Wednesday’s Watching Supernatural 11.17 “Red Meat”

WEDNESDAY’S WATCHING
Supernatural 11.17 “Red Meat”
Writers: Robert Berens/Andrew Dabb
Director: Nina Lopez-Corrado
Director of Photography C.S.C: Serge Ladouceur
Airdate: March 30, 2016

BY WEDNESDAY

Shots to the heart! A bloody rare slice of entertainment and rehash of “mostly deads” and lies.

WHAT DID I WATCH?

THE SCRIPT
Theme: Lies
Lying so that someone won’t worry:

(Notice the headshaking tell.)

LIES NO ONE BELIEVES:

Billie sees right through Dean’s bravado and weak lie. Secretly, how can she help
being a little amused and impressed by his sacrifice? And, here’s the kicker,
she tells him the TRUTH: Sam’s not dead. She allows Dean an opportunity to live
instead of reaping him. These “Ws” might be getting to her. They’re certainly
not the big, bad, evil she might have initially suspected.

TROPES
The Script included the TV Tropes of “Shot to the Heart,” “I Did What I Had to Do,” and “Only Mostly Dead.”
While some noted a definite impulsive “Romeo” in Dean’s reaction to Sam’s “death”;
others were captivated by the “Brother Helps Brother” scenes.

Gorgeous shots captured their love and support, but one of my favorites is this one:

GREAT LINES

Controversial Minutia For Metas Only

For a quick synopsis of the blood controversy see here:

http://whattheheckideckipadalecki.tumblr.com/post/100899765269/

Suicide Cocktail

For a complete breakdown of Dean’s deadly cocktail (heart stopper/suffocation inducer/vomit
suppressant ) see here:
http://archtroop.tumblr.com/post/142003191087/

CINEMATOGRAPHY

THEN
The “Then” segment was CLEVER on hindsight. “We don’t use the “W” word around here.”
“What, you got some kind of death wish or something?” “I couldn’t live with you dead.”
The death compilation! Sheesh!

Anachronic Order
Brilliant, as well, was the decision to use Anachronic Order starting with
the fight sequence and flashing back to the bunker. The fight choreography
alone is worth a re-watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oOHQlapa9I

CROSS CUTS
OF
Brothers in Sync

(Great Shot BTW)

CROSS CUT Brother In Sync PHONE CALLS

SLOW PAN
for
loooooong Legs

“WHAT’S WITH THE FREEZE-FRAME?”

SLO MO
(Interesting that Sam’s fall is slo-mo but Dean remains in regular time to dispatch the werewolf.)

MOTIFS
Claws

Suspense Door Frames

PERSPECTIVES/ANGLES

UNIQUE P.O.V.
Dean’s P.O.V.

Sam’s P.O.V.

(Note how Sam’s reflected in the shutter.)

FORESHADOWING

LIGHTING
Sam and the Light

Sam’s only “mostly dead” because his “light” is still on.

SET/LOCATION
Barren hospital contrasted with the beautiful creepy forest!

SFX /VFX/MAKE-UP

EYE CANDY BABY!


(Great Shot BTW)

The lowest test to determine gender equity is so easy to pass, but only 6 out of 17
episodes have passed this test for Season 11, or 35%.
Even though this episode fails the Bechdel test I’m still doing a little celly dance for
two reasons. One is that all the women in this episode were “STRONG!” and the
other reason ….


…is that this episode was directed by a woman!
(One of my wishes for Season 11 was to have women direct.)
Please welcome, the clearly, significantly,talented Nina Lopez Corrado.
(The second woman to ever direct a Supernatural episode.)

If you missed these tweets and live streams because you were watching the episode, you
can access them here:

https://storify.com/superwiki/livetweets-from-red-meat

BEST PERFORMANCE

But, the “Dubs” ran the gauntlet with this episode.
Dean shocked and shaky nursed and supported Sam. He had a minor panic attack when confronted
with insurmountable odds. He shed a perfect tear.

He saved the hikers, punched an interfering cop,

and got tasered.

Rousing from a concussion and broken ribs, he committed suicide to bargain with Death, and
he survived the ordeal by vomiting,

to wrestle a werewolf.

Meanwhile, Sam got shot, and carried on limping through the forest.
He was choked unconscious,

and revived himself

to kill two werewolves,

steal a truck, drive to Baby, and proceed to kill another werewolf to save Dean.

(Great Shot BTW)

So much torture!! Can’t decide who had it worse. But, they are both the best!

FROM THE REAR VIEW

4 Disco Balls out 5