10.11 Episode reaction

[ash48]

I enjoyed watching that one. There were some nice broments and Charlie was fun. I had a tear at the end. I am really feeling for Dean - Jensen is doing a great job portraying a breaking Dean.

The diet was funny (reminds me of me at the moment! *g*) and there were some beautiful shots.

Sam looked nice. Jared's hair is settling down (or up...).

There were some "classic" SPN moments - loved the Genesis reference (Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel) and Dean bringing Sam food (yay boys cooking for each other!) and Sam getting choked. We even for a couple of "sonofabitch"es.

So yeah. It was fun to watch. I liked the break from the angel and demon saga. Unfortunately the anvils weighed the episode down a bit, but show does that a lot so it really doesn't bother me that much any more. I suppose there are viewers who don't get the fact that Dean is torn by his good side and dark side. That his dark side is calling to him but his good side is keeping him in check. That it's a mental process, as well as a physical one. So maybe it really does have to be spelled out.

I did enjoy the mirrors between blood addicted!Sam and mark!Dean. I liked the repeat of "you have one thing that he didn't have" (from Nightmare) - especially when Dean then looked at Sam. I liked that Charlie is brought back into the "family" and looks like she'd going to be helping out in some way. I liked the theme of forgiveness.

But.

It's weird how about an hour after watching it I was left with an emptiness and sadness because, as has been the case for what? 2 seasons now? Sam just isn't there. Sure, he's looking at books and looking at Dean with a worried face. He's asking questions and hugging Charlie. He's running around with his hair looking fab. He's worried about Dean (I know I said that but he's doing a lot of that so it needed to be said twice), but he's…I dunno… just nothing really. And you know what I mean…Sam is never "nothing" to me, but it seems that they just can't write Dean with the myth arc AND Sam with a storyline at the same time (have they really forgotten everything he has been through over the last few seasons? *weeps*). He's on the screen but that's kind of all he is. Just - hanging around waiting for Dean to turn darkside. I wonder if he sees himself in Dean's struggle? I wonder if it reminds him of his years and years of battling with his inner demons? Without getting the chance to see any of that he's become more of a cardboard cutout character rather than a fully fleshed out one. I'm beginning to think the #ripsamwinchester tag on twitter is true. It's interesting how secondary characters - Claire and now Charlie, have been given more voice than Sam has recently (and don't get me wrong. I love the quietly concerned, caring and loving Sam. Very much. Jared is portraying Sam's inner strength very well. It's a quality that's I've always admired in Sam. I know I need to be happy with just that at the moment. Maybe the fact that he doesn't have to talk about his past, just >i>act with the knowledge of it is enough. *nods*).

I was especially sad to hear that a scene between him and Charlie had been cut (the one from the promo). It's such a clear indication that his thoughts really don't matter. Or rather, they are just not strong enough to make it to the screen. *shrugs* Not worth worrying about any more I suppose. I really should be getting used to it by now. He looked pretty though! *g*

And maybe I shouldn't be complaining. At least they're not fighting, or being dishonest with each other, or keeping secrets. At least we are still getting some happier brotherly moments. Maybe having Sam do and say nothing keeps him safe from criticism.

Their chemistry is ALWAYS worth watching for though. :)

So other than having to deal with the little bit of heartache that I constantly carry over forgotten Sam, I enjoyed it (Felicia always looks like she's enjoying herself so much. The three of them have great chemistry).



One a different note:

I miss the urban legend MoTWs and the horror angle that we used to get though (when I see that the show comes under the "horror" genre I do a little chuckle. I can't recall the last time I was truly scared). I'd really love to see some grittiness return to the show. I want SPN to be dangerous again. I want it to shock me and surprise me. Maybe I've just been around too long or something. It did make me choke up, so I know I'm still highly invested (and Jensen and Felicia were really rocking that final scene).

Also. I kind of wish the writers weren't so available on twitter. I'm hypocritical of course because I couldn't help myself but respond to Robbie Thompson when he mentioned the scene being cut, but I often wonder just how much they are taking the "snapshot" of fandom on twitter as a representation of all fandom. I feel uncomfortable when they try to be "fans". It's just weird to me. I want to know that they are writing the show without our influence. I want THEM to have a vision and tell the story that they want to tell (yep, even if we don't like it). I've heard some many people say how much this season is using a lot of fan fic tropes. It makes you wonder just how much spying on fandom that they do. Or maybe it's just a coincidence.



[Poll #1997117]

Comments

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Jared is perfectly capable of portraying Sam's inner struggles, why don't they show us more of it? I'd love that so much!

Excellent question. During S1-5 we saw how much Sam struggled with his destiny. The ball was (unfortunately!) dropped on the hallucinations, though the moments we saw were great. And I loved how strung out trails!Sam was. But lately we just don't get to see the inner Sam. S9 devastated me in terms of never seeing what the possession did to him (let alone what Dean's meant to him).

He's human, not some badly-drawn superhero with no emotions!

He is. Jared is portraying that very well. He really is using everything he's been given and I love that. I know I just have to be satisfied that his strength comes from his past experiences. I suppose I just want to know that the Show is conscious of what they are doing. I've lost quite a bit of faith that Sam actually matters in the scheme of things. Sure, he'll be there for Dean - he may even do something "bad" to save him but I long for recognition that he's suffered exactly what Dean is going through and is strong because of that.

And, when I think of it - if we can't get more of Sam, then I'll just enjoy what we see of him now: a quiet, broken boy who's still strong and supportive and there for his brother.

It is for me too. :) It's great we're getting that again! It was always there and I'm glad they've decided to give us this Sam again. And I'm doubly glad that at least they haven't given fans a reason to hate on Sam again (after last season). *g*

Sometimes, it's nice to write something without twitter's character limit!

Yes! Having a show discussion on twitter is so hard! I love that we can all chat a length on LJ. :D

[catinplaid.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, they really missed an opportunity in S9 when they didn't show us what effect the possession had on Sam. And more so when you consider that he's been fighting for self-determination his whole life. Now his bodily autonomy was violated once again, and we only saw glimpses of what he felt. We had to deduce the rest. I think that viewers with some empathy realized how terrible it must have been for Sam. But I guess not all wanted to...

Which brings us to the subject of fans' hate for Sam :/ There's much of it around, and at first, it really affected me. But at some point I realized that I didn't want to let it influence how I felt about the show. People gonna hate, let them hate. I don't think anything anyone says is going to change the opinion of the hardcore Sam haters out there - so I don't care about it anymore! It's their opinion, I have mine. It's great that the show doesn't give them excuses for it anymore :) but even if it did... I still wouldn't care! :))

I've lost quite a bit of faith that Sam actually matters in the scheme of things.

Ah, I see things a bit more positive. :) Sam isn't lost to me, and I'm sure he as a person isn't lost to the show, either. He's one of the three main characters, after all! (Which, as per Jared, consist of Sam, Dean and Baby! :D). No, but I really think that at some point, there'll have to be some insight into his story. I haven't lost faith! :)

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks! There are days I feel pretty negative and sad about it all and then other days I feel like it's all going to be ok. Today I'm feeling more positive and think that even if Sam doesn't ever get a chance to address his lack of autonomy there's many of us who know it exists for Sam and can see what he's doing now as showing enormous strength. I actually like his quiet strength and just being there for Dean. :)

(I just read the rec that's listed below in this thread and can you tell it's helped me form a new attitude?…*g*)

[catinplaid.livejournal.com]

[...] even if Sam doesn't ever get a chance to address his lack of autonomy there's many of us who know it exists for Sam and can see what he's doing now as showing enormous strength.

Yes. 100% THIS!

(I also went and read the rec from below. It was wonderful!)