11.04 reaction/review

[ash48]

It's pretty scary going into an ep that has had SO much hype surrounding it. I was pretty excited for this one, but also apprehensive because I really didn't want to be disappointed. I had a "picture" of what it was going to be like and, I'm happy to say, it didn't disappoint.

In fact, I got a lot more than I had imagined. :D

I knew it was going to be fan-servicy (Robbie Thompson & an episode name called "Baby" kinda gave that away), but I am not complaining. Honestly, give me fan service any day if it means getting (nearly) an entire episode of Sam and Dean. <3

Also, any episode that decides to take the POV of a vehicle I'm going to be pretty happy about. In terms of technicality it's bloody fascinating. I think they pulled off the cinematic aspect of that really well. It would have been a huge challenge. Kudos to Thomas J Wright for the direction. The editing also has to be mentioned because I have a feeling there would have been a variety of angles to sift through.

But really? It was all the lovely SamnDean moments that were the real treasures. I thought the first half was the strongest because it felt like a "day in the life of". I was kinda hoping it might have continued like that (a bit like Weekend at Bobby's, where we got a snap shot of Bobby's life), but it veered off to a mix of myth arc and MoTW. Again, I'm not complaining about that because a) I love MoTWs and b) it gave us a little more about the Big Bad and we got to see a Sam vision. :)

Things this episode made me realise I had been missing:

1. Bobby. Cas taking on the Bobby role made me really notice how much I miss that "voice" on the other end. I'm not sure if they are planning for Cas to take on that role this season, but it really made it noticable how big the gap is that Bobby left (*handwaves* that Cas wasn't well enough to zap over to the boys to help them out. It's a constant issue but, whatever).

2. A genuine smile from Sam. Yeah, feels like it's been ages.

3. Big brother!Dean. I suppose it's no secret how much I love Dean as "big brother". And I don't just mean as someone who cares for Sam, but the Dean who is proud of Sam when he "scores" (as though it's something he's taught him) and how he has this back-handed way of putting Sam's fears to rest.

During the wonderful "chat before bedtime" scene, I initially thought that Dean was dismissing Sam's concerns about his visions. It felt like he might have been shutting him down. But it was also really reminiscent of when Sam used to voice his concerns to Dean in the past. I don't feel that he was shutting him down, but rather trying to reassure him. "It'll be ok". It made me think of all the times Dean would have tried to help Sam feel safe when they were young. It's also Dean's way of assuring himself that things will be ok. Especially when it comes to Sam. Sure, too much has gone on since then for that to be really believable but as this episode was trying to capture everything we "remember" of the brothers, I thought it was spot on characterisation.


Other notables:

It seemed to me Robbie sat down with a list of things he wanted to included in the episode that he knew fans have been missing or were crying out for: car washing, hook ups (though I'm not sure exactly how many fans were calling out for that), bitch/jerk, BMs, John, boys talking about their childhood, "he ain't heavy" leaning on each other moment, geeky Sam, food, sleeping in the Impala, sex in the back of the Impala, badass (and sometimes hilarious) Dean and being on the open road. He got it all in (except for a gratuitous shirtless scene! AND they had the perfect opportunity! Who else was hoping Sam would pop up from the back seat?! ;D).

The convenient "get outs" when Dean was captured were, um, convenient and made me eye roll initially. But, dammit, the show is called "Supernatural" so why can't we have some supernaturally convenient escape tools?! I also like the idea that the car somehow assists the boys in their adventures and the fact that she managed to hold onto objects that helped Dean escape is kind of awesome. In other words…*HANDWAVE*.

I was totally unspoiled for young!John. That was a lovely surprise (though damn, imagine if that had been JDM!?!).

Sam's vision was highly curious and I like that we don't know who that is yet. At first I thought it was Lucifer, but that doesn't seem likely. Maybe it's God, but that would be weird also. So a nice little mystery.

I had the feeling we are supposed to believe Dean had told Sam about his connection to the darkness? They talked as though it had been mentioned? Or is Dean still keeping that one to himself?

I am SO relieved Sam told Dean about the infection from 11.02 and even MORE RELIEVED that Dean showed concern about that, but he wasn't pissed. Sam has no more secrets. Praise the heavens!

Probably my biggest head scratch of the ep was "the Darkness is coming". Um, I thought it was here already? I thought Sam and Dean released it and it had already arrived. Or is Amara growing up the Darkness "arriving"? So the black stuff was the infection but not the Darkness?? I am confused about that.


But mostly…*happy sigh*. The boys chatting in the car and then sleeping was like putting on comfy slippers. Sam being happy but still asking about a normal life was bitter sweet. Dean finding his humour and love for hunting was wonderfully refreshing.

The boys being beaten to shit along with their beloved car was poetic - possibly my fave thing. Or maybe it was Sam referring to the car as "home". I dunno - there was a lot to love. By no means perfect, but probably as close to a "day in the life of" as we are going to get. And we'll probably never get that much thoughtful dialogue between them again, so I'll be re-watching for that reason alone.

I also feel (and hope!) this is a reset on their relationship. A time to move on from the past crap that they've been made to carry. It's the most in-tune I've seen them in - well, years. I hope it lasts (lols quietly to self).



5 = Awesome! OMG! \o/ to 1 = Nope *sadface*
[Poll #2026418]

Comments

[tebtosca.livejournal.com]

Misha said they are NOT going to have him doing that role in the press interviews they did last week, thank God. So one-off fan pandering way for Robbie to get him into the episode and a waste of one of his contracted episodes (oops lol)

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Haha, oh yeah actually. So that would count as a contracted ep?

Though I did lol at Misha's "phoning it in" tweet.

Icon perfection. :)

[tebtosca.livejournal.com]

So that would count as a contracted ep?

If you hear his voice, he has to get paid and credited for the episode.

[zubeneschamali.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed it for all of the reasons you mentioned, plus nerdy!Sam, lots of closeups of Dean, and a shout-out to one of my favorite JIB lines. A whole episode of "a day in the life" would have gotten boring, plus keeping it in Impala POV meant that scenes were still extended beyond what we would normally see (like Dean putting Cooler in the trunk).

I also like the idea that the car somehow assists the boys in their adventures and the fact that she managed to hold onto objects that helped Dean escape is kind of awesome.

Headcanon accepted.

I kind of figured Sam's visions were coming from Lucifer, as much as I don't want to see him come back. Why do you think they're not?

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

My fav part was Dean trying to get Sam to say werepires :)

We should have seen Sam putting his shirt on in the backseat too!

Loved the brother conversations, especially the one were Sam was in the backseat...

Matt Cohen was an amazingly kept secret!

One tiny quibble--Cas explained the ghoulpires were already dead and just needed to be prompted to move on by putting copper coins in their mouths, and that when that was done to the alpha the rest would be cured. But if they were already dead, how could they be cured back to life?

But hey, not gonna let that matter to how much I enjoyed this ep...Robbie Thompson clearly is a fangirl at heart!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Do you know how many he would be contacted for? Usually about half?

[tebtosca.livejournal.com]

He was in 13 last year and since this is the kind of show that wouldn't pay him and not use him, it's a good assumption that it was for that many. Sheppard, who also has a regular contract, was in 12.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

"a day in the life" would have gotten boring,

Yeah, I agree. And essentially the story needs to move along. I like that we got some of that at least.

Why do you think they're not?

It's more that I'm not sure why they would be? Would Sam's wall be failing again? Has the darkness or the infection meant that somehow Lucifer is contacting him from the cage? I'm just not clear how that would work (though, why I'm even thinking it has to "work" is beyond me). I'm wondering if it's something we don't know about yet maybe

[ash48.livejournal.com]

My fav part was Dean trying to get Sam to say werepires :)

Oh yes! Best. I loved all of that actually. I loved seeing that humour in Dean again.

But if they were already dead, how could they be cured back to life?

haha, oh man, I don't even think of all that stuff any more. though…I thought maybe they were under a spell rather than dead? That killing the Alpha meant they were released from that? I'll go with that, or something.

Robbie Thompson clearly is a fangirl at heart!

The biggest fan!girl there is!

[el1ie.livejournal.com]

Bravo!

I had to give it 5 for the simple matter of never thinking I would find 'my' Sam and Dean in a Carver era episode - and what do you know? There they were. But it pretty much deserved the 5 all around.

Really enjoyed it while watching, excellent and ingenious way of doing a MOW episode and making it feel new. In some ways I kept waiting for Dean to realise Baby had been taken on a joy ride - but you know what? A girl's got to have some fun and some secrets! Seeing her all scarred and battered as she drove the boys away was sad but also kind of fitting, they were all beat to shit and all need time to heal, absolutely makes her family and we know this isn't the worse thing that's happened to her, hopefully she'll be back to gleaming glory soon and hopefully this wonderful time together is a signal for the future for them.

I did wonder if 'dad' was Michael, Lucifer reached out to Sam first and he was too traumatised to hear, so maybe big brother had his chance. I'm thinking the darkness is here, but it's growing and needs time before it consumes the world? Hell if I know really, just a tick in the 'YAY' box with this one makes me very happy.

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

It was a great episode! :D \o/ ♥ It certainly made up for last week's boredom.

Probably my biggest head scratch of the ep was "the Darkness is coming".

The thing that instantly popped into my mind was Jon Snow's (GOT) "Winter is coming" - for several seasons now, lol. And I burst into laughter. This can't have been a referrence to that, could it? I just found it amusing, and indeed, the darkness is there already. But perhaps they mean when the girl is grown up. Who knows.

It would be great if this ep signalled a reset of their relationship. One can hope... :)

Roll on more epis like this! :D

xx

[gidgetgal9.livejournal.com]

Loved it all for the reasons you mentioned!

My thought on the vision was that it is Michael. I mean he has worn young John's meat suit before and been in that head so that was a thought but could be Lucifer or... yeah other things. But I'm leaning towards Michael.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

I kind of thought that the use of Matt Cohen was deliberate, that it was Michael. But then he said the line about "I never could fool you," and that sounded more like Lucifer. Maybe both?

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

Loved this episode to pieces. TO PIECES. And I already want to watch it again.

imagine if that had been JDM!?!

Oh, man, that would've been AWESOME!

. . . though I really hope Castiel isn't "taking over" Bobby's role as lore guru, because nope.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

There was some handwaving - but I felt that was there on purpose, not because they'd dropped the ball - I mean all the contrived hair pins, purses, machetes should have been cheesy but I just loved it because it was purposeful. And your idea that this was the car's doing adds a shade of brilliance so YAY!

I'd happily have sat and watched a whole season of episodes like this one - and I'm with you regarding the way the Darkness was referred to here. It made me wish this had been the first episode of the season, and that they had never decided to make the Darkness human so effing early. Keeping the menace and mystery would have been so awesome. But hey ho, that opportunity has long gone.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Oooooh good call!

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

I was beside myself, I loved it so much! Loved ALL of it, which is something I haven't been able to say since I don't know when. All the humor, the brother moments, the surprises... I laughed all the way through it, and how nice is it to end the evening giggling?

I suspect using JDM for this ep didn't even cross their minds. It's going to take some serious juggling of his schedule for him to come back, and I would guess that when we do see him, it'll blow us right across the room.

[sam-dean-lover.livejournal.com]

my grade's an A+, im looking forward to next week, :D

[fufaraw]

Of all the (many! wonderful!) things I loved? My very favorite was Baby cranking, despite her damage. Twice. Atta girl.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

What did I love?

Every. Freakin'. Minute.

[cloex-brosluvr.livejournal.com]

I voted 4 but really it would be more like 4.5 because it wasn't quite perfect (a few nitpicks) but it was the best one of the season.

[batgurl10.livejournal.com]

Gave it a 5! which considering I rated the last one a -1 is a major improvement. I credit the fact that it was an entire ep about the BOYS and Baby. thats what Im here for and this episode delivered in spades. I felt Sams apparition was Luci first and then I kind of shifted to Michael. Loved Deans fight scene, Loved the fact that Sam actually said more than 2 words. He talked to Dean OMG @@! They conversed! lol, sorry just been jaded but this season is proving to be a major Sam improvement character-wise. I agree with whomever posted that it would have been scarier to keep the reveal of the Darkness as a woman for a bit longer. I found it curious that we didnt see naked chest Sam, I mean that scene was the perfect set up. Wonder if the boys have some anti nudity clause in their contract cause they sure are shy....lol. Overall such a breath of fresh air I could cry. Instead, Im gonna go rewatch.
cheers. =)

[amypond45.livejournal.com]

My first thought when "John" says the "I never could fool you" was, oh damn. Lucifer the father of lies again. But wouldn't Sam know? I mean, he did spend 120 years or whatever in the cage with Lucifer, so now I'm letting that idea go. But maybe Michael? And the earlier vision in the hospital was Lucifer?

I still think Dean hasn't told Sam about the depth of his connection to the Darkness, but maybe I'm reading too much into Dean's reactions. He's been hard for me to read since the whole demon!Dean thing. He seems to be hiding things from Sam as a matter of course now, but that's probably just me. Sam is so open, so honest, so ready to tell Dean everything and so trusting that his big brother will be there to help him fix things. Am I wrong to feel a little foreboding here? I'm so enamored of Sam's newly recovered faith, his belief that he and Dean can do what "John" says they and only they can do...

I think I need a tissue...

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

Did Dean call Sam, "Buddy" twice or was that my wishful hearing?

[stormcloude]

Maybe Lucifer and Michael are working together to contact Sam and that's one of the unlikely alliances they've been promoting? It would make sense with the cage flashes and Lucifer is known as the Light-bringer, so who better to fight the darkness? Didn't he have the Mark of Cain at one point too?

No matter who it is, it's someone who can't fool Sam, since that was a line in this episode.