Visual Review 6.13

[ash48]

Were they..??

I liken it to my not drinking at the moment. The longer I go (five weeks now ..) the more I am looking forward to enjoying my first glass of wine and savouring it when I can start again (3 weeks and 2 days..*g*). Having gone 11 episodes without Sam it's an appreciation of what I have been missing that I am savouring and thoroughly enjoying at the moment.

Having said that, I do think these episodes, in themselves, have been pretty strong. Though if this one had appeared say, in the middle of season 3, then maybe I wouldn't be so loud with my squee. The fact that after two years and 11 episodes we are finally getting a chance to see the boys working together, talking, caring, having each others' backs and not being deceitful etc. ... is making me SHOUT from the roof tops. I am well aware that this probably won't last so I'm enjoying it while I can. :)

And this isn't me wanting the show to return to S1 or S2. I don't want that. Why would I? The boys have had issues throughout the whole series. It's been a continual part of the story arc. We've seen them at odds, torn apart, at each others throats and lying to each other, so to see them in a place where they can start to rebuild their relationship is very satisfying.

I would like to think this is a new beginning for the boys. A chance for each to re-discover themselves within this very messy, co-dependent relationship. I've been having an interesting discussion with the lovely smilla02 on the boys' story arc, in particular what direction each might need to go in order to complete their journeys. I suspect there is still a long way to go. And I'm buckling in for the ride, because we may be waiting a while.

For me, this wasn't a "flashback" episode. This wasn't doing what "I Know What You Did Last Summer" did. It wasn't about learning more about what Sam did in his soulless year. Sure, it was great (for me) to see some of that, but the flashbacks did two things. One - provide a narrative structure for this week's hunt and two, bring about the final scene. I enjoyed the way it worked in both these ways.

Here's some things I found particularly interesting:

"Where memories are made"!! A sign post for the episode to come. Awesome and perfect. And really? Tentacles? They really do keep an eye on LJ don't they...;) And er... net or spider web in the corner? Ok.. so maybe I'm pushing it. :)




During this scene with Dean all I could keep thinking is how difficult it must be for this actress to look across at Jensen and keep her concentration. I mean... god damn but he's gorgeous. He seemed so at ease in this scene and when that happens he seems to suddenly look a lot younger. Those angsty frown lines are gone....



I'd have this look on my face if I was working with Jensen .... (I reckon she was totally fangirling him during this scene. Or maybe that was just me... :D).



Oh Sammy... You and your peen got around a bit during your soulless year it would seem. (I've been enjoying the comments about Sam's peen continuing to be deadly. hehe). If Sam's body did return from hell rehymenated, it's pretty clear it isn't any more. (I'm sure there's some heavy meta here on the nature the soul plays in the role of sex for Sam, but I might leave that to someone else to nut out..)



After watching the final scene it became clear to me that so many moments in this episode were leading up to it. The scene in the jail becomes extremely interesting. First up - it's a cage. It's no accident (and ok, maybe they are hitting us over the head with it..) that Sam ended up behind bars. I love the way this scene was shot. (and heads up to destina for pointing out the colour choices in this scene).




Love this angle of the cage...



I adored this transition:




But check out the colours on Sam's face. Red and green. The duality of Sam's personality and continuing inner struggle. I like that at times in the scene Sam looked menacing, and then looked completely harmless and soulful. He really had to sell his innocence here.

Love the bar down the middle of his face...



And this amazing close up as he exits the cell. I think they are still playing with us a bit here...



And talking about playing with us... only one bed slept in boys?! What's the story...? (And I think it's a couch no less...)



With all the clues leading up to the final shot I'm surprised it came as such a surprise. But I really wasn't expecting this so soon. But I'm glad that Sam (and we) now has something to go on now. I think it was a smart move. It leaves the door open to see what Sam does with this knowledge.. (and if I'm going to be able to wallow in some hurt!Sam for a bit..*g*. *iz shallow*)

I liked that this mirrored Dean's Hell shot. Sometimes it's hard to know if show is being repetitive and therefore not particularly inventive, or deliberately putting up a mirror and therefore being consistent. I'd like to think the later.



Really liked this shot of Sam in Hell. I can already see some awesome manips come out of this scene.



Just another brick in the wall

I would like to think that we only witnessed a slight crumbling of the wall here. A brick popped out and Sam will quickly cement it in again. Up until now Sam hasn't really been aware of what Dean is protecting him from. I'm sure he believes Dean, but Sam's driving need to put right something his soullessness caused was too important to take real notice. I think he knows now.

I'm thinking we might get a Sam who might just be more careful in the next couple of episodes. Or not. We may have basketcase!Sam, demonic!Sam, coma!Sam.... but I suspect more of a holycrapIbetterlistentowhatdeanhasbeentellingmeforachange!Sam. :D

And now... HANDS!!!!! o/



So yeah. Loved that episode and I look forward to seeing where they go from here. :)

*heffa hugs* to netlynn for the gifs. THANK YOU!

Comments

[missyjack.livejournal.com]

Lovely pictures and insightful observations! esp about Sam in the cell and how they used the lighting. Also love this: The duality of Sam's personality and continuing inner struggle. I thought the cell was also a metaphor for his time in Lucifer's cage.

I adored the boys dynamic both last week and this, as we can see how it is a follow on from where they were at in Swan Song. yet of course their old ways are still there too, so we get to see them falling into old patterns, realising it, and trying to do things differently. It's some wonderful writing.

Oh and great minds think alike - I posted this on Tumblr yesterday:
(http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f274/missyjack/?action=view&current=peenodoom.png)

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

Oh! Pic(and GIF)spam. \O/ I really have to find time to watch the ep again. I had the sun shining on my screen when I did, and couldn't blow the image to "full screen" then either (don't ask lol). I'm thinking I missed out on the details here.
Lovely post. (Or should I say "hot"? *g*)

[amnisias.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that! I love your insta reactions (first thing I read after watching the eps) but this is even better. I adore all your thinky thoughts and pics. You're kind of digesting the ep for me, I never would have the time to go over it with so much consideration and attention to detail, but this way I can enjoy those bits as well, which make the ep even better in retrospect.

[amnisias.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love this. There's really nothing that could scare a true fangirl, is there...

[cece-away.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Are your affairs in order?

[cece-away.livejournal.com]

Hadn't really put much thought into the dual personalities conveyed through green and red. That's why I have smart people as my flisters. Good call.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Wheeee! That's awesome! And um.. yep! I'd risk it!!

Thanks for the pic!! \o/

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Yep! Now with gifs...:D (I will figure out how to make them myself one day!! I like that they can show movement.. :)

Glad you liked the post. It seemed to take me ages to put it together for some reason.. (maybe it was the Sammy distraction factor..)

<333

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie!! I knew there would be some other stuff to say once I thought about it some more. I was far too bouncy to think straight after the ep!

And I clearly have too much time on my hands...I think about this show far too much!
<33

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I was thinking more about him being in a cage and that lovely transition and mood created in that scene than the lighting significance. When destina pointed it out it was like "yeah! That's what was making that scene so intense and interesting".

Love it when Show thinks about this stuff.

<3

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

"Sammy distraction factor".... lol. Yes! I'd think so. ;)

[redteekal.livejournal.com]

So much pretty in this review post combined with your thinky thoughts always makes for a good read. That blonde did look kinda awestruck didn't she? I was thinking that myself! And yeah Sam's face as he walked out the prison cell - Jared really nailed this episode in terms of his acting (I'll refrain from salacious comments regarding robo!Sam's propensity for nailing but only barely *g*) And re missyjack's picture comment? EXACTLY. *vbg*

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie.

Oh - I'm so glad I wasn't the only one thinking that about her. I kept thinking she was sharing some kind of private joe with him.. and then I though... she's probably just awe struck. It is Jensen after all!!

hehehe -- Jared nailing it... (man, I think I may have even said that in past posts, not realising how accurate that is.. tehehe..

MJ's pic is perfect. Absolutely right too!!

xx

[secretlytodream.livejournal.com]

wow I haven't even thought about bars, interesting :)

The only thing I can't get is why BURN IN HELL? Lucifer said himself that contrary to the common belief he's pretty cold...:\

[amindaya.livejournal.com]

Er, not to comment-jack here, but I was thinking about this too, and if Lucifer is cold, and the cage is meant to be a place to contain and punish him, then it makes sense that it would burn hot.

[secretlytodream.livejournal.com]

mm, maybe, I can see your point here.

[amindaya.livejournal.com]

When that actress danced around it and said "loud, and athletic," I could just FEEL her glee. It made me gigglesnort. She DID look like, "OMG I'm standing near JA, I'm talking to JA," like she couldn't look away.

The way that Sam appealed to that woman with his innocence got me thinking. I mean, there's the whole debate about is SammySam really RoboSam, and Sam says that he WAS. And Bobby can't forget so easily because he questions how much of that was really Sam.

I question it too. We've seen that Sam is incredibly empathetic and caring, and that RoboSam sucked at both, and couldn't really talk to people. (But had no probs boinking them. A lot of them.) But I wonder how much of SammySam's convincing is manipulation. Manipulation with the best intentions, but still manipulation. I'd never really considered that in earlier episodes.

And I LOVED the bar across his face, and noticed the strange way he was lit, but the red and green...! Fantastic.

[heartlessbytchh.livejournal.com]

I have to say the same thing. I would've never thought of that. Trust Ash to come up with it though.
:)

[heartlessbytchh.livejournal.com]

Hey Ash, cracked up about your comments about the sign. But did you dig on the part down at the bottom?
"Where Memories Are Made".
hahahahahahahahahahaha
How damn ironic izzat?

Yeah, SimSam made some memories there a year ago alright.

[heartlessbytchh.livejournal.com]

My theory is that Lucifer lied.
He is known as the Father Of All Liars.

[zimshan.livejournal.com]

Emotionally, I've been pretty meh about the last two eps, even though intellectually I can appreciate what they're doing, callbacks and shots and the like. I can't put my finger on it exactly. Maybe just 'cause the first half had me reeling so constantly with how bizarre and different it was that having things back and normal is weird? idek.

But I've noticed right at the start last week, red and blue were back in full form with shots of both boys, and fluidly moving between them. (i.e. red was back with Sam in addition to the blue.) So maybe the red is more showing he's alive and back. And the green is meant to be the reminder of the corruption of his mind from the crumbling wall just around the corner. ??? Who knows.

This shot was one of my favorites this week though:


I thought it was pretty pointed. But I'm with you, I didn't think for a second theyd throw this wall crumbling threat that fast. I was left very BUZZWHAATTTTT????

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Haha I love how you were all soulful and stuff and then

BAM

SEX HANDS!!!!!

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

PS ITA with you emotionally. I am am ROLLING AROUND IN GLEE IN SAM'S POV.

Who knew Sam had a POV?!?!?!

[luminosity]

I loved the transition of Sam in the cage to Sam in the cage, and interestingly as well, the transition moves from right to left, leading us to unconsciously signify it as "the past." Even though it wasn't in the plot, it totally was in the meta-plot, which is totally awesome of them to shoot it that way, and maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but I don't think so. :)

In retrospect, I think that the positioning of the red/green in the jail cell could also signify that hell's flames (from the past) are licking at his face. Like, Sam is so preoccupied with being in an earthly jail that he isn't pinging to the hell-cage that he experienced. It's like we're watching the wall start to crumble *visually* in the jail cell.

The mirrored go-to-hell shots. I love that they took the poetic license to do it, and you *know* the hell shall be vidded out of it *g*, but I looked at it as a thematic illo, you know? At this point, if we didn't know better and were buying it as a plot/character mirror, Sam would be DEAD. A better mirror could be Sam looking into a literal mirror, like Dean did, and going off, but that's just me and nobody asked me. LOL The Sam/Lucifer mirror thing was unparalleled, and why take a chance on cheapening that? :)

Also, Sam wasn't on meathooks. He seemed to be eternally self immolating, and isn't that a can of worms that we can talk about on another day?

I also love the somewhat (hee) subtle way that they ARE calling back to S2, including the interesting lighting in the abandoned house. It seemed almost cheerful, a la Tall Tales. And there's been an overabundance of LOUD plaid, which I'm sure has been mentioned already.

/shutting up now :)

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hee... I notice Sam in "cages" for some strange reason... ;)

And my theory is they knew Jared would look ::koff:: hot on fire...:)

Though, I suppose it's a more traditional view of hell. Dean's hell looked very different yo how I imagined it would look (and I loved that). As this is quite possibly only the first glimpse we are getting then we might see other variations later... dunno...

Though I like amindaya reasoning as well...