sylvia_bond | Long Distance Call: A Supernatural Episode Review

You can read my review of the Supernatural episode "Long Distance Call" at pinkraygun.com. Thank you!

An excerpt:

However, Wardrobe needs to realize that Sam is now a strapping tall lad with pecs out to there and shoulders as wide as an axe handle. We’ve seen the pictures. He can pound nails with his neck. He can decapitate a vampire man with a piece of wire and his bare hands. To pretend otherwise is to attempt to ignore the changes that Sam has gone through. To expect the audience to ignore the changes as well is to do us a disservice. We’re not blind. Oh, we’d happily go blind staring at Sam’s physique, yes indeed. But we’re not blind. (Plus, if Show wants Sam to look young and harmless? Then they need to bring back The Bangs. Get Makeup involved and check out pics of Season One. Now there, you got you some classic Samhair. With bangs.)

Hands, in pockets:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

pie_andcoffee

Nope, Communion was written for

apieceofcake, IOW, a porn debt. Basically it's how the boys spent Ash Wednesday this year. And it is a story that had been developing in my mind since Houses of the Holy, further inspired by the "St. Dean" Arthelius magazine art that came out awhile back. I wrote it for 2 reasons: 1) because I wanted to give Sam some credibility as to doing SOMETHING offscreen to try to save Dean - all the hints at research & different things on show just weren't cutting it for me in light of things the Trickster said because we just don't get to SEE it (which means, of course, that it MIGHT be something they couldn't actually SHOW - hee; and 2) because I wanted to explore how the boys actually might define what IS holy and meaningful. Do they believe in any sort of God, and what does that mean? And it's done, if you wanna read. Believe it or not, I'm pretty damn proud of it and the way it dovetails directly from Virgin Sacrifice, written last January by

rushlight75, directly into Verbum Caro Factum Est, which is a work-in-progress by

blacklid set a few weeks after Ash Wednesday 2008.

Which brings to mind two things: 1) it's amazing how many times different sources in fandom dovetail and come to the same, complimentary, or dovetailed conclusions and how we feed so directly off of one another and back into Show and 2) The writer's strike is to blame for alot of missing episodes, missing scenes, and like you and

runedgirl point out above, a lot is missing overall, even within what we DO get. HAY. FANDOM WILL FILL IN THE MISSING BITS, yo. That is OUR job as a part of the Supernatural Family. I love how Jared welcomed fanfic into the "Family" with open arms at EyeCon. And he's right: we are a necessary and vital part of what keeps the show going.

I'm always making stuff up that happens off screen, I know I'm not alone in this! But when I have to make stuff up for the ENTIRE ep to explain everything? Wow. Not good.

Back to your response just now - I agree with just about everything you say there. I think the boys *are* tired, but yes, running lines means just that: running them. Making sure you have all the words down, not the inflection and angst (altho' I thought it was great that Jensen flings out his hands in frustration at one point just like Dean will when they film). I know only a smattering about acting, enough to get me in trouble. I was in theatre for years as a dancer, a stage hand (at times I worked lights AND sound, lmao), and a costumer. Rarely as an actor. But yeah, that's all they were supposed to be doing.

But (if you'll permit me to say something I've said over and over at

susannaheanes): unlike you, I don't believe for a minute Kripke will save them. I do not credit Kripke with being God, I think if it weren't for Robert Singer and J2 and Sera and Kim and the others who pull together to make the incredible piece of art that is Show every week, all Kripke could give us was a pretty damn good idea initially for show, a skeletal sort of framework for where it needs to end up, but without them, in the end it would be just like Boogeyman. I mean, come on. One of the WORST episodes (to me) came from Kripke's pen (Mag7), although he did better with earlier epi's Shadow, Devil's Trap, and IMTOD. But I've always said that Supernatural is a beautiful piece of collaborative art, and while he may be driving the bus & providing the impetus, I don't trust him for a second not to fuck it all up at some point. MY trust is in Jensen, Jared, Robert, Kim, and Sera, and all the other hard-working crew. Together hopefully THEY will keep it going the way it should go. Thank God Kripke DOES apparently listen, and will continue to do so (LMAO GOOD-BYE BELA).

I mean, you see my icon. If I could get it tattoo'd on my soul, and there it would be. But that would embarrass him no end, so I won't. But I think about it.

*huggles you*

From:

sylvia-bond.livejournal.com

Re communion and peiceofcake: I fully intend to catch up with my fan reading and shall happily add your story (and the others you mentioned) to my reading list! I'm woefully behind, and will have more time once the new eps (only two more!) are done. Not that I'll be happy to see the season end, but it certainly opens up when summer arrives. And peiceofcake, she is the woman! I only use her icons, she does them the best.

RE: Fanfic: Well I've always thought fanfic was part of the whole, and I don't mind thinking or feeling that I've got to fill in the blanks on my own. Or grab some amazing fanfic to do that for me. It just seems excessive to have to dig SO hard for it this time around. It felt like there was nothing I could hang my hat on, nothing to get me started. No "prompts" as it were to point me in the right direction. Normally show has plenty of prompts and texture and little easter egg-type treats spread about, so I fully anticipate that next week's ep will satisfy me much better in this regard.

Re acting/running lines: I can see that, truly. I enjoyed seeing that bit of them behind the scenes, and I realize that running through is not the same as being "on" when you are filming. Maybe it would have been better if I'd not seen them, though I don't think my opinion would have changed all that much.

Re Who Will Save the boys: I don't pay attention to who does what, but if I had, I'd be willing to bet that you are right. Kripke set the path, but it's the team who gets the wagon there. Or the bus, if you prefer. : D
I just usually think of Kripke when I think of the heart of Supernatural, though normally in my reviews I just refer to Show - it's almost as if I knew that Kripke wasn't soley responsible for everything that we see.

RE icon: I love your icon and have admired it for some time. When I see it, there's a song with those exact same lyrics that jumps into my head! Plus it's So true, because after He made Jensen, he broke the mold.

From:

pie_andcoffee

hee. that song IS what inspired the icon, yo. and sometimes it means OMG LOOK what God hath made, and sometimes it just means JENSEN IS GOD. i go back & forth on that.

the team who gets the wagon there

i like that way of putting it! more along my luddite mindset.

HAY. I hope you are feeling better. I just now read back thru enough to realize that you weren't feeling so well. And you know, that really sucks if a show doesn't come off and you're already feeling out of kilter... just makes it worse! But I hope in my heart of hearts that we'll get at least something of what we were meant to get out of 3.15 and 3.16. I think the writers' strike really did hurt the show because of compressing so much into so little time. I was talking to

blacklid and she said while she was looking at screencaps there is one with dates on it - when the phone company techie dude in the basement is looking up all the calls made from the antique phone number. And the last call was made APRIL 24, 2008.

THAT'S JUST OVER ONE WEEK BEFORE DEAN'S DEAL IS DUE ON MAY 2nd. HOMG.

In light of THAT, it either makes More or Less sense for Dean & Sam to have been so out of kilter in 3.14.

erm... I'm going to the freezer. I'm pretty certain there is some Dutch Chocolate Cookie Double Fudge left in the carton... just as soon as I can get my thumb out of my mouth.

*shudders*

From:

sylvia-bond.livejournal.com

You're a luddite too????? Oh my, there are so few of us left....

Oh man WHAT a catch. That blacklid, she is smart. I saw that exact same date and didn't make a thing of it. Question then, how are we all sure that May 2 is the date that Sam came back from the dead? What is the reference, do you know?

I thank you for your kind sympathy. The doctors have been of no help. They've got many suggestions but no answers. Ah well. I'm going to keep trying.

Yes, if the boys are out of kilter, I would like for Show to have acknowledged that. Like, if one of the boys had said something like, "YOu're being a real jerk lately," or "I can't take it anymore," or something. You know? Just so we don't have to guess like this.

I am picking up Haagen Dazz butter pecan on the way home. I deserve it! And so do you!

:::humming:::

When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain't just putting on the ritz
There's thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
The Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
It wasn't for no reason
That He shed His blood
His return is very close
And so you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

And when the sky was starless
In the void of the night
(God is an awesome God)
He spoke into the darkness
And created the light
(God is an awesome God)
Judgement and wrath He poured out on Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that we have not
Too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God (Our God is an awesome God)
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God (Our God is an awesome God)
He reigns from heaven above (He reigns)
With wisdom, power, and love (With wisdom and power)
God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God

From:

pie_andcoffee

May 2 = Kripke said so, at the LA Con a few wks. back, just before EyeCon. He said, "Sam was resurrected on his birthday, May 2nd. Which is the same day Dean's deal comes due." It was in answer to a fan's question for clarification as I remember. I'm sure it's in the videos of the Con on YouTube if you want to check it. It's pretty common knowledge by now & has also been quoted in articles - I believe TV Guide? Anyway, should be easy to find since it's so recent.

you wrote the words - hee. *blushes*

Luddites \0/ Take it easy & put your feet up & enjoy that nice bowl of goodness, k?

From:

sylvia-bond.livejournal.com

If you say it is so, then I believe you. It makes sense as well, because the best birthday present Sam could get was Dean getting out of the Deal.

Butter Pecan, baby, here I come!!!

And thank you for the lovely discussion today! It was a whole lot nicer than working on work!