rusty_halo

1x14: Nightmare

Father Simmons and Father Frehley? Really?

It hits me--even more as the show goes on and Sam's scruples fade--how much these boys exist outside of social boundaries, and would be considered dangerously antisocial if they weren't, y'know, doing it all for the greater good of saving people.

The interesting thing in this episode is the conflict between Dean and Sam about how to deal with Max. Dean just wants to kill him--this is the second time we've seen Dean ready to kill a human who kills others. Dean likes things simple, black-and-white, and the most straightfoward way he sees to solve problems is with violence. Meanwhile, Sam's instinct is to find a way to help Max. Sam's ability to see shades of grey is admirable, but it's more than that--Sam overidentifies. He relates to Max's desire for revenge, and even believes it's justified.

Have I mentioned recently how much I appreciate the moral ambiguity on this show? You can see how Sam's influence has made Dean into a better person--more willing to see shades of grey. But it goes both ways, too: Sam is probably too willing to make moral compromises--the influence of Dean's conscience is good for him.

Dean tells Sam not to blame himself for Max's death. Pot, meet kettle.

For the first time, Sam recognizes that his father, although imperfect, meant well and certainly could have done worse. (Although it's kind of sad that it takes the worst parents ever to make John Winchester look good in comparison.)

This episode also contains the first foreshadowing of Sam going dark. Sam's afraid that he could turn into Max, but Dean reassures him that as long as he's around, he'll never let anything bad happen to Sam. Of course, here we have the seeds of both Dean's choice to sell his soul to resurrect Sam, and of Sam eventually going dark after all.

This is the second time we see Dean die--first time was the shapeshifter, here it's in Sam's vision. I dunno why, but this show really seems to love killing Dean.

It's also one of the first times we see Dean's id controlling his eating habits--here he's disguised as a priest, supposedly there to comfort a distressed family, and can't resist the little hotdogs on sticks. (I think they go a bit far with Dean's id-driven character traits in later seasons, but it's great here--it's kind of adorable and uncomfortably antisocial at the same time.)

A solid, well-written episode, though not spectacular. It's mostly focused on Sam's struggle with his new powers, and Dean's denial that anything odd is happening, which is of course a cover for his fear and uncertainty.

Bechdel test: No. The only important female character is Max's step-mother, and she only talks to men.

1x15: The Benders

I think I saw this "man is the best hunt" premise in a Van Damme movie once. Here it's mashed-up with the X-Files episode "Home." Derivative, sure, but done well, mostly because Kathleen is a fantastic character. (BTW, didn't that actress play almost the same character in a Due South episode once?)

Dean immediately starts bonding over Godzilla movies with the kid they're supposed to be questioning. Another example of Dean being great with kids--here it's probably because he's so immature himself. (Still, adorable.)

Unsurprisingly, Dean freaks the fuck out the moment he realizes Sam is missing.

I like that Dean's "death" in the shape-shifter episode hasn't been forgotten. Yay for continuity.

In the police database, Dean and Sam are both listed as 6'4". I, uh, don't think so. Also, Dean was born in 1979 and Sam in 1983--maybe another reason I connect with this show, these are close to the birth years of my brother and me. (I love the flashback when we see in a future episode of Sam watching Thundercats. That was my favorite show when I was five--I was Lion-O for Halloween.)

I'm surprised that Dean chooses Sam to be hunted. I guess he figures Sam has a better chance of winning, but it's surprising to see logic and chivalry winning out over his obsessive over-protectiveness toward his brother.

Sam leaves Kathleen alone with the father, knowing she's going to shoot him. This is Sam, again, sympathizing with the desire for revenge, even enabling it.

Interesting that this show often values the idea of putting family above all else, but here we see it taken to a horrible extreme, a family who literally only regard their own relatives as worth living. This show explores its themes from every angle, which I like.

Bechdel test: Yes, Kathleen questions Missy. Kathleen also stands out as one of the best female characters the show has written: she's complex and three-dimensional and has a real personality. She has firm boundaries, doesn't take any bullshit from Dean, has her own agenda, makes a morally ambiguous decision to get revenge for her brother, isn't filmed in a hypersexualized way, and doesn't die. She's great as a parallel character for Dean (seeking her lost brother) and Sam (wanting revenge), but she's also fantastic in her own right.

1x16: Shadow

Ah, the return of Meg, the first of many women who exist to threaten the bond between the brothers. I've realized that much of the reputation this show has for misogyny comes from the members of its fandom and not from the canon itself, but the blatant and repeated way they use this "evil woman come to threaten the pure true bond between men" trope sure seems to be playing to the most misogynist elements of the audience.

What's the Chad Michael Murray joke? I don't get it.

The boys have a fantastic conversation right before they go to get Meg. They start by denying their emotions, claiming not to be scared, but when Sam starts talking about going back to Stanford after they catch the YED, the emotions quickly spill out.

Dean wants the family back together; Sam doesn't. It's a mature conversation--Sam says they'll always be family, but he sets a firm, adult boundary. Dean tries to be supportive toward Sam's ambition for his life, but it's obvious how desperately he wants his brother with him, wants his family back together the way it used to be. (Again, watching these early seasons it's hard for me to see any solution other than Dean letting go and both living separate lives, but I guess it becomes somewhat moot once Sam decides to stay.) Jensen Ackles does an absolutely fantastic job of portraying the loneliness and need underneath Dean's tough exterior.

Dean calling Meg a bitch is the first time I noticed being really offended by his use of the word. (Here's a couple articles about why the word is offensive--it's basically a slur that exists to demonize women who aren't submissive to men. I only recently stopped using it myself, so I can't complain too much, but still. Not cool.)

I'm pretty sure the giant claw-shaped cuts on the boys' faces would scar. Ah, TV.

The actress who plays Meg is great when Meg's pretending to be human--very subtly creepy. Once she goes full evil, though, she's kind of cringeworthy--just too over-the-top.

The family reunion, attack, and break-up is pretty much the definition of emo porn. That last scene, everyone all bloody and hurt, breaking apart out of necessity even though they need each other so much, eyes welled up with tears, husky voices, emotions overflowing despite their attempts at tough manly exteriors.... yeah, I see why fangirls love this show.

Bechdel test: No, this one is all about the men. And the "bitch" who tries to break them up. >:(

Next: 1x17-1x18

Originally published at rusty-halo.com. You can comment here or there.