Supernatural 5x05 - Fallen Idols
Aug. 22nd, 2010 04:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meg_tdjWeirdly, this is one of my fave eps of the season, in spite of Paris Hilton. Weird because it's mostly a monster-of-the-week kind of episode, which don't usually make it onto my faves lists, not to mention the kind of cracktastical nature of the plot, which also rarely make it onto my faves lists.
It actually confused me for a while why I loved it so much (it's still my most-watched of the season, even), until I realized that a) 99% of it was seen from Sam's POV, which seems rare these days, b) there was SO MUCH character development for both boys here, and c) Sam and Dean finally had The Conversation and THINGS CHANGED because of it. For the better this time! That had been a looooooooong time coming.
It was so great to see them teasing each other and having some fun again, even though Sam, after 3 weeks, was still on "probation."
Now, I get where Dean was coming from with the whole probation thing, I really do. Sam had screwed up big (not with the starting-the-apocalypse thing, but with the betraying-Dean's-trust-while-putting-faith-in-a-demon thing), and Dean had to learn to trust him again, both on the job as a hunter and in their personal dealings as his brother. And I liked that Dean considered this case a way to ease back into it, putting the training wheels back on just to see if their teamwork was still there. Sam understood it, too. He was more than willing to go along with it... up to a point.
That point being that Dean was treating him like a tag-along, not giving him any actual input in the case, being more focused on being in charge and keeping Sam on his leash than on the actual case, and being too preoccupied to notice that Sam had a point about the ghosts not really being ghosts. But the thing that jumped out at me was, as soon as Sam pointed this out to him, in a very non-confrontational and rational way, Dean LISTENED. He thought about it, he realized Sam was right, and he attempted to change his way of thinking. And I LOVE that. But I'll say more about that later.
The phone call - judging by their conversation at the end of the episode, I've come to the conclusion that Sam (and the viewers) misinterpreted Dean's comment to Bobby that "we all know whose fault that was." He knows the blame is on both of their shoulders. He's always taken full responsibility for breaking the first seal, and he has never blamed Sam for killing Lilith, since that's what he'd planned on doing himself anyway. He knows he's every bit as much to blame for it all, and I think that was what he meant - THEY had started the apocalypse, so THEY were cleaning up the mess. He wasn't about to justify himself when Sam confronted him about it, though, which just made poor Sam feel even worse. He says later that Dean can think whatever he wants, that he could never punish him more than he's punishing himself, and it's so TRUE that it's heartbreaking. Every time someone mentions the apocalypse or things that Sam has done in the past, this look of absolute guilt and self-hatred comes over his face... oh, Sam. :(
And it's been true, right from season one, that when Dean (or John) treats Sam like a kid he either lashes out or he rebels and goes off to do something on his own. Scarecrow comes to mind, for example. And yes, Sam going off with Ruby was a direct result of Dean trying to control him, because she purposefully played on that weakness and made sure he DID feel powerful and in control when he was with her.
But you know, I'm so proud of Sam for recognizing and addressing it this time, rather than sweeping it under a rug and letting it fester like he's always done before. And he didn't try to pass the blame at all. He didn't have to react the way he did to the way Dean treated him, but in order for him to climb out of his hole completely, his dynamic with Dean DID need to change. Dean can't keep on treating him like his naughty kid brother forever, you know? It just sets up more barriers and more issues for Sam to have to work his way around. He's a grown man. He doesn't need discipline like he's 4 years old, he needs to be treated as Dean's equal and shown some respect. And as I'll point out in my posts for the next few episodes, Dean really tried to do that. It took him a while to change his thinking completely, but he made a visible effort to think of Sam as an equal partner rather than his "trusty sidekick geekboy" who occasionally needed to be put in his place. It's great to see.
I love the way Dean put it, too, that he'd been "so busy watching your every move that I didn't see what it was actually doing to you." And he WAS sorry. I mean, dude, he gave up the keys to the Impala!! That was HUGE. Even though he covered by saying he needed a nap, Sam seemed to get the message - there were two captains on this boat now. Probation was over. They needed to be a team again. Aww. :)
As for the rest of the episode...
I kind of enjoyed the idea that people were killed by their obsessions, LOL. And hearing Paris Hilton basically dissing HERSELF? That was priceless. Absolutely priceless. But it's true, you know? People worship celebrities like gods, and it gets way too extreme sometimes. They're just people... with small dogs and spray tans. ;)
Dean geeking out over Little Bastard was HILARIOUS. Being scared to go near it, reassuring it that he wasn't going to hurt it, and Sam looking at him like he was nuts, LOL. The "need a flashlight?" moment was an instant classic, and I love that when Dean told Sam not to even "look at her," Sam actually obeyed, LOL. Toooo funny.
And Dean playing with Lincoln's hat!!! "Four score and seven years ago... I had a funny hat." Bwahahaha!!!
When Sam said Gandhi had tried to take a bite out of him, and then revealed that Gandhi was a fruitarian... how the heck did Dean NOT call Sam a fruit for the rest of the episode?!?! I was sorely disappointed in him. :P
It's kind of interesting to see how Sam has grown somewhat desensitized to dead human bodies over time. I mean, he nearly puked in Bloodlust when he was poking around in the mouth of the beheaded girl, and in Tall Tales over the alligator victim's remains. Then all of a sudden they were watching autopsies, and he would make fun of Dean being grossed out, like in Yellow Fever. By this point, Sam is starting to PERFORM the autopsies, and by Sam Interrupted he actually seems to be getting a kick out of it while Dean is still grossed out by it all. Although they both seemed pretty casual about picking through people's organs in My Bloody Valentine, heh. I just wondered if maybe it could be attributed to drinking blood. How can anything gross you out after you find a way to stomach THAT?
Anyway. The fact that they took those seeds out of the evidence bag grosses ME out. :P
You know, it's too bad they stopped Paris before she could morph into John and give us a JDM cameo. *sigh* But still, it was way more satisfying, both for the viewer and for Sam, to chop off Paris Hilton's head, heh heh. He seemed to get way too much pleasure out of that. ;)
Anyway, it was good to know that John is still Dean's hero.
Randomness -
*Sam speaking Spanish! *loves him*
*Sam said they'd never encountered a famous ghost before, but what about H.H. Holmes? Bloody Mary? Hookman? Aren't they pretty famous?
*Wax museums are inherently creepy, so I'm glad they finally worked one into an episode. And the House of Wax mentions were HILARIOUS. It's a good thing Dean has never watched it, or he'd know about Sam's secret double life as Jared Padalecki. ;)
*Sam's ultimate hero is Gandhi. Awww!!
*I've said it a million times, but... the huge "137" on the motel room door HAD to be a nod to FlashForward. IT HAD TO BE. Motel room numbers are never that big, let alone zoomed in on like that, and the number 137 was a major plot point in FlashForward. And our very own Genevieve (aka Ruby 2.0, and now Mrs. Padalecki) had a recurring role on FF. Hellooooo?
*Sam in scrubs is one of my very favourite things.
*I'm pretty sure Danielle, kidnapped girl, was wearing the same shirt Tara Benchley wore in Hollywood Babylon. Could have been wardrobe recycling, or maybe a purposeful nod or inside joke to show that the girl was also a Tara Benchley fan?
Quotes -
Sam: *pops head under car* Need a flashlight?
Dean: *jumps out of skin* No. Don't... do anything, just go away.
Sam: You... o...okay.
Dean: Don't speak! Alright? In fact, don't even look at her. She might not like it.
Sam: *silently stands up and averts his eyes*
Sasm: That's a lot of research.
Dean: Well, I guess I just made your afternoon.
Sam: Dean, are you in a bar?
Dean: No, I'm, I'm in a restaurant.
Bartender: Here's your beer.
Dean: Thanks. That happens to have a bar.
Sam: I've been working my ass off here.
Dean: Hey, world's smallest violin, pal. I spent the afternoon up Christine's skirt.
Sam: William Hill died from a gunshot wound to the head. No gun, no gunpowder, no bullet.
Dean: Nope, nothin' strange about that.
Sheriff: Well, there's gotta be a reasonable explanation. There always is.
Dean: Well, what's your reasonable explanation?
Sheriff: *whispers* Professional killer.
Sam: Come again?
Sheriff: Well, CIA, NSA, one of them trained assassins, like in Michael Clayton.
Dean: Riiight.
Sheriff: You're welcome to look around, but, but these guys don't leave fingerprints.
Sam: Mind if we talk to the witness?
Sheriff: Be my guest. She's not makin' any sense. And she's not makin' any sense in Spanish either.
Dean: Dude was wearing a sombrero?
Dean: So you're saying we've got two super-famous, super-pissed-off ghosts, killing their superfans?
Sam: *shakes head, shrugs* That's what it looks like.
Dean: That is muchos loco.
Sam: *laughs* Muy. Not muchos.
Dean: *looking at Gandhi figure* Dude, he's short.
Sam: Hey. Gandhi was a great man.
Dean: Yeah, for a Smurf.
Sam: We are writing a piece for Travel Magazine.
Dean: Yeah, on how, uh, totally non-sucky wax museums are.
Sam: Well, wow. Yeah, that's, that's really cool... ish.
Sam: So we're just gonna pretend I didn't hear what I just heard?
Dean: Pretend or don't pretend. Whatever floats your boat.
Sam: This was supposed to be a fresh start, Dean.
Dean: Well, this is about as fresh as it gets.
Dean: *tries on Lincoln's hat* Check it out. *in Lincoln voice* Four score and seven years ago... I had a funny hat.
Sam: Dean.
Dean: I can't have any fun with this?
Dean: Is that Gandhi?!
Sam: *being choked* Yeah!
Dean: Dude, he's squirrely.
Dean: You couldn't have been a fan of someone cool? Really? Gandhi??
Sam: I feel like he was... trying to take a bite out of me.
Dean: A bite?
Sam: Yeah, like he was hungry. But the thing is, Gandhi, or the real Gandhi, he was a...
Dean: A what? Spit it out.
Sam: He was a fruitarian.
Dean: *laughs* Let me get this straight - your, uh, "ultimate hero" was not only a short man in diapers, but he was also a "fruitarian"?
Sam: That's not the point.
Dean: That is GOOD. That is, even for you, that is good.
Girl #1: It was horrible!
Girl #2: Way horrible.
Sam: What was horrible?
Girl #1: I thought she'd be nice!
Girl #2: I still can't believe it.
Dean: Believe what?
Girl #2: She took Danielle!
Dean: Who?
*pause*
Sam: It's okay. You're safe. Just tell us who took your friend.
Girl #2: It was... Paris Hilton!
Sam: Sorry?
Girl #2: She looked really good, though.
Girl #1: Skinny.
Girl #2: Skinny and fast.
Girl #1: Mm.
Dean: Wha...wha...huh?!
Dean: Paris Hilton's not dead, as far as we know, right?
Sam: Pretty sure, no.
Dean: Which means it's not a...
Sam: Ghost, no.
Dean: So either Paris Hilton is a homicidal maniac, or...
Sam: Or we missed something.
Dean: What are those, seeds?
Sam: Yeah. They were in both vics' bellies.
Dean: I hope you washed your hands.
Sam: They're unlike any seed I've ever seen before, Dean.
Dean: Wow, just when I thought you couldn't get any geekier.
Dean: Alright. Let's go gank ourselves a Paris Hilton.
Dean: You know, I gotta tell ya, you are not the first god we've met, but you are the nuttiest.
Leshii: No, you. You people. You're the crazy ones. You used to worship gods. But this? *looks at self in Paris Hilton guise* This is what passes for idolatry? Celebrities? What have they got besides small dogs and spray tans? You people used to have old time religion. Now you have US Weekly.
Dean: I don't know. I'm more of a Penthouse Forum man myself. *winks*
Dean: Oh, I hate to break it to you, sister, but uh... you can't eat me. See, I'm not a Paris Hilton BFF. I've never even seen House of Wax.
Sam: *shoots him a weird look*
Dean: Not a word.
Sam: Dude... you just got WHALED on by Paris Hilton.
Dean: Shut up.
Dean: Sheriff's puttin' out an APB on Paris Hilton. *laughs* That ought to be good.
Sam: Maybe I am on deck for the devil. Maybe the same with you and Michael. Maybe there's no changing that.
Dean: Well, that's encouraging.
Sam: But we can stop wringin' our hands over it. We gotta just grab onto whatever's in front of us, kick its ass, and go down fighting.
Dean: I can get on board with that.
It actually confused me for a while why I loved it so much (it's still my most-watched of the season, even), until I realized that a) 99% of it was seen from Sam's POV, which seems rare these days, b) there was SO MUCH character development for both boys here, and c) Sam and Dean finally had The Conversation and THINGS CHANGED because of it. For the better this time! That had been a looooooooong time coming.
It was so great to see them teasing each other and having some fun again, even though Sam, after 3 weeks, was still on "probation."
Now, I get where Dean was coming from with the whole probation thing, I really do. Sam had screwed up big (not with the starting-the-apocalypse thing, but with the betraying-Dean's-trust-while-putting-faith-in-a-demon thing), and Dean had to learn to trust him again, both on the job as a hunter and in their personal dealings as his brother. And I liked that Dean considered this case a way to ease back into it, putting the training wheels back on just to see if their teamwork was still there. Sam understood it, too. He was more than willing to go along with it... up to a point.
That point being that Dean was treating him like a tag-along, not giving him any actual input in the case, being more focused on being in charge and keeping Sam on his leash than on the actual case, and being too preoccupied to notice that Sam had a point about the ghosts not really being ghosts. But the thing that jumped out at me was, as soon as Sam pointed this out to him, in a very non-confrontational and rational way, Dean LISTENED. He thought about it, he realized Sam was right, and he attempted to change his way of thinking. And I LOVE that. But I'll say more about that later.
The phone call - judging by their conversation at the end of the episode, I've come to the conclusion that Sam (and the viewers) misinterpreted Dean's comment to Bobby that "we all know whose fault that was." He knows the blame is on both of their shoulders. He's always taken full responsibility for breaking the first seal, and he has never blamed Sam for killing Lilith, since that's what he'd planned on doing himself anyway. He knows he's every bit as much to blame for it all, and I think that was what he meant - THEY had started the apocalypse, so THEY were cleaning up the mess. He wasn't about to justify himself when Sam confronted him about it, though, which just made poor Sam feel even worse. He says later that Dean can think whatever he wants, that he could never punish him more than he's punishing himself, and it's so TRUE that it's heartbreaking. Every time someone mentions the apocalypse or things that Sam has done in the past, this look of absolute guilt and self-hatred comes over his face... oh, Sam. :(
And it's been true, right from season one, that when Dean (or John) treats Sam like a kid he either lashes out or he rebels and goes off to do something on his own. Scarecrow comes to mind, for example. And yes, Sam going off with Ruby was a direct result of Dean trying to control him, because she purposefully played on that weakness and made sure he DID feel powerful and in control when he was with her.
But you know, I'm so proud of Sam for recognizing and addressing it this time, rather than sweeping it under a rug and letting it fester like he's always done before. And he didn't try to pass the blame at all. He didn't have to react the way he did to the way Dean treated him, but in order for him to climb out of his hole completely, his dynamic with Dean DID need to change. Dean can't keep on treating him like his naughty kid brother forever, you know? It just sets up more barriers and more issues for Sam to have to work his way around. He's a grown man. He doesn't need discipline like he's 4 years old, he needs to be treated as Dean's equal and shown some respect. And as I'll point out in my posts for the next few episodes, Dean really tried to do that. It took him a while to change his thinking completely, but he made a visible effort to think of Sam as an equal partner rather than his "trusty sidekick geekboy" who occasionally needed to be put in his place. It's great to see.
I love the way Dean put it, too, that he'd been "so busy watching your every move that I didn't see what it was actually doing to you." And he WAS sorry. I mean, dude, he gave up the keys to the Impala!! That was HUGE. Even though he covered by saying he needed a nap, Sam seemed to get the message - there were two captains on this boat now. Probation was over. They needed to be a team again. Aww. :)
As for the rest of the episode...
I kind of enjoyed the idea that people were killed by their obsessions, LOL. And hearing Paris Hilton basically dissing HERSELF? That was priceless. Absolutely priceless. But it's true, you know? People worship celebrities like gods, and it gets way too extreme sometimes. They're just people... with small dogs and spray tans. ;)
Dean geeking out over Little Bastard was HILARIOUS. Being scared to go near it, reassuring it that he wasn't going to hurt it, and Sam looking at him like he was nuts, LOL. The "need a flashlight?" moment was an instant classic, and I love that when Dean told Sam not to even "look at her," Sam actually obeyed, LOL. Toooo funny.
And Dean playing with Lincoln's hat!!! "Four score and seven years ago... I had a funny hat." Bwahahaha!!!
When Sam said Gandhi had tried to take a bite out of him, and then revealed that Gandhi was a fruitarian... how the heck did Dean NOT call Sam a fruit for the rest of the episode?!?! I was sorely disappointed in him. :P
It's kind of interesting to see how Sam has grown somewhat desensitized to dead human bodies over time. I mean, he nearly puked in Bloodlust when he was poking around in the mouth of the beheaded girl, and in Tall Tales over the alligator victim's remains. Then all of a sudden they were watching autopsies, and he would make fun of Dean being grossed out, like in Yellow Fever. By this point, Sam is starting to PERFORM the autopsies, and by Sam Interrupted he actually seems to be getting a kick out of it while Dean is still grossed out by it all. Although they both seemed pretty casual about picking through people's organs in My Bloody Valentine, heh. I just wondered if maybe it could be attributed to drinking blood. How can anything gross you out after you find a way to stomach THAT?
Anyway. The fact that they took those seeds out of the evidence bag grosses ME out. :P
You know, it's too bad they stopped Paris before she could morph into John and give us a JDM cameo. *sigh* But still, it was way more satisfying, both for the viewer and for Sam, to chop off Paris Hilton's head, heh heh. He seemed to get way too much pleasure out of that. ;)
Anyway, it was good to know that John is still Dean's hero.
Randomness -
*Sam speaking Spanish! *loves him*
*Sam said they'd never encountered a famous ghost before, but what about H.H. Holmes? Bloody Mary? Hookman? Aren't they pretty famous?
*Wax museums are inherently creepy, so I'm glad they finally worked one into an episode. And the House of Wax mentions were HILARIOUS. It's a good thing Dean has never watched it, or he'd know about Sam's secret double life as Jared Padalecki. ;)
*Sam's ultimate hero is Gandhi. Awww!!
*I've said it a million times, but... the huge "137" on the motel room door HAD to be a nod to FlashForward. IT HAD TO BE. Motel room numbers are never that big, let alone zoomed in on like that, and the number 137 was a major plot point in FlashForward. And our very own Genevieve (aka Ruby 2.0, and now Mrs. Padalecki) had a recurring role on FF. Hellooooo?
*Sam in scrubs is one of my very favourite things.
*I'm pretty sure Danielle, kidnapped girl, was wearing the same shirt Tara Benchley wore in Hollywood Babylon. Could have been wardrobe recycling, or maybe a purposeful nod or inside joke to show that the girl was also a Tara Benchley fan?
Quotes -
Sam: *pops head under car* Need a flashlight?
Dean: *jumps out of skin* No. Don't... do anything, just go away.
Sam: You... o...okay.
Dean: Don't speak! Alright? In fact, don't even look at her. She might not like it.
Sam: *silently stands up and averts his eyes*
Sasm: That's a lot of research.
Dean: Well, I guess I just made your afternoon.
Sam: Dean, are you in a bar?
Dean: No, I'm, I'm in a restaurant.
Bartender: Here's your beer.
Dean: Thanks. That happens to have a bar.
Sam: I've been working my ass off here.
Dean: Hey, world's smallest violin, pal. I spent the afternoon up Christine's skirt.
Sam: William Hill died from a gunshot wound to the head. No gun, no gunpowder, no bullet.
Dean: Nope, nothin' strange about that.
Sheriff: Well, there's gotta be a reasonable explanation. There always is.
Dean: Well, what's your reasonable explanation?
Sheriff: *whispers* Professional killer.
Sam: Come again?
Sheriff: Well, CIA, NSA, one of them trained assassins, like in Michael Clayton.
Dean: Riiight.
Sheriff: You're welcome to look around, but, but these guys don't leave fingerprints.
Sam: Mind if we talk to the witness?
Sheriff: Be my guest. She's not makin' any sense. And she's not makin' any sense in Spanish either.
Dean: Dude was wearing a sombrero?
Dean: So you're saying we've got two super-famous, super-pissed-off ghosts, killing their superfans?
Sam: *shakes head, shrugs* That's what it looks like.
Dean: That is muchos loco.
Sam: *laughs* Muy. Not muchos.
Dean: *looking at Gandhi figure* Dude, he's short.
Sam: Hey. Gandhi was a great man.
Dean: Yeah, for a Smurf.
Sam: We are writing a piece for Travel Magazine.
Dean: Yeah, on how, uh, totally non-sucky wax museums are.
Sam: Well, wow. Yeah, that's, that's really cool... ish.
Sam: So we're just gonna pretend I didn't hear what I just heard?
Dean: Pretend or don't pretend. Whatever floats your boat.
Sam: This was supposed to be a fresh start, Dean.
Dean: Well, this is about as fresh as it gets.
Dean: *tries on Lincoln's hat* Check it out. *in Lincoln voice* Four score and seven years ago... I had a funny hat.
Sam: Dean.
Dean: I can't have any fun with this?
Dean: Is that Gandhi?!
Sam: *being choked* Yeah!
Dean: Dude, he's squirrely.
Dean: You couldn't have been a fan of someone cool? Really? Gandhi??
Sam: I feel like he was... trying to take a bite out of me.
Dean: A bite?
Sam: Yeah, like he was hungry. But the thing is, Gandhi, or the real Gandhi, he was a...
Dean: A what? Spit it out.
Sam: He was a fruitarian.
Dean: *laughs* Let me get this straight - your, uh, "ultimate hero" was not only a short man in diapers, but he was also a "fruitarian"?
Sam: That's not the point.
Dean: That is GOOD. That is, even for you, that is good.
Girl #1: It was horrible!
Girl #2: Way horrible.
Sam: What was horrible?
Girl #1: I thought she'd be nice!
Girl #2: I still can't believe it.
Dean: Believe what?
Girl #2: She took Danielle!
Dean: Who?
*pause*
Sam: It's okay. You're safe. Just tell us who took your friend.
Girl #2: It was... Paris Hilton!
Sam: Sorry?
Girl #2: She looked really good, though.
Girl #1: Skinny.
Girl #2: Skinny and fast.
Girl #1: Mm.
Dean: Wha...wha...huh?!
Dean: Paris Hilton's not dead, as far as we know, right?
Sam: Pretty sure, no.
Dean: Which means it's not a...
Sam: Ghost, no.
Dean: So either Paris Hilton is a homicidal maniac, or...
Sam: Or we missed something.
Dean: What are those, seeds?
Sam: Yeah. They were in both vics' bellies.
Dean: I hope you washed your hands.
Sam: They're unlike any seed I've ever seen before, Dean.
Dean: Wow, just when I thought you couldn't get any geekier.
Dean: Alright. Let's go gank ourselves a Paris Hilton.
Dean: You know, I gotta tell ya, you are not the first god we've met, but you are the nuttiest.
Leshii: No, you. You people. You're the crazy ones. You used to worship gods. But this? *looks at self in Paris Hilton guise* This is what passes for idolatry? Celebrities? What have they got besides small dogs and spray tans? You people used to have old time religion. Now you have US Weekly.
Dean: I don't know. I'm more of a Penthouse Forum man myself. *winks*
Dean: Oh, I hate to break it to you, sister, but uh... you can't eat me. See, I'm not a Paris Hilton BFF. I've never even seen House of Wax.
Sam: *shoots him a weird look*
Dean: Not a word.
Sam: Dude... you just got WHALED on by Paris Hilton.
Dean: Shut up.
Dean: Sheriff's puttin' out an APB on Paris Hilton. *laughs* That ought to be good.
Sam: Maybe I am on deck for the devil. Maybe the same with you and Michael. Maybe there's no changing that.
Dean: Well, that's encouraging.
Sam: But we can stop wringin' our hands over it. We gotta just grab onto whatever's in front of us, kick its ass, and go down fighting.
Dean: I can get on board with that.
