Dean: "I can't do it. I would rather go to Hell."
Gotta say, not loving the gross-out.
"Slicey McHacky" is a horror movie staple that I particularly dislike. Even the clever dialogue and sick jokes didn't make the story palatable. And the evil immortal buried alive thing was just done on another show I review. For me, the only reasons this episode was worth watching at all were Dean's rejection of supernatural immortality as an alternative to Hell, and the surprisingly moving reveal of what was really going on with Bela.
What was Sam thinking? Didn't he realize that becoming a thing like Doc Benton would be like becoming a demon, and that was something Dean would never do? Except that if Dean goes to Hell in the season finale next week, he'll eventually become a demon, anyway. Dan said to me that he would be a lot less upset if it was Sam that was going to Hell, and I agree: Sam is the brain, but Dean is the heart of the show. And hey, segue on the symbolism, there were hearts getting ripped out in this episode.
So Bela was an abused 14-year-old named Abby who did a Crossroads deal to kill her parents. That'll teach her to commit murder the old-fashioned way. You know, if they'd given Bela this kind of depth and motivation earlier, I might have liked her a lot more.
And if they indeed just wrote her out, I have to say that it was masterfully done. I was afraid for a moment that she and Dean were going to hit the sheets; they were really close to each other and yelling, and that angry sex vibe was in the air. I was relieved that they didn't, because I really, really didn't want them to.
At least Bela was good enough to spend her last few moments before the hell hounds arrived telling Dean that Lilith held all of the Crossroads deals, which I should have picked up on before. At least we know who the enemy is now.
Bits and pieces:
— The young woman with the maggots that Sam rescued was something of a dropped plot thread. What happened to her? If she went to the cops, why weren't there a thousand police cars surrounding Doc Benton's cabin?
— When Dean was pouring holy water in that demon's throat, all I could think of was that Dean was waterboarding a demon. Cheney would have loved it.
— Rufus the hunter was a fun character. But depressing. It's not fun to think about the fact that the Winchesters have no real future, even if Dean beats the deal.
— Wouldn't it have been better to cremate Doctor Giggles? What if they decide to put a freeway through that cemetery and relocate those graves?
— Waking up in a bathtub of ice with a kidney missing is a really famous internet urban legend. Which I'm sure you already know, since you're on the internet reading this.
— This week, the guys went to Erie, Pennsylvania. And it really was eerie. The Erie Motel was predictably tacky, but almost in the normal range. Bela was in Canaan, Vermont, with a Biblical name and slightly more upscale accommodations.
— The boys were cops again. No fun names this time.
— Another song title as an episode title.
Quotes:
Dean: "Zombies do like the other, other white meat."
Sam: "So that kinda punches a hole in our zombie theory, huh? That scalpel thing?"
Dean: "A zombie with skills. Doctor Quinn, medicine zombie."
And, pointless point, Jane Seymour played Jensen's mother on Smallville. One degree of separation.
Sam: "There's no way she still has the Colt. That was months ago. She probably sold it the second she got it."
Dean: "Well, then I'll kill her. Win win."
Rufus: "You do her ear."
Dean: "Sorry?"
Rufus: "You do her ear."
Dean: "Hey, man, I'll try anything once. But I don't know, that sounds uncomfortable."
Apparently, in England, they're all over the ears.
Heavy episode and not much fun at all. One star for Doctor Giggles, three for Dean and Bela, which averages out to two stars,
Billie
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Billie Doux adores Supernatural which is a good thing since apparently, it's eternal.
I didn't love the Frankenstein plot but was really glad they added some depth to Bella because I was beginning to get annoyed and sick of the character, what with her foiling our hero's jobs every other week.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually nervous to watch the season finale. I really don't want Dean to go to hell. I don't want to see Sam turn into the Sam of "Mystery Spot". Ever since Dean realized that he didn't want to go, it's made it harder each week to watch as he inevitably comes closer to being dragged down into the fiery pits by the hell hounds.
I also don´t like the plot very much, but I appreciate what they did with Dean. Of course Dean would never consider to be like Doc Benton but it sure is tempting. And Bela, I´ve always liked her and I was sad to see her go.
ReplyDeleteBela was not redeemed at all to me. Probably because I can imagine a million other ways she could have dealt with both situations. I'm glad she's gone.
ReplyDeleteBillie I can tell that you really didn't like this episode because you didn't mention one of the most important parts of it - that Sam and Dean admitted that they were keeping even more secrets from each other! The much discussed closeness of the brothers has been totally eroded in a season where they should have become closer. Good stuff! SL
Ding dong - and high time, too. I've really disliked the Bela character from the beginning and am very glad to see the end of her. And that throw away about her being abused impressed me not in the slightest. Look at our heroes. No one could say they had a charming childhood, and yet neither made a deal with the devil when he was fourteen. Speaking of which, sorry Lauren, but you look older than 24 to me...
ReplyDeleteLoved Rufus! He would make a great recurring character a la Bobby.
The overall plot was weak, but I took from it the desperation of our boys - especially Sam. As the end draws ever nigh, he is willing to try anything to save his brother. Dean, on the other hand, just seems to want a way out that will preserve his humanity and nobility. Please, oh please, let there be a way out next week.
PS -- Did anyone else notice that the rental car company was Lariat? Those 'X-Files' references just keep creeping in.
"Look at our heroes. No one could say they had a charming childhood, and yet neither made a deal with the devil when he was fourteen."
DeleteI'd still argue that surviving SA is a league above coping with an absentee dad... but I'm right there with you with it being a throw away. Not earned, TV shows definitely need to be more careful about how they use SA for drama. This was sloppy and last minute.
Bela killed both her parents though, right? Why mom? Maybe she was willfully ignoring the abuse but it would have been nice of them to tell us.
ReplyDeleteThe actor who played the doctor was a recurring character on Charmed. He was super creepy then, which says a lot about him as an actor because that was such a silly show.
I could buy that she felt an irrationally equal measure of hatred towards her mother for her willful ignorance of it. Things can get complicated with mothers and daughters, mothers can do objectively less damage to their child and still get a disproportionate amount of hatred. IMO, of course. Weak-willed mothers are a special kind of bummer but I don't know how you can find them complicit.
DeleteAs ridiculous as it was I really liked the idea of Sam being desperate enough to keep Dean around that he'd accept a zombie version of him. It's kind of sweet.
ReplyDeleteAlso the eye scooping, goddamn. I feel like I'm watching Hannibal with my awe at them getting away with it. I mean it was interrupted but you still see it getting bloodshot and that was enough to freak me out.
Also BASED RUFUS!!! Speaking of special kind of bummers, lol... loved his shit-eating grin at the scotch though.
Despite the fact that I liked her less than my first watch (though her shenanigans did make for a cool "We're so screwed" moment in Jus in Bello when Ruby finds out they didn't have the Colt) I still find her exit here really dark, in an impressive kind of way. Damn. As clumsy as the flashbacks were (did they really not have time to flesh her out?? bullshit), I still felt really bad. She gave them good intel for free when she accepted that her time was up... and she just gave Dean her blessings to succeed in killing Lilith. I'm sorry she's gone, despite not enjoying her. She belongs on a special short list of disliked side characters who had really effective exits.
In a super dark episode nobody talked about Dean and his burger "Baby I can't stay mad at you". Dean relatiobship with food is never disappointing.
ReplyDelete