I will give one nitpick, Mr. Edlund, and I’m so sorry to do this, but the Impala, really? You couldn’t have her anywhere? Even when the guys went to the character actor’s house to debunk the latest haunting? Nothing? Perhaps I need to take my nitpick out on Phil Sgriccia who directed this one…maybe he cut the shot. I’m sure you wouldn’t mess twice with the Impala, that’s Julie Siege’s job.
Bad Day At Black Rock:
We know Ben can bring the funny, who knew Jared could? Sure there’s all the wonderful Sam b**** faces but here he shines in comedy gold…right up to the point where Bela shoots him. I really like how Ben ‘broke’ this character here. She’s smart, funny, sexy without being all about sex, she’s ruthless and clearly a woman with her own agenda. Bela gets over on the boys, but the boys get over on her as well; here it is a good mix and I’ll repeat what I’ve said before, had we never seen her again, she likely would be one we’d love to ‘boo hiss’ at – she did after all shoot Sam, but we’d also think she was deliciously wicked. Too bad the writers got a little ‘too’ into the idea of having her foil the bros again and again…made her irredeemable.
Ben likes to give us quirky characters, Kubrick is a great example, but he clearly knows the darker ones, Gordon. Gordon has little to do here but what he is given seeds the future, the man is way, way, way off his rocker, a few bricks short of a load, missing a sandwich, elevator does not go to the top floor – yeah, you get the idea.
This is one of those episodes that is perfect to sit down with anytime and just laugh, if you really want to skip sit ups for a couple of days pair it with Hollywood Babylon, bring on the funny.
Malleus Maleficarum:
This is a much maligned episode out and about fandomland and while I’ll admit it’s not anywhere near my favorite of episodes it is one that has an important part to play, especially in the characters of Sam and Dean. Edlund gets quite a few opportunities to explore or expose what’s hidden inside of Sam and Dean. I grant you these little gems are rarely hidden to us and frankly not very hidden from the brothers but it is very satisfying to have things come to light, be it for us or for the brothers – I think I lost myself with that circuitous writing, let me try again.
In Simon Said Dean finally admits, out loud, to Sam that he’s scared of Sam’s psychic ‘crap’. We’ve known it with little sidelong glances or profile shots, Sam has long suspected it, especially as it feeds his own growing fears, but here Dean admits it. Dean would have kept up his transparent poker face regarding fears over Sam but Andy’s mental powers bring it to the surface. I find it interesting that it is frequently the intervention of someone outside of the brothers that breaks through their stoicism and gets to the truth. Simon Said it was Andy, Malleus Maleficarum it was Ruby.
Ruby gets to expose more of Dean’s fears here, you’ll become a demon eventually in hell, and that final scene of the two of them and the Impala (thank you Robert Singer!) is worth watching again and again.
Once again Sam’s character similarly has reveals and or deepening development of his theme in an Edlund episode. As we suspect in Simon Said Sam is further convinced he’s to become bad, a murderer, something evil; he even uses a phrase I frequently think of when I think of Sam’s storyline…pushing, push or pushed. He wonders aloud if the demon is pushing ‘them’…well, Sam, you’re right. Sam’s character journey is perhaps more subtle in Nightshifter but going back and watching it in the context of the season as a whole up to that point, and what we know now, it’s easy to see how much colder he is here. Then again he’s had his meltdown of Playthings just before so no wonder he couldn’t give Ronald any sympathy.
Here Sam admits what Ruby has been ‘pushing’ him gently towards, he has to become more like Dean – apparently he sees Dean as a ruthless killer without thought to the consequences. A bit of twisted thinking there, Sam, as Dean has always shown remorse and second guessing and concern about what his actions are doing to him. But we also saw that in Croatoan where Sam was unconvinced that Dean wouldn’t waste a guy for no reason. Sam really does have a distorted view on things, I think that has more to do with no mom in his life and a whacked childhood than any demon blood dripped in his mouth as a babe.
Ghostfacers:
I love this episode. I know, I’ve said that before, but it is true; I love it. Sure I wish Season 3 had the full complement of episodes, sure I wish there had been more time spent on Sam’s arc rather than shelving it, sure I wish that there had been more development of the angst and agony of the brothers that the first half of the season began, notably whether Sam was all right or not and what was up with his powers. Hey, life happens, so do strikes.
Sera Gamble indicated in an interview that prior to the strike this episode had already been written to the point where the studio had given it the go ahead, then the strike, and once that was over CW only ordered four more episodes for the season. Gee, cram out four episodes from scratch or go with this one that was already in progress and create three episodes from scratch. I can understand why they did what they did.
This is pure Ben Edlund all the way, irreverent, off kilter, goof ball and pure fun. Admittedly I don’t watch any ‘reality tv’ so much of it goes over my head on the meta aspects…then again, reality tv is pretty lame so I get most of it…don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand the reality tv genre. The ghostfacers are a lot of fun and now that they’ve had their big moment in the spotlight it is very easy to utilize them in such comedic bits as in It’s A Terrible Life. This is a fun episode that sits well now that the whole of Season 3 is seen together. It would sit really awesome if there were 22 episodes to that season but there are not 22 episodes, so I’ve learned to just go with the real reality and sit back and enjoy.
That was great Elle2!
I just can’t agree with you more about these wonderful episodes and Mr. Edlund’s writing.
He has to be a great writer to have done both Hollywood Babylon and On the Head of a Pin. What a contrast in atmosphere!
Yes, I enjoy every one of Mr. Edlund’s episodes again and again and again.
I find I agree with you a lot Elle2. Great minds LOL?
Hi, Bevie,
I agree that it does take a lot of talent to be able to write the spectrum that is Nightshifter, Wishful Thinking and On The Head of a Pin. We are so fortunate to have so many — or actually so few which helps keep it from getting messy — wonderful writers on our show. I know other shows that have over a dozen writers and I often wonder why as I find so little continuity. Sometimes smaller is better. I digress…happens a lot.
I find quite a few people that agree with me or as I like to think of it — I agree with them. I would say there are many great minds that populate this site.
🙂
Many great minds indeed 🙂
I absolutely agree Elle2, I think Ben Edlund is effin brilliant. Although, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Dean is Batman, because I believe that he’s even more awesome than Batman
OTHOAP almost killed me dead, it’s so intense. And when Dean was in the hospital, it was really nice because we got back a tiny glimpse of the old Puppy!Sam. Especially when he demanded that Castiel heal Dean, “Miracle, now!”..omg.
Simon Said was also great. Funny and scary all in one. “You find out you got a brother you buy him a beer, you don’t start killing people!” Hah!
And how Ron absolutely hated Sam, too cute!
Ok basically, there’s too much awesome to summarize 🙂
Hi, Narcissus,
I agree about there being too much awesome to summarize. Since OTHOAP was on just the other night it really came home again just how awesome the episode is…and how awesome Season 4 was. Can you imagine we’re under four weeks now until the premier! Wow!
Glad you enjoyed that little look at Mr. Edlund’s eps. May there be many more
It’s quite a revelation seeing all his episodes listed like this … So many of my all time favorites are on there.
Let’s hope he’s got his pencils all nice and sharp for September!
Hi, Suze,
I agree with you, when I compiled them I was a bit shocked as I looked and realized, wow, he’s done some pretty powerful eps. I’m eagerly awaiting his genius (and sometime insanity) for Season 5.
🙂