SPN S4 Premiere - Lazarus Rising

[feliciakw]

The evening started with a rehearsal from which I did not get home until 9:30pm. Then I come home to discover that the Tivo is frozen on the Message screen. The light said it was recording, but I had no way to get the Tivo to let me watch until I could disconnect it and reboot. So I called izhilzha, and she got to hear me whine until the recording finished and I could initiate the start-up sequence (read: unplug the dang thing and start over.) Thankfully, the show did record, and I was able to watch it with bated breath.

july_july_july asked that I post my own impressions of last night's ep (I assume so that she wouldn't have to go looking for them).

So here they are.


Much of my squee is common to the rest of the fandom . . . there's just so much juicy goodness in this that I'll just tell you to watch the ep--chemistry between the Boys, the Awesomeness that is Bobby, the Impala (with an iPod jack), so much Pretty.

Wow. Just . . . wow.

My heart was pretty much pounding and I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning. Geo got home from his rehearsal about the time Dean convinced Bobby he was real, so at that point, I stopped and re-watched with him. But up until then? Edge of my seat. Same after.

Some specifics (as posted to ficwriter1966's LJ):

After re-watching S3 (several times over the several months), I've come to the conclusion, regarding Ruby, that it was in fact the character I didn't like, not the actress. As an actress, I really don't feel one way or the other about Katie Cassidy, but I did love her portrayal of Lilith. In fact, I was kinda bummed when they killed the girl, 'cause I would have liked KC to return as Lilith.

This new gal? Annoys me. But again, that could just be because Ruby annoys me.

Must now go absorb and assimilate what I just watched . . .

Oh, Boys . . .

Now that I have re-watched the ep and gotten, you know, some sleep, I'll add a few things. Actually, I really don't have too much to add. The ep pretty much rocked. A few impressions that hit me as the show progressed . . .

In the convenience store, when the electrics were fritzing, my first thought was that it was Dean causing it. Dude, you've just returned from the dead. That's you. Salt? Yeah, I get the salt, but you can't salt against yourself, can you? Windows blowing out . . . um . . . did you return with some sort of power? This theory was, of course, debunked by show's end.

The Boys . . . love 'em, love the chemistry, wanted to knock their heads together at one point, though. Because I love them.

The Brother hug . . . personally, I loved it. No tears were shed on my part, but it's the first fiercely reciprocated hug we've seen, isn't it. In AHBL, Sam let Dean hug him, and in MS, Dean let Sam hug him. But this, this was fierce, reciprocated, and did not break off after the common two seconds.

The humor. Oh, SPN humor, you amuse me.

As has been written, Bobby will never not be awesome.

Pamela . . . well, she's no Ellen, but I'll give her a chance. And the whole exchange between her and the Boys, and the Boys exchange behind her back . . . highly, highly amused.

Castiel . . . interestingly, Geo told me afterwards that as soon as Pam's eyes got burnt out for looking at something she was told not to look at, Geo's first thought was that it was an angel. Whereas my thought was, "See? That's why you don't go messing with stuff like that!" Seances make me twitchy. Even fictitious ones.

I love that Castiel could not be commanded or summoned, and that the Ginsu didn't kill him. My thought on both counts was, so, you're not a demon.

Love that Kripke decided (some are saying he lied; my first thought was that he changed his mind. Either way, the result seems to be the same) to openly acknowledge and include the supernatural Good. The portrayal of this could still get twitchy for me personally, but right now I'm intrigued. I was a little put off by the possession angle, but given the parameters of the show and that the host was a willing one (and called a "vessel" rather than a "meat suit"--much more respectful), I'll go along with it for now.

I also found it very interesting that Sam doesn't trust Ruby (yay!) but that using his demon-honed powers to exorcise demons and help people feels good. I can see this taking a very bad turn. Most evil or sin feels good at first. It's the first step on the slippery slope. Otoh, using something evil for long-term good can happen and something God does do, so we shall see.

Additional squee: Sam's alias--Wedge Antilles. 1) It's a reference I GOT!!! because 2) STAR WARS!

Also, Bobby channeling Larry Fleinhardt--"I am gladdened that Sam's soul remains in tact . . . " Bobby, you haven't been corresponding with any physicists in L.A. recently, have you?

And have I mentioned that the Boys looked really good? Really good. Is it because I haven't had new Pretty in so long? Regardless, they looked good.

There was much juicy goodness in this ep to be enjoyed between now and next Thursday--squee!!!!

However, the show, as it evolves (as happens with most shows) is acquiring a different feel to it. I kinda miss the good ol' MotW. I hope they still do those once in a while. And humor. Humor is good.

Comments

[just-ruth.livejournal.com]

I found Sam's lying to Dean bothersome and even Ruby called him on it. I thought Dean's reaction to the Ipod was hilarious.

I was pretty disturbed by the gratuitous beating of the waitress - and am even more disturbed by various fans justifying it.

Also, I thought the name Pamela Barnes for the psychic sounded familiar - Pamela Barnes was the name of Victoria Principle's charcter before she married Bobby Ewing in "Dallas". Think Kripke was making a joke on the boys from Texas? I miss the MotW's too.

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about the beating of the waitress. Yes, she was a demon - but there didn't seem to be a *reason* for it other than that. Demon = someone who needs to be punched, okay, but visually it's disturbing. I hope that's a trend that doesn't continue.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Yes, she was a demon - but there didn't seem to be a *reason* for it other than that.

Huh. I thought Dean was trying to provoke her into doing something he knew (or at least suspected) she couldn't do. To show her he knew she was bluffing and calling her on it. She had just threatened to send him back to Hell, to reach down his throat and rip his lungs out. But when he actually physically attacked her (which I thought was two slaps rather than closed-fisted punches; slapping wouldn't be as damaging long-term to the host as a punch. But I could be mistaken) she didn't--couldn't?--do anything.

"That's what I thought," Dean says.

And Sam was upset that the woman was dead after the exorcism.

I do agree that it seemed to come out of nowhere, which I hope doesn't become commonplace.

[sarcasticval.livejournal.com]

I thought it was slapping as well, though I found the scene equally jarring. I understand where they were going with it, but it still squicked me out faster than any pair of melting eyeballs.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Jarring, yes. Out of nowhere. Took me until Dean's "That's what I thought," on the re-watch, to piece together the motivation behind the action. Because the first time through I had a little WT??? going through the back of my head.

Now I'm pondering another way that bit could have been played. It'd be interesting to ask Kripke what he hoped to accomplish with that little bit of out-of-the-blue violence. Personally, when the demon said she was going to reach down his throat to rip out his lungs, I expected Dean to open his mouth and dare her to do it.

Sam was ready to do something right then and there. If Dean hadn't stopped him, would Sam have shown off his new exorcising powers?

[andromakhe001.livejournal.com]

Actually - that was one of my favorite scenes in the thing, even on first watch. He didn't beat her. He slapped her twice. She's a demon, honestly I have no problem with them hitting demons, I don't care what kind of meatsuits they are wearing. He did it to prove a point - that the demons were bluffing and scared erm...witless. Of whatever brought him back and THAT meant he and Sam had good reason to be worried about who it was as well. So much so that he hit her twice and she didn't do a thing. Whether she didn't or couldn't, we don't know but for now he'd have every reason to believe that she just chose not.

She wasn't tied up, she could presumably have hit back if she'd chosen too(and later she sure didn't have any problem going toe to toe with Sam). It's not like it was an unfair fight.

In any case I actually loved Dean in that scene - he was hard, he was like a man who had just returned from being tortured by her kind. He may not remember consciously but I felt like it was coming from a place where he could. I thought Jensen did a terrific job with that. I felt he really brought "presense" to it, if you know what I mean.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Thank you for explaining it better than I did. I have more thoughts on the demon vs. host's body dilemma, but my brain is too fuzzy right now to put it into words.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

What you said. The moment was jarring, but in an absolutely "right" kind of way.

[mtee.livejournal.com]

See I didn't have a problem with it (yes I cringed) -- she was a demon and Dean was trying to get a rise out of it. He knew and was saying they didn't know what was going on and he was gambling in his thought that they wouldn't hurt him. So he goaded the demon by hitting IT (not her -- Dean does not see the host, he sees a demon - period)-- No response back -- thus proving his point -- they won't touch him and Sam - because something big happened to bring him back.

It was not gratuitous violence -- it was Dean trying to get a reaction. Any other time if he had hit a demon - just once - he would have been thrown against a wall -- but nothing happened - not even when he did it again. It proved his theory -- they aren't retaliating against him -- why??

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

it was Dean trying to get a reaction. Any other time if he had hit a demon - just once - he would have been thrown against a wall -- but nothing happened - not even when he did it again. It proved his theory -- they aren't retaliating against him -- why??

This, when coupled with the knock-down drag-out between demon!waitress and Sam, poses an interesting question. Obviously, the demons have no trouble going toe-to-toe with Sam, but they won't--or can't--do anything against Dean? So Sam is fair game, but Dean is untouchable? Iiiiinteresting . . .

Add to that what Ruby (and yeah, I'm missing Katie Cassidy right about now) said--that a demon couldn't do what had happened to Dean--and there's a reason that the demons should be running scared.

Is it Thursday yet?

[mtee.livejournal.com]

I know - I can't wait. I tried to be semi-spoiler free for the premiere - but now I can't wait to see photos and directors cuts!!

[just-ruth.livejournal.com]

I've had other people say the same thing to me. It still bothers me, but I can accept that explanation.

My daughter said it was disturbing but she says "Dean's come back from hell. Even if he doesn't remember anything now, he's been changed - and I don't think it's for the better."

I can accept that, too.

[july-july-july.livejournal.com]

LOL! You could have added: ...because she is very, very lazy.

Sam is totally, totally perched on that slippery slope. And oh, look behind you, a banana peel. I think the idea that the boys are lying to each other already in the premiere...it is not a good sign for them. But an omen of much drama for us.

I, too, hope they throw a couple MsotW at us this year. They're always great and they have their place in Spn mythology, too.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Re: the Boys' lying . . . yeah, that's kinda why I wanted to knock their heads together. And I do believe there is definitely going to be some awkwardness between them this season. Dean apparently has a new mission, and Sam has been on his own (and keeping company with Ruby!?!?!?!? Ick!!!), so having to readjust to hunting with Dean is going to be a challenge for someone as stubborn and proud as Sam.

Oh, Boys, let's just sit down and eat pie and have fun for a while. Hmm?

[andromakhe001.livejournal.com]

This was a great episode. And Jensen was just brilliant. He does so many subtle little things that make Dean seem very real. Everyone was but I felt he really sold it and I loved his interactions with the angel.

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Jensen totally rocked the whole episode. And working with Jensen has really upped Jared's game. (Working with good people will do that.) The emotion that plays across both boys' faces during the reunion . . . well, I've watched the ep 4 times in the past two days. That should tell you how much I enjoyed the ep.

Or how starved I am for new SPN. One of the two. Or both.

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

But this, this was fierce, reciprocated, and did not break off after the common two seconds.

It was the Best. Brother hug. EVER!!

As has been written, Bobby will never not be awesome.

Verily and forsooth. (See icon!)

I am becoming more and more okay with this angel/Supernatural good thing. I will be perfectly happy if it turns out that Castiel is some kind of free agent or not an angel or whatever, but I'm now more or less prepared for him to actually be an angel straight-up, too. So yay!

Additional squee: Sam's alias--Wedge Antilles. 1) It's a reference I GOT!!! because 2) STAR WARS!

Not only did this line amuse me to no end, it also provides me with the joy of watching you be so happy and funny about it. Huzzah!

I kinda miss the good ol' MotW.

Me, too. I always do when my shows inevitably go from the more episodic structure to the longer arc structure. *sigh* Come back, Monster of the Week!

[mtee.livejournal.com]

I believe there are some interesting MOW's coming - from what I've read.

But I think we are going to get some more arc storylines for awhile -- to really plant the storyline. It's going to be a ride -- I'm sure Kripke will have us talking for quite awhile!