Crossroad Blues, Croatoan, Hunted

[feliciakw]

I wrote a little bit about "Crossroad Blues" last year, and I really don't have too much else to say.

Let's just say that I find it to be an outstanding ep, continuing apace with Dean's pain over what happened to John, and Sam's concern that Dean is on the edge and thinking about making deals.

I love smart!Dean, who knows his plants, and who immediately recognizes the situation for what it is--crossroads, summoning plants, etc.

Also? I love tricksy!Dean and how he traps the demon. How even through his pain and through the temptation, he sticks to the plan.

Also also? I love that Sam is in tune enough with Dean to know that Dean's not in a good head space right now, and he calls him on it. And that even though things turned out the way they planned, and Dean didn't give in to temptation, Sam recognizes that the temptation was there, and he knows enough to recognize that Dean considered it.

Totally OT aside: Fresh summer peaches are FANTASTIC! A treat for all the sense: the sweet fragrance, the orangey-red freshness, the feel of the fuzzy skin, the succulent slurping as you bite, the sweet tartness, the juice dripping off your chin . . . I'm pretty convinced that the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was a variation of a peach.

(Which is totally different from fresh pineapple, which is downright orgasmic. But that's a totally different issue.)

Oh, sorry. I'm snacking on a peach while I write this. Now. Where was I?

Oh, yeah. The angst.

Also x3 . . . This is a Sera Gamble ep, is it not? She might be a Sam!girl, but she writes herself some pretty fine Dean, too.

And I like the way this gal plays the CRD. I'm not sure which CRD I like best, but I assume this one, the next one, and the Sandra one are all the same character, yeah?

Anyway, once I got past the freak-out this ep originally caused me, there's some good, solid stuff.



Croatoan

Another good mystery, a good, mysterious mytharc ep, and more angst for the brothers. I liked the guest characters (very disappointed that the Sarge got got). Sam, ready to die and not wanting to take Dean with him. Our first instance of Dean vocalizing how tired he is of the job, how he's ready to give it up.

Love the last scene, too.



Hunted

So much good stuff in this ep, and so much pain.

I'm not sure if I've written in my own journal how painful I find this opening conversation, or how ticked I used to get regarding Sam's selfishness. I know I've talked about it with others elsewhere, so I won't belabor the point. I just used to get so ticked at Sam (I say used to, because in S5, he started to realize, finally, what his leaving did to Dean). Here's Dean, begging--begging--Sam for something only Sam can provide, specifically, time to step back and regroup and figure out what to do next. And Sam? Takes off in the middle of the night without so much as a "kiss my foot" or "have an apple." Dean's goin' nuts with worry, so thankfully Ellen sees things from Dean's POV.

Oh, did I mention Ellen? She's awesome. As is Ash. And Ava. Love Ava.

Um . . . Sam? Have you ever noticed how when you strike out on your own, Dean ends up in ropes? Now, I'm not saying that Dean can't take care of himself, because both times, it took a butt of a gun to his face to take him down. And I'm sure there's a Dean!girl or twenty who don't complain about Dean in ropes. I'm just sayin', you know, that doin' things on your own? Not necessarily conducive to the safety and well being of both parties of the Brothers Winchester.

And Gordon. Oh, Gordon. Will there be any more of your ilk in S6? Because you made things interesting.

You know, looking at the issue of "destiny" here, and the different attitudes of the two brothers, I'm not sure how the end of S5 could have been played any way other than the way it did. Sam is willing to accept his "destiny," while Dean doesn't believe in the concept. Had Dean said yes to Michael--the way everyone was telling him he would--it would have defeated the whole self-determination, free will issue. (OTOH, Jensen as Michael. I WANT TO SEE IT!) So I'm thinkin' as far back as this episode, Dean has a purpose (per "Faith"), but not a pre-destined destiny. Whereas Sam doesn't really consider that he might, in the end, have a choice. (Which we find out he does, thanks to Dean. But we're not there yet.)

Anyway. "Hunted." Good stuff. *thumbs up*

Comments

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Entertainingly, today's SPN ep in cable syndication was "Hunted"! I turned the TV on to check whether a show had been recorded last night, and saw the very last shot, Sam picking up Ava's engagement ring from the floor. What a great ep that is.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm kind of entertained to know that my re-watch is pretty much in sync with the syndicated airings. Ha!

I think part of why I'm liking the mytharc stuff here (and in retrospect) is that it seems more cohesive, and there's definitely more of a mystery to it and so much potential. What does it all mean? Is Sam really destined to go dark side? Will Dean get to see the Grand Canyon? Stay tuned . . .

[leelust.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if I've written in my own journal how painful I find this opening conversation, or how ticked I used to get regarding Sam's selfishness. I know I've talked about it with others elsewhere, so I won't belabor the point. I just used to get so ticked at Sam (I say used to, because in S5, he started to realize, finally, what his leaving did to Dean). Here's Dean, begging--begging--Sam for something only Sam can provide, specifically, time to step back and regroup and figure out what to do next. And Sam? Takes off in the middle of the night without so much as a "kiss my foot" or "have an apple."
Word. It's my biggest issue with this ep and sam's characterization.

[girlyghoul70.livejournal.com]

Very glad you brought up Crossroad Blues, 'cause I watched some of that yesterday and was itchin' to yammer on about it. The bit where the wife is going off on her trip but turns around to say one more thing and HER FACE!!! HER FACE!!! AHHHHHHH!!! It's such a good genuine creepy effect. Scared the poop out of me the first go 'round and still just thrills me and chills me every single time I watch this episode.
But this was the season of foreshadowing- big time. Dean got his digs in at the father in "Play Things" and he lets umm... oh I've forgotten the husband's name already. How sad! But he lets husband have it for selling his soul to save his wife and not stopping to think about what that would do to her to know he'd lost his very soul for her. Of course, at the time, he was talking about what his Dad did to him. But lo and behold if it wasn't EXACTLY what he went and did just a handful of episodes later when it was his loved one's life at stake. Chills!
He could not heed his own advice and it's both his tragic flaw and his great heroism combined- that self sacrifing side of him I'm talkin' 'bout! Ahh Dean! And I loved him tricking the Crossroads Demon. He threw her off with the Devil's Trap under the car... so she was not expecting the one in the water tower! "Could you throw in a set of steak knives?" BWAH HA HA!

Croatoan- Haven't watched it lately but from memory
Sarge: I just killed my neighbor, Mr. Rogers!
Dean: You have a neighbor named Mr. Rogers?
Sarge: Not anymore I don't!

Love! And yes, I mourned the loss of Sarge too. He coulda made a great hunter. But that "I gotta make a call!" line of the demons. I actually kinda miss that. It was always shocking and delightfully gory!

Hunted- Gordon! Love me some Gordon! I miss him too as a baddie. He was very equally matched in skills with the guys and therefore presented them with quite an interesting challenge. And he was- well. He was crazy. And yet, I gotta give him props for being unfailing in his convictions- as twisted as they might have been. That said, when ever the guys managed to turn the tables on him and give him a beat down, it was always deserved and I always applauded it. Still wish he could have stuck around for a few more episodes though.

And I really REALLY don't want to get into a big 'ol debate here. But just in my opinion- I was always ok with Sam taking off in this season. I know it was upsetting to Dean. But I get why Sam felt he had to do what he had to do and he had to do it alone. He had to try and figure out what was going on with him and the other psychic kids. Dean was wanting to lay low and wait and see, but Sam needed answers like yesterday. Again, he had to have been beyond frustrated at being left out of the loop both by his Dad and then by Dean. They kept info from him that directly effected him, so I get his anger.

I get how upset and scared it made Dean. But I also get Sam's need to be his own person and to figure things out on his own. He was always an independent spirit and I can't fault him for it. Then again, when the bullets came flying, who's the first person he calls? Uh huh...!

Now Sam SHOULD have said to Dean before he left "Kiss my foot and have an apple" simply because that phrase should be said over and over again every single day! MA HA!

But I just never could get mad or upset at Sam for striking out on his own at this time. He WAS a big boy and had had four years of independence so it was just his way. Dean being upset? Well, that's upsetting... but Sam falling in line was going to mean Sam was upset, so one way or another there's gonna be hurt feelings somewhere in this mix.

Season 4 Sam on the other hand? That man needed a spanking! He was not being the independent free spirit at that time. He was dependent on Ruby and Demon Blood and going on an ego fulled power trip and as I said really REALLY needed a spanking!...Hmmm...(Would not have minded being the one to give it to him myself) ;-)

But I will sign off at last as this got MUCH longer than I meant.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Crossroad Blues . . . Oh, yeah, the "glimpsin' the B-side," as Bobby put it. Creepy and freaky and kinda hard for me to watch!

Hunted . . . Oh, don't get me wrong. I understand why Sam feels the way he does. He's angry and frustrated and scared. But he handled it all wrong. There's independent, and then there's selfish. Because Dean wanted the same thing Sam did; just a different approach. Dean wanted time to assimilate and figure out what it meant that Sam is immune to a demon virus. WT??? Dean is royally freaked out, and he's not even trying to hide it from Sam this time. Dean was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Either keep Dad's secret and "betray" Sam (i.e., lie to him and keep important information from him), or tell Sam and betray a promise to Dad. And when push came to shove, he chose Sam over Dad.

But Sam doesn't get it. Doesn't even really try, even after he leaves and talks to Ellen.

"My brother means well," he tells Ellen. No, Sam. No. It's much, MUCH more than that. And you should know it. Ever since he was four years old, Dean's primary purpose in life has been to look out for you. He's not just going to be worried about you, he's going to look for you until he finds you. And the longer he worries, the more reckless he's going to get.

Not only that, but give it a month, Sam. You'll be telling Dean yourself he has to look out for you. You'll be making him promise to kill you. You'll be putting the exact same weight on him that John did, and just like John, you'll be asking him to do the impossible. At least you have the excuse of too much tequila.

But in spite of how heated I might sound in this here response, I'm delighted to say that Sam does get a clue in S5. Yes, it takes death by shotgun and trips through memory heaven, but he does get it and admit that he was wrong.

Now Sam SHOULD have said to Dean before he left "Kiss my foot and have an apple"

The note he should have left:

D-

I know you want to lay low, but I gotta figure this out. Don't call me, I'll call you when I find something.

Kiss my foot and have an apple,
S.

But this is an old debate. Suffice to say that I understand why Sam feels the way he does, but I think he handled it all wrong. And of course when the bullets start to fly, he calls Dean. Who has already been taken hostage during his saving Sammy from said flying bullets.

You know, Sam does have a guardian angel. His name is Dean. (And no, I do not subscribe to the idea that Dean actually is an angel. *g*)

You know? It's almost funny how the guys have two different sets of standards for themselves and for each other. Sam says he needs to figure things out himself, but he's always asking Dean to let him share Dean's angsty burden. And Dean resents John for trading himself for Dean, but Dean makes the same deal for Sam.

Oh, Winchesters! *hugs them*