SueB

As I said, swing and a miss.

Sneak peek. https://twitter.com/cw_spn/status/565946738842689536 I can't wait.

This is S7 right?

I'm so completely on board with the "Die Campbells Die" train. Gwen was nice but Samuel, with his guyliner of evil, was NOPE. Samuel -- Gwen -- Christian -- 23 - Ellen 19 - Jo 19 - Bobby 17 - Rufus 17 - Mary 17 - Ash 15 - John 11 - Gwen Campbell 09 - Christian Campbell 09 - Garth 07 - Samuel

It took me a second watch to get a bead on this one. I think I've come to a POV that is close to what Latvernian Diplomat was saying...with a twist. First let me say, I did not particularly like many parts of this episode. But I think it was less "horrible writers" and more of a "swing and a miss" (that's a baseball term for non-baseball people...means they tried for something and didn't get it). Let me 'splain: Horror Trope Homage/Parody ala Cabin In The Woods Latvernian Diplomat called it. This was a direct rip-off of a weaksauce Horror Movie. If you look at the "plot" and "cast" of this movie-within-a-TV-show you can see all the tropes: - I Know What You Did Last Summer basic plot - College Kids in a small midwestern college - The Frat Boys: drink too much, random hookups at the drop of a hat, assholes (with a Texting PSA thrown in). Cliches all the way. - The Blond "Slut" dies -- of course she dies. She was sleeping with her TA. They even gave a shoutout by saying #slut. - The Good Girl lives. She always lives. Now at about the halfway point (just after Dean hands her a tissue and tosses the box - LOL), they subvert the ENTIRE THING. When Dean starts talking to her, she literally becomes less trope-y and more of a real character. And it turns back into "Supernatural" vice faux movie. My verdict: If I had to watch it twice to figure it out and this is not already all over the internet (I haven't seen this written up this way yet), then YOUR DOING THE HOMAGE/PARODY WRONG. Plus, I HATE the tropes they use. The guilty: I actually blame John Showalter, the director, a bit more than Charmelo/Snyder. Maybe if they had made the Blonde's death music with a little more emphasis on a screeching violin the gag would have been more obvious. Dean off the Deep End Again I agree with Latvernian Diplomat. I think they were trying to show Dean overcompensating again. He was overcompensating in three ways: - Overeating (Guy Norman Bee was the one who put this feature in 10.9 and said "overcompensating subtext" was a reasonable interpretation) - Lusting after college co-eds like he couldn't control himself - Acting dumb It was back to "fake it" til you make it. He was trying to hard to be a goof. And it was written that way IMO. Again, this stopped at the halfway point as well. My verdict: Bleech. It came across as bad writing and bad directing. Unlike 10.9 where Dean hulked out at the end, it didn't happen. That's kind of a victory for Dean but it makes the "overcompensating" less obvious. The guilty: Again I'm going with Showalter but...*gasp* ...I'm also going to put some of this on Jensen. The food out of the mouth schtick was easily interpreted as just a cheap laugh. Dean the therapist THIS I liked. Dean started off with his usual "whiskey and denial" response. And then he changed, mid-sentence. Because it wasn't about him and he's getting used to being honest. Rather than the quip, he told the truth "I do my best to make things right". This is what the girl actually needed to hear. And by being honest with her, he was practicing that. He was helping her. Not surprisingly, it felt good I think and he tried it again with Andrew. With Andrew the parallels were pretty obvious to everyone but I'm okay with that. We can only take so much of Dean just pouring his heart out. So, speaking truth to Andrew in a way that Dean understood it made sense. It didn't work as well this time, but listening to Courey talk Andrew into "moving on", also helped Dean. My Verdict: Real growth for Dean, I liked it. The kudos go to: The writers for the mid-sentence twist and Jensen for selling the turn-around. Dean's new new ...no really, this is the NEW approach to the Mark of Cain Most people have said this: he's going to accept that having the Mark is part of him and just keep fighting it's affect for as long and as hard as he can. He's not going to go into "standby" mode like he's been for the past few weeks. Helping people is helping him. It's a very healthy mental attitude coming from Dean. I think they've done a good job of showing him trying on a variety of different solutions and this one feels right. A helluva lot better than The Cleanse Plan or The Hiding Plan. My Verdict: Worked for me. Dialog was a bit clunky but I think the big message generally came across. And hopefully we won't see anymore of Dean "faking it". I don't think he's thinking about what happens when he dies. He just wants to do as much good as he can for now. The kudos go to: Jensen for making it work and Carver for the arc. Other Bits and Bobs: - I think anyone who has eaten in a college dorm for the first time could relate to Dean's initial food reaction ...especially the frozen yogurt. I liked that. - Christine. Hee. - Sam got to be the one to save the day and he wasn't knocked unconscious or choked! - I like that Sam and Cas are strategizing and keeping in contact so often. This is about others helping Dean. I'm good with that.

Wouldn't THAT be interesting. Clearly the blade comes to Cain. What if it prefers to stay with Cain? Would the bloodlust leave Dean if the Mark was busy feeding off of Cain? Somehow I don't think Dean will let that happen. Because Cain looks off his rocker. And if they find Cain because he's got his murder on? Then Dean will feel obliged to end him. And suddenly the First Blade has become the Elder Wand (Harry Potter shout out!). With whom does it's loyalty lie? Cain because he had the Blade the longest (but also dumped it into the Marianas trench) or Dean because he had it last? Using the Elder Wand analogy, in the preview Cain tosses Dean thru the wall. So maybe Cain wins back the loyalty of the Blade? OTOH, again, I don't see Dean letting Cain just run off and start slaughtering again. So... Dean may save Cain by killing him. How...How the hell would I know? But that's my predict. Dean kills Cain to stop him (or even save him in Dean's mind). Carver said the MoC was going to be a plot for the whole season...so, I think it sticks around. Now don't be too sure to believe me...I had to eat my hat over Gretel. The tied up girl was Tina, not Gretel, in "About A Boy"...so I was wrong about that prediction.

Not really a social media event with the cast...but William Shatner, as many of you know, live-tweeted Supernatural last night. At one point he asked a question (to no one in particular) about how Dean got the phone in the basement. I answered (as did tons of others). Surprisingly, he REPLIED TO ME. Capt Kirk replied to me. It was amazing and I am unabashedly fangirling over it. Then my twitter notifications blew up as about 100 people favorited or retweeted it. Still happening 24 hrs later. So there...that was my fifteen minutes of internet fame.

I kinda held out hope that they'd address it at least. The other option, however, was that Kevin was still haunting Mrs Tran and Reapers were going insane. So.... offscreenville is at least a less horrible thought. You must have missed that moment in "All Hell Breaks Loose, Pt 2" when Dean said "and I get to stay fit and handsome as long as I'm living" and the Crossroads Demon went in for a second kiss (because why wouldn't you?). /personalheadcanon Episode thoughts: I want to rewatch again. I liked Dean-the-therapist and Sam getting to save the day this time with quick thinking. Brainsmush head was suitably gross but I didn't care for I'msleepingwiththeTAblonde or Imanassholefratboy(s).

I think they did fix it (in offscreenville...see my @SnazzyO text to Clarrissa). In 10.3 Cas said: emphasis mine (transcript courtesy of SuperWiki).

Preview http://www.screenfad.com/supernatural/supernatural-preview-s10e14-the-executioners-song-32489 I note, with interest, that the start is a flash inside what looks like an old time prison. I wonder if Cain is doing some executions these days cause he can? IDK.

EXCELLENT GAME! ++ Jo ++ John -- Samuel 19 - Ellen 17 - Bobby 17 - Rufus 17 - Jo 15 - Mary 15 - Ash 15 - John 15 - Christian Campbell 15 - Gwen Campbell 13 - Samuel 13 - Garth

Pictures for NEXT week's The Executioner's Song. Dean has the Blade and Cain has Galavant hair! http://www.screenfad.com/supernatural/supernatural-photos-s10e14-the-executioners-song-32471?image=0

+ First Born -- Bad Boys 11 - First Born 01 - Bad Boys Off in the Veil with Kevin Bloodlines Rock and a Hard Place Do You Believe in Miracles? I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here I'm No Angel #THINMAN Sharp Teeth Stairway to Heaven The Purge Meta Fiction Road Trip Slumber Party King of the Damned Blade Runners Devil May Care Holy Terror Captives Alex Annie Alexis Anne Heaven Can't Wait Mother's Little Helper Dog Dean Afternoon

Truly impressive rue!

-- Dog Dean Afternoon -- Mother's Little Helper -- Bad Boys 12 - First Born 07 - Bad Boys 04 - Dog Dean Afternoon 01 - Mother's Little Helper 01 - Heaven Can't Wait Off in the Veil with Kevin Bloodlines Rock and a Hard Place Do You Believe in Miracles? I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here I'm No Angel #THINMAN Sharp Teeth Stairway to Heaven The Purge Meta Fiction Road Trip Slumber Party King of the Damned Blade Runners Devil May Care Holy Terror Captives Alex Annie Alexis Anne

Well that's fair But, I'm kinda hoping this last year has given them both perspective. For Dean, for example, I don't think it's in him to let Sam die. OTOH, I think he would definitely reconsider not telling him what was going on. Further, if Sam was truly dead dead. Like atomized...can't be brought back by Cas dead... would Dean let him go? I think he might. I think he would think long and hard about what Sam would want. In the hospital with the decision regarding Gadreel,, it came as a shock to him that Sam wanted to die and never be brought back. I'd say that Dean almost felt betrayed at that moment. Like Sam promised he wanted to survive it, accepted stopping the trials, and this "don't let me come back" thing just did not equate. After the last 18 months, I think he'd have to think about what Sammy would want. Now that's a different question than "do everything in his power to prevent Sam from dying". He's always going to fight to his last breath to STOP Sam from getting killed, but if it's a fait au complete (like it really was in 9.1), he may at least pause if not completely let Sam go rather than do something to potentially lose Sam's love. Sam's sense of betrayal and the "we're not brothers" bit really was hard on Dean. I don't know if he wants to go back there again. Conversely, I think Sam now GETS what it's like to be Dean at least to some extent. He understands now, more than he did before, the sense of responsibility for literally being his brother's keeper. He always felt like Dean sacrificed for him, but I don't think he understood what having that responsibility felt like. I honestly don't think he could ever get it 100% because he's not been parentified. Regardless, I think he appreciates Dean's mindset more. Bottom line: the personal journey of these two has, I think, changed their relationship. I think Sam is simply glad to have Dean alive and with him. I think Dean sees Sam's need for agency as essential to Sam's personality. Hopefully this means they will show the respect for each other that is required to smooth out some of those less-than-healthy behaviors.

-- Dog Dean Afternoon -- Bad Boys + First Born 15 - First Born 12 - Bad Boys 09 - Dog Dean Afternoon 09 - Heaven Can't Wait 08 - Mother's Little Helper Off in the Veil with Kevin Bloodlines Rock and a Hard Place Do You Believe in Miracles? I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here I'm No Angel #THINMAN Sharp Teeth Stairway to Heaven The Purge Meta Fiction Road Trip Slumber Party King of the Damned Blade Runners Devil May Care Holy Terror Captives Alex Annie Alexis Anne Is it me or does Rue have a definite preference?

I support that rant. This: in particular. Who are we to say that their lives are not worthy if they don't have that?

+ Bad Boys -- Dog Dean + Mother's little helper 28 - First Born 15 - Bad Boys 13 - Mother's Little Helper 12 - Dog Dean Afternoon 09 - Heaven Can't Wait 01 - Alex Annie Alexis Ann Off in the Veil with Kevin Bloodlines Rock and a Hard Place Do You Believe in Miracles? I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here I'm No Angel #THINMAN Sharp Teeth Stairway to Heaven The Purge Meta Fiction Road Trip Slumber Party King of the Damned Blade Runners Devil May Care Holy Terror Captives

+ First Born + Bad Boys -- Alex Annie Alexis Ann 20 - First Born 18- Bad Boys 16 - Dog Dean Afternoon 15 - Mother's Little Helper 11 - Heaven Can't Wait 04 - Alex Annie Alexis Ann 03 - Captives Off in the Veil with Kevin Bloodlines Rock and a Hard Place Do You Believe in Miracles? I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here I'm No Angel #THINMAN Sharp Teeth Stairway to Heaven The Purge Meta Fiction Road Trip Slumber Party King of the Damned Blade Runners Devil May Care Holy Terror

Sorry! I didn't mean it. *runs out to avoid lynching*

It might give the Impala a run for it's money.

I believe it IS about removing the self-loathing. So I guess that yes, he's trying out a few things and coming back to himself. And Dean always hid his cheesy pop song love from Sam. So that, at least, was him shaking off (I had to ...I'm sorry ...I had to), some of his inhibitions in a healthy way. He's not going to wake up and one day say, "screw it, I'm not responsible for half the shit I think I am". He's literally got to get comfortable with trusting himself in his own skin WITH the Mark. The food/sex/alcohol stuff are the exterior items that had the side benefit of numbing his pain. But he can also enjoy those things without needing them to numb his pain. I'm not explaining well. I just think it's a slow burn to get to the deeper issues. And speaking of deeper issues. I took a screen shot and blew up that last complex diagram he was looking at. It's from the Kabbalah. World creation, soul importance kinda stuff. People spend entire lifetimes studying that. I'd be interested if that was a throw-away prop or relevant later.

Let me try a more simplistic approach. This is the season of figuring out how to be okay with who you are. I think Dean is just sorting out who he really is. So, for example, it's not going to work for him to be on the straight healthy diet*. It's not him. It's not going to work for him to never have a drink. He's going to admit he likes some songs that are not consistent with his past persona (like Taylor Swift). So he'll take a little of this, a little of that, and learn to be just Dean. Pulling a Dean Winchester -- making sacrifices, saving the day. It's who he is. *from the montage we saw he was eating take out. And then someone pointed out (on Tumblr) that if he hasn't left the bunker, Sammy is bringing in the food. Which makes me realize -- Sam really doesn't know much about cooking. Okay, he made a grilled cheese that one time but most times Sam give Dean food it's something he buys. And additional point, if Sam is bringing in the Tex-Mex, then he knows Dean has given up the "clean eating" food approach.

If you are not interested in Tina's dilemma, feel free to move along, I'm ruminating on it a bit... I noticed my mom-instincts didn't kick in for Tina because I just don't consider her a teen. I consider her an adult in a teen body. Now she's got logistical issues to be sure. First, she's essentially disappearing. I'm going to go with Bartender may even report her missing because he seemed to like her. So, they find her clothes, like the other missing barfly and later she's presumed dead. Her SSN is no good. Which is fine, because she's running away from her $50,000 in debt. She wants to dump the old life. So that leaves her essentially in the status of illegal alien -- no id, no birth certificate, no SSN. These days the Social Security Administration goes to the county officials for where you were born to get the birth certificate. Tina doesn't strike me as the kind with connections to a criminal element and this would not be a good start. So, she's going to live off the grid OR she's going to get help. Maybe she calls the Winchesters (they didn't say "call" but they often do...so I'm going to go with they gave her their number). IF they get her hooked up with false ID (see Charlie via e-mail), then this woman can just about do anything. She can work at any minimum wage job (just make the ID say she's 16). Get a GRE. Go to Community College. Whatever. The key is the papers. Without a fake ID, she's forever working minimum wage jobs for cash only. So...I've decided in my headcanon, that they gave her THEIR number and an e-mail for Charlie. And Charlie will hook her up. She can work it from Italy because she's that good. Boom. Tina's okay. Claire, however, is still living homeless waif life.