Supernatural: Lazarus Rising
Like a Halo, Only in Reverse
by Sylvia Bond
Supernatural Episode Review – Season Four, Episode One
“Lazarus Rising”
My heart was pounding just as the Premier Episode for Season Four of Supernatural was starting, while under my breath I muttered the Geek’s Prayer, which has a whole bunch of powerful words and then ends with “And please don’t suck, amen.” I also went into this ep veritably spoiler free, for except for the title, the basic knowledge that Dean was getting out of hell, and a few early pics, I had NO idea what was going to happen. I did not know (and still don’t) what Show’s intentions were and are, and was not swayed by any quotes about direction or character development or anything. In light of that, this review is pretty pure because without the influence of interviews or video clips of the production team, the blood artists, directors, writers, Show’s Creator, everything came at me like a freight train. (In retrospect, though, I would have liked to have gotten the heads up from the Lighting Guys about how creepy everything was going to look, to the degree that it set me on edge the whole time. Kudos, boys!)
I like the fact that Show didn’t mess around and gave us Dean back RIGHT AWAY because if I had to wait for it, it would have sucked. The cool part was watching Dean claw his way out of a pine box, through the earth, and into the sunshine, voice cracked from disuse. Dean is beautiful here, covered with his OWN grave dust, smudged and looking tired. His hair seems a little darker (there’s no sun in hell to strike the tips golden, I guess), and his skin a little paler, grey, almost like he’s a ghost, and it makes an interesting and logical change from his usual hale and hearty self.
The moment where he stands at his own graveside amidst a circle of fallen trees that seems eerily similar to Tunguska, shoulders rolled forward, eyes narrowed against the brightness, is an excellently done bit of filming. There is no wind, no sound at all, adding to the creepy, other-worldly feel to this scene. Plus, Show didn’t rush it, because DEAN wouldn’t rush it, he’s going to take in his surroundings before he makes a single move. It gave off the odd feeling that maybe he was the last man on earth, which of course brought up the next important question: Where is Sam?
Dean on his own watches like apocalyptic fanfic reads, with no people around, bare armed, marching like a soldier along an empty, grass-lined street, wearing dark colors, browns and blacks and dulled blues, like the earth or a smoky sky. I love the clip of him walking down the road, shirt tied low over those lovely slender hips of his, he’s jaunty and determined and did I say BARE ARMED, which you almost never see, and part of my prayer is coming true because this scene definitely doesn’t suck.
Dean finds an old gas station, and unlike last season’s question as to whether Sam was 100% Sam, Dean is showing his true colors: first water, then food, then pornography. Go, Dean! He washes up and checks himself out: he’s unmarked, remarkable in light of how bad off he was at the end of Season Three, except for mysterious and blistery handprint on his shoulder. (As he lifts up his shirt, to my fangirl eyes, his torso looks mighty fine; nothing’s worn and it’s as good as it ever was. Plus the anti-possession tattoo is there, hurray for continuity!) Before I have a chance to drool much, Dean is confronted by the TV and radio that turn on by themselves, and a high-pitched screaming sound that has him clapping his hands over his ears and falling to his knees. There’re lots of satisfying crashes of glass as Dean struggles to get out of the way and the weirdness goes up a notch.
There’s an old junker car that just HAPPENS to be there, and which I suspect is a Chevy of an unknown year that Dean sexily hotwires to go in search of Sam and finds Bobby instead. Bobby who has a fixed address, Bobby who naturally thinks that Dean is a demon, a revenant, some kind of ghost, or whathaveyou, and is determined to destroy Dean right from the start. Dean manages to convince him in short order (the holy water in the face was pure funny, and Ackles looks good wet, he just does, plus I love it when he spits, don’t ask me why). Here, Dean’s biggest concern is that Sam is alive, hasn’t done anything STOOPID on Dean’s behalf which would piss Big Brother off to no end. At which point they begin to discuss Sam. At LAST!
Bobby says that Sam went off on his own after insisting that Dean be buried. This does not surprise me, not at all, and I picture it in my head as a solitary task that Sam set for himself, building the box, choosing the spot (so no one would find or disturb it), digging the grave (a good six hours or more), and finally lowering Dean into it while the tears and snot ran down his face. If I thought the funeral pyre for The Dad was sad, this one rather takes the cake. (The clothes Dean is wearing are not the ones that he had on when the hell hounds got him, which also implies that Sam dressed him in for burial, complete with, as we see, a lighter.)
Bobby and Dean go to find Sam, which they do, in the heart marked hotel room in what is obviously a grotty part of Pontiac, Illinois. Padalecki has bulked himself up over the last year, bursting through the seams of his lovely t-shirt, his neck muscles showing, arms ready to punch and swing and do a lot of damage. (And wearing, at one point, the lovely, ugly paisley shirt from seasons past!) The Samhair is parted in the middle, scraped back from his face like that’s the last thing he’s been thinking about, although by this time you think he’d know that I have an unhealthy obsession with it and would like it if he let a little bit of it fall into his eyes. (I will be consulting my Samhair-O-Meter to see how it develops.) Sam seems changed, not just physically, but emotionally. And he’s got facial hair, which is a real physical sign that the Baby of the family is growing up! When he sees Dean, he’s got a wonderful expression both of having gotten his hand caught in the cookie jar (there is a chick in the room, and suggestive overtones of consensual relations having recently occurred), and of being at the same time shocked to see Dean there.
It’s a wonderful scene, drawn out nice and long, full of looks, and shudderings, and soft hellos. The boys look at each other the way you’d think they would after four miserable months apart, sharing a huge, silent moment, and just as I suspect they’re about to kiss or something, Sam lunges at Dean, bursting into motion like an explosion because he naturally thinks what Bobby thought, that Dean is something evil, something to be destroyed. Sam is not and has never been someone who I’d want angry at me, to watch him fly at his brother like this was pretty effective, fists at the ready, and that expression on his face that always indicates that he’s about to take a life and won’t be counting the cost after.
But when he realizes that yes, this IS Dean, his beloved brother, then, yeah, THEN I get what I’ve been waiting for all summer, what I’ve longed for, what I comforted myself with ice cream and wine waiting for, and that was The Hug. Not just any old hug, not a little hug, but THE hug, the Reunion Hug, a full body contact, rib crushing, almost weepy hug. Not completely weepy, no, because Dean has no sense of time passing and while Dean has been away, Sam himself has become somewhat colder. But it’s a good hug, and it lasts for a good long while, taking up precious minutes of screen time but for the right reasons.
I would have preferred Bobby to give the boys a minute alone, but he doesn’t. There’s beer and dithering and the ep takes a comfortable little slide into the familiar, with the three of them sitting there, jawing, talking what the hell is going on. Not least of which was how Dean managed to get out of hell. As they talk, and Dean pushes Sam with questions, I got the creepy feeling that Sam was hiding something. Yeah, Sam’s probably being perfectly honest that he didn’t make a deal, that he wanted to, that he couldn’t, and that he’s very sorry. But I think there’s something he’s not telling us, and only time will tell us what that is. Sam’s been four months without Dean, as well, so his ability (or willingness) to fall into line and obey his big brother seems somewhat precarious at this point.
One particular piece of dialog that I thought was rather nice, me being me, was where Sam’s explaining about being on his own and Bobby says, “Who do you think you are, your old man?” Sam’s silence at this remark is telling, because of course, as fangirls have known for a while, Sam is very much like The Dad and I appreciate that Show is carrying on the tradition both of acknowledging this AND, yeah, bringing up The Dad, who, though dead, continues to be a long shadow on the boys’ event horizon.
Another good bit of dialog was where Sam asks Dean what it was like in hell. Not, as you might think, what he remembers, but what it was like. Like you do when someone tells you they were held hostage and part of you wants the grotty, unsavory details to titillate yourself with; you almost can’t help being interested in the darker side of the human condition. That’s what it feels like Sam is doing here, he’s only human after all, but Dean says he can’t remember a thing. Which isn’t exactly true because we get the little bits where Dean is remembering, his face is covered with blood, his eyes are wide open looking for danger. All summer long, I hated thinking of him down there, just hated it.
The bit with Dean’s necklace got to me more than I’d like to admit, because it also speaks to Sam’s careful preparations of Dean’s body for burial. In spite of that, I find myself somewhat dissatisfied by the reunion aspect of this ep. Considering that Sam thought Dean was dead and suffering in hell, I expected a bit more brother love here. I wanted to see more care and concern between the brothers and less “let’s get to business.” Oh sure, the HUG (see above) was spectacular, but there was something missing, which could be explained by the tenseness because it feels like both Sam and Dean are lying to each other. Still, you know?
Bobby suggests a visit to a psychic (not a sidekick) he knows; Sam and Dean drive there and dither (I love the fact that the Impala had a scene, it would have been sad had Dean’s best girl been left out), and it’s classic stuff that warms my heart with its familiarity even as it creeps me even further out by the fact that Sam still seems to be holding something back. His protestations about Dean’s dying wishes seem to ring false, though I did get a HUGE laugh on account of the Ipod. Naturally Sam, thinking the Impala was his (and how weird that must have felt) would have added it first thing. Dean’s love for his car feels good though, like a warm hand on a cold day. Favorite line from the Impala is the moment when she starts up, rumbling beneath Dean’s hands like a sassy mountain pony who’s eager for a good, long run. (This doesn’t offset the creepout factor that’s been building all along nearly enough, in fact, it only throws the creepout into higher relief.)
The psychic turns out to be a strongly cast, dark-haired female in a black tank top and enough moxie to flirt with Dean and Sam at the SAME TIME. Which not only proves she’s got great taste, but guts, because Sam doesn’t say no, even though Dean cutely tells Sam he’s not invited. (My fangirl brain asks, “Has he EVER been invited?” and I know I’m not the only one wondering this.) The séance carries on, as they do, somewhat cheesily with candles and handholding (which makes my fangirl’s heart sigh with the beauty of it because Sam and Dean are sitting right next to each other), and much mutterings by the psychic. She calls to someone named Castiel, which reminded me instantly of a kind of soap and it’s all I can do not to think of bubbles and bathtubs.
But the coolness comes when Castiel BURNS out the psychic’s eyes, which instantly proves the situation’s serious. I like it that Show actually showed us the consequences of messing around with this Castiel character, instead of just having the psychic fall to the floor a little dazed and confused and only needing a glass of water. No, her eyes have been burned from their sockets, horribly, and no 911 call that Sam makes is going to change that. (Watching Sam run for the phone is like watching a bull in a china shop, so just get the HECK out of his way!) Plus, it rather implied that the guest stars are going to be a dime a dozen this season, so watch out!
In spite of this total grossout experience, Sam and Dean visit a diner that looks suspiciously like the diner from the disaster at the end of Season Three, where Dean had sent Sam in to get him some pie. This time, however, Dean and Sam get pie together, which is what they like and which is safer. Only, yeah, the diner is occupied by demons who want to scare the boys (and us, I presume) only I’m not scared because there’s been SO many demons on Show it’s getting a little old. Plus, Dean, he’s got an attitude towards demons and starts smacking one of them around, but I guess that’s what happens after four months in hell, everything else pales in comparison. (The demon Flo, a funny little shoutout to the old show “Alice,” wants to know why Dean got out of hell. His answer is ADORABLE and totally Dean. Of course his nipples are perky! Was there any doubt?) As the boys leave, Dean has a brutal attitude (and who could blame him), but leaves her a huge tip anyway and thanks her for the pie.
In the next scene, Dean is fast asleep on the foldout couch (a perfect and ugly velveteen lime green in the most suitably tacky of hotel rooms, complete with mirrors on the ceiling, which makes me wonder about Sam), and Sam leaves to go do his thing, which logically, by this time, he’s used to doing. But to continue with my reunion complaint, it would have been nice to see Sam watching over Dean while he was sleeping to make sure he was okay. Just for a minute, just for a little minute. It wouldn’t have taken long to write the scene, or to film it, would it have KILLED Show to give us this? Plus, why is Sam sneaking out JUST when his brother is returned from HELL? He’s snuck out before, the naughty boy, and it has NEVER, EVER, EVER ended well.
The Sam’s character has gone through ch-ch-ch-changes over time, as it should do, and where he once was a lonely princeling unsure of himself, now, having learned to live and do without Dean (twice now, if you include his Mystery Spot experience), Sam seems quite confident. On his own, Sam goes back to the diner to visit the demons from earlier, and finds that although Flo’s eyes have been burned out, she can smell his soul. I thought this was an interesting concept, that a soul had a smell, and imagined that Sam’s smells (and tastes) just like pink cotton candy, although I’m sure the demon would disagree.
He faces the demon, fights her off, and starts asking questions. Then it gets weird, really weird. Not in a bad way, because given the direction Show has been taking with this particular arc, but in a strange way. Sam holds out his hand and sends the demon back to hell just with the power of his mind. While I miss the sound of Latin passing over his lovely lips, I like the way Show did this, and feel it’s been a long, logical buildup to this point. Sam’s not 100% there yet, the smoke coming out of the demon is limp like yesterday’s fish, and it takes him a while, concentrating, his eyes closed, but he manages it. My first thought was that when DEAN finds out? He’s going to be taking Sam’s hide and nailing it to the wall.
When Sam finishes, for a second I’m sure Sam’s eyes go black, with only the barest hint of light in them to indicate that while he’s not gone totally darkside, I’m positive he’s already on that slippery slope and has been since Dean got dragged to hell. Plus, the mind exorcism is proof that Sam is a lying liar who lies, he’s been working on his mad, bad skills while big bro has been away, in spite of his protestations to the contrary. Now, I’ve always know he was good at lies, but it almost seems that he doesn’t even realize how hip-deep he is in them at this point; it’s almost like he doesn’t consider them to be lies.
With the dead bodies piled all around Sam, (which seem to bother the boy not at all, as it would have in the Before Time), in walk the dark-haired chick from the hotel room earlier, who, voila, turns out to be Ruby! (Not so strongly cast as the psychic, I’m afraid; the actress who played the psychic would have made a much better Ruby.) I do remember mutterings and grumblings over the summer about a love interest for Sam, that Sam was going to be in the sack with some chick, and resigned myself to the fact that Sam is a red-blooded, All-American male and deserves to get his shimmy shimmy on, especially in light of the fact that his brother was dead and burning to a crisp in hell.
Since I’m twisted like that, I took a slow-me-down to look at whether Sam has been sleeping with Ruby. I think that, reexamining the scene in the hotel room, Dean and Bobby, not having called first like polite folks do, caught the pair unawares. They covered as best they could, which also explains the Kristy/Kathy issue, with Sam calling Ruby by the wrong false name. While this may have looked kinky, I don’t think that Sam is having sex with Ruby, not only because he doesn’t trust her, but also, since demons possess humans against their will and it being a little like rape, it’d be like raping her twice, and I don’t think Sam would go that route. It also sheds an interesting light on her “You are you two, like, together?” question, which, since she knows Sam and Dean are brothers, for all her protestations about not wanting to come between them, means that she was getting her digs in while she could.
Their conversation also proves some of my earlier suspicions, that Sam is up to something of which his brother would not approve. That he feels good because he can rescue people is almost a cliché at this point, but it seems that at the same time, Sam is visiting the places he Ought Not To Go. Sam’s statements of wanting to do good come across as uber-eerie, maybe it’s his voice, or his absolutely still expression, but while he may think he’s doing good, he’s going down a darker path than his brother. I fear for Sam, I really do, because, to quote the Scarecrow, “It’s going to get darker before it gets lighter.”
Back at the hotel room, Dean’s on his own, and when the TV and radio start screaming at him, he does this very smooth move, getting the sawed off and rolling off the bed in one motion. Being in hell hasn’t dulled his senses any, I’d say. The point at which the blood shows up on his face, I thought his ears were blown, and had a real feeling of fear ripple through me. I know it’s just a TV show, but my heart was thumping pretty hard here.
While Sam is messing around with Ruby, and lying to Dean about where he is, likewise, Dean lies about where HE is, so I see much trouble abrewing between the boys, which should make for some interesting conversations and, one hopes, much wall slamming. Dean and Bobby go of to raise Castiel, and it was at this point that I felt I’d had enough of Bobby. Bobby is a great character, but I was getting tired of him, because to me it was too much Bobby and not enough Sam. Throw rotten fruit if you must, but it’s the Dean and Sam show, not the Dean and Bobby show. Throughout the entire ep, he delivers too many lines that could have been delivered by either Winchester boy, and in spite of the fact that he’s supposedly the closest thing Dean has to a father (which I don’t believe), Bobby is NOT The Dad, and he is NOT Sam, and I just wish Show would realize that sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. The boys have grown utterly dependant on Bobby in general, and the dynamic between Sam and Dean becomes weakened as a consequence.
At any rate, Bobby and Dean set up a barn for the invocation of a demon they shouldn’t Ought To Be Messing With, and with all the scribbles on the walls, the only thing I could think of was how long it had taken the Set Dressers to decorate it. I imagined they had a good team and were quite efficient, but I’ll wager if they’d given a tagger a can of spray paint, he could have done it in half the time.
So thusly comes the spell, and the waiting after, which was kind of funny because usually these things happen in quick succession, and the doors open. In walks a young republican or an accountant or something like that. Maybe he’s a tax lawyer, but he certainly doesn’t look like anything I should worry about. Not quite ugly, not quite handsome, just your average guy on the street. He walks right past the symbols of protection, the salt, and is untouched by the Knife of Power – all of these things are meant to protect from evil, but he’s not affected. He still comes across like someone who’s spent too many years out in the noonday sun without a hat, if you see what I mean. I was made more nervous on account of the clock was ticking down and no secrets had been revealed as of yet.
I’ll admit I was glad that Castiel knocked Bobby out so that the conversation could be JUST between him and Dean. Dean returns to his stance from the beginning of the ep, with his shoulders rolled forward, skin a little on the pale side, and his eyes narrowed against the brightness. The conversation goes back and forth a bit and then Castiel announces that he’s an angel of the Lord. (At which point I decide that he reminds me a little bit of William Defoe, who some time back in the “Seventh Seal” set the standard for what unearthly beings such as angels should look like.)
To quote Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, “That we were not expecting!” It has long been Show’s stand that while it would admit to the existence of and dally with demons, ghosts, revenants, spirits, shapeshifters, vampires, werewolves, hookmen, wendigos, zombies, black dogs, poltergeists, and so forth, it wasn’t going to go into the realm of heaven, God, or angels. So what is Show thinking, reversing itself like this? Plus, there’s a whole lot more history and backstory and people who BELIEVE, at any rate, it’s a lot to take on, and I don’t envy Show this burden.
Dean, to his credit, and in keeping with his character, does not believe. I like it that he snarls and snorts and curls that delicious lip of his in derision. Even when the “angel” curls out its black wings (and I can just hear the pages of wingfic piling up as we speak), he doesn’t believe. Once long ago, The Mom told him that angels were watching over them, and since this turned out to be NOT true, he’s not believed it ever since. (What angels have black wings? Bad ones, I’m thinking. So I poked around, and yeah, angels with black wings mean that the angel is fallen, or that it uses its powers for darkness, it’s a warrior angel, and its coming does not bode well for the boys.)
What I found interesting, in spite of my surprise and feelings of dismay over the whole angel business, was what the angel had to say to Dean. Well, two things actually. The first, I liked, and the second almost made me cringe. The angel explains to Dean that the screeching TV and radio noises were the result of it trying to talk to Dean in its own voice. (Apparently the angel is currently using a modulated frequency so humans can hear it.) The angel is saddened to discover that Dean can’t hear him, but what’s cool is the fact that it EXPECTED that Dean could have. That Dean’s the kind of human who can hear angels, that Dean is connected to something holy and powerful in this way, something, which doesn’t surprise me in the least. (I had to laugh when Castiel says, with some disbelief, to Dean, “You don’t think you deserve to be saved.” To which I, and any fangirl you’d care to ask, could have told him, “Duh! We knew that in Season One, where the hell have YOU been?”)
However, the second thing, where the angel reveals that he pulled Dean out of hell because “the Lord my God” told me to rather stunned me and not in a good way. I had flashblacks to Sunday School and little voices singing “Jesus loves me, this I know,” and hours wasted inside a church on a spring day when through the windows the bounty of the Universe awaited me. Dean certainly seems as shocked as I am, and looks pale and beautiful and perfectly dismayed as the screen fades to black.
Here are some of my thoughts on the whole angel business. The Mom said angels were watching over the boys, but she didn’t say which kind, right? Wasn’t Azazel a fallen angel? And isn’t this Castiel guy an angel, albiet a bit dubious? So maybe angels were watching over, just not the nice ones. (I certainly hope that the Castiel is not totally on the up and up because that will make him more interesting.) And in spite of what Castiel says, I suspect God had very little to do with any of this. At least I hope not, because that would put Show smack dab in the middle of the kind of religious territory where there are a whole lot more Rules than Show currently operates under, and give it the tone and taste of a sermon rather than the gritty, urban-legend dotted roadtrip that we have heretofore this been accompanying the boys on.
I got pulled right into this ep and enjoyed it, and just when I thought I knew where it was going, Show went somewhere else. It was a roller coaster for my emotions, to say the very least. There were overtones of future potential conflict between Sam and Dean, where Sam has dark powers on his side (and a demon whispering in his ear), whereas Dean has God Himself making requirements and an angel (albeit with black wings) telling him he’s got a job to do. Some have mentioned Cain and Abel, but this isn’t a struggle between two brothers vying for their father’s love. More, it speaks of something more epic, where they might be pawns in someone else’s game. Overall I thought it was MUCH better than the premiere for Season Three, though not quite as fun as the premiere for Season Two, which, because of the fact that Dean wore his jammies for the entire time, would be a little hard to beat. For the moment, I will retain judgment until the next ep, all the while muttering, “Please don’t suck, amen.”
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Sylvia Bond is a ten-year technical writing veteran with too many degrees under her belt to count. She lives in Colorado, but does not ski, preferring instead to spend her money and time at the annual Great American Beer Festival, taking road trips across the United States, and reading historical fiction from the comfort of her fluffy green arm chair. She has been involved in fandom since 1993 and been writing fanfic since approximately 1993. What she finds most amazing about fandom (besides the open heartedness of fans and the sheer amount of creativity) is how visible fandom has become. “In my day,” she says, “we had to hide behind P.O. boxes to get fanfic. But nowadays, people wear t-shirts that shout their affiliation and share their shiny toys on the internet.” It’s a wonderful world.
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![Supernatural - The Complete Third Season [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2B%2BTkabyjL._SL75_.jpg "Supernatural - The Complete Third Season [Blu-ray]")
Althought I disagree with quite a few things here I did enjoy reading your take on things.
Nice review!
P.S. Sam’s eyes did not turn black in that scene I’ve seen it in HD and you can find
screencaps where white is visible. And Castiel’s wings were not black. That was the
shadow of his wings we saw.
Dear Sylvia
I haven’t been able to get this episode out of my mind since last Thursday. It WON’T leave my head. So many thoughts, swirling around in there. GAH!!!!!!!!!!
I knew it was going to be a great season premiere when I saw all of my favorite people listed in the opening credits and I have to admit I wasn’t disappointed.
Oh my! I can’t believe the show actually went THERE.
But, I am actually glad it did because as much as I love the darkness and evil and horror I really wanted Supernatural to explore the other side of the coin. I wanted the show to examine both good and evil. I am sure there is much more to Castiel than meets the eye since he did have ‘black’ wings, which I must admit freaked me out a little, I am excited about this new direction. Mr. Kripke has NEVER let us down so far so I am ready for whatever he has planned because I am certain it will be an interesting and enlightening ride!
Anyway, I thought the end was a satisfying conclusion to a magnificent episode.
It had everything a fan girl wants. Awesome bods. Man both Jensen and Jared look fantastic.
Sam getting darker…Jensen’s face when he saw his ‘baby’…the IPOD comment…More questions….more lies…although I hate that Dean and Sam CONTINUE to keep secrets from each other and we both know that CAN’T end well. Hand holding… Continuity…Character progression….storyline progression…a ‘knock your socks off’ ending….and we finally got a HUG!!!!!!!! I LOVE the expression on Dean’s face when we was hugging Sammy…his eye’s were closed. AHHHHH!!! It was so sweet and so worth the wait. But, I have to agree with you I had hoped for more but I will take what I got because our show is back and I can’t wait to see where Krike is going with this.
I read somewhere, in a Kripke interview, that he said fans wondered why the show was all about Sam and they wanted to know why Dean didn’t really have a connection to the mythology storyline arc. Kripke said that wasn’t true. He said he had something big planned for Dean and that we had to be patient. Well, Kripke you weren’t kidding!
I love that Dean is the one who was chosen. Seriously.
We have seen glimpses of his lack of faith over the last three seasons and I fully expect we will see Kripke delve much further into Dean’s beliefs this season. Dean can’t believe if he can’t see it so this is going to be a fascinating exploration of Dean’s character and his beliefs. I remember when Dean wanted to know why he was saved and the preacher told Dean, in the ‘Faith’ episode “that God guided him to look into his “heart” and found extreme goodness and a man that had a purpose, an important job to do that wasn’t finished”.
Joan
Dear Sylvia,
I have been reading your reviews for a while now and I just wanted to let you know how much I absolutely love them, so well written with great insights and LOL humour. I especially appreciate your love of both boys even though you are a Dean girl. I am a Sam girl who also loves Dean.
Now as for this episode …
I agree with you totally that there was too much Bobby. As much as the hugs and returning the amulet scenes were great, I think that if they had shown more emotional, reconnecting scenes between the brothers, then the lies and secrets would have been even more devastating. And I found it took WAY too long before Dean finally asked about Sam. It just didn’t feel authentic, you know, especially seeing as he didn’t even know if Sam was still alive.
I disagree that Sam doesn’t care about the body count because the first thing he did when he zapped the demon Flo back to hell was check her pulse and then said “Damn it!” when he realized the possessed human did not survive.
I agree with you that Castiel may not be totally what he seems to be and more of a fallen angel and that the boys are being used as pawns … that seems to more spell out Kripke to me.
One scene you didn’t mention that struck me particularly strongly was when the boys left the diner. Sam wanted the demons killed but Dean says there are three of them amd they only have one knife, to which Sam says “I’ve killed a lot more than that lately.” Dean replies that well the smarter brother is back in town and basically they’re going to do what he says. I just found his answer so dismissive of Sam. Maybe that’s why Sam sneaked out later. I don’t think also that Sam isn’t concerned about watching over Dean.
I think he is at a bad, guilty, hurting place where he failed to save his brother from going to hell and he failed to get him out. It’s almost like the ONLY time he feels good is when he can save people and stop demons … like he’s addicted and doesn’t want to stop.
As for Ruby, they replaced one bad actress for a worse one. Toobad, because the role of Ruby is really a pivotal one. What made the scene with Castiel and Dean great was the great acting by both. Imagine the Ruby scenes done by a great actress and well, the outcome would be so much more powerful as it was between Castiel and Dean. My personal opinion would be to have a cast an OLDER woman as Ruby. Of course, she would have to look amazing (as in Demi Moore or something). I mean this is TV. But can you imagine how hard it would be for Sam to resist having never had a mother figure (except for Dean! Heh!).
Lastly, I am really sick to death of Dean’s self-esteem issues and found it cringe-worthy when Castiel brought it up. Show, we get it so let go of the anvils! And as much as I love Dean’s funny quips, I found his “perky nipples” line so out of place in that scene, it fell so flat.
Whew, that’s it for me.
Looking forward every Tuesday for your great reviews.
Tonia.
I totally agree with your general review of the episode.
I am convinced that Sam is lying and he does in fact have something to do with Deans return,i guess we will find out what later on eh?
I love the direction Sam is taking this season,it has ben a long time coming and im am so looking forward to seeing how he develops now!
Also did you think the demon in the diner while talking to Dean seemed nervous of Sam?The way she kept glancing in his direction and especially after Dean hit her?
Loved your review.
I think when Dean finally “believes” himself worthy he will be able to hear the true voice of the angel. His self-doubt and not belief are what are preventing him from hearing Castiel.
And I love the grand theme of Good and Evil and how our boys are caught as pawns between the two sides, showing that there are shades of grey everywhere.
I have to confess I found Deans behaviour towards Sam esp in the motel room aggressive, unsympathtic, intimitating and for the first time I disliked Dean , he behaved like a petulant 4 year old in the car over the I -pod and hope I never feel like that again..
But having said that the premier was good and I look to see where they go this year with both boys .
Sylvia – I love your reviews and insights.
You are right, there was way too much Bobby. The reunion scene between Sam and Dean might have had more emotion if an audience hadn’t been present. (And Jim Beaver appears in three of the first six episodes – too much of a good thing.) The boys have become too dependent on him, so it’s time to back off.
Was anyone else unnerved by Dean slapping Flo in the diner? TWICE? Although she was a demon, something about that whole scene made my skin crawl. And the “perky nipples” comment was just silly.
So Sam is utilizing his powers for good now, huh? At least he is using them. The show has been moving in this direction for a long time, so it was good to see him diffuse that “bomb” inside.
The actress playing Ruby needs to go to acting school, like, yesterday. Unless she improves a lot in a short time, the character of Ruby will fall flat and not have the impact she did last year. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d only give Katie Cassidy a 6, but I still much prefer her over this new actress.
Although this is a moot point, really, I do not believe Sam is sleeping with Ruby. Like you said, it would be tantmount to rape, and no matter what emotional state Sam is in, he would not do that. I’m sure he remembers all too well how it feels to be possessed himself, so … no, just no!
All in all, this was a great season opener. I’m intrigued by Castiel – what is his mission? What is he all about? And by the new Sam. What awaits him? How far will he take his powers (or should I say how far will his powers take him)? It’s scary and exciting all at once!
Dear Telly,
Hey, thank you for liking my review, even if you didn’t agree with everything. The way I
figure it, there’s a million ways to interpret this ep, mine is just one of many.
And maybe Sam’s eyes didn’t turn black, and I’ll take your word for it. My point, I think,
was that the way the scene was filmed, how dark it was, with his hair in his eyes, and that
doubt that’s being planted about Sam’s position on everything – made me feel that they had
turned black. As for the wings, again, it’s what I saw, if I had HD, maybe I would have seen
it differently, but I only saw black wings, not white wings and a shadow. And being spoiler
free, wouldn’t have seen any insights to the contrary, if you see what I mean. But I really
appreciate your insights.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Joan,
How lovely to hear from you again, and what a wonderful start to a new season! Show has taken a lot on its plate, I agree with you there, all the religious stuff, and Sam’s powers, and Dean’s “destiny,” and whether or not Ruby and Castiel mean to truly help or harm. It’s a LOT, but I think Show and Ackles and Padalecki are UP to the challenge, and they were in fine form this time around.
As for Sam and Dean, I think we’re going to find out more about them this season than we did last season, even though they seem to be at odds now, I think they will be there for each other. Like you, I adored The Hug, and the HUGE ending, which only creates more questions than it answers! And you know, I never get that the show was always about Sam and now it’s going to be about Dean. To me, it’s always been about Dean…at least he seemed to be the focus. Now Sam seems to be the focus, and here everyone is saying it’s now all about Dean? Where have I been all this time, eh?
And I love what you pointed out about Dean’s faith. Like you say, we’ve had several eps
about him that dealt with his lack of faith, but you forgot the one where he says he doesn’t believe in Santa (the name of which I forget), where he wants to know why he’s not getting hooked up every Christmas! At the very least, it seems to point out that he lost his faith when VERY young, poor baby. I can’t wait to see what Show is going to do with this whole concept!
See you next Tuesday!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Tonia,
How lovely of you to post a comment like this! I am a Deangirl, yes, but if you’ve read the reviews since BUABS, you’d be noticing a shift in emphasis towards Sammy, Sam, Sam. I admit it, it’s true. Yeah, it’s going like that.
I like your point about how the emotional connection would have made the tenseness and coldness between the brothers more marked. Show needs have to have light to show the darkness, so to have the boys be “all systems normal” just doesn’t make sense. Besides, I like angst!
As for the body count issue, and Sam’s lack of reaction, I should have been a bit more clear. In the past, Sam comes APART when someone dies at his hands, or ex-possessed victim dies instead of survives. Here, he’s more pragmatic about it, saying “Damn it,” without hardly a flicker of angst, at least it seems that way to me. I’m totally buying into the whole Sam going darkside bit, and so, his lack of reaction (no tears or snot) seems to be a part of that.
And oh, yes, that scene, very subtle! I have a word limit of 5,000 and try not to go over it, and so sometimes critical little tidbits like this get left out. The whole “I’ve killed more than that lately,” comment to me seems more significant than Dean’s stomping around and playing the big brother card. I mean, I agree, Dean’s doing it, and Sam’s statement gets swallowed up by Dean overlooking it, but it’s VERY important. Just how many are we talking here Sam? And the way he says, “kill” rather than “took care of,” also speaks to the changes in Sam. It’s interesting that you think that he’s hurt by this and THAT’s why he snuck out. I tend to think that he snuck out because were he was going, Dean would object mightily, even though Sam’s been on his own for AGES and has grown up far too much to be following orders!
And really, the most important thing I left out about this little scene was how DELICIOUS the boys looked in the sunlight, how tall and strong and windblown and utterly beautiful!!!
This actress won’t make it as Ruby, I fear. She doesn’t seem to be presenting the strong, self-sufficient thing that could crawl back from “far far away” where Lilith sent her. Fans are really objecting to her, as well, maybe it’s a personal thing, because we all know, don’t we, that her presence only bodes ill!
Tired of the self-esteem issue, eh? Heck, I’m looking forward to symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome from Dean, because that’s going to get messy and wonderful, and Dean suffers SO well. As for his nipples, I love it when Dean refers to himself like this, because he knows how beautiful he is.
Thank you again, I loved reading what you felt about this ep!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Margaret,
I’m glad you enjoyed the review, thank you! Yeah, the was a good one, wasn’t it? I am totally up for watching it again. (Except for the flashbacks in the teaser to Dean getting ripped apart by hellhounds, that just tears me up.)I think Season 4, with the lack of writer’s strike, the lack of regular females in the cast, and my sense that Show has figured out that they need to really punch it up, we’re in for a hell of a ride!
I did notice the demon in the diner scene, how she was nervous and how Sam almost jumped up and decked her when she said something to Dean. It seemed SAM was the scary one here, not Dean and not the demons, but SAM. Talk about freaking me out!!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Serenitysky,
Thank you, I always love to hear that! Plus, I like your point about when and why Dean will be able to hear angels. I’ve always thought he was worth, and now an angel does too, but that’s not enough for Dean, poor boy.
I think we’re going to see a lot of the whole good vs evil, plus, as you point out, all the shades of grey in between. Fun for us, not so much fun for the boys!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Tina,
Wow, that’s quite a response! Dean did tend to go through this ep stamping his “I’m the big brother” stamp all over everything, reclaiming his territory, I’ll agree with that part, but I didn’t think he was petulant, because that’s not how I see Dean. And, usually, I tend to let the pretty override any reservations I may have about him.
I’m glad you liked the premiere, I did too, and it will be exciting to see how it all develops!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Beth,
I love that you love my reviews, I always love hearing that!
And thank you for your support about Bobby. I wasn’t dissing him in my review, but I did feel like I put it all out there and that readers would take it that I was ragging on him. Though I like the character in general, he’s become too much of a good thing of late, and whenever he’s on screen, I tend to roll my eyes and wonder what he’s going to be doing that would be better and more logically done by the boys. Like in this ep, Bobby asks, “Then what did bring Dean back from hell?” And then Dean asks, two seconds later like Bobby didn’t speak and wasn’t there, “Then what did bring me back from hell?” It’s like the writers were padding the script with Bobby’s lines, just to make it a thicker script.
I didn’t get the whole slapping thing, couldn’t figure out why Dean was doing that. Just to show dominance? Does Dean really feel he needs to do that?
As for Sam’s powers and Ruby, I’m with you all the way. It’s logical that Sam have powers, otherwise, yeah, what’s all this buildup been for? As for Ruby, as long as she’s not too much in any ep, I can take small doses of her. The actress doesn’t seem to have enough ooomph to play such a potentially dangerous character; I wasn’t kidding when I said I felt the actress who played the psychic would make a MUCH better Ruby. Alas, I’m not in charge of these things because if I was, we’d have a much different result! (Or, if YOU were in charge!)
My jury is still out on Castiel, who still reminds me of a bar of soap.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
This killed me “but I’ll wager if they’d given a tagger a can of spray paint, he could have done it in half the time” so funny!
can’t stop laughing over this, ““You don’t think you deserve to be saved.” To which I, and any fangirl you’d care to ask, could have told him, “Duh! We knew that in Season One, where the hell have YOU been?”)”
I had a blast reading your review! and I completely agree with your statement about Bobby. it’s at the point where it’s too much of a good thing.
Dear Amalthia,
Oh, how your lovely comments bring a glow to my heart! I am glad I could make you laugh, and I really do hope milk came out of your nose and everything. As for Bobby, yeah, they need to cut back on using him, he’s become like a crutch, and really takes away from what needs to be happening between the brothers. It was fine and worked well in Tall Tales, there Bobby’s character had a purpose, but in this ep, there was just TOO MUCH of him to be effective. Smaller doses of Bobby, please, Show, smaller doses.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I’m the kind of sadomasochist that wants the overzealous religious groups to be outraged by Supernatural just so we SPN fans can sit back and laugh and laugh as we rake in the free publicity. *grin*
Great review as always. I always get super excited when you post a new one.
Thanks for expanding about Sam’s lack of reaction about the body count. You’re right, Sam has become very emotionally removed.
As for the reason Sam snuck out, you made a really valid point. I guess what I was really trying to say was that it’s so sad that Sam receives validation from Ruby. He almost smiles after she praises him then seems to catch himself. He is just that desperate to feel good. Talk about self-esteem issues.
I am looking forward to Dean suffering from PTSS (oh my, how we love to watch our boys and suffer!) but I just wish Show would not keep stating his issues over and over again. We know … we know … enough already!
WORD! I have always felt so far this has been all about the Dean and now Sam seems to be the focus. We must be the only two in fandom who think that.
I feel exactly as you do about Castiel and although most of the fandom is swooning over him, I agree with your description “not quite ugly, not quite handsome” but definitely an awesome actor. I have a gut feeling he is more of a fallen angel of Lucifer. We shall see.
I am really sorry they did not find an equally awesome actress for Ruby. It made for a sadly missed opportunity to have those scenes with her deliver what could have been great impact and power (although Sam finally using his powers was awesome).
Great episode in all. Cannot wait for all the angst in store for our two beloved boys!
Dear Sylvia
I LOVE returning to your website to read your responses.
. They always make me smile.
BTW – Thanks for the warm sentiments.
Anyway, I did forget about Santa. Thanks for the reminder.
I have never felt that the show only focused on Sam and his ties to Yellow eyes but apparently that seems to be the case for a lot of the fans of the show. To me, the show has ALWAYS been about the Winchester boys.
I agree with you that Sam and Dean will come together in the end because apart they are lost. It is almost like they are the same person. I know it is corny but they complete each other. They are much stronger when they are together and that is what I want to see on my TV screen. The Winchester’s fighting together and not at odds with each other. It kills me to see them keeping secrets from each other.
I am beyond excited about where this season is headed.
I stayed completely spoiler free so I was totally unprepared for what transpired on my TV screen.
I LOVE this show!
Take care
Joan
Tonia:
Your comment: WORD! I have always felt so far this has been all about the Dean and now Sam seems to be the focus. We must be the only two in fandom who think that.
*raises hand*
Fan #3 here! Although there have been episodes that focus on Sam, most of them, to me, have focused on Dean. Kripke himself has said Dean is the “hero” of this show, so that says it all.
Also, I agree that Dean’s self esteem issues are the proverbial dead beaten horse. Enough already.
Hopefully we will gain more insight into Sam as the season goes along; surely we will since Kripke seems bent on turning him evil and pitting the brothes against each other. Should be a wild ride!
Dear Heather,
Hey, thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. And oh, man, why aren’t there more groups protesting Show? Then we’d know we hit the BIG time!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Tonia,
You’re more than welcome, I should have been more clear in the first place. As to what you pointed out about Sam looking to Ruby for praise, that’s just creepy! And perfect, because he’s been alone with her for four months, long enough for her influence over him to grow.
Isn’t it funny, the whole “who’s the focus question?” I guess we’re swimming upstream on this one, and that we have a pal in Beth who thinks the way we do.
And I’m like you. What with the PTSS and Castiel (who could be good or bad) I’m looking forward to my favorite characters falling APART this season. Isn’t that awful? I’m such a bad fan. : D
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Joan,
About Sam, I think the consensus was that Sam’s story was the most important one, from Kripke and fans, and whenever I protested to the contrary, I had things thrown at me. I guess to me, Dean was more interesting simply because the story wasn’t about him, so my focus was on him. My favorite cartoon character when I was a kid was Underdog, and I think that’s a trend that continues to this day. I’ve always preferred the sidekick to the main character anyhow, so thusly they become the main character to me. But that’s just my personal quirk.
I think that Show is going to be hellishly cruel to Sam and Dean, tearing them apart with secrets and lies, bringing them together for a job or a purpose, only to tear them apart again. Over and over and over till fans cry “enough!” Then, THEN we’ll have the reunion we’ve been waiting all summer for. Besides, I think we like it when Show tortures us!
I’m excited for this prospect and like you, plan to stay spoiler free, but it’s HARD, very hard. Stuff is up for, like, seven eps thus far. Dude!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Beth,
Horray, you are Of the Body!! Welcome!
I too enjoy Evil Sam, Padalecki does it so well, it’s scary and creepy AND sexy. He rocks at this.
I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts on Show.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Sylvia,
Really I have no patience for all this … whose story is it and who’s hotter stuff and it makes me stay away from a lot of forums. It gets so nasty sometimes and toobad because I love reading the comments about the show. I mean let’s just appreciate how lucky are we to be able to drool over not ONE but TWO beautiful boys. That’s one of the reasons why I have always loved your reviews. You really know how to appreciate them both in every way *cough*. Bless your generous soul.
We ARE the baddest of fans. What is it that makes me find blood on the boys’ faces so beautiful like you do? I feel like a sicko and SO good at the same time! Bring on the suffering and pain. Whoo hoo!!!
Dear Tonia,
I sometimes get the feeling that some fans think they need to choose, and that’s the last thing I want to do. I tend to focus on one boy or the other, either because of the way they were filmed (and they’re too beautiful to take my eyes off them), or, yeah, because the story is about a particular boy, because sometimes it is. But yeah, why some discussions get mean, I’ll never know. To each their own, and there’s plenty of room for all kinds of opinions.
As for the blood factor, if I had a dime for every time I asked myself that question, I’d have a LOT of dimes. I personally don’t enjoy the pain that the boys have to go through, but more the emo that comes with it. Like with a Hallmark card commercial. They’re sad and weepy and I just go with it, rolling in all that emo. So when Sam or Dean gets all mashed up, it’s so terribly sad and poignant and I just want to fix them. There’s a billion reasons for why it comes across as so darned interesting and yeah, sexy (bad fan!), and it’s hard to pin that one down!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
“It gave off the odd feeling that maybe he was the last man on earth, which of course brought up the next important question: Where is Sam?”
I had this exact same reaction. I LOVED the beginning. I loved that they didn’t draw out bringing Dean back but that BAM there he was. This surprised and delighted me!
I love the angel business. I think that for a long time they have been dealing with the idea of good and evil, without finding any good beings, and I’m glad this is happening. I’m very much NOT religious, so I worry a bit too about it becoming a little too lordy for me, but I really really liked the guy playing the angel. I liked his attitude, I loved his wings…I’m so curious about him! This got me very curious for the rest of the season, I’m very excited.
I agree about Ruby. The actress playing her doesn’t seem any good, at all. I’m not pumped there. The actress playing the psychic would have been great! I loved the psychic. Too bad she’s probably not going to be around much, being eyeless and all. That was really sick, by the way.
My husband has been googling Castiel to see what he can find out about where the name came from, etc…the only thing he has found is that Castiel is the angel of Thursday. Tell me that’s not funny.
Hi Sylvia.
Yes, it is hard staying spoiler free this year because show seems to be finally finding viewers. There is a lot of love, for our show, out there and it makes me so happy.
I love your DUDE comment. HE HE.
BTW, I always root for the underdog as well. I like your comments about Dean.
Anyway, I need to run but it’s Thursday again so we get to see Jared and Jensen again tonight.
Dean’s world has been turned upside down. I know this season is going to rip our hearts our Sylvia! I just know it. But, so long as our boys are united and not at odds, by the end of the season…I will be satisfied.
Take care
Joan
Dear Faith,
It’s TOTALLY funny, that’s what that is. I’ve also heard that he’s the angel of the heat of passion or something like that. Something romantic and not quite schmoopy. I’m looking forward to the developments in his character, with my fingers crossed and my geek prayer on my lips that he’s not a good angel, that he’ll be interesting and difficult and that there’s enough conflict there to keep Show from turning into “Touched by an Angel.”
Poor Ruby. Show should not be allowed to cast her ever again; they should ask fangirls who should play her, we’d be able to choose a heck of a lot better than Show, who is 0 for 2. The actress who played the psychic, on the other hand, was strong, self-sufficient, and I totally bought that she could take on Sam AND Dean at the same time. But because of her iron backbone, there would be no romantic interaction, even if she was a regular. See? Someone please call Show and tell it so.
All I’m asking, and I’m sure you agree, is MORE Sam and Dean and less the boys with somebody else. I’m thinking we’ll get it if we’re patient and good and pray really REALLY hard.
Thank you so much for coming by and posting and adding your voice to the fun throng!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Joan,
I think if we hid in a large, cardboard box we might be able to avoid spoilers. But only if it was buried 10 feet underground. It’s been an uphill battle thus far, and I see only more of the same. Dude. : D
But if we think we have it bad, think of Sam and Dean, those poor boys. There’s trouble a’ brewin’ for them both, which will be fun for us but not for them.
And yeah, it’s Thursday again! Whoot, WHOOT!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I have a different take on the Ruby situation, I think that Sam picked up Kristy in a bar and took her home and Ruby possesed her afterwards. I don’t believe that she was Ruby at the beginning of the episode. I’ve watched Lazurus Rising about 4 times now and I’ve noticed that when Ruby walks in at the end, Sam takes a long pause before asking “what’s going on here Ruby” almost as if he’s processing her presence.
Dear Heather,
I love this idea! There were so many theories about the Ruby/Kristy situation whirling in my head when I wrote this review, I just had to pick one and GO with it. I seriously don’t like the idea of him having sex with Ruby on account of the person inside can’t say yes or no to it (not that anyone would say no to Sam, right?), but at this point anything is possible.
Best Regards,
Sylvia