Supernatural: Yellow Fever
Sam In Charge of Dean
by Sylvia Bond
Supernatural Episode Review – Season Four, Episode Six
“Yellow Fever”
I find myself very much impressed with this season thus far because, in spite of my fears based on last season’s less than stellar batting average, I think Show is doing a marvelous job. And why is that? Well, I’ll tell you. It’s because a) there’s no writer’s strike to mess with longer story arcs, b) there are no boobs with legs being foisted upon the boys, and c) because the writers are showing appropriate amounts of interest in the boys and their inner workings. Naturally, this attention will never be as much or as in depth as I would like it to be, but I feel that we’re all rowing in the same direction now, in the direction of the Island of Brotherly Angst.
This week Show gives us a good old-fashioned haunting with a twist. Twenty years ago, we learn, Frank felt Luther was paying inappropriate attention to his wife, Jesse. When Jesse disappeared, Frank thought Luther was to blame and so wrapped a chain around his neck and dragged him till he was “more than dead.” This gruesome ending caused Luther’s ghost to infect some of the local population with ghost fever, which kills you by fear, more fear, and then a heart attack in 48 hours, which is all the time the boys have to solve the gig. This time limit gives the plot of Show a nice claustrophobic, almost cop show emergency to deal with, because guess who gets infected? Yeah, Dean! He suffers very well, but back to that in a bit.
I don’t know when the last time I had to cover my eyes while watching Show was, but I think it’s been some time. The whole idea of wrapping a chain around a man’s neck and dragging him behind a truck is bad enough. Even worse is to see this horrific act reenacted, all in the name of putting a ghost to rest. Bad enough that the guy had to die that way the first time; to watch him go through it again? It was a total gross out. Not in the realm of, say, watching a man putting his hand down a sink disposer that’s about to go off, but bad enough. Plus, when I first saw the MOW standing in the corner facing the wall, I was instantly and uncomfortably reminded of “The Blair Witch Project,” a movie that I watched thinking it would be a hoot and a holler, but whose images and feelings I can now never get out of my head.
Sam and Dean come to town as FBI agents, posing as “Tyler” and “Perry,” which even I knew was the lead singer of Aerosmith. There’s tons of funny with the boys, in the morgue, for example, where Sam gets splatted with spleen juice, and Padalecki makes the same kinds of “ew” faces that I would make. Only he’s a whole lot cuter about it, even though you’d think that by this time, Sam would be an old hand at dead bodies being opened up in front of him. Except for the spleen juice, of course. And then there’s the sight of Dean trying not to laugh at the Sheriff’s office when the Sheriff is talking about the “Gamecocks” and the “Cornjerkers,” which are local baseball teams. Ackles, as I have said (and will continue to say until the world knows this) has terribly expressive eyebrows; I don’t think I’ll ever get bored watching them twist and bend and express more than someone else’s jaw flapping in the wind with words coming out.
So there’s the plot (see above), and Sam and Dean working the gig, and then there’s Dean coming apart as the ghost fever takes over, and that’s really the highlight of this ep for me. Ghost fever makes you scared, see, and that’s one thing that Dean never is, so watching him become timid over some creepy looking teenagers is very fun. At first, when he says he doesn’t like the looks of them, I assumed that he felt they were too close to the Impala and he was going to march right over there to teach them all a lesson. But no! He walks the other way so he doesn’t have to deal with them. (Incidentally, is it my imagination or has Show been bringing up chupacabras more and more? That’s the one urban legend Show has not dealt with, so either Show is taunting fans, or one day, some day soon, the boys will actually go up against this legendary beast!)
During another visit, as the boys learn more about the whole ghostly love triangle plot, Dean’s fear grows as he’s confronted by the snake and weird animal collection of the civilian they are questioning. Many people are afraid of snakes, so at this point, all seems normal. (The shoutout to Donny and Marie does not go unnoticed by me, I’ll just admit it here and now that I used to be a rabid fan. Laugh if you will, but it was good, clean fun!) I was a bit distracted by the whole snake stunt; I tend to worry about the snakes, the snake handler, and whether one of the snakes will get away. Plus I worry about the actors and whether or not they like snakes or are scared of them, and if, when they decided to become actors, whether they ever imagined they’d be letting a pale, yellow python thing crawl all over them. I have no idea whether or not Ackles is afraid of snakes, but I thought he played it right by sitting VERY still and looking as though he’d much rather be far, far away.
Dean’s paranoia grows, and hysterically too, as he drives a blazing 20 MPH through town, which Sam notes is exactly the speed limit. I have never pictured Dean as the law-abiding type, or the type who tends to worry about making left hand turns across oncoming traffic, so it was almost like watching Bizzaro Dean. (I was laughing at his “Am I haunted?” question until way, way late into the evening.) Then Sam calls Bobby, naturally, and the boys learn that Dean has ghost fever, and less than, at that point, 24 hours to live.
His trepidation at every little thing now has an explanation, and a fine brotherly dither ensues as the brothers discuss how one catches the fever. The easy answer is that “dicks” catch it, because the guy who killed Luther is a dick. At which point Dean wants to know why he caught it and Sam didn’t. Woe to fandom if Show actually implies that Dean is a dick! But I don’t think that’s what Show was doing, even though on the surface it’s done for easy laughs. Superficially, Dean has tons of traits that make him one of those guys you might want to avoid, because Sam is right, if you didn’t know Dean, he’d come across as kind of a dick, what with the way he picks up and drops women, his nefarious vocational choice, etc.
I’m assuming that the ghost picked him because on the surface, yeah, he’s not the nicest guy; but then, the ghost has never had access to the historical documents that we have and so doesn’t realize that Dean is your typical heart-of-butter kind of guy. What’s even funnier is when Dean says to Sam, “You’re a dick too!” And Sam says, “Apparently I’m not,” in that typical Sam way that he has, that superior tone he gets and that look on his face he has when Dean doesn’t get Dick Van Dyke references or eats with his mouth full. Sometimes, Sam can be a bit of a dick himself. (Although when Sam moves their room from the fourth floor to the first because Dean’s suddenly afraid of heights? It’s terribly sweet and very un-dick-like.)
Dean is left all alone in the motel room, getting his Freak on (with Show giving me some very nice, freckleishious close-ups), when Sam brings back some food. Dean throws up a wood chip, at which point Sam realizes that Dean is their biggest clue as to what’s going on. I had such shades of Seinfeld when Dean says, “But I don’t wanna be a clue!” Then Sam heartlessly drags Dean along to the wood mill so they can poke around and find out more about Luther. Okay. I’ll admit, there’s some funny, funny stuff here, like the moment when Dean thinks the mill looks creepy, or when he refuses to take the gun because it “might go off.” I especially loved him offering to “man” the flashlight; even though he’s pretty terrified, he’s still willing to do his best, to do his bit. And this in response to Sam saying, “I need backup and you’re all I got.” Oh, Dean. So brave even when you’re scared to pieces.
I even laughed at the old cat-in-a-locker-trick, even though Dean’s scream was over the top, and I thought for a bit there that Ackles had broken character. Show thinks that men screaming is pretty funny, and it is, but I got distracted because I was worried about the cat and how long it had been locked up in there. Then, at the very end, Dean takes off running because he’s too terrified to even be Sam’s right hand man. Not any more! Watching Dean run away from something he was afraid of was almost too weird to laugh at, but yeah, I did.
At which point, I had myself a think as to why this whole setup was bothering me. Not because it wasn’t funny, because it was, but either Padalecki was playing Sam as straight man to Ackles’ hysterical Dean, or Show was demonstrating yet again that Sam doesn’t know how to deal with Dean when Dean shows any vulnerability. I think it’s the latter. It’s not that Sam doesn’t love Dean, never that. I think it’s just that he gets thrown for a loop and doesn’t know how to be a caretaker to his older brother. Which is so not fair, because every time Sam has gone down with a vision, a headache, heartache, or just a tiny little splinter, Dean is right there, reaching out and taking care. This just kills me that the same doesn’t happen for Dean, even though it’s probably totally within Sam’s character to be a little cold like this; plus, he’s totally out of his depth.
Also, I don’t think this is the real version of scared Dean. Not that Scared Dean is any kind of creature that I have any experience with whatsoever. But I’ll put off his girly screams to the ghostly infection, yes, to that. When Dean is really and truly afraid, he sets his jaw and his manly shoulders and marches into the fray, he uses his fear to help him overcome adversity. This was like the girl version, the ghost fever version of Dean, and, frankly, this is how I would react in this situation, including the running away part when things go even the slightest bit hinky. Let me take charge of the flashlight, yes! I’ll carry that and walk behind you, besides. And when the monster starts shambling out of the darkness to chase us? I don’t have to run faster than It, all I have to do is run faster than you.
To deal with his fear, Dean takes to the drink. For the next few scenes he’s sucking back on a bottle of what looks like Wild Turkey bourbon, which I can tell you from some painful experience gives you a hangover that feels like some guy’s standing on the juncture between your skull and your spine with a jackhammer. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen Dean drunk like he gets here. Sure, we’ve seen Sam drunk a time or two (and throwing up after!), but not Dean, so this is a first for me, and a signal that he is definitely spiraling out of control, poor baby. When he and Sam are in the sheriff’s office, Sam is doing his usual “you better tell me what I want” glare, while in the background, a bleary-eyed Dean sways back and forth. Slowly. The camera is focused on Padalecki, obviously, but my eyes were on Ackles the whole time. How that man manages to steal the entire scene is beyond me, but he does.
More hilarity ensues as Sam force marches Dean into fields of terror at the hospital, where Dean worries hysterically over whether they will be found out as fakes and sent to jail on account of their FBI badges. Apart from the humor of Dean’s fear, here again, Show demonstrates the great talent it has in casting one off characters like Luther’s brother. He’s grizzled and laconic, living out his days in an old folks home, and all of his sad little back story comes oozing through the dialog, making me wonder where the wife and three kids are now, and why has he been left all alone like this? You might think it strange that such a fangirl like me might be interested in a secondary character that we will never see again, but I put it to Show’s credit. Would that Show had demonstrated the same skill in casting characters like that skank Ruby, and we’d be well on our way to a night at the Emmy’s.
As Sam and Dean leave, up comes one of my favorite scenes in this ep, and it’s obvious to see why. Dean starts ranting, and it’s funny because Dean never rants, and it’s sad because what Dean is ranting about is probably stuff he’s had on his mind for a long time only never felt like he could share. It’s even more sad because what he says is true. I’m in love with litanies like this, where characters spill their guts. Dean says stuff like “hunting ghosts? Who does that?” and goes on and on about how crazy it is. At long last! It’s very satisfying to hear Dean complain about the bad food, the skivvy motels (except this week’s room, which seemed to be rather nicer than the boys’ usual), and the long hours. Eight hours a day is too long to be cooped up with Dean (or a gassy Sam, who, apparently, is toxic after even half a burrito; oh, Dean, you are so earthy!), and he knows it, because he listens to the same five albums over and over and is irritating when he sings. It’s interesting to see what Dean thinks is annoying about him, but of course he is wrong, any fangirl could tell you that his singing is part of his charm.
Back at the motel, Sam and Dean are talking about the gig, and I’ll admit I didn’t see this coming, and I’m totally in love with my memory of it, even now. Dean’s complaining that he only has four hours left, and Sam, totally unsympathetic, says yes, and well, and too bad because Dean has been a pain in his ass for far too long. And then? Sam’s eyes go YELLOW. As in Yellow Eyed Demon yellow.
As Sam’s sitting there, he’s saying all those things that Dean has never wanted to hear. Saying them with dark tones in his voice and a finality that seems to be Dean’s biggest fear, that one day Sam will truly turn Dark and all this will be over, “all this” being the saving people, hunting things mantra that runs through Dean’s blood like, well, like blood. Because it is his blood and without it, I don’t think he can survive. Sometimes, I hate to think what will become of him when the last supernatural thing is laid to rest. Perhaps, like a gunslinger with no more bad men to kill, he’ll walk down to the streets of Laredo and wrap himself up in white linen and wait to die.
It took me a minute to realize that this was a hallucination, but for a moment? I thought Show had gone and done it, had passed beyond the pale and sent Sam straight down the Dark Road into Demonhood. Reams of Demon!Sam fanfic flipped their pages in front of me and my jaw dropped open at the thought of it. Thankfully (or maybe not), it’s just a dream, and all is well. Still, I comforted myself at the thought of all those songvids that would now contain this particular evocative image of a yellow-eyed Sam choking his beloved Dean to death. (I’m whacked, yes, it’s true.)
Then Bobby comes to the rescue. About Bobby. Yes, let’s just get that out of the way, shall we? He seems to be becoming a caricature of himself these days. I’m not saying that he doesn’t know a lot of stuff, lots of obscure, arcane knowledge that the boys need from time to time. But Japanese? It was almost like the writer decided to insert a little Mary Sue action at this point, as I was put off by this sudden and unexpected talent of his. I think that Sam could have called Bobby and gotten this information from him over the phone; there was no need for Bobby to come all the way from South Dakota. Sam could have managed on his own. Plus it would have been much more gratifying and possibly more entertaining to watch Sam find the Japanese text and then struggle with how to get that translated. Rather than have the answers handed to him, which is far too easy. Not that the boys don’t have enough hard things to contend with, but you know what I mean. It was more fun in the old days when the boys had to manage without Bobby.
But Sam and Bobby together save the day by wrapping an iron chain around the ghost’s neck and dragging him along the street to scare him into the beyond. There’s been some discussion as to whether taking care of Luther’s ghost like this was quite humane. After all, the real Luther didn’t deserve to die that way, why should his ghost? (Plus the whole idea of road-dragging someone to death goes into some very dark areas indeed.) Then again, the ghost of Luther is a ghost, and the people he infected might have been “dicks,” but except for Frank, they never actually killed anyone. This might be Show’s attempt at building ambiguity to get us all talking about it, and in that they’ve succeeded. I know that personally, I have a bad taste in my mouth about that one, and perhaps that also was the point. Because, like Frank, who decided he was judge and jury and above the law enough to hand out a sentence for a crime he wasn’t sure Luther committed, so too do the Winchesters take it upon themselves to determine who or what should live and who should die. Show likes to remind us from time to time, I reckon. Lest we forget.
Then after Dean is saved, Bobby and Sam and Dean stand in the sunlight drinking beer. I love the boys in this kind of bright light, comfortable in the after-battle dust, content to be alive and sucking back some long, cool ones. And although I could kind of see that Bobby and Sam’s mocking of Dean was for Dean’s comfort (he doesn’t like things to get all emo), I got the uncomfortable feeling at this point that the entire ep had been played for laughs at Dean’s expense. Then when Bobby left, we had a moment with the boys alone together. Finally! They are in the sun and happy to be alive. Sam wants to know what Dean saw in the room, and you can see in Dean’s eyes, that maybe he wants to tell about Lilith and all that, but just then, Sam’s eyes flash yellow. Like, hello? So, was it a hallucination, or was Sam messing with Dean? Will we ever know? Show likes to mess with me this way; I am keeping track. Letters will be written.
Overall, I’m guessing that Ackles had tons of fun playing Dean this way, letting it all hang out, getting his Scream on. Because, sometimes, you know, it’s just what you have to do. And Dean is such a contained, specific character, with lots of angst and broken dreams lingering just below the surface of a tightly controlled and beautiful you’ll-never-find-out-what-I’m-really-thinking package. Who for years has been the first in line to wade into the ectoplasm, to get soaked to the hips in blood, to thrust his hands into the burning fire and save Sammy for the gazillionth time. So it must have been a nice break for Ackles, who, really, has missed his calling as a comic actor.
The last two minutes of Show this time around were a veritable fun feast of Ackles-bestirred delight as he strutted and cavorted to the tune of “Eye of the Tiger.” Ackles rather than Dean because Dean’s not an actor and Ackles is. And as such, Ackles knows how to play it up: he commits to the act, he follows through with the act, and he’s not afraid to finish the act. With flair, yet. Even more adorable were the sounds of giggles (Padalecki’s) from behind the camera, a bit of Show having fun at its own expense. However, while I loved this one-man show, I think I would have preferred to have those two minutes devoted to more Sam and Dean togetherness. And yes, this even in the face of Ackles lip-synching his heart out with utter unselfconscious delight, letting it all hang out. I am a True Fan and I will always want more of that and less of the other. That’s just the way it is, folks. (Although true confession, I watched the strutting and cavorting at least four times with great pleasure; only a serious actor could unbend it like it that and be sexy as hell at the same time.)
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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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Sylvia!,
I missed you! You didn’t come back to comment on our comments last week and I have to admit it made me sad. I hope you are okay. Or maybe you actually took some time off. Which, by the way, you deserve. I am not trying to be nosy but I feel like you are my friend now.
Anyway, I really loved this episode. I know I probably sound like a broken record but this season has been so unbelievably satisfying. I have enjoyed it so much.
Jared and Jensen had a significant amount of time together and that made me a very happy fangirl.
It was great seeing another side of Dean. It was so unlike his character to be unhinged like that but it once again proved to me how good of an actor Jensen really is. You are right, he missed his calling.
But, I am ready for an episode where Sam is the focus because I miss that. I want the show to delve more into what he did while Dean was in hell.
Some quick comments:
Loved Luther’s brother.
Dean screaming like a girl – I fell on the floor laughing.
I loved Dean’s tirade. Like you, I love it when the characters throw caution to the wind like that and just rant. Sam did it few weeks back and now Dean.
The scenes with yellow-eyed Sam and Lilith were scary.
Dean’s worst fears personified. Those scenes made my heart hurt. I am not sure I can handle what really happened to Dean in hell but at the same time I want to know.
Finally, Jensen’s video at the end. OMG! I have watched it at least ten times now. I love hearing Jared giggling. And, yes, Jensen is sexy as hell but a lovable dork at the same time. When he played air guitar on his leg I swooned. And when he jumped off the car and smiled I melted into a pool of mush.
Take care
Joan
Hi Sylvia,
I know I am repeating myself but once again I loved your review. I just love all the details you pick up on and how well you express your thoughts. How I enjoy your reviews and look forward to them every week.
Here is my lame attempt of to express I feel …
I have been trying to be patient and giving Show the benefit of doubt but here we are into the sixth episode and I have to say I am really disappointed in this season. Sure there are amazing scenes throughout that you have so well written about but my main beef is the way Sam and Dean’s characters are being written. I don’t even recognize them anymore. Sam in this episode was so badly written that it made feel so sorry for Jared trying to do anything with it … talk about character assassination!
I think Show is suffering from trying to cater to its fans. Instead of reading through Dean biased fandom forums, I wish it would revert to the great story that it started with or maybe at very least read a few forums where Sam is appreciated too and get the other side of the story. We even get Kripke coming out to reply to those fans who laughingly were so distraught at Dean being called a dick. How pathetic is that. Was I that only one who got that part in the episode when Lillith was taunting Dean about his time in Hell and what he remembered and that he knew what he got infected. I guess it helps if you’re not looking at Show from a Saint Dean perspective. Truth is both Sam and Dean are saints and dicks at times … it’s called being human. Show is becoming way too self-conscious for its own good.
Even when there were complaints that it was all about Sam, it was never the Sam Show. Now all we are getting is the Dean Show with Sam the straight man sidekick (especially in last week’s show). Dean was great before mixed with serious and then those charming funny momemts but now we get TWO shows where his comedic side is shown. Sorry but I am really tired of his facial ticks and quirks. It is way too much. I am becoming frankly bored with Dean and if this shocks you, believe me no one is more shocked than me because I love Dean. And I echo your feelings about Bobby too.
Truth be told, Jared does vulnerable (and comedy as well) way better and had he had the Yellow Fever, this episode would have rocked. Only difference, if no one would have made a stink about Sam being called a dick.
I disagree with you that Sam can be cold towards Dean. He certainly wasn’t in Faith or In My Time Of Dying. Sure he is more awkward in caring for Dean and rightly so always having been in that position as the little brother but he always stepped up when needed. This is purely a case of new writers not getting the Sam character at all.
If I recall in Bad Day at Black Rock, Dean didn’t seem exactly torn up about Sam’s impending death. When he barged in to save Sam who was beaten, bloody and bruised, he cracked a joke that he was Batman! And Dean didn’t exactly go running to Sam when Bela shot him. But the writing in that episode worked with well with the mixture of comedy and drama. This episode’s writing failed miserably.
As awesome as that clip of Jensen was at the end, I felt it was totally out of place and should have been left in the Season 4 gag reel. In all fairness, I just hope we get one of Jared at the end of a future episode.
And as for the casting people, how can the same people who cast Castiel, Pamela, Jamie and Luther’s brother also cast Cortese as Ruby and in the process greatly undermine Sam’s storyline. They should have just gone out and hired someone off the street for free in that case.
Anyway, thanks for allowing me to rant. I only hope that future episodes will restore my faith in Show. All I can say if Kripke plans to continue paying fanservice, then he has to realize that there are a whole slew of Sam and Jared fans out there who would love to see Jared being given equal moments to shine no more no less.
Take care,
Tonia
Dear Joan,
You are very sweet to worry about me, thank you. I had a house guest for five lovely days, and on top of that I had the cold that’s going around. So on top of getting sucked into Battlestar Galactica pretty good, I was hopped up on cold medicine and didn’t feel I could do any replies justice. Back now!
I too thought it was a terrific episode. It’s not exactly like Seasons 1 and 2, but it’s satisfying, just the same. And yeah, the boys had TONS of time together, can it get any better than that?
Dean unhinged, I wished I’d thought of that term for my review, because that’s exactly what he was. The yellow fever was a lovely excuse for Show to show the other side of the lad, and Jensen knew just what to do with it! All the screaming and running, what a hoot!
I think you are not alone in wanting a Sammy ep; I hear fangirls far and wide screaming for this very thing. We need to know what he was doing while Dean was in hell, we WANT to know how he managed, and what has changed him so! Besides, I’m rather in love with the Camera Guy when he focuses on Padalecki’s beautiful face; we need closeups too!
Ackles does great lip synching, who knew? What a delight that was! Plus, Ackles has great legs and that’s just facts.
Take care till next week!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Tonia,
Thank you for saying you liked the review, I really appreciate it, especially in light of the fact that you didn’t like the ep (overall), and are unhappy with the way Season 4 is going. I think you might be alone in not liking Season 4, but you are not alone in your bemoaning the lack of Sam. Lots of fans have said the same; I keep hearing rumors about there being more Sam-centric eps soon, so hang in there.
I need to clarify about the cold Sam statement. I think what I meant here is that Sam has become rather detached from Dean during Season 4, for reasons that really, really need to be explained by Show. On top of which, Sam tends to be unable to deal with a vulnerable Dean, and thus, to me, comes across as rather more cold than his normal loving self. Not cold like he doesn’t care, but cold like he’s holding himself back because he needs to be detached to deal. Dean is much better able to unbend and reach out and take care of Sam than the reverse. Except for, of course, Bad Day at Black Rock, which was a travesty of Show. Dean would never, ever, EVER allow someone to live who shot Sam, especially not someone who shot him for no freaking reason.
As to the character assassination, and the fact that you think Show is catering to fans, now, I had to think about that.
You make an interesting point about what Kripke did when he stepped down to explain what Show meant. I had heard something about that, but didn’t have a chance to actually read his statement word for word until after I’d written this review. Now I’ve read it. While I appreciate his clarification, frankly, the fact that he had to step down and clarify bespeaks of incredibly slopping writing. Apparently, what Sam meant was that the ghost attacked Dean because he uses fear as a weapon; while the dialog attempted to say that, what the dialog actually said was that Sam thinks Dean is a dick, which the Sam we know and love clearly does not think. But instead of turning this into a joke that Sam was making at Dean’s expense (which Padalecki could have easily pulled off, if the dialog had been there), Show dropped the ball – BADLY enough so that Show’s creator had to say something about it. That’s a new one on me. I think Kripke should have just let it be what it was, and then used future dialog to clarify. Tsk, tsk, Show.
The fact that Kripke heard the outcry means that yes, he’s reading the boards, and responding to them, but I don’t think that means he’s catering to fans in writing Dean-centric eps. I think the problem is what you pointed out: new writers. That and the whole Dean/Ackles Love Fest has been going on for some time, not to mention that if before the show was about Sam, now it’s about Dean, so the scales are way tipped over in the Deanish direction. I don’t think you’re imaging things, but I don’t think it’s going to go away.
I’ll never get tired of the many things Ackles can do with his face; he makes Dean come alive each and every time. But. Yeah. Sam’s being relegated to a sidekick a lot of the time, a LOT. Sam’s starting to remind me of a set of guest towels, you know the ones, the kind that hang in the little quarter bathroom on the first floor, that look awfully nice, but that you don’t dare use because you don’t want to ruck them up by washing them? Are they saving Sam’s character for a special occasion or something? Show needs to get the lead out here and start utilizing a terrific and, what’s more, CENTRAL character to keep the story arc interesting and balanced. Ackles and Padalecki do Sam and Dean SO well, it seems a shame not to let Sam shine as brightly as Dean.
As for Bobby: overused, overused, overused. He’s become Show’s own Mary Sue and Exposition Pony, and Jim Beaver is too nice a guy to be relegated to playing such a two-dimensional character. Ruby? Don’t even get me started about her. And Ackles’ vid was a hoot (would love to know the story behind how that came about!), and YES, I hope we get something similar with Padalecki!
You’re always welcome to rant!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
First off, I have to say that I’ve just finished reading all of your reviews, and I have enjoyed all of them. Good job!
This episode was up and down for me. It was the first episode of this season that I couldn’t wait to watch again, and in fact was the first episode of this season that I have watched more than once. I enjoyed the laughs, and the not Deanlike Dean that we saw. I agree that Bobby is becoming too “special” and I too am getting tired of him always fixing things for the guys. Two episodes of Dean acting goofy was a little too much for my tastes though, but if I had to choose, I would discard Monster Movie and keep this one.
“c) because the writers are showing appropriate amounts of interest in the boys and their inner workings.”
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with you here. They are showing plenty of interest in Dean and his inner workings, and we’ve learned a lot about him, not just in the few episodes of this season, but from last season as well. Sam, on the other hand, has been largely ignored since the end of season two, and now has been reduced to little more than a plot device and straight man for Dean’s awesomeness. Yet even when they reduce him to that level, the character still catches hell from the fans for not doing what they want him to do. It’s crazy.
I saw Sam’s behaviour in this episode thusly: He was well aware of the situation, and the seriousness of it, and he was worried about Dean. But it was going to do neither of them any good for Sam to freak out as well. Keeping calm and collected was his only option. If he had joined Dean in flipping out over the whole mess, how would they ever have saved Dean?
As Tonia pointed out in her post, in Bad Day at Black Rock, which put Sam in a similar place, Dean wasn’t falling all over himself fretting over Sam, and he shouldn’t have been for the same reasons Sam shouldn’t have been in this episode. One could even argue that Sam’s situation in Bad Day at Black Rock was more precarious, because the curse could have killed him at any moment, rather than having a specific time limit on it. Yet Dean was joking, and gently teasing Sam throughout the whole episode, and one could even argue that it was Dean’s fault that Sam got shot. If he hadn’t been mouthing off to Bela, maybe she wouldn’t have fired. Or maybe she would have, we’ll never know.
However, in the fan response to that episode, I don’t recall seeing anyone calling Dean out for his behaviour, or claiming he didn’t care about Sam or that he was cold or unfeeling toward his brother. Not that I’m saying there should have been any fallout on Dean for that. He was focused on saving Sam, and he did, and his emotions would only have gotten in the way.
I also agree with Tonia in that Show is pandering too much to the fans, and not even to all of fandom, just portions of it. If the tables had been turned and fans thought that Dean had called Sam a “dick” nary an eyelash would have been batted. It would have been explained away as good natured big brother ribbing, or something of that sort and probably not mentioned again by the majority of fandom. I dare say that there probably would have been a few people saying that Sam deserved it even, which he doesn’t, but that wouldn’t have stopped them. Yet because it was the other way around, people were up in arms about it. I thought it was fairly clear what was actually meant, and I took it much the way you did. I revised my understanding of it after Lilith’s comments in Dean’s hallucination.
I personally was somewhat ashamed that fandom had been so loud about its distaste over what seemed to be a failure to listen and understand what was actually said that Kripke felt it necessary to speak up. Then too, I wonder where he’s been when fans have been crying out about other issues of greater importance, but that’s neither here nor there.
I was also thinking that, in the scene with the locker, part of Sam’s reaction might have been Jared trying to keep a straight face. He’s admitted that he’s not very good at doing that, and apparently once he gets the giggles he has a hard time stopping. Then again it could have just been Sam’s complete discombobulation over Dean acting like that.
I enjoyed Jensen’s Eye of the Tiger bit, but I too felt that it might have been better suited for the gag reel. It didn’t serve any purpose in regards to the episode, and those two minutes could have been better spent in the plot and storyline. Then again, Show has been consistantly running quite short this season, so likely those two minutes would have just gone down the drain. I can’t help but hope that they’ll give us a bit of Jared’s goofiness in the same vein at some point during the season. I love Dean, and Jensen is amazingly talented, but honestly, I’m getting a little tired of it being the Dean show on screen and the Jensen show behind the scenes. Two brothers, two leads; equal time for both is all I’m asking for.
Dear Jen,
Thank you! I’m glad you have been liking the reviews!
I think that all along it’s been the Dean Show, and while I’m a fan of both boys, I never noticed the lack of Sam-focus, or the out-of-character presentation of him until now. (Now that I’ve become a Samgirl, um, though I believe I write with enthusiasm that is equal for both boys.) Lack of Sam is now keenly felt by me, and I’m now hearing the fanroar about it; he’s not a secondary character, he needs to have his story told. I truly believe we will hear it, and am content to wait, because the view is so very fine of both boys.
As for OOC, Samwise (heh), I think that your other point was that Dean gets away with murder and Sam does not. I cannot even begin to explain why this is, but you’re right. Sam can’t do anything right and Dean can’t do anything wrong. Is it because there are fewer Samgirls than Deangirls, but Samgirls yell louder? I know, personally, that when I write a review that is more Dean-centric than Sam-centric, I HEAR about it. I also hear about it when there are more pictures of Dean than there are of Sam, in response to which I have a weekly tally that I do just to keep it even. But the Deangirls, in reverse, never make a peep, even when the review is Samcentric, and most of the pics are of Sam. I think the majority rules here, and Samgirls, being in the minority, feel the lack of Sam (or any negativity towards his character, which comes across as OOC) very keenly.
You point out the BDABR ep, where Dean was silly and almost flip in the face of Sam’s imminent demise. Yeah, Dean knows how to take care of little brother, even when his life is on the line. I think that what I object to personally with regard to Sam being casual about Dean’s imminent demise, is not his detached actions, but his lack of solicitous behavior. Because even when Dean is being flip, you can see it in his eyes that he’s terribly worried and concerned. I don’t see that same expression in Sam’s eyes, which makes me wonder what’s up with that?
Is it the dialog? The direction? Is it Sam’s character, which has possibly undergone so very many changes? Or is it Padalecki, and this is his interpretation of how Sam would handle it? It could be any or all of the above, but the general consensus seems to be that Sam has changed and fangirls want to know WHY! Kripke can step down from the pedestal to reassure us that Show doesn’t think Dean is a dick, he can certainly get that whip cracking and have those writers of his addressing this issue about Sam. Hell, I’d be happy to assist with the writing of or beta read ANY script for them to make sure they bloody well get it right. (As would any fangirl!) Which only proves your point. Explaining away the “dick” issue is small potatoes when all this time Sam is heading down a Slippery Slope Into Hell, which is most definitely a far bigger issue to be dealing with.
The Eye of the Tiger sequence has become a guilty pleasure for me, because you are right. Show barely tops 40 minutes as it is, and using those two minutes to showcase only Ackles is wrong, wrong, wrong. Unbalanced. Out of line. Unless, of course, we get the same showcasing of Padalecki to redress the balance, until which time, this will always remain a guilty pleasure and I will agree at the top of my lungs, but could we go ahead and press rewind and watch it again, please?
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Syl, Sam needed Bobby to get rid of Luthor; it was a two-man job and Dean wasn’t in the right state of mind to help. Sam had to get the chain around the ghost’s neck while Bobby waited to drive the Impala. I had no problem with Bobby’s appearance here.
This WAS a much more serious ep than Dean’s humorous behavior made it seem:
1. A sweet, lonely giant of a man (Sam-like) with a crush on a kind lady is brutally murdered–and he’s innocent.
2. A seemingly sweet, gentle young woman disappears and is found days later dead, a suicide. Why? Why was her life that terrible that she needed drugs?
3. A man loses his brother and the law ignores him. This man goes on hating until he realizes hate and fear do nothing but engender more hate and fear.
4. A sheriff covers up the fact that his friend murdered an innocent man, and allows that friend to live free for 20 years.
5. Dean is once again under the gun to die and be returned to hell. His hallucinations–Sam turning into a YED by choice and strangling him, Lilith taunting him with the horrific sound of his own heartbeat–are his worst fears come to life. Even when he’s cured, he still sees his little brother with yellow eyes. Is this Dean’s mind playing tricks or did Sam’s eyes REALLY go yellow for that one moment????
So take away all of the hilarity of Dean’s reactions to his ghost sickness and you have a tragedy in “Yellow Fever.”
This was not like last week, a funny, feel-good ep of SUPERNATURAL. This left me feeling kind of sad.
Seriously!
Love, Robin
Dear Robin,
I love that you can see the tragedy behind the funny, and I think that might be what’s getting lost here in all the talk. Bad things happen to good people, and sometimes there’s no stopping it. They never really did address why the wife committed suicide, or why Frank decided he couldn’t just shoot Luther (why the death had to be so ugly), and how in the midst of this, Frank’s brother was able to let go of the hate. There was no healing, not for any of these characters. Sadly.
Sadly, also, there was no healing for Dean or Sam. I don’t think Dean got any comfort for his fevered state; I thought the scene at the end was mocking and cruel. Some say that sure, men will be men and men make fun of each other. But I thought what Sam and Bobby did was out of character; they seemed terribly unconcerned about what Dean had gone through. Sure, Bobby and Sam were being manly so that Dean could be manly, but I didn’t like that scene overall.
Sam got no comfort either, and I think it makes him terribly uncomfortable to see Dean fall apart like that. He hardly knows what to do with his hands; Dean is his whole world.
And as for Bobby, Sam might have needed him to help with Luther, but the Japanese bit was over the top and felt very Mary Sue to me. I’m really weary of Bobby solving all the boys problems for them! Esp Sam’s, because I get the feeling that Sam likes the research aspect of his job. It always feels so emasculating for the boys to always call Bobby.
Loved your stimulating points of view!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I loved the episode (and I greatly enjoy all your reviews Sylvia!)
Yes, Dean’s ghost sickness is played up for laughs (and it did get quite a few from me!) but under that, there was a fair amount of serious that I saw – Dean’s “hunting ghosts? Who does that” rant, the “You’re going to die. Again. Loser.” hallucination with the book, and the fact that he does remember all four months in hell (that’s like forty years). To top it all off, the fear of Sam with the Yellow Eyes.
Sam seemed to me to be floundering a bit, trying to give his brother what he needed (the room on the bottom floor) but really not sure how to deal with a Dean who was so… un-big-brother-like. So he focused on just getting the job done so things would be OK again.
As for the easter egg at the end… I fell off the couch laughing and now have the clip set as my screen saver. It is definitely Ackles, not Dean, but man… when he starts in on that leg-guitar……..
Dear Finajk,
Hey, thank you; I appreciate the readership!
The leg guitar, oh man. I wanted to go on and on about that THIGH of his, cause, oh, OH, does he have nice legs. Manly legs. Nom, nom, nom. (Can I say that and still get a G rating?) Plus it was funny as hell. I was hooting and hollering and ON my feet the first time I watched it. Never saw it coming, and would dearly love to know the wheres and whys behind it. Whose idea was it? And where’d they get the budget to pay for that song? Ackles HAS it, he just does.
Sam. Floundering, yes. Not sure how to deal, doing his best, being (to me) a bit distanced. Diffident. Cold. I would love to be there when the walls come crashing down for this character, he’s not cried nor collapsed in AGES. Hell, he barely batted an eye when Dean came back, so what’s going on there? I put my faith in Show; I know they will give us the goods.
And yes, I agree about Dean’s suffering. So he’s got ghost fever, and ha ha, isn’t that funny. I wish I could have considered this at the time I was writing the review, but it took you guys to point it out to me, because I don’t read any other reviews till I’ve written my own. There’s a lot of sadness and fear going on here, and isn’t that what the fever is all about? Sure it attacks people who use fear as a weapon, but it’s weapon is also fear, and Dean is not immune to that and never has been. His biggest fear has always been Sam’s leaving him, that he’ll be alone. Now his biggest fear seems to be about going back to hell; he’s no longer worried about Sam leaving. But maybe Sam doesn’t know this? Maybe Sam is trying to deal with Dean’s old fear, and not the current one. Nor is Sam aware of Dean being afraid of Sam – as much as he protests this, I think that apart from him not thinking “freak” in his head, Dean is really terrified of Sam going darkside. There needs to be more about this issue!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I really enjoyed the review. A couple of things I wanted to comment on:
You said: “They never really did address why the wife committed suicide”
If I recall correctly there was a line of dialogue about how the wife was manic-depressive and had gone off her meds.
About Sam’s coldness — I’m unspoiled, but I’m hoping/assuming that there’s a reason for it, an explanation that will get payoff down the road. It seems too consistent and marked in this season. Luthor’s brother did remark to Sam that “life’s too short for hate, son”, and revenge for Jess, and later revenge for Dean’s death was how Sam’s spent his summer while Dean was in hell, and even beyond (part of that double life with Ruby, still trying to hunt down Lilith for revenge). Maybe letting all that hate still in the driver’s seat is what’s keeping him from reconnecting with the fact that Dean is back, right there in front of him, and he’s wasting time on other focuses instead of reconnecting with the positives of his brother’s renewed presence. At any rate, Sam does seem to be disconnected, and whatever is hitting his ‘off’ switch — I hope we get a good explanation. And to be fair, I think we will. Time will tell.
Hi again,
Thanks for your reply to my comments. It’s so much fun discussing this show with you. Glad to hear you are feeling better.
And hi Jen, I totally agree with all your comments. There are a lot of us out there who feel the same.
There are some things I do want to clarify about what I said.
As for season 4, I just feel so torn about it. There are amazing stand alone moments but the episodes as a whole somehow lack authenticity. For example, “Lazarus Rising” was really great but showing Dean reuniting with Bobby first and devoting more time to that then Dean reuniting with Sam. Just the fact that Dean took so long before he asked about Sam. The first thing I would have had Dean do at that gas station was use the phone to call Sam to see if he was still alive beacuse at this stage all he knows is that Lillith might have killed him. Instead they had him grabbing a copy of Busty Asian Beauties. I loved that in itself but its placement in the storyline not so much. All the other episodes suffer from misplaced emphasis and storylines too.
I think the only episode that worked for me as a whole was “In The Beginning”. And that had only 40 seconds of Sam. I just love when I prove to myself that I am unbiased. *Pats self*
I think Samgirls should be loud and even louder still and the reason for that is because we see the awesome talent that is Jared being stifled. Let’s face it, Dean gets all the great lines and great pivotal moments to shine. Sam has always been the relunctant hero (if I may use that word loosely in light of recent episodes), the geeky brother who only sleeps with women he cares about and basically the straight man and plot device.
Take Monster Mash for example and make a list of the funny and great moments for Dean. The list is long. Wheras for Sam, you can sum it up with “This is stupid”, “Hey, there, Hansel”, “It’s supposed to come off” and “Yeah, I do. Porky’s II”. Jared has proved himself to be amazing at comedy and this is what they give him. Of course everyone will rave about Jensen when the meat of most episodes revolve around him. Any media source doing a review of this episode would obvoiusly focus on Jensen and spotlight his talent. I am only saying give Jared a fair chance too because so far he has always shone the few times it was given him. Sam and Jared have been neglected way too long and way too unfairly.
As for Kripke coming to Dean’s defense, he states because it was to clarify a point for a future episode. Really? Meanwhile, it’s alright to have Sam labelled a rapist or necrophiliac (sp?) with regards to what is going on with Ruby and Sam. Kripke is perfectly fine in letting that go. It only proves to me that Kripke himself may be showing a little bias and how sad is that.
I sense a terrible foreboding that this is where Show is indeed heading and if so, totally unacceptable and unforgiveable and really a Sam character assassination. I am praying so hard that it will not happen.
By the way, I also didn’t like the way Bobby and Sam were ribbing Dean at the end. It was at Dean’s expense. So badly written and not funny or cute at all.
As for how the Eye of the Tiger clip came about, you can thank Jared as he explained in a video to Buddy TV I think. He was supposed to tap the car hood and that was Jensen’s clue to stop. But Jared decided to forego the tap and told the cameraman to just keep shooting and see what Jensen would do.
Regards,
Tonia
Dear Blackcat,
I think I was going with the whole dark situation with the secondary characters; there wasn’t a whole lot on the dead wife, but you’re right about the suicide.
I like your thoughts here on the whole parallel between Luther’s brother and Sam. There’s also the parallel between Luther AND Sam, the misunderstood, slightly scary “monster,” which other fans have mentioned, but I think you’re the first to describe what might be a message for Sam that he’s not getting. That he needs to let go of dangerous emotions like fear and anger because they’re keeping him from connecting with Dean – who is alive, and right there within reach. What a cool analysis of this ep! Maybe this goes along with what the Trickster was trying to teach him? Because that message was that Sam can’t save his brother; maybe what he’s supposed to do is save himself.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Sylvia: Great review! (I too was a rabid Donny & Marie fan, and got a kick out of the snakes having their names.)
As for the lack of Sam mentioned in your review and in several comments, let me hop on the bandwagon. My dissatisfaction began with Lazarus Rising when the hotel door opened and there stood Ruby. Bad, bad, bad. I had a sinking feeling then that I wasn’t going to like where Sam’s character was headed.
It seems to me that the writers (Kripke) are trying to create a sense of disconnect not only for Sam and Dean but also the fans toward Sam. At the very least, Sam is being painted in a very unflattering light, which I am assuming is to accompany his slide over to evil.
As for Sam not showing his caring side to Dean, I really don’t see how he can. Think about all the times Sam has tried to take care of Dean, only to be accused of creating a “chick flick” moment, or be rejected outright. “Dude, get off me.” “Dude, stow the touchy feely self help yoga crap.” You get the gist. Not to mention that in the first few episodes, with Dean announcing in Lazarus Rising that “the smarter brother is back in town”, well, if I were Sam I’d clam up too.
Sam all but killed himself to try to save Dean in Season 3. Keep in mind that yes, Dean sold his soul to bring Sam back, but Sam had no say in the matter. Dean brought Sam back for purely selfish reasons (which I can understand). But it never occurred to Dean that maybe Sam was finally at peace and would not have wanted to be brought back. Sam’s feelings on this matter were never explored at all, except for the desperation and hopelessness he felt when he realized he couldn’t save Dean. Those would have been a minefield of emotions to examine, but……nothing.
Kripe had said from day one that Dean is the hero of this story, this epic. So if that doesn’t indicate exactly where his loyalties lie, nothing will.
Okay, I’m off my high horse now.
I actually began watching Supernatural because of Jensen since I’d seen him a few times on TV before, but became fans of both boys (and both brothers) as time went on. However, in the last couple of seasons, as the focus has shifted mainly toward Dean, I find myself asking “what about Sam” more often than not. Dean’s issues have been laid open for examination and exploration a million times but not Sam’s so much. Let’s hope the writers turn things around this season and get the focus back on BOTH boys, which is how it began and how it should end.
Thank you, Sylvia.
Dear Tonia,
Re Lazarus Rising: Yes and yes. There was so much Bobby in that ep it was almost nauseating. I like Bobby fine, but any reunion ep, such as this was, and the focus should be on Sam and Dean getting together, not Dean and Bobby. I think that Dean did try to call Sam first, but the cell phone number he had was no longer working, thus he called Bobby. Still – asking about Sam should have been the first order of the day, not everything else that came before it. Lack of authenticity and misplaced emphasis is a good way to describe what’s going on there.
Re In the Beginning: It was almost as if the ep was about Sam, even if he was only there for 40 seconds, because everything that was going on led (or would lead) to Sam’s destiny – the YED coming to town especially. Lots of Dean-ish goodness, but the storyarc was about Sam. I love that ep to pieces!
Re Samgirls and focus: I think Alan Alda once said (about MASH) that the key to their success was not giving one character all the best lines. True, that’s an ensemble cast with a different focus, but it really seems that Show has neglected to remember the main point here. I too wish and hope they would use Padalecki more, to involve Sam more. Is Show holding out for some big bang surprise? Or are they following the spangly, starry trail of Ackles superb acting, rather than actually neglecting Sam? I know that when Ackles is the focus and he’s good, I do rave, and I will always do so; it would feel awkward not to, if all I’m doing is supporting the other half of the duo on principle. So I’m going to keep hoping that Show will pick up the threads of his story and give us more.
Kripke defending the dick statement: I agree. The focus seems to be on the little pieces rather than the big issue. I don’t know if it’s bias or whether Kripke is playing us like fiddles, getting us all worked up like this.
Thanks for the tidbit on Eye of the Tiger! Just goes to show you what a trooper Padalecki is; giving Ackles his moment to shine and be hysterically funny! (I think the reverse is also true, given the chance, Ackles would do the same.)
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Sylvia! Another great review under your belt. Bravo
I think I scared the neighbors Thursday night when I busted out laughing at the scene where Dean screams after being scared by the cat in the locker (it wasn’t until later that I started worrying about how long that poor cat was really stuck in there). I was on the floor, laughing my head off and mostly at Dean’s face. I agree with you, Ackles almost seemed to break character in the last few moments of the scene where a smile almost breaks through. I would love to see the outtakes of that scene, DVD extra maybe???? Knowing how those two interact with eachother, I don’t know how Jared kept a straight face.
Then there was the bonus feature at the end. I shamelessly raise my hand high and admit to being a memeber of the club that rewound that scene and played it over and over again just to see that dazling smile at the end, that fantastic guitar of his
It was a nice treat.
I was thinking about Dean’s time with Lilith and the promised PTSD we fangirls have been told of but have yet to see. The way he reacted to Sam’s questions about what he saw at the very end when he almost died kind of lead me to believe that maybe some memories have come back to him. Perhaps in the coming eps, that PTSD might rear it’s ugly head? The scene seemed to imply that Dean did not forget what he saw at the very end… What do you think?
Hope all is well!
Sylvia, thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply to my comment.
I’ve read all of your reviews and I don’t think you show an unfair bias in them. It only makes sense that Dean-centric episodes will have Dean-centric reviews. That’s not your fault, and you seem to take care to pay attention to whichever brother wasn’t the focus of events. I appreciate that. Also, hi Tonia! I agree with so much of what you’ve said, both times.
I think the outcry about the lack of Sam, and the way they’ve reduced his character is only going to grow louder until they address it. Samgirls are in the minority, their opinions are not always politely received by other fans, even if they are politely written, and thus far Show has completely ignored them. So the only thing they can do is get louder, in the hopes that they will become the squeaky wheel, and in return get some grease. Samgirls have been voicing their concerns for some time, but all we’ve gotten is a steady reduction of Sam, both in literal screentime, and in character terms. I like your analogy of the guest towels; unfortunately that fits Sam perfectly at the moment.
You’re right, the level of concern is skewed between the two brothers. Sam does seem very diconnected, and I can’t help but think it’s a defense mechanism. Everyone he’s ever been close to or loved has died and left him behind, and I think when Dean left him too, he pulled back, hoping to avoid future hurt by not letting anyone else in. That would fit in with him leaving Bobby too. Now that Dean’s back, either Sam doesn’t believe that Dean is going to stay back, or Sam doesn’t trust Dean not to hurt him in some other way. Based on Dean’s behaviour in Episode 4 of this season, that may be a valid fear on Sam’s part. That level of concern was missing on Dean’s part in that case, and Sam may still be reeling from it. Of course it would be nice to KNOW some of this, instead of speculating on it all, but perhaps time will reveal the answers.
Part of my problem, and I’ve spoken to a few other fans that feel similarly, is that my faith in Kripke to do the right thing, to ultimately tie it all together, balance everything out, and make it work has died. The problem has dragged on, and been allowed to worsen significantly, with nary a word of hope offered from Kripke and Co. He can step out to reassure the world at large, lest we think that Dean was being insulted, but he can’t be bothered to even try to reassure the portion of his fanbase that has been begging for help all this time? I agree with Tonia. Kripke seems to be showing a bias here, and it’s disheartening and infuriating.
Just like my faith in Sam’s storyline ever getting straightened out, or enlightened has died a cold death, any faith that I might have been able to muster in them concocting a surprise featuring Jared and sharing it with us. Maybe that’s overly negative of me, but I would ask anyone who thinks that to provide me with a reason to trust Kripke. If they could find one, I could be persuaded to change my opinion.
Now, negativity aside, I say again that I love your reviews and I look forward to them every week. I’m going to link to them from my LJ, so that other people will find them easier, because they’re definitely worth the read.
Sorry to reply again, but Jen: YES YES YES. No matter how politely we Sam girls voice our opinion, we are beaten back into submission by the Dean/Jensen fans who insist we are being selfish/stupid/silly.
I also forgot to make another point re: Dean selling his soul to save Sam. What Dean accomplished by doing that was to put Sam smack in the middle of the “endgame” that Azazel cooked up. Sam is now a pawn in the middle of this demon war and is fighting his powers and his brother at the same time. Great going Dean. For me, if I could see Dean apologize for that, it would bring some sort of resolution to Sam, I would imagine.
Okay, NOW I’m through…unless I think of something else.
Dear Beth,
Oh, my. I think the bandwagon is getting awfully crowded, but in support of Sam, I’ll stay on board. I’m not sure, though, if I mind as much if Sam’s headed down a dark path (including the presence of that skank Ruby), as long as Show does it right. Sam’s messing with powers he ought not to be messing with, plus he’s lied to Dean about it, and Show needs to deal with it. The unflattering light could prove to be terribly interesting, I’m thinking, but I’ll want to know the story behind it before I cast my final vote. Like last season, I’m here for the long haul.
I like your ideas about why Sam seems so disconnected, esp from Dean. I was talking to a friend offline and I mentioned that Sam was displaying a snake-like apathy towards Dean’s predicament (hence the snakes in the ep, perhaps, to which Sam showed absolutely NO reaction), all of which could be in reaction to long years of training, like you say: Don’t show emotion, quit crying on Dean’s shoulder, soldier up, be a man, be cool. In other words, never let ‘em see you sweat. It’s a big fat “if” though if Show is doing any of this with purpose, or they are focusing on Dean’s troubles to Sam’s expense. But if Kripke said this has always been Dean’s story, are Samgirls asking for something that they were never promised?
Lots of fans seem to have followed Ackles to Supernatural; would you believe me if I told you I’d never seen him before? Ah, me. The fun I was missing out of. : D
It’s a two-man show, this. A show about the relationship between two brothers who (to paraphrase David Soul) HAPPEN to be saving people, hunting things.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Marie,
Thank you for the lovely compliment!
It’s too funny that you scared the neighboors! I got lucky enough to have a fellow fangirl over to watch this ep, and we’d polished off a bottle of wine by that time, and so, yeah, hooting and hollering was heard by the all. I personally laughed myself hoarse. And yours is a good idea – the outtakes for this would be PRICELESS. (The break in character added to the charm, and I want to focus on that, otherwise, it would be so terribly not like Dean to scream, even with ghost fever.)
And thank you for joining me in unashamed admiration of the bonus feature, well worth the replay. C’mon, what’s not to like? As for that fantastic guitar of his? Nice one! Lord, is it hot in here or is it just me?
Interesting point about the PTSD, which I love the idea of and keep forgetting that Show is leaving out. I think Dean is remembering slowly but surely, certainly his fear of hell keeps rearing its ugly head. But I think what he said to Sam was more to put Sam off (as he does, as he always does) rather than being something specific about what Dean actually remembers about what he’s gone through. He also says, “Howler monkeys, Sam, you know how I feel about those.” Am I imagining it, or has he said something like that before about the howler monkeys? I’m definitely up for PTSD to come along and throw Dean for a loop – and NOT done for laughs. While I don’t mind a touch of comedy, I don’t watch this show to laugh.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Jen,
Thank you for the vote of confidence; some weeks I’m sure someone is going to scream about what I’ve written, other weeks I’m pretty sure they’re not; I usually get it wrong. As for focusing on the un-emphasized brother, I’ve always rooted for the underdog. : D
As for the outcry about Sam – I’m not sure Samgirls will ever get their way. Kripke’s bias is Dean and always has been, according to the “lore,” so were we ever promised as much of Sam as we’ve been of Dean? Are we howling at the moon? Not that we should stop howling, of course, or stop rattling cages. We know that Kripke/Show reads the boards and fan feedback; maybe a postcard campaign is in order to get the message directly to the source. More Sam! Don’t make him a guest towel!!
I’d love to see fanfic that deals with Sam’s issues the way you describe them. Sam’s handshy now, he’s been wounded beyond belief in Mystery Spot (six months at least of watching Dean die, not to mention the time he thought Dean was really dead), and over the summer (four months) thinking Dean was in hell. If he’s cold or disconnected, maybe there’s good reason, like you say. Because we’ve had a few references to attest to the fact that Sam moved on. He put an Ipod in the Impala, he went to see the new Raiders movie without Dean, and (perhaps) hooked up with some chick who turned out to be that skank Ruby. So, having moved on, it must be mighty hard to move “back” as it were. But we don’t know, because Show isn’t telling us!
But I think Show will, sooner or later. It has to. Not because fangirls (Deangirls and Samgirls alike) are banging on the door, but because Show has set it up that way. Show has introduced a nice, sweet boy in young Sam, has put him through the wringer (the list of all the bad crap Sam has gone through is LONG), and now, showing him as a detached, rather unemotional stranger, has some ‘splaining to do. Not coming through with the goods would not only be sloppy writing, but also sloppy planning, and downright cruel. And really, the ratings would tank, sharks would be jumped. Thus far, Show has come through with the stuff we wanted. If Sam seems out of sorts, there’s going to be a reason why. Plus, I still have that tattoo that says that I am Kripke’s bitch, so unless I want an ugly scar, I’ve got to stay the course. Till the end, no matter how bitter it may seem in the meantime.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Jen,
I meant to say: PS, thanks for the linkup!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I am always amazed at how well people express their feelings and are able to sum it up in one sentence. I always seem to go round and round for several paragraphs. Kudos to Beth and Jen. You both said so well what I wanted to.
And Sylvia, Jen is so right … one of the many reasons I love your reviews is because you are one of the very few who pays attention to BOTH brothers. It’s only logical that a Dean-centric episode deserves a Dean-centric review. I have no problem with that. Dean and Jensen are deservedly great. What I realize now that is really bugging me the MOST now about all this ignoring Sam/Jared is that it is driving me to be resentful of Dean/Jensen and that is so wrong. Have no fear, I am strong and I will resist. I will not break!
As for Kripke saying that Dean was the hero from the beginning I beg to differ. It was in the August issue of the Supernatural magazine that he addressed the Dean fans (AGAIN!) who complained that Dean was a sidekick character (can you imagine?) that he said Dean would get a bigger part in the myth arc and that Dean was the real hero. From everything I had read before, Sam was the hero albeit the reluctant hero.
Man if only Samgirls would get a little bit of this attention. In any case, it is sad that as the creator of this show, he misses what is essence of the show and that is the relationship of the TWO leads and the eternal struggle for good to conquer evil all presented in the horror genre. How much more awesome the show would be if it explored both characters instead of the same one over and over ad nauseum.
I think Jared had more a known name due to Gilmore Girls and I think that was why he got first billing. Apparently, Kripke’s wife was a Dean Forester fan and urged Kripke to get Jared as Sam. I had not heard of Jensen before either.
Anyway I feel the same as Jen. I am losing faith in Kripke. I don’t mind at all Sam going dark if done properly but the way he has been ignored for so long I have little faith. It seems the only one fighting for Sam is Sera Gamble but she is not the head honcho.
Maybe all the Samgirls should post on that fandom forum and we all know which one I mean (best summed up as the SAM IS MEAN TO DEAN AND IS A RAPIST forum) to defend Sam in order for Kripke to take notice.
Ok, end of rant now.
Tonia
Tonia:
You said:
[i]As for Kripke saying that Dean was the hero from the beginning I beg to differ. It was in the August issue of the Supernatural magazine that he addressed the Dean fans (AGAIN!) who complained that Dean was a sidekick character (can you imagine?) that he said Dean would get a bigger part in the myth arc and that Dean was the real hero. From everything I had read before, Sam was the hero albeit the reluctant hero. [/i]
I wish I subscribed to Supernatural magazine! I had never read for myself where Kripke said Dean was the hero, but I’ve been told a million times by other fans that Dean is the hero, but that this is Sam’s story. So that’s where I got the idea that Kripke made Dean the hero from the start.
Have you been to “that other fandom forum” of which you speak? There are separate categories for the boys, but Dean/Jensen has three times more posts than Sam/Jared. I don’t get it.
Okay, Sylvia, thank you for allowing me to use your blog as my own personal pulpit. I never get to air my thoughts on other blogs without being called out or receiving a PM for being “devisive”, so it’s nice to find a place to feel safe.
And Sylvia, I will take your words to heart. I’m going to stick out this season to see where Sam and Dean go. I’m hoping (crossing fingers!) that Kripke and the writers will surprise us all with great storylines for both boys and make the entire fandom happy! Can it be done?? *Hope so!*
Dear Beth,
I’m so not here to tell you what to say or believe or feel; I know the kind of lists you mean where the moderators do a lot of wrist slapping and there’s so many rules that it rather defeats the purpose of joining a discussion. There are lots of good moderators too, but I’m not one of those either. : D You guys are all adults anyway.
And I’m curious now, what other fan forum? There are so many….
And I’ve heard all kinds of versions of this: that Dean is the hero, that it’s Sam’s story, and vice versa. (I’ve never read the Supernatural mag.) When I first got into SPN I got slammed when I dared to say “Hey, this all seems to be about Dean, so it must be Dean’s story!” I was told in no uncertain terms that Jared Padalecki was the STAR of the show and I was very wrong to think that Dean’s story was more important than Sam’s. It was then pointed out to me that Padalecki’s name came first and so there! Oooookay, last time I brought that up. So it’s nice to be able to discuss it and have different opinions.
I dunno, I’m a glass is overflowing kind of gal; even if Show is not exactly what we want, it’s still pretty good. The boys are pretty, and the fanfic they inspire is amazing. I’m just happy and glad to be here; hope I can help the ball club.
Best Regards
Pollyanna Sylvia
Hi,
Beth,
I have a feeling there are a lot more Sam fans out there than it seems … they just avoid that particular forum. It is not the only game in town. Lately I have even come across a lot of Deangirls complaining about the lack of Sam all over the web.
Sylvia,
Your attitude is the best. I will put on my Pollyanna hat and hide my wavering faith for the long haul. Show is still the best on TV and even if they only feed me little crumbs of Sam, well I will learn to relish each and every one of them.
Thanks for allowing me to rant. Like Beth said there are few safe places that Samgirls can. We really are a frustrated bunch and it is only because we love the show, otherwise we wouldn’t care so much.
Ok, now I’m off to find a life!
Tonia
Hi Sylvia
I am so GLAD you are okay. I am sorry to hear you have been sick but I am glad you are on the road to recovery.
I am also glad you had visitors. That is always fun.
Pollyanna! HE HE. You are so funny! Yes, I guess you have to call me Pollyanna Joan then too because I have a hard time finding fault with this show.
Thanks for comment on the word unhinged. It is one of my ‘fav’ words.
Take care
Joan
PS. Boy this episode sparked a lot of interest.
Hi,
I come to Pink Raygun to read reviews of Atlantis, because I am a major fan of that show. Lately, I have been reading your wonderful reviews of Supernatural too. I am, I guess you would say, a casual viewer?
I have watched the show on and off for a few years, and find myself enjoying this season most of all. In fact, I haven’t missed one yet. I am not in the know about all the fannish issues regarding Supernatural, but I know I am happy with an increased focus on Dean so far this season, I was always wondering why the show focused so much on Sam in the past. It will probably even out over the course of the season. I do like that the show is essentially about the bond between the two brothers and would, in a perfect world, love to see the two equally considered while telling the story. They are both terrific actors and incredibly cute.
I hated the bimbo girls from last season, am OK with Bobby as he provides fixes for corners the show writes itself into, and I absolutely LOVED the Eye of the Tiger riff!
One more final comment and then I am finished.
As much as love the comedy I am SO READY for more angst. As a fan girl
I LOVE the dark episodes.
Finally I never, ever thought I would ever see Dean pick up the bible.
Talk about a 360.
At that moment, time almost stopped for me.
Take care
Joan
Joan
Joan: I agree with you. Time for the darkness and angst to take center stage again! And for the brothers to get back on track…I realize that might not happen for a while, but it must happen!
Very nice review, Sylvia. I agree with your issues about the plot/writing in this episode. I thought the writers could have done a better job with explaining why Dean was infected. I guess Dean’s “secret” will be significant in future episodes, so that’s probably why Kripke felt the need to clarify? I definitely don’t think Dean is a “dick.” I think it would have been much better, given Dean’s situation, if Sam would have agreed with Dean that he isn’t a dick, and then admitted that he wasn’t sure about the actual reason. Anyway, you summed up what I liked about the episode here:
“And Dean is such a contained, specific character, with lots of angst and broken dreams lingering just below the surface of a tightly controlled and beautiful you’ll-never-find-out-what-I’m-really-thinking package. Who for years has been the first in line to wade into the ectoplasm, to get soaked to the hips in blood, to thrust his hands into the burning fire and save Sammy for the gazillionth time. So it must have been a nice break for Ackles, who, really, has missed his calling as a comic actor.”
Nicely stated! Even though I was really worried about the show playing Dean’s fears for laughs, I do appreciate them pushing Dean outside of his comfort zone to reveal some things he probably would not have normally revealed to Sam. I just loved that “we are INSANE” rant of his. And I enjoyed Sam taking care of Dean as well. It was a nice role reversal. I do hope we see some of the PTSD that Kripke has talked about with Dean very soon.
I am a big fan of Dean and Jensen, so I hope it’s okay that I comment here. Lately I’ve felt that it’s bad to appreciate Dean’s inclusion in the mythology of the show this season. I think this season has been terrific precisely because Kripke has expanded the overall mythology and has given Dean his own mytharc storyline. I think he just needed some time to develop it. I also think he wants Sam’s storyline (about his powers and about whether or not he’s gone darkside) to be somewhat vague right now to draw out the mystery.
Anyway, I am looking forward to some juicy brotherly angst in future episodes. I adore both boys and the brotherly interaction is a big reason I watch the show. Thanks again.
Hi Beth
Thanks for the comment. I so adore the comedic episodes because they give me a chance to breathe but I crave the dark episodes even more because I truly believe that is where this awesome show truly shines.
And, the core of this show is Sam and Dean and they make this show what it is. Jared and Jensen have such a close bond offscreen and that bond spills across each and every week on the TV screen.
They have chemistry to spare in spades and chemistry is what always draws me into a show.
I want them to be close again and stop keeping secrets from each. I have faith they will be okay again. They love each other too much. I know they’ve never actually said it out loud but we all know they do.
I have never been so passionate about another TV show.
I have had favorites in the past. I never missed an episode of Alias but nothing can compare to my love of all things Winchester.
It’s Thursday!
Joan
Dear Serenitysky,
Hey, thanks for coming by and commenting on Show! I agree with you, this is turning out to be a pretty good season, even if I can’t quite figure out what’s going on yet. But that will come with time. As for the Dean vs. Sam focus, I always thought the show was about Dean anyhow; but there’s tons of people who think about it the way you do, that it was always about Sam! I guess it depends on your perspective, eh? Bimbo girls gone, lots of brotherly angst, and we’re well underway to having yet more fun. Yeah, Bobby fixes the corners Show writes itself into, but I wish Show wouldn’t DO that! The boys seem to like Bobby pretty well, but I don’t. : D
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Lauren,
First up, it’s totally OK that you are a big fan of Dean and Jensen and for you to comment here about that; he’s got an enormous fanbase and he deserves it, not just for the pretty (I mean, just look at the guy!) but also for his talent and his devotion to this character. Jensen doesn’t seem to do things by halves, and he’s given fans so much already, and now we’re going to get more. Dean with his own mytharc/storyline? What’s not to like? I know I’m terribly interested to see what’s going to be happening with Dean, and looking forward to more of Jensen’s expressive eyebrows. (And the rest of him, frankly.)
Fangirls are moaning about the dearth of Sammy, but I’ve also heard Deangirls asking what’s going on because even they know that Dean is only one half of what’s good about Show. If you think Kripke is holding back on purpose to draw out the mystery, well, it’s a pleasurable torture, and I, a True Fan, will keep my tattoo intact. This season is ROCKING anyhow, so I’m here for the duration.
As for the ep, you liked what I liked. I enjoyed seeing another side of Dean, even if it was fever induced. The boys haven’t been sharing and caring as much this season (which kind of makes sense), and it was good to see a little of that, especially in light of what Dean had to say! Because what they do really is crazy in a way, they’ve given up their lives for something that no one will know about, let alone appreciate. Although, when you think about it, most people live those kinds of lives, where they work and struggle and never (or seldom) get thanked. Except in the Winchester’s case, their lives are dangerous and rootless with demons on their heels and angels bugging them to do the right thing. (Like they’re not already!)
PTSD? Yes, bring it! When I heard that Dean was going to be exhibiting this, I was expecting more than we’ve seen thus far. Not that Dean is normally the jumping at shadows type, but after four months in hell, surely he would be more jittery? I mean, if you follow the theory that every second in hell is like an eternity, and Dean spent approximately 120 days in hell, that means he underwent hellfire and brimstone torture for 10,386,000 eternities, which is a very LONG time. The flashbacks we’ve seen are not enough! I’m mean! I want Dean to have nightmares, panic attacks, hyper-vigilance, all of it. I want to roll in Deanish anxiety; I want to see a Deanish meltdown. Come to think of it, I think Sammy’s due for a meltdown too; I’ve not seen him rant, or pontificate, or even cry in ever so long! Surely he’s about to come apart any minute now.
Thank you for the lovely compliment about my description of Dean! I do rather think Show played Dean’s troubles for laughs, and it mostly pulled it off, mostly because Ackles pulled it off. He sold whacked-out Dean to me like nobody else could. Although, seriously, I’d be willing to beta read for Show and give them feedback about any troublesome plot points. I don’t work for Show, I’m not trying to cater to the boss, I have nothing to loose and lots of opinions, not to mention a total devotion to getting it right. They could send me a rough draft anytime, and I could help Show avoid the pitfalls of the whole “dick” conversation. Kripke surely loves his fans to step down and explain it to us, though I still think he could have worked the resolution to that issue into a future script. I’ll keep watching Show, though, until there’s not more Show to watch.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia,Great review as always. I don't understand why the 'dick' comment was necessary. Sam was immune to the demon virus in Croatoan and we don't know why, so he could have been immune to ghost sickness too. I thought there were a lot of plot holes in the episode. Why for instance did the ghost sickness start twenty years after the wife's death? Why had Frank gone to the mill and left his ring there? Why were all the drawings etc. belonging to Luther still there twenty years later? Did the Sherrif really die in the motel room or was that also an hallucination?
I think Sam has suffered too much losing Dean over and over in mystery spot and later to hell and has shut down his emotions as a way of coping. I also think that Sam's apparent coldness would have made far more sense had this episode followed Metamorphis(and Monster House had been 4.03 as originally planned) as the boys are likely to still be recovering from the fall out of their fights in that episode.
hi again
I haven't seen any comments on Dean's remark to the young deputy in the Sheriff's office, the 'you're awesome' comment. I wondered if it tied in with the comment in 'Playthings' when Sam suggests that Dean is kinda butch and may be over compensating when Dean wants to know why everyone thinks they are gay. This combined with the gender of the siren in 'Sex and Violence' (although there are other reasons for the siren's gender) makes me wonder if Kripke once again is adding even more layers to the already complex man that Dean is.