S01.E02: Wendigo

[DittyDotDot]

Sam and Dean make a stop at Blackwater Ridge and end up helping a young woman and her brother find their other brother, who mysteriously disappeared, while on a camping trip, in the woods.

[DittyDotDot]

Okay, I just want to preface this with: this is not one of my favorite episodes, in fact the next few are a bit shaky for me. They're not egregious or anything--it seems almost any of the first three seasons episodes I can find something to like--but I do find myself watching more passively--I think they just hadn't found their legs yet.

 

Things I find work well: 

• The continuity from the Pilot, Sam's nightmares and shoot-first-ask-questions-later attitude and his lack of interest in the greater picture of saving these folks considering he just lost Jessica and had vengeance on his mind.
• Dean's growing annoyance with Sam's attitude and his wanting to protect and save those people.
• Many of the camera moves and angles were great. Nicely done Mr. Nutter.
• Nice to see Callum Keith Rennie as Roy and anyone that cocky deserves to get their neck snapped and tossed into a tree by a monster.

 

Things I find don't work as well:

• The monster of the week was more interesting and terrifying when we didn't see it. I can give them a bit of a pass though, I think they learned their lesson from this episode.
• Wendigos are repelled by Anasazi symbols?
• There was a couple of clunky exposition scenes, but I at least give them credit for trying make them look interesting and adding movement to the scene, but really they are just barfing up details that I'm not sure we needed to know all of.
• And this is just a personal thing, but who goes backpacking with a laptop, video games and every other nerdy-techy thing they own? As a backpacker myself, I would never add the extra weight alone.

 

Overall though, the episode is still sufficiently moody and opens up our characters a bit more. I'm especially fond of the scene where Dean opens the trunk, looks around, then starts filling his duffel bag with various instruments of bodily harm. There is some nice camera work there. David Nutter and Kim Manners complement each other so well, which makes sense with their previous work history.

 

Something I never thought of before though--throughout most of S1, I could never really understand Dean's need to follow his father's orders, not until Something Wicked at least. But he says it right here, I just wasn't paying attention..."the way I see it Dad gave me a job to do and I'm going to do it." It also makes Something Wicked work even better for me in hindsight. But more on that when we get there.

 

ETA: I highly recommend Drunken Bee's recap of this episode--well, I recommend all the Supernatural recaps--over at TWoP. It's really delightful and snarky.

Edited June 7, 2014 by DittyDotDot

[ElleryAnne]

I should start with a disclaimer:  The wendigo is one of my favorite monsters.  (And okay, I have a list of favorite monsters.)  I usually like stories about them - not that there are very many.  (This show is the only time I've ever heard it pronounced "win-DEE-go", though.)  So I may be pre-disposed to like this episode more than most.

 

So.  Actual show.  I like it.  It's one of those episodes that's not really a standout but has enough good moments in it that I find myself enjoying it.  It's not trying to be anything more than what it is .  I don't have to dig into any deep metaphors or feel great pain for all the boys have been through or worry that anyone's going to be betrayed.  It does a little bit to further the story and backstory of the brothers, but it's mostly just monster-hunting goodness.  Yummy.

 

The scene with Dean and Sam away from the campfire is a favorite of mine.  I love the quiet tone of it, with the woods around them and fire crackling not far away and Sam and Dean talking softly about their lives even while there's a wendigo off somewhere in the woods - it just feels like the kind of moment they probably had a lot of when they were younger, once they were old enough for John to take them along on hunts. 

 

And yes, the "saving people, hunting things" part got played so much (in nearly every "THEN" for how long?), but I just love that conversation.  When Sam asks Dean how he does it,  how he goes on being a hunter,  and Dean just nods at Haley and Tommy, who are not much more than strangers to him really,  and says, "Them", it's the core of who Dean is, right there.  He lives the way he does because maybe he can help people he doesn't even know.  And Sam - Sam always needs a personal reason to continue.  At this point his reason is a combination of revenge for Jessica's death and finding John.  I agree that the show is still finding its footing in this episode, but that scene for me still captures the essence of the brothers.   I fell in love with the show with the Pilot, but I fell in love with the brothers in this scene.

 

 

Many of the camera moves and angles were great. Nicely done Mr. Nutter.

 

 

I agree.  I always find this episode visually pleasing.  

 

 

Another thing - I like Gina Holden in this episode.  I remember when this episode first aired I would see a lot of negative comments about her, and I never understood that.  I think she's fine here.

 

Wendigos are repelled by Anasazi symbols?

 

 

LOL.  Yeah, I don't get that.  

 

 

There was a couple of clunky exposition scenes, but I at least give them credit for trying make them look interesting and adding movement to the scene, but really they are just barfing up details that I'm not sure we needed to know all of.

 

 

Aw, their "explain the wendigo" scene.  You're right, they don't need to give Haley and Tommy a history lesson.  But I like that scene.  I like how they look - not just being shallow here (okay, maybe a little), but actually the way they appear in this scene, too.  Sam, especially, because he looks so very young to be a seasoned hunter with a background in all of this stuff, and yet there he is.  

Edited June 7, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[mstaken]

I once again agree with both of you to the point where my neck is sore from nodding along with your posts ;) 

 

I agree with @DittyDotDot that Wendigo isn't a special favorite and does suffer from small bouts of awkward NewShow-itis. But I also agree with Ellery Ann that I like the monster/legend, most of the small brotherly moments, and the overall tone and mood. You know how we were chatting over on the Pilot thread about how S1 did a far better job of balancing the woe-is-them angst and darkness with some actual fun, adventure and victories along the way? For me, this episode is a solid example of that. (The majority of this first season is a great example of that apparently lost skill, in fact, but I'll try not to raise this same freaking point on every episode thread!) As a result, Wendigo is one of those episodes that I find myself liking and appreciating a lot more now than when it first aired. It may not qualify as one of the 'best' SPN episodes, but it's one that I enjoy watching more and more in contrast to the do-these-boys-even-mildly-LIKE each other, meandering apocalyptical grimness we've gotten for several of the more recent seasons.  

 

And, wow, Dean was so spirited and vibrant and edgy and alive back then, and Sam was infinitely more likable even while already drowning in angst!  

Edited June 7, 2014 by mstaken

[7kstar]

 

And, wow, Dean was so spirited and vibrant and edgy and alive back then, and Sam was infinitely more likable even while already drowning in angst!

 

This is what I miss the most and I hope that they will figure out a way to bring this back in Season 10.  Too be fair I didn't start watching until season 3...actually the repeats in the summer break or online.  I started off watching season 4, so I already had an opinion about some of the things on the show.

 

I never get scared watching any of supernatural.  Graphics don't bother me, since I remember watching "Lost in Space" black & white version and the graphics are just plain laughable now.  So I understand that my job is to suspend disbelief and I could laugh when they finally show the monster but instead I just focus on Dean's attitude.  I loved when he yells out trying to give Sam the best chance for escape with the everyone that needs to be saved.

 

I love I never wear shorts and trying to make it sound like Peanut M& M's are a food choice.

 

So I watch for the little moments.  It's not a favorite but I there are moments which I really like.

 

Not sure why some fans always seem to hate the women on the show, because I thought she did a fine job but then again, I had a huge problem with some of Jared's acting choices throughout season 1.  JMV

Edited June 7, 2014 by 7kstar

[mstaken]

I had a huge problem with some of Jared's acting choices throughout season 1.  JMV

 

I don't think he's an especially good actor in general, though I find him likable when the scripts allow him to smile a little and show a tiny bit of playfulness and humor. The nostril flaring and perpetual pouting didn't seem as prevalent to me in S1 as in most other seasons, but that may be just because I liked the brother's overall relationship so much more this season...and because I like JP's less bulky S1 body, softer face and little-boy-gets-his-first-haircut hair ;) 

[SueB]

Hey! Peanut M&Ms ARE a valid food choice! I think they are the perfect hiking snack.

I like the Wendigo backstory and wish we'd see another one.

LOVED the mission statement in this episode and loved how they used this second episode to establish the show format.

I like Gina Holden and thought she had just the right blend is competency/sincerity and sass.

[amazinglybored]

I still really love this episode, I continue to adore the Wendigo as a monster and them actually hunting something in the wild. It had its rough patches but that's to be expected (they have way more now), I really miss when the MoTW was an event so to speak. Having to figure out what it is, how to kill it and then doing it. It had a big line "Saving people, hunting things" for Dean and the show, quite possibly the line from the show. I'd be fine with the last season going back to that attitude.

 

I miss the Dean who took joy in hunting, I miss the show that had that. Now hunting is bad and angst is everything.

 

 

 

I don't think he's an especially good actor in general, though I find him likable when the scripts allow him to smile a little and show a tiny bit of playfulness and humor. The nostril flaring and perpetual pouting didn't seem as prevalent to me in S1 as in most other seasons,

 

I think he started to do it more as the show went on and now it's its own entity; flared nostrils and furrowed brow. He had a definite peak as an actor on this show, imo, that ended for sure in season 4 when they moved away from his strengths, but I think something else changed. IDK what, though. An acting coach coming or leaving, an acting philosophy change, directors, etc. I think he's around average but he could be better if he was handled properly, that just doesn't happen.

[mstaken]

I miss the Dean who took joy in hunting, I miss the show that had that. Now hunting is bad and angst is everything.

 

Amen! As you can tell from my posts, I agree with this wholeheartedly :) The very greatest aspects of S1 to me, and the reason I'm so willing to merrily wave away a lot its clunky new-show-ness, is Sam's relative likability, the general sense that the boys often LIKED each other and, as you just touched on, Dean's infectious zest for life. As simplistic as I know this sounds, when Dean had more fun, *I* had more fun as a viewer. I get that their lives have always been unusually tough, and I get that the show has to impress that upon us, but there's really very little entertainment value (for me!) in watching two increasingly dysfunctional people trudge through unrelenting misery while barely tolerating each other at best and seeming to outright dislike each other at worst. S1 is such a delightful reminder of how comparatively fun, energetic, and vibrant the characters (especially Dean) and the overall show used to be. As much as I love S2 and s3 and think that in certain ways they're probably 'better' than this first season, Dean's contagious enthusiasm and edgy energy in S1, Sam's relatability and the fact that the show sprinkled in so much more adventure, fun and even (relative!) joy earns S1 a special place in my heart. 

Edited June 8, 2014 by mstaken

[DittyDotDot]

See, this is why I like to re-watch during the hellatus--it reminds me of why this show was fun to watch at one time. Wait, maybe that's a bad thing, if I didn't remind myself, maybe I could give it up. Who am I kidding...if S8 and S9 didn't drive me away, nothing probably will.

[amensisterfriend]

I'm always surprised when people affiliated with the show single this one out as an example of what they're very glad the show didn't turn out to be. Like most early episodes of most shows, it's a little clunky, but it's got some great moments, a moderately interesting myth/legend, and a sense of fun and adventure so sadly lacking after the show's first few seasons. Honestly, I'd rather rewatch Wendigo on constant loop than the majority of what we've gotten in recent seasons :) 

[DittyDotDot]

I'm always surprised when people affiliated with the show single this one out as an example of what they're very glad the show didn't turn out to be. Like most early episodes of most shows, it's a little clunky, but it's got some great moments, a moderately interesting myth/legend, and a sense of fun and adventure so sadly lacking after the show's first few seasons. Honestly, I'd rather rewatch Wendigo on constant loop than the majority of what we've gotten in recent seasons :) 

 

Amen sister friend! (I'm sorry, that's really, really bad).

[GirlyGeek]

I don't have much to say about Wendigo.

It has some great moments.  Setting up the brother's relationship and setting up the mission statement of the show.  Great guest actors too.

I think on re watch what struck me was how easily the boys fell into a rhythm of hunting together.  I mean, it was stated in the Pilot that they hadn't been in contact much for 2 years, so it was cool to see in both the Pilot and Wendigo that they had each other's backs and were taking cues from each other pretty well.

Dean's character is showing through clearly- Save people.  Hunt all the bad stuff.  He seems pretty simple in these early episodes, but I appreciate that Jensen brings so much more to the stereotypical role.  
Sam's impatience and need for revenge are something that follow him throughout the series, and its clearly evident in these early on episodes.  But its also clear his time away from hunting didn't dull his resourcefulness and capabilities.   

One thing I don't like about these early episodes- the need to have a one-liner and/or the kiss from the damsel in distress.  Both in this episode.

[SueB]

I was struck, upon rewatch, on how very X-files this episode was in terms of the case and the legend.  Speaking with the traumatized old man... I swear I could have seen Mulder doing that.  

To this day, when I eat peanut M&Ms I think of them as the perfect survival food.  Just sayin'.

It definitely gave the MOTW set-up feel too. And there's something nostalgic about seeing the usual suspects - local authority figures downplaying what's going on, Sam & Dean with fake id's, etc...   

But I have to confess... in the VERY first scene ... as soon as the black guy went outside I thought "Great. Just fridged the girlfriend. Now let's kill the black guy." And Yep... that's what they did.  Hard to unsee these things anymore.  

[DittyDotDot]

This episode does have a certain atmosphere to it. You're right @SueB, it could be an X-files episode in it's look and feel.

19 minutes ago, SueB said:

But I have to confess... in the VERY first scene ... as soon as the black guy went outside I thought "Great. Just fridged the girlfriend. Now let's kill the black guy." And Yep... that's what they did.  Hard to unsee these things anymore.  

Heh, I don't know what this says about me, but I never noticed the guy was even black. I remember thinking the guy was toast though, not only because it was the teaser and they all die in the teasers, but he was venturing out into the woods by himself...at the start of a horror movie, no less. 

[SueB]

6 minutes ago, DittyDotDot said:

This episode does have a certain atmosphere to it. You're right @SueB, it could be an X-files episode in it's look and feel.

Heh, I don't know what this says about me, but I never noticed the guy was even black. I remember thinking the guy was toast though, not only because it was the teaser and they all die in the teasers, but he was venturing out into the woods by himself...at the start of a horror movie, no less. 

I slightly appeased myself with "horror movie trope" ... but still... it wasn't obvious enough to be a joke so... side eyeing Kripke a bit.

BTW: I forgot how long that "previously was". 

[DittyDotDot]

2 minutes ago, SueB said:

I slightly appeased myself with "horror movie trope" ... but still... it wasn't obvious enough to be a joke so... side eyeing Kripke a bit.

Oh no, you're right, I just never noticed it until you pointed it out. Like I said, I don't know what that says about me that I didn't notice, though.

[SueB]

I've only become adept at spotting these tropes in the last few years. Now they are in neon.  

Edited June 6, 2016 by SueB
someday I will learn to spell... today is NOT that day

[GirlyGeek]

Of course the other thing that just occurred to me (duh).  After all the trouble they went to save the brother and to preserve this 'family in distress'... Season 9? 10? spoiler (I can't keep the seasons straight)

Spoiler

Crowley goes and kills the brother anyway years later.

I forgot about that!

[SueB]

Oh yeah. Pissed me off.  Crowley IS a schmuck.

[AwesomO4000]

I still say Crowley needs to be covered in spiders. And not the cute kind either (and yes, there are cute spiders. Just trust me on this one.)

And then Sam needs to kill him - finally.

Spoiler

He's only been trying to/wanting to since season 5.

[Binns]

Started the rewatch last night. The babies, they are adorable. I think Jared had some pretty strong work in this. I found myself really emotionally connecting with him...nice balance between grief and rage. I wish we had a scene or two of the immediate fallout from Jess' death though. 

[catrox14]

Sam is all over the map in this one.

DEAN: Her brother's missing, Sam. She's not gonna just sit this out. Now we go with her, we protect her, and we keep our eyes peeled for our fuzzy predator friend.

DEAN picks up the duffel.

SAM:Finding Dad's not enough?

SAM slams the weapons box shut, then the trunk.

SAM: Now we gotta babysit too?

5 minutes later

Dean: This is Dad's most valuable possession. We have to follow in his footsteps. Saving people. Hunting things. Family business.

5 minutes later :

SAM: We gotta get these people to safety!

I'm happy to see Dean inspired him to get his shit together...I mean as opposed to Sam being all over the place here LOL

[MysteryGuest]

I liked this episode when I first watched it.  It had a nice creepy feel, and I think it's held up well.  It's another one that I'll watch from time to time and it still creeps me out.  

I have to say I mostly enjoyed early Sam.  He seemed more natural to me then.  Sometimes in more recent episodes, his lines seem forced or over the top.

[sarthaz]

My favorite part of this episode is Haley rocking the shorts ... in Colorado mountains ... in mid-November where average highs are in the 50's and lows well below freezing.  And she has the audacity to critique Dean's wardrobe?  "Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts."

[Katy M]

On ‎12‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 3:51 PM, sarthaz said:

My favorite part of this episode is Haley rocking the shorts ... in Colorado mountains ... in mid-November where average highs are in the 50's and lows well below freezing.  And she has the audacity to critique Dean's wardrobe?  "Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts."

I have issues with the season timeline all through season 1.  I mean look at what they're doing the next episode in what has to be late November/early December in Wisconsin.

[catrox14]

On 12/22/2016 at 0:51 PM, sarthaz said:

My favorite part of this episode is Haley rocking the shorts ... in Colorado mountains ... in mid-November where average highs are in the 50's and lows well below freezing.  And she has the audacity to critique Dean's wardrobe?  "Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts."

I grew up in Colorado and this not inaccurate. This is how people in Colorado roll. No joke. They'll wear shorts in the day, and change in the evening.  My beef is with the flora and fauna.  LOL

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, catrox14 said:

I grew up in Colorado and this not inaccurate. This is how people in Colorado roll. No joke. They'll wear shorts in the day, and change in the evening.  My beef is with the flora and fauna.  LOL

But, she wore them all night.  Outside.

[catrox14]

Just now, Katy M said:

But, she wore them all night.  Outside.

Colorado gals are tough cookies :), especially when she's trying to find her missing brother, being chased by a monster and is acclimated to the cold. 

[DittyDotDot]

18 minutes ago, Katy M said:

But, she wore them all night.  Outside.

Well, what else was she going to wear, didn't the wendigo steal all their stuff?

[catrox14]

1 minute ago, DittyDotDot said:

Well, what else was she going to wear, didn't the wendigo steal all their stuff?

Ha! I forgot about that.

[Katy M]

16 minutes ago, DittyDotDot said:

Well, what else was she going to wear, didn't the wendigo steal all their stuff?

True.  But, I'm from Vermont.  We're crazy here about not always dressing for the weather either.  But, I just can't imagine going up in high elevation in shorts in November, and then being stuck in them all night.  If I weren't so hot now, I'd freeze to death just thinking about it.

[catrox14]

4 minutes ago, Katy M said:

True.  But, I'm from Vermont.  We're crazy here about not always dressing for the weather either.  But, I just can't imagine going up in high elevation in shorts in November, and then being stuck in them all night.  If I weren't so hot now, I'd freeze to death just thinking about it.

Eh, Colorado is not NEARLY the bitter cold you'd get in Vermont. It's a dry cold. Seriously.

[Katy M]

12 minutes ago, catrox14 said:

Eh, Colorado is not NEARLY the bitter cold you'd get in Vermont. It's a dry cold. Seriously.

Well, I'll take your word for it, I guess.  But, if I ever going hiking in the mountain in CO in November I'm wearing jeans and bringing a sweater and a jacket and nobody's gonna stop me!

[catrox14]

4 hours ago, Katy M said:

Well, I'll take your word for it, I guess.  But, if I ever going hiking in the mountain in CO in November I'm wearing jeans and bringing a sweater and a jacket and nobody's gonna stop me!

LOL fair enough!!

[Iju]

On 07/06/2014 at 3:32 PM, ElleryAnne said:

The scene with Dean and Sam away from the campfire is a favorite of mine.  I love the quiet tone of it, with the woods around them and fire crackling not far away and Sam and Dean talking softly about their lives even while there's a wendigo off somewhere in the woods - it just feels like the kind of moment they probably had a lot of when they were younger, once they were old enough for John to take them along on hunts. 

 

i liked that scene as well, i watched this ep i think three times? but your suggestion on their talking like they are in their kid years was very interesting to imagine. thanks for that :)

--------

i was rewatching this just for the heck of it and this brings back (recent) memories of watching this while making waffles and eating breakfast. by this time i was pretty interested in this show. there's something about eating and watching something that i like, but i barely do it. while i was rewatching, however, i fell asleep to the sound of sam and dean's voices so i missed some. for some reason i have a weakness for men's voices. no, seriously i am weak for them - they lull me to sleep. if my brother is next to me and is talking i will just fade away, and dean's soft but rough tone plus sam's deep and smooth one are no exceptions ;)

anyway this ep didn't speak to me much, and it's good to know that eric hated this episode for years so it's not just me. i liked the song when sam and dean talked to each other by the campfire though, and i tried to find it in the S1 OST but it was fruitless :( it's only the second episode and dean is already in fatal trouble so it's good showing how dangerous their job is so soon.

 

P.S.: this thread was uploaded on my b-day ;)

Edited March 2, 2018 by Iju

[DittyDotDot]

15 hours ago, Iju said:

i liked the song when sam and dean talked to each other by the campfire though, and i tried to find it in the S1 OST but it was fruitless

It's been a really long time since I've watched this episode so I'm not sure, but I believe it was part of the original score written by Jay Gruska.--he and Christopher Lennertz generally alternate the scoring of the episodes. Gruska writes a lot of the more melodic themes while Lennertz wrote a lot of the guitar riffs and such. There was an OST album produced at one time--actually maybe there were two, I can't remember. Here's a link to a playlist. It's not complete, but might be a place to start: 

 

ETA: forgot to also give you this link to the music for each season, both original score and "the greatest hits of mullet rock": http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Category:Music

Edited March 2, 2018 by DittyDotDot

[Iju]

14 hours ago, DittyDotDot said:

It's been a really long time since I've watched this episode so I'm not sure, but I believe it was part of the original score written by Jay Gruska.--he and Christopher Lennertz generally alternate the scoring of the episodes. Gruska writes a lot of the more melodic themes while Lennertz wrote a lot of the guitar riffs and such. There was an OST album produced at one time--actually maybe there were two, I can't remember. Here's a link to a playlist. It's not complete, but might be a place to start: 

 

 

ETA: forgot to also give you this link to the music for each season, both original score and "the greatest hits of mullet rock": http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Category:Music

thanks for the info, but the YT vid is broken! :( but thanks for the wikia link :D

[DittyDotDot]

7 hours ago, Iju said:

thanks for the info, but the YT vid is broken! :( but thanks for the wikia link :D

Okay, that's weird, it played for me yesterday. Try this one: 

Edited March 3, 2018 by DittyDotDot

[Iju]

7 hours ago, DittyDotDot said:

Okay, that's weird, it played for me yesterday. Try this one: 

it works, thank you very much!^^