Supernatural 3X14 (I think?) Long-Distance Call

[fangirl_says]

So, I don't know. I mean, it wasn't a /bad/ ep, by any means; I didn't dislike it. There were some genuinely creepy moments. But...I dunno. It's like the emotional factor was intentionally dialed way back. An example is when Dean saying he was really, really scared...I mean, I saw that, believed it, but I didn't feel it. It seems like it should've been harder emotionally for Dean to admit that, particularly to Sam. And then our 'let's talk things over' Sam being pretty damned abrupt with Dean was a little puzzling. Maybe it's the writers' way of saying Sam is indeed turning into season 1 and 2 Dean, or maybe they're just reining everything in so that the emotional impact of the finale is stronger. Maybe Sam's doing it because he thinks that's what Dean wants from him.

At any rate, I didn't really feel the emotional punch I'd expect to feel in an episode where all their Daddy issues are dredged up once again. I did think Jensen did a great job when Dean was talking to "John", and it killed me that Dean is apologizing to his dad for disappointing him -- when what he did saved Sam's life. Poor damaged Dean. :( I swear, his reaction to John's disapproval is heartbreaking, and I sorta think it supports the notion that John's parenting was not the top-notch parenting some want to believe it was.

Also, was anyone else just a weence unsettled by the chemistry between Jared/Sam and the actress playing Lanie? I was reminded of season 1 Buffy and Giles. Jailbait, indeed!

Comments

[zillah975]

I really put a lot of that down to the shortened season. I think if we'd had a couple episodes building up to this, it would've packed the punch it needed to.

Maybe fandom will write what happened between Ghostfacers and this to get at it. :)

[rivers-bend.livejournal.com]

There was something weird going on between the boys, and I'm not sure what it was. Broken!Sam and panic!Dean is my guess. but the way Dean was saying, "Really? that's all you've got? 'Hello?'/'And me.'?" just... it was off. I didn't feel like Dean would have gotten het up about that in that way. I think though that Dean's running towards what he needs from Sam, which is emotional presence, and Sam's running from that at the same time.

Gah, Jensen's scenes on the phone with 'john' were amazing. Precious boy.

[fangirlsays.livejournal.com]

I agree about the shortened season effecting things. I know they're probably going insane trying to squeeze in everything they need to do before the season's done. Maybe it's just that it didn't feel like we advanced the mythology arc of Dean's deal very much. I mean, Dean admitted he's scared, which...I dunno, maybe it was meant to be a big deal, but it didn't really come across that way to me. I guess I'm just anxious for the arc to get moving again, but it felt like nothing happened in that regard in the past two episodes. Maybe I'm just frustrated because I expected the last four episodes to be jam-packed with mythology, but they both read to me as much more MOTW than mythology.

[fangirlsays.livejournal.com]

There was something weird going on between the boys, and I'm not sure what it was. Broken!Sam and panic!Dean is my guess. but the way Dean was saying, "Really? that's all you've got? 'Hello?'/'And me.'?" just... it was off. I didn't feel like Dean would have gotten het up about that in that way.

Yes, exactly.

think though that Dean's running towards what he needs from Sam, which is emotional presence, and Sam's running from that at the same time.

I think that's likely true, but at the same time, I don't think the ep did a very good job of showing us that, which is pretty unusual.

[mrstinkles.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, I've read several raving review. But yeah, I didn't feel it either. It wasn't a bad episode, it just didn't have the emotional punch for me.

I liked the Lainie/Sam vibe. I wish they'd made her a bit older so there might have been a bit of a romance. Oh well. Or, maybe I'm just a perve. *L*

I've also read that John saying "ILY" to Dean was a sure sign that it wasn't John.