Whoa! I almost forgot to post this. Given that I signed up for NaBloPoMo this month, it would have been a real bitch to poop out on the first day.
Dead in the Water (103)
It’s not just one of my season 1 favorites, but one of my all-time faves. I have no idea why it got such a low rating at IMDB, and a less than “usual” one at Television Without Pity. (TWoP’s “usual” fan grade is B.) Sure, there were some incongruities, but the character development, spookiness of the monster of the week, and sheer drama more than made up for it. Plus there was that “money shot” of Dean emerging from the lake with Lucas. (Which also happens to be one of Jensen Ackles’s favorite scenes.)
Sam seems terribly emo at the beginning of the episode. But if you put it in context, this was very early in the series, and Sam was still mourning Jessica.
Of course, the star of the episode was Jensen Ackles. He perfectly showed Dean’s softer side. We began to understand the devastating effect his mother’s death had on him. Yet, when Sam tried to pull more emotion out of him, Dean shut down. It’s a character trait that’s stayed with Dean throughout eight seasons.
I loved how the brothers were in total sync on the case, even though they’d been apart for two years. When Dean’s Foot of Doom bangs open the door to Andrea’s bathroom, it’s Sam who quickly rushes in to save her while Dean tries to comfort a distraught Lucas. And when Lucas is pulled into the lake, neither Dean nor Sam hesitate to dive in after him. The act speaks volumes as to the heroic nature of both characters.
Did you notice? When Dean says good-bye to Lucas and Andrea and walks around the Impala, he’s wearing sneakers rather than the heavy boots he usually wears. Probably because sneakers are a more prudent choice when diving into a lake.
Sadly, the closing song has been changed. Apparently TNT doesn’t want to pay Bad Company the royalties for “Movin’ On.”
– Written by Sera Gamble & Raelle Tucker (my favorite Supernatural writer); directed by the late, super-great Kim Manners
– IMDB rating 7.9 (out of 10) (what the hell???); TV.com rating 8.8
Everybody Hates Hitler
Reviewed here. Don’t be alarmed by the 3-star rating. I was using a 4-star scheme at the time. Now that I’m back on the 5-star scale, it gets 4 stars. Although it easily could have been 5 stars.
I’m now wondering if we’ll see Aaron and the Golem in season 9. Their story is far from finished, and they’re both likeable, non-stereotypical characters. Perhaps they’ll need to call on Dean and Sam for some Men of Letters help. It might make a refreshing respite from next season’s overarching story.
– Written by Ben Edlund; directed by Phil Sgriccia
– TV Fanatic fan rating 4.7 (out of 5); IMDB rating 8.9; TV.com rating 9.1
[Screencap of Dean and Lucas from Oxoniensis; photo of Sam, the CW]
Stream of Conscience 