My thoughts on spn so far this season
Oct. 4th, 2008 08:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thatotherpervSo, I haven't weighed in on this season of SPN, mostly because no one gives a shit about what I think, haha. I was kinda afraid during s3 that they'd lost their ju-jus. I was still watching, but I wasn't salivating in anticipation of every episode. This season has definitely brought that back for me.
1. That Angel Thing.
I know a few people I've talked to are upset or wary of the implications of Castiel, and where this is going. For a few people, I think the last few episodes have laid the omgwtf to rest, for others, not so much.
I was pretty much madly excited from the reveal, and here's why: in this genre, it takes balls to bring God into the discussion.
It's a long-standing tradition in the genre. There are demons, monsters, real and manifest forces of evil, but often the opposite side of the coin is left vague or nonexistent. What's more bizarre about this is that the antidotes to evil based on Christian mythology work in these 'verses, despite the implication that none of it is real. Holy water is holy, but it's not Holy, so why is it holy water again?
Maybe I should say for any newcomers, I'm not religious, at all. But this is something that bugs and fascinates me from a narrative point of view.
There are good reasons why I think television shows are scared to Go There. They'd be taking a huge risk alienating their fanbase—some viewers want nothing to do with Christian mythology, and others want nothing to criticize Christian mythology, and either way, as a writer, you lose.
So I'm excited. I think it opens the door for some really complex storylines, though I often think Kripke often doesn't dig deep enough into some of the possibilities he makes available. We already know that demons can have a certain type of morality and religion within their own race…last season especially brought that to light. So it's certainly expected that God isn't going to be all sunshine and kittens.
I know a lot of people are worried about a good vs evil faceoff between Dean and Sam, but I, for one, am not. I'm skeptical that anything could drive Dean to truly turn against Sam in the first place, but more than that, the moral ambiguity we've glimpsed of both sides makes me think it's going to be more complex than that. 4.03 especially confirmed that for me—Castiel doesn't even know what he's trying to stop! It could be that Sam isn't actually headed anywhere Evil. He's working under the assumption that because Sam is using his "demon powers," Azazel's endgame will come to pass.
I think there's going to be more to it than that.
2. Apocalypse NOWZOMG
So right after Castiel's reveal in the season premiere, I said to myself, "Self…omg…is Kripke going to bring about the Biblical Apocalypse? This season?" And then I squeed in my pants a little bit, because anyone that knows me knows that I love me an apocalypse, and I love me some riffs on Christian mythology.
And then I saw the previews for the dead walking among us in 4.02 and I said to myself, "Self…omg…you were totally right! SQUEE!"
And then I saw 4.02 and I said to myself, "Self…YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR."
That's really all I have to say about that. Except…how many shows *tease* us with the possibility of the Big One some day in the distant future? Lots. How many give us the Coming of the End of Days rightnowthissecond?
Like, none.
Kripke, you may just earn my devotion yet.
3. The YED / Mary Winchester backstory.
Anyone that has seen a movie, like, ever could have seen that 4.03 was going to turn out to be a self-fulfilling causal loop kind of deal. It was pretty much an inevitability. I like how it played out, because I'm a masochist.
I think it was nice that Kripke held back the backstory as long as he did. The last three years, fic writers have had a lot of room to postulate John and Mary's history for themselves, and I've seen a variety of interesting interpretations. Sadly, I never really saw someone go to town on the implication that Mary was complicit or at least had foreknowledge in the YED's plans ("It's *you*.") I never really saw a fic deal with that question in a way that rang my bells.
Which makes me even gladder that Kripke had a bell-ringing explanation in his pocket all along.
The one thing I'm curious about is to go back to season one and see if the YED ever made reference to recognizing Dean. Maybe Kripke hadn't thought that far ahead. Joss would have.
Miscelleny:
I thought the kid playing John did a good job of mimicking some of Jeff's gestures, and his vocal patterns. Unlike young Dean, who I always thought looked nothing like Jensen, I can totally believe that that was John.
But omg, he almost bought a VW bus! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAA. Awesome.
Dean was named after his GRANDMOTHER. AHhahahahahahaha. The funny just keeps coming. Course, he was also named after himself. But the grandmother thing is funnier.
1. That Angel Thing.
I know a few people I've talked to are upset or wary of the implications of Castiel, and where this is going. For a few people, I think the last few episodes have laid the omgwtf to rest, for others, not so much.
I was pretty much madly excited from the reveal, and here's why: in this genre, it takes balls to bring God into the discussion.
It's a long-standing tradition in the genre. There are demons, monsters, real and manifest forces of evil, but often the opposite side of the coin is left vague or nonexistent. What's more bizarre about this is that the antidotes to evil based on Christian mythology work in these 'verses, despite the implication that none of it is real. Holy water is holy, but it's not Holy, so why is it holy water again?
Maybe I should say for any newcomers, I'm not religious, at all. But this is something that bugs and fascinates me from a narrative point of view.
There are good reasons why I think television shows are scared to Go There. They'd be taking a huge risk alienating their fanbase—some viewers want nothing to do with Christian mythology, and others want nothing to criticize Christian mythology, and either way, as a writer, you lose.
So I'm excited. I think it opens the door for some really complex storylines, though I often think Kripke often doesn't dig deep enough into some of the possibilities he makes available. We already know that demons can have a certain type of morality and religion within their own race…last season especially brought that to light. So it's certainly expected that God isn't going to be all sunshine and kittens.
I know a lot of people are worried about a good vs evil faceoff between Dean and Sam, but I, for one, am not. I'm skeptical that anything could drive Dean to truly turn against Sam in the first place, but more than that, the moral ambiguity we've glimpsed of both sides makes me think it's going to be more complex than that. 4.03 especially confirmed that for me—Castiel doesn't even know what he's trying to stop! It could be that Sam isn't actually headed anywhere Evil. He's working under the assumption that because Sam is using his "demon powers," Azazel's endgame will come to pass.
I think there's going to be more to it than that.
2. Apocalypse NOWZOMG
So right after Castiel's reveal in the season premiere, I said to myself, "Self…omg…is Kripke going to bring about the Biblical Apocalypse? This season?" And then I squeed in my pants a little bit, because anyone that knows me knows that I love me an apocalypse, and I love me some riffs on Christian mythology.
And then I saw the previews for the dead walking among us in 4.02 and I said to myself, "Self…omg…you were totally right! SQUEE!"
And then I saw 4.02 and I said to myself, "Self…YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR."
That's really all I have to say about that. Except…how many shows *tease* us with the possibility of the Big One some day in the distant future? Lots. How many give us the Coming of the End of Days rightnowthissecond?
Like, none.
Kripke, you may just earn my devotion yet.
3. The YED / Mary Winchester backstory.
Anyone that has seen a movie, like, ever could have seen that 4.03 was going to turn out to be a self-fulfilling causal loop kind of deal. It was pretty much an inevitability. I like how it played out, because I'm a masochist.
I think it was nice that Kripke held back the backstory as long as he did. The last three years, fic writers have had a lot of room to postulate John and Mary's history for themselves, and I've seen a variety of interesting interpretations. Sadly, I never really saw someone go to town on the implication that Mary was complicit or at least had foreknowledge in the YED's plans ("It's *you*.") I never really saw a fic deal with that question in a way that rang my bells.
Which makes me even gladder that Kripke had a bell-ringing explanation in his pocket all along.
The one thing I'm curious about is to go back to season one and see if the YED ever made reference to recognizing Dean. Maybe Kripke hadn't thought that far ahead. Joss would have.
Miscelleny:
I thought the kid playing John did a good job of mimicking some of Jeff's gestures, and his vocal patterns. Unlike young Dean, who I always thought looked nothing like Jensen, I can totally believe that that was John.
But omg, he almost bought a VW bus! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAA. Awesome.
Dean was named after his GRANDMOTHER. AHhahahahahahaha. The funny just keeps coming. Course, he was also named after himself. But the grandmother thing is funnier.
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 01:54 pm (UTC)and yes! yes to all of this. unfortunately, i'm running out the door, but OMFG i want SQUEE so much over all of this with you! later, maybe it will! this episode! this show!
no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 02:23 pm (UTC)if youcome back later and give me your thinky thoughts, i'll give you a cookie
no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 03:06 pm (UTC)I loved how similar John was to our older John but I have to admit he seemed very innocent seeing as he'd already been in the marines and fought in Nam by that time (right?) something that has always been implied earned him respect and mad skillz to use later. But of course there's a ten year gap there, maybe he went back?
Castiel might be betting on Dean stopping Sam but as we all know Dean will always be set on SAVING Sam. There is no other solution for him. If he can't save him... well, then they're going down together. Killing him isn't and never will be an option. Ever.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 04:38 pm (UTC)also agreed on john's wide-eyedness, though really, all we saw was naivete towards the supernatural. it was mary's perception that he was a complete optimist (ETA what I meant was that there may have been things he wasn't showing her...they still seemed to be in a very young stage of love, and we hide our worst selves at that point)
that's an interesting theory about the time travel not being "real." that's not how I would interpret it, but it's still valid. to me, all the pieces fit too well with Dean in the picture for that to be true. even Mary...i'd have been surprised if she *did* remember Dean's advice when the time came. and the YEDrecognizing Dean is minor enough to slide.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 01:03 am (UTC)I love your comments on this, very sharp. I'm GLAD they finally brought angels into the mix, as it makes for much better balance in plot concepts!
no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 09:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-03 11:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 12:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-04 04:32 pm (UTC)I'm not either, but I am worried about whether or not they'll do it at all effectively. The problem with this show has always been execution. I mean stepping back and looking at the larger picture this could be a really powerful, dramatic storyline for the whole series. To quote Colbert about the election "Don't &%*# It Up America!"
But the grandmother thing is funnier.
So is the fact that she names her sons after a married couple ;>
no subject
Date: 2008-10-05 07:09 pm (UTC)I WANT TO FRIEND YOU. May I?
no subject
Date: 2008-10-07 05:03 am (UTC)Mine theorises on timelines and yeaddayadda - but this just is a post that opens up MORE possiblities!!
Thank you...
*Tacklehugs*
*Sobs*