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So I've been neglecting the full series rewatch I started last year, but there's nothing like a con to get me motivated to dive right back in. Today mom and I watched 7 episodes and she cracked me up by thinking it was only half that many. It really did fly by though. That's how much we had been missing massive quantities of Supernatural in our lives. :D
Date watched: Sunday, March 6
Episode: 2.14 Born Under a Bad Sign, 2.15 Tall Tales, 2.16 Roadkill, 2.17 Heart, 2.18 Hollywood Babylon, 2.19 Folsom Prison Blues, 2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be
Born Under a Bad Sign continues exploring the fear that Sam has about his destiny. When he blacks out and does things that he doesn’t remember he’s convinced he’s going bad. As they unravel the truth Dean puts a tough face on and refuses to believe that Sam is responsible for the things they find. He even tries to rationalize that if Sam did do it there was a good reason for it.
When he’s finally confronted with Sam demanding to be killed for what he’s done, Dean says he can’t and would rather die. I feel that’s basically the core of the entire show. For good and for ill.
Of course that’s also when Sam attacks him and goes to torment Jo. Eventually we learn that Sam is possessed by Meg. New demon mythology like binding links are introduced but eventually Dean and Bobby save the day. The biggest take away is that no matter what Dean will save Sam, even and sometimes especially if Sam doesn’t want saving.
Tall Tales introduces us to the glory that is the Trickster/Gabriel. Generally the episodes that feature him are delightful. Unreliable narration is the name of the game in this episode and it’s hilarious to see how Dean and Sam view each other. Especially the part with Dean and the purple nerples and the food. Poor Bobby having to deal with those two.
Road Kill is a really interesting episode because of the Sixth Sense style twist. It’s great to see the compassion that the boys have for the oblivious ghost. Sam in particular shows a depth of care for her and her predicament. Dean is of course more standoffish and tough love about the situation. The fact that Molly didn’t have to be salted and burned but could move on by coming to terms with her predicament and what was holding her to this plane is an interesting angle to the show’s ghost mythology.
Heart is a bad episode for Sam and his “peen of death.” Once again a woman who sleeps with him meets a horrible death. Sam over-identifies with Madison’s struggle because of his own uncertain darkness. Eventually he does what Madison asks and kills her, hardening himself emotionally in the process. Dean tried to spare him from that, but Sam did what he felt he had to.
The episode also brings in a lot of werewolf lore which as the episode shows is uncertain at best. In general the werewolf lore on this series is constantly evolving because hunters have a lot of misinformation.
Hollywood Babylon is a very entertaining episode because they make fun of their own industry. It’s also super fun to watch Dean throw himself entirely into being a PA and falling in love with craft services. One of my favorite things is seeing Dean happy and involved in life and this episode gives us that in spades.
Folsom Prison Blues is an episode that shows how far Sam and Dean will go for a hunt and to help someone they feel they owe. In this case they infiltrate a prison and investigate as prisoners. It’s also another episode where Dean fits in perfectly to his surroundings but unlike in Hollywood Babylon its more concerning than endearing. Dean is way too comfortable in prison.
The episode also brings back Henriksen and the FBI who are still out to get the Winchesters. The show tries to remind us of that building threat every so often.
What Is and What Should Never Be is a heartbreaking episode. It introduces Djinn to the setting and their abilities to give you a perfect dream of what you wish your life was even as they feed off you. The alternate realities they create in your mind are so seductive you don’t necessarily want to fight against them. In this episode a Djinn gives Dean a normal life with his mom still alive and a steady girlfriend. He doesn’t trust it but still enjoys things like mowing the lawn for his mother.
Ultimately though its a reality where he isn’t close with Sam and where all the people they saved didn’t actually get saved. Without Dean and Sam hunting the world is very different. Watching Dean struggle with the pain of doing the right thing even though it means sacrificing everything he wants is heartbreaking. His willingness to do so is also what makes him a hero and if there is one thing Dean is good at its sacrificing his happiness and embracing pain. It’s a quality that serves him well in this episode. It also shows us how much Dean would rather live with real pain than fake joy which comes up more and more during future seasons.
Random thoughts:
-I love Jo telling Dean not to be a baby as she tends his wound.
-I love the use of Rooster by Alice in Chains at the end of 2.19, but you’d think they would have used some Johnny Cash music…
-In the Djinn dream Mary confirms her identity to Dean with her nightly comfort of “angels are watching over you” which is so much more important and disturbing now that I’ve seen the whole series.
-I’ll never get over how pretty Dean’s single man tears are.
Date watched: Sunday, March 6
Episode: 2.14 Born Under a Bad Sign, 2.15 Tall Tales, 2.16 Roadkill, 2.17 Heart, 2.18 Hollywood Babylon, 2.19 Folsom Prison Blues, 2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be
Born Under a Bad Sign continues exploring the fear that Sam has about his destiny. When he blacks out and does things that he doesn’t remember he’s convinced he’s going bad. As they unravel the truth Dean puts a tough face on and refuses to believe that Sam is responsible for the things they find. He even tries to rationalize that if Sam did do it there was a good reason for it.
When he’s finally confronted with Sam demanding to be killed for what he’s done, Dean says he can’t and would rather die. I feel that’s basically the core of the entire show. For good and for ill.
Of course that’s also when Sam attacks him and goes to torment Jo. Eventually we learn that Sam is possessed by Meg. New demon mythology like binding links are introduced but eventually Dean and Bobby save the day. The biggest take away is that no matter what Dean will save Sam, even and sometimes especially if Sam doesn’t want saving.
Tall Tales introduces us to the glory that is the Trickster/Gabriel. Generally the episodes that feature him are delightful. Unreliable narration is the name of the game in this episode and it’s hilarious to see how Dean and Sam view each other. Especially the part with Dean and the purple nerples and the food. Poor Bobby having to deal with those two.
Road Kill is a really interesting episode because of the Sixth Sense style twist. It’s great to see the compassion that the boys have for the oblivious ghost. Sam in particular shows a depth of care for her and her predicament. Dean is of course more standoffish and tough love about the situation. The fact that Molly didn’t have to be salted and burned but could move on by coming to terms with her predicament and what was holding her to this plane is an interesting angle to the show’s ghost mythology.
Heart is a bad episode for Sam and his “peen of death.” Once again a woman who sleeps with him meets a horrible death. Sam over-identifies with Madison’s struggle because of his own uncertain darkness. Eventually he does what Madison asks and kills her, hardening himself emotionally in the process. Dean tried to spare him from that, but Sam did what he felt he had to.
The episode also brings in a lot of werewolf lore which as the episode shows is uncertain at best. In general the werewolf lore on this series is constantly evolving because hunters have a lot of misinformation.
Hollywood Babylon is a very entertaining episode because they make fun of their own industry. It’s also super fun to watch Dean throw himself entirely into being a PA and falling in love with craft services. One of my favorite things is seeing Dean happy and involved in life and this episode gives us that in spades.
Folsom Prison Blues is an episode that shows how far Sam and Dean will go for a hunt and to help someone they feel they owe. In this case they infiltrate a prison and investigate as prisoners. It’s also another episode where Dean fits in perfectly to his surroundings but unlike in Hollywood Babylon its more concerning than endearing. Dean is way too comfortable in prison.
The episode also brings back Henriksen and the FBI who are still out to get the Winchesters. The show tries to remind us of that building threat every so often.
What Is and What Should Never Be is a heartbreaking episode. It introduces Djinn to the setting and their abilities to give you a perfect dream of what you wish your life was even as they feed off you. The alternate realities they create in your mind are so seductive you don’t necessarily want to fight against them. In this episode a Djinn gives Dean a normal life with his mom still alive and a steady girlfriend. He doesn’t trust it but still enjoys things like mowing the lawn for his mother.
Ultimately though its a reality where he isn’t close with Sam and where all the people they saved didn’t actually get saved. Without Dean and Sam hunting the world is very different. Watching Dean struggle with the pain of doing the right thing even though it means sacrificing everything he wants is heartbreaking. His willingness to do so is also what makes him a hero and if there is one thing Dean is good at its sacrificing his happiness and embracing pain. It’s a quality that serves him well in this episode. It also shows us how much Dean would rather live with real pain than fake joy which comes up more and more during future seasons.
Random thoughts:
-I love Jo telling Dean not to be a baby as she tends his wound.
-I love the use of Rooster by Alice in Chains at the end of 2.19, but you’d think they would have used some Johnny Cash music…
-In the Djinn dream Mary confirms her identity to Dean with her nightly comfort of “angels are watching over you” which is so much more important and disturbing now that I’ve seen the whole series.
-I’ll never get over how pretty Dean’s single man tears are.
