S01.E09: Home

[DittyDotDot]

When Sam starts to have nightmares about their old home, he and Dean head back to Kansas. They soon discover that the new owners of their old house are being plagued by a malevolent entity, could it be the same thing that killed their mother many years earlier?

[mstaken]

This is definitely one of my 2-3 least favorite episodes of S1, or at least among the 2-3 I'm least likely to rewatch. For starters, I have an irrational loathing of Missouri :) 

[DittyDotDot]

On paper, this should be an episode I really like--we finally get some progression on the story and it's a somewhat interesting case of the week--but I think the Missouri factor weighs it down for me. I think they tried to use Missouri as a way to alleviate the heavy, but instead the combination of her super-sweet voice and obnoxious attitude just makes me want to forget she ever existed. Plus, Sam's delight over her continuing to put Dean in his place feels off tonally to me. Not that I don't think Sam would find it amusing, but it's like he's enjoying it a bit too much. And, John at the end of the episode just plain annoys me--but I have a hard time watching Jeffery Dean Morgan without falling asleep anyway. Also, Kripke's love to rip-off...um, I mean pay "homage" to all things horror gets the way of my enjoyment. The door chopping scene doesn't annoy me as much as the toy monkey stuff--it's just too on the nose for my taste.

 

Overall, I think maybe they needed some more fun and adventure here.

 

 

ETA: or what mstaken said in far less words. ;)

Edited June 16, 2014 by DittyDotDot

[mertensia]

This episode was completely ruined by Missouri's constant berating on Dean while lavishing love and sweetness on Sam. Really? The only thing I can think is Dean is somehow a null to her psychically speaking which affects her.

[mstaken]

Overall, I think maybe they needed some more fun and adventure here.

 

Hey, no fair, you just stole my description of nearly 98% of post-S3 episodes ;) 

 

This episode annoys and depresses me. I don't want that from my S1 SPN; I can get ample amounts of that from later seasons, thank you very much! 

[DittyDotDot]

It's kinda funny that when I was watching it last night, I kept thinking this is what the show feels like now except Jared doesn't look like Sam and Jensen doesn't sound like Dean.

[Julia]

I loved Loretta Devine - I've loved her since she played the Anika Noni Rose part in Dreamgirls on Broadway - but she really does seem to get the quirky lady whose marshmallow heart hides a core of steel parts these days. Seems like a waste.

[amazinglybored]

Bleh, Missouri taints it and John being a shitty father was on display, Missouri was a waste of an interesting character. I think we were supposed to find Missouri funny and her putting Dean in his place satisfying... they misjudged, she wasn't funny and the god damn mind reader doing that to someone in distress like that was horrible. Sam liking it isn't funny or likable or cute, it's messed up and callous. Their issues with tone were present. It's a shame because aside from those issues it was a good episode, they just couldn't resist/

 

Mary kind of bypassing Dean to get to Sam to apologize was just awkward to me, idk why they did that. Why did only one warrant an apology?

Still not answered, probably never will be in a not facepalm inducing way.

[juppschmitz]

Mary kind of bypassing Dean to get to Sam to apologize was just awkward to me, idk why they did that. Why did only one warrant an apology?

Still not answered, probably never will be in a not facepalm inducing way.

 

I reckon it was because she made the deal for John, thereby (albeit unknowingly) allowing all the demon stuff to happen to Sam.

Edited June 16, 2014 by juppschmitz

[7kstar]

I loved Loretta Devine - I've loved her since she played the Anika Noni Rose part in Dreamgirls on Broadway - but she really does seem to get the quirky lady whose marshmallow heart hides a core of steel parts these days. Seems like a waste.

 

 

This episode was completely ruined by Missouri's constant berating on Dean while lavishing love and sweetness on Sam. Really? The only thing I can think is Dean is somehow a null to her psychically speaking which affects her.

 

I do watch this ep for parts, not the whole thing and the lines used to put down Dean is just stupid, but the phone call to Dad, Dean trying to save his brother, and heartbreaking moment of facing his Mom...well I do watch those parts several times.

 

I wish they hadn't made the choice to have John avoid his sons.  And I really hate Missouri's smack down on Dean.  So not my fav but I do watch it.

 

I blame the writers for writing some really bad stuff and their humor wasn't as funny as they thought it would be.

Edited June 16, 2014 by 7kstar

[amazinglybored]

I reckon it was because she made the deal for John, thereby (albeit unknowingly) allowing all the demon stuff to happen to Sam.

 

Right, but both of her children ended up suffering for it. Why only apologizing to one of them?

It's just something that seems like more tunnel vision from the writers, especially given Missouri in this episode, and it always bothered me. It was awkward and clumsy at the time.

 

Mary: Sam....... I'm sorry

Me Then: The other kid seems pretty damn messed up, too. More messed up, tbh. Writer gaffe.

Me Now:

The other one is really messed up, like, completely FUBAR from this. He sold his soul and blames himself for everything, he was turned into a parent as a child. Your deal didn't only effect one child, Mary.

Stupid writers.

[catrox14]

I feel like maybe the writers were thinking the audience was already with Sam and how he was the younger one and more sympathetic out of the gate. He'd lost his girlfriend, his mother and he was just a baby.  So Sam would need an apology but Dean wouldn't?

[DittyDotDot]

I think it's that

Sam's the one that ended up being tainted by Mary's deal. Dean at least got to hang onto his humanity--well, until now.

 

It is an awkward moment though, but man does Jensen break my heart in that scene. Funnily, I always am watching Dean in that scene, not Sam.

[catrox14]

I've seen comments that Missouri was being a Mom to Dean and all I thought was...um hell no. You were being mean for no reason that I could discern.  And that Dean deserved how rude she was, but I never understood it. It's not like Dean did anything to her but because she could "read" that he as a jerk. Meh.  The reveal that John was around the whole time (Fuck you John Winchester), makes me  wonder how much of what she knew was just what John told her versus what she "read".  

 

I always focus on Dean as well, because to me this was much more traumatic because he had to go back and relive that place.  Terrible. 

[amazinglybored]

I feel like maybe the writers were thinking the audience was already with Sam and how he was the younger one and more sympathetic out of the gate. He'd lost his girlfriend, his mother and he was just a baby.  So Sam would need an apology but Dean wouldn't?

 

Yeah, I do think it was how the writers viewed Sam and Dean, and how they thought the audience would be as well. It just seemed poorly thought out.

 

So Sam lost his girlfriend and a mother he doesn't remember, while Dean is back in the house he saw his mother die in, the house burn down and the end of his childhood happened. Would Mary have known even about Jessica? It's just lazy work, imo.

[trxr4kids]

This episode really highlights the many ways in which Dean was neglected or abused by family. He calls his father practically in tears and begs him to come help, he's ignored. Missouri the all knowing verbally assaults him. His brother revels in his abuse. The final straw is his mother all but ignoring his existence.

[7kstar]

I've seen comments that Missouri was being a Mom to Dean and all I thought was...um hell no. You were being mean for no reason that I could discern.  And that Dean deserved how rude she was, but I never understood it.

 

I always focus on Dean as well, because to me this was much more traumatic because he had to go back and relive that place.  Terrible. 

I never could figure out the reason that Missouri was being so awful.  Yes it is a part that I hate and just skip.  I think it is almost as if the writers can't look at their work with an objective eye.  We set up Luke Skywalker and young Sam will instantly grab everyone's attention.  Nope didn't work at least for me.  It made me more interested in Dean and less interested in Sam.

 

Yeah, I do think it was how the writers viewed Sam and Dean, and how they thought the audience would be as well. It just seemed poorly thought out.

 

So Sam lost his girlfriend and a mother he doesn't remember, while Dean is back in the house he saw his mother die in, the house burn down and the end of his childhood happened. Would Mary have known even about Jessica? It's just lazy work, imo.

This is where I just believe Kripke is just a poor showrunner at times.  His character's are one dimensional and if Jensen hadn't been such a strong actor we might have never liked Dean so we might have found this funny.  I really wonder how much that is really great is pure accident by nature or a result of Kim Manners?

 

This episode really highlights the many ways in which Dean was neglected or abused by family. He calls his father practically in tears and begs him to come help, he's ignored. Missouri the all knowing verbally assaults him. His brother revels in his abuse. The final straw is his mother all but ignoring his existence.

I get they only have so many minutes to tell the story but surely Mary would want to say something more to her firstborn and I get the sorry Sam was a setup that once you've watched the series you get.  But this is a part I would love to see rewritten.

 

[catrox14]

 

.  I really wonder how much that is really great is pure accident by nature or a result of Kim Manners?

Having gone back and watching Dark Angel and even his work in Smallville, IMO, Jensen is just that talented out of the gate.

 

But Kim Manners knew how to film that boy and IMO got the best out of him which was already pretty good anyway.  I've watched an entirely unhealthy amount of TV and I have long admired many actors, (Russell Crowe being my all time favorite) especially those that become that character and don't just play different versions of their own personality.

 

I think why Jensen has vaulted to the top of my list in less than a years time is because he is just so goddamn believable. To me, I never notice when Jensen is acting. It seems to me that he is always engaged in a scene, not to the point where he is intentionally pulling away from someone else. but that he  just lives in those moments.  I wish I could articulate it better but that's why I think I focus on him in this episode because what character who has been through what Dean went through is just going to stand there and not react to an entire event or scene. I guess that's what I mean.  Bleh. I can't explain it right LOL

[7kstar]

 

I really wonder how much that is really great is pure accident by nature or a result of Kim Manners?

Sorry, I wasn't talking about Jensen.  I was talking about Kripke.  I think he thought he was better than he was and all of his projects fall short that I know of.  Tarzan  (2003) was pretty bad and I loved the old Tarzan show.   I just wonder how much influence Manners had on Kripke? 

 

I know Manners was a really strong director and Jensen's acting has always pulled me in.   His phone call to his Dad really shines as it isn't overdone.  He follows his gut or instinct and doesn't act with his head.  He does his homework before hand and then listens.  Great actors really listen and react.  It makes the reactions more realistic and natural.  OOPs fell into teacher mode again...sorry hangs head in shame.  bad girl.

Edited June 17, 2014 by 7kstar

[mertensia]

Yeah this episode really does highlight that Dean was very much the family's soldier, dogsbody and heart but not- in many ways- family. The thing that kills me is the dialogue indicates to me that she met him way back when and instead of remembering him as a quiet traumatized child she laughs about his being funny looking. I get the impression that no one -in the years following the fire- really seemed to get that Dean had as much right to sympathy as Sam.

[amazinglybored]

This episode really highlights the many ways in which Dean was neglected or abused by family. He calls his father practically in tears and begs him to come help, he's ignored. Missouri the all knowing verbally assaults him. His brother revels in his abuse. The final straw is his mother all but ignoring his existence.

 

When you put it like that, it does. Jesus.

At least they're consistent with one thing.

This is where I just believe Kripke is just a poor showrunner at times.  His character's are one dimensional and if Jensen hadn't been such a strong actor we might have never liked Dean so we might have found this funny.  I really wonder how much that is really great is pure accident by nature or a result of Kim Manners?

 

Kripke, imo, is a weak showrunner who lucked into Manners, JA and the writing staff they had at the time. This might be OT and need to be moved/continued elsewhwere, but what area is he really consistently strong in? I doubt I would like the show he would have made if he was left to his own devices. From what I was able to stomach of Revolution and what I heard it was terrible, and it had the some of the same problems SPN has but not tempered.

[catrox14]

I  watched Revolution s1 which IMO was pretty terrible but the Miles character had some promise.  I largely stopped watching midway in s1 but did watch the s1 finale. So this year out of boredom I decided to watch the Revolution series finale

 

Anyway, I tuned in the series finale and within 10 minutes I was like....huh, so this Miles guy was revamped into a lesser Dean Winchester with zero charm and zero likeability. It actually kind of offended me that Kripke cannibalized his own IMO best character because it was just obvious and blatant. I feel certain  that was the Dean Winchester we might have been stuck with if not for  JA, Kim Manners, Bob Singer, and Ben Edlund on his writing staff.  So basically I agree that Kripke lucked out beyond lucking out.

[Zanne]

The thing that kills me is the dialogue indicates to me that she met him way back when and instead of remembering him as a quiet traumatized child she laughs about his being funny looking.

 

 

I think this is where they played it wrong. They were probably going for the idea that the psychic would "know" tough-guy-Dean wouldn't want to revisit the worst moment in his life and certainly wouldn't want to talk about it. I don't agree with that. The Dean they wrote on paper might have felt that way, too tough to admit to his feelings, but the Dean Ackles gave us was a Dean that needed people to see past that and give him a little love and sympathy. It would have worked a lot better for me had she opened with the joke, saw (felt) it hit wrong, and then quietly asked (with Sam out of hearing), "How you doing, kid?", or something to indicate yeah, she recognized he still hurt, but wasn't going to dissect his feelings on the matter unless he wanted her to. I would've been fine with her playing the gruff psychic in front of Sam, but showing a softer, understanding side to Dean when they were alone. He wanted to keep up the pretense in front of Sam, but we saw how emotional he got when calling his father so we, as the audience, realize it's a facade.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Zanne

[juppschmitz]

I always felt that there was great potential with Missouri.

 

Given enough time and presence in future episodes Missouri could have proven to be a character who initially puts us (Dean girls) off by her gratuitous rudeness towards Dean, but in later episodes she could have developed to be incredibly understanding and supportive of him. Giving him the concern he got from no. other. character.

 

Unlike Bobby, for whom in the long run the exact opposite development played out with his (boo-hoo princess, you're not a person) attitude towards Dean.

 

I've read some brilliant stories (I liked them anyway) with Missouri where her character was really given depth and a lot of sympathy for Dean.

 

So when I play around with scenarios in my head (as one does before going asleep) I seriously like to include nice!Missouri in my personal AUs :)

[trxr4kids]

I would've been fine with her playing the gruff psychic in front of Sam, but showing a softer, understanding side to Dean when they were alone.

 

That would've changed the whole dynamic and worked so much better.

 

 

I always felt that there was great potential with Missouri.

Me too, unfortunately it was wasted like so much else. Sigh.

Edited June 18, 2014 by trxr4kids

[amazinglybored]

I always felt that there was great potential with Missouri.

 

Me too. That's what made her being so awful suck so much. She was a psychic who was there when John was learning about the Supernatural after the fire and there's potential for a really interesting history because of that. They managed to find a talented actress, even if I didn't like what she did with Missouri. Missouri should have been a better character, they just messed it up and made her an incompetent, rude asshole.

 

"I went to Missouri and found the truth." Come on, so much potential.

[7kstar]

Me too. That's what made her being so awful suck so much. She was a psychic who was there when John was learning about the Supernatural after the fire and there's potential for a really interesting history because of that. They managed to find a talented actress, even if I didn't like what she did with Missouri. Missouri should have been a better character, they just messed it up and made her an incompetent, rude asshole.

 

"I went to Missouri and found the truth." Come on, so much potential.

They were going to bring Missouri back but couldn't get the actress, so instead they created Bobby

 

I guess this is why I write fanfiction and read it.  They have lost so many opportunities but I think they really needed a balance of good storytelling.  Instead they seem to get caught up in how much gore or horror they managed to push and missed out on good story telling.  I think over the years Singer lost the vision.

 

However this is why I like this ep, because the richness and the depth it adds to the characters even if it is done poorly.  If you make some good adjustments, it really does open up a whole new level of storytelling

[amazinglybored]

They were going to bring Missouri back but couldn't get the actress, so instead they created Bobby

 

Yeah, I'd heard that, thank God it happened. They botched her in the first episode, I doubt it would have improved.

Short term she was wasted potential and long term it was the same. At least she wasn't killed off to waste her?

 

 

 

I guess this is why I write fanfiction and read it.  They have lost so many opportunities but I think they really needed a balance of good storytelling.  Instead they seem to get caught up in how much gore or horror they managed to push and missed out on good story telling.  I think over the years Singer lost the vision.

However this is why I like this ep, because the richness and the depth it adds to the characters even if it is done poorly.  If you make some good adjustments, it really does open up a whole new level of storytelling

 

That's the story of the show. Wasted opportunities and poorly executed and thought out ideas. This episode should have been better than it was, they couldn't resist with Missouri and ended up tainting an otherwise very good episode.

[Morrigan2575]

This episode was completely ruined by Missouri's constant berating on Dean while lavishing love and sweetness on Sam. Really? The only thing I can think is Dean is somehow a null to her psychically speaking which affects her.

I will never understand what that was all about but it certainly pissed me off.  Not to mention the ending with Ghost Mary walking right past Dean who's all choked up over seeing his mother again and she pretty much ignores him but focuses everything on Sam.  It really was a WTF!? episode.

[shang yiet]

She didn't ignore him. She stopped, looked at him tenderly and said 'Dean' in a tender way. They shared a moment. Then she walked over to Sam who was pinned against the wall and in actual danger. She barely had time to utter three words to him 'Sam, I'm sorry'. She couldn't even spare the time to answer Sam's question 'Why?'. That's hardly focusing everything on him even though Sam was just as choked up as Dean.

 

Besides, she had four years to know Dean, she barely had six months with Sam. So even if Sam got 2 seconds longer, it's not a big deal for me. Besides later on, Dean got an entire episode with her with Sam nowhere in sight. I don't see any injustice here.

[ElleryAnne]

Late to the party on this one, but I think everyone else has hit the points I feel about this episode.  Namely, 1) Missouri's treatment of Dean annoys me; 2) Mary not giving much attention to Dean annoys me; 3) John not letting the boys know he's there annoys me.  There was so much WTF in all of their behaviors.

 

It would have worked a lot better for me had she opened with the joke, saw (felt) it hit wrong, and then quietly asked (with Sam out of hearing), "How you doing, kid?", or something to indicate yeah, she recognized he still hurt, but wasn't going to dissect his feelings on the matter unless he wanted her to.

 

 

This.  It would've taken two seconds of screen time, and would've elevated the show - and the character of Missouri - about 1000%.

[catrox14]

 

Besides, she had four years to know Dean, she barely had six months with Sam. So even if Sam got 2 seconds longer, it's not a big deal for me. Besides later on, Dean got an entire episode with her with Sam nowhere in sight. I don't see any injustice here.

 

 

Sam absolutely deserved the "I'm sorry" on many levels. Dean deserved something beyond "Dean" as well.

 

I assume you are referring to "What Is and What Should Never Be". If not apologies.

 

But assuming you are, does that really count as a truly happy experience for Dean?  Or one that substitutes for the trauma of watching his mother burn alive in their home?  I would argue strongly that it was not.

It was one wish that his mother never died. It wasn't real and in the end it was just as traumatizing as seeing his mother die, because he had to choose to kill himself in the wishverse rather than die a slow death if comforted by a false memory

. I don't really see how that experience makes what happened here any better.

 

Mary in HOME was real ( as apparitions go).  This was the first time Dean had to go back and face the trauma of being 4 years old and probably having flashbacks and a whole lot of PTSD walking back into that house, that Sam didn't experience. It's not unreasonable for one to expect Mary to say something beyond his name. But I think Mary had more guilt about Sam because

she made the original deal when she was traumatized at 18 or 19

.

 

Mary had four years with Dean but how much does 4 year old Dean remember and take comfort from and feel secure about vs the overwhelming trauma of watching his mother burn alive?

 

And none of that changes that Missouri treated Dean rather poorly.  MMV as always

Edited June 23, 2014 by catrox14

[shang yiet]

I admit Missouri was rather brusque with Dean so I'm not disagreeing. I did like her final talk with Sam though. And Dean has comforting memories of Mary making him sandwiches and cutting the crust off and all that. Memories which Sam does not have. For Sam, meeting ghost Mary must have felt like the first time and he was really choked up.

 

I was actually referring to that episode when Dean went back in time to meet young Mary back in 1973. 

[catrox14]

 

I was actually referring to that episode when Dean went back in time to meet young Mary back in 1973.

 

Okay. Thanks for clarifying.  That doesn't really change anything for Dean in this episode though IMO

 

This was his first encounter with her after that traumatic night. I don't think those other encounters really make up for what Dean didn't get

because in neither case did Mary know she had met her son. :(.

[mertensia]

Well- mertensia says cynically- since Sam doesn't believe in family or home the way Dean does why should he care about Mary? Why should we care about him and Mary?

[AwesomO4000]

Well- mertensia says cynically- since Sam doesn't believe in family or home the way Dean does why should he care about Mary? Why should we care about him and Mary?

 

Just because Sam doesn't believe in family or home the same way Dean does doesn't mean he doesn't believe in family at all. And perhaps one of the reasons Sam didn't see family in the same way is because he didn't have that same experience of his father before and soon after Mary died that Dean did. Dean remembers what John used to be like. Sam only knows John the obsessed and paranoid. Dean at least partially remembers his mother and John the way he was before and soon after and so remembers what family could be when things are good. Sam only had that experience from looking at other families and stolen moments with them. Not that he didn't have good times with Dean, but as good as Dean was, it wasn't exactly a happy family under good circumstances.

 

So why should I care about Sam getting to see Mary? Because now Sam has gotten to experience what having a mother's love can mean firsthand, probably for the first time in his life. Now his mother isn't just a concept and a photograph. It's not going to make up for his entire lifetime, but it's something. And maybe in some little way, it started to change Sam and let him see what Dean sees in family. After this, there was "Asylum" where maybe we had some Sam jealousy coming out there, but then we got two episodes where Sam started to grab onto Dean - his family - more: "Scarecrow" where Sam came back for Dean rather than go on his mission and "Faith" where Sam refused to let Dean die. Then a little later "Nightmare" where after seeing Max's family, Sam comes to the conclusion that maybe his family wasn't so bad in comparison. More family stuff and affection/appreciation for Dean in "Nightmare," all leading to "Devil's Trap" where Sam chooses family over his need for revenge (not that that worked out too well for him, but...) so maybe this encounter with Mary was the start of a change in how Sam saw family at that time.

 

It would've been nice for Dean to get more than he did, but Mary was a spirit. If she had been in that house all that time, she's not going to be thinking any longer like a usual person. From what we learned, spirits in SPNverse are often fairly single-minded, and likely Mary's spirit was all about guilt and that deal she'd made, so saying she was sorry was finally getting to get a little peace with that. The audience didn't know that at the time, but once we found out the story, then her sorry to Sam and her focusing on that made sense - to me at least. Obviously opinions are going to vary.

[7kstar]

Dean not getting that much time with Mary isn't my major complaint.

1. both brothers were in danger, now and needed help.

2.  Mary chose to save both sons and say the one regret she had on her mind when she died.

 

All of this wouldn't have been such a problem, if the writing for Dean had been done better.  Showing him getting some support as he dealt with the most traumatic situation in his life.  If Missouri had shown Dean just a little compassion it wouldn't feel as if he was left drowning on his own, especially since he couldn't confide in Sam as he needed to keep the tough act in order to just do the job.

 

I wish they had used John more and had even shown Missouri trying to keep Dean from figuring out her being mean was to mislead him so he wouldn't catch on that his Dad was there, watching in the background.

 

My biggest upset, is they ignored the conflict with Dean and barely touched it.  Sam wouldn't need the same support as he didn't know her.  I guess I use my life comparison, I never met my grandfather, he died before I was born.  I know it is sad, I know its hard for my Dad but it just isn't that sad for me. 

 

Now Sam wishing he had a mother memory, wanting to know what that would feel like as a child, that is his conflict.  This easily could have been a two parter but I'm well aware that the writers thought people only cared about the monster of the week and so many writers, frankly are week in strong characterization or realize how important it is. 

 

So I have to fill in the gaps this ep isn't the worst and has some really strong moments that I do cut it a lot of slack.  I think it goes back to trying to cram too much material in a ep and in this case it weakens it.  I don't know if they couldn't get JDM and so had to go with what little time they could get him, but him not contacting his sons is a major goof IMO.

[DittyDotDot]

I don't think JDM's schedule was a huge problem in the first season.  I think they just didn't know what to do with Dad once they revealed that he was fine. They couldn't really have him and the boys hunting together, it changes the whole dynamics of the brother relationship and the hunting in-general. But he was still out there, so why is he staying away? I think their biggest mistake was not either killing Dad in the first couple of episodes or having him actually be somewhere in trouble for them to find. The whole mystery of "where's Dad?" turned out to be nothing in the end--oh, he's fine, just too busy to call and let you know he's okay, but not too busy to run down a pattern and send you a few random hunts--and was a serious let-down of the season.

[mertensia]

John's being stupidly cryptic led to so much unnecessary conflict between Sam and Dean. He could have left a letter with, say, Pastor Jim explaining in depth. He could have done something.

If I weren't secretly suspicious that family and homes mean something different to Sam than Dean *because* of how Dean feels I might feel more sympathy for Sam.

Yeah it's nice Sam got his moment with Mary but he also got all the sympathy and cooing in the episode. Dean's pain was ignored. Really except for the psychic hit they could have stuck Bobby and his boohoo princess attitude in for Missouri and there would have been no difference.

[7kstar]

Yeah it's nice Sam got his moment with Mary but he also got all the sympathy and cooing in the episode. Dean's pain was ignored. Really except for the psychic hit they could have stuck Bobby and his boohoo princess attitude in for Missouri and there would have been no difference.

 I agree they needed to do something better with John and the conflict they created with John really sucks and harms the show.  Why should Dean follow his dad's orders if his Dad is such a terrible person.

 

If Sam hadn't gotten all the cooing and sympathy, and they had dealt with Dean's pain this ep would really leap off the page as a really great story.  Sam could be trying to support Dean and yet at the same time wishing he knew who is Mom was. 

 

But maybe the problem is that Horror is only suppose to show bad family relationships.  I don't know, Horror isn't my thing as I hate the girl standing still just waiting to be killed.  I wish they had a better writer for this ep.

Edited June 25, 2014 by 7kstar

[Phebemarie]

Maybe Missouri's treatment seems even more unkind because "Home" is one of the first episodes that the audience sees Dean's vulnerability.  The phone call to John always gets me.  I remember at the time being impressed that JA brought so much characterization to such a brief moment.  It changed the way I saw Dean.  

[Mulva]

I liked that Missouri didn't think the sun shone out of Dean's backside.  It was a refreshing change.

 

John was quite the dick in this episode.  I don't think he was 'ruined in later seasons', he was always awful to his kids.

 

Overall it was a decent ep.

[catrox14]

 

I liked that Missouri didn't think the sun shone out of Dean's backside.  It was a refreshing change.

 

There is a difference between not thinking the sun shone out of his ass, and being terrible to him for no reason at all.  That's my beef with it.

[Linderhill]

Agreed.  I also never saw that anyone that first season thought that Dean was all that.  My memories of that first season was that Sam was the special one (as apply illustrated by Missouri in this episode).  It wasn't until later seasons when Kripke and co. realized what a talent they had in Jensen Ackles that they started writing episodes that emphasized Dean.  

 

I'm quite sure the thinking for this episode was that Missouri and her "sassiness" was supposed to be the comic relief but when Dean came across as so sympathetic that "humor" backfired.  

 

There is also the fact that Bobby as a character didn't exist at this point.  The original plan was that Missouri would be back for Devil's Trap and Salvation but Loretta Devine was unavailable so Bobby Singer was created.  Perhaps if Missouri had come back she would have come across better but we'll never know. 

[7kstar]

Agreed.  I also never saw that anyone that first season thought that Dean was all that.  My memories of that first season was that Sam was the special one (as apply illustrated by Missouri in this episode).  It wasn't until later seasons when Kripke and co. realized what a talent they had in Jensen Ackles that they started writing episodes that emphasized Dean.  

 

I'm quite sure the thinking for this episode was that Missouri and her "sassiness" was supposed to be the comic relief but when Dean came across as so sympathetic that "humor" backfired.  

 

There is also the fact that Bobby as a character didn't exist at this point.  The original plan was that Missouri would be back for Devil's Trap and Salvation but Loretta Devine was unavailable so Bobby Singer was created.  Perhaps if Missouri had come back she would have come across better but we'll never know. 

I guess for me, since I didn't watch season one live, I always thought Dean was the more interesting character.  I realized the talent in Jensen in Home, his phone call to Dad, was enough to let me see he had talent.  Sam wasn't the strong character for me and the actor was okay and sometimes down right bad.

 

Dean character was fun, and Sam quickly became whinny.  I think by the time season 2 started everyone knew what talent they had in Jensen.  But season one it was suppose to be about the urban myths and legends.  I doubt I would have been pulled in to watch during season one, anyway.  It was fanfiction that made me give it a go, and I didn't start watching until the summer before season 4.  But I can tell that Jensen had talent and now I really enjoy season 1 well at least some of them.  :)

 

I wish Missouri had more than one ep, to see if they would have done her better, but I'm also pretty sure they wouldn't have made her better because they don't write too many strong woman characters.  Although I've liked several women more than some fans.

Edited July 2, 2014 by 7kstar

[Cee23]

I loved the actress who played Missouri, but I too wondered about her treatment of Dean. Poor guy was reliving hell in this episode, not only that but he was getting more and more concerned about Sam. I fast forward through parts of this episode on rewatch, but that phone call to John was one of the most memorable moments (for me) of the series. She should have sensed his emotions and treated him just as kindly as she treated Sam.

It's been years since I rewatched any of the episodes, and I stopped watching the show and am now catching up and watching the seasons I missed (I only watched 1-3 and part of 4 so I have lots to catch up on!) But it's fun catching things I missed before or watching with more perspective now that I'm older. Sam was very babied for the first few seasons (hell, even now in season 4 where I'm at). I was a Sam girl for seasons 1 and 2 (I tuned in to the show in the first place for JP), but upon rewatch ing, OMG he was a selfish brat! For some reason, I remember this being one of my favorite episodes, but when I recently watched it, I hated Missouri's treatment of Dean, I hated John (but I always hate John so that's nothing new). I do love the tender brother moments, though, and the garbage disposal scene.

[GirlyGeek]

So, this is the episode where I knew I was an obsessed fan, and unapologetic Deangirl (but a nice one ;)

Things I love

• In the hotel room at the beginning, just loved Dean trying to get Sam's attention!  "Hey, am I boring you with this fighting evil stuff?"  LOL
• And then Sam telling Dean about the visions/nightmares that come true.  JA played it so well.  A mix of terror and shock and a little fear.  And you could see him visibly shaken at the thought of going home.  It was perfect.
• JA cemented my love for this show in his phone call to John.  Terrific performance, subtle and nuanced and heartbreaking.
• Dean kicking in the wall is always hot.  
• DesperateDean.  I'm a sucker for angst.  I'm easy like that
• The way Dean's shotgun shakes just a bit when he sees Mary.  His face the whole time.  Perfect
• I also like the way JP plays Sam in that moment.  Its a tough call because Sam doesn't know or remember Mary.  He's meeting her for the first time in a weird way.  But he does it well.

Things I don't love so much:

• I won't harp on what everyone else has said previously... Missouri was a waste of a great opportunity.  Great actress.  Terrible execution.  I agree with some of the above, I think the writers thought this was good tv, and funny.  But WOW was it awkward to watch.  She was just awful to Dean.
• The horror tropes were a bit much too... the clapping monkey and garbage disposal are silly.  As is the fridge that's missing shelves so a little person can fit in there.  
• I do find it weird that Sam never knew Dean carried him out of the house.  In 22 years, in the numerous times they heard or retold the story of that night, it didn't come up?

Of interest going forward:

Spoiler

 

John didn't seem to flinch at Missouri's mention of Sam's powers so he knows some stuff about the YED, possibly about the demon blood and certainly about Sam being different.  Which makes me wonder why, later in S1, he acts so shocked about the visions (in the finale, I think).

He also says he can't see them until he knows the truth.  What more is he trying to find?  Later in the season, he says he's been trying to get his hands on the Colt so he could have a way to kill the demon.
There's also the thing about Mary's whole extended family (and close friends too, I think) being killed off.  Was that happening around this time or was it right after her death?

And of course, Missouri's line about Mary destroying herself to go after the poltergeist in light of Mary now showing up again at the end of S11.
Where was she?  Did she go to the empty because she was a ghost?  In limbo somewhere?
If she was brought back at the end of S11 right after this event of being a ghost (and seeing Sam and Dean) does that mean she could recognize them in S12? (I realize there's all kinds of scenarios of what time/place she and Dean are in. But she's in her nightgown as a ghost and at the time of her death.  SO it could just carry over from there)

food for thought

 

[mertensia]

I actually find it believes that Sam didn't know who carried him out; I think that he heard bits and pieces of the story over the years until everyone-including Sam -thought he knew everything. This sort of thing happens in my family from time to time, though not with anything this dramatic because my dad thought that somewhere along the line I'd been told X when I never had.

[Diane]

I am re-watching with you guys, but I had to skip this episode because it just pisses me off the way that Missouri treats Dean.  Then John showing up at the end, ugh, I really don't like this one.

[7kstar]

This is one where I wish we could do a rewrite.  Have John in real trouble instead of hiding out from his sons.  I don't think it would require major changes but make some of the points stronger.  But then I think this is where the writing fails and is weaker than it should have been.  It does however give lots of potential that has been ignored.

Spoiler

Kripke had at first killed off Dad, but since he left him alive he didn't really know how to use it.  Had he been a little better planner, he could have set the stage with a mystery and horror.  That would be new and fresh.  If people hadn't have fallen in love with the J2's, I wonder if this show would still be around?  I hope that Mary showing up in 12 ties in with this ep...but again that would mean that the writers have done some serious planning.  JMO