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SPN: 5.17
What was that random title? 99 Problems, or something like that?
Oh, my. They deliberately titled it "99 problems" because they knew that's how many problems the average viewer would pick out, or what? I mean, I realize "Whore of Babylon" is canonical in Revelation, but did they *really* have to have Dean say things always feel better when he can kill a whore? RLY? Show, your misogyny is not attractive.
And of course there's the ending. As someone on my flist said, it sort of came out of left field. I mean, yes, we knew he had domestic dreams of Lisa Braeden from that dream root episode, whatever it was, but it was definitely odd, unless they're trying to show precisely how estranged from Sam he is. Or maybe it's going to turn out Ben really is his son, and the twist next week will be Michael prefers him as a vessel? Otherwise I can't figure out what that detour down memory lane was all about.
Still, there were a few things about the episode I liked:
1. Blue Earth Minnesota! A call-back to Pastor Jim, maybe? Was that originally his church? I loved the beginning where Sam and Dean got to hunt with backup--it's sad that this community ended up going to hell (rather literally), because they were badass and that's kind of my favorite AU for the apocalypse: bringing communities together and them finding skills they didn't know they had before.
2. I really liked the actress playing the prophet, and I thought she did the sincere prophet thing very well. I think it would have been much *more* interesting if her visions had been true angelic visions, though, because we know the angels have their own agendas. They might not have ordered "kill the sinners," but I bet it still would have resulted in a lot of dissension and violence amongst the townsfolk.
3. I also really liked her dad. This is what, the third or fourth time this season where a parent is asked to kill a monstrous child, and can't? I'm starting to think this is foreshadowing, and that we haven't heard the last from God; I suspect in the finale we'll encounter him and find out that God knows he should be ending Lucifer once and for all, since he's become an irredeemable monster, but he can't bring himself to do it, which is why Dean and/or Sam have to do it.
4. I thought Sam was terrific in the whole episode: trying to stay on task (we're going to stop the apocalypse), questioning the emerging cult, and playing counselor to Castiel. I found drunken Castiel moderately amusing, but a little to close to the Castiel of "The End" for comfort.
5. I kind of want Lisa to hit Dean over the head, drag him into her house and call Sam. DEAN, you can't give in so easily, dammit! You're being manipulated! I can't decide if it's Michael or God or fate or what, but YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER.
Oh, my. They deliberately titled it "99 problems" because they knew that's how many problems the average viewer would pick out, or what? I mean, I realize "Whore of Babylon" is canonical in Revelation, but did they *really* have to have Dean say things always feel better when he can kill a whore? RLY? Show, your misogyny is not attractive.
And of course there's the ending. As someone on my flist said, it sort of came out of left field. I mean, yes, we knew he had domestic dreams of Lisa Braeden from that dream root episode, whatever it was, but it was definitely odd, unless they're trying to show precisely how estranged from Sam he is. Or maybe it's going to turn out Ben really is his son, and the twist next week will be Michael prefers him as a vessel? Otherwise I can't figure out what that detour down memory lane was all about.
Still, there were a few things about the episode I liked:
1. Blue Earth Minnesota! A call-back to Pastor Jim, maybe? Was that originally his church? I loved the beginning where Sam and Dean got to hunt with backup--it's sad that this community ended up going to hell (rather literally), because they were badass and that's kind of my favorite AU for the apocalypse: bringing communities together and them finding skills they didn't know they had before.
2. I really liked the actress playing the prophet, and I thought she did the sincere prophet thing very well. I think it would have been much *more* interesting if her visions had been true angelic visions, though, because we know the angels have their own agendas. They might not have ordered "kill the sinners," but I bet it still would have resulted in a lot of dissension and violence amongst the townsfolk.
3. I also really liked her dad. This is what, the third or fourth time this season where a parent is asked to kill a monstrous child, and can't? I'm starting to think this is foreshadowing, and that we haven't heard the last from God; I suspect in the finale we'll encounter him and find out that God knows he should be ending Lucifer once and for all, since he's become an irredeemable monster, but he can't bring himself to do it, which is why Dean and/or Sam have to do it.
4. I thought Sam was terrific in the whole episode: trying to stay on task (we're going to stop the apocalypse), questioning the emerging cult, and playing counselor to Castiel. I found drunken Castiel moderately amusing, but a little to close to the Castiel of "The End" for comfort.
5. I kind of want Lisa to hit Dean over the head, drag him into her house and call Sam. DEAN, you can't give in so easily, dammit! You're being manipulated! I can't decide if it's Michael or God or fate or what, but YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER.
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I thought so too. He just broke my heart, he was trying so hard. No doubt, this ep, how much Dean means to him, in his own Sam way. I couldn't understand why some folks didn't get how hard he was trying to get through to Dean.
I also thought tonight's show did a good job of getting us to care about total strangers in an incredibly short time.
maybe it's going to turn out Ben really is his son, and the twist next week will be Michael prefers him as a vessel?
Wow--that kind of flitted through my mind but I was afraid to mention it. What if Michael figures he's got backup? It was that threat got Jimmy to give into Castiel....
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Yeah, and Michael is about 1000 times the dick Castiel is, so I'm pretty worried.
I agree about this ep having us care about strangers really quickly--that's what made the turn toward cultishness so heartbreaking.
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I thought the whole Lisa thing came out of left field as well. Huh? We were never really given the impression that she was the love of Dean's life, so I'm now wondering what the writers are trying to do. She HAS to be back, right? As in, there's pretty much no point to this plotline if something doesn't come out of it. But still, so hokey. :/
I loved the Dad as well. (And Michael Shanks seemed wasted in this episode. The lady playing his wife got more to do.) And I love the idea of killing a child being foreshadowing for God and Lucifer. That's an amazing thought.
Sam was A+ in this episode. Dean, on the other hand... I hate that they're making him give up. I know they're going the role reversal way with Dean being the one to break first, but it just seems so wrong. And we have all this potential brother-bonding not happening because of this idiocy, and it just... GAH. I don't know how this is going to end.
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I agree with you that if they don't do something with the Lisa/Ben storyline, then the ending of this episode is completely wasted. And I really wish they had at least foreshadowed it earlier this season--showing another one of Dean's dreams or something. I can see how they represent a type of domestic family-centered happy ending, but it was way too abrupt.
And yeah, I hate that they're making Dean give up, too--and for me it feels a lot more like "stuff the writers are making him do" than Dean really giving up, but that's probably just because the idealized Dean in my head wouldn't give up.
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He played Daniel Jackon in Stargate, and he was a pretty big hit in fandom when it came to slashing, hurt/comfort fan fic etc. I remember an interview where the actor was told the character got beat up a lot in fic online and he was asking what do they not like the character, and he was told no they LOVE the character, and he was like what is that about hee /random
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Yes, they should totally have mentioned it earlier or something. That part just felt tacked on, unfortunately.
The idealized Dean in my head wouldn't give up, either. I do feel like this is all for the sake of ~drama, but what the hell. We know they'll get through this eventually, what with the renewal and all.
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I wondered if it was a reference to the song "I've got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one of them" as a play on the Whore Of Babylon aspect?
ETA Or what the person below me apparently already said, that'll teach me not to read allcomments first *g*
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And the Lisa scene was sooo random. The writer of this episode was the same one who wrote Lisa's initial appearance, and I thought it was really odd and inappropriate then for Dean to just assume he would be welcomed to turn up at her door years later after they spend one weekend together. I know she ended up grateful to him for saving Ben, but it still felt off for to not have her be more weirded out at Dean suddenly appearing on her door again a few years later, this time complete with inappropriate outburst.
And this is the song on youtube if you were curious http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0miU3tiy4I I only knew of it originally because of all the macros and gifs people were making from it for a while there
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Thanks for the link to the song--I hadn't heard it before.
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Good point. I had not picked up on that. But I don't think that Lucifer is going to die or that Paradise will arrive in the SPN world. Where's the drama in that? ;-)
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My instant reaction to that last scene was "Dean you're an asshole". A well intentioned one yes but still an asshole. You don't just unload that kinda heavy crap and then leave.
I am not even going to speculate on how the next five episodes are going to go (and will remain completely UNSPOILED) - not even to project my own wishes on how I'd like it to pan out.
My reaction above was probably also influenced by the fact that I can handle seeing the "I don't care" anymore Dean even LESS than tortured/Alistair-abused Dean. Which is to say not very well at all. Dean's being very sneaky too. That's Sam's gig. Not that it's worked well for either of them. Argck! I give up. *throws hands in the air*
When Jensen said in a recent con about the boys still have to hit rock bottom I think my mind kinda went WTF? Any further down and they'll be in the inner circle of Hell. So I am resigning myself to much angst and soothing myself with the fact of Season 6.
And yeah - that line about it being a good day when you kill a whore? Sounded totally OOC to me and not just because of the actual dialogue but because of the way Jensen delivered it as well - like he knew this was NOT a Dean thing to say.
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Red head was a bad ass! LOL
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I agree. After "Checkmate" I felt like throwing things at the tv, I think I am going to have to stop reading reviews and commenting, apparently it just runs you away from watching the show altogether because it reinforces the negatives more than the positives. I think dissecting the episodes each week makes it worse now when it used to be fun comparing notes and thoughts so to speak. The characters are all over the place this season and it takes alot of time and patience to make sense of there actions and writing out personal thoughts.