Quick Reaction: 4x19 Jump The Shark

[hells_half_acre]

Under a cut for those who haven't seen it yet:

So, I'm conflicted a little about this episode. It wasn't what I was expecting from the title, nor the premise.  Anyway, let's list things:

Things I loved:

-DOMESTIC WINCHESTERS! This season I have discovered my love for seeing the Winchesters "at home"...I first discovered this at the beginning of the last episode that I couldn't really tell if I liked or not - Family Remains. At the beginning of Family remains, you see the brothers sleeping in the Impala - Sam in the back and Dean in the front. This episode was the same, only we get the bonus of seeing Sam brushing his teeth by the sea and Dean stumbling out of "bed" and being stiff and hungry....I love that they are throwing little scenes like this in the show now. The Impala really is their childhood "home"...and it's cool to see them using it as such.

-Rock-Paper-Scissors! Only people who watch the show and remember everything would get the joke that Dean always picks scissors.

-Pointing out explicitly that Sam is exactly like John. Most of us have understood that since S1 - and I'm pretty sure that Dean knew it long ago too, but heck, maybe he really did just realize it.

-The fact that Dean didn't mean it as a compliment. The show has really come full circle from the beginning, because now it is Sam who is idolizing their father and Dean who sees him as an extremely flawed person.

-Dean OVERLY beating Ghoul!Adam to death....yeah, that was awesome.

Things I'm iffy about:
-I'm glad Adam's dead...and I guess John's human and sometimes these things happen, but I kinda liked the idea of their only being two Winchesters. This is one instance where I think Sam is right - Just by being a Winchester, Adam was cursed...and if he had lived or even the fact that he did live, kinda throws him into the whole Family-Mythology. So, yeah, not sure how I feel about the fact that he existed in the first place, but I suppose it's ok. It's too bad that Dean and Sam never really got to meet Adam...though, judging by their reactions, I suppose it's for the best.

-Sam's melodrama - man, that was the cheesiest speech ever. Also, what the heck? I'm not sure I really liked how they wrote Sam in this episode - I think they made him a bit too hard-edged - Even when Sam is being all darkside, he's usually softer than that...and I know they were trying to make him more like John, but I just watched Dead Man's Blood and the beginning part of Salvation this morning during work, and John Winchester was also emotional like Sam usually is - the water in the eyes, the barely controlled emotion...it's true he was could also be cold and heartless, but we usually got to see a little of both sides.

Let's talk about the brothers' reactions for a minute:

-I thought they were both pretty spot on character-wise. Dean is hurt that his Dad had a secret life, that he had some kid that didn't have to sacrifice and sacrifice for his family...he's probably also hurt that maybe his Dad protected Adam because he loved him more or something, heck, Dean used to think that John argued with Sam because he loved him more, so it's not that far fetched.

-That being said, I love the fact that Dean can interpret the story and know that John was trying to keep Adam safe and normal, and I like the fact that he respects that decision.

-Sam wanting to teach him, well, that makes sense too. Sam's lost his rock without Dean around (and I mean the invulnerable/unkillerable Dean of Sam's mind) and I think it scares the hell out of him - so exactly like John, all he sees is evil everywhere, and his reaction is to take up arms against it - and that just extends to wanting Adam to do the same. Plus, Sam is still solely motivated by revenge. Since the series started, he always has been. Dean is the one who hunts in order to save people. Sam hunts for vengence - against Jess's killer, against Dean's killer (regardless of the fact that Dean is alive again)...to Dean, Adam is someone they can save - but to Sam, Adam is a possible alley/soldier in his war of revenge.

Alright...I think that's all my thoughts.
 

ETA: That was JENSEN pulling himself out of that crypt...as in, Jensen using a bar to pull himself not only completely horizontal, but able to swing his legs HIGHER than the bar and then push himself out of a hole. I believe I died.

Comments

Yeah

[cannonfodder-g.livejournal.com]

I'll agree on most of those points. Overall I was pleased with the show, but a few of the rants or the dad-comparisons would have just felt like they were there for all the new fans benefits - except that Dean's dislike/disgust for some of the revelations really gave it that extra "oomph" it needed.

(especially with the 180 in Dean's dad-comparison views like you mentioned above).

I still stand by the statement that I made to my roommate after seeing the first picture of John in the opening. All the pictures were fakes - John Winchester doesn't smile - unless it's watery-eyed over his pride in his sons. I call schenanigans!

Re: Yeah

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the more I think about the episode, the more I like it...but some of those "iffy" points still remain.

I may do another post about the Dean-John dynamic, since I had a huge conversation about it with my Sister last night.

Haha, it's true that it was very weird to see John smile without it being watery-eyed pride, or bittersweet memories. :P Shenanigans indeed!

[redrikki.livejournal.com]

I think Sam's desire to teach Adam was mix of seeing Adam as a potential soldier and a certain amount of resentment for the fact that Adam had a relatively normal childhood. When Dean confronts Sam about recycling John's speech, Sam snaps back with something to the effect of "what makes him so special." In the Pilot and Something Wicked, Sam makes it clear that he wishes he had been able to enjoy all the usual kid stuff growing up and, like Dean, he is jealous for what he doesn't have. At the same time, I think he also sort of relishes the older brother role. He likes having this kid hang on his every word and he likes being the big, strong guy with the kick-ass gun.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think you are right.

It didn't occur to me that Sam's jealousy might take that form - as in, not allowing Adam to have the life that Sam was denied. That's an interesting way of looking at it. I guess, for me, Dean's jealousy was more palpable during the episode so I overlooked Sam's.