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Supernatural Season 4 Episode 16 - On the head of a pin
Posted by The Red Devil
on
Saturday, March 21, 2009
in
Castiel,
Dean Winchester,
Jared Padalecki,
Jensen Ackles,
Misha Collins,
Sam Winchester,
Supernatural,
TV shows
I love the pacing for this episode - It's fast enough to keep your interest and enthusiasm at the helm but it's not too fast that it makes you feel like you're watching a tennis match. The premise was already there (thanks to the millions of fans watching the promos and talking about it at the water cooler the entire week) so it was about setting the pacing and the emotions.
The twist in the story was very Neil Gaiman-y. I think I wrote something about this a long time ago. I've always thought that Lucifer was misunderstood. All this stems from love and worship and some misplaced notion of it. Lucifer has a hard time bowing down to humans (as God commanded) as she (Lucifer will never be a man) was created to worship God and only God. It's like being forced to love your husband's mistress. Hey, some people get off it but it's kinda hard not to feel sympathy for the wife is and when she physically incapacitates the mistress, right?
I honestly felt fear watching Dean torture Alistair. Jensen Ackles' acting was wonderful here - it was raw and gripping and it felt like he was incandescent with emotions. (I know, I used the phrase before but thre's really no other way of explaining it) I felt that if I were to touch him, I'd burn, that's how intense Dean was. The shift of emotions and internal conflict was so prevalent, seamless and truthful. Truthful! That's the perfect description of it. It really felt real. It was another perspective, rather than just seeing the "whiny, oh pity me" rant Dean has been having for the past 15 episodes.
Now, let's move to Sam. If I were to look at the progression of the character since Season 1, I'd say that he did ease in and finally accepted what he is - a hunter coming from a family of hunters who are legendary because of certain myths that are about them and surround them. If I were to choose, I'd rather that Tessa would've said the "Don't lie to yourself" part to Sam instead of Dean. Sam is enjoying this, he thrives upon it. The vanity and arrogance that is Sam Winchester finds a natural habitat within the confines of his demon blood, the prophesy and the powers that come with it. You can lie to anyone you want, but never to yourself.
See, here's another thing. 16 episodes into Season 4, and I still can't appreciate Genevieve Cortese's rendition of Ruby. She lacks the edge, the bite to put Ruby into that level that Katie Cassidy left her at. We all know Ruby's up to something and it's something big, but must you butcher the character while you're at it?
Castiel... so conflicted and so beautiful while doing it. He truly wants to dot he right thing, not because he's expected to do so, but it's just his make up. Anna makes a comeback and thank goodness that she didn't touch Dean this time otherwise the Gutter Girls and the hardcore fanchicks would raise arms and declare war. If Anna were truly doing something wrong, don't you think God would've smitten her already? She's the voice of reason to an angel who just sees obedience. It's waxing poetic, really.
It seems to be Dean's third time in the hospital with a serious injury (Faith, In my time of dying and this). Methinks it's becoming a Supernatural tradition as well: "Tradition #4 on Supernatural - at least one Winchester must be seriously injured, comatose or near death that would result in a hospital bed scene in every season."
It's a great episode. I can dissect it some more but domestic duties come first.
The twist in the story was very Neil Gaiman-y. I think I wrote something about this a long time ago. I've always thought that Lucifer was misunderstood. All this stems from love and worship and some misplaced notion of it. Lucifer has a hard time bowing down to humans (as God commanded) as she (Lucifer will never be a man) was created to worship God and only God. It's like being forced to love your husband's mistress. Hey, some people get off it but it's kinda hard not to feel sympathy for the wife is and when she physically incapacitates the mistress, right?
I honestly felt fear watching Dean torture Alistair. Jensen Ackles' acting was wonderful here - it was raw and gripping and it felt like he was incandescent with emotions. (I know, I used the phrase before but thre's really no other way of explaining it) I felt that if I were to touch him, I'd burn, that's how intense Dean was. The shift of emotions and internal conflict was so prevalent, seamless and truthful. Truthful! That's the perfect description of it. It really felt real. It was another perspective, rather than just seeing the "whiny, oh pity me" rant Dean has been having for the past 15 episodes.
Now, let's move to Sam. If I were to look at the progression of the character since Season 1, I'd say that he did ease in and finally accepted what he is - a hunter coming from a family of hunters who are legendary because of certain myths that are about them and surround them. If I were to choose, I'd rather that Tessa would've said the "Don't lie to yourself" part to Sam instead of Dean. Sam is enjoying this, he thrives upon it. The vanity and arrogance that is Sam Winchester finds a natural habitat within the confines of his demon blood, the prophesy and the powers that come with it. You can lie to anyone you want, but never to yourself.
See, here's another thing. 16 episodes into Season 4, and I still can't appreciate Genevieve Cortese's rendition of Ruby. She lacks the edge, the bite to put Ruby into that level that Katie Cassidy left her at. We all know Ruby's up to something and it's something big, but must you butcher the character while you're at it?
Castiel... so conflicted and so beautiful while doing it. He truly wants to dot he right thing, not because he's expected to do so, but it's just his make up. Anna makes a comeback and thank goodness that she didn't touch Dean this time otherwise the Gutter Girls and the hardcore fanchicks would raise arms and declare war. If Anna were truly doing something wrong, don't you think God would've smitten her already? She's the voice of reason to an angel who just sees obedience. It's waxing poetic, really.
It seems to be Dean's third time in the hospital with a serious injury (Faith, In my time of dying and this). Methinks it's becoming a Supernatural tradition as well: "Tradition #4 on Supernatural - at least one Winchester must be seriously injured, comatose or near death that would result in a hospital bed scene in every season."
It's a great episode. I can dissect it some more but domestic duties come first.
