Open Supernatural Couch – Home
Or
There is Something in the Closet
One of the perks of a long summer hiatus is the possibility to watch the occasional Supernatural episode without the curiosity and the passionate dread of waiting for new turns in the story. I try not to watch the seasons too often, as I still want to be able to spot something new or to feel as if the story was not completely familiar to me.
Upon watching Home again, after quite a while, I felt again drawn into its tragedy almost like at my first encounter with it, having to use a tad too many tissues for my taste! So, I had the idea of inviting you all to an Open Couch of episodes that have moved and continue to move me! The whole show does that, but some episodes have got under my skin in a way I had not exactly believed possible.
Lawrence, Kansas. The place where all began. It does never really end, does it? Wherever you go, you always take a part of your home with you, it seems, even in bad dreams!
But we don’t know of the specific dreams, yet, that plague Sam’s sleep. The episode begins with a lovely young woman living in the old Winchester house. We meet beautiful, caring Jenny, one of the saintly mother figures of the show that somehow resemble one another, it seem Mary, Jessica and this young lady seem to share a gene pool!
She kindly attends to her daughter’s fears and barricades the doors of the closet where her sweet Sari thinks to have seen ‘something’. It doesn’t help, though. The same moment Jenny finds some family pictures of the Winchesters: John, Mary, Dean and Little Sammy’ the flaming ghost appears in Sari’s closet.
What a strong opening, and we are not really given a breather, as it goes on with a nightmare of this house! a nightmare Sam is having. After waking up he is still so spellbound by it some time later that he can’t stop drawing the tree in front of the house, and neither an emptied, capsized fishing trawler nor West Texan cattle mutilations nor the Sacramento man who shot himself in the head three times blow up his skirt.
Sam knows this tree and goes on searching for the picture to make sure, as he has never lived in that house to remember it, he needs a picture to be certain! on a very shallow note (you will forgive me, won’t you) – this was the first episode I became aware that the once quite lanky young actor portraying Sam, namely Jared Padalecki of course, had been seriously working out, as the muscles playing under the skin of his defined forearm clearly indicated. (personally, I find forearms like that frighteningly sexy, and he seems to like it, too, as he tends to wear his sleeves rolled up just to the point to show enough but not to reveal too much).
One of the reasons I like this site so much is because the articles always give me an impression of being talking to a friend face to face. This article is no exception and I’m so grateful for that.
Jasminka, this article is brilliant! ‘Home’ is one of my favorite episodes of season 1, and you voiced most my opinions about this episode.
this site is the clever side of the fandom and it’s a relieve to read you. Thank you. I love this episode, the scene where Dean an Sam speak, then Dean phone is the first that own me really. It was the beginning of me being a fan for the first in my life.
Jasminka you said everything already. Bravo !
I can only repeat myself. You are able to put in words the things I can’t.
Keep up the good work. Even though I don’t know when you have the time to do that. Did you write this one in your sleep?
Oh Jas,
Thanks so much for chosing `Home` for one of your Open Couch episodes , I too really love this one and, suprise suprise, it never fails to deeply move me. I think it was one of the first times we saw the chinks in the famous Winchester armour, and some of the insecurities and vunerabilities that makes us love these characters so much.
You are totally forgiven for the shallow moment, it happens to the best of us, and at the risk of upsetting some people I also agree with you in that this was another episode where I wanted to slap John Winchester.
Fancy, you reacting in the same way as your boy to situations! Go figure eh? You are the therapist here but does this not also explain a lot of the allure of the show?
Just a really small thing but I am so pleased you noticed and included the step scene with Missouri, this melts me every time I watch. Once again Thanks and looking forward to your next choice, Ju
Yep! Your words say it all. Home was the turning point episode where Supernatural clearly became all about family. Dean’s reaction to learning Sam was psychic and then later when his father would not answer! OMG! That’s when I knew he was the real emo brother, and it was heartbreaking, because like you said, he was a kind chivalrous young man.
And Mary’s scene! Another OMG! The mysterious “I’m sorry”. How could they have known way back then? So crafty.
Yeah, another open couch moment!
Like you I don’t watch the episodes over and over and over again but try to let them settle and breathe. Then, when the moment strikes and I watch one I haven’t seen in so long a time there it is, all fresh and amazing and yet deep and familiar. You make me want to cue up Home and sit down for a good viewing…and I will soon.
This is a lovely recap/insight into this episode and it is one of a series of episodes that reveals the ‘bigger something’ moving behind the scenes. I’m wondering if you’re planning a number of these throughout this summer? I hope so.
It is so nice to settle on the couch and ‘watch’ Home through your eyes.
Thank you, Jas
I was really enjoying this article Jas, but for some reason I can’t access Page 5. It’s just a blank even though it says “done”.
Alice, is it me or the site?
Mardem, marie-a, Yirabah, Julie, Alysha, Elle2, Bevie, what lovely comments, thank you ladies!
Mardem, I’m glad that, while reading this article, you felt like talking to a friend face to face. It’s so great that you feel comfortable here.
marie-a, this episode was your beginning of becoming a fan for the first time in your life? Wow. How extraordinary.
Yirabah, oh, girl, I don’t know when I do this… probably when I can’t sleep… which is kind of a regular these days. But I hope for the best…
Julie, I chose this as, just you describe, this episode always moves me, and then some. And I think you’re right. A part of the allure of this show lies in similarities, to some extent I guess…
Alysha, this episode was indeed full of OMG moments – and those included family issues… we love this show for it, don’t we?
Elle2, yes, I would like to write some open couch articles on episodes that move me particularly. I don’t think I’ll be doing that every week,but there are still some weeks of hiatus to cover, right? I will give the idea you sent me more thought, but also go into episodes, as well… Allow me to surprise you, it I can.
Bevie, thank you – if you can’t open a page, try the ‘print’ icon beneath the title, that usually opens the whole article, so you could be able to read it.
You honour me with your comments, thank you. Jas
Jas,
You always surprise me, I have no doubt you’ll keep on doing it.
There are a few more weeks of hellatus to cover…good thing for as I was watching some eps last night (The Pilot and Wendigo) and taking notes for two other articles I was inspired on yet a third…good thing there’s a few more weeks left.)
🙂
I’ll keep reading as you keep writing!
Good episode to talk about Jas. This had a tragic side, but also had a good element of sci-fi with all the special abilities they were bring forth in Sam. Not to mention the special effects they had in the episode. Boy’s characters were true to each other, and even the supporting roles were well developed. Missouri was a wonderful addition to SPN, but as the writers now tend to kill off all the older roles, I hope they don’t bring her back. Maybe in season 6 they will swing back around more to the gist of the earlier seasons.
Thanks Jas for the tip. Don’t know what is going on but it is doing the same thing for your next article. Just a big black screen with “advertisement” showing at the top and it only happens on the last page of the article.
Anyway thanks again as I don’t want to miss a word of your articles.
😉
Bevie, I hope it works for you with opening the ‘print’ version, I never had problems there. I’m so happy that you love what I write… it’s a great feeling, you know…
Love Jas
Elle2 and Sablegreen, what can I say, I’m just happy to be part of all this and to have such generous fellow-writers with me… You girls are so kind and sweet with your recognition of what I offered here,
Thank you, Jas
Oh, Dany, thank you. It’s not hard for this episode to reduce one to tears, eh? It is one of many layers… and those are so well placed that we are drawn in like by a magic spell…
Happy that you enjoyed this. Love, Jas
Great article Jas, it’s always a pleasure to read your stuff.
You hit all the amazing moments in ‘Home’. It is heartbreaking and fascinating and genius.
And thank you for drawing attention to Sam’s lovely arms. They definitely deserve it and so does he for the effort he puts into them…happy sigh!
Oh John…
I’d like to say this is one of my favorite episodes for the simple reason that we get to meet and see present day John for the first time. That moment of him on the couch, alone, mysterious, and causing all kinds of questions and slap inducing fury…yep, that’s when I became the John girl I am. As for why he didn’t contact his sons, well I’ve got my own theories and thoughts that I won’t say here. (And for the record Julie and Dany, ‘Some People’ got laugh cramps from reading your posts.:lol:-)
I’d also like to say how much I love Missouri! We need a campaign to bring her back on the show! I loved how she mothered Dean and how Dean responded to that mothering. I loved how she tried to provide a safe place for Sam. And I wonder if she could have made a difference with Sam and his choices if those two rapscallions had stayed in touch like they said they would. (Side note, the actress, Loretta Devine, totally rocked in ‘Crash’. She’s been in other stuff, but I like that movie.)
Thanks for opening your couch Jas. It’s been comfy but in-depth and thought provocing. All wonderful good things.
Hi Jasminka
This was a wonderful and heart warming review of Home. I don’t think there is anyone out there that doesn’t have this episode high in their favourites.
The impact and information that was brought to the table in this was mind blowing, including the scary and the gross, which I’m sure made Kripke very happy. Btw thanks to this episode I will never own a garbage disposal unit.
I truly love the episode ‘Home’. This episode was just recently shown on TNT and I found myself really affected upon this recent viewing by all that was going on with the boys. Thank you Jas, once again, for a wonderful introspective look into this most awesome episode.
As for Missouri, I like her character and would enjoy seeing her in another episode, but opinions and feelings differ when it comes to the way she treated Dean. I didn’t much care for her so-called “motherly” ways. I thought they were kind of mean, but that’s probably just me sticking out for my Dean.
Yvonne, Karen and Evelyn, thank you ladies!
Yvonne, you’re absolutely entitled to be a JohnGirl, dear… I understand, though I have my issues with him,… but diversity rocks. And MIssouri – as soon as you want a campaign to bring her back to start, I’ll be on board…. also loved her in Crash…
Karen, I also don’t have a garbage disposal unit. As I was moving last winter and had my kitchen renovated, they offered me one. Actually, this episode came to mind (and the movie Final Destination) and I graciously declined…. 😉
Evelyn, it’s so fascinating to read different views, and I admire your sticking out for Dean. I didn’t consider Missouri’s actions kind of mean, but he might have felt that way, he didn’t cuss at her for now reason.
Thank you for commenting and cheers to you all! Jas