Mallena’s Musings: Supernatural 13.20 “Unfinished Business”

For those of you that really want to know more of the Trickster/Gabriel/Loki backstory in Supernatural; this episode is a good one. For me, though, I never wondered about Gabriel’s story of going from an angel to a being who is such a jokester. Now, I’m still not very interested in that story.

 

The Road So Far

Um, I must have taken a detour into an alternate dimension. I have a totally different reaction from most others to where this road has taken us.

Review

Maybe the way I’m viewing this episode is affecting my judgement of it. Here in the Mountain Time Zone, our local affiliate is mixed-up. Instead of a Then and Now, the first thing that pops up on my television screen is a scene in a motel room. Sam, Dean, and Gabriel are all there talking to each other. Huh? After a minute, or so, the motel room disappears and the episode starts with the opening scene – no recap sequence at all. That throws me off a bit, but I continue to watch to see how our trio of characters wind up in that motel room.

Something is still wrong with the show I’m watching, but I think it’s more my problem than the show’s. Remember in the movie Big, how Tom Hanks’ Josh reacted to the robot/building toy that the other guy was so proud of? He raised his hand and said:

I don’t get it.

It turns from a building to a robot, right? Well, what’s fun about that?

That’s how I feel about this episode.  We find out what happened when Gabriel ran away from heaven and encountoured Loki.  I just do not see anything interesting or amusing about it. I read Nightsky’s glowing review and wonder what exotic substance she’s slipping into her morning coffee (and can I have some?) to let her see this story in such a positive light. I just don’t get it. The emotions and motivations of Sam and Dean seem so wrong to me, here. Sam’s worried that Dean’s still keeping him sitting at the kiddy table? Right, as if Sam’s legs could even fit under the kid’s table. By the way, I love the kid’s table; adults are so, so boring. Anyhoo, I’m not liking Gabriel’s anger about his torture when it’s not acknowledged that Sam and Dean have been through much, much worse. I’m finding myself not caring about Loki, or his story. Mary’s still an enigma to me and not a nice one. That’s not our Kevin, but it’s still nice to see Osric Chau. The AU still feels like it’s filming in a warehouse with prop actors; just standing around and waiting for some action or an actual interesting location. So many shows like FX’s Legion, SYFY’s The Expanse, or TNT’s The Alienist – they have spectatular sets and visuals.  Doesn’t The CW care enough about Supernatural to give them more production money?  They should!

The Alienist

The episode I’m watching seems full of glitches – not only the affiliate’s mix-up, but the actual show. After Sam’s been choked for the ninety-two thousandth time, (doesn’t choking leave major bruises and sometimes broken neck bones, brain damage, etc.?) Dean looks over at Gabriel and Sam and asks, “Are you okay?” Problem is, I’m thinking that Dean’s looking at Sam, but it’s Gabriel who says that he’s fine. Dean cares more about Gabriel’s well-being?  I don’t get it.

Musings on the Trickster, Gabriel, Loki, Whoever

The first time that that Gabriel (to simplify his name) appeared on our show was back in 2007’s season two episode, “Tall Tales.” Back then, Sam and Dean really were “the boys.” They were both still in their early/mid-twenties. Such cuties, amirite?

The episode’s a laugh-a-minute riot as our boys are bedeviled by Richard’s Speight, Jr.’s prankster character. I love the way that the story’s told from both of the brother’s point of view. Dean sees himself as a charming fellow (which he is) with a gorgeous girl at his side, while Sam stands there and says:

Sam: Dean! What do you think you’re doing?

Dean: Sam, please. If you wouldn’t mind, give me five minutes here.

Sam: Dean, this is a very serious investigation. We don’t have any time for any of your blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah! Blah.

Oh Jared, you really made that very funny. I also love the part with the frat boy, where he’s telling Sam and Dean why the alien abduction was particularly awful:

Curtis: They did tests on me. And, uh… they, uh… they probed me.

Dean: They probed you?

Curtis: Yeah, they probed me. Again and …again and …again. And again, and again and again… and then one more time.

Dean: Yikes.

Curtis: And that’s not even the worst of it.

Dean: How could it get any worse? Some alien made you his bitch.

Curtis: They… they made me… slow dance!

I laugh so long and hard at that last line that I have to pause the television to wipe the tears from my eyes before I can continue on with the show. I love all the bickering, wrestling (is it warm in here, or am I having a hot flash?), Bobby’s exasperation, and Sam and Dean making-up, at the end. 

Another great scene is Dean fighting Gabriel’s lady friends. They really kick ass.  Plus a chainsaw-carrying boogeyman that goes after Sammy!

So, maybe I’ll rewatch “Unfinished Business” someday and see the goodness of it, like Nightsky and many others. Anything’s possible, right? Does anyone get the same feeling from this episode that I do? I just don’t get it, sorry.

—-Mallena

 

Extra Images courtesy of:

i-mockery.com

TNT.com