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“Stretching back to Cain and Abel. It's in your blood, your father's blood, your family's blood.” ---Michael, “The Song Remains the Same”
Supernatural has explicitly laced Biblical lore through its mythology since season four---and season nine has shaped itself around that of Genesis. The Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man was a focal point for the story surrounding the fall of the angels, Castiel's stint as a human, and the serpents let into the various Gardens such as Gadreel's possession of Sam and intrusion into the MOL Bunker. As we transition into the back half of the season, we're watching the story unfold around the aftermath of the serpent's infection. In “First Born,” we are given yet another Biblical story---also from Genesis and after the Fall of Man---for the show to use as framework: that of Cain and Abel and the First Murder.
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First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business January 18, 2012
In "Time After Time," Sam and Dean are divided by 68 years of time when Dean is transported back to 1944 along with the god they were hunting: Chronos. And yet, the bond Sam and Dean share is showcased beautifully throughout.
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First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on January 11, 2012
All hunters in Supernatural have their reasons for why they do it. They all started because a loved one was killed by a supernatural creature: demon, ghost, monster, it matters not. In "Adventures In Babysitting," we explore this and see the counter argument for why perhaps one should not.
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All hunters in Supernatural have their reasons for why they do it. They all started because a loved one was killed by a supernatural creature: demon, ghost, monster, it matters not. In "Adventures In Babysitting," we explore this and see the counter argument for why perhaps one should not.
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First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on November 27, 2011
"Howto Win Friends and Influence Monsters," shows the latest plans the Leviathans have for human kind. They have designed a sandwich that will infect people, turning them into cattle for the Leviathan to feed. Their boss, Dick Roman, wants nothing to make the papers, but unfortunately it does, creating a problem for their new plans to subjugate the planet.
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"How
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First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business January 19, 2014
The first half of season nine explored Castiel's experience as the new Adam, the fall of angels from Heaven, and the aftermath of the Trials---particularly that of Dean allowing Gadreel to possess his brother, Sam. We watched each of these stories reflect or weave around a particular center---the Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man. It became both metaphor and literal in the tapestry of the story. “Holy Terror” exposed the serpents invading the various Gardens while “Road Trip” explores the consequences of their invasion---particularly that of Gadreel's possession of Sam.
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The first half of season nine explored Castiel's experience as the new Adam, the fall of angels from Heaven, and the aftermath of the Trials---particularly that of Dean allowing Gadreel to possess his brother, Sam. We watched each of these stories reflect or weave around a particular center---the Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man. It became both metaphor and literal in the tapestry of the story. “Holy Terror” exposed the serpents invading the various Gardens while “Road Trip” explores the consequences of their invasion---particularly that of Gadreel's possession of Sam.
( Read more... )
First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on January 12, 2014
Castiel's Grand Entrance:
Castiel's first appearance on the show is something to behold. The giant black wings, the steely stare, the overwhelming presence he presents in that first moment Dean sees him for the first time is always gripping. On my smaller, lower quality screen views, I was always taken aback by his first appearance---but seeing it on the big screen in that clear picture with its exquisitedetail , I'm just bowled over.
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Castiel's Grand Entrance:
Castiel's first appearance on the show is something to behold. The giant black wings, the steely stare, the overwhelming presence he presents in that first moment Dean sees him for the first time is always gripping. On my smaller, lower quality screen views, I was always taken aback by his first appearance---but seeing it on the big screen in that clear picture with its exquisite
( Read more... )
How Blu-Ray Changed Supernatural For Me
Jan. 19th, 2014 12:01 pmFirst Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on January 12, 2014
When I first got into Supernatural, I was watching the show first on a 27” analog TV in the morning with a high level of sunlight glare. Then, I was watching the show on a 15” computer monitor. And finally, I was watching the show on a 19” analog TV. It's amazing how much I missed in my first watches---details, layers, and whole atmospheres were missed by me when I watched it on these screens. Oh sure, I saw enough to be sucked in and enthralled by the story---but I didn't know about some of the minutiae that I just couldn't see or hear. I was in the dark on a lot of them---until I got the show on Blu Ray.
( Read more... )First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on November 14, 2011
"Time for a Wedding," takes the viewer into a proverbial fun house effect. It begins with Dean sitting in a bar, talking to the waitress about the "annual sacred pilgrimage" to Vegas . A text message pulls him away, telling him to put on a suit and meet his brother at a chapel. Upon arrival, the doors open, revealing Sam, dressed in a suit and oddly happy. It tells the viewer that they are entering into a fun house effect where things will become distorted and twisted. Sam jovially announces to Dean that he is getting married. Dean is stunned. Sam hasn't been seeing anyone as far as he knows. The bride enters, wearing a veil to hide her face. When it is lifted, Dean is stunned at the bride's identity. It's none other than Becky Rosen.
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First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on November 10, 2011
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The Mentalists starts with Sam and Dean separated after the revelation that Dean had killed Amy behind Sam's back. A week and a half later finds both brothers drawn to Lily Dale, due to the strange murders of mediums. Unlike previous episodes where the brothers are repairing a rift, the tension is an undercurrent through out. It is not wrapped up in the beginning before the case begins or dealt with at the end. Dean imposes himself into Sam's investigation, and they immerse themselves into the case completely.
"Slash Fiction" Review: Shout Outs
Jan. 14th, 2014 12:42 pmFirst Appeared On The Winchester Family Business October 31, 2011
For a new writer to the show, Robbie Thompson seemed like an old pro. His episode, "Slash Fiction" reads as a love letter. It touches on so many things. Its self reflexive nature makes fans notice all the shout outs to previous episodes, while giving us more on the big bad of the season. If anything, this new writer proved that he "gets" Supernatural, and it can only be hoped that he gets to write more episodes down the road.( Read more... )
For a new writer to the show, Robbie Thompson seemed like an old pro. His episode, "Slash Fiction" reads as a love letter. It touches on so many things. Its self reflexive nature makes fans notice all the shout outs to previous episodes, while giving us more on the big bad of the season. If anything, this new writer proved that he "gets" Supernatural, and it can only be hoped that he gets to write more episodes down the road.
First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business October 24, 2011
Metaphors and parallels have run through Supernatural throughout its existence. The episode "Scarecrow" is a metaphor about the so-called apple pie life and how it isn't everything as it's cracked up to be. "Heart" and "Metamorphosis" are metaphors for Sam's growing destiny. Castiel's season 6 trajectory parallels Sam in season 4. Dean's attempt to live with Lisa and Ben parallels Sam's attempt to do the same with Jess. Jess's death on the ceiling parallels Mary's.( Read more... )
Metaphors and parallels have run through Supernatural throughout its existence. The episode "Scarecrow" is a metaphor about the so-called apple pie life and how it isn't everything as it's cracked up to be. "Heart" and "Metamorphosis" are metaphors for Sam's growing destiny. Castiel's season 6 trajectory parallels Sam in season 4. Dean's attempt to live with Lisa and Ben parallels Sam's attempt to do the same with Jess. Jess's death on the ceiling parallels Mary's.
First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on October 17, 2011
"We're not Catholic."
"Defending Your Life," may have featured an Egyptian God, but the guilt contained within is clearly of the Catholic variety.( Read more... )
"We're not Catholic."
"Defending Your Life," may have featured an Egyptian God, but the guilt contained within is clearly of the Catholic variety.
First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on October 10. 2011
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"I'm a Grade-A Freak, but I'm managing it."
"The Girl Next Door" revives several issues that have been lingering since the Pilot itself. While the boys recover from the Leviathan attack, Sam investigates murders linked to a case he solved as a teenager. The monster this time is a kitsune, and they feed on human pituitary glands to survive. But as Sam says, "nothing in our lives is that simple," and that holds true for this very case.
"Hello, Cruel World" Review: Body Blows
Jan. 7th, 2014 05:59 pmFirst Appeared on The Winchester Family Business October 5, 2011
Anytime Ben Edlund's name appears as writer for an episode, I know that I will be either laughing till tears run down my face or crying as my heart breaks. "Hello, Cruel World," is most certainly the latter. Pair an Edlund script with the directorial skill of Guy Norman Bee, and Supernatural hits the jack pot every single time. If it was Edlund's intent to break every Supernatural fan's heart with this particular episode, he did that and more. For good measure, he twists the knife deep a few times. He also never lets up.
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Anytime Ben Edlund's name appears as writer for an episode, I know that I will be either laughing till tears run down my face or crying as my heart breaks. "Hello, Cruel World," is most certainly the latter. Pair an Edlund script with the directorial skill of Guy Norman Bee, and Supernatural hits the jack pot every single time. If it was Edlund's intent to break every Supernatural fan's heart with this particular episode, he did that and more. For good measure, he twists the knife deep a few times. He also never lets up.
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"Meet the New Boss" Review: Back to Basics
Jan. 5th, 2014 11:21 amFirst Appeared on The Winchester Family Business on September 25, 2011
Noir is Dead. Long live Noir.
Supernatural has stripped back down to basics. It has returned, in many ways with "Meet the New Boss," to its old flavor and style. This, ironically, makes the series fresh and renewed. Starting with, during the Road So Far, we can already tell that the show is bringing itself back to the basics. Foghat's "Slow Ride" plays us in, recapping the events leading us to here. The title card splatters a black splotch and fades to brilliant white, stark and bare, reflecting the return to the storytelling that has made Supernatural so good for so long.
First Appeared on The Winchester Family Business August 18, 2011
As a television program, Supernatural has never been afraid to take dares. It's tackled the Apocalypse. It has sent both of its main leads to Hell---and brought them back. It has had a main lead without a soul for half a season. It's looked at all those things that go bump in the night and thrust them into our living rooms unabashedly. Supernatural has even made one of their main leads the vessel for Lucifer himself. Riskiest of all, however, is its penchant for delving into meta fiction.( Read more... )
As a television program, Supernatural has never been afraid to take dares. It's tackled the Apocalypse. It has sent both of its main leads to Hell---and brought them back. It has had a main lead without a soul for half a season. It's looked at all those things that go bump in the night and thrust them into our living rooms unabashedly. Supernatural has even made one of their main leads the vessel for Lucifer himself. Riskiest of all, however, is its penchant for delving into meta fiction.
My New Jersey 2011 Con Story
Dec. 30th, 2013 07:28 pmFirst appeared on The Winchester Family Business June 23, 2011
(photo courtesy of acsgrlie)
(photo courtesy of acsgrlie)
My vacation started on a sour note, boding ill for the rest of the trip. I live in Southwest Minnesota, and the day I landed in NYC, a tornado struck. Thankfully, no one was killed or injured. My town emerged largely unscathed as far as massive property damage, but we did lose a ton of trees and suffer some minor damage. My car, a 2001 Chevy Impala, emerald green and my pride and joy, however, suffered severe hail damage. Yes, his name is Dean. Never fear, he'll be fixed soon enough. It was about a week before the convention, and I feared that with this ill omen that it might not be as good as I'd hoped.
Boy was I wrong. Somehow, the universe decided to make it up to me with this convention. It certainly went after my car, so it had to find a way to say sorry. This was it.
This was my first convention, and going in I had no idea what to expect. It was better than I could have ever anticipated---for so many reasons, as you'll see. It was an amazing whirlwind of a weekend. Let me take you through it.
( Read more... )Boy was I wrong. Somehow, the universe decided to make it up to me with this convention. It certainly went after my car, so it had to find a way to say sorry. This was it.
This was my first convention, and going in I had no idea what to expect. It was better than I could have ever anticipated---for so many reasons, as you'll see. It was an amazing whirlwind of a weekend. Let me take you through it.
First Appeared at The Winchester Family Business June 23, 2011
In "You Can't Handle the Truth," Dean is in full panic mode concerning Sam. He discusses the situation with Bobby, considering either walking away from Sam or shooting him. He is uncomfortable, anxious, and agitated. Sam is not and has not behaved like his brother since he came back into Dean's life. He watched Sam stand idly by as Castiel tortured the young boy, Aaron, to discover that Balthazar had purchased his soul. Sam hadn't simply not raised a fuss, he had stared in open fascination. It was one major red flag for Dean that something was more than wrong with Sam.
Bobby gets Dean to hold off handling the situation permanently by saying "He's your case."
( Read more... )Bobby gets Dean to hold off handling the situation permanently by saying "He's your case."
First Appeared at The Winchester Family Business June 21, 2011
"Ever since I came back, I am a better hunter than I've ever been! Nothing scares me anymore because I can't feel it. I don't know what's wrong with me. I think I need help." Soulless Sam---You Can't Handle the Truth( Soulless Sam was perhaps the most daring aspect of Season 6. )
"Ever since I came back, I am a better hunter than I've ever been! Nothing scares me anymore because I can't feel it. I don't know what's wrong with me. I think I need help." Soulless Sam---You Can't Handle the Truth
