ep 7.17 reaction and all that...

[ash48]

My feeling are ALL OVER THE PLACE with this episode. Seriously. What do I do with these...?! (sorry for such a rambly review...)

First, I just have to....SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY HURT!SAM GIRL WAS IN FRIGGIN' HEAVEN! HOLY HELL!!! IT WAS ALL THERE! Sam AT THE END OF HIS TETHER! Sam HIT by a car! Sam in HOSPITAL, Sam cut up with broken ribs! RESTRAINED!! (did I mention heaven?!) SHOCK THERAPY!! Holy.... *happy place*

HOWEVER... as much as I like a bit of Sam!whump (and Dean... I don't play favourites when it comes to whumping! *g*) it also made me shed a little tear. I really, really felt his pain and torment and I kept muttering...oh Sammy... :((( This is a man who rates broken ribs as a 3. High tolerance... no kidding! I was on the edge of my seat through all those hospital scenes.

All righty roo. Time to get serious and to try and make sense of all those damn FEELINGS...

I will definitely need to watch this episode again because overall it felt a bit...um... messy. I loved some of it and I enjoyed watching it but it felt kinda uneven and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe because there was such a lot GOING ON - lot's of surprises (I knew Cas was back but I didn't know about Meg or what was going to happen to Sam). It felt like they were trying to cram SO MUCH into one episode- the disintegration of Sam's mind and body, the return and subsequent redemption of Cas and the return of Meg. I loved all those things but, as a viewer, I felt like I was being pulled all over the place - edge of my seat worry for Sam, interest in Dean's response to Cas returning, fascination with Cas' back story and trying to figure out what the hell Meg was saying! (I will be having to check out the transcript for a lot of her dialogue (eyes zebra363)). On top of all that there there was also a hunt! Oh man.... /o\

Some thinky dissecting:

1. Sam and Lucifer:

I felt like all the hospital scenes held together pretty well. Mark Pellegrino's performance as Lucifer was (as always) both amusing and unsettling. I didn't think his lines were as witty as they had been in past episodes but his forms of torture were inventive. The megaphone was particularly amusing (hee...yeah...as a teacher I'm familiar with that one!). And firecrackers!... that'll keep you awake for sure. And his singing...

I loved that even though Sam was suffering his own mental torture he was able to put that aside to help someone else in need. It's very Sam. I also LOVE the idea that mental patients could possibly be suffering from very "real" supernatural issues. It makes sense and I loved this was explored. I probably would like to have seen a really mentally tortured girl but I get that this is television and they have to be...um...very pretty.

I STILL DON'T GET HOW LUCIFER WORKS! If he was "transferred" to Cas then surely that means he's somehow "real". Or was it just a transfer of a memory? Cas took Sam's memory of the cage and Lucifer. If so then the Lucifer Cas sees can only be as Sam "remembers" him. Is Sam's brain still scrambled? Is Cas' brain now scrambled? Or is Lucifer actually, really around. AM I OVER THINKING THIS TOO MUCH!!?! (probably...) Do I even need an answer to this? Maybe it doesn't matter how Lucifer works. It's just that he's there. Or something...

2. Meg

I have to admit I think this is where I had the most problems. I LOVE Meg. I've always loved her ambiguity. If we have corrupt angels then why not have a potentially "good" demon? But. IDK. It's not just that she looked so different (though I did find that rather distracting) but her mumbling was hard to make out. She also seemed less re-assured.(I'm not sure if this was the actress or the character) Of course, that might have been the WHOLE POINT! In that case....ok. I was sold. Meg is not so confident when she hasn't got the backing of other demons. Ack... I need to re-watch. I'm torn. But I will confess I didn't enjoy her as much I have done in the past. (*sniff*)

3. Castiel

I get nervous talking about Cas because I know how much passion surrounds this character. I don't have that level of passion, but neither do I dislike him. In fact, I've always enjoyed seeing Cas and tonight was no different. I really REALLY loved that we had a born again Cas. I was keen to see how they were going to introduce him back into the show and...ok... it was a little predictable, but I was SOLD and totally bought that he crawled out of the lake to be discovered by a women passing by..(what? Maybe she WAS sent by God...in this 'verse that makes some sense...).

There was a lovely sense of "clean" about him and I thought Misha really embodied that innocence. I also loved his conflict when he realised who he really was and what he had done. But... WOW... what a lot to take in. In an amazingly short time we found out that: Cas survived, he MARRIED, he lost his memory, he was a man called Emmanuel, he had powers to heal, he was discover by Dean, he found he was Dean's friend, he found out he hurt Dean by hurting Sam, he wanted to make amends, he MADE amends and now sees his brother. HOLY HELL! I'm not sure whether to admire the writers for managing to get so much in or slap them about the head for being so ambitious. (possibly the latter...)

4. Dean

Arghh.... I feel that out of all the characters in that ep he was the most underwritten. Idk. Again it comes down to there being SO MUCH going on. Not only did he have a brother DYING in a mental hospital he also had to confront Cas returning (and ALLTHE FEELINGS associated with that - disbelief, relief, bitterness, memories etc.) AND deal with seeing Meg after all this time. He was pulled all over the place with emotions and maybe that's why I felt I was too. I was following Dean's journey during the episode (though captivated by Sam's) and feeling torn in the process. Like Dean must have. He was bombarded by SO MUCH!

It's either extremely clever story telling or rather messy story telling. I haven't figure that one out yet.

5. Where we are now:

So. Cas came, he discovered stuff, he redeemed himself and he now has his brother in his head and is left behind in a mental hospital. I'm not entirely sure what to do with all that. I like the mirror (any parallels in an ep excites me) between the girl and her brother in her head and now Cas with his brother in his head. I like that he has redeemed himself by fixing Sam and essentially doing what Sam did to save the world (locking himself in with Lucifer) but... idk, that just seems so quick. Would Dean and Sam be happy leaving him behind like that? I suppose they've left their half brother in the cage so maybe they are actually ok with that.

I JUST DON'T KNOW!! They set our boys up to CARE about family and then have them drive away from them. (And I really did need Dean to at least TOUCH SAM!! Come on Show! They are brothers!! Dean was concerned, sure, but A LITTLE BIT OF COMFORT WOULDN'T GO ASTRAY!! A squeeze on the shoulder at least!)

(Side note: I get that having Cas around is a "problem." If he's so powerful then he'd be able to solve all their problems and we wouldn't have a show. Having an angel around is problematic for that reason. I'm not sure if Show (STILL!!!) knows what to do with him. I think because he has been so popular they keep him (which I'm cool with) but they really have to decide what to do with him...)

I keep saying "I don't know" because I really don't after this one. I really enjoyed watching it but as I pondered it I was left rather empty. It solved Sam's hallucinations (and yeah...when I knew Cas was returning I also knew he'd be the one to heal Sam...*sigh* ::koff:: cop out...) which I think is good. A bit like Dean's angst...it can't go on for a whole season.

So yeah. It felt messy and crowded. Dean's loyalties were divided and conflicted. Cas seemed to re-appear more as a "tool" to save Sam and Meg...um...not sure why Meg was around really. Though i did like the idea of a human, and angel and a demon working together. I also liked the mirror of Sam saying he could't "fight" because he was tired the same was Dean was when he wanted to say yes to Michael. It was also reminiscent of Faith. Just not as well written me thinks.

THOUGHTS!?! Am I being too harsh?! I've been loving season 7. I didn't dislike this ep as such, I just feel like they crammed in far too much.

Comments

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

I STILL DON'T GET HOW LUCIFER WORKS!

I think Cas took the torture from within Sam's soul and put it on himself. So, not the memory but the "on fire" part of Sam's soul.
You find the concept of taking on illnesses from others when you can't heal them as an act of love and devotion in stories, real ones as well as made up ones.

I loved Cas's return, I'm a fan of him after all ;), and even though this ep was rather cramped, packed full, I think I loved exactly that.
However, I didn't like Meg too much. Not sure why. But maybe it was because of the change in the actress. Though I was never too much a fan of her anyway...

And I do think that there was no closeness between the brothers was part of the Sam-being-alone-with-Lucifer thing. Anyone getting close to Sam could have in his perception been Lucie in disguise. So, I think this "mental illness" of Sam did indeed put a wall between the brothers. And when he was well again at the end it was at he price of Cas being stuck with the Lucifer-madness. So, maybe not the best moment to hug either. That's my thoughts on that anyway.
But I'm sure there will be hugging again...sometime.. ;D

(I could only enjoy the ep properly today after my internet was giving me problems yesterday, giving me a slide show rather than a film. Which was incredibly annoying especially with the "Cas remembers" scene. Glad things worked fine today. I really need faster internet...or a faster computer..or win a million...or..LOL)

xx

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I think Cas took the torture from within Sam's soul and put it on himself.

Oh wow... I love that idea. I struggle with thinking that Cas would suffer in the same way that Sam would have done, but maybe the weight of Sam's suffering is now weighing on Cas in a way that only an angel could feel.... Hmmmm.... I might just be able to see that in a different light.

I have mixed feelings about Cas' return and I think I will only truly know how I feel when I see how they are going to tell his story. I just don't know - still! Even after re-watching it....!!

I like your reasoning about why there was distance between the brothers. Sam was seeing all sorts of things. He might not even trusted that he was actually seeing Dean.... *sniff*

Hee...Here's to winning a million!

(thanks for your positive take on the ep. I've struggled with this one...)

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking that Cas doesn't need sleep, so while he is stuck with Lucifer in his head it doesn't endanger his life but he will just sit there, well, forever. A bit like a pat situation, he will not get worse, it will just stay like that. Sam was on the brink of dying because of the sleep deprivation and time was of the essence to save him.

And I've been thinking that maybe there is more to it that Meg is looking after him now (if you can call it that. lol). I mean that it possibly ties into the coming story line rather than just giving the fans the feeling Cas is looked after in some way and not in the hands of humans only.

I think I very much enjoyed the intensity of this episode. Sam's struggle (so well played), Dean being mostly so overwhelmed that he was a bit like under shock, keeping emotions at bay. (again: played so well :D )and then "clean Cas" who reminded me so much of Jimmy, his still strange choice of words, missing humour (god, the moment he laughed after Meg explained Dean's word were a joke. Cracked me up.) and then his memory returning while smiting the demons.
I totally was dwelling in that and didn't much care for the issues in this ep that admittedly do exist that you and others pointed out. I guess I was just enjoying the ride. ;D

You're welcome to my positive take on the ep. I was only thinking today how this show is still going so strong. I really expected things to become boring or old in some way after season 5. But the way things are going now makes me feel like they could be still shooting eps with Jared and Jensen being Granddads. Maybe Padababy will be the next onscreen hunter generation. LOL :D

x♥x

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

Oh and I forgot to mention: I adored Sam helping this girl while he wasn't even able to think straight, due to the not sleeping and Lucie driving him closer to insanity every minute. A true hunter at heart, saving someone else with his nearly last breath!♥ Dean can be proud of him. :D

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I LOVED that!! Sam was just SO AWESOME through it all. He really does put others before himself. I think he truly resigned himself to being like this forever.

<333