I’ve always enjoyed watching Jared act, ever since I first saw him on Gilmore Girls, but lately he is just amazing me with his polished performances and the way he can convey so much with just a look. It’s awesome and so much of what I love about Sam is tied up in the way that Jared plays him. Like you said, Show seems to have FINALLY remembered that Sam is a lead character, not a set of guest towels. Let’s hope they keep it that way.

Re the costumes: From what Sam said, and did, in that basement, I got the impression that the masks were the important part of the costume, that the hiding of your face was what counted. Then again masks/costumes aside, what Samhain did with locking those kids in and bringing zombies to kill them didn’t make sense anyway, so it was probably just another writer’s screw up.

Shallow is always fun, and Lord knows there’s plenty of it to be had when we get to watch two beautiful boys each week. I will absolutely stay shallow with you, and I hope there’s more lovely whumpage and limpage to come.

Thanks for your reply, and another great review! Looking forward to next week’s!

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it!

I love what you have to say about Sam and Padalecki. The way Padalecki has grown physically (and beautifully!) and developed as an actor fits perfectly well with Sam’s newfound powers and the feeling of a strength bursting out of the seams, not quite knowing what to do with itself. I’m looking forward to more of the same, now that Show appears (for the moment) to have remembered that there are TWO brothers, and the younger one is just as sexyhot as the older one.

Disagreeing with you here. I don’t exactly see Castiel as warm, even if he is sincere. The character comes across as a little stiff and distant, he’s got a job to do, and is not really up on human manners or habits. He’s an angel, and that’s what he is; you can’t humanize an angel, and I think the actor playing him has been, up till this point, hitting it on the mark. If you’re an angel newly possessing a human body, however willing that body might be, then it’s going to be a little weird at first. Even if the soap angel is getting used to being in that body, I don’t think he’s ever going to become human, or understand humans. It’s his duty to relate to Dean, to look after him, and to keep him on track with God’s job for him.

I might be one of a handful of fans not on the “Oh, I love Castiel!” bandwagon, but that’s okay. I get the sense that Show is going to some double blinds and messing around with how we should feel about this character. It should be fun!

As for Ureil, I think we’re supposed to not like him, the whole love to hate aspect of that character seems very clear to me.

Dean, Dean, Dean. The character that Ackles has created is rock solid by now, but, like you, I’m constantly surprised and pleased with the return of the old-fashioned Dean, the one who eats too much of the wrong stuff, who tramps around, who marches through the world like he knows exactly who he is and hang anyone who’s got a problem with that. The return of big brotherness was especially pleasing. As was Sam’s empathy towards the world, being more worried about them than himself. And doing a beautiful job being glum about it. Or being beautifully glum, whichever more accurately describes the fact that Sam is beautiful when he’s depressed and how whacked is that?

Re: Samhain. See other posts. : D

The kids in the crypt were all in costume, and as such (masks or not) should not have been visible because they were disguised as someone else. Right? Wasn’t that the deali-o?

Whumpage, bloody noses, limpage, it’s what I live for. Stay shallow with me, won’t you?

Best Regards,

Sylvia

But you see, I don’t WANT Dean and the soap angel forming an alliance, however near and dear to your hear this might be! I feel that if Dean’s got this angel on his side like you say, then he’s completely impervious to any danger whatsoever, and that will completely take away the sense of tension in the plot. Why worry when an angel is there to see that Dean is around; if Dean can come to no harm, then where’s the fun in that? It’s not fun, that’s what.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

I can’t tell you how many fans posted, if not a full blown paper on the true story of Samhain (including many shouts of, “It’s a holiday, not a person!”) then, at the very least, a link to the Wiki article (among others) on the subject. Most articles seem to recognize that faulty transcription brought about the idea of a demon named Samhain, and not only that, but no one, no matter how hard they try, is able to trace the origins back further than 1770. So, lots of fans seem to know the truth about the matter, if that helps you any.

Maybe Show is playing loose and fast with the idea of a demon being connected to a pagan holiday, but the idea of poetic license still holds. Show used a made up demon, and called him by a name that is not pronounced like the true holiday, rather as if they didn’t to mess with the real holiday. I can’t imagine that Show isn’t fully aware of the real legend behind the fake one; they used what they needed for the plot. As for the Real Ghostbusters, I’m completely sure that they, in turn, borrowed the storyline from somewhere else, who also borrowed it from somewhere else, and so on. I think even Scooby-Doo used this one; it’s an old, old storyline.

Still, at the same time, I can appreciate your concerns about the pagan religion being misconstrued and your lack of enthusiasm at having to explain, yet again, that “it’s a holiday, not a person!” And your other point is pretty significant, because the fact that Show in the past has done a fairly good job presenting real facts means that some viewers are going to accept Samhain as a Halloween demon at face value. Although, to be honest, the kind of people who watch this particular show (intelligent, curious) are apt to go look it up on the Internet as accept any storyline/legend/lore blindly on faith. Which doesn’t solve your main issue here, that of the media messing around with your religion.

I appreciate you coming by and posting like this, even if your comments aren’t glowing with enthusiasm about this week’s episode. You’ve certainly opened my eyes about this issue.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

I liked your point that Sam was more concerned with the angels showing mercy to the town than to himself. That’s such a quintessentially Sam way to look at it. It’s been so long since we’ve seen him act so completely in character in that regard that I was beginning to fear he’d lost that part of himself, or that he had been so jaded by life that he no longer cared about the bigger picture. It’s awesome to have that little piece of him back in place, for the moment anyway. I don’t really trust the writers to keep it that way, unfortunately.

There was much that I enjoyed about this episode; the dithering, the brotherly moments (oh how I enjoyed those), and what seemed, after our recent Sam deprivation, to be an embarrassment of riches on the youngest Winchester front.

I thought Jared really knocked this one out of the park. The scene with the angels was beautiful, the looks on Sam’s face, and the stammering and fishing for the right words to say lest offend their holy guests, and then the way the light just died when Castiel didn’t take his hand right away. Poor Sam. Then again in the car with Dean, everything about Sam from the look on his face to the tone of his voice to the way he was kind of slumped in the seat, it all spoke of his disillusionment, and the rocking of his faith. Beautiful.

As a side note, those dimples are downright dangerous in person, and should be marked as weapons of mass fangirl implosion. Seriously, those things will kill you if you get too close to them. Also, the hands are mind bogglingly huge and lovely.

Right, back to the not shallow stuff. One thing this episode accomplished for me personally was to cast Castiel in a different, more flattering light. I’ve not been a fan of him up to this point, and I still wouldn’t classify myself as a fan, but I like him a whole lot more. His hesitation to take Sam’s hand made me squirm a bit for Sam’s sake, but when he did take it, despite immediately bringing up the demon blood, he seemed as warm and sincere as Castiel ever has. Then he made a point of telling both of the guys to get out of town, not just Dean. That, plus the fact that Castiel fares well in comparison to Uriel’s arrogance and superiority, makes me feel much better about our original angel on the scene.

Uriel. Didn’t like him from the moment he was introduced, and that opinon didn’t change any by the time he got around to threating Sam, which gave him a pretty much permanent black mark in my book. I get the feeling though, that we weren’t meant to like Uriel, so perhaps I’m just following the trail Kripke’s laying out for us on this one.

Dean. Oh Dean, I’ve missed you. Missed your goofy habits like eating too much candy and being such a horndog. Missed you talking to your brother and making innuendo jokes just to get a rise out of him. Missed you being a big brother. I feel like they gave us the real Dean back with this one. He was strong and determined and protective of his Sammy and kicking zombie ass. It felt so good to have him back. The scene in the car, the things he said and the way he tried to shore up the crumbling foundations of his little brother’s faith, a faith he’s never shared, made me want to hug Dean and stuff him full of cookies. And the scene where he stood up to the angels? Made me want to give him a round of applause, perhaps even a standing ovation.

Samhain. Oy. Where to start? Aside from the fact that I spent a good five minutes lecturing my television on what Samhain really is, and who it is not, and cringing every time they opened their mouths and butchered the pronunciation, it wasn’t their worst monster of the week. I finally got over it and went with it not being the Samhain I know of, and decided it was actually Sam Hain, who just happened to have a very similar name. Cause otherwise I was going to start pulling my hair out.

I also have a theory about why Sam Hain saw the kids in the crypt. Little kids, when they trick or treat, tend to wear actual masks, or at least a fair amount of face paint. Older kids, not as much. If I remember correctly, at least two or three of the kids whose faces we ever saw in that crypt, didn’t have on masks or heavy paint. The main kid, the stoner did, but Sam Hain never responded to that kid either, and the paint could be why. Just a thought.

You are so not alone in the fight scene enjoying department. I blame it all on Sam and Dean. They look far too good when they’re getting whumped.

I like the breadcrumb trail they’re leaving us, but I can’t relax and enjoy it until we actually get the meltdown payoff on it. Both Sam and Dean are due one heck of an epic meltdown in my opinion, and until we actually get it, or something at least vaguely like it, I can’t appreciate the clues they’re giving us. Like you said those demonic winds (or corporate suit farts, and yes, they are much the same thing) blow all too suddenly in Show’s vicinity, and they might just obliterate all this careful foreshadowing. Once things come together onscreen, I think I’ll need to rewatch the whole season, just to fully appreciate the way it all comes together.

I love episodes that make me think, or rock the way I understand or view a character. So on that front alone this episode wins. Add in the stellar, subtle performance Jared turned in and the fact that it rekindled my love of Dean and it makes me a fairly happy fangirl. And that’s something I wasn’t sure was going to happen this season.

Yes, I adore the soap angel. I don’t think he will ever become too nice. He reminds me so much of Dean.
Like I said, he is complex. I do see Castiel and Dean forming an alliance and a bond which in my eyes has already started to form. I honestly think when push comes to shove Castiel will be there for Dean and Sam but I believe he won’t be so nice to the evil which will be unleashed if the seals are broken.

I bet when Castiel was alive, he was just like Dean!

Yes, I remember the new coke and it was terrible!

You know, Castiel, Dean and Sam are my eye-candy!

Take care
Joan

Oh certainly, they have poetic license. But Sam portrayed it like that was indeed the true origin and purpose of the holiday. When you’ve spendt a couple of decades battling misconceptions of your faith, it’s a bit tiring to see it crop up again in mainstream media — especially when, in recent years it seemed like said media was finally being more tolerant towards us.

I have an uncle who won’t let his children celebrate Hallowe’en even in a secular context because he considers it demonic. So for me (and a number of other pagans I have talked to), hearing Sam say things that echo the ignorant things that have been said of pagan beliefs in the past is disheartening. And this comes on the coattails of the Christian Children’s Fund turning down Gen Con’s contribution in memory of Gary Gygax because they feel D&D is played by devil-worshippers, and wanted no tained money. I was hoping we’d gotten past such preconceptions, but stories like this worry me that those who are uninformed will continue to be so.

How often after watching a show does anyone bother to question how much is true and research the matter for themselves? It would be one thing if everyone knew about Samhain’s true origins and they were offerng the story as an alternate one, but when the bulk of the audience is *not* familiar, it hardly seems fair to misrepresent it.

That uncle I mentioned once wanted to ban Disney because they owned Mirimax, and Mirimax produced The Priest, a film about a priest who killed people. I can’t blame him for being upset, and he had every right to boycott it as he so pleased. But at least the public knows better in that case, knows that priests in general are not killers and that the character in the film is an anomally — they are informed, and know as they watch what is fact and what os fiction (because not everything in a work of fiction *IS* fiction, or at least some of it has preconceptions attatched to it that everyone accepts). The average viewer does *not*, on the other hand, know the true origins of Samhain. So as upset as my uncle was in that situation, imagine how much more frustrating it is to be pagan when the common view of opaganism for many years was an innaccurateone, one which the media was constantly and inaccurately reinforcing?

Yes, I know, it’s fiction, but fiction set a world we know should strive to keep the references to history and folklore as accurate as possible, not just make something up off the cuff and portray it as “the way it is” when there is already pre-existing lore. I had actually been impressed by the show’s efforts at research in the past. Of course, they don’t *have* to cater to their pagan audience, but if they want to keep that part of their audience, they *could* choose to be more considerate of it. Just like that audience could in turn choose not to watch — as I did that night. And I can only imagine that, somewhen down the road, when I make a reference to my holiday, I;m going to have to explain the reaility of it to some nitwit who assumes it was indeed started in worship of a demon.

As for the borrowing of another show’s plot, this was a bit more specific than say two sci fi shows both having transporters or spaceships. They both used “Sam Hain” as the name of a Demon who rules Hallowe’en — a demon that does not exist in real-world folklore/history. If they’re going to borrow a concept from another show, I wish it had been one that didn’t piss me off the *first* time around. XD But I still kept watching Ghostbusters after Sam Hain’s appearance, so I will likely keep watching Supernatural as well, at least for now. I just was adding my personal feelings, same as everyone else — mine just happen to not be positive. :/

But I’m glad for the rest of you that you were able to enjoy it ….

Thank you for the lovely compliment! Tuesdays are fun for me too.

Sam/Padalecki really rocked this week, it was nice that there was so much of him, plus, so many complex and interesting scenes with him in it. And, truth be told, I’ve never seen him looking so adorably yummy and glowing. He must be eating all the right things, getting his sleep, taking his vitamins – whatever it is, he’s bursting with sleek health, and was quite the eyeful. The lounging on the bed was a bonus, too, but the chin wibble wins my vote as the MOST fun moment of this ep! (Oh, and the fight scene, mmmmmmmmm.)

I don’t think that when Sam said angels were supposed to show mercy that he was thinking about himself only. I think that his reaction was a general one with regards to the population as a whole and himself included because he’s crushed by the reality of angels now standing before him. His reaction is too aggressive, and Sam tends to get that way when protecting innocent lives. I personally think he’s totally flabbergasted that angels aren’t nicer. I know fans have been pointing out that Sam surely has read the Old Testament and knows that angels go around smiting and laying waste to entire cities, still, angels are good and just and merciful too, but these angels are showing no signs of the latter.

I like what you point out about the naughty boy and the good boy. Dean is the womanizer, the pool shark, and yet, he’s the one with the halo and the wings. His soul is pure, I’ve always thought, more pure than Sam’s. Sam is far too human and conflicted, his world is grey rather than black and white like Dean’s. Both boys are headed for a fall, don’t you think? Oh, Show, bring on the PTSD!

Best Regards,

Sylvia

I think the meeting of Sam and Castiel was one of the highlights for me too, and, like you, I wasn’t surprised that the angel didn’t quite take to Sam. (His loss!) Loads of fans like Castiel, as well; I imagine we’ll see more confrontation between the littlest Winchester and the big sorta bad guy from heaven.

As for Uriel, he seems to have taken the place of the baddy, like you say, he’s going to push Sam into doing something he ought not to. Only Dean will be able to stay Sam’s hand on that day! Personally, I’m looking forward to a confrontation where Dean’s going to have to make a choice. Which, if it’s between Sam and anything else? No contest.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

What a lovely post! The only thing lovelier was SAM in this ep; I’ve missed that boy like you would not believe. Or maybe you would, because you pointed out all the scenes I liked especially well, the fanboy one and the look he gives Dean at the end of killing Samhain. “Don’t hate me because I have these freakish powers, Dean. DEAN? Deeeeeeeeean!” (And lord how the camera loves Padalecki.) Not that Dean would turn from his brother, even if he’s pissed, like he keeps showing us.

I totally missed the comment about Sam being useful, but I like your theory. Sometimes the most obvious plot is not the most important one. Is it a double blind? Are we being led astray by the purloined letter? Heck, maybe because they can’t kill Sam (threats aside) maybe they’re trying to work it so Dean does?

I think I missed out on the leprechaun story; still giggling at the images in my head. Link?

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Well, were they misrepresenting a pagan holiday, or making up their own demon to avoid messing around with a celebration that some hold dear? Besides which, poetic license means that Show gets to do what it wants here; Show makes its own universe, its own playground. And, what’s more, the point of Show is two brothers and that sexy car of theirs; the MOW is just a context within which the boys’ loveliness is framed. Sorry you didn’t enjoy it this week, though.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

P.S. The way I hear it, all stories are taken from someplace else; there’s no such thing as a new story.

I loved this episode too, though, oddly, not the first time around. I had to walk away for a bit and then come back to it to figure out everything that was going on. The ep definitely didn’t spoonfeed us anything, and was all the more satisfying for it.

It always amazes me how another fan watching the same ep will get something totally different out of it. Like what you pointed out about how the soap angel says there will be more coming Dean’s way and that he doesn’t envy Dean this burden. That is, now that you mention it, a little ominous, because yeah, can he take it? I think he can because his whole life has been training and preparing up to this point, so he’s more ready than anyone else would be. Still, it’s a little sad to think of it, because he’s been through so much already.

Disagree with you about the razor cam! There was more than one shot of the inside of that guy’s mouth, and I thought the whole thing was madness, but, at the same time, I realize that the special effects guys (and the camera guys) get bored sometimes and need to think up whacky things to do. So there you go.

Didn’t notice the slowed down camera, and besides, more boys, less cleavage has always been my motto. Not interested in boobage, no, want shoulders and manly thighs! (But I’m sure it was a nice technique just the same.)

WORD on the white light scene and I ENVY you your description: “…Sam just strides through it like a tall, boyish immune thing.” A tall boyish immune thing? Oh, that’s just perfect, that’s what that is. Cause he looked JUST like that. Prideful. Beautiful. Padalecki pulled that scene off excellently.

And agreed, Season 4 is shaping up nicely. I anticipate more goodness to come, because Show is on a ROLL!

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Thouroughly loved your review and I look so forward to them every Tuesday.

Loved this episode. The brotherly interactions were wonderful finally after seeming so off this season (and maybe rightfully so).

I loved that Sam finally, finally got to meet Castiel. His fanboy reaction and subsequent diappointment as Dean tries to cheer him up are so far some of my favourite scenes from all the 4 seasons.

Jared was beyond awesome. He always amazes me how he can go from little innocent fanboy when meeting Castiel to sexy badass young man as he walks towards Samhain in defiance.
His chin wibble really killed me too as did the heartbreaking look on Dean’s face.

It’s interesting the way Show has set up that Dean who is the chosen one by God reacts snarkily and rudely to Castiel and has to be reprimanded by Castiel to show him some respect whereas it is the demon-blood tainted “bad” brother Sam who initially shows total respect by extending his hand for a handshake. I felt that kind of took Castiel by surprise. Ooh, how I always love those shades of grey that Show gives us.

Really enjoyed Sam lounging on the bed researching (they gave us that twice in the same episode! Be still my heart!)

And I too have to sheepingly admit that I love seeing men fighting.

Do you think that when Sam said angels (and I love the way his voice cracked then) were supposed to show mercy that he was also thinking about himself and his situation?

I also loved the way Sam said “dicks” to Uriel with a little snarl. Grrr!

I agree with you too that the last scene took some menacing nuance away from Castiel which I kind of enjoyed before but maybe it is too soon to judge that yet. And I also cannot wait for Sammy’s fallout and Dean’s PTSD to happen.

Looking forward to next week,
-Tonia

Oh, you are SO right, there was so much to love this week, not least of which was the marvelous camera work and closeups of the boys. I’ll never get tired of them either. Like I mentioned to Ima, there was also lots of the old days, scenes we like to see, and if Show thinks we need something new, then perhaps it should consider what happened to “new” coke. New doesn’t mean better, it just means new.

So you like the soap angel, eh? Lots of people do, and I do as well. My problem is if they make him a “nice” angel, then he won’t be as dangerous and therefore not as fun. You see? I want him scary, I want us to be unsure of what he’ll do next.

Personally I’m looking forward to finding out what Dean is on his supposed high horse about hell – even though, like you, I know it’ll be rough. Well, Dean can take it, I tell you! He and Sam both. (Besides, I like watching them struggle through the hard times.)

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Hey, thanks! It was a lot of fun this week. And congratulations on being first!
It was sweet to see them surf the net again, just like old times. I’m all for progress and characters changing, but it felt really comfortable to see them doing it the way they used to a bit, to see something familiar. They really need to continue doing research on their own like this.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

When Sam says, “That demon ray gun stuff doesn’t work on me”, I think I would have exploded an ovary if I’d had any. That fight made me happy in my pants too.
And that *LOOK* at the end from Sam- “Dean? You know I had to, right Dean?” I want to hug him!
I am intrigued by Uriel’s comment about Sam being “useful”, and it makes me wonder if, instead of using Dean to keep Sam in line, they are using Sam, threatening that he might go darkside, to get *Dean* to do what they want.

There was never a belief in a “demon” named “Sam Hain”; Samhain was just the name of the holiday, it wasn’t named after someone but rather the time of year. And it’s pronounced “Sow-wen”. I still love the show, and normally try to just take things in stride, but that was just too upsetting for me.