusiastic, so THANK YOU.
Really great analysis of D&S’s current headspaces. I’m with you 100% on everything you said about Dean, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around Sam at the moment. I agree with you that part of Sam is just tired of the sacrifices and is distancing himself from Dean because he’s afraid of losing him again, but I also think that… somewhere over the course of that year he eventually did learn to live for himself, to live independently without Dean. And I think his ‘normal life’ with Amelia is only part of that.
His panic over hitting the dog and over Amelia disappearing — we saw how messed up Sam was initially, and I’m assuming these events both happened in the relatively early days (/weeks/months) after Dean’s disappearance. But in this ep, we saw Sam save Dean in the last second (and didn’t seem overtly panicked) and Sam trying to convince Dean that he’s better off hunting alone.
I think, rather than Sam being simply afraid of losing Dean, it’s more like he’s afraid of being constantly afraid of losing Dean. If that makes sense. That he’s terrified of falling back into that co-dependency, that constant worry of losing Dean, of hurting people, of not being able to save everyone.
So, rather than try to convince Dean that they BOTH should get out of hunting when the current job’s done (granted, he probably knows that that’s a losing battle), which is safter, he instead tries to convince him that they’re better off going their separate ways again. I think it might be less about Sam’s desire for a normal life than it is about Sam being scared to lose that sense of independence (and detachment?)
One other quick thing:
[quote]Sam walked out on his normal life in the middle of the night with a car full of weapons and headed to a cabin where he thought no-one would be….. Why?[/quote]
Pretty sure we missed an off-air phone call or something from Dean. Sam was way too unsurprised going into that cabin for him showing up there to just be a coincidence.
The way I imagine it, Sam got the call or message earlier in the day, then cue argument with Amelia where Sam was like, “Look, I’ve gotta disappear for a few days, yada yada brother, thought he was dead, blah blah blah.” And then he takes off at night, she’s awake and knows where he’s going, but doesn’t know when (if?) he’ll be back. The argument was probably rough, which possibly explains why we haven’t seen them contact each other yet.
(man, how I would LOVE to see Sam’s initial reaction to that message though. still hoping for that in flashbacks.)
Although I am still curious about Sam’s “there was a girl. then there wasn’t.” Was he being literal? Did he break up with Amelia that night? (and if so, why’s he so adamant about leaving Dean when they find Kevin?) Or was he just trying to brush Dean off because he didn’t want to talk about it?
Yes, I agree with you, Sam’s afraid to go back…because going back means going back to constantly being in a state of fear that the life causes. That’s a fear of going through the loss of his brother again, but also the fear of going through the fear of losing his brother again. But they’re not better off with out each other in the long run, at least they haven’t been in the past. Though maybe this time around Sam’s year was all sunshine and lollypops…somehow I doubt that though.
On the cabin thing, Jim Michaels has said that Sam never got a call from Dean. That Sam used to go to Rufus’ cabin on and off throughout his year, just take off and go there. He wasn’t expecting Dean to be there, he didn’t think Dean was alive. I agree with you, I don’t think it played that way. When I heard Jim talking about this, it kind of bummed me out because I didn’t think that was captured in the scene at all. Sam was simply not surprised enough. He should have been shocked out of his gourd! I’d been working up in my mind, this whole scenario of the phone call and Sam telling Amelia and Sam driving for a day knowing he was heading to his brother….wondering if it was really his brother or something else, but, nup, apparently it was just happenstance!
The dialog in episode one supports the idea that Sam didn’t know Dean was there. I rewatched after the Jim Michaels interview. Dean say to Sam, so you finally got my message, I swear half of your phones have been disconnected. Sam replies, I didn’t get your message. The line of dialog is quiet and never referred to again, but unless Sam is lying he never got the message. That doesn’t mean he didn’t know Dean was there. Since we have no idea of what went on with Sam, what he does and doesn’t know it is possible that Sam knew Dean was back by something other than a message. Maybe Sam is responsible for getting the message to Benny that Dean used to escape. Maybe Sam is having visions again. Maybe whoever is following Sam notified Sam that Dean was out. Sam said he was following the papers, maybe it was a slow news day in the area where Dean popped up and the campers told the story of their weird experience and Sam put two and two together. It’s one of the Sam mysteries left to explore.
[quote] It’s one of the Sam mysteries left to explore.[/quote]
Another of those mysteries is how Sam “knew” it was really Dean, and didn’t need all the tests that Dean put Sam through – holy water, borax and cutting….
Suspicious?
[quote]The dialog in episode one supports the idea that Sam didn’t know Dean was there. I rewatched after the Jim Michaels interview.[/quote]
Yes I went back and listened more closely too. The line from Sam is practically thrown away, but that makes sense if Sam was suddenly feeling a bit awkward for not checking his messages when he discovers Dean was trying to contact him (let alone when he finds out about Kevin).
When I think about this, I come back to the shadowy figure outside Sam’s house. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Sam was in contact with someone who gave him the heads up on Dean and obviously, if it’s someone he’d rather keep under wraps, he’s not going to share that information with Dean.
I also like your idea about the camping couple. I mean, surely they’d tell the police and give a description of the mysterious man wielding a weird weapon and gun and asking where he was? Description – 6ft, gruff voice, covered in blood, really, really ridiculously good looking…. 😉 Sorry! (I’m so not sorry)
The whole Sam not answering his phone, turning away from hunting and not looking for Dean thing is going to go kablamo eventually….as you say it’s more of the Sam mystery to explore. He’s keeping his year very close to the chest.
[quote]When I think about this, I come back to the shadowy figure outside Sam’s house. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Sam was in contact with someone who gave him the heads up on Dean and obviously, if it’s someone he’d rather keep under wraps, he’s not going to share that information with Dean.[/quote]
I think I’ll go with this theory. Sam definitely knows that Dean is real. He maybe knew it already that Dean will be out but did not know when. I think Benny had an outside help. This big Evil Character need for the Winchester brothers to be reunited again because He/She want something out of them. So He/She devise a plan to get Dean out and send a word to Sam. Is it in the ingredients of the tablet? Maybe a flesh or a drop of blood from Sam and Dean is needed?
It’s the most possible explanation I think.
[quote]
When I think about this, I come back to the shadowy figure outside Sam’s house. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Sam was in contact with someone who gave him the heads up on Dean and obviously, if it’s someone he’d rather keep under wraps, he’s not going to share that information with Dean.[/quote]
I really like this idea, thanks for throwing it out there. At least it provides some explanation for the lack of surprise at the reunion other than really unclear acting/directing. And it does put a lot more mystery on Sam’s side of the story. I guess it depends how much we want to take JM at his literal word that Sam didn’t know Dean was going to be at the cabin and didn’t know he was even alive. Hopefully that was, at least in part, a red herring.
[quote]The whole Sam not answering his phone, turning away from hunting and not looking for Dean thing is going to go kablamo eventually….[/quote]
I hope so! I love it when things go kablamo! makes for good drama. 🙂
Yes me too! Even though it hurts… 😥
[quote]On the cabin thing, Jim Michaels has said that Sam never got a call from Dean.[/quote]
Oh my god… seriously? I don’t even.. that just.. makes. no. sense. *tears hair*
I mean, thank you for pointing that out, but I almost wish I didn’t know it, because yeah. Totally bums me out, too. I mean, Sam wasn’t the least bit surprised! (Not just not surprised, but completely under-whelmed). And now I have to wonder WHY he wasn’t surprised. Not that I think there was anything weird going on, but yeah, the acting was just not at all indicative that this was the FIRST he was finding out that his brother was alive after believing him dead for a freaking year. I really thought he’d had time to calm himself down before the in-person meeting…
You have to wonder how J2 interpreted that scene, too… do you know? Did THEY know that there was never a phone call?
I guess it really does put a new light on the whole Sam/Amelia relationship, too, especially if he was regularly disappearing. I guess it was a regular strain on the relationship.
But, again, WHY the need to disappear/be on his own? It obviously had nothing to do with hunting. Maybe Sam really is/was a lot more depressed than he’s letting on. Sigh. I’ll have to think on this. Guess it’s too much to hope that we’ll get explicit answers in fb form… :/
Hi Kaylee, the missing phone call issue has come up several times in the various threads. According to Jim Michaels in an interview there was no phone call. Sam left Amelia (currently without explanation) and went to the cabin with no expectation of finding Dean there, or so he said in the interview. This makes the reunion scene even more bizarre to me if this is the case. Still and all though, I think the PTB are hiding something…
E, yeah, thanks for pointing that out, too. I read through the comments threads sporadically, which apparently means that I occasionally miss really important info! D:
I’m with you though — I really hope the PTB are hiding something.. slowly unraveling mysteries are a good thing. 🙂
Yeah, sorry to be redundant. Seems like a lot of us jumped in to answer you are roughly the same time. None of these other comments were here when I posted mine and this one got bumped down pretty far. 🙁
It’s like you’re reading my mind! Seriously! I love your analogy of this season to a great book that you want to keep page-turning, because it’s so right. I am adoring this season, the pacing, the character development, everything. Excellent review!!!
[quote]I loved the dynamic between the brothers. I’m really digging that so far this season. Even though they’re at odds, I’m enjoying watching them work through it. I can’t remember the last time they spoke so honestly to each other. It’s been a couple of seasons! I heard this episode called a filler, but I felt it was far from that. “Heartache†focused on the other arc of the season, not the mythology arc about the Word of God and the gates of Hell, but the arc running concurrent to that one, the one that’s been the centre of this show from the very beginning, the one we all care about, sometimes a little too much. For me, “Heartache†was all about Sam and Dean’s arc, the monster story and the title, being a metaphor for where the brothers are, both as individuals and as partners.[/quote]
All I have to say is, God love ya. Seriously. Thank you.
I’m so glad I’m not the only fan who seems to “get it”, otherwise I’d think I was nuts! 😛 But, looking at these comments, there are plenty of other positive, if not satisfied viewers as well. I guess I’m not nuts, then, lol!
[quote]In my opinion, the brothers coming full circle to closer to where they were when we first met them is self awareness, not repetitive story telling or lack of character growth. It’s maturity. It’s only as we grow and mature that we begin to accept ourselves and who we are, even if it’s at odds with who we think we should be or others expect us to be. Sometimes we find that who we are now is closer to who we were when we were younger, but fought against out of expectations from family or society, or out of a belief that we’re supposed to live a certain way. As you get older, those things seem to clear to a better understanding and acceptance of yourself and what makes you happy. I think this is what happened to Sam and Dean. When faced with this time apart to assess their lives as individuals and with no expectations weighing them down, they came back to whom they’ve always really been. A warrior who loves the hunt. A boy who just wants to be normal. [/quote]
Sorry to comment twice, but this just really struck me. You worded this so perfectly, and I agree that this what we’re seeing in S8 – I’m like, “what is this strange thing called character growth?” We’re just seeing the beginning bits now – the seeds scattered here and there. It’s a tease. There’s a TON of potential and I’m confident and hopeful that those little seeds will explode into full bloom. My biggest issue with S7 was that we didn’t get much character growth – Sam and Dean just kind of plodded along, with a few contrived conflicts here and there and no real dynamic. If S7 was a barren desert, S8 is shaping up to be a lush rainforest! (Oh, the dramatic metaphors!) We already have several mysteries, questions needing answered, genuine conflicts, honest dialogue, a worthy mission, etc. And it seems like JC is bringing us full-circle, or intending to take us there. Not only is that self-awareness, character growth, and maturity, but it’s also great storytelling.
This is just great, so many in depth opinions here. Have to rewatch the first 3 eps again. BTW, anyone wondering about the alpha Vam? He said he will be back this season, wonder what his influence in Benny.
Hi sweetondean,
I always love how you try look at things on the positive side. makes me things differently. 😀
[quote]And visa versa because Sam without Dean has not been a pretty picture in the past. There’s a reason these two were soul mates in Heaven.
I have a feeling Sam without Dean in his “happy†gap year, was not entirely what he’s making it out to be. If you’re truly happy, you don’t slip away to some old cabin spasmodically, to do whatever amongst the ghosts of those you love and you sure don’t slide out in the middle of the night on a girl that you see in golden, glowing tones in your memory. [/quote]
Now, this I believe. Sam has not been okay separated from Dean in the past. So, i think this time too his year off is not that all that rainbow and glowing happiness as the one flashback suggested.
One thing that I notice is whenever Sam got alone on his own he never takes any precaution to protect himself. When he was in Standford he never laid out salt line so Demon like Brady and Azazel got in.
I think Sam did not do that too when he stayed with Amelia. Considering that Amelia Maybe did not know about his job. Perhaps Sam thought demons, creepy crawlies and ghosts will not come to him if he doesn’t actively hunt them. Oh Sam, you’re so naive.
Yes! Finally a review after my heart! I feel the exact same thing about this episode – loved it! Loved the season 1 feeling, the interaction between the brothers and how honest they’re being with each other this season (at least with their feelings!).
I do believe we’ll find out at some point how Sam reacted after Dean’s disappearence and I’m pretty sure it was far from easy for him to lose the only one left of his family – the one person he’d never wanted to lose above everyone else. I agree – Sam is scared. Scared of opening up too much to Dean and their old lives because he simply can’t stand the thought of losing Dean again. And maybe after having had a taste of “a normal life” he’s realized that there is a place in life where he doesn’t have to fear losing the ones he love on an every day basis (you’re in denial Sammy – there’s no such thing). Am I the only one feeling like – that even though Sam has matured so much – Sam still seems so young this season? Like he has this vulnerability and naivety that I haven’t seen in him for several seasons (maybe except from parts of last season)..? Anyways, it might just be the whole “I want a normal life” part that’s making me feel that way because it’s so like season 1 Sam.
I’m absoutely loving season 8 Dean! He reminds me of the Dean he used to be back in the early days where he didn’t carry the world on his shoulders every day. He seems content and satisfied with what he does and he doesn’t need to drown his sorrows in booze. The only thing missing though is getting his little brother to feel that way about their lives as well. Dean needs Sam by his side and I hope Sam will eventually come to the realization that he needs to be by Dean’s side as well, doing what they do best – voluntarily, thank you!
I really loved your review! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with all of us 🙂
Really enjoyed your review. I also really like the way we are getting a slow reveal of both Sam & Dean’s year apart… can’t wait to see where Jeremy Carver is taking us!
Regarding your comment about how Sam didn’t get hunted in his ‘gap’ year, I’m really wondering who that shadowy figure was outside his house when he left Amelia. Maybe it wasn’t such a normal year?
Great review as always. I love the positivity you bring. I’ve had occasion to rewatch the episode and it grew on me a little more. I love that Dean is back to being the Dean we all know and love, and I can sympathize with Sam wanting out of the life. He’s seen his brother die so many times now, I don’t know if is sanity could take any more. But there is much more that meets the surface I’m sure. This show is like a really good book, and I for one can’t wait for the next chapter.