Supernatural: The Song Remains The Same
Team Free Will for the Win!
by Sylvia Bond
Supernatural Episode Review – Season 5, Episode 13
“The Song Remains the Same”
This episode is a wonderful reprise of the Back to the Future theme for Show, except that it starts out with a long, boring conversation between Anna Banana and the Soap Angel. Anna Banana says, “Yap, yap, yap!” and the Soap Angel goes, “Blah, blah, blah.” That repeats a few times and then Anna Banana disappears, and good riddance to her. (There was a dream sequence for Dean as well, but all it was was an opportunity to have two nearly nekked nubile young female things on the screen, but who cares about that? Get me some nekked nubile young MALE things on the screen and then I’ll be interested.)
I cannot figure out for the life of me why Anna Banana’s even still around, because didn’t she implode at one point? Angels aren’t indestructible, as we’ve seen, so once you implode, that should be the end of you. The only thing I can figure is that the actress who plays Anna Banana had a contractual obligation to do X number of episodes, and so we got stuck with her, which is why the character makes no sense to me. Never did, never will. Not to mention the fact that her sex scene with Deanarino in the back of the Impala (was it last season?) was about as interesting as day old bread. Ackles is so hot he could ignite a paper bag with his eyes, so I pretty much place the blame on her for that one.
The Soap Angel shows up in Sam and Dean’s motel room, and tells them the Amazingly Horrible News that Anna Banana is going back to the past to stop the Apocalypse by killing Mary and John Winchester. There’s some dramatic conversation about the boys saving their mom and dad, and then they twist the Soap Angel’s arm to take them where they can do some good. And thusly, at a full nine minutes and twenty-one seconds into the ep, Sam and Dean and the Soap Angel all end up in 1978 together and it finally starts to get interesting.
Luckily, the Soap Angel is cleverly written out of the episode so he can’t a) take up story time, or b) invariably save the day at the last minute and make the boys look like they couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag. (A different one than the one mentioned before, because that one’s on fire.)
We are treated to a slew of old cars, and I would have enjoyed some more old-fashioned goodness from the 70’s, like more about the pay phones, going to the library to do research, actually writing letters (yes, we still did that then), gas prices, not to mention the music, and best of all, McDonalds was still frying their French fries in beef tallow. Stuff about the past is de rigueur and part of the fun for an ep like this, but alas, I am denied. At any rate, the first thing Sam and Dean do, obviously, is hotwire a car and head to the house of The Mom and The Dad. Except that The Mom and The Dad are young Mary and John Winchester, very sparkly and oh, so cute, living in that huge house, paying enormous bills for heating and lighting, and obviously madly, truly, deeply in love.
The image of them as a young married couple is vivid and perfect. Mary, as you will recall, is a hunter who made a deal, and is trying to forget that she did and lead a normal life. At the same time, she’s trying to pretend she doesn’t have a hunter’s background. Plus, I don’t know about her cooking skills because she’s already got the biscuits on the table, yet later says that it’s seven o’clock and she really needs to get dinner started. (The biscuits should be wrapped in a towel at least!)
John, on the other hand, is a working class Joe, with his good-boy haircut, and a welcome handshake for the strangers at his door who say they are cousins of Mary’s. Thus Sam and Dean are allowed across the threshold, and welcomed into the bosom of the family and the house full of yellow appliances, just like the kind we used to have when I was a girl. And then the fun truly begins.
Dean’s experienced this before, so he’s all calm and stuff saying hi to The Mom and The Dad, shaking their hands like they’re truly Cousin Mary and her husband John. But Sam, oh, Sam, his reaction is a treasure and right on the money. Besides his hair being perfect (there’s this tendency for dampness to bring out the wave in it) and his skin so perfectly fawn against the thin green corduroy of his shirt, he gets all dewy eyed (maybe even weepy) over the vision of The Mom and The Dad standing in the doorway of their perfect little happy home in all their innocent glory. And then he can’t let go of John’s hand as he shakes it.
And I started to think, what a gift this would be for Sam, this, and at the same time, what a very painful reminder of what he’s given up, what he’s never had, actually: a normal family with a mom and a dad and a home like that. And especially startling for Sam (though perhaps a welcome change) would be this John, a John who would say hello, and smile, and offer beers, all so casual and relaxed and just easy to be with. Especially a John who would ask Sam if he was okay, something that John as The Dad never would have done. No, instead he would have told Sam to buck up and run another mile. In the rain.
And then Sam stares at Mary, and I mean STARES. Dean covers up Sam’s just-about-creepy staring by saying she’s the spitting image of “our mom,” and I can see how this will work out, because anything Sam and Dean can mess up can be explained by family connections (that no one typically wants to hear about), and so they prove their right to be there. John never even suspects a thing, being the trusting, sweet mechanic that he is. (Is anyone else a little weirded out by John being so nice and trusting? Not in a bad way, not that they did it wrong, but in that it’s such a contrast, a change from The Dad that we are used to.)
Sam’s visible, teary-eyed grief over yearning for what he never had is painful (and glorious) to watch. As is the watching John talk over the phone to his boss at the garage, begging to keep his job. Since when did John ever beg for anything? For that matter, since when did John remark that he likes being bossed around by his wife? Oh, yes, since before John became The Dad and was sweet and gentle and thoughtful and kind. And a hard worker, which, actually hasn’t changed. Except the voice at the other end of the line isn’t his boss, it’s Anna Banana, who’s unfortunately back in the ep again. In the words memorable words of Admiral Ackbar, “It’s a trap!” (Although I can never imitate him as well as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory does.)
Dean’s warnings about angels to Mary are hard to take, and Sam continues to stare with his mouth open a little like he wants to find something to say that will express what he feels. But since what Sam’s feels is about as big as a mountain (a range of mountains, actually), even the twenty or so volumes of the Oxford English dictionary won’t be enough. (Padalecki has had very little lines of dialog up to this point, but he carries it well on his manly shoulders.)
John ends up at the dark and deserted garage (“It’s a trap!”) with a bevy of Mustangs and Chevy Chevelles, dying to talk to his boss about keeping his job. But his boss is dead and thus Anna Banana attacks him. John Whumpage is not something you see very often, so that was fun, though I did wonder why Anna Banana was moving about as slow as a zombie, but this was quickly explained that she’s still a tad dizzy. (I like it when Show makes things logical like that.)
Then Dean shows up, and there’s more whumpage and some very nice Dean tummy-cam there. And as well, John gets to see his beloved Mary fighting an angel like the true pro that she is. And you know, fight scenes are all very well and good, but I’m just not that in to them, especially when they don’t involve either Sam OR Dean.
Luckily Sam knows how to draw a sigil on the wall to send Anna Banana packing. Except this means that everyone, including John, sees what he does which makes the ride home in the Impala (in the rain) verrry interesting. What would Sam have paid to be part of a family of four in the beforetime, riding in the back seat with his brother and both parents in the front seat? Well, this is his lucky day. Except it turns out to be not that fun.
John of course doesn’t believe it, or doesn’t want to believe it, but there’s nothing else for it, what with the evidence he’s seen. I love scenes like this one, the back-to-the-future reveal, where finally (finally!) the truth comes out. Otherwise it’s just like a spooky soap opera where people go ‘round and ‘round the truth till you just want to scream, and if I wanted that, I can pull out my old tapes of Dark Shadows and the Collins family dance around the bushes never saying what they mean or meaning what they say.
The especially magic moment comes when everyone’s starts talking at once trying to explain, and then John says, “Shut up, all of you. Not another word or so help me I will turn this car around.” Oh, Show, thy name is love, because here, in the midst of disaster is a Winchester family moment, a might-have-been flicker of a normal mom trying to talk, and the two sons trying to talk from the bowels of the back seat, and a dad who wants it quiet and barks and threatens to turn the car around.
Matt Cohen was an excellent choice to begin with, and now, even more settled into the role, takes just the right tone with this, as a husband and a father, feeling he knows what’s best, and taking charge as he sees fit, the way he knows a man with a family should be. And I dearly adore Dean’s reaction in the back seat, and his comment to Sam, because surely it has not escaped them how almost normal the moment is, and the gift of being able to see the John that once was. That within the hunter that was The Dad there lived a regular kind of dad, too.
So they drive out to the old family estate, which is stocked up like a fortress against evil. Sam and Dean have also brought all their goodies, more sigils and holy oil and stuff. I am happy because it’s just the four of them now, and that means more family time, and less time for anything else. I’m so tired of angels and demons, I just can’t tell you.
Sam takes Mary off into another room so Dean and John can have some quality father and son time, even if John doesn’t know about the father and son part. When Dean shows him the sigil, John offers to draw it. He doesn’t care what it means, just how big it should be, and all practical, like a man on a battlefield, doing what needs to be done, which seemed to be right on the money for John’s character.
When Dean says it needs to be drawn in blood, John slices open his palm without a second thought. What I liked here was watching John’s backbone grow. Or rather I admired seeing it rather than liked seeing it, since, sadly when his backbone grows, he becomes hard and flinty and not very fun to be around. Plus Cohen handles the transition here very smoothly, the change in John from regular guy to almost-hunting guy aptly reflecting on John’s Marine training and experience in battle. Even Dean notices as he remarks that John now reminds him of his dad.
But then comes more. A whole lot more and perhaps the scene I’ve been waiting for since Show began, though I didn’t even realize I wanted it. And perhaps that’s because a) I didn’t know I wanted it, and b) if I had been given it in the usual way (under normal circumstances while The Dad was still alive), I wouldn’t have appreciated it. And that is a personal heart-to-heart between John and Sam. Naturally, again, John doesn’t realize that the heart to heart is about him, at any rate, but it’s still there.
The conversation is magical. John asks Sam how long he’s known about “this hunting stuff.” And Sam says, “Pretty much forever; my dad raised me in it.” And John’s reaction to Sam was so perfect, it must have been what Sam wanted to hear all these years and never did: “You serious? Who the hell does that to a kid?” More achy goodness follows when Sam tries to explain, because John snaps, “I don’t care. What kind of irresponsible bastard lets a child anywhere near….you know, you could have been killed! The number it must have done on your head. Your father was supposed to protect you.”
You know, fans have been saying this for years, about a father’s responsibility to his kids and whether or not John was a Good Dad or a Bad Dad. I always figured that John did the best he could with what he had, and even if he did a lot of things wrong, he did so very many things right. Don’t believe me? The proof is in the pudding, that is, the proof is in the men his sons became. But at the same time, for Sam to hear it at this point must hurt very badly, on account of the contrast of what could have been (this kind of dad) and what Sam actually got, which was The Dad.
Still, it must have been so very gratifying to hear John’s reaction, which Sam might have also not realized he wanted, and that is John’s extreme indignation at the way Sam was raised, because what father would do that? Which tells Sam what he (and we) already knew, that if John could have found another way, he would have. And, since Sam often asks for forgiveness and second chances, he himself tends to be a very forgiving kind of guy. Plus he heard what he so desperately needed to hear, a kind of time-warped, “I’m sorry,” from The Dad.
So then Sam gets to say what’s in his heart and in his soul about how much he loves John, even in spite of him being a not so very good dad sometimes. I love Sam’s speech about John to John to pieces and then some, so I’m including it here in its entirety: “He was trying. He died trying. I used to be mad at him, I used to hate the guy. But now I get it, he was just doing the best he could. See, my mom she was amazing…she was the love of his life. When she got killed, and I think he would have gone crazy if he didn’t do something. Truth is my dad died before I got to tell him that I understand why he did what he did and I forgive him for what it did to us, I do. I just…I love him.”
The beauty of this scene is RUINED by Anna Banana showing up outside the house. She’s nothing but a pain in my ass at this point, but considering her ashy end, I’ll allow her another few minutes to spoil the scenery. There’s a scene with her and Uriel, where Anna Banana goes, “Yap, yap, yap,” and Uriel goes, “Mumble, mumble, mumble.”
Meanwhile, Dean gets his own delicious scene with Mary, who wants to know why an angel wants her dead. She doesn’t accept Dean’s, “Because they’re dicks,” explanation, so Dean starts talking. Which means his mouth starts moving, and isn’t that a lovely sight? And finally, finally, he tells her that he’s her son, and what year they’re from, and what’s actually going on.
Dean can prove it because he’s got the intel on her private thoughts and worries and what soup Dean got when he was sick, and the name of the lullaby he got. The saddest part is that she has to learn that John was the one who raised his kids as hunters, because she, Mary, is all too soon dead.
What makes the scene even more amazing is that Sam suggests that Mary leave John so that he, Sam, breaker of the last seal, will never be born to kick off the apocalypse. Dean is eager to agree, and while it’s interesting that he and Sam would fight Anna Banana on killing their parents, they kind of see the logic in her argument and would be willing to snap themselves out of existence to save the millionty billionty souls on earth. And that’s true heroism, because real heroes are willing to do this, to do the deed, and not talk about it, and disappear into history.
Of course, love can be selfish as well as generous, and so Mary says no. I don’t blame her for that, and I can’t, because John seems like one in a million. And then there’s the real reason she can’t leave, and that because is that she’s already pregnant with Dean, who was born on January 24, 1979, and will be a sweet and protective older brother all the days of his life.
But the beauty of this family moment is disrupted by John’s announcement that the sigil is gone, and then Uriel and Anna Banana break in. They disrupt everything with another fight scene, which luckily involves Sam and Dean, my own true loves. John does his best, but gets slammed through a window, and then Anna Banana kills Sam. And I mean kills him. He’s all dead and stuff (he dies so well, doesn’t he?) with an iron bar right through his gut. And unlike Magical Bobby, he dies right away.
But lo, John appears as the meatsuit for the Archangel Mike, who quickly turns Anna Banana into a cinder! Oh, man! It was a beautiful thing! Her contractual obligation should be up now, don’t you think? Then he sent Uriel into nothingness, one hopes. At any rate, you could have heard my shouts for joy all the way to Baltimore.
Additionally, John as the Archangel Mike was the epitome of sexiness, all slow and confident, with that smoky voice, and just every confidence that being the archangel brings. Better yet, he has a discussion with Dean over the issue of whether or not Dean will wear Mike’s meatsuit. “First we talk,” says Mike, then I’ll fix your darling little Sammy.” (Need this be said? Darling, yes, but little? No. Plus, Cohen sold it to me, this yet another incarnation of John, and I bought it, hook, line, and sinker.)
It’s at this point hear we learn about the blood line stretching beyond Dean, and John, back to Cain and Abel, which comes as no surprise since many a fan besides me has been conjecturing the similarities since Season 1: two brothers battling it out. Except that in the Bible and the Koran and the Torah, Cain kills Abel and is cast out to wander the earth forever, and while Dean does wander, he has not yet killed Sam. Nor will he, I expect. But you get the idea.
Mike tries to talk Dean into it, explaining the facts about love and betrayal. “Free will is an illusion, Dean,” says Mike. “That’s why you’re going to say yes.” Then he talks about duty and destiny and chance and the lack of randomness in Dean’s very existence, until I, even, thought that Dean might ought to want to consider signing up for meatsuit duty.
But to his credit, Mike does not use Sam as coercion material, instead he fixes Sam and sends him back to his own time. Dean looks like he’s panting a bit at this point, and whether it’s in pain, or because he came that close to saying yes, I don’t know. But he’s got to be feeling the pressure by now, don’t you think?
Back in the past, back in their bedroom, Sam and Dean tend to the woozy Soap Angel, yadda, yadda, yadda. I love Sam and Dean drinking together at any time, but especially now. First, because Dean in a previous episode made a remark that indicated that he didn’t feel he and Sam drank together much anymore. (And drinking, as you know, is a certainly kind of quality Winchester time.) And here we have them drinking and talking, practically dithering! What could be better? And second, because Dean says, “This is it.” And when Sam asks, “This is what?” Dean says, “Team Free Will” and I don’t think I’ve ever loved him more. I think I want to make a t-shirt out of that expression, you know?
What Dean probably knows, no doubt, is that one of God’s gifts to man was free will, something that the angels never had and never did. It’s arguable of course that since some angels went with Lucifer when he was cast out that they had some form of independent thought, but certainly nothing like man’s. Thus, though I did feel for a second that Dean should say yes to Mike, I had to applaud him standing for what he believed and felt, that saying yes would be wrong, even if it brought about the end of the world. Are we talking the needs of the many and the one here? Because sometimes, as you know, the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.
In spite of his doubts, I think Dean knows he’s right and the angels are not, but Sam has doubts, on account of the fact that he knows he’s a tad weak in the spine department (metaphorically of course, not physically, not with that buff body!). And all I could think of was, “God they look good against that orange paint.” And then, along more serious lines, that free will and destiny are somewhat interdependent. In that you might have a destiny, but with your free will you can change the shape that that destiny takes.
Back in the past we see a very pregnant Mary. Since she’s showing so much, and it must be either November or December, so I’m not sure what’s with the birds tweeting outside the window, or the green leaves on the trees either because the timing is off. But I sure did like John loving the angel statue that Mary bought. And the fact that finally, finally, we get the explanation to the “angels are watching over you,” statement that Dean’s been carrying around emblazoned on his heart for like forever, even if the time paradox would indicate that it’s Dean who introduced to the angel concept to her in the first place. Then you also have to ignore the fact that the Archangel Mike scrubbed her brain so she would forget. But the way I figure it, something that pure and full of love (good angles, that is, not the ones who are dicks) would have leaked through, easy. I mean if you look at it, the Archangel Mike himself is looking after the Winchesters, all. And nobody deserves that kind of protection more than they do.
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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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I have been eagerly awaiting your thoughts on this one Sylvia, and I wasn't disappointed. I'm so excited because I get to say something I haven't said in far too long about Show; I LOVED this one.
This is what In the Beginning should have been. About the Winchester family, not Dean and the Soap Angel. This was a good chapter of the story, beautifully told (if one is willing to ignore time travel paradoxes and the headaches they inevitably cause, and I am more than willing in this case), that reminded me of why I used to love Show so fiercely.
That said about Soap Angel, I have to give him credit. This was the first episode aside from Lazarus Rising, in which I didn't feel he was forced into the plot, or given undue attention. More than that, it was the first episode where I actually LIKED Castiel. The opening bit sealed it for me, even if I was frustrated with the lengthy angel blathering. He called Sam his friend, sincerely, and told Anna in no uncertain terms that if she came near Sam, she would be dead, despite their history together. What can I say? I can't hate a character that's willing to protect Sam that way, even if said character is very late in jumping on that bandwagon. That's right Castiel, I haven't forgotten who let Sam out of the panic room in the first place. But at this point, Sam needs all the help he can get.
I thought Matt Cohen was spot on in this one. I liked him in In the Beginning, but he didn't click completely for me. This time he did. When he slid John into Marine/Hunter mode, I could see shades of Jeffrey Dean Morgan in his voice, his intonation, and his facial expressions. Someone did their homework, for sure. He deserves massive props for this one. As does Amy Gumenick. I thought she was great the first time around, and she was just as good, if not better this time. Her face is very expressive and she uses it very well. I loved the more than slightly freaked looks she was giving Sam when he was staring at her.
Sam. Oh Sam. This was a good episode for him, even if he did die in it (and you're right, he does it so well). I thought Jared was very nearly pitch perfect in this one. As you mentioned, he didn't get a ton of dialogue to begin with, but personally, I never once had to wonder what Sam was thinking or feeling in that time. It all showed on his face. The scene between Sam and John broke my heart, and I'm not ashamed to admit that Sam's speech made me cry. And that I chalk up to Jared's performance. The words were true, and emotional on their own, but the way he delivered them is what brought tears to my eyes. On a random note, I also loved Sam's amazed remarks about the moustaches at the beginning of their time travel adventure.
The scene between Dean and Mary also broke my heart. How Jensen can stand there in his (very lovely) fully grown, very much a man body, and seem like a lost child blows my mind. But he did it. I had no trouble buying Dean's confession to Mary, when he finally told her who he really was. Granted I very, very rarely have trouble buying anything Jensen is selling onscreen, but this was especially good.
I loved this episode so much that I didn't even mind old Mikey speechifying at the end. First of all, I was so stunned by how different Matt Cohen was in that role. I think he did an excellent job of making John and Michael distinctly different. I liked the way he seemed more caring than the other angels, his voice seemed warmer and concerned for the people he was dealing with. But he was still rather ruthless and purposeful at the same time. I don't buy all this destiny crap though. Like you said, free will was a gift given to humans, but not the angels. Could that really be what all this squabbling is about, or part of it at least? Why the angels are so desperate to showdown with Lucifer and most likely wipe out humankind at the same time? Are they jealous of that gift? Their constant harping on destiny and free will's non-existence would seem to indicate that they are.
P.S. – Sheldon! I love that show! And that's also why I now call Show's Kripke, Kwipke, especially if I'm irritated with Show.
Whiskey, I second your thoughts about Castiel. I was never a huge fan and I didn't forget that he was the one who let Sam out to perform his ill-fated mission. However, he earned some points with me after this episode. Like you said, whoever calls Sam a friend and is willing to protect him is welcome to me. Other than that, I was happy that he finally admitted his own participation in the events leading to the apocalypse. It was all I wanted to hear. So I guess I'm OK with him now. If used in the right doses, he can be a good addition to the boys' fight. My objections begin when he's given as much screen time and importance as the boys. Because last time I checked, the show was about Sam and Dean, not Dean and Castiel. Please writers, keep it that way.
"My objections begin when he's given as much screen time and importance as the boys. Because last time I checked, the show was about Sam and Dean, not Dean and Castiel. Please writers, keep it that way."
Exactly. That's my problem with it to. But in this episode I thought they used him to a great effect. So it's not the character that's the problem for me I guess, it's the way the writers use him.
First up, I love Sheldon!! (And Leonard and the rest of the gangt!) It cracks me up each and every time Kwipke goes up against Sheldon! My sister is pretty sure that there's some meaning behind the fact that Sheldon wears a t-shirt with a pink ray gun on it every time Kwipke is in the ep. I told her she was out of her mind.
I don't know if I love the ep as much as you did (too much Anna Banana, you see) but I did love the parts I loved very much, and yes, they put me in mind of the old fashioned Supernatural, that I used to love when I was a girl. I thought In the Beginning was better (with the exception of the Samlessness abounding in that one) simply because the idea was so fresh and new, you couldn't predict what was around the corner. And the element of being in the 70's was presented more, by way of visual jokes and cues that made it more interesting. This time, they just drove a pinto station wagon past the camera and called it good.
I agree with you about liking the Soap Angel for standing up for Sam, but since when have the two of them been friends? Naturally my mind assumed that the Soap Angel was standing up for Sam because he knew it would kill DEAN if anything happened to Sam. So the result is the same, but the motivation, to me, is suspect.
Matt and Amy were fabulous, like you say and they certainly sold me on a young John and Mary. I especially liked it how Mary wore the pants in the family so to speak, bossing John around and him liking it. John's character seems strong and manly enough not to mind or be bothered, and maybe even enjoy it once in a while, so nice turnaround there. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing more of either of them, but especially Matt as John since I would adore more John in any guise.
You make such a good point. Padalecki might not have had tons of dialog, but then, he didn't need them to get his point across did he. I wish I'd made more of this in my review, he certainly does deserve tons of credit for that. Thank you for pointing it out. (While I was watching his scene with John, I was strung with nerves on his behalf.) As for Jensen, he's always good.
As for free will and the angels, I hesitate to speculate. I doubt that the writers have it that much together to have determined the angels' motivations. They want to rule the world and have God to themselves and that's about it. By hook or by crook or by killing darling little Sammy, they mean to have their way!
Sheldon is awesome. I love it when they cut him off and he starts twitching and fidgeting like he's going to explode until they let him say whatever it is. That show just cracks me up. Especially the Kwipke thing.
I was able to forgive the massive amounts of Anna (I never could stand her either) only because she died. And it would seem that she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead. So I can let it go. This time. If they bring her back again I'll scream.
Hmmm. You have a point. But Castiel seemed sincere, to me at least, when he said Sam is his friend, and mentioned how it might be too late, but that's how it was. I think he's realized that he personally screwed up, and that Sam is paying most of the price for it. Now if he turns around and tears into Sam again I reserve the right to hate Castiel again. But until then I can tolerate him, so long as he isn't over used.
You're so right, he let her boss him. I'd imagine that dynamic remained into the later years of their marriage. I wonder if that's part of what shaped Dean's outlook on women. He doesn't seem to mind strong-willed women either. And I'm with you. I would be more than open to seeing Amy and Matt again. They're awesome.
No problem on the pointing out. It just struck me how good, and subtle, Jared was. He really rocked this one on a very quiet, but VERY effective level. And looked good doing it, too. Ahem.
I am so with you on the writers not being that together on where they're going. I wish they would GET that together, but I'm not gonna hold my breath. I don't look good in that shade of blue.
Whiskey, I agree with you that Castiel was being sincere in his desire to protect Sam. He even lied to Sam (a well-intentioned lie this time) that killing him wouldn't stop Lucifer. Truth is that killing darling little Sammy could have been a good plan after all (from the angels point of view, not from mine) and my guess is that Castiel was tempted at first. But he ended up making the honorable decision and kindly spared Sam of his true opinion. But I also agree with Silvia that we had seen no evidence of this friendshp until this moment and it really needs some treatment from the writers to become belivable. A good start would be an honest conversation between the two of them, where Castiel would admit to "helping" Sam kill Lilith and , why not, apologize to Sam for his past behavior. I want to like him. It's easier if I do because by the looks of it he's not going anywhere anytime soon. But I need the help of a good writing. Above all, I wish they stop that rather annoying habit of his saving the boys at the last moment like the big hero of the day. Why can't the boys save each other like they always did and like we always loved to see them do? Seriously.____
LOL why are you amazing? This was the best review that I have read of this episode yet and I can't help but agree with you on so many points. Though I love Misha, Castiel is about as interesting a character as being stuck inside when it's snowed 3 feet. I must admit he has definitely grown on me, even if I would just prefer him in small doses tonight. And Anna…well she's really something else. The actress is very pretty and she isn't all that bad of an actress, but like you said she's just sort of useless and I don't understand the point of her either.
Okay soo just wanted to say how much I really loved your review and cannot wait for you to post the next one about next weeks episode!
. Have a lovely day!
I said 'tonight' after preferring him in small doses. I mistyped. I mean any night.
Hey thank you! I’m glad you liked the review and that you think I’m amazing. That just makes my day. And don’t worry about the mistype, if there’s a review yet that doesn’t have at least one spelling error on my part, I’d like to see it. And yeah, there’s a difference between Mr. Collins and the Soap Angel, I don’t know anything about the one, and too much about the other; the little bit we saw him in this ep was perfect, though he still did have too many lines.
The next review will be posted on Tuesday, right before we head into the deep freeze of the hiatus, on account of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Till then, take care and stay warm!
I just wanted to second your love of Matt Cohen in this episode. I loved both incarnations of John – the sweet innocent loving husband and the quick glimpse of the future hunter John. However, he really hit it out of the park with his portrayal of Michael.
Wasn’t he amazing? It was like he was playing three parts all in one go, first John, then The Dad, and then the Archangel Mike! I was very impressed with him and not a bit influenced by his resemblance to JDM in this one, no, not at all.
Sylvia, thank you for another great review. I agree with almost everything you said. The only point I disagree is about the "darling little Sammy". Actually, I was ridiculously happy to hear that Sam is still Dean's "darling little Sammy". Because things have been kind of cold between them lately, you know. I was already wondering where all the past love had gone. But it's been there all along, and Michael knows it (he's so smart). Also, being a big sister myself I know from experience that even when our little brothers are taller than us, in our heart they're stil the little boys we helped raise. That must be true even when such brothers are 6'4 tall.
Random thoughts: 1) Matt Cohen is amazing; 2) Sammy dies gracefuly as anyone else; 3) Sammy's last look before collapsing to the floor was at Dean (sweet); 4) I officially love Sera Gamble.
I should have been more clear – I too LOVED hearing the Archangel Mike say that about Sam to Dean because obviously that’s what Dean is thinking all the time. I was just trying to make a joke about the fact that Sam’s not little, except that he’s Dean’s darling little Sammy, forever and for always, in spite of his height. : D
And that look he gives Dean, oh yes, yes! There’s love and then there’s a look like that. Oh, Sam.
Ops, again. I mean Sam dies as gracefuly as NO ONE else.
When I get this excited, I screw up with my English.
Ops! Sorry, guess I was too slow. : D I see now that it was meant to be a joke. But you're right. After I recovered from the profound sweeteness of those words, I thought how funny it was that Sammy is everything but little. As for that last look, when Sammy got stabbed he looked IMMEDIATELY at Dean. It was as though he was automatically asking for big brother's protection, or perhaps it was simply a goodbye look. Ah, brotherly love! I jut can't have enough of it.
Hey, no worries. Clearing this up just means that we get to talk about darling little Sammy some more and you won’t hear any complaints from me. The blood artist did a good job on that one as well, i thought, though it feels a little awkward to be pointing out how well they made the blood drip from his mouth. You know? And his hair, all stirring in the dust, it was just perfect.
Hey, it just means that we can talk more about darling little Sammy, and you’ll get no argument from me! Yeah, Sam dies well, and the blood artist did a good job, though it feels a little awkward thinking that I liked the way the blood dripped from his mouth and all. And the way his hair stirred in the plaster dust was just perfect!
Agreed again. We're bad girls, poor Sammy…
This was an important and intense episode so forgive me for an ultra shallow comment: is it only me or Sam’s hair has a lighter shade of brown in this episode? Sylvia, you’re always attentive to every detail of our boys’ beauty (as it should be). Did you notice it?
I noticed that the rain made it wavy, and that his bangs were hanging nicely across the side of his forehead. Sometimes I notice highlights in his hair, but not this time around. Dang. You know what this means, right? It means that I have to watch this ep again to check!! Dang.
Oh, I wouldn't ask you to do such a "sacrifice". But go ahead if you will. ; )
Hopefully I'll have time this weekend. : D
But it is so very nice, I must tell you, so share this time with another Samhair fanatic like myself.
You can count on me anytime. There are other parts of Sam I'm obsessed with though. Such as: 1) dimples; 2) smile; 3) catlike eyes (my family is of Polish ancestry too and many of my relatives have eyes that shape); 4) voice; 5) height; 6) hands; 7) laughter (sadly so rare). OK, enough. I'm becoming annoying. ; )
I didn't necessarily notice it in this episode, which doesn't mean that it wasn't lighter, just I didn't see it. But Padalecki's hair in person tends to look a lot lighter than Sam's hair does onscreen. I think it might be the filters they use? Something like that. So maybe they used a different filter this time, and it showed a truer color?
Or maybe they use a rinse. : D
His hair does seem to change color, depending on the light. And I never thought about filters.
It could have been my screen, as nobody else seems to have noticed. Whiskey, do you mean you have seen the man in person?
"Whiskey, do you mean you have seen the man in person?"
I have. More than once. He's adorable and super sweet and full of energy and believe it or not, even taller than you think. And his hair is lighter than Sam's appears. And he's tall. Really tall. Did I mention that?
"His hair does seem to change color, depending on the light. And I never thought about filters"
I only mentioned filters because I know they used to use them, and probably still do, and it would account for some of the darkened and/or washed out colors.
How tall is Padalecki? Every source I check has him at 6' 4", but Ackles is reported to be 6' 2" and, I swear, when they stand side-by-side, Padalecki seems much taller than only 2 inches.
I love seeing him up next to shorter people. He's massive.
Sylvia
Thank you so much for this fabulous review! I am reveling in all of the goodness again, that was this epy!
Oh Show! Thank you for making me a happy fan girl again. The previous two episodes were just okay. But, this one was exquisite in every way possible.
The things I loved:
The scene where Sam forgave his dad. Sam really needed to say those words out loud and I was so glad we finally heard them. He was sincere and open and brutally honest. It was touching.
The scene with Mary and Dean when he told her the truth.
Darn the Winchesters!!!!!!!! They made me cry twice! But that is okay because I felt something while watching this episode.
The scene where Sam met his young parents. Priceless!
We finally heard the ‘LOVE’ word.
Young John displaying ‘shades of The Dad’.
The final scene in the nursery. Mary uttered those famous words. Hearing her say them was so poignant.
The scene in the impala! Snort!!!!!!!!!! That was so freaking hilarious I almost spit out my water.
We finally met Michael.
“I don’t understand that reference”
“Team Free Will”
“Fix him!!!!!!!!”
“Sammy”….Oh Dean! That one word speaks volumes. It means you have forgiven your little brother.
John finding out the truth about Mary and her family.
I absolutely love the actress who plays Mary.
Young John was much better this time around. He nailed every scene he was in this time;
especially when he was Michael.
It is a blood line. How cool.
“Free Will versus Destiny”
Jared and Jensen looked especially yummy in this episode. I so love the show in HD.
Oh how I adore this ‘SHOW’ when it is firing on all cylinders. Don’t get me wrong..even on it’s worst day this show is miles above any show currently airing on television. But, the last two episodes left me feeling empty. I enjoyed the asylum episode more than I did the body swap episode but neither one really left an impression on me. But this one did. It was superb; delicate; intense; exacting and most of all….it tied neatly into the Apocolyspe story-line.
Take care,
Joan
Hi Joan Dean actually said the word "love" in All Hell Breaks Loose II. He told the dead Sammy that he always lets down people he loves, first Dad and then Sammy. So… But I agree that there is not enough use of this precious little word. : )
You know I totally can't do this if there are no numbers!! But I'll take them as given….
5. We did hear the word "love" in Sam, Interrupted; but are you discounting that because Sam was doped up and said "ya" after it?
8. I think I loved the scene in the Impala with the four of them more than life itself. Even Sam and Dean must have realized what a unique opportunity that was. AND The John-Almost-The-Dad yelled at them too!
12. and 13. I didn't make nearly enough of Dean's remark to Mike to "Fix him!!!" But I loved his impetuous and demanding tone, cause he knows full well that Mike can do it and Mike knows that if Mike doesn't it'll be cold day in hell that Dean does ANYTHING for Mike. Plus the "Sammy" reference, I swear so many people are mentioning it to me, but I missed it! I'll have to go back and watch when he says it.
19. Ditto that. They always look marvelous and get better looking all the time!
I think overall most people liked the ep better than I did. I liked the concept and I liked bits of it, but there were too many angels and such. I prefer the family Winchester by themselves. : D
Until next time, Joan!
I'm not Joan, obviously, LOL. But I did have a thought about that "ya" after love in Sam, Interrupted. I meant to comment to your review on that, but that was, well, let's just say a bad week for me, and I got sidetracked.
Now this is all purely conjecture, and for all I know the line as written in the script was "And I still love ya". But, despite the fact that both Ackles and Padalecki have pretty much eliminated whatever accent they might have acquired growing up in Texas, sometimes the accent escapes. I'm a Southern girl, born, bred and raised in the Deep South, but I don't have much of an accent. I tend to take on the accent and speech patterns of whoever I'm talking to, be they Canadian, Scottish, German, doesn't matter. But, when I am very tired, or drunk (not that that ever happens *looks innocent*) the accent appears with a vengeance.
So, my theory is, that in slurring Sam's words, and generally trying to sound drunk/stoned, the accent escaped and Jared said "ya" instead of you. Part of the reason I think that is because I didn't even notice that he said "ya", and certainly didn't think it cheapened anything of the moment, and I think the reason I didn't notice it is because I'm used to hearing you shortened that way on a regular basis. But like I said, it's all just a theory and I have no idea what the original script said.
Hi Sylvia
Sorry about not numbering my list this time.
Yes, we did hear the 'Love' word in Sam Interrupted but I mentioned it this time because it came from the heart and I feel Sam meant it down to his very soul. He was coherent and lucid and not 'stoned out of his mind'. So, to me it was the first time I actually heard it. And he said 'I love him'. I am so happy you included his entire speech because as I read it I replayed the scene in my head. Oh, the way he said 'I love him' just slayed me. You could see relief and acceptance and forgiveness and pride in his face as he uttered those words. I am glad we did hear the 'love' word in Sam Interrupted but you know how much adding the ya on the end bothered me. I don't know…it just did not set well with me. But, I do like Whiskey's comments below that it could have the accent.
Yes, the impala scene is one I will remember forever. You know, I am sure the had to redo that scene many times. I bet we see it in the funny out-takes for season 5.
Knowing that Jared and Jensen have a great sense of humor I can only imagine what transpired in the Impala!
You know how I feel about Dean's use of the word "Sammy". I have commented on it many times in the past. So, when he uttered 'Sammy" after Anna stabbed him….I just melted. I know that sounds strange because Sam died again but I can't help it. It is Dean's way of saying 'I love you, little brother'. And, do you notice Sam doesn't correct him any more when Dean calls him 'Sammy"? And, I just adore Dean when he goes into protective mode….."FIX HIM". Yes he was very demanding.
I do agree with you about 'too many angels and such'. And, you are right…there was so much Winchester Family goodness to be had that I looked past all that.
See ya next week.
Joan
Sylvia When Sam was stabbed and he gave DeanTHAT look we talked about the other day, Dean yelled "Sammy!!!"
Glad Anna is dead. Happy Dean is still saying "no". Weepy Sam was lovely. Cass was pretty cool and he didn't steal our boys' screen time. Oh, and Mary's Farrah "do" was spot on.
Love the review. Had to watch the show online, so was able to pause and replay. You caught a lot of what I noticed (and fleshed it out very well). One thing…I don't think you mentioned that Sam, in addition to looking to Dean after being stabbed, said "Dean!" as he died on the floor. It sounds like a 'dughghgh' but I replayed it a few times. I think it's part of the underlying theme that despite their separation of late, Dean and Sam are always brothers…and it's especially apt in the context of this episode. Mary won't give up John, even to save the world, and neither will Dean give up Sam.
You forgot his thighs. And you are not annoying. I too have a thing for Polish eyes because growing up my best friend was 100% Polish and her brothers were very hunky to me. And when I see that rather distinctive slant, I get all weak in the knees.
I sure did! But then, how am I supposed to remember ALL the good parts when there are SO MANY? No kidding, I don't mean to objectify our boys, who besides being "stunning looking men" are stunning actors too. We're so blessed to have such a combination of handosomeness and talent in two versions!
He swears up and down that he's 6'4 (I know, I asked), but he's lying. Sorry Jared, but it's true. He's more like 6'5 or possibly 6'6. It's hard to tell because he's a skilled sloucher. I'm 5'7 and I don't quite clear his chin. He's a very big guy. I got to stand in the photo op room for a little while at one con, and I got to watch him scrunch himself down to take pictures with shorter people. It was very entertaining and cute.
I think Jensen is a little closer to 6'1. As I said, I'm 5'7 and he seems to be about 6" taller than I am in the one picture I have with him. He's definitely a tall guy in his own right, but it's hard to tell that when you constantly see him next to Jared.
Whiskey, aren't you a lucky girl? Right now, I'm very envious (in a positive way).
I heard rumours some time ago that there could be a convention in Brazil. Supernatural is very popular here. So I'm hopeful. A girl can dream, right? Oh, BTW, I have a question. Police records in the Show describe Sam as having brown eyes. But unless my screen is deceiving me, Jared's eyes are clearly green.
Is that so?
I have been very fortunate, and been able to take advantage of several of the fan conventions. Great fun, great people, always super busy though. They're branching out on the international convention front, and I believe there's an convention being scheduled in Argentina, or there was at one time, so I wouldn't have any trouble believing in a Brazilian convention. If there is one I hope you get to go! I wish every fan could get to go, not just to meet Jared and/or Jensen (though definitely for that reason too), but for the experience and meeting other fans.
His eyes are green and brown. I believe they're green around the outer edge and brown around the pupil, but I could be wrong. So sometimes they look green, and sometimes they look brown onscreen. But if someone was writing it down, they might put brown. My eyes are a similar color, and it's not an uncommon coloring, and I usually get listed with brown eyes. Not by the police, mind you, since I've never encountered them in that sort of setting, but by other people. His eyes look green more often than some with that color, which could be the clothing on set, or the cameras, I'm not sure, because they also look that way in person, but that could be because he tends to wear Sam's clothing to cons, and there we go back to the clothing thing.
Hi! I hope you're right about the Brazilian convention. I won't be TOO hopeful, but just a little won't hurt. It would be great to meet other fans. Yes, I know what you mean about the eyes. I have light brown eyes but many people told me they're green, to my surprise and amusement. Like you said, I suppose it has to do with light and clothing color. I like the shape of his eyes too, like a cat's. Overall, his face has an unsual, non-standard type of beauty, while Jensen's is more classical. I also heard he's always funny and smiley in person, unlike Sam who is usually somber. Thanks for satisfying my little curiosity Whiskey. I hope to read your comments for My Bllody Valentine.
You're welcome. I'll cross my fingers for that Brazilian convention for you. You're right, Jared is less classically good looking, but that's part of his appeal to me. What you heard is right, he's nothing like Sam in person (except he does seem to be very smart, like Sam); he's bouncy and fun and smiley. I was afraid he would be intimidating, because he's so big, and famous, and of course handsome, but in my experience he's the exact opposite. He's warm and friendly and seems sincerely happy to see everyone, and not a bit intimidating. Which is all part of his charm. And which isn't to say that Jensen isn't any of those things, except maybe bouncy. He's just more reserved, and comes across a bit more…I don't want to say intimidating, but just more imposing maybe. That doesn't seem like the right word, but it will have to do.