9.07, or, I love you, SPN
Nov. 21st, 2013 10:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brightly_litWHAT A GREAT EPISODE!!! I really liked last week's episode, but this is easily my favorite of the season so far. I'm beginning to realize that a HUGE part of what makes or breaks an episode for me is simply the feel of it, and the feel of this one was the richest, warmest, and least caustic yet.
I also just love the character-driven eps, the eps where we learn more about any of the characters, and of course I'm absolutely crazy about teen!chester stories. That young Dean actor may not have looked a thing like him, but I can hardly imagine any actor that young capturing his attitude better. For those of you who don't know, originally in the script he was supposed to be 14, not 16, which made infinitely more sense (and he looked 14 to me), so I thought of him that way.
The Monster of the Week again served as a metaphor for Sam and Dean's relationship (wheee!), which says something very interesting about Dean having to let go of the family member who's most precious to him. But the question remains ... can he take his own advice? Doubtful.
And AUUGHHHH, when was the last time we saw Dean that embarrassed/out of sorts as when he abruptly decided it was time to leave the restaurant when Robin didn't remember him?? Jackles captured that feeling so perfectly and evinced in a couple of seconds about a thousand relatable feelings, and God, how I loved that moment, but I loved a lot of moments: Dean being on the fence about staying until he looked out the window and saw Sam in the car, adult Sam seeing Dean's award for wrestling and the marks on his bed, Sam learning more about Dean in general! And Sam thanking him at the end--someone else said too how great it is to see one of them THANK the other finally!! Dean passes it off in his adorable Dean way, but Sam knows him well enough to know that Dean knew what he was trying to say.
I've seen people complain that they didn't feel like the teen stuff was in character, that John wouldn't have left Dean there, that Dean wouldn't have stayed there/would have immediately escaped, that Dean already loved the life and wouldn't have said he didn't, etc., so I was braced for not liking that stuff. Instead, I found it all spot-on with what we know of these characters at various times in their lives. That thing about Dean not loving the hunter's life yet was kind of a relief to me, because how could someone that headstrong love being forced into that job at that age? He told Gordon he "embraced the life" at 16, and we know that at ~11 when the shtriga came he was pretty damn resentful about the stuff his dad made him do that he didn't want to, and in the episode where he gives him the samulet (love that word), he seems pretty well cognizant of how shitty their lives are as a consequence of their dad's hunting. 14 is exactly when people are making major decisions about their futures and who they're going to be and really grappling with all that stuff, which was an absolute delight to see Dean go through onscreen. Seriously, I would be perfectly happy if this show were half flashback eps.
Beautifully directed, delightfully acted, and AWESOMELY written! You go, Glass!!
I also just love the character-driven eps, the eps where we learn more about any of the characters, and of course I'm absolutely crazy about teen!chester stories. That young Dean actor may not have looked a thing like him, but I can hardly imagine any actor that young capturing his attitude better. For those of you who don't know, originally in the script he was supposed to be 14, not 16, which made infinitely more sense (and he looked 14 to me), so I thought of him that way.
The Monster of the Week again served as a metaphor for Sam and Dean's relationship (wheee!), which says something very interesting about Dean having to let go of the family member who's most precious to him. But the question remains ... can he take his own advice? Doubtful.
And AUUGHHHH, when was the last time we saw Dean that embarrassed/out of sorts as when he abruptly decided it was time to leave the restaurant when Robin didn't remember him?? Jackles captured that feeling so perfectly and evinced in a couple of seconds about a thousand relatable feelings, and God, how I loved that moment, but I loved a lot of moments: Dean being on the fence about staying until he looked out the window and saw Sam in the car, adult Sam seeing Dean's award for wrestling and the marks on his bed, Sam learning more about Dean in general! And Sam thanking him at the end--someone else said too how great it is to see one of them THANK the other finally!! Dean passes it off in his adorable Dean way, but Sam knows him well enough to know that Dean knew what he was trying to say.
I've seen people complain that they didn't feel like the teen stuff was in character, that John wouldn't have left Dean there, that Dean wouldn't have stayed there/would have immediately escaped, that Dean already loved the life and wouldn't have said he didn't, etc., so I was braced for not liking that stuff. Instead, I found it all spot-on with what we know of these characters at various times in their lives. That thing about Dean not loving the hunter's life yet was kind of a relief to me, because how could someone that headstrong love being forced into that job at that age? He told Gordon he "embraced the life" at 16, and we know that at ~11 when the shtriga came he was pretty damn resentful about the stuff his dad made him do that he didn't want to, and in the episode where he gives him the samulet (love that word), he seems pretty well cognizant of how shitty their lives are as a consequence of their dad's hunting. 14 is exactly when people are making major decisions about their futures and who they're going to be and really grappling with all that stuff, which was an absolute delight to see Dean go through onscreen. Seriously, I would be perfectly happy if this show were half flashback eps.
Beautifully directed, delightfully acted, and AWESOMELY written! You go, Glass!!
no subject
Date: 2013-11-22 04:34 pm (UTC)Heeee, this aspect of it made me think of you! :P
And this was one of my favorite takeaways from the episode, too: Dean having to let go of the family member who's most precious to him. But the question remains ... can he take his own advice?
Because it's a lovely sentiment, Dean, and I do think he said it unironically and that he does indeed recognize how that has never actually been his own tack. (Kind of like telling Samuel not to try to bring back Mary in 6x10, even though Samuel immediately points out that's happened to Sam multiple times and Dean's said nothing.) Because there's a really unpleasant, ugly darkness paired to the thought, and that's hard to deal with. But at the same time, that's not ALL there is to it, and even if that's a good thing boy ever does it make it even more complicated to navigate. Aiiii.
I don't have any issues with the character continuity of the flashback stuff re: John (OR Dean) at all, either! I feel like a lot of that ire can be really easily evaporated if one would just calm down and take the time to engage in some interpolation of facts. I mean idk it doesn't seem like this great unassimilable thing a lot of people are making it out to be!
no subject
Date: 2013-11-22 04:47 pm (UTC)YES. (Glass asked why people were complaining already about an episode they hadn't even seen yet, because, seriously??) I loved the John/Dean stuff, because it struck me as something the writers really thought out carefully and then didn't feel a need to fully flesh out in the script ... leaving enough crumbs that viewers could piece it together themselves, which was one of the great delights of the ep.
no subject
Date: 2013-11-22 07:37 pm (UTC)something the writers really thought out carefully and then didn't feel a need to fully flesh out in the script ... leaving enough crumbs that viewers could piece it together themselves, which was one of the great delights of the ep.
YES, EXACTLY! And that's one of my favorite things; it betrays a confidence to the writing as well as a confidence in the audience...which we then, what, resent for some reason? idk I feel like some people seem INSULTED by the fact that things are left open for interpretation, which is just strange to me, because I feel like that is actually a very meditated, determined gift to us as a thinking/feeling fanbase. So some fans are like UGH WHY WOULD I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU GUYS, WRITERS, YOU ARE TERRIBLE. And I'm just like omg, THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR CONFIDENCE IN US AND WE HAVE FAILED THEM BECAUSE WE ARE TERRIBLE.
aksjal;fkja I'm looking forward to reading your 9x07 fic tonight; and I hope that lots of 9x07-chagrined people do as well, because at this point it's just kind of like, if you would just calm down and look at the way this actually does work, everyone would be happier! I'm in the midst of writing my own in that vein because omgggg fandom. XP
^ lol my increasingly low tolerance for haters, but seriously now. I've drawn the line at engaging them directly or shouting at anyone, so I will call this a win for self-restraint. XDD