7.22 Review (with some pics)

[ash48]

That was satisfying. I felt like I had eaten well.

We're not in the emotionally fraught place we usually are by the penultimate episode, but I'm actually ok with that. I enjoyed the details, the pacing, the dialogue, the OCs and seeing a lot more of the boys. It followed on nicely from last week (though I wonder were Cas went - visiting his "wife" maybe?) and has obviously set things in place for next week. \o/

Counting the ways:

1. I like the way Dick makes my skin crawl. It will be nice to see him get his comeuppance. (Seriously! You cannot say that name without innuendo! As Show knows...)

2. How FABULOUS to see the Alpha!Vamp back. Rick Worthy has a commanding presence and I enjoyed every moment he was on the screen. I even loved seeing Crowley again. \o/

3. BOYS! Hello!!. Ok, so there weren't any major bro moments (well, maybe Dean calling out "Sam" when he got attacked and Sam getting all urgent and serious after Dean was attacked <33) but they just clicked so well in this episode, it was delightful to watch. Dean telling jokes to make Sam either smile or wince will never get old. I love it when he does that. They're working as a complete unit - listening to each to each other, back in sync. *happy sigh*

4. Kevin. Um... I think I might be developing a small crush. *blush* He was very brave to stand up to smarmy Dick. I really do hope they let his mom go. And I hope we get to see more of him in the future.

5. Yay! - the little twist with the food source being poisonous to other monsters. The Leviathans have really thought this through. A neat idea and a very handy weapon. I wonder if the boys will stock up on contaminated human blood. They could knock out a few bads with that.

6. Some great one liners. Hee! "See you next season". Talk about smashing the 4th wall. Very cool though - he could have been referring to the next "hunting" season of course - so it works either way. I love that we will be seeing the Alpha!Vamp again next season. :)

7. We knew Emily was up to no good yeah? *nods* I enjoyed the way she was played. (see below)

8. I'm really glad the boys were concerned about the young boy who was with the Alpha. I'm glad they got to rescue him. There was a discussion in my last review post about how we are seeing less of the boys being concerned about victims - particularly possessed humans. They showed real concern when he appeared. And they didn't want to leave the Alpha!Vamp alive so it was great to see that consistency with wanting to see all monsters dead. AND they got to do some rescuing.

9. Bobby! I have to say I am really liking the potential of dangerous spirit!Bobby. Dean looked genuinely scared for a moment. Not so much scared for himself, but scared seeing what Bobby was becoming. I know it would be awful, but to see Bobby turn on them would be interesting. I'm hoping it will be a dilemma they carry over for next season. They have a lot to do in the next episode so I hope they don't try to cram that in there also. Besides, I wouldn't mind some more ghost!Bobby.

10. Dean's still drinking I notice. I rather like that this hasn't gone away completely. I'm not sure if they plan to do anything with it, but I like that it's still there and becoming a consistent part of his character.

11. "I'm a warrior!" Ha!! I did rather adore Dean in this one. It's obvious that he's still carrying a lot of emotional baggage but he's getting on with it. He has to, so he does. I think Jensen's doing a great job of playing quietly troubled. I'm not sure where Sam is at at the moment. I read a fic recently exploring Sam's lack of needing anything at the moment. He's always been so driven - finding dad, finding Jessica's killer, getting Dean out of the deal, revenge for Dean's death, finding redemption, making amends for his mistakes etc. But what now? He seems to be "content" with just going along with it all. Hunting because it's there. I know they are both driven to get Bobby's killer and save the world, it just doesn't seem as urgent as it has done in he past. I'm not complaining about that. Surely they are burnt out by it all, but for them to not have an angsty agenda feels rather weird. I'll be curious to see what they have the boys emotionally deal with next season.

Ok. PICS! Because \o/

Motel room!! I love this room. The bedspreads and matching curtains are to die for. And I think there's something we MIGHT be able to read into this room. Seeing the bison, or buffalo, picture on the wall reminded me of the film Bless the Beasts and the Children. It's interesting to me that this episode dealt with the father of fallen "beasts". Might be tenuous but I'm sure thought has been put into that room design. Buffalo are said to symbolise struggles so maybe there was symbolism there. (anyone catch the name of the motel?? I have been told SE Hinton tweeted that it was called "The Buffalo Hump Motel". HA!!)





The awesome galwithglasses has been making fabulous observations about flowers in the show. It's amazing how many times flowers are used - they are scattered everywhere throughout the episodes and the seasons. They often signal danger and if you noticed Emily's dress we were given a mighty big clue that she wasn't all she seemed. I'm sure pink is equally untrustworthy.




Aside from every scene with Alpha!Vamp and Dick in it, this was one of my favourites. The look on the guy's face as he tried to follow their conversation. He was the centre of attention and we got a lovely outside POV of the boys. Yep they are damn hot and yep they are nuts! :DD




Hee. Dean has a new jacket. Similar to John's but not quite the same. (I'm sure meta could be dug up on that somehow...). He looked pretty damn special in it I have to say. GQ anyone?



ETA: JUST FOUND THIS... so AWESOME! This is most definitely a reference to the the Twilight Zone Episode To Serve Man. Aliens land and the scientists think the book is about how to serve (as in obey) man, instead it was a cookbook To Serve Man -as a food! OH SO COOL SHOW!!! (Brilliant TW episode btw). And look! A book called "Eric"! \o/



Overall, a rather tasty morsel going into the final episode. They just have to find the righteous bone now and kill Dick. Easy!! (Oh man...those two words shouldn't be in the same sentence....).

Enjoy?

Comments

[bythedamned.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad the boys were concerned about the young boy who was with the Alpha.

Jesus, yes. as interesting as I really do find it to see them slip from their morals (because they did damage themselves for us/the world and they deserve our love anyway) it certainly is easier to love them when they're the bleeding-heart good guys we originally met. I especially appreciated Sam's face when he felt like he was pushing his luck but couldn't bear to walk away. I do think a lot of that was tied into needing a consolation prize, of sorts, for having to talk away from the Alpha without a scratch. Also, the fact that they completely gave up on StockholmSyndrome!Emily was a dark little twist which again shows that even if they still want to save people, they're very okay chalking a lot of them up to collateral damage. not that I blame them, she was obviously a lost cause, but the truth remains that she was still a child abducted and forced to enjoy being vamp food. shiver.

on a shallower note... ;) hot damn those boys are hot. on that bench with the OC? all I could think the whole time was how much *bigger* the boys are than him. like, jesus. to the point where I didn't even notice how NOT-STERILE that syringe was! Sam, WTF???

and double thumbs up to the new jacket :) I'm not sure what meta I want to read into it, but it certainly *fits* him better. and he looks smokin' :P I actually spent a good deal of the ep noticing how frumpy Sam looks, but it was probably just in comparison to this new, sleeker Dean.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Not sure if you read growyourwings's comment above but apparently the guys saving the boy wasn't written into the script but the Js thought it was OOC for them to leave without him so it was changed. I think that is so cool.

Emily's story is creepy. Poor kid. I wonder if she'll appear again. I would think she would if Alpha!Vamp it appearing next season.

The boys were particularly HOT! And Sam taking blood from that guy was just....*yikes*...

The jacket seems like such a statement. A new skin maybe? Still dressing like John but fashioning his own style. I'd love to see it become another object of desire for Dean. Maybe with the loss of the car he needs another attachment. Dean is attached to certain objects - amulet, john's jacket, car, flask, trenchcoat. Moreso than we've ever seen Sam. See?! There's something in there I reckon... ;D Dean connects meanings to objects. Maybe this will be a new connection. (We need fic now of Sam buying it for him - that will enhance the connection even more!) Oooh... I feel some meta bubbling....

xox

[bythedamned.livejournal.com]

I did see that comment about the boy's input! I almost responded too, basically with a 'thank god they're on our side' type comment. Continuity aside, I think sometimes eps are better at giving us a new story than they are at giving us the Sam and Dean we love in that story, so it's heartening to know the boys are looking out for their characters.

I love the idea of the jacket as a new fixation for Dean. You're so right that Dean surrounds himself with symbols of his devotion to various relationships, whereas Sam has none. And that makes perfect sense with their characters, in that Dean is emotionally stunted and can't express himself, but will wear a necklace for 20+ years to prove he loves his brother so that he doesn't have to express it. And Sam, on the other hand, doesn't need objects because he'll just say what he's feeling (or transmit it through the telepathic power of the puppy!eyes.) mmmm, doesn't it just feel good when characters and their underlying psychology make sense :D

and, to support this theory, if you find fic of Sam buying it for him, please link it my way/to the fandom at large?? *g* oh man, is Show finally writing their own version of an amulet fix-it!!??? ::fingers sooo crossed::

[ash48.livejournal.com]

oh man, is Show finally writing their own version of an amulet fix-it!!???

Wouldn't that be awesome. :DD

I'd love to know if the jacket appears in the next ep. I don't want to check pics or promo but I'd love to know if it's not just a one off. That way I might be able to write a tiny bit of meta...

xox

(Surely they wouldn't put him in something like that and then never have him wear it again).