(no subject)

[oselle]

Let me be perfectly clear. I feel used. I feel used and cheap and manipulated.

And I LIKE it.

Last night, we were presented with the crackiest gift that we fangirls could have gotten. That episode was like awesome fanfic only better because IT WAS CANON, BABY.

Let's just cut to the chase and talk about Dean's dreamworld confrontation with himself. It was, of course awesome. Jensen Ackles knocked this scene so far out of the park that it must be a satellite of Earth by now. Yes, this scene will forever be circling our planet in the void of space. Millions of years from now, after we're all gone, this scene will be spinning in our orbit. Alien life forms will come upon it and say, what a people these "humans" must have been! So pretty! So angsty! So...so...OH DEAN!!!

One of the little criticisms I've read of this scene was that it didn't really tell us anything we don't know. But I think there is, and should be, a divide between what we as the viewers know and what the characters know, especially what they know about themselves. Maybe we know what awful things Dean suspects about himself, but he doesn't, or at least he's never really said or maybe even thought them in so many words. What made my hair stand on end during that scene was hearing all this brought out in the open.

But you know what? It's not really out in the open, is it? After all, this happened in a dream. And I think that's pretty telling. I've been waiting since the first episode of this season for Dean to crack and I figured it would happen right about now, at the season's midpoint. What I'd wondered was, how is it going to happen? And who's going to see it? Sam? Bobby? Oh-God-no-Bela?

Turns out...no one sees it. Just Dean. He cracks up in his own head and he doesn't tell anyone about it. And that, to me, is pretty perfect. I can't imagine another way I would have wanted to see this played out. I'm sure there are viewers who would have loved to see him fall to pieces all over Sam but that would have felt wrong. It's just not who Dean is and in a way, that makes the scene all the more heartbreaking. Only in his sleep, and only in front of himself does he let himself go.

And does he ever. We're almost three years into this show and we've all seen Dean get angsty and emotional and angry but we've never, ever seen him just lose it like this. Emotionally and physically. I was telling baylorsr that for all the ass-kicking Dean does, he's never gone after anyone or anything the way he beat up on "himself." I mean, Christ, that was just brutal.

The best part of this scene though, was Dean bellowing that he doesn't deserve to go to Hell. And you know, strangely, that's the one thing that I think Dean doesn't recall (or deliberately ignores) after he wakes up. That word "deserve." What he remembers (and what we remember from that unexpected and utterly chilling final shot) is the reality of what he's going to become: a demon. But what he should remember is that he should try to find a way out of The Deal because HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO GO TO HELL.

Oh DEAN. No you don't, baby.

Then again, DemonDean was awfully, awfully hot. If there are demons who look like THAT in Hell, book me a one-way ticket. And I hope it's like those Hieronymous Bosch paintings. All sweaty naked people roiling around fornicating by firelight. Fornicating. Yes. Fornicating.

Anyhoo.

Other things to love: Dean telling Bobby that he's like a father to him. Bobby's house, all cute and tidy (so sad!). Bobby looking so distressingly vulnerable without his hat. Sam calling up that crazy kid's father to do him in. Somehow, I really, really enjoyed getting such a good view of Dean's sawed-off shotgun. I mean that in a completely non-Freudian way!! I loved that it looked so...used. And though I've already mentioned it, it bears repeating: that final shot just blew my mind. I'm not sure what we're supposed to glean from that, but what a way to fade to black. My God, show. Kill us all dead, why don't you?

Things not to love? Bela's pointless Victoria's Secret moment. Bela's useless Talking Board. Bela's come-and-go accent. Bela's once again conning the boys. Basically everything about Bela. I thought that Dean promised he'd kill her if he ever saw her again and then he...invites her over? And for some reason, she thinks she's going to what? Shack up with them for a little while? Miss Sleeps-Naked-On-Silk-Sheets-And-Money suddenly needs a place to stay? Shouldn't she be over at The Four Seasons? And Sam's all cute and flustered and...no. Just, no. Yeah, you can have a sex dream about anyone. You can't really control that and in fact, it's considered common to have sex dreams about people who repel you in real life. But that doesn't mean you suddenly get all gushy about this person when you wake up, especially not when they shot you, robbed you, stole your car, left you for dead and ratted you out to a psychotic vampire hunter. Dreams are powerful. They ain't THAT powerful.

But let's not dwell on that bit of nastiness. Let's just clasp hands and come together and say in unison what we're all thinking and that's...

OH! DEAN!!!!!!!!!

Comments

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I was blown away by that dream scene, and the places they took Dean. Finally he admits that his father gave him a raw deal of a childhood In fact, he screams it. The absolute rage and grief in his voice and his face when he was letting all that out was stunning. I want Jensen Ackles to get recognized for the actor he is. He showed it to the world.

And Sam turning the tables on the kid gave me chills. Only time I felt sorry for the nasty little bugger was when his mean dad showed up.

Bela's like one of those nasty little mosquitoes buzzing around. She irritates me, but I can ignore her for the most part.

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

I want Jensen Ackles to get recognized for the actor he is.

Oh dearie. :')

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I want Jensen Ackles to get recognized for the actor he is.

I KNOW but it's really hard for actors in scifi/fantasy/horror to get critical acclaim. David Duchovny used to knock my socks off in The X-Files all the time but where was his Emmy? (I think he at least may have been nominated at least once, though, but only after the show had been on for a few years.)

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

Apart from the Bela thingy... I just want to cry over these all. Thank you, Oselle.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I dunno, Bela kind of brings tears to my eyes. Just not in a good way.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Here's for you, sweetie, loud and clear.

OH DEAN!!!!!

ETA : Sam endorses what you said *points to icon*

[oselle.livejournal.com]

But...but...Sam's not saying the "OH!" You gotta have the "OH!!"

[vshendria.livejournal.com]

Word to everything relating to Dean and Jensen.

You know, I've read in an interview with Kripke that he can't understand why the fans hate Bela. He and all the writers think she's so cool in her moral ambiguity and her obvious strength, her self-sufficiency. They thought she'd be an easy sell.

Here's what I think. I think Bela is a Mary Sue, even if she was invented by Ben Edlund. She's too smart, too slick, and she gets the better of the boys too easily. She's brought in as a deus ex machina when needed, either to help or to hinder and there's never any justification for her being so powerful except the writer's desire to make her so.

And the hint of her tragic past...just more Mary Sue-ishness. I think it's simultaneously kind of cute and kind of unfortunate that Kripke understands his fans in so many ways and on this he just misses the boat. I wish wish wish I could sit down with him and explain it over coffee.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I've got two theories about what Kripke's saying about Bela.

The first is probably the true one: he's toeing the network line. I can't give a source, but I'm pretty sure he's said in interviews that they had one new female character (Ruby) in the works for Season 3 when the network requested (i.e. ordered) a second. As long as they're in the midst of the season (with cancellation always a possibility), he's not going to come out and say, "Yeah, we threw this character together because the CW made us do it and we hate her as much as you do but hey, it was this or permanent hiatus so let's all suck it up." If they get rid of her after this season, then we may hear what Kripke really thought or we may not. Even if she's gone it would still be impolitic to criticize his bosses in that way. It would also be kind of insulting to his fellow writers and producers and Lauren Cohan, so he probably wouldn't want to do that.

The second theory is that he actually DOES like this character. I think writers can fall in love with their creations and as we all know, love is blind. I've heard plenty of viewers of Lost say that Kate is hugely annoying (and also something of a murderous sociopath) but J.J. Abrams just adores her. Maybe that's what Kripke has going on with Bela. Maybe he genuinely enjoys all of her goofy scenes. Maybe he really does think she's "got style." That might explain why he thinks her character is working out when just about every scene she's in is cringeworthy to those of us who aren't enamored of her. I'm actually starting to pity Lauren Cohan because she's got such a pointless job: Okay, Lauren, in this episode, you're gonna wear some lingerie and then use your talking board for a few seconds and that'll be a wrap. Gawd, she must feel like throwing these scripts at the wall.

Then again she does get to flirt with Jensen Ackles and make out with Jared Padalecki so the job does have some perks.

[vshendria.livejournal.com]

My read on Kripke is he really does like her and really can't fathom the fangirls not liking her. He thinks the problem with Jo was that she was too blond and perky and inexperienced so he gave us this world weary thief who, let's face it, from a male perspective, is a fantasy and a fetish. He thinks she fits the bill of "Interesting Female." Meanwhile, they have Ellen who is a real Interesting Female. She's not so perfect and she's still hot.

I agree, Lauren Cohan is in a no-win situation. I don't have a hate on for her like some folks do. I think she's doing her best, and I like the idea of that character, a person who makes trouble because she's in it for herself. But she's just too damned Mary Sue-ish. Apparently she's the World Champion of pickpocketing and can crack any safe on earth, can find find out any information with her magic Ouija board and is never anything less than perfectly coiffed. When are the show-runners going to figure out how deeply annoying these characters are?

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Jo was also a fantasy and like most fantasies, paper thin. You could sum up her whole character with the word "sassy." Which unfortunately, came across more as "sulky." The way her character was written, she wound up seeming like a twelve-year-old who'd just missed out on Hannah Montana tickets. Another thankless job for another frustrated actress.

Some writers for film and television (especially in this genre) seem to have very narrow ideas of what an "Interesting Woman" is, so we get these annoying cliches, these weird, watery pastiches of tough dames and sassy spitfires and sekritly wounded little girls. I don't get it. Kripke's expressed admiration for The X-Files and that show had one of the best female leads I've ever seen on television. Fifteen freaking years ago, to boot.

I also don't understand why both of these new women had to be antagonists (though I'm not sure that Ruby still is one). Okay, maybe they didn't want to go with a female hunter since they went that route with Jo last season. But can a woman not be interesting unless she's a pain in the ass? Or do they think that helps the ol' sparks fly?

[vshendria.livejournal.com]

I agree with the above completely. We fangirls get a bad rap for being misogynists and wanting no female characters but the fact is, we would rather have no female characters than the kind of cobbled-together cliches that comprise 99% of the female characters out there. We are not woman-haters -- if anything, we respect ourselves too much to settle for the tepid types that get paraded before us.

It doesn't help either that almost every female who appears on screen is a vision of perfection from head to toe. I guess that's fair, seeing as I not only have no issues with the perfection of our male leads but I quite prefer them as they are. But I'd rather not be insulted by media producers trotting out their little barbie dolls and trying to sell them to me as interesting new female characters. If they want me to take interest in a female character they could start by casting an actress above a size 12.

(I agree, by the way. Scully was a great female character.)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

We fangirls get a bad rap for being misogynists and wanting no female characters

Yeah, I'm pretty sick of that rap. I don't think it's necessarily healthy to spend one's time fantasizing about the various gory ways Bela should die, but I also don't think I should have to embrace this half-baked character to prove that I'm not a misogynist, jealous bimbo or crazy fangirl.

As for the way they look...well, let's face it. You just don't see too many ordinary-looking people (male or female) on television and as you said, it's only fair to expect female leads who are as attractive as the male ones (alas, Jensen Ackles is usually going to be the prettiest person in the room, no matter who he's playing against!). But the least they could do is cast women who are also a match for the male leads in terms of age and presence. When Jo was introduced, I wasn't a regular viewer of the show and I only caught every other episode or so, and then I was usually watching at half attention. I had no idea (until I caught up with the DVDs later) that Jo was even supposed to be a romantic interest for Dean because he seemed so much older than her, in both looks and demeanor. If they want to hook him up with someone, or even give him a non-romantic foil to play against, she really needs to be someone with the same presence that he has. And these dolls they keep trotting out (not just Bela and Jo but Cassie and even Lisa) so far haven't fit the bill. There has only been one guest star on this series so far that I really thought was a good fit, and that was Officer Kathleen from Season One's "The Benders." She was a grownup, she was committed to her work and she had a family tragedy in her past that she took action on. And she kicked ass without being a bitch or a surly brat. Now that's an interesting character.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I love Andrea from 'Dead in the Water'. IMO if Dean ever decided to settle down *GASPS*, she'd be a nice match for him. Pretty, witty but not sassily so, and hey, she has Lucas!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

That Lucas kid reminded me way too much of Danny Bonaduce. He would always grow up with terrible issues over his stepdad being so damn good looking. Poor kid.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Danny who?

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Danny Bonaduce played Danny on legendary 70s sitcom, The Partridge Family. Danny was the unfortunately pug-faced, carrot-topped kid whom we were supposed to believe was the little brother of the pop-star-pretty David Cassidy and Susan Dey. Danny has since gone on to an acclaimed career in substance abuse and reality television.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Partridge_Family

[layne67.livejournal.com]

Oh okay. I know The Patridge Family. Had a big crush on David Cassidy then, but I only vaguely remember the rest of the family. But it tickled me that the Winchester brothers have been likened to the Hardy boys. Shaun, you know, David's brother :)

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

Wow, baby, I gotta tell you... I came here via layne67's post and you... YOU nailed it! I was going to write a review of my own but you've already said it all. Thanks!

Is it okay if I link to it?

Puleez! *begs*

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Yes you may link. Though I peeked at your journal and notice you're a Dark Angel fan. So you can only link if you reply to this with an Alec icon :).

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! You're a DA-Alec fan too? *nods* So much love for that boy. So much.

I'm going to link you on my next post. Thanks!

*hugs*

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Heh, I personally think Dark Angel was an awful show in so many ways but OMG Alec! How irresistible was he??

[angieobsessed.livejournal.com]

Thanks for directing me here. She really said everything that had to be said.

[angieobsessed.livejournal.com]

there is nothing left to say to that. munibunny directed me here and I am thankful 'cause you really nailed it.

Jensen Ackles is a great actor and the last scene with two Deans was awesome.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeee...Alec in glasses!!

*is happy*

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

Like I said on my own journal, I had a brief moment of ennui when the Dean v Dean thing started up, but the performance (performances?) soon knocked that on the head. It was totally right that Dean didn't break down in front of a third party, that the person he attacked more viciously than anything we've ever seen was himself and that his awakening belief that he deserves to live has not come as the result of something someone else has done or said.

Word to the discussion of female characcters in genre shows above. It's not that we hate female characters, it's that we hate the fact that so many times the writers think that Strong Woman is the same as Bitch or Brat. It annoys me enough when it's coming from 13-year-olds writing on ff.net, I certainly don't want to see it in the show as well.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

his awakening belief that he deserves to live has not come as the result of something someone else has done or said.

This was a big deal for me too because I don't think we've ever seen this from him. In "In My Time of Dying" he only wanted to live because he didn't want to strand his brother and father in the "war." In "All Hell Breaks Loose" he gave up his life (and soul) for Sam. This is the first time he's really claimed his right to live for himself and I really like that they chose to play it that way. If he'd decided he wanted to live even for something as noble as protecting Sam during the upcoming DemonKing war or whatever, that would still be the same old Dean. I think this was a real progression in the character.

And it was hot.

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

And it was hot.

No argument there :)