Quick Reaction: 7x03 The Girl Next Door

[hells_half_acre]

Ok, I've got my best friend visiting this weekend, and we watched together...but because it's not my normal routine, I'm feeling a little scattered (also I'm kind of sleepy) So hopefully this makes sense...

Ok, how did we start? 

Oh yeah - did you notice that in the THEN portion, they added Sam saying "I see Lucifer sometimes", even though he's never said that before in an episode? Also, it was kind of weird, because Lucifer wasn't even IN this episode - so why bother? I guess they had his voice, but still.

What else...the ambulance was a little bit different too - did the ambulance guy rattle off their injuries before? I think that was added too.
Ok, now to the actual NOW part of the episode. We arrive and they are setting Dean's leg. Ouch. Sam's getting an MRI and they knock Dean out with drugs, and that's that.

I like Dean walking up obviously high on painkillers...and forgetting that his leg is broken. Wouldn't falling out of bed hurt the leg more, even though it was casted? I mean...can't you rebreak it? Still, funny. And actually something I've done before - not on a broken leg, thank goodness, but on legs that hadn't woken up with the same speed that my brain and upper body did. 

BOBBY! I knew he was alive, but it was still nice to see him - and looking so handsome in a suit, no less. I liked Dean's "Bobby! You're alive!" Awww...I also liked the fact that Bobby was like "uh, yeah, duh."

And then when he hands Dean the crutches and gives him that cheek pat and smile - awesome, and so damn fatherly. :)

So, Dean makes is way to the ambulance bay, and Bobby steals Sam. It's actually nice they had Sam strapped into a gurney made things easier. Then Bobby steals an ambulance and they all MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.

3 WEEKS LATER.

Apparently you only need 4 weeks to mend a broken leg. I thought it was longer  - but then, I've managed to somehow make a sprained ankle last 7 weeks, so my perspective is skewed.

So, um, timeline stuff here for a moment....There was actually a date in last weeks episode. Problem - it was Oct. 3rd. I'm not sure if there is a date in this episode, but 3 weeks after Oct. 3rd is October 24th, and we'd be into fall-colours and that sort of stuff...also, Oct. 3rd doesn't work the best with my possible dates for the S6 finale, because that should've happened sometime in June, and by Oct. 3rd, Sam's hand still wouldn't have stitches in it. So...what to do, what to do...? Which disbelief do I suspend?

Anyway, NICE CABIN! I like it. I like Dean watching Spanish soaps...and the fact that the cabin belonged to Rufus. Now I picture Rufus leaving everything to Bobby in his will or something. 

And Bobby has COPIES of all his books! YAY BOBBY! *hugs* (sorry, I just really like books...a good way to make me cry is to leave me in a bookstore too long).

I also love the way they portrayed one of Sam's "episodes" in this scene - more from Dean and Bobby's point of view then from Sam's - where Sam just stairs into the middle distance and doesn't respond to stimuli for 30 seconds or so. I know when Sam leaves, that Dean is all concerned about him - but I'm with Bobby on this, if the occasional 30 second space-out is all Sam is suffering from, then BE GLAD. 

Still, Dean is all worried that "the other shoe will drop." Of course, when it does drop, it's because Dean MAKES it drop, and he doesn't even realize the type of shoe it is. But we'll get to that.

Sam goes and picks up some food at a convenience store in Stanley Park Whitefish. And he sees A NEWSPAPER! Oh man, someone is killing people with an ice-pick! Wasn't there some Nazi or something that was murdered with an ice pick in South America? I can't remember now...hopefully it was a Nazi, and not a good guy.  But yeah...um....anyway...Sam is like "hmmm....that serial killer sounds remarkably like the first girl that I ever kissed."

And we find out that Sam's tendency to kiss monsters started at an early age.

Young Sam was tasked with doing the research while Dean and John drove down highway 80. It's a Japanese monster! Kitsune - they are foxes, by the way. 

I really like Colin Ford. He does such a good job of Sam. He even has the puppy dog eyes when the girl turns him down.

Now, you'll have to forgive me, because I can't actually remember the sequence of the scenes where Sam is on the phone to Dean and John. I do like that it seems the majority of his conversation were with Dean - that Dean was the intermediary between Sam and John. I also liked how Sam's demeanor changed when John DID come on the phone. And of course, "quick question - how do you talk to girls?"
We also find out that this was in '98 - so that cellphone is realistic, because I'm pretty sure it's the same model that I had around that time.

Actually, let me just talk about the flashback all in one go - that'll make things easier on my poor memory.

Sam complaining about Uncle Bobby's books not being in english...yelling that they have to "stab it in the heart!" and the librarian shushing him.

I loved that they showed Sam kicking ass. It's a little cliche - win the girl by beating up the boys who are harassing her - but I don't care.
So they go back to the girls house, and she's got a fridge full of brains.

She admits that her mum isn't a very nice person, and Sam says the same thing about his dad...and she also implies that her mum hits her - and Sam ACTUALLY implies the same about John - well, if you read that much into it. At the very least, he confirms that John was an angry drunk. Personally, I never saw John as being physically abusive (even though I wrote a fic where he was), but maybe I'll have to start revising my opinion - after all, I've only ever seen John sober.

Anyway, the girl wins Sam over by making him feel like he belongs BECAUSE he's a freak. And this, as we see, is something that Sam's finally come to terms with in the present - that it's OK that he's a freak, that it doesn't have to be something BAD. Dean hasn't learnt this lesson yet - but we'll get to that.

Then the girl's mother comes home - confirms the abuse applied earlier...and says she has two hunters on her tail in a stupid Impala. Cue big confrontation - Amy killing her mother to save Sam, and Sam letting Amy run, because he's going to stand by his earlier statement that she's a good person. I did like the confrontation though - the fact that they both pretty much say "I have to kill you, because it's part of the definition of what I'm supposed to be" and then they both decide that labels are for schmucks...just like earlier they both decided that it was ok to be a freak. Wait...is Supernatural secretly a comment on sexuality and gender-identity? (DUN DUN DUN! I'm half-joking, but at the same time, it KIND OF IS, GUYS!)

Ok, present:

I know what I haven't talked about yet! THE LEVIATHANS HAVE INFILTRATED THE CREDIT CARD INDUSTRY!  Sheiss!

So, the Leviathans really aren't going about killing the Winchesters half-assed like most monsters "I will kill you! Oh, you got away...oh well, I'll fall back and regroup and wait a season and THEN try again maybe...or maybe not." Nope, the Leviathans are serious. They are going about this PROPER.

Methinks the boys are going to have to brush up on their hustling skills...or they're going to end up sleeping in the car a lot.

Anyway, um, Dean is freaking out about Sam being gone...with his car. I liked Sam's note: "Back in a few days. I'm fine. Sam." I also noticed over the years that Sam/Jared writes his As like pentagrams - I think it's very fitting (and kinda cute).

So, Dean SAWS OFF HIS OWN CAST! Leg healed! That's a good way to permanently fuck up your leg, Dean. Be careful, or you'll make ratherastory a little TOO happy. ;)

Meanwhile, Sam has tracked Amy down. I like how they do the eyes on the Kitsune, by the way. Very subtle but effective. Amy only started munching on bad people because her son was sick and need FRESH brains. Aww, how sweet. Amy is a mortician, and can eat brains all the time (yay Amy!), so Sam is like: Ok, we're cool.

I do like how it's basically a story about two childhood friends who tries not to be like their parents, and then meet up later and discover that they are kind of like their parents. Still, they are also NOT like their parents, because they go about things different - Amy eats the already dead, and Sam lets the good monsters live.

Dean, however, does not. So, Dean finally tracks Sam down and gives him a punch in the face - which was hilarious, and I loved the silhouette-distance shot of that. (I also liked the fresh angle of the monster kill at the very beginning.) Though part of me is thinking that if John really WAS an abusive drunk, then Dean really shouldn't be hitting Sam so much. Especially, it's probably not good to hit someone in the fact who just suffered a massive head-trauma 3 weeks before and still has a slight bruise on his head (and was also knocked out again by a Kitsune...but Dean doesn't know that)...seriously though? Sam should be at the critical point in number of concussions by now.

And Sam relates the story to Dean, because Sam is HONEST. And Sam tells Dean that Sam has finally come to terms with being a freak, and all is right with the world, and TRUST him - and Dean is like, "I trust you." And Sam doesn't believe him at first....and it turns out that Sam is right not to.

Because this is when the other shoe drops, and it's not Sam that drops it. It's Dean. Because Dean betrays Sam and goes and kills a mother in front of her kid - yet doesn't kill the kid. My best friend pointed out that is was very "Kill Bill". But um...didn't someone once kill Dean's mother? Remember how that turned out? Also - why did he leave the kid? I mean, if he was going to be a bastard, why not go all out? Why leave that lose thread....unless maybe that loose thread comes back to tell Sam that Dean totally killed Amy.

Shoes dropping everywhere! - because I think Sam IS fine. He is getting better, and even if he doesn't get better than this, it seems manageable. Dean, however, is NOT fine. He's still repulsed and bigoted against that part of his brother that is not human - that part of Sam that makes him a freak. I also think this was a bit...uncharacteristic of Dean - which to me means that something fundamental is wrong. Because back in S2, Dean let Lenore go on Sam's wish. But, that was before Dean found out about the demon-blood coursing through his brother, and it was before his angel friend when dark-side....and it was before a LOT of things.

My best friend thought that Dean was just playing the part of the good soldier - doing what John would have done, just like he always did...though, he then remembered that Dean had been rebelling against that in the past couple seasons, so he didn't quite get why he reverted back to it now.

My best friend was also kind of disappointed, because he was hoping for a whole episode devoted to the hospital - but instead that was resolved within the first five minutes. But he did mention that it feels like they are getting back to normal now - with the MOTW episode between heavy plotty-episodes.

I liked the episode though - I'm still reeling a bit over Dean being such an asshole, but hey, the dude deals with his life the best way he can, and sometimes his way of dealing causes him to act like a psycho (remember that time he saw that vamps head off?)

Alright...um....I'm kind of fading fast here folks. So, I think I'm going to leave off there.

Since I've got a friend visiting, I probably won't be as speedy to reply to your comments as I normally am. I will eventually though, I promise. :)

Comments

[liliaeth]

One thing you have to remember though, is what happened with Lenore and her nest. The Winchesters let them go, and every last one of them, including Lenore ended up killing again. It wasn't their fault,but stilll.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Very true.

[ramblin_rosie]

And (I've said this elsewhere, but I'll say it here too) I can't help thinking that there's more to the "People are looking for you" line than I see most people discussing--if other hunters or even human law enforcement were after Amy, isn't it something of a mercy for Dean to be the one to kill her?
This was a Dabb&Loflin ep, too, and they're the ones who gave us Dean killing the phoenix despite agreeing that the poor guy was wronged.

Anyway, yes to this:
Be careful, or you'll make ratherastory a little TOO happy. ;)
Not to mention roque_clasique... this season is rather like Fusion-verse, though, isn't it?

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

I can't help thinking that there's more to the "People are looking for you" line than I see most people discussing

This is a very good point - and it seems from stuff Jensen has said at the convention this weekend, that Dean saw it more as a mercy killing...that it was going to happen eventually.

this season is rather like Fusion-verse, though, isn't it?

Haha, yeah, Sam having hell flashbacks, Dean having a bad leg...all I could think was fusion'verse. ;)

(sorry it took me so long to reply)

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

I really don't trust Dabb and Laflin in regards to Dean's moral compass..... their eps aren't bad per se, but they just don't manage to convey the shades of gray so well.... and then Dean's tendency to kill the monster comes off as murder.

Do you know if Edlund has stepped back from the show? He's showing up in the credits as "Consulting producer" -- did he go to work with Krip or something? I actually love Edlund and I'd be very sorry to seem him pulling back.

I didn't catch that it was Rufus's cabin! That's pretty cool.

One last thing -- isn't it strongly implied that when Amy breaks down to bring brains for her young, she goes for drug dealers etc.? wouldn't it have been nice to foreground in the script that all the guys who died were lowlives or somesuch? ... or maybe, directorially, Jensen decided it didn't matter how Amy selected her victims?

ooh, my om nom nom icon is gross in this context. :p

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Edlund is still writing the same amount of episodes as always - and he is still in on all the story meetings (from what I've heard)...so I wouldn't worry too much. I think he just wanted to do some stuff on the side, and it was easier to do that if he was a "consulting producer" - either legally, or because as a consulted maybe he didn't have as much administration stuff to do? I'm not sure how it works. He's directing again this year too - so, really, I think he's still very much involved.

I think the show is building up to something with Dean. Steven Williams (Rufus) commented at VanCon that he watched the show and realized that if Dean is a psycho-killer - I think it's ALWAYS been a slight undercurrent of the show, from Skin to now. Even last season, Dean thought Soulless!Sam was just acting like Dean. (Was that a Dabb Laflin episode too?) Anyway...I'm waiting it out, seeing where they are going, because they have to be going somewhere.

I think the way Amy selected her victims was quite apparent by the directing myself, and didn't need to be reiterated through dialog (which would be a script issue, not a directorial choice.)

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your reply! I'm glad Edlund hasn't cut back as much as I feared.

Regarding directorial control -- I was under the impression that the Director does the final cut -- deciding what ends up on the cutting room floor? and I guess, I had also assumed that the Director, in reading the script, might make certain alterations -- though I'd always thought that was subject to show-runner approval -- since actors can make alterations in their lines with directorial approval. I don't know, it seems like it is a huge group effort, but every so often it might be that a line is cut by the director.

It does seem that Dean is on some kind of trajectory. It reminds me a lot of when John died, Dean spending all the time working on the Impala, pretending to be find, but with violence tearing out of him when it gets too much to handle. :(

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Well, I know Jensen doesn't get as much say in the final edit of his eps, since the final edit is done in LA without him. But yeah, you have a point of course - there's no way for us to know what was in the script and what wasn't.

Mind you, I think you and I are just going to have to disagree on this one. I think it was quite obvious that she preyed on bastards and that we can just assume that Sam relayed that information to Dean in the off screen explanation - but if you think it should have been played up more, then that's what you think.

I'm very interested in seeing what sort of trajectory Dean is on! :)

[marlowe78.livejournal.com]

Hey there.
This episode really scared me. For reasons that have nothing to do with the Kitsune (I'm certain I read a fic about a kitsune once. Awesome! Why again is the Kitsune a blond Caucasian? Not saying I didn't love seeing "Kaylee", but still!)

I LOVE Colin Ford. He's really cute, for one, and also really good. That hurt look when he was turned down by Amy? Awwwwwwwww. Poor boy.

Though part of me is thinking that if John really WAS an abusive drunk, then Dean really shouldn't be hitting Sam so much. Especially, it's probably not good to hit someone in the fact who just suffered a massive head-trauma 3 weeks before and still has a slight bruise on his head (and was also knocked out again by a Kitsune...but Dean doesn't know that)...seriously though? Sam should be at the critical point in number of concussions by now.

Well, actually, apart from how Dean SHOULDN'T do that, it makes a lot of sense. After all, no matter how much you don't want to be your parents, you learn too much from them to ever be REALLY free. So if Dean (and Sam) grew up with an (at least verbally!) abusive father, it's understandable (though not nice) that Dean's first defense are his fists. Violence is what he knew, it's what he falls back to now.
Not to mention, he's a guy. AND he is not fine. He said so last episode, and even though they didn't repeat it in the Then, it's still basically true.

I think that Sam is handling HIS issues much better than Dean. And that's why it HURTS me to see this episode, no matter how freaking awesome it all was. And how sad, after all.

I agree with you: Sam is eventually handling his problems while Dean... can't. Like you said, something fundamentally is wrong with him. Something happened between season four (I'm pretty sure that he was ... well, differently-screwed-up then) and now. Something that shook the trust he had in Sam so completely that he can't do what he really wants to.

Maybe it's that everyone betrayed his trust. No matter who it was, one way or another, they didn't trust him.
Remember Dean asking dead-Cas "why didn't you trust me" (or why didn't you listen? Same difference)

Also, seeing Sam-Lucifehalucination's remark on "preppy American psycho called St Dean", there is this really dangerous undercurrent of Dean going over the edge, and doing so fast.


Awesome episode, in all it entailed. It hurt me. It really, really did. (that moment when Dean lay Amy down gently on the bed... wow, really scary. Reminded me a lot of "The world is not enough", where 007 killed the girl-villain.)

I'm hoping and not-hoping at the same time Sam will never find out about that.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Why again is the Kitsune a blond Caucasian? Not saying I didn't love seeing "Kaylee", but still!

Haha, very true. Perfect opportunity for a hot Japanese girl, and they blew it.

Maybe it's that everyone betrayed his trust. No matter who it was, one way or another, they didn't trust him.
Remember Dean asking dead-Cas "why didn't you trust me"

Again, very true. I think Sam and Dean are going to have to have a long talk at some point about all this...

Also, seeing Sam-Lucifehalucination's remark on "preppy American psycho called St Dean", there is this really dangerous undercurrent of Dean going over the edge, and doing so fast.

Not that I don't agree with you about Dean going over the edge - but the LuciferHallucination actually called SAM a preppy American psycho (Soulless Sam, anyway), and Dean was just "St. Dean." But really the American psycho remark still applies to Dean - because that's what normally moral-Sam became when he lost his soul...and I think Dean has lost his way a little, so he's like a bit of a twisted mirror of that.

I'm hoping and not-hoping at the same time Sam will never find out about that.

Dean is usually pretty horrible at keeping secrets from Sam. I think the longest he's ever lasted was 10 episodes...though I could be wrong, I suppose. Maybe there are secrets he's NEVER told Sam. dun dun DUN!

(Sorry it took so long to reply!)

[marlowe78.livejournal.com]

Not that I don't agree with you about Dean going over the edge - but the LuciferHallucination actually called SAM a preppy American psycho (Soulless Sam, anyway), and Dean was just "St. Dean." But really the American psycho remark still applies to Dean - because that's what normally moral-Sam became when he lost his soul...and I think Dean has lost his way a little, so he's like a bit of a twisted mirror of that.

Because it didn't leave me alone and because I'm not (still not) sure WHAT he said exactly, I checked again. Three times. Head stuck on the speaker. What I understood was this:

Lucifer: "You think this fruitbag-evil(???) dream is reality? You come back, I'm sorry, with no soul, when (or where?) some peppy American Psycho called St Dean glues you back together again by buying you some magic amnesia? "

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

What I hear: "You think this fruit-bat fever dream is reality? You come back, I'm sorry, with no soul, like some peppy American Psycho 'til St. Dean glues you back together again by buying you some magic amnesia."

[ramblin_rosie]

That's what I heard, too.

[marlowe78.livejournal.com]

Well... that makes sense as well. Especially the fruit-bat fever-dream :-D

Man, isn't there a transcript?
I'm pretty sure it's "called", BUT it's the moment Sam gasps for air, so yeah, could be "til" as well. Dammit.... Whatever :-D

[marlowe78.livejournal.com]

Ok, I got confirmation... It's "until Saint Dean glues you back together" and my hearing is all wrong.

*bows down in apology and hands over cookie*

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yay cookie!

It's hard to hear gravelly-mumbley men. :P

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

My first reaction was that it was very gutsy of show to have Dean kill Amy.

My second reaction was that really, it is in character with where Dean's messed-up head is now. He needs the world to be black and white because he is so out of his depth with Sam, and with Cas' betrayal.

What hurt me more than the actual murder was Dean lying to Sam's face about trusting him. Shades of season 4 mistrust they they just started to recover from...no Dean, don't go back to that mindset!

Loved all the little in-jokes like 'My Bloody Valentine' commercial...and because I just rewatched 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' I caught immediately that the wildebesst documentary was THE SAME ONE playing in that teaser when the zombie kills the lowlife in his trailer. Hee! And Superwiki pointed out that the convenience store clerk was wearing a t-shirt from 'Batman--Under the Red Hood' *giggle*

Enjoy your friend's visit, looking forward to more of your reviews!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was pretty much my reaction too. Thankfully, I think (despite Sam's current mind-issues) Sam is in a better state of mind than s4, so even if Dean is reverting - Sam SHOULD be able to find a way to get through to him without it being the disaster of s4.

I loved all the shout-outs to Jensen's filmography too. And yeah, I loved the re-use of the wildebeest documentary.

I am enjoying my friend's visit greatly! - except it means that I can only answer one short comment a day. Today it is yours, haha. ;)

[katsheswims.livejournal.com]

I noticed that the episode repeated a lot of things. In the episode and from the past. Sam using a soda can as an icepack twice int he ep. The documentary, Sam leaving, the 'normal' dilemma. The shot where Dean is inside and then we only see his arm punch Sam reminded me of the pilot where we see Sam's arm roughly pull Dean through a doorway. A very similar shot.

Dean killing Amy is actually in character for him right now I think. He's so very messed up. Every time they spare a monster it turns out badly. The only one that didn't was Lenore, but in the end she killed again (not her fault) and wanted to die. And there's Cas's betrayal. Dean is just in a very bad place right now. Not to mention the last supernaturally inclined woman Sam protected was Ruby, and Dean saw how that turned out. I think he wants to trust Sam, but though Sam is appearing better Dean knows that Sam is suffering some mental trauma. It wasn't long ago he was shooting his gun at thin air and not knowing what's real. I think Dean can't bring himself to trust Sam't judgement even if he wants to.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

The shot where Dean is inside and then we only see his arm punch Sam reminded me of the pilot where we see Sam's arm roughly pull Dean through a doorway. A very similar shot.

I think it's on the commentary for Phantom Traveler - but I believe I remember Jensen mentioning that he really liked that shot in the pilot - so it may have very well been a direct homage.

I agree with you about Dean! Hopefully he'll find a healthy way to work through his issues...but this is Dean, so probably not. :P

[percysowner.livejournal.com]

I agree with everyone above, this episode was disturbing and for the first time we are starting to see how screwed up Dean is. I am ambivalent about killing Amy. She did kill people and letting monsters go has never worked out before. I am more concerned with Dean's lack of trust in Sam and his lying to him. Although this seems like a retread of earlier seasons, for the first time this is Dean doing the sneaking and lying and I think this could add a lot to Dean's character.

As to the stitches still being there. Sam fell on glass covered with Purgatory/virgin/angel blood, not to mention that the lab had been sitting there all icky and with lots of microbes around. I am handwaving that they either left the stitches in because is was obvious the wound was not healing or they took the original stitches out, realized the wound would not hold and we are looking at a second or third set of stitches. Also, the wound does not completely heal until after Castiel returns the Purgatory souls and releases the Leviathans into the water. It does not heal until Sam is convinced he is not still in Hell. So the wound may be tied to the Leviathan or it may have been a form of stigmata caused by Sam's belief that he was still in Hell. Once he realized he was here, his mind allowed the wound to heal.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

It does not heal until Sam is convinced he is not still in Hell. So the wound may be tied to the Leviathan or it may have been a form of stigmata caused by Sam's belief that he was still in Hell. Once he realized he was here, his mind allowed the wound to heal.

Very interesting! I'm handwaving it too, I guess. Along with Dean's tibia healing in only 3 weeks. I think Dean has superhero healing powers.

I also agree with everything you said about Dean. I'm very interested to see where the writers take him this season.

(sorry it took me so long to reply!)

[gryphenn.livejournal.com]

Yes, broken bones DO take longer than 3 weeks to heal. Totally made me go "Wha--?" when Dean said something about getting the cast off in 5 days - that would be +/- 4 weeks to heal a compound fracture???? That should have been between 8 to 10 weeks. And they would not have done the hands on twist-n-push for a break that has an end sticking out of the skin. That would have required surgery and some time in traction for the skin to heal BEFORE the full cast was put on.

BTW, The stitches were gone on Sam's hand, it was just an ugly scar.

That kid who plays young Sam is really good at the mannerisms and really does look like a younger Jared - you gotta wonder if that bothers Jared?

I did love all the call-backs to other eps and in-jokes - Bigersons that Sam was walking out of, the My Bloody Valentine ad and the nature show on the TV.

This season is shaping up to be better than the last so far. I hope they keep it up.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

BTW, The stitches were gone on Sam's hand, it was just an ugly scar.

Sorry, I should have been clearer - I was talking about 7x02 when I was mentioning the stitches. This episode seems to do a good job of healing the wound in "real time" - it's 7x02 that is giving me problems.

I'm glad to know that broken bones don't heal that fast! Makes me feel better about my stupid 7-weeks-and-still-not-healed ankle. :P

I doubt Colin's good looks bother Jared ;) Haha...my theory is that they secretly made a clone of Jared 16 years ago.

:)

(sorry it took me so long to reply!)

[special-k414.livejournal.com]

In general, I liked this ep. Jensen did a great job directing, as we knew he would, and while I was kinda surprised not to see much of the hospital scene, it was nice to get a monster-of-the-week again. My desire for a cornucopia of badassery was filled slightly when Dean decided to saw off his own cast. :D Indeed it was risky, but Dean is just that hardcore to pull it off.

HOWEVER. My largest concern with this ep was Dean. At the end, I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat, chin in my hands, staring perplexed and confused at the screen, with my jaw to the floor. Even hubby was like, "uh, babe. It's over. Can I turn the tv off now?" I was sitting there for at least 20 min past the show trying to figure out WTF just happened.

Ok. I understand Dean's headspace has got to be just, all over the place and crazy, after what has happened since probably S4. He had the year with Lisa and Ben but the whole time he was drowning himself in a bottle every night. Not much of a break if you ask me. Really, if you think about it, he hasn't had a real chance to take a breather and not worry about -something- since S2. It started with Sam's visions and went downhill from there and just hasn't gone back up. I feel for him, I really do, and God knows how he deals without "driving the Impala off a cliff." BUT. I do not like this new development in Dean. Great job writers as far as storyline, but I fear that Dean has begun to spiral down and it's not gonna end well for him, which makes me sad cause he's my fave character.

When he killed the mommy monster, my jaw hit the floor and stayed there and my eyes joined it when he was so callous and cold to the kid. Depending on how Dean's mind is working right now, where his feelings and thoughts are, it may be in character. But, for now, it seemed out of character to me b/c 1) Dean hasn't been so black and white since John died, and 2) Dean does NOT unnecessarily endanger or hurt kids, monster or human. I absolutely thought of his hipocrisy with what he did for Lenore and her coven vs the kitsunes. And, let's not forget the shapeshifter baby? Did he not protect it like it was his own and fight against Sam taking it to the Campbells? Pretty sure he did. And, I'm pretty sure he made comments like giving it a chance, raising it right, etc. He knew the mom had a kid and he killed her anyway even though he knew why she'd been killing (which, lowlives like drug dealers? Come on, she was doing a public service).

When he saw the kid, he wasn't remorseful, sad, or looked guilty. THAT is what seemed so off to me. Honestly, he looked like John. "Have you killed anyone? No? If you do, just know I'm coming back for you." WTF DEAN!! I know he doesn't trust Sam one single bit, which consequently, why is he giving Sam shit for his problems? Sam hasn't lied, he's telling the truth about everything, so why is Dean being so aggressive and accusatory? Don't understand it Dean. But, anyhoo. I know he doesn't trust Sam, but he didn't even give the mom a chance to explain nor cared about what happened to the kid. That's not OUR Dean. Our Dean would have either listened and let them go or found somewhere for the kid to go first.

I just don't know what to think of Dean's behavior. He took Sam's lying and sneaking around in S4 really hard and has preached trust and honesty ever since, and now he does this? It all comes back to trusting Sam and his judgement, which he doesn't. Sam's sneaking off was not okay either and didn't help his case. Maybe if he'd brought Dean with him, Dean would haven listened better, idk. Either way, his behavior in 7x03 and the message he left Bobby in 7x02 about if Bobby didn't show up, he was gonna pack Sam up and drive them off a cliff? Yeah. No beuno Dean.

Other than that, yay for Bobby! I loved when he smiled and patted Dean's face when Dean was looking at him in awe. It makes me happy to know how much Bobby loves the boys, Cas too, and even though Dean's indirect suicide threat was shocking, it shows how much he loves and needs Bobby. And, I loved Bobby giving Dean a verbal timeout in the beginning when Dean was bitching about Sam. The look on Dean's face was like a pouty 5 yr old!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

and while I was kinda surprised not to see much of the hospital scene, it was nice to get a monster-of-the-week again.

This is how my best friend felt too. :)

Great job writers as far as storyline, but I fear that Dean has begun to spiral down and it's not gonna end well for him, which makes me sad cause he's my fave character.

I think Dean IS and WILL spiral down, but I think Sam will be there at the bottom to make sure that it doesn't end TOO badly. At least, I'd like to think so. That's what I see: Dean is not in a good place, but despite everything Sam IS in a good place - and hopefully that means that Dean has a cushion to land on.

Either way, his behavior in 7x03 and the message he left Bobby in 7x02 about if Bobby didn't show up, he was gonna pack Sam up and drive them off a cliff? Yeah. No beuno Dean.

Very true. I'm also not sure it was completely random that he was watching a soap opera about a guy who committed suicide...but, you know, I'm trying not to be too grim.

Other than that, yay for Bobby! I loved when he smiled and patted Dean's face when Dean was looking at him in awe.

I loved that too!!

(sorry it took me so long to reply, I had a very busy weekend.)

[4422shini.livejournal.com]

omg we are going to discuss the shit out of 703 tomorrow. :D

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Haha, see you tonight! I'll probably be over around 6:30. :)