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[chasingtides]

First of all, I identified way too much with Dean this episode. I try not to identify with fictional characters too much, but um, yes. I was the person who - well, I had a reputation for slutting it up in high school (including the awkward moments when the girls shrieked at me about hooking up with guys across the school). There was one point where I was happily seeing three guys at the same time (I made sure they all had the same name) and... okay. Yeah. You get the picture. I didn't really have friends, but I did have guys. (Also, Dean's reaction of, "I'm going to rip out his lungs!" is totally my reaction when people hurt people I care about.)

So, I'm kind of biased. I relate to Dean. I totally did that and it definitely covered my - real or imagined - social deficiencies. And pansexuality/queerness. But we won't talk about any of that.

I don't like young!Dean. He has a weird accent and looks about 10 or 12 years older than Colin Ford. My fellow viewers were vocal in objecting to the vast age difference in the actors.

Oh, Sam, this is why I had trouble liking you in season one. (I'm sorry. I have really Dean-identifying issues.) a) Dean makes sure you have everything you need for school, b) Dean clearly takes care of you, c) Dean tries to protect you in the only way he knows how - but only your English teacher takes an interest in you. WTF? I can see thinking that at 14 (everyone's an ass at 14), but he's 26 now - plenty of time for introspection.

I feel like... Sam doesn't quite understand what Dean does for him, that Dean's life is and always has been Sam. I thought that Sam had figured that out since, you know, Dean sold his soul for him. Apparently not. This makes me unhappy, mostly because it makes my Big Bang seriously, seriously AU.

Dirk = Dean. Yes. Dirk is totally Dean. I think it's symbolic that Sam destroyed Dirk's life. That's kind of what Sam did when he went to Stanford and wrecked the Dean-John-Sam trinity to all hell. (Then he came back and we have the show.) Is this saying something about Sam being careless or not thinking before he acts? I think so.

In other news, I don't think we needed the anvil about Dean's self esteem issues. Or that's Sam's the people person in this dynamic duo.

I'm also not sure who it is - writer, wardrobe, director - but someone really, really likes dressing Jensen up in some interesting costumes this season. I'm just saying.

I'm not sure. This felt a lot like a season one episode, both in the MotW style, but also in where the brothers are emotionally - haven't they matured in four years?

Comments

[mselfie.livejournal.com]

On another perspective of Sam's speach to the teacher, one of the things I think they've been trying to drive home this season is how much Sam and Dean are two halves. Light and dark, good and evil, and in this case, the student and the rebel. Sam said he didn't have anyone else take an interest in him, but I got the impression that he knew Dean did but because Dean is always there, and is always his other half, it wasn't as monumental as it could've been.

[chasingtides.livejournal.com]

True. And I totally agree that this is a valid thing for 14 year old Sam to feel. (God knows I often felt this way about my family at 14.) However, I feel that at 26, Sam should have more perspective than that, especially after the time away from Dean at Stanford and while Dean was in Hell - especially after Dean was in Hell.

[samidha.livejournal.com]

Okay, but this is Show, and he wants to have something to say to the guy, you know? Sure it could have been more elegent, but neither brother is exactly elegent, and I think you're really pulling apart what Sam said in order to see it in a negative light. :(

I mean, you're totally entitled and I had my visceral "No, SAM!" moments this ep. But... if you go to see a teacher you haven't seen in that amount of time and never will again you're going to say something goofy-cheesy like "ZOMG you were such this amazing influence to me!" Otherwise, why bother?