Let's see, how did they get rid of Sam in tonight's show? First they tapped him on the back of the shoulder which knocked him out completely, and then they sent him out to the car again.
Anyone else wonder why Victor felt the need to wait for Sam to wake up before he killed him? If he hadn't, Sam would have been dead and the whole scene set up for the kids and Dean. Stupid egotistical criminals.
Remember when Sam and Dean were the bad-ass hunters and not some 16 year old girl?
As whole it was ok with some good individual moments. But I was so over yet another side original character getting the big save. SPN is really weak when it sidelines it's own heros. Stawp it. I was very disappointed that they didn't reference, or better yet give a flashback, to the Winchester childhood. We've been begging for that, and Carver hinted it may happen, and this was a perfect excuse. SPN has lost the art of making filler episodes more interesting. In the old days, the filler had extra touches that made it worth watching. Having Sam & Dean flash on some event from the past would have given it so much more depth.
Sam getting hit on the head and being tied up. Wow what a surprise !!! And I would never expect another round of Dean proving that he is right all along, even convincing the kids. And we got even a Dean and Krissy bonding scene, with Sam out of the picture of course. What a amazing script from Adam Glass *rolling eyes*. Same old, same old.
I am not sure how I felt about this episode, but I am leaning towards the "unfavorable" position. I just couldn't maintain much interest in what was happening or in the characters' lives. Yes, it's is horrible that Victor lied to them, but I don't really care. And I found it extremely odd how "absent" Sam was from the Krissy scenes. Each time Dean would speak to her, Sam was left behind. It was weird. I find it odd how guest stars/third parties who know Sam AND Dean tend to ignore Sam when they all interact. It's very odd to me. Very clunky way of writing as it doesn't feel natural or genuine.
Remember and still are and always will be Bad-ass hunters and still remember when this story beast Dean x Sam and Sam x Dean from some fans was not boring as it is now . I will have negative votes but I'm being honest! Promo episode 8.19 .. http://youtu.be/fCCw5oHGNyw
I think it was a decent episode.I loved the scene in the beginning with Sam and Dean in the car.It was awesome.I seriously can't wait for next week.THAT is going to be un unforgettable episode for sure.
You said it! Back during Seasons 1-4, I didn't even notice the "filler" episodes b/c they were really well written. Now, they're obvious filler and aren't even all that interesting.
Scored it just as 'ok'. It wasn't bad. It wasn't awesome . It was just OK. Found myself bored in some spots, intrigued in others. I'm not one of those fans who wants nothing but Sam and Dean all the time with no secondary chracters other then those getting fooled by fake badges, but.. even I felt that the secondary characters were just Too Much this episode. I can't even remember what Sam and Dean did the whole episode except the pseudo argument in the beginning.
Best part about this episode? The preview at the end for next week. OMG that looks awesome!
I'm not sure what your point is. When i complain about how Sam is acting, I am really complaining about the horrible writing. And as for next week, i'd bet money that Dean will not be as side-lined in a Sam-focused episode as Sam is in a Dean-focused one.
Just OK from me, don't remember when I have had this many OK and Poor eps in a season. Did not care for Krissy the first time and don't like her any better this ep.
Funny thing is that Dean can show his feelings when he is begging for Castiel or talking to Benny, but when Sam asks anything about it, Dean shuts him hard and fast.
Yeah . . . was there a reason Dean AND Sam couldn't have spoken to Krissy when they first found her or at the end of the episode or the other time Dean was having a private conversation w/her? The way Sam was either dismissed or just walked off didn't even make sense. It felt odd and unnatural.
this was a go nowere ep boring at best leave sam behind everything ep and they well SUCK! next week hope and pray to be better but this the calm before the storm ep just boring.
Yes, next week's episode looks great! As someone else mentioned, I think the show used to do filler episodes better. That's just my opinion, but I never used to find myself bored during Supernatural. And that has happened quite a few times this season and like twice last season. I don't need Sam & Dean the entire episode (though I would prefer it), but I just need better written filler episodes w/characters I really like or a story I really care about. Victor's whole deal just wasn't that interesting to me, and I didn't connect to the kids.
Maybe because Sam is his brother and Sam's doing the trials. Sometimes you don't want to tell family your feelings. I know I tend to tell my friends more than my family about things sometimes.
well its like sam did not want to tell dean about being sick he does not know what happing and OH wait he does not have friends to turn to like dean does so he has to keep it all to himself sad right!
When Dean was suspicious, that killed any tension for the episode. If they'd had changed it up and made Victor an on the level guy, that would've made for a truly stunning reveal. And that some real monster was fooling them all for his own nefarious reasons. I spent an hour waiting for the rest of the characters to catch up with what I already knew - Victor was a bastard.
IMO, F&G was far worse than AIB. At least in AIB Sam was depicted as a hero who tried but failed to save Lee in a much, much better "trap". He distracted the Vetala from feeding on and killing Lee by goading her in a way very much like souless Sam would have done and the Sam's dialog was pretty good. But yes, Krissy ignored Sam in AIB, too, but the 'lack o' Sam' was even more obvious in F&G. That's why to me Adam Glass is the weakest writer for Sam. I agree- the best part of the "episode" was the preview for next week
I would advise that you skip the episode too.... I was bored, the storyline was so obvious, and the teens, especially Krissy, were even more walking/talking Sis Fic cliches. I try to watch all new episodes live but only a very few times was I actually "glad" that an episode was over because it was so bad.
I loved how Krissy has developed as a character. And I love that even though it was a "filler" episode, it came back to the running themes of the season - the possibility of a "normal" life, and whether monsters are redeemable. Plus, the dialogue was good, I felt genuinely tense during the episode, and there was continuity with 8x17 and leading into 8x19. It was really good. I voted awesome.
Eh. It was a little slow for me. Then again, I was against it from the start since I'm chomping at the bit with these trials... I just want to see what's going to happen next! And the promo from last week showed that not only was tonight clearly filler, it was bringing back Krissy, who I didn't care for the first time around. Still, I don't think it was a strong one in any capacity. Won't be rewatching this anytime soon.
Usually I watch the episode before commenting but as this episode seems to have gone down exactly as predicted beforehand; that is getting Sam out of the way to allow Dean his usual bonding moment with the guest star of the week, (and I'm not saying that in a bitter way or anything; I'm just stating a proven fact ), I'm glad I didn't.
The rest of the ep. seems to have gone the same way; all about about the Fagin/victor guy, Krissy and her teen pals, with the Winchesters once again, taking a back seat in their own show.
It seems to be an episode that one can skip quite happily and for the moment I will.
X
To think of the thousands of interesting things they could give us about the Winchesters' life; from some more back history, to investigating the bunker and the Men Of Letters, to giving us some of Sam's back story in those months Dean was in Purgatory.
There's such a wealth of material to choose from, and instead they give us these types of episodes.
X
For me, in this season, the only really original thought that the writers have come up with was the Men Of Letters plot-line.
That had never been done before. All the rest has been ret-conning and re--hashing the past, but all written in a very inferior way to the original.
X
The rest of the season has already been programmed so nothing will change that, but I hope that for next year the writers will motivate themselves to give us back the wonderful show we used to have by restoring the intelligent bad-ass brother-bonding Winchester brothers as they once were.
X
Even an Ep about Dean fixing up the Impala ad Sam handing him the tools would be more interesting than most of the episodes this season.
I mean it must take the same amount of time and money to produce a good episode as a bad one, so why not always pick the good.
Use your wonderful lead actors in a more captivating way.
X
This fandom has been so loyal to the show. They deserve better than these mediocre eps. Sheesh!
It was a decent episode...Deans fatherly talks were great......hey a Wednesday night with my boys and they are not hating one another or fighting with each other is an awesome night.......Let's get some herbal tea and aromatherapy candles...and we'll talk.....LOLOLOL I love these nuggets of comedy...I love my boys!
Yes, the best part was definitely the preview and possibly the Impala talk w/the boys in the beginning. Jared really didn't need to be in the episode at all. He did nothing and didn't interact w/the main guest star even though he was the one running off to help her in the first place last time! Who wrote EHH? That person clearly knew how to balance the episode and show both Sam AND Dean having meaningful interactions w/the guest stars. They used to do this all the time in the past. Why is it so difficult now?
Oh yes . . . and then Sam mutters something about "wanting normal." Can I just say how irritated I am w/the "normal" crap? Back when Dean was depressed and whining about hunting, I hated it. I don't want to see it w/Dean either. The show is about two brothers hunting evil. It would be nice if both enjoyed the life somewhat. For me, it makes the show unenjoyable to always have one brother complaining about hunting or longing for something else. These are grown men, not little boys. If you hate hunting so much, just stop! No one is forcing either to hunt. But since we all know that is NEVER going to happen until the show ends, I wish the writers would stop picking from the "one brother hates hunting" bag. It's a dead horse at this point. Why are they still beating it w/a stick? Haha!
It's hard for me to even name a filler episode pre-Season 5 b/c they were all such good episodes. Honestly, I could pick any episode (even the Bela ones) from Seasons 1-4 and watch it all the way through. There are several episodes from Season 5 to present that I have never re-watched and would never re-watch (i.e., Episodes 1-11, MBFWB, and F&G from this season) again.
I gave it an OK. The story had potential, but needed work. And I just didn't FEEL the young actors. None of them really caught my attention and they were somewhat boring. There was a serious lack of intensity in this ep. And practically no drama at all. Other than Bitten, probably my least favorite episode of the season. Ah well..each season has 2-3 clunkers. :)
I think they were trying to write for Sam, it's just that the way they write for him is constantly repeating the "normal life" thread. We've heard this so many times it just seems flat, especially if you didn't care about Sam's relationship with Amelia, which I didn't.
I thought the Sam and Dean portion felt more like them than most of this season, the car conversation, anyway. The rest, not so much.
They also had racist monster trucks. I don't think the writing was that much better, they just had better chemistry between Sam and Dean, and better humor. I miss that.
I sort of feel like we've seen most of what we need to see of their childhood. What I would like to see is a little more of Dean's teen years). I didn't care for the Dean they cast in After School Special. I'd like to see more of Sam's late teens too. As long as there are no long-lost children.
I agree with you about the continuity. I wasn't expecting that after what happened the last time Cas disappeared. I also thought the ideas were interesting. Just not overly well-executed.
The way they are writing Sam this year makes me wonder if Jared is wanting off the show. Again Sam shows how much he wants to stop hunting and be "normal". I either need Sam in the series or off, this in between is getting very old and Sam this year has just not been here at all. I know he is doing the trials but unless the last few eps get Sam heavy, he has just not been in the game or the eps.
Oh, I agree. The Sam/Dean conversation in the Impala was the best moment of the episode, and I agree that their scenes together were fine. I do find it very odd how Sam kept excusing himself so Dean and Krissy could have private conversations. Why was he doing that? Why couldn't he be privvy to those conversations? Nothing was said that didn't get back to him anyway. Why is Krissy closer to Dean than Sam? Sam answered her distress call in S7 and went off to rescue her while Dean couldn't be bothered. There is really no reason why Dean is closer to Krissy than Sam. Since that is the case, I found it very odd that Sam wasn't in those scenes. Why couldn't he just stand there and say nothing. It was just strange and clunky. It's like the writers only wanted Krissy talking to Dean so Sam would just walk away for no reason. Odd. There was no reason Sam couldn't stay there and still not speak to Krissy, you know?
I would give it OK. I actually had expected much worse based on the preview, and based on the writing for Krissy last season. This time around, she was still too precocious, too "TV kid", but she was a little better. I thought the casting of Victor and the boy Krissy liked was good - they were talented actors. The guy who played Victor made a weak part into something decent. I could have done without the suicide scene, I wish he'd been sent to prison instead.
The car scene at the start was good, and felt like Sam and Dean, guarded but bickering brothers.
I thought the last scene with Krissy and Dean also worked. It was unrealistic, Krissy being with her group, alone, but I liked the symbolism of Krissy making her own family, as Dean has.
Didn't like the very last scene, with the clumsy segue to the Hell trials.
I am all for either letting Sam get his head in the game or if Jared wants out, just let him go. Am wondering if this is where it is headed(which BTW I would hate) but maybe that is why Misha is coming back. Here recently Cas and Dean have had better chemistry than Sam and Dean. I would love to have SPN with both brothers and feel like they belong there.
honestly, and sadly, i just can't see this show being dragged for another two years with episodes (and a season) like this. really rather unpleasant to watch a once good show run itself into the ground.
also, you do all realize why they are marginalizing Sam, yes? because next season when the dude who plays Cass becomes a full time cast member it will be him and Dean (well i was going to saying hunting/fighting but they don't do much of that anymore) together doing things while Sam will take the semi-regular role of Bobby, hub/info guy.
i have to agree. the originality, aesthetics, tone and general bad-ass natural of the characters has gone. i can understand trying the whole "world-weary" plot but done well and this was not due to shear amount of character disconnect and general lack on continuity and, as you mention, its a rehash and not a good one.
unfortunately the whole "men of letters" bit while new to this series is not original idea as a whole like the watchers in Buffy or Highlander the ideas has been done and again done better. this whole angle felt shoehorned in, very comic booke-esque and just plan unappealing. one reason the show was inetresting was due, in part, to the scrappy make-it-work nature of the brothers and the world as a whole. but instead they are now given everything on a silver platter of knowledge and laziness, along with blandness, ensues.
When I think about Jared refusing to work on a film of Bruce Willis for this, I get sad. It's clear the writers don't put much effort to write Sam as they do with Dean, Castiel and Benny and that helps a lot in the chemistry factor. Sometimes he gets no lines at all.
Cas was a regular in seasons 5 and 6 and he was gone a lot of the time. The same will likely happen again. It's always going to be Dean and Sam together. I think they just don't know how to write for Sam. I'd say they haven't since season 5. Last season was almost as bad, although at least he was closer to Dean emotionally.
I think the show still has some life left in it. They just need better scripting and more energy. Episodes like last week, far from perfect, but with a good solid pace.
I think it's mostly because she and Dean had more of a bond. They do this more often with Dean, but occasionally with Sam (like last week with Meg, who only interacted with Dean enough to tell him he was an idiot). They seem to struggle with three-character scenes.
actually no. the actor who playing Cass had said in a interview that for season 9 he will be a full-time series regular, he never was before, meaning he will be in every episode of season 9. if that is true that drastically changes the dynamics of the show and turns it from a duo into a trio. things are going to change and i think Sam will be the one who gets less action/screen time since that have turned him basically into a whiny pussy anyways better have him back that amazingly pristine bunker then half-hearted infield/onscreen.
Exactly. It will always be Sam and Dean. The writers just need to figure out how to include Sam more in conversations and give him friends to talk to (how hard is it writers, really?). No re-occuring character, even Cas, would be in every episode, so I think people over do it when they say he'll replace Sam.
It's so sad but unfortuately true, the brothers have lost the charisma that made them who they were; two bad-ass hunters each with their own distinctive character, but complimentary to one another.
They had a hard life but they managed to enjoy the little things too. They always seem so unhappy now
The whole show has become depressing. X
Then this whole 'wanting normal' is getting so annoying.
Sam and Dean are now grown men. If either want to change their life-style there's really nothing stopping them; that's why it seems so trite when the writers make them harp on about "normal". X As for the MOF letters thing, I was meaning new for SPN. I've never watched Buffy and only the odd ep of Highlander, but now I know that not even MOL is new! X
However, you're right in that it is rather comic book-y.
Although in a way I'm glad that they have a place to call home, a big part of the attraction of SPN was the road-trip adventure that the brothers were on and the fact that they possessed nothing, only the Impala.
I don't see how they could pull that off with Cas being an angel and there always being normal "filler" episodes with basic monsters of the week...wait...in less he becomes human.... OO
completely agree, it has become depressing that is a good word for it. and i can understand the "having a place to call home" i just think they went about it down the wrong road. also, when has normal been a good thing to either of them? they both have had tastes of it and time again walked away from it. i am not sure they understand what "normal" is or even what they want (the writer sure don't seem to understand it).
i sadly don't even buy the bond or caring between them this season either. it all seem a little off and forced.
from the second they found the bunker and did the (pardon my gagging) G-d Trials i knew that this was where the show was headed with Sam. The trials, which he will pass, but leave him to damaged/weak to be in the field anymore and he will become the Oracle of SP.
The bond of caring has been completely torn apart.
Carver said that the brothers would be more mature this season, which obviously meant that the strong bond the brothers had would be torn apart, and it has been. X
Carver making Sam not-look for Dean from ep1 with no explanation of any kind, has made any caring between the brothers from then onwards very difficult to believe. X
To top it off, Dean saying that Benny is a better brother than Sam has ever been, really put the cherry on the cake.
Bringing Cas back is the best thing this show could have done, since Sam is not interested, at least Dean and Cas do care about each other..Sam did not look for Dean so not caring there.
Well, no, not technically, but that Portia episode certainly seemed to have enough fun talking about it. I didn't even hate the episode, but I just don't know why they had to go there.
100% agree and i have no hope that they are going explain why he did that. sorry but a bit of skirt, and a bland one at that, does not a compelling reason make.
Agreed. and then the writers trying to make the Amelia into something "special" like an amazing force that derailed Sam. see the eye-rolling convo between him and Meg for that.
I found more emotional truth, caring and bond when Meg said that Cass was her Unicorn then the forced BS about Sam and blandmelia.
Well of course Sam is the character that is written, and the tiny bit of hope I am hoping for is that Sam never said he did not look for Dean. When Dean asked him "Did you look for me, Sam" he said nothing. Still hoping this will be explained.
I enjoyed the episode and loved the kids. I liked the story and the fact that the kids were brought together, even if the guy ended up being bad. They still learned to rely on each other and became somewhat decent hunters. Plus they get a place to live. I always find it funny how you all complain that they guys always take a back seat to the guest stars, however the show has always featured the guest stars like that. The boys are always there to help out whoever is in trouble and we have to learn about those characters. I am not surprised Dean was suspicious of Victor, too bad he didn't prove Dean wrong. I hope the kids come back in the future. I am so looking forward to what these great writers have in store for us for the rest of the season and in the next season.
Funny how you take one thing and define Sam and everything by that. Yet accept Dean or Castiel regardless of how they act unconditionally . I am sorry Sam not looking for Dean is how you and others judge the character but then ity does seem that there as to be conditions that Sam has to meet for some to accept him . I did not like it at first but neither did I like alot of Dean's attitude first half of the season and Sam not looking was a creative decision the writers took not a personal one a fictional character took.
But I have been in the fandom a long time and I am well aware of the different rules applied out there so unless Mr Carver and his perception idea are going to pull a clever one then Sam did not look for Dean and if that is something that some cant accept Sam for then so be it .
I couldn't agree more with you! A show should leave at it's height, not when it's sputtering along trying to survive. That's what's happening to Supernatural for me. It long since stopped being "Must See TV." I also fear that Sam will be even more sidelined next year when Misha becomes a regular. If they can't write for Sam when it's just Sam, Dean, and a guest star, then how in the world will they do it when it is Sam, Dean, CASTIEL, and a guest star. I guess Jared will have to get used to awkwardly and oddly removing himself from scenes.
I share your fears. What is up w/Sam's constant talks about "normal?" Are they foreshadowing that Sam will be the MOL in the Batcave doing all the research w/Amelia and baby in the back room while Dean and Cas do all the hunting!?!? I love Cas, but as you said, that would dramatically change the show! I don't think I could watch that show!
It is not one thing, Sam has always wanted out, and do you think I don't know the difference between Jared and Sam. Everything Sam does is from a writer and I not saying anything against Jared. Just if Sam's actions this year are because Jared is wanting out, then let that happen.
I can see how Dean would feel hurt if Sam did not bother looking for him. Sam ALWAYS looks. Did not matter to me if he found Dean or could do anything about getting him back.. if he just looked.
OH!!!! Off course!!! Fandome voted Awesome to one of the worst episodes of the season... I really hate this fandom!!!! Don't misunderstand me. I loved to have Krissy back. But was pretty poor... I'm sure of that.
I understand your frustration but I refuse to judge Sam for Carver's OOC, bad story. We all know Sam would look for Dean. Even Carver admitted that Sam would look for Dean; he just decided - on a whim it seems - to explore what would happen if Sam didn't look. Well, his experiment FAILED. The story was a failure. Amelia ws a failure. Even Jared confirmed that he didn't like the story and found it to be OOC. But this is the lousy route Carver chose for Sam. That's not "Sam's" fault, IMO. I still love Sam, and I refuse to let Carver's one OOC decision influence the way I feel about a character I've watched the past 7 years. Sam would look, and under a better, more knowledgable showrunner, we would have seen Sam looking.
Great post! I couldn't agree more w/you. It was completely OOC for Sam to not look for Dean, and I'm choosing to view it as the OOC, irrational action it was by Carver, not Sam. Everyone know Sam would have looked for Dean but for the bad writing!
And that is such a lie b/c Sam left Amelia BEFORE Dean returned so he had already decided to ditch her. So when Charlie talked about Dean causing Sam to "lose" Amelia or happiness or whatever - it makes ZERO sense. Dean didn't influence Sam to ditch Amelia TWICE; Sam did that on his own. Do the writers even watch the previous episodes? Is Carver looking at the scripts to make sure they flow from each other? I guess not! Additionally, Sam mentioned driving around for a few months doing nothing until he hit the dog. What exactly was Sam doing during that time? Amelia didn't derail him from anything. According to Carver, Sam just didn't bother looking into Dean's disappearance. It's not like he was about to do some serious research when Amelia caught his eye! Carver hasn't bothered to explain anything Sam did after Dean disappeared! It's really ridiculous. I'm actually shocked at how Carver trashed Sam! And for what? The lame Amelia romance? The riveting tale of Sam's overwhelming grief/depression the past year? Please!
Looks like I'm going to skip this episode... Maybe someday I'll watch this season in its entirety, but right now I couldn't care less about filler episodes.
Dean actually seems happier to me this season. He can laugh and joke more. He's proud of the bunker, and cooking, and having his own room. I think it's a big leap forward from seasons 6 and 7, where he was in a bottle all the time.
I think the Men of Letters idea works surprisingly well. After 8 years I don't think you can really keep having scrappy make-it-work nature. That mostly disappeared after season 2 or season 3, whenever Bobby became more prominent, saving the day and knowing all the answers. I think two men in their 30s needed something beyond endless motel rooms. I like the home aspect.
They really do struggle w/3-character scenes . . . at least lately. But I didn't get that awkward feeling in EHH. That worked well, and there were four actos in the scene. However, in S6's episode when Dean and Sam rescued those kids, Jared had like 3 lines of dialogue and mostly just hung back. It was very odd. There doesn't appear to be any consistency in the writing!
Well, if Jared left, I'd most likely stop watching.
I love science fiction and horror. That's what drew me to this show in the first place, but what kept me was the bond btw the brothers. Remember when that girl in MATEOTB said she loved it when the boys cried . . . well, so do I! Haha! I love all their mushy speeches and unspoken declarations of love.
Seriously though, I love the deep bond btw these two brothers. That's why I was so disgusted w/Carver's story for Sam this year. Sam would NEVER abandon Dean when Dean needed him. Sam would ALWAYS look for Dean or at least investigate his disappearance. He wouldn't just shrug his shoulders and move on w/his life. I have been happier since the ATGB but if Sam is seriously sidelined or if Jared left, I wouldn't watch anymore. The whole dynamic of the show would have changed for me, and not in a good way!
That is sad! Jared could be doing things to advance his career AFTER Supernatural but he's turning down things for the show. If that's the case, they should at least keep him in scenes. He didn't need to leave any time Dean and Krissy had their little chats!
I agree, I started watching for the family and this year that has been ruined for me. I don't want Sam to leave, but had rather that than the Sam we have had so far. I am still holding out hope that this will be fixed and explained before the season ends.
that is what "full-time series regular" implies (and it fully means). otherwise he would be listed as "recurring". full time means, well, full time. and FYI the actors who play Sam & Dean are full-time series regulars.
Haha, Amen! I could not agree more. And she wasn't even all that special or interesting. I can see the thought of "lets give me this normal super boring slice of the life" which is the inverse of all he has had so far but it just seemed sad and pathetic more then anything.
Also, good point what was Sam doing? And wasn't there someone standing outside his window, while he was with Blandmelia and father, watching them? who was that, was that explained?
Honestly, i think whoever is writing for the show currently needs to be asked quite firmly to step down.
I've read that the mysterious figure standing outside the house was Don. I read it on TWFB or Supernatural.tv. Apparently Bob Singer or someone associated w/the show said that person was Don.
Who really knows? I'm sure the writers have no clue as there doesn't seem to be a plan for Sam!
Jared at no time has said or indicated he wanted out and in fact the opposite. The way you view Sam is being written has nothing to do with Jared so think what you like thats up to you but dont drag him into your issues with Sam.
Exactly! From everything I've heard and read, Jared is committed to Supernatural to the end of the series. If - and that's a huge if - Sam were written off, I doubt it would be Jared's decision. He's in it for the long haul.
I wish that too sometimes If I was the writer wee see sam get a friend too maybe see his bedroom like we seen dean's a few eps ago not nother and that why the writers suck right now.
me too on the 1st part he is the only reason I am stay to the show if he is gone I am to. we need both of them on it will not be the same if one of them is gone.
Probably most of the voters didn't even watch the ep yet. Or they're the "any ep of SPN is better than anything else on TV". Which isn't true of any show. Except Homicide: Life on the Street. And that's been cancelled since 1999.
I never saw the first Krissy episode - I'd given up on season six after the fairy ep - so I couldn't hardly pay attention to the other kids because I hated her so much. There's sassy teen and there's annoying brat who needs to be kicked in the face. Then, like I said, it was so obvious from the word go, Dean was in the right. When they figured out what was going on, I said aloud, "I must need glasses because I didn't see THAT coming! *eye roll*"
Well if you watch some interviews of the writers and producers and even eric kripke, they say the show will always be about sam and dean no matter what and i am happy that cass will be a regular in season 9! Love team free will!
sam would never be written off! the show is about Dean AND Sam and that would ruin the show if they were to write sam out, it just wouldnt be supernatural without both brothers :)
Oh, I don't think he will be written out, but he could definitely be sidelined and backburnered as he was in this past episode and other episodes where Cas is involved. I guess we'll find out next year!
Sorry for the delay. Ben Edlund wrote EHH and when he writes "brother centric episodes" he does a superb job writing both characters and gives them as clear to equal POV and yes, both have meaning interactions with guest stars even when seperated. Contrast that with Glass's fair SC, better ATGB and very underwhelming F&G and you get heavy doses of "sidelined Sam, not interacting solo with "important guest stars" (Garth, Henry, Krissy). There was zero reason last season in Glass's AIB to have Sam "wait by the car" and even more ridiculous that F&G featured an almost identical scene.
I think that many of us agree that the whole "Sam not looking for Dean/abandoning Meg and Kevin " storyline was an abomination that I will not soon forgive Carver for playing with after Sera had so well set up theS8 "Sam (and allie?s) rescues Dean and Cas from Purgatory".
Thanks for the info, CyanaT! --- Well, then, BE needs to write the entire show. Haha! If he's the only one who can skillfully write for BOTH brothers and not sideline one for the other, then I want him writing the entire freaking show! --- I try to forget everything about last season so I didn't remember that Sam waited in the car while Dean and Krissy shared a moment. Hmm . . . why? Why in the world was it written like that? Did Sam not answer Krissy's call for help? Did Sam not meet her and bond w/her a little bit? Why does AG act like Sam never met Krissy?
That's what kills me! Sera set up a perfect story for Sam to rescue Dean. Carver ditched that story for . . . .Amelia! He honestly thought we'd be more interested in seeing Sam in a chemistry-less, mundane, dispassionate relationship with a woman no one (or rather most people) couldn't care less about! --- I don't think he knows anything about the show.
But we are in season 8 now and i'm getting a tad bored with Cas being able to cure everything by just turning up.....Rememeber when the Winchesters were kick ass hunters..i miss those days..
Exactly. What purpose did Carver having Sam just think Dean was dead (so not look) serve, except to piss many, many fans off. Experiment Failed, Carver!
I didn't hate Krissy in her first episode, but she was way more annoying in this episode IMO. Honestly, it was yet another "wasted" episode. I would have rather seen an episode focused on what Sam did in the two or three months before he hit Riot.
i think this episode suffered mostly from placement in the season. had this episode replaced maybe bitten or the third episode i would've liked it better as it wasn't bad it was just... not good either.
this late in the season i expect fillers to tie into more than just minor roundabout character developments. if this episode had stayed the same but had shown more of sam deteriorating, which would've been a good time to do so since this wasn't so much an active hunt, i'd like it more. had this been more direct in setting up for benny's return by going into an aspect of vampire life that will be mirrored in the following episode, i'd be fine. had this allowed dean to follow up on his "no more lies" stance from the last episode then i'd be fine. or if they had tied the kids into kevin's mostly off screen development that would've been great as well.
but this was just... a filler.
had they placed this earlier in the season there would've been more drama to build off of what with krissy possibly tying into sam's arc by contrasting their approaches after losing a loved one. highlighting dean's renewed purpose being at odds with krissy's choice all while he is trying to pull sam back in. setting up the conflicts around the idea of what makes a family with the upcoming reintroduction of benny, castiel, charlie, and later amelia. the concepts and ideas in this episode just seem more fitted for earlier in the season.
True. I just think it would have sent a better message. I felt like they mostly wanted a reason for him to be gone so he wouldn't hurt the kids after Sam and Dean left, but "oh look, he killed himself" sort of felt tacked on.
Ahh . . . "clipping" his wings. Hmmm . . . could be.
If he is meant to be a regular like Sam and Dean, then I think he has to become "human." They could always return his grace to him (like Anna) in the Series finale.
first time i have voted poor this season i even liked bitten better than this .It was poor written and i hate crispy cant stand her at all !...bad bad bad
full time regular means that he has to appear for a certain amount of times across a certain amount of episodes as a minimum. with the possibility for more not requiring a midseason renegotiation of contract. jensen and jared are series regulars but also leads. which means they HAVE to be in every episode unless contracted otherwise (usually at their request due to scheduling made way in advance). sam and dean are in every single episode, now how much time they are there may vary but the fact is that they have been in all 168 of the episodes since the pilot til the upcoming ep.
what full time allows is more for the writers/creator since unlike this season they have the POTENTIAL to use him in every episode. it's not mandated, nor does using him in every episode require significant screen time. misha will get payed regardless so any writing choices don't need to be filtered through budget concerns.
that coincidentally allows for better use of guest stars as they don't have to shuffle the budget to allow for misha in 8 episodes since his cost is already in the base amount per episode/season. so that means, if they live from this season, naomi, kevin, charlie, benny, krissy and co, amelia, aaron and the golem, crowley, surprise i'm not dead meg/samandiriel, heaven bound past characters, etc can all come back with varying levels of importance and new season reoccurring can be used more than one off motws. which means less fillers and more season long arcs.
I suspect even dull as dishwater "Samelia" would have been tolerated better if Sam told Amelia "on-screen" a "non-supernatural version" of what he *knew* happened to Dean, something like Dean was kidnapped but Sam never got a ransom note, and so looked for months and never found Dean, so Sam came to his "world-imploding" conclusion that Dean was dead because Dean would never not contact Sam if he was alive.
That's just an example of "more" that Sam could have told Amelia because the "key words" are "Sam looked for Dean". Sam had ZERO reason to believe that Dean was dead - nothing on Supernatural has ever "died" without some remains left behind.
Only a few more sentences of Sam dialog and fans would likely have been a little more satisfied. The writers frequently do this with Sam - set a serious situation up and don't even close to adequetely follow through on it.
NOTE: Name-calling, personal attacks, spamming, excessive self-promotion, condescending pomposity, general assiness, racism, sexism, any-other-ism, homophobia, acrophobia, and destructive (versus constructive) criticism will get you BANNED from the party.
It wasn't the best episode, but I still liked it. Loved seeing Krissy again and the kids were badass!
ReplyDeletePoor Sam. He keeps getting hit on the head and being tied up.
It was a good episode, for a stand alone. It was predictable. I had a feeling the hunter wasn't the good guy.
ReplyDeleteKrissy was great.
Very good episode.... Scenes Dean and Krissy were so interesting. I liked and Awesome! . :]
ReplyDeleteLet's see, how did they get rid of Sam in tonight's show? First they tapped him on the back of the shoulder which knocked him out completely, and then they sent him out to the car again.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else wonder why Victor felt the need to wait for Sam to wake up before he killed him? If he hadn't, Sam would have been dead and the whole scene set up for the kids and Dean. Stupid egotistical criminals.
Remember when Sam and Dean were the bad-ass hunters and not some 16 year old girl?
I'm sorry but I nominate this as the worst SPN episode ever.
ReplyDeleteAs whole it was ok with some good individual moments. But I was so over yet another side original character getting the big save. SPN is really weak when it sidelines it's own heros. Stawp it.
ReplyDeleteI was very disappointed that they didn't reference, or better yet give a flashback, to the Winchester childhood. We've been begging for that, and Carver hinted it may happen, and this was a perfect excuse. SPN has lost the art of making filler episodes more interesting. In the old days, the filler had extra touches that made it worth watching. Having Sam & Dean flash on some event from the past would have given it so much more depth.
Sam getting hit on the head and being tied up. Wow what a surprise !!! And I would never expect another round of Dean proving that he is right all along, even convincing the kids. And we got even a Dean and Krissy bonding scene, with Sam out of the picture of course. What a amazing script from Adam Glass *rolling eyes*. Same old, same old.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, nothing compares to Bitten. THAT was the worst episode.
ReplyDeleteThat annoyed me so much. And Sam kept offering to leave. It's really getting on my nerves. I want the brothers in the same freaking room thank you.
ReplyDeleteI was afraid this was how it would go. Maybe I'll skip it.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how I felt about this episode, but I am leaning towards the "unfavorable" position. I just couldn't maintain much interest in what was happening or in the characters' lives. Yes, it's is horrible that Victor lied to them, but I don't really care.
ReplyDeleteAnd I found it extremely odd how "absent" Sam was from the Krissy scenes. Each time Dean would speak to her, Sam was left behind. It was weird. I find it odd how guest stars/third parties who know Sam AND Dean tend to ignore Sam when they all interact. It's very odd to me. Very clunky way of writing as it doesn't feel natural or genuine.
Anyway, the next episode looks really good!
Yeah . . . I just said the same thing. Sam seemed very "absent" from the episode. It was odd.
ReplyDeleteRemember and still are and always will be Bad-ass hunters and still remember when this story beast Dean x Sam and Sam x Dean from some fans was not boring as it is now . I will have negative votes but I'm being honest! Promo episode 8.19 .. http://youtu.be/fCCw5oHGNyw
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't very good, but I think "Bitten" was worse.
ReplyDeletePercy, it wasn't very good. Honestly, I was bored in parts!
ReplyDeleteI think it was a decent episode.I loved the scene in the beginning with Sam and Dean in the car.It was awesome.I seriously can't wait for next week.THAT is going to be un unforgettable episode for sure.
ReplyDeleteYou said it! Back during Seasons 1-4, I didn't even notice the "filler" episodes b/c they were really well written. Now, they're obvious filler and aren't even all that interesting.
ReplyDeleteNot bad. Didn't blow me away or anything, like 8x17. But it was nice.
ReplyDeleteSame here. Wasn't interested in the kids' stories, Victor's story or Dean and Krissy bonding scenes.
ReplyDeleteEven the talk over the car was horrible.
You and me both.
ReplyDeleteScored it just as 'ok'. It wasn't bad. It wasn't awesome . It was just OK. Found myself bored in some spots, intrigued in others. I'm not one of those fans who wants nothing but Sam and Dean all the time with no secondary chracters other then those getting fooled by fake badges, but.. even I felt that the secondary characters were just Too Much this episode. I can't even remember what Sam and Dean did the whole episode except the pseudo argument in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteBest part about this episode? The preview at the end for next week. OMG that looks awesome!
I'm not sure what your point is. When i complain about how Sam is acting, I am really complaining about the horrible writing. And as for next week, i'd bet money that Dean will not be as side-lined in a Sam-focused episode as Sam is in a Dean-focused one.
ReplyDeleteJust OK from me, don't remember when I have had this many OK and Poor eps in a season. Did not care for Krissy the first time and don't like her any better this ep.
ReplyDeleteI can think of several worse than this one, Bitten and anything with the Ghostfacers comes to mind. lol
ReplyDeleteIs it bad that I can't even rmember the talk over the car? Hahaha!
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is that Dean can show his feelings when he is begging for Castiel or talking to Benny, but when Sam asks anything about it, Dean shuts him hard and fast.
ReplyDeleteYeah . . . was there a reason Dean AND Sam couldn't have spoken to Krissy when they first found her or at the end of the episode or the other time Dean was having a private conversation w/her?
ReplyDeleteThe way Sam was either dismissed or just walked off didn't even make sense. It felt odd and unnatural.
I have to agree. The preview was awesome.
ReplyDeleteso true to that.
ReplyDeleteFiller!! Smh, knew that from last week's promo.
ReplyDeletethis was a go nowere ep boring at best leave sam behind everything ep and they well SUCK! next week hope and pray to be better but this the calm before the storm ep just boring.
ReplyDeleteYes, next week's episode looks great!
ReplyDeleteAs someone else mentioned, I think the show used to do filler episodes better. That's just my opinion, but I never used to find myself bored during Supernatural. And that has happened quite a few times this season and like twice last season.
I don't need Sam & Dean the entire episode (though I would prefer it), but I just need better written filler episodes w/characters I really like or a story I really care about. Victor's whole deal just wasn't that interesting to me, and I didn't connect to the kids.
Excellent point. He shuts him down every time.
ReplyDeleteThe only "filler" episodes I've truly enjoyed were most of the ones in Season 1-2. There weren't that many after that.
ReplyDeleteMaybe because Sam is his brother and Sam's doing the trials. Sometimes you don't want to tell family your feelings. I know I tend to tell my friends more than my family about things sometimes.
ReplyDeleteOh no, I vote "Swap Meat" for that one.
ReplyDeletewell its like sam did not want to tell dean about being sick he does not know what happing and OH wait he does not have friends to turn to like dean does so he has to keep it all to himself sad right!
ReplyDeleteSomething to do with if they shut the gates of Hell, all of the kids' problems go away. Like all monsters come from Hell, Dean.
ReplyDeleteWhen Dean was suspicious, that killed any tension for the episode. If they'd had changed it up and made Victor an on the level guy, that would've made for a truly stunning reveal. And that some real monster was fooling them all for his own nefarious reasons. I spent an hour waiting for the rest of the characters to catch up with what I already knew - Victor was a bastard.
ReplyDeleteYeah back then, fillers usually had awesome character development or established family mythos, even if it had nothing to do with the main arc.
ReplyDeleteIMO, F&G was far worse than AIB. At least in AIB Sam was depicted as a hero who tried but failed to save Lee in a much, much better "trap". He distracted the Vetala from feeding on and killing Lee by goading her in a way very much like souless Sam would have done and the Sam's dialog was pretty good. But yes, Krissy ignored Sam in AIB, too, but the 'lack o' Sam' was even more obvious in F&G. That's why to me Adam Glass is the weakest writer for Sam.
ReplyDeleteI agree- the best part of the "episode" was the preview for next week
I would advise that you skip the episode too.... I was bored, the storyline was so obvious, and the teens, especially Krissy, were even more walking/talking Sis Fic cliches. I try to watch all new episodes live but only a very few times was I actually "glad" that an episode was over because it was so bad.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it was both over melodramatic and over simplistic. The episode was just full of bad or cliched dialog and tropes.
ReplyDeleteI loved how Krissy has developed as a character. And I love that even though it was a "filler" episode, it came back to the running themes of the season - the possibility of a "normal" life, and whether monsters are redeemable. Plus, the dialogue was good, I felt genuinely tense during the episode, and there was continuity with 8x17 and leading into 8x19. It was really good. I voted awesome.
ReplyDeleteEh. It was a little slow for me. Then again, I was against it from the start since I'm chomping at the bit with these trials... I just want to see what's going to happen next! And the promo from last week showed that not only was tonight clearly filler, it was bringing back Krissy, who I didn't care for the first time around. Still, I don't think it was a strong one in any capacity. Won't be rewatching this anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteUsually I watch the episode before commenting but as this episode seems to have gone down exactly as predicted beforehand; that is getting Sam out of the way to allow Dean his usual bonding moment with the guest star of the week, (and I'm not saying that in a bitter way or anything; I'm just stating a proven fact ), I'm glad I didn't.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the ep. seems to have gone the same way; all about about the Fagin/victor guy, Krissy and her teen pals, with the Winchesters once again, taking a back seat in their own show.
It seems to be an episode that one can skip quite happily and for the moment I will.
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To think of the thousands of interesting things they could give us about the Winchesters' life; from some more back history, to investigating the bunker and the Men Of Letters, to giving us some of Sam's back story in those months Dean was in Purgatory.
There's such a wealth of material to choose from, and instead they give us these types of episodes.
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For me, in this season, the only really original thought that the writers have come up with was the Men Of Letters plot-line.
That had never been done before. All the rest has been ret-conning and re--hashing the past, but all written in a very inferior way to the original.
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The rest of the season has already been programmed so nothing will change that, but I hope that for next year the writers will motivate themselves to give us back the wonderful show we used to have by restoring the intelligent bad-ass brother-bonding Winchester brothers as they once were.
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Even an Ep about Dean fixing up the Impala ad Sam handing him the tools would be more interesting than most of the episodes this season.
I mean it must take the same amount of time and money to produce a good episode as a bad one, so why not always pick the good.
Use your wonderful lead actors in a more captivating way.
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This fandom has been so loyal to the show. They deserve better than these mediocre eps. Sheesh!
It was a decent episode...Deans fatherly talks were great......hey a Wednesday night with my boys and they are not hating one another or fighting with each other is an awesome night.......Let's get some herbal tea and aromatherapy candles...and we'll talk.....LOLOLOL I love these nuggets of comedy...I love my boys!
ReplyDeleteYes, the best part was definitely the preview and possibly the Impala talk w/the boys in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteJared really didn't need to be in the episode at all. He did nothing and didn't interact w/the main guest star even though he was the one running off to help her in the first place last time! Who wrote EHH? That person clearly knew how to balance the episode and show both Sam AND Dean having meaningful interactions w/the guest stars. They used to do this all the time in the past. Why is it so difficult now?
Oh yes . . . and then Sam mutters something about "wanting normal."
ReplyDeleteCan I just say how irritated I am w/the "normal" crap? Back when Dean was depressed and whining about hunting, I hated it. I don't want to see it w/Dean either. The show is about two brothers hunting evil. It would be nice if both enjoyed the life somewhat. For me, it makes the show unenjoyable to always have one brother complaining about hunting or longing for something else. These are grown men, not little boys. If you hate hunting so much, just stop! No one is forcing either to hunt.
But since we all know that is NEVER going to happen until the show ends, I wish the writers would stop picking from the "one brother hates hunting" bag. It's a dead horse at this point. Why are they still beating it w/a stick? Haha!
It's hard for me to even name a filler episode pre-Season 5 b/c they were all such good episodes. Honestly, I could pick any episode (even the Bela ones) from Seasons 1-4 and watch it all the way through. There are several episodes from Season 5 to present that I have never re-watched and would never re-watch (i.e., Episodes 1-11, MBFWB, and F&G from this season) again.
ReplyDeleteDonna, that would have been interesting. I just couldn't emotionally connect to the kids - don't know why - so the episode fell really flat for me.
ReplyDeleteI gave it an OK. The story had potential, but needed work. And I just didn't FEEL the young actors. None of them really caught my attention and they were somewhat boring. There was a serious lack of intensity in this ep. And practically no drama at all. Other than Bitten, probably my least favorite episode of the season. Ah well..each season has 2-3 clunkers. :)
ReplyDeleteSadly, this season, in my opinion, has more clunkers than good episodes.
ReplyDeleteI think they were trying to write for Sam, it's just that the way they write for him is constantly repeating the "normal life" thread. We've heard this so many times it just seems flat, especially if you didn't care about Sam's relationship with Amelia, which I didn't.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Sam and Dean portion felt more like them than most of this season, the car conversation, anyway. The rest, not so much.
They also had racist monster trucks. I don't think the writing was that much better, they just had better chemistry between Sam and Dean, and better humor. I miss that.
ReplyDeleteI sort of feel like we've seen most of what we need to see of their childhood. What I would like to see is a little more of Dean's teen years). I didn't care for the Dean they cast in After School Special. I'd like to see more of Sam's late teens too. As long as there are no long-lost children.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't even call it worst episode of the season. I think it was just sluggish and predictable. At least no one was having sex with a dog.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the continuity. I wasn't expecting that after what happened the last time Cas disappeared. I also thought the ideas were interesting. Just not overly well-executed.
ReplyDeleteThe way they are writing Sam this year makes me wonder if Jared is
ReplyDeletewanting off the show. Again Sam shows how much he wants to stop hunting
and be "normal". I either need Sam in the series or off, this in
between is getting very old and Sam this year has just not been here at
all. I know he is doing the trials but unless the last few eps get Sam
heavy, he has just not been in the game or the eps.
Oh, I agree. The Sam/Dean conversation in the Impala was the best moment of the episode, and I agree that their scenes together were fine.
ReplyDeleteI do find it very odd how Sam kept excusing himself so Dean and Krissy could have private conversations. Why was he doing that? Why couldn't he be privvy to those conversations? Nothing was said that didn't get back to him anyway. Why is Krissy closer to Dean than Sam? Sam answered her distress call in S7 and went off to rescue her while Dean couldn't be bothered.
There is really no reason why Dean is closer to Krissy than Sam. Since that is the case, I found it very odd that Sam wasn't in those scenes. Why couldn't he just stand there and say nothing. It was just strange and clunky. It's like the writers only wanted Krissy talking to Dean so Sam would just walk away for no reason. Odd. There was no reason Sam couldn't stay there and still not speak to Krissy, you know?
I would give it OK. I actually had expected much worse based on the preview, and based on the writing for Krissy last season. This time around, she was still too precocious, too "TV kid", but she was a little better. I thought the casting of Victor and the boy Krissy liked was good - they were talented actors. The guy who played Victor made a weak part into something decent. I could have done without the suicide scene, I wish he'd been sent to prison instead.
ReplyDeleteThe car scene at the start was good, and felt like Sam and Dean, guarded but bickering brothers.
I thought the last scene with Krissy and Dean also worked. It was unrealistic, Krissy being with her group, alone, but I liked the symbolism of Krissy making her own family, as Dean has.
Didn't like the very last scene, with the clumsy segue to the Hell trials.
No one has EVER had sex with a dog.
ReplyDeleteI am all for either letting Sam get his head in the game or if Jared wants out, just let him go. Am wondering if this is where it is headed(which BTW I would hate) but maybe that is why Misha is coming back. Here recently Cas and Dean have had better chemistry than Sam and Dean. I would love to have SPN with both brothers and feel like they belong there.
ReplyDeletehonestly, and sadly, i just can't see this show being dragged for another two years with episodes (and a season) like this. really rather unpleasant to watch a once good show run itself into the ground.
ReplyDeletealso, you do all realize why they are marginalizing Sam, yes? because next season when the dude who plays Cass becomes a full time cast member it will be him and Dean (well i was going to saying hunting/fighting but they don't do much of that anymore) together doing things while Sam will take the semi-regular role of Bobby, hub/info guy.
i have to agree. the originality, aesthetics, tone and general bad-ass natural of the characters has gone. i can understand trying the whole "world-weary" plot but done well and this was not due to shear amount of character disconnect and general lack on continuity and, as you mention, its a rehash and not a good one.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately the whole "men of letters" bit while new to this series is not original idea as a whole like the watchers in Buffy or Highlander the ideas has been done and again done better. this whole angle felt shoehorned in, very comic booke-esque and just plan unappealing. one reason the show was inetresting was due, in part, to the scrappy make-it-work nature of the brothers and the world as a whole. but instead they are now given everything on a silver platter of knowledge and laziness, along with blandness, ensues.
When I think about Jared refusing to work on a film of Bruce Willis for this, I get sad. It's clear the writers don't put much effort to write Sam as they do with Dean, Castiel and Benny and that helps a lot in the chemistry factor. Sometimes he gets no lines at all.
ReplyDeleteCas was a regular in seasons 5 and 6 and he was gone a lot of the time. The same will likely happen again. It's always going to be Dean and Sam together. I think they just don't know how to write for Sam. I'd say they haven't since season 5. Last season was almost as bad, although at least he was closer to Dean emotionally.
ReplyDeleteI think the show still has some life left in it. They just need better scripting and more energy. Episodes like last week, far from perfect, but with a good solid pace.
I think it's mostly because she and Dean had more of a bond. They do this more often with Dean, but occasionally with Sam (like last week with Meg, who only interacted with Dean enough to tell him he was an idiot). They seem to struggle with three-character scenes.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'd love for Sam to have friends to talk to.
ReplyDeleteWhat did that really have to do with my post? If I was a writer, I'd give Sam a friend, but I'm not.
actually no. the actor who playing Cass had said in a interview that for season 9 he will be a full-time series regular, he never was before, meaning he will be in every episode of season 9. if that is true that drastically changes the dynamics of the show and turns it from a duo into a trio. things are going to change and i think Sam will be the one who gets less action/screen time since that have turned him basically into a whiny pussy anyways better have him back that amazingly pristine bunker then half-hearted infield/onscreen.
ReplyDeleteInterview link:
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/02/supernatural-season-9-misha-collins-to-return-as-series-regular-and-direct-an-episode.html
Exactly. It will always be Sam and Dean. The writers just need to figure out how to include Sam more in conversations and give him friends to talk to (how hard is it writers, really?). No re-occuring character, even Cas, would be in every episode, so I think people over do it when they say he'll replace Sam.
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad but unfortuately true, the brothers have lost the charisma that made them who they were; two bad-ass hunters each with their own distinctive character, but complimentary to one another.
ReplyDeleteThey had a hard life but they managed to enjoy the little things too. They always seem so unhappy now
The whole show has become depressing.
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Then this whole 'wanting normal' is getting so annoying.
Sam and Dean are now grown men. If either want to change their life-style there's really nothing stopping them; that's why it seems so trite when the writers make them harp on about "normal".
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As for the MOF letters thing, I was meaning new for SPN. I've never watched Buffy and only the odd ep of Highlander, but now I know that not even MOL is new!
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However, you're right in that it is rather comic book-y.
Although in a way I'm glad that they have a place to call home, a big part of the attraction of SPN was the road-trip adventure that the brothers were on and the fact that they possessed nothing, only the Impala.
I don't see how they could pull that off with Cas being an angel and there always being normal "filler" episodes with basic monsters of the week...wait...in less he becomes human.... OO
ReplyDeletecompletely agree, it has become depressing that is a good word for it. and i can understand the "having a place to call home" i just think they went about it down the wrong road. also, when has normal been a good thing to either of them? they both have had tastes of it and time again walked away from it. i am not sure they understand what "normal" is or even what they want (the writer sure don't seem to understand it).
ReplyDeletei sadly don't even buy the bond or caring between them this season either. it all seem a little off and forced.
If that is the case, then maybe the nightmare scenario of Sam setting up home in the bunker with Amelia and child might come true. :(
ReplyDeleteI think that brining Castiel back full time is a terrible mistake and will back-fire on the show .
from the second they found the bunker and did the (pardon my gagging) G-d Trials i knew that this was where the show was headed with Sam. The trials, which he will pass, but leave him to damaged/weak to be in the field anymore and he will become the Oracle of SP.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but there wasn't many episodes like that. I mean, I even liked "Roadkill" and "Hook Man". There wasn't much I didn't like.
ReplyDeleteEh I have plenty from season 3-5 "filler" episodes I didn't like. Long Distance Call, Ghostfacers, Swap Meat, Family Remains, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe bond of caring has been completely torn apart.
ReplyDeleteCarver said that the brothers would be more mature this season, which obviously meant that the strong bond the brothers had would be torn apart, and it has been.
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Carver making Sam not-look for Dean from ep1 with no explanation of any kind, has made any caring between the brothers from then onwards very difficult to believe.
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To top it off, Dean saying that Benny is a better brother than Sam has ever been, really put the cherry on the cake.
It has been off and forced since Sam did not say he had looked for Dean, that was not the Sam of the past 7 years.
ReplyDeleteBringing Cas back is the best thing this show could have done, since Sam is not interested, at least Dean and Cas do care about each other..Sam did not look for Dean so not caring there.
ReplyDeleteWell, no, not technically, but that Portia episode certainly seemed to have enough fun talking about it. I didn't even hate the episode, but I just don't know why they had to go there.
ReplyDelete100% agree and i have no hope that they are going explain why he did that. sorry but a bit of skirt, and a bland one at that, does not a compelling reason make.
ReplyDeleteI see nothing in there that says he will be in every episode. I think this is the same position he had in 5 and 6.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. and then the writers trying to make the Amelia into something "special" like an amazing force that derailed Sam. see the eye-rolling convo between him and Meg for that.
ReplyDeleteI found more emotional truth, caring and bond when Meg said that Cass was her Unicorn then the forced BS about Sam and blandmelia.
Sam acts out what writers make him do. He didn't look for Dean because that was Carver's brilliant idea!
ReplyDeleteI will never accept that and I don't care if it's now canon or not.
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On the same wave-length, Castiel and Dean are shown to "care" about each other because that's what Carver and Singer seem to love.
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IMO this season has been the worst season of SPN ever and next season will probably be even worse.
Well of course Sam is the character that is written, and the tiny bit of hope I am hoping for is that Sam never said he did not look for Dean. When Dean asked him "Did you look for me, Sam" he said nothing. Still hoping this will be explained.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the episode and loved the kids. I liked the story and the fact that the kids were brought together, even if the guy ended up being bad. They still learned to rely on each other and became somewhat decent hunters. Plus they get a place to live. I always find it funny how you all complain that they guys always take a back seat to the guest stars, however the show has always featured the guest stars like that. The boys are always there to help out whoever is in trouble and we have to learn about those characters. I am not surprised Dean was suspicious of Victor, too bad he didn't prove Dean wrong. I hope the kids come back in the future. I am so looking forward to what these great writers have in store for us for the rest of the season and in the next season.
ReplyDeleteFunny how you take one thing and define Sam and everything by that. Yet accept Dean or Castiel regardless of how they act unconditionally . I am sorry Sam not looking for Dean is how you and others judge the character but then ity does seem that there as to be conditions that Sam has to meet for some to accept him . I did not like it at first but neither did I like alot of Dean's attitude first half of the season and Sam not looking was a creative decision the writers took not a personal one a fictional character took.
ReplyDeleteBut I have been in the fandom a long time and I am well aware of the different rules applied out there so unless Mr Carver and his perception idea are going to pull a clever one then Sam did not look for Dean and if that is something that some cant accept Sam for then so be it .
I couldn't agree more with you! A show should leave at it's height, not when it's sputtering along trying to survive. That's what's happening to Supernatural for me. It long since stopped being "Must See TV."
ReplyDeleteI also fear that Sam will be even more sidelined next year when Misha becomes a regular. If they can't write for Sam when it's just Sam, Dean, and a guest star, then how in the world will they do it when it is Sam, Dean, CASTIEL, and a guest star. I guess Jared will have to get used to awkwardly and oddly removing himself from scenes.
I share your fears. What is up w/Sam's constant talks about "normal?" Are they foreshadowing that Sam will be the MOL in the Batcave doing all the research w/Amelia and baby in the back room while Dean and Cas do all the hunting!?!?
ReplyDeleteI love Cas, but as you said, that would dramatically change the show! I don't think I could watch that show!
It is not one thing, Sam has always wanted out, and do you think I don't know the difference between Jared and Sam. Everything Sam does is from a writer and I not saying anything against Jared. Just if Sam's actions this year are because Jared is wanting out, then let that happen.
ReplyDeleteI can see how Dean would feel hurt if Sam did not bother looking for him. Sam ALWAYS looks. Did not matter to me if he found Dean or could do anything about getting him back.. if he just looked.
OH!!!! Off course!!! Fandome voted Awesome to one of the worst episodes of the season... I really hate this fandom!!!! Don't misunderstand me. I loved to have Krissy back. But was pretty poor... I'm sure of that.
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration but I refuse to judge Sam for Carver's OOC, bad story. We all know Sam would look for Dean. Even Carver admitted that Sam would look for Dean; he just decided - on a whim it seems - to explore what would happen if Sam didn't look.
ReplyDeleteWell, his experiment FAILED. The story was a failure. Amelia ws a failure. Even Jared confirmed that he didn't like the story and found it to be OOC. But this is the lousy route Carver chose for Sam. That's not "Sam's" fault, IMO.
I still love Sam, and I refuse to let Carver's one OOC decision influence the way I feel about a character I've watched the past 7 years. Sam would look, and under a better, more knowledgable showrunner, we would have seen Sam looking.
Great post! I couldn't agree more w/you. It was completely OOC for Sam to not look for Dean, and I'm choosing to view it as the OOC, irrational action it was by Carver, not Sam.
ReplyDeleteEveryone know Sam would have looked for Dean but for the bad writing!
They could "de-wing" Castiel and make him human!
ReplyDeleteAnd that is such a lie b/c Sam left Amelia BEFORE Dean returned so he had already decided to ditch her. So when Charlie talked about Dean causing Sam to "lose" Amelia or happiness or whatever - it makes ZERO sense. Dean didn't influence Sam to ditch Amelia TWICE; Sam did that on his own. Do the writers even watch the previous episodes? Is Carver looking at the scripts to make sure they flow from each other? I guess not!
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, Sam mentioned driving around for a few months doing nothing until he hit the dog. What exactly was Sam doing during that time? Amelia didn't derail him from anything. According to Carver, Sam just didn't bother looking into Dean's disappearance. It's not like he was about to do some serious research when Amelia caught his eye! Carver hasn't bothered to explain anything Sam did after Dean disappeared! It's really ridiculous.
I'm actually shocked at how Carver trashed Sam! And for what? The lame Amelia romance? The riveting tale of Sam's overwhelming grief/depression the past year? Please!
Looks like I'm going to skip this episode... Maybe someday I'll watch this season in its entirety, but right now I couldn't care less about filler episodes.
ReplyDeleteDean actually seems happier to me this season. He can laugh and joke more. He's proud of the bunker, and cooking, and having his own room. I think it's a big leap forward from seasons 6 and 7, where he was in a bottle all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think the Men of Letters idea works surprisingly well. After 8 years I don't think you can really keep having scrappy make-it-work nature. That mostly disappeared after season 2 or season 3, whenever Bobby became more prominent, saving the day and knowing all the answers. I think two men in their 30s needed something beyond endless motel rooms. I like the home aspect.
ReplyDeleteThey really do struggle w/3-character scenes . . . at least lately. But I didn't get that awkward feeling in EHH. That worked well, and there were four actos in the scene. However, in S6's episode when Dean and Sam rescued those kids, Jared had like 3 lines of dialogue and mostly just hung back. It was very odd.
ReplyDeleteThere doesn't appear to be any consistency in the writing!
Well, if Jared left, I'd most likely stop watching.
ReplyDeleteI love science fiction and horror. That's what drew me to this show in the first place, but what kept me was the bond btw the brothers. Remember when that girl in MATEOTB said she loved it when the boys cried . . . well, so do I! Haha! I love all their mushy speeches and unspoken declarations of love.
Seriously though, I love the deep bond btw these two brothers. That's why I was so disgusted w/Carver's story for Sam this year. Sam would NEVER abandon Dean when Dean needed him. Sam would ALWAYS look for Dean or at least investigate his disappearance. He wouldn't just shrug his shoulders and move on w/his life. I have been happier since the ATGB but if Sam is seriously sidelined or if Jared left, I wouldn't watch anymore. The whole dynamic of the show would have changed for me, and not in a good way!
That is sad! Jared could be doing things to advance his career AFTER Supernatural but he's turning down things for the show. If that's the case, they should at least keep him in scenes. He didn't need to leave any time Dean and Krissy had their little chats!
ReplyDeleteHey . . . I loved Route 666. Possessed vehicles is not a new concept in horror flicks.
ReplyDeleteOH please, no more Krissy.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I started watching for the family and this year that has been ruined for me. I don't want Sam to leave, but had rather that than the Sam we have had so far. I am still holding out hope that this will be fixed and explained before the season ends.
ReplyDelete1983 Christine from King. lol
ReplyDeletethat is what "full-time series regular" implies (and it fully means). otherwise he would be listed as "recurring". full time means, well, full time. and FYI the actors who play Sam & Dean are full-time series regulars.
ReplyDeleteyes, i address this further down the post/thread if you care to read. i have no objection to the "home" aspect just how it was conceived and executed.
ReplyDeleteHaha, Amen! I could not agree more. And she wasn't even all that special or interesting. I can see the thought of "lets give me this normal super boring slice of the life" which is the inverse of all he has had so far but it just seemed sad and pathetic more then anything.
ReplyDeleteAlso, good point what was Sam doing? And wasn't there someone standing outside his window, while he was with Blandmelia and father, watching them? who was that, was that explained?
Honestly, i think whoever is writing for the show currently needs to be asked quite firmly to step down.
please, no more Garth.
ReplyDeleteI've read that the mysterious figure standing outside the house was Don. I read it on TWFB or Supernatural.tv. Apparently Bob Singer or someone associated w/the show said that person was Don.
ReplyDeleteWho really knows? I'm sure the writers have no clue as there doesn't seem to be a plan for Sam!
Jared at no time has said or indicated he wanted out and in fact the opposite. The way you view Sam is being written has nothing to do with Jared so think what you like thats up to you but dont drag him into your issues with Sam.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I love that flick :-)
ReplyDeleteI think that the writers will explain everything in detail near the final.
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice episode. It showed a different perspective of hunters.
ReplyDeleteExactly! From everything I've heard and read, Jared is committed to Supernatural to the end of the series. If - and that's a huge if - Sam were written off, I doubt it would be Jared's decision. He's in it for the long haul.
ReplyDeleteI wish that too sometimes If I was the writer wee see sam get a friend too maybe see his bedroom like we seen dean's a few eps ago not nother and that why the writers suck right now.
ReplyDeleteme too on the 1st part he is the only reason I am stay to the show if he is gone I am to. we need both of them on it will not be the same if one of them is gone.
ReplyDelete>>I think that bringing Castiel back full time is a terrible mistake and will back-fire on the show<<
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you wrote that here and aren't dead yet.
Which I'm wondering if that's what "Clip Show" is gonna focus on.
ReplyDeleteProbably most of the voters didn't even watch the ep yet. Or they're the "any ep of SPN is better than anything else on TV". Which isn't true of any show. Except Homicide: Life on the Street. And that's been cancelled since 1999.
ReplyDelete>>I could have done without the suicide scene, I wish he'd been sent to prison instead.<<
ReplyDeleteBut how? A vampire technically murdered the families. There's no physical evidence to link him to the crimes.
There's the Winchesters helping a guest star out and the guest star helping themselves to their position of importance on the show.
ReplyDeleteI never saw the first Krissy episode - I'd given up on season six after the fairy ep - so I couldn't hardly pay attention to the other kids because I hated her so much. There's sassy teen and there's annoying brat who needs to be kicked in the face. Then, like I said, it was so obvious from the word go, Dean was in the right. When they figured out what was going on, I said aloud, "I must need glasses because I didn't see THAT coming! *eye roll*"
ReplyDeleteWell if you watch some interviews of the writers and producers and even eric kripke, they say the show will always be about sam and dean no matter what and i am happy that cass will be a regular in season 9! Love team free will!
ReplyDeletesam would never be written off! the show is about Dean AND Sam and that would ruin the show if they were to write sam out, it just wouldnt be supernatural without both brothers :)
ReplyDeleteJared doesnt want to leave because he said they were really happy about season 9 and he even posted it on twitter :)
ReplyDelete*krissy
ReplyDeleteI loved the episode, sue me! :)
ReplyDeleteLoL, and he just wouldn't look the same Castiel dressed in normal clothes! The trench-coat is part of who he is.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't think he will be written out, but he could definitely be sidelined and backburnered as he was in this past episode and other episodes where Cas is involved.
ReplyDeleteI guess we'll find out next year!
He really wouldn't :-)
ReplyDeleteBut I guess if they plan to have him in the majority of the episodes, he'll have to "fall" and become human.
Sorry for the delay. Ben Edlund wrote EHH and when he writes "brother centric episodes" he does a superb job writing both characters and gives them as clear to equal POV and yes, both have meaning interactions with guest stars even when seperated.
ReplyDeleteContrast that with Glass's fair SC, better ATGB and very underwhelming F&G and you get heavy doses of "sidelined Sam, not interacting solo with "important guest stars" (Garth, Henry, Krissy). There was zero reason last season in Glass's AIB to have Sam "wait by the car" and even more ridiculous that F&G featured an almost identical scene.
I think that many of us agree that the whole "Sam not looking for Dean/abandoning Meg and Kevin " storyline was an abomination that I will not soon forgive Carver for playing with after Sera had so well set up theS8 "Sam (and allie?s) rescues Dean and Cas from Purgatory".
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, CyanaT!
ReplyDelete---
Well, then, BE needs to write the entire show. Haha! If he's the only one who can skillfully write for BOTH brothers and not sideline one for the other, then I want him writing the entire freaking show!
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I try to forget everything about last season so I didn't remember that Sam waited in the car while Dean and Krissy shared a moment. Hmm . . . why? Why in the world was it written like that? Did Sam not answer Krissy's call for help? Did Sam not meet her and bond w/her a little bit? Why does AG act like Sam never met Krissy?
That's what kills me! Sera set up a perfect story for Sam to rescue Dean. Carver ditched that story for . . . .Amelia! He honestly thought we'd be more interested in seeing Sam in a chemistry-less, mundane, dispassionate relationship with a woman no one (or rather most people) couldn't care less about!
ReplyDelete---
I don't think he knows anything about the show.
But we are in season 8 now and i'm getting a tad bored with Cas being able to cure everything by just turning up.....Rememeber when the Winchesters were kick ass hunters..i miss those days..
ReplyDeleteYes, I did not care if Sam "found" Dean, only that he had looked.
ReplyDeleteExactly. What purpose did Carver having Sam just think Dean was dead (so not look) serve, except to piss many, many fans off. Experiment Failed, Carver!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Anything would have been better than the "nothing" we got!
ReplyDeleteHaha, Stigwood Ave, Huxtables. I guess no one else caught that eh.?
ReplyDeletehaha yeh sorry
ReplyDeleteI didn't hate Krissy in her first episode, but she was way more annoying in this episode IMO. Honestly, it was yet another "wasted" episode. I would have rather seen an episode focused on what Sam did in the two or three months before he hit Riot.
ReplyDeletei think this episode suffered mostly from placement in the season. had this episode replaced maybe bitten or the third episode i would've liked it better as it wasn't bad it was just... not good either.
ReplyDeletethis late in the season i expect fillers to tie into more than just minor roundabout character developments. if this episode had stayed the same but had shown more of sam deteriorating, which would've been a good time to do so since this wasn't so much an active hunt, i'd like it more. had this been more direct in setting up for benny's return by going into an aspect of vampire life that will be mirrored in the following episode, i'd be fine. had this allowed dean to follow up on his "no more lies" stance from the last episode then i'd be fine. or if they had tied the kids into kevin's mostly off screen development that would've been great as well.
but this was just... a filler.
had they placed this earlier in the season there would've been more drama to build off of what with krissy possibly tying into sam's arc by contrasting their approaches after losing a loved one. highlighting dean's renewed purpose being at odds with krissy's choice all while he is trying to pull sam back in. setting up the conflicts around the idea of what makes a family with the upcoming reintroduction of benny, castiel, charlie, and later amelia. the concepts and ideas in this episode just seem more fitted for earlier in the season.
It wasn't so much that as the rest - I liked the part about the car.
ReplyDeleteI guess we'll see next season...I thought it would be back to 11-12 episodes a year or so. But you may be right. I haven't heard 100% either way.
ReplyDeleteThe whole ep sort of felt tacked on.
ReplyDeleteTrue. I just think it would have sent a better message. I felt like they mostly wanted a reason for him to be gone so he wouldn't hurt the kids after Sam and Dean left, but "oh look, he killed himself" sort of felt tacked on.
ReplyDeleteOh. I liked Cassie. I thought she and Dean were very cute together so I don't have any issues w/that episode! It's one my faves from Season 1.
ReplyDeleteAhh . . . "clipping" his wings. Hmmm . . . could be.
ReplyDeleteIf he is meant to be a regular like Sam and Dean, then I think he has to become "human." They could always return his grace to him (like Anna) in the Series finale.
I assume he would b/c it would be gross and nasty! And he wouldn't be able to magically clean it like he has in the past.
ReplyDeletefirst time i have voted poor this season i even liked bitten better than this .It was poor written and i hate crispy cant stand her at all !...bad bad bad
ReplyDeletefull time regular means that he has to appear for a certain amount of times across a certain amount of episodes as a minimum. with the possibility for more not requiring a midseason renegotiation of contract. jensen and jared are series regulars but also leads. which means they HAVE to be in every episode unless contracted otherwise (usually at their request due to scheduling made way in advance). sam and dean are in every single episode, now how much time they are there may vary but the fact is that they have been in all 168 of the episodes since the pilot til the upcoming ep.
ReplyDeletewhat full time allows is more for the writers/creator since unlike this season they have the POTENTIAL to use him in every episode. it's not mandated, nor does using him in every episode require significant screen time. misha will get payed regardless so any writing choices don't need to be filtered through budget concerns.
that coincidentally allows for better use of guest stars as they don't have to shuffle the budget to allow for misha in 8 episodes since his cost is already in the base amount per episode/season. so that means, if they live from this season, naomi, kevin, charlie, benny, krissy and co, amelia, aaron and the golem, crowley, surprise i'm not dead meg/samandiriel, heaven bound past characters, etc can all come back with varying levels of importance and new season reoccurring can be used more than one off motws. which means less fillers and more season long arcs.
I suspect even dull as dishwater "Samelia" would have been tolerated better if Sam told Amelia "on-screen" a "non-supernatural version" of what he *knew* happened to Dean, something like Dean was kidnapped but Sam never got a ransom note, and so looked for months and never found Dean, so Sam came to his "world-imploding" conclusion that Dean was dead because Dean would never not contact Sam if he was alive.
ReplyDeleteThat's just an example of "more" that Sam could have told Amelia because the "key words" are "Sam looked for Dean". Sam had ZERO reason to believe that Dean was dead - nothing on Supernatural has ever "died" without some remains left behind.
Only a few more sentences of Sam dialog and fans would likely have been a little more satisfied. The writers frequently do this with Sam - set a serious situation up and don't even close to adequetely follow through on it.