SPN 6:01: Exile on Main Street

[oselle]

The only reason I'm even bothering to post a review is because I'm still high off the four beers and five cigs I had while watching that episode.

Without further ado:

1. It was smart to keep Lisa and Ben's presence to a minimum, and to not hammer us over the head with Dean's domesticity. Truth be told, Dean seems to be an awkward fit with suburban life which is exactly what he should be. Despite Lisa's assertion that this was "the best year of her life" we can at least tell it was and continues to be tough going for them. I'm discomfited by Dean telling Sam that he basically pushed Dean into that life...i.e., that he wouldn't have chosen it for himself. It makes Lisa and Ben look like the consolation prize and I don't like that. That's why I'll continue to insist that Dean's "settling down" should only have come at the END of the series so that we'd never have to deal with the consequences of it. Now we've got this big mess with the very likable Lisa and her twelve-year-old son...and this guy who -- by his own admission -- is only with them because he made a deathbed promise to his brother.

2. The promos were pushing a "TRUST NO ONE" tagline and I don't know if that means we're supposed to be wary of Sam and all those Campbells. Are they not who they claim to be?

3. Speaking of all those Campbells...too many Campbells. Based on what I heard from ComicCon, I thought the various and sundry Campbell relatives would be rolled out over the season...HAHAHAHA I should know better than to expect anything approaching subtlety. No, instead we get FOUR of them in the premiere, including Gramps, who apparently has been "brought down" from heaven (?) to chaperone Sam and OH MY GOD doesn't anyone besides me remember that all of Mary's relatives were supposed to be dead? And OH MY GOD are we honestly supposed to believe that these Campbells who, apparently, are to hunting what the Kennedys are to politics, WOULD NOT HAVE LOOKED OUT FOR MARY CAMPBELL'S SONS AFTER SHE DIED? That for the past THIRTY YEARS they have been unaware of the existence of Sam and Dean Campbell-Winchester? Please. I DEFY you to fucking fanwank that shit.

4. BOY, Sera Gamble is sure in love with that Mayflower business, isn't she? I'm seeing a Very Special Thanksgiving episode in full period costume.

5. Speaking of Sera Gamble...bringing back the djinns from Raelle Tucker's great "What Is And Never Should Be" final episode does not make Sera Gamble into Raelle Tucker. Frankly, bringing back the djinns made no sense at all and was one of the klutziest plot bridges I ever saw. So what, they've been hanging around for four fucking years waiting to get revenge on Dean?

6. I'm giving Sam a temporary pass on his behavior because I don't know if Sam is really Sam or if Sam was so fucked up by hell that he's all dead inside or what. But there's simply no excuse for Bobby at all. Oh right, Dean's having such a wonderful life in suburbia that HE WOULDN'T WANT TO KNOW HIS BROTHER WAS ALIVE. Mmmhmm.

7. How did Dean even manage to find a manufacturing job in this economy?

8. Jensen clearly put on weight and should not be wearing his shirt tucked into his jeans. Hey, someone had to say it.

9. If Sam Adams Oktoberfest Ale is in the supermarket it shouldn't be ninety fuckin degrees out.

10. Whatever.

Comments

[janissa11.livejournal.com]

8. Jensen clearly put on weight and should not be wearing his shirt tucked into his jeans. Hey, someone had to say it.

Yo. Dean went soft. Didn't you hear? A few too many baked potatoes with the steaks you know he's been grilling couple of times a week. (On sale, from Sam's.)

And a few too few actual-factual hunts, because God knows -- hah -- you can't rest on your Apocalypse-ending laurels. EVERYONE knows you forget everything you know after one year.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's gone soft, that's why he's sleeping with a gun and holy water under his bed (that's what that was, right?)

Off Topic

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Oh by the way...I seem to recall a while back you were asking for user opinions on the Amazon Kindle. I just got mine this week (the new $139 one) and OMG...I don't know how I ever lived without it. It's obviously not a tablet computer like the iPad but for reading? It's bliss. I actually enjoy reading on the Kindle more than reading on paper...and it's nothing like reading on a computer screen, which I find pretty difficult to do after a while. HIGHLY recommended and I think the price can't be beat.

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

I just posted my review! I HATED this episode. Hate. Between the extreme OOC'ishness of Sam (and to a lesser extent, Dean), the stupid Campbell storyline (so don't care), and the general "bzuhh?" of it all...just, no.

I'm really kind of angry right now, which is not a reaction I expected to have.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

It was actually about what I expected. Though I did NOT expect the entire Campbell family reunion in the premiere. And while Mitch Pileggi was so great in "In The Beginning," I'm already OVER any notion of him as a recurring character. Do Not Want.

[lsketch42.livejournal.com]

1: "It makes Lisa and Ben look like the consolation prize and I don't like that." YES.

2: "The promos were pushing a "TRUST NO ONE" tagline and I don't know if that means we're supposed to be wary of Sam and all those Campbells. Are they not who they claim to be?"
I think it was more to hint at Mitch Pileggi being in the episode by ripping off the X-Files tagline. Ah C-dub...so clever.

3: "Speaking of all those Campbells...too many Campbells." It felt very Buffy-ish (with all those other random slayers that appeared out of nowhere) and just...yeah, NO.

6: "I'm giving Sam a temporary pass on his behavior because I don't know if Sam is really Sam or if Sam was so fucked up by hell that he's all dead inside or what." Just cling to the hope that Lucifer!Sam will bust out in one of these episodes and save the season.

10. At least I enjoyed the first 10 minutes.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I think it was more to hint at Mitch Pileggi being in the episode by ripping off the X-Files tagline

Yeah, that thought occurred to me too. And I also thought, oh how clever -- NOT.

At least I enjoyed the first 10 minutes.

I did too. In fact I was sitting there being surprised by how much I was getting into the juxtaposition between Dean's old life and his new one and how in spite of the outward appearance of normalcy you could tell that Dean was still very much trying to adapt to this new life. In fact I pretty much dug everything up until Sam showed up.

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

1 and 3 - oh yes, I so agree with you. Way too many new characters I don't care about. And where was the epic reunion and ....

Too many things to complain about. But for me Jensen with a little extra weight is not one of them. I'd take him any day.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I don't really care if Jensen puts on a few pounds or not but I love to rag on actors who put on weight considering how actresses aren't allowed to do so. It just evens the playing field a little in my head.

[salty-catfish.livejournal.com]

Yes, to all of that. Did not like that ep.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

There were elements of it I liked but the general takeaway was pretty bleh.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I wrote more about this on my lj, but I felt like this ep was really trying to establish a new status quo without dealing with a lot of the stuff it set out. Tbh, it seems like a lot of people agree that the first 10 minutes was the best. Dean the awkward fit in suburbia was a lot more interesting as a hunter than the pack of hunters who showed up!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm bummed that you deleted your post. I would have liked to read it.

I totally agree that the episode is trying to establish a new status quo...trying to hit a reset button in a way. And I think the reason people (including myself) liked those first ten minutes was because there was a real poignancy to them. First of all, I'm a flashback sucker so I liked the montage of Dean's new life compared to scenes of his old one (Salt can be used for cooking! Who knew!) I also felt that you could tell that in spite of appearances, Dean was still working very hard to make this new life work, to leave the past behind. That's why it was so chilling when he started seeing creepy things in broad daylight -- not only were the signs spooky in themselves, but you had the sense that Dean's old life was catching up with him. You felt for the guy, the way you'd feel for anyone who's trying to make a fresh start in his life but can't.

So yeah, that was all good but then it just went off the rails as soon as Sam and all those Campbells showed up. And to make a djinn the catalyst for Sam and Dean's reunion...I don't know, I just thought that was so lazy. I know they want to get back to the MoTW structure but recycling a monster from four years ago hardly seemed like a clever or thoughtful way to do it. And I'm not even going to touch on why the Campbells all seemed like such assholes, or how cruel it was for both Sam and Bobby to keep Dean in the dark about Sam, or how we're supposed to embrace Lisa's character and place in Dean's life while also accepting that Lisa would never have been part of Dean's plans if Sam hadn't died, thereby negating all the fabricated insta-drama about how Lisa is Dean's ultimate happily-ever-after fantasy...naw, I'm not gonna touch on any of that.

[morganslady.livejournal.com]

OK I'll be the voice crying in the wilderness- cause I'm an easy SPNslut.. I'll give Sera a pass on this episode cause it's the first one and she's still trying to find her feet.
I haven't re watched it so I'm writing this out of memory--
1. I like Lisa and Ben, I don't need to see them all the time,but I'm glad Dean has them..
2. I think there is something hinky with the Campbells,I just haven't figured it out yet..
3.Yeah where did they all come from,unless because Samuel was dead,the rest didn't know about Sam and Dean until Grandpa came back..
4.
5. Djinns might not have been able to get near Dean and Sam because of Castiel's protection.. So now they can,and their touch can be used for either euphoric or horrific experiences(I'm not an expert on djinns:).
6.Sam has to be a little different,who wouldn't be, I see him at sometime telling Dean his hell experience but not right away.
7.Yeah Dean needs to share his job hunting skills(my friend has been out of work over a year).
8.I also noticed the tucked in shirt,and thought WTF??
9.It can be hot in Oct,it's the end of Sept and it was 87 here yesterday.
10. Why do they always have their jackets on indoors???

Now please don't shout at me all at once. I'm really not into debates,just stating my thoughts:)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

'll give Sera a pass on this episode cause it's the first one and she's still trying to find her feet.

I'm sorry, but I can't agree. This may have been her first episode as official showrunner, and I'll admit she got handed a big pile of shit to shovel from Eric "Swan Song" Kripke, but this is Sera Gamble's umpteenth episode, not her first. She's spent the last five years of her life working on this show. She's not a rookie, she's a veteran and she should have found her feet a long time ago.

Djinns might not have been able to get near Dean and Sam because of Castiel's protection

The djinn incident happened way before Castiel came into the picture. If you'd compare the show to real time, the djinn episode was around May 2007. Dean died in May 2008. They had a whole year to track him down.

I also noticed the tucked in shirt,and thought WTF??

It's especially noticeable because Dean's never tucked his shirts in! Either they're trying to say: this is how suburban dads dress, or they were trying to make a point that Dean can tuck his shirts in now because he doesn't always have a pistol concealed in the back of his belt or maybe it was just a bad wardrobe decision, I don't know. But it was weird. And not at all flattering!

Why do they always have their jackets on indoors???

Because Jensen's fat? LOL, I kid, I kid!

[dnalia.livejournal.com]

After that episode, I'd rather watch Dean, Lisa, and Ben do their own thing with Castiel and Crowley occasionally dropping by for tea and snarking at each other. Sam and the rest of the Campbell clan can just fuck off.

What bothered me was the entire episode seemed to be centered around showing how wonderful Sam is by being apparently totally unaffected by hell and how awesome this bunch of assholes, that unfortunately happen to be Dean's relatives, are and how pathetic Dean is now that he left the "life". Gah.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I hear some of the SPN true believers saying that we just have to hold on and wait because something's clearly "off" about both Sam and the Campbells and if we're just patient with the show we'll all be blown away by some shocking plot twist. Sadly, I've heard that song before from the true believers, and at one time I believed it myself, but I've spent too many seasons waiting for shocking plot twists that just never came. What we saw last night should be taken at face value -- Sam is awesome, the Campbells are awesome, and Dean needs to get his mojo back and grow a pair so he can be as awesome as they are. Which I presume is what the rest of the season will be about. I'd challenge the show to prove me wrong, but I know it won't.

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

I'm seeing a Very Special Thanksgiving episode in full period costume.


To be honest, I think that's the least of our worries :)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I dunno man, seeing the J's trying to portray Sam and Dean's 17th-century Puritan ancestors...I just rendered myself speechless.

[andycake.livejournal.com]

Hee! I am so glad that somebody else articulated the flabby Jensen thing! I'm sure you've seen those photos of him playing soccer shirtless....All of fandom seemed to think he looked hot. I was all "Whoa! Dude had a very cruisy summer off and obviously didn't hit the gym once".

Apart from a bit of flabbyness, I do think the shirt tucking in thing was deliberate though. I was paying attention to the horrible cut of the jeans and the totally dorky belt they put Dean in. I guess just a subtle reminder of the "wrongness" of Dean's life. For all this scruffy dressing whilst hunting, there was always an inherent coolness in what he wore. Those clothes just did not "fit" Dean.

As for the rest of the episode, I am interested for the season to progresses, with a few caveats. Mostly I want to find out about Sam and how different he is and why, and to see Dean struggle with maybe having a family. But so many Campbells? Urgh. No thanks Sera.

Sera - Please also keep Ben to a minimum. I think that kid may suck balls at acting. He's no Colin who knocked it out of the park as mini Sam and I think they'll have the same problem they had with the last mini Dean. They cast a kid who is not that great and realise later when they want him to play a bigger part that he doesn't have the chops to back up the dialogue and storyline.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I was all "Whoa! Dude had a very cruisy summer off and obviously didn't hit the gym once".

And I was all, "Dude is over thirty and everything starts to shift downwards after that." Sad, but true.

In all honesty, I don't want anyone to think I'm picking on Jensen's weight because he's still better looking than a good 99% of the men out there but it IS really funny to see him putting on that thirtysomething pudge, especially if you know how incredibly slender he was during his Dark Angel-era twenties.

For all this scruffy dressing whilst hunting, there was always an inherent coolness in what he wore. Those clothes just did not "fit" Dean.

Oh yeah. What Dean was wearing was the male equivalent of "Mom Jeans."

[ariadnes-string.livejournal.com]

Wait, something happened in the episode after those images of Dean scrambling eggs? Um, I mighta gotten a little stuck there...

Seriously, JA, fat or not (there's a reason they call them love handles *g*) gave the episode what little emotional continuity it had--he's just such an expressive actor.

And, since we're in the business of home truths--the ep was a little like Yellow Fever for me: I couldn't tell if Sam's inexpressiveness was a character point or just a byproduct of JP's acting...

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I mighta gotten a little stuck there...

Oh no no sister...I nearly got stuck on Dean in his BARE FEET and SWEATPANTS doing the nightly check of all the locks on the doors before hitting the sack. Hello, adorable. BARE FEET. Seriously? That was just about the only part of the episode that resonated with me.

I couldn't tell if Sam's inexpressiveness was a character point or just a byproduct of JP's acting...

TBH, I never know what's going on with JP and the fact that the writers never seem to know what's going on with Sam doesn't help.

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

I'm back, because nobody on my flist is posting on my own entry. ;)

I thought about something today. Remember last season when Bobby had a come-to-Jesus moment about Sam's pure awesomeness and how it would be no sweat for him to fight the Devil? That was based on how Sam unflinchingly kept going back for survivors in the Croatoan virus warehouse.

And then yesterday Sam tells Dean that he should get back in the game because of the way he just throws himself into a situation and never hesitates, and how he, Sam, wouldn't even think about trying to do that. @$*&! retcon!!! Which is it? Is Sam the most awesome hunter on the planet, or is he a spineless wimp who holds back?

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Bobby's come-to-Jesus moment about Sam in the warehouse may have been the single stupidest moment in five years of this show. To this day, I have no idea what the fuck Bobby was talking about.

There was retconning going on all over this ep. For example...is Lisa the love of Dean's life (as we were led to believe last year) or is he only with her because Sam made him promise to be with her? HELP ME UNDERSTAND, SHOW!

[pedx.livejournal.com]

I saw someone else refer to Sam as Robo-Sam, which is now stuck in my head. I loved how Robo-Sam is all, I totally just dropped into your life all non-chalant and have given you exactly four seconds to readjust to the idea that I am alive and well and then demanding a hug but then smirking when you actually do so. Oh Dean and your silly human emotions!

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

And don't forget crapping all over Dean's offer to take the Impala, in the meanest possible way. Way to consider someone else's feelings, Robo-Sam! I guess when you don't have any feelings of your own, it's no problem shitting on others'.

[pedx.livejournal.com]

Also if I had balls this episode would have made them crawl back up. I was just so uncomfortable for Dean the whole time. And I had no idea I could hate canon-Sam any more than when he was trying to choke out a stunned and down Dean.

I hope if Sam ever gets back to "normal" and talks about his, what - one day, two days tops in Hell? - that Dean says boohoo.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I hope he says, "Boo-hoo, princess." Gotta get the "princess" in there.

[pedx.livejournal.com]

ALSO AGAIN I forgot to mention that because I've spent so much time reading Sam written as a human being by awesome fic authors, the incompetence presented by show writers often staggers me. I forget that the Sam character I love IS NOT REAL!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. I have to give a lot of credit to writers who are still able to write Sam "as a human being." I honestly don't think I could do it anymore unless I was writing an AU. There's just next to nothing left in canon to suggest Sam really cares about Dean, or about much of anything except himself.

[caesia390.livejournal.com]

(Hi! I read your comments at sistermagpie's journal and followed you here.)

So I've never watched an episode of Supernatural, but reading about this abusive yet addictive trainwreck of a show reminds me of exactly what it was like to love the X-Files.

As (early series) Scully would say: Never Again.

You have my deepest sympathies.

(PS - Re: America. It's horrible. It's horrible all over the world. More and more I see something Malthusian in it... People get very ugly when they feel threatened. And to be poor in a society that worships wealth - that alone is a threat. And then the reaction takes on its particular form...)

[oselle.livejournal.com]

"Abusive" is a word I jokingly used a lot last season...loving Supernatural is seriously like being stuck in a really terrible relationship. When it's good, it's very good and when it's bad (which lately, is more often than not) it's bloody awful.

I sort of enjoy bitching about it, though. It's fun to fret over something so essentially trivial when the whole world is, indeed, going to hell.

[mangokulfi.livejournal.com]

I just realized I've been butting into your conversations with my bitter snarkiness. Sorry about that.

On the upshot, I actually expected to hate this episode a lot more than I did so I guess that's good.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I expected to hate it because I thought we'd be drowned in Lisa-and-Dean-4Ever! schmoop...and then the Lisa-and-Dean part turned out to be just about the best part of the episode, especially when compared to the sheer idiocy of the Campbell clan. So yeah, that was a surprise.

[mangokulfi.livejournal.com]

IKR? See how its done writers? AT this point, it wouldn't surprise me if the costuming was Jensen's or the director's idea rather than the writers considering how often the writers just throw up their hands and tell rather than show.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

I am not running around commenting on 6.01 things, because there is too much to say...but #7 - hell to the yes, woman. Seriously. They should do an episode where Dean gets laid off from his job and has to go work at Walmart. Or mow lawns for extra cash. Oh yes, mow lawns shirtless for extra cash!!!
#8 - I kinda love that Jensen is getting his "I've passed 30 years old" gut, just a little one. But he should never tuck in his shirts anyway. I'm glad suburbia means less layers of clothing.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

They should do an episode where Dean gets laid off from his job and has to go work at Walmart.

LOL, I imagine they don't want too much real world getting in the way. But seriously, I'd love to know how Dean and Lisa afford that big, beautiful house. I can't imagine being a yoga instructor pays too well in Bumfuck, Indiana. Or is it Illinois?