Dear Mr. Kripke...

[oselle]

Dear Mr. Kripke:

"Lazarus Rising?" Really, Mr. Kripke? Really? You ripped me off, douchebag. Oh, and Dean breaking into the deserted gas station? Really. It even looked like the Deep South. Illinois my ass. Email me and I'll tell you where to send my royalty check. I also take PayPal.

Best regards,
Oselle

PS: Castiel is a minor angel at best, there's virtually no lore on him whatsoever. My dictionary only lists him as "an angel of Thursday." Maybe that's why you picked the name? Hee...angel of Thursday. I thought that was Jensen! Nevertheless, the guy playing Castiel is kinda hawt. So good choice there.


But seriously...I enjoyed it very much. Thought the first ten minutes or so were great, loved the fact that they didn't have any soundtrack, just dialogue. Wonderfully creepy and atmospheric. Loved that we got to see Dean's magnificient torso and arms. Jensen is looking more spectacular than ever. Couldn't take my eyes off him.

Thought Pamela was fantastic...so of course they essentially eliminated her before we could really start digging her. Pamela had more character in five minutes than Bela did all last year. Feel almost sorry for Katie Cassidy -- they didn't get rid of Ruby, just the actress! The new Ruby is already an improvement (but still a little too much of a kid. Would love to see a tough cookie like Pamela playing Ruby).

Uh oh, Dean hit a "girl." Twice! Here we go again...

I don't mind the angel angle but Kripke is digging himself even deeper into theology and it might wind up burying him. At this point I'm expecting the Second Coming to happen sometime in Season 5...

Dean sleeping! On a pullout couch! I love having my sleep-kink satisfied!

Love Dean's mini-flashbacks and looking forward to more of them. Jensen is phenomenal. He just gets better and better.

Jared is looking rather hot this season as well. Oh and they're living together. HAD YOU HEARD? And may be married. Hee!

Could not believe that Dean actually said that a demon might have "rode him out" of Hell. Dirty, dirty thoughts. Oh...so dirty.

Sam "douching" up the Impala. FANTASTIC!

I think I liked the awkwardness and emotional distance between Sam and Dean. Sam's reaction to having Dean back was strangely flat, but I think that was on purpose. What do you think?

Overall, I found it very...powerful. Loved the tone and the gritty seriousness of it. Very, very promising. I want them to keep this up for the rest of the season. Please?

Your thoughts, people? Don't leave me to ramble on my own here.

Comments

[vshendria.livejournal.com]

I loved it, and I love the angel angle. And I am NOT a fan of angel lore (read: crap) as a rule. But I think they are going to do something interesting with this angel. I have a suspicion that god is nowhere to be found in this mythology...we only have a new class of powerful, dangerous beings that believe they're on the side of virtue. Not sure they're in touch with god. I have faith in Kripke on this one.

I am so looking forward to Dean developing a relationship with this Castiel dude. I can see the angst coming, oh, please. "Don't you think you deserve to be saved, Dean?"

I see Castiel/Dean fic in my future.

By the way, I'm sure the location for the opening scene was somewhere near Vancouver, regardless of how southern it looks. There are rural spaces like that all over North America.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I see Castiel/Dean fic in my future.

I'm sure C/D will be hitting the web by tomorrow. I'm sure people are already writing it! Those two were smokin'!

I have a suspicion that god is nowhere to be found in this mythology

Yeah, but he's "an angel of the Lord." So who's "the Lord" if not God?

[vshendria.livejournal.com]

That's a very good question. He may think it's the lord, but it may not be god. If there is a god, I'm betting he/she doesn't show themselves in this story.

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

LOVED IT. All of it.

Complete thievery of your fic, though. Guess Kripke's running out of material and needs to "borrow" from the fans. ;-)

I thought the same thing when Dean the "girl." Oy...

Jared and Jensen are totally married! TV Guide says so!

Agreed, Sam's reaction was flat, but I also think it's on purpose. He has to hide all the ESP stuff, and Ruby, and God knows what else. And I think if my sister, whom I thought was dead and gone, suddenly showed up at my door, I think I would be so freaked out that it would read as flat. I think Sammy's just shell-shocked still.

If the rest of the season is as good as this episode, we're in for a treat. :-)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I agree. I think Sam's reaction was flat on purpose. I really enjoyed this and I really, really hope they sustain this tone for the rest of the season. This is the show I want to watch!

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Sam has secrets and doesn't know how he's going to tell Dean, and will Dean explode when he realizes he's not only learning about the "psychic stuff" but he's still with Ruby, and he's letting her teach him? Boy howdy. Still don't trust her, and Dean is going to be one pissed off dude when he finds out.

But, wow, I loved it all. The first few minutes, with Dean all alone in that eerie landscape were everything I hoped for. And I was thinking, Jesus, Oselle must've channeled somebody or something, because this is her fic!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

A good question is how the hell Ruby got out of hell. You'd think Lilith would be keeping that one on a short leash, wouldn't you?

Oselle must've channeled somebody or something, because this is her fic!

THEY channelled MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

*plots lawsuit*

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're right. You gotta sue.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I think Castiel may be an angel, all right, but his god isn't the god Dean may think he's talking about.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Hm, possibly not...

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Yep. To Satanists, Satan is God.

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

Exactly. What if he's Lucifer, or Lucifer's "angel?" This storyline has so many interesting possibilities, I'm anxious to see how it turns out.

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

It sure does. That was what I was thinking. He's beautiful, and he has such a nobility about him. But Lucifer was supposed to be beautiful too, and it seems to me his angels would be attractive and charismatic too. Lots of exciting possibilities to explore.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

That's very interesting, the probability that Castiel might be Lucifer. But someone from my flist brought up another equally interesting angle - what Mary always said to little Dean every night before bed, that an angel would always watch over him, always would be - tie this up to Castiel, and it kind of throws away the bad angel bit. Maybe. I don't know!

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten that. So it's really possible that this is his angel. It'll be great fun finding out what's going on.

[morganslady.livejournal.com]

Interesting thought.. And Castiel's wings were black,weren't they.. Shouldn't God's angels have bright white wings??

[pensive]

I don't really dig this whole angel thing but I did see it coming when no talismans worked on him. This lord stuff is thin ice I tell you!

LOVED Pamela. Her whole "you're invited too" to Sam??? Good lord I had to contain my kink excitement because I was watching this with my stepdad in the room(!)

And cut Dean a break, he's been in hell for the whole summer (read:eternity) and needs to get laid!

I am more than happy to oblige him XD

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Pamela was very cool. I'm sorry THEY BURNED HER EYEBALLS OUT! Eeep, that was gruesome.

[pensive]

I thought, "NOOO she'll never see Dean's prettiness anymore!" *woe*

This is for you!

[pensive]

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3641762/Castiel

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Here when I saw the title I thought you named your fic after what you knew would be the first ep! And yes, I did think about your fic. The ep had to convince me to get me to stop wishing it wasn't going to be that.

But I loved Castiel and if they're going to have Dean doing the Lord's work I like that it's Dean, somebody who's resistant. It seems like the kind of angel use I can get behind.

I thought Sam's flat-ness was intentional. He's hiding a lot. Dean will continue to have flashbacks of hell he's not sharing, Sam's got all the ways he "betrayed" Dean by going on without him I'll bet. Which is a great thing to do with the relationship, it seems to me. In that essay I just read the person pointed out that it's usually in eps that deal most heavily with family that the boys are most often mistaken for a couple. I remembered that during this ep.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad I didn't know this was going to be the title of the premiere because I NEVER would have named my story that. And I was very attached to that title so you see how worthwhile it is to be spoiler free!! (Though I don't think the episode title was leaked as far back as June anyway).

I feel like Sam's hiding a lot and I'm wondering if Castiel brought Dean back to eventually face not Lilith but Sam. That's where the series has long been pointing so...

One has to wonder though...if Castiel could rescue Dean from hell, and if Castiel is more powerful than Lilith (as was claimed in the ep) why didn't he just bust Dean's contract in the first place? I know, I know, then there's no story...but still. Guess you could always argue that Dean had to go through the fire before he could become God's warrior or whatever they're setting him up to be. Frigging angels. They're worse than wizards.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the idea that Dean's going to hell is part of the plan isn't too hard to believe when you're dealing with an angel. It's possible they needed Dean to go to hell and needed Sam to do whatever Sam did while he was gone. I do know that the show has always pointed to the idea that Sam is the one he's got to go after, but given who Dean is and his relationship with Sam...this is going to be good. Because the two of them would have to find some other way.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the idea that Dean's going to hell is part of the plan isn't too hard to believe when you're dealing with an angel.

Like I said, worse than wizards. Or at least, as bad as wizards. ETA that I totally want Castiel to turn out to be a Tilday Swinton, Constantine-esque angel. So committed to a rigid divine agenda that he doesn't give a shit about the collateral damage.

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

I think they nailed it. Yes, with a bigger budget and more time it could have been even more but, I've just finished watching - on the computer which doesn't give the greatest atmosphere - and it blew me away.

Now it's just waiting for what's coming, because something sure is!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I think good writing can make up for a low budget. The show only comes across as cheaply made when the story itself can't uphold it. I'm not a big fan of SFX myself and I feel like they relied on a lot of flash and gore last season to make up for weak episodes. Writing a strong story doesn't cost anything extra and is better than expensive special effects any day! I thought the writing and acting of this premiere was excellent...it was bloody well almost as good as fanfic!

[ala-tariel.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the epi yet, still waiting the download to complete, which currently 7 hrs to go, according to torrent downloader.
But I "saw" it from screencaps and yes Castiel is smoking hot! I think you're right, Kripke picked Castiel just because he's an angel of Thursday. SPN is on every Thursday!
Dean slept on the couch? It's really cute! Kim Manners knew what we fan-girls need to see. Too bad Sammy didn't join him there.

Thank you for the review, Oselle. ♥

[oselle.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I hope you've gotten to watch it by now!

[ala-tariel.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! I watched it. Many times already. :))

Re: sam seemed very flat...

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I have a few suspicions of what the angel's agenda is, but nothing concrete. I do think they're building up to a big showdown between Sam and Dean but damn...this series is supposed to run for five years so they're gonna have to drag it out, I guess!

[kjfri.livejournal.com]

Ah boys - welcome back! I loved the first few minutes - when I was like - is it a dream? is he still in hell? is he in a coma? what? what? what? And I don't for one second believe he's not gonna remember what happened to him while he was in hell. Can anyone say PTSD?

I thought Sam's reaction to Dean left me wanting a bit more - he seemed pretty unimpressed that his brother was standing in front of him, but then, Kripke didn't show us all the mourning that Sam may have done over the last couple of months. So - Sam may have been more mad at himself for not being the one to save Dean and his anger overrode his happiness?

In my own, un-theologically researched way - it seems we're being led to believe one brother was touched by good and one touched by evil - and is Kripke setting them up to "battle" each other? seems a bit cliche, doesn't it? Oh well - whatever - if Dean's abs are gonna be there, sign me up!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Sam may also still be shell-shocked. That can make someone really emotionally flat. And I suppose they needed to just get on with the story rather than spend a lot of time on Sam and Dean cooing over each other. Although God knows we would have loved it!

In short, DEAN'S ABS.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

But why didn't they bring Missouri back?

And so much between them has changed after only four months?

Btw, I thought you already knew the title of the premier when you wrote your own Lazarus!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Oh no, if I'd known that was the title of the premiere, I never would have named my fic that. Which would have bummed me out mightily since I LOVED that title when I thought it up. Well, mine is more directly Biblical, so nyerh, Kripke. NYERH!

Has it been only four months? I thought it was six. Nevertheless, I think we're supposed to be guessing about what Sam was up to in that time to make him so apparently distant from Dean. It's got to be more than just hanging out with Ruby and flexing his powers.

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

I bet Sam has done some bad, bad things in the 4 months that Dean was in Hell.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

How bad would it have to be for him to appear so unaffected by his beloved brother's resurrection? Or is he ashamed that he didn't get Dean out on his own? Or has he been so traumatized by losing Dean that all his emotions are out of whack?

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

I do think that was on purpose about Sam's coldness, and I'm a bit afraid about it. Sam vs. Dean, everybody?

I thought that was Jensen

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee :D

I love Jensen and always will.

Thank you for the great review.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I do think that was on purpose about Sam's coldness, and I'm a bit afraid about it. Sam vs. Dean, everybody?

I do think this is where they are heading, and have basically been heading throughout the series. Honestly, if they do it right it could be unbelievably awesome. And if the premiere was any indication, they're heading in the right direction.

[akankshaa.livejournal.com]

The end of the episode, with Sam in the diner talking to the demon while Dean is talking to the angel (if that is truly what Castiel is) seems to be predicting a good vs. evil battle with Sam and Dean on opposite sides. I think that is where the series is headed, but it also makes me afraid...but let's see where it goes.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I'm actually really excited by this idea. I know that a lot of fans are turned off by the prospect of Sam and Dean as antagonists (and I used to be one of them), but gosh, wouldn't that be the ultimate tragedy? I think it's a really daring direction to go in, provided the writers really commit themselves to it and don't dance or snark their way around it.

[akankshaa.livejournal.com]

Yep - totally loved the new episode...Castiel as the angel of Thursday - that just sounds perfect.

While Sam's reaction to Dean seemed a little flat (which I think was totally planned), the returning of the locket was the brother moment for me in the episode.

Can't wait to see where Kripke takes the rest of this season.

And can't wait for the next installment on your Lazarus series too :)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

The show desperately needs to hold up the quality of this premiere. One thing that really got to me was that Castiel, unlike many of the other supernatural entities on this show (demons, tricksters, etc.) was not snarky. I'm sick of the snark. I'm ready for some weighty stuff on this show. I'm ready for them to get down to business.