Supernatural Episode Review: Sex and Violence

[sylvia_bond]

You can read my review of the Supernatural episode “Sex and Violence” at pinkraygun.com. Thank you!

An excerpt:

“This episode was more about the brothers than any I’ve seen in a long while. Moreover, it was about both brothers at the same time, rather than it being about one brother and the other one is off getting his teeth cleaned or something. (And they both have nice teeth, which tells you something right there.) I have a fondness for brotherly interaction, as you know, so this ep, with the Cain and Abel overtones, the spying and the lying, a whole mess of discord, not to mention a gig that takes such an interesting twist towards the end there, really worked on many, many levels. Why, I’d say it made me fall in love with Show all over again. And falling in love is such a nice feeling. All those oxytocins, does a body good and stuff. ”

Pictures...

Taking stock...



 

Mirrors of Sam...




Sam in green...




Dean reads the paper...in bed




And that hair...




Dean does SO read Greek poetry!




Fury...




Hour of separation...





Cutting Sam off...




Cain




Abel...














 

 

Comments

[erda-3.livejournal.com]

Don't have anything in particular to say, just agree, agree, agree.
Can't wait to see what's next.

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks for coming by - it was such a terrific ep, this review almost wrote itself!

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

Very good catch on the Cain and Abel allusions – admittedly, that never crossed my mind, but it should have been obvious – starting back in Season 1 with Dean/Cain feeling neglected by The Father in favour of the other son.
such closeups seemed to offer a glimpse into an area of privacy, and, with regards to the title of this ep, offered another definition, because sex and violence, although aggressive, can also be very intimate
At the beginning of this scene, there is a beautiful shot of the Impala, black and sexy, and I couldn’t help but notice that as Dean walks around to the driver’s side door, he strokes the curve of metal with a loving hand. Somehow, the whole of this little throwaway bit comes across as car porn; but then I’m a big fan of that car.
Nick and Dean, who have not only matching ties (Sam and Dean’s ties do not match) – didn’t spot this!
Ooh, lovely. Just had to quote these to squee in agreement.

Dean alone in the motel room. For a second, I wonder where Sam is, but Dean is sitting so still, and is so angry that you can hear his hard breathing
Funny, I read that scene somewhat differently – Dean not as being angry, but as struggling with himself whether or not breaking Sam’s trust (for that’s what it is!) by poking around in his cell phone. We all know that the brothers’ idea of people’s privacy leaves a lot to be desired in the traditional gentlemanly sort of way. Other people’s privacy – but not when it comes to the Winchesters themselves. Thus, Dean is about to cross a line here and he seemed (to me) very uncomfortable with it, feeling , mean, prying. Only to be vindicated (in his eyes), because his suspicion concerning Ruby turned out to be true. His face when giving Sam his phone back, read to me something like “we’ve come down quite a lot, both of us – me prying into your affairs and you behaving in a way that justifies it.”

Show was introducing the idea of if not ownership, but territory.
Again – that stroke a different cord with me: Sam not defending his territory (I didn’t think the Siren’s lure to Dean started before he and Dean were out of Sam’s earshot), but Sam behaving as the “big brother” towards Dean, which in terms of physicality he’s been for some time anyway but never acted like it before. Which would make sense. He grew up with his big brother – and during childhood and adolescence, four years make a lot of difference. And then kept it like that out of habit. But during Dean’s time in hell, Sam grew up – had to, because there was nobody left to “hide behind”. And so the “objective facts” like physical height, muscle and what Sam at least perceives to be the better brains all cast him as the big brother who resumes responsibility for both of them, decides on who’s going where with whom etc. Somewhere else it was said, he even called him kiddo once in this episode, though I didn’t catch that myself.

Dean with an axe in his hand and that look on his face. The one that says, I’m going to kill you now, no time for prayers.
OMG – you are right. When I watched that scene, it reminded me of something – not the look of it but the underlying psychological issues. And now it hit me – it’s Othello all over. Him/ Dean believing he was betrayed by the love of his life, she/ Sam doing nothing to defend her-/himself against it. And Othello/ Dean coming off as decidedly weak and vulnerable in the process although he’s the one who’s threatening death.

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love your choice of quotes! And your points of view here....You could be right about Dean hesitating at breaking into Sam's privacy, and I like your interpretation of the expression on his face. But the thing I noticed was how hard he was breathing, like he was already furious because he knew what he would find....heck, maybe the scene was a mix of both. : D

And your big brother interpretation as well, in keeping with the overtones of this particular ep, and when I went back to look at my screencaps, I couldn't help but think there was some unconscious gesture on Sam's part to mark his territory, in a brotherly way.

OOOH, Othello!!! Brilliant. Wish I'd thought of it!!

[aasaylva.livejournal.com]

OOOH, Othello!!! Brilliant. Wish I'd thought of it!!
Heehee - I thought you did! It was your "no time for prayers" that caused the connection in my brain with the "Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemon?"

Great minds and all that... *strikes a pose*

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

Yes, great minds! Which is why I like to post and respond rather than just post; I learn so many things, have my eyes opened to so much. Thank you for that.

[sidhe-woman.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was an amazing episode, and the actors surpassed themselves - as did the lighting guys and the kind person who insisted on all the close-ups... Who did you bribe, Sylvia? *g*

Sam was taking charge again, and Dean was beginning to kick a little. His accusation of cockblocking was surprisingly petty - this from the man who once celebrated every time his kid brother looked like he was going to get laid. Still, it sort of underscored hisn longing for a little bro who still looked up to him with love and awe, a brother he could control and keep safe. Sorry, Dean, you lost him a long time ago.

Doc Roberts was a great character - so much Sam's type. Smart, funny, independent, and forthright.

The plot twist was neat and I certainly didn't see it coming, and boy, did they make it work.

But this was surely a keypoint episode in the overall story arc. This is where the relationship between the brothers takes a steep nose-dive.

The bitter truths, all those resentments that hide in the darkness of the subconscious no matter how close and caring the relationship, brought out into the open. Oh, the poor boys. This was inevitable, it's been building for years, probably every time Sam and The Dad locked horns, and when Sam took off for Stanford. They won't find it possible to bounce back quickly from those wounds.

And the fight scene - it was breath-taking. Dean was comprehensively getting his ass handed to him, and if he hadn't managed to slam them both through that door, effectively winding Sam, he would have lost messily. We so rarely get to see Sam/Jared unleash his full strength, and this time he let it all out. The man is a Juggernaut.

So now Sam and Dean have to deal with not just the poisoned words, but the knowledge that any trust they had between them has surely been effectively destroyed. They are not good and they both know it, even though they lie to each other.

On a completely shallow note, someone needs to take the Padalecki to one side and insist he has more fruit and veg in his diet. That large zit below the corner of his mouth was taking on a life of its own.

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was an amazing episode, and the actors surpassed themselves - as did the lighting guys and the kind person who insisted on all the close-ups... Who did you bribe, Sylvia? *g*


I bribed no one. It was my charm and my winning ways. : D
But then in the back of my head, I figure they read these things and then go, Well, heck, let’s do some closeups for Sylvia! (Sure, sure…)

Sam was taking charge again, and Dean was beginning to kick a little. His accusation of cockblocking was surprisingly petty - this from the man who once celebrated every time his kid brother looked like he was going to get laid. Still, it sort of underscored hisn longing for a little bro who still looked up to him with love and awe, a brother he could control and keep safe. Sorry, Dean, you lost him a long time ago.


This is so very true. It was so ironic that he would say this (or sardonic, I’m not sure which), considering ALL the women he’s had over the years, and as much as he used to want to get Sam laid? Sheesh. You’re right. He lost Sam, ages back. Sadly, I think it’s only occurring to him just now.


Doc Roberts was a great character - so much Sam's type. Smart, funny, independent, and forthright.


For once he didn’t kill her with his Cock of Doom!


The plot twist was neat and I certainly didn't see it coming, and boy, did they make it work.

But this was surely a keypoint episode in the overall story arc. This is where the relationship between the brothers takes a steep nose-dive.

The bitter truths, all those resentments that hide in the darkness of the subconscious no matter how close and caring the relationship, brought out into the open. Oh, the poor boys. <…>We so rarely get to see Sam/Jared unleash his full strength, and this time he let it all out. The man is a Juggernaut.

So now Sam and Dean have to deal with not just the poisoned words, but the knowledge that any trust they had between them has surely been effectively destroyed. They are not good and they both know it, even though they lie to each other.


I like that word Juggernaut. I think it should be used more often as applies to Sammy. Plus, you’re right, they’re going to have to work very hard to get it together. It’ll take time. And, hopefully, more fighting!


On a completely shallow note, someone needs to take the Padalecki to one side and insist he has more fruit and veg in his diet. That large zit below the corner of his mouth was taking on a life of its own.


The way it hasn’t been going away, I personally thought that they’ve been filming non stop, otherwise it would have gone away ere this. We’ve been getting eps over three weeks, but maybe they filmed them in two?

[supreme-empress.livejournal.com]

I've just read your review over on Pinkraygun and I just thought I'd drop you a line to firstly say, *friended* and secondly, BRAVO! It's a mystery to me how I have gone this long without your reviews as they echo my thoughts to the t.

I honestly saw a lot of foreshadowing in this episode that, as a viewer, you just can not ignore. There will be an ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny and we have but had a taste of it. It's going to be big and it is going to be cataclysmic. The way Show has been carrying on though, I think it we are in for one hell of a ride. And it is going to be good.

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

I'm so very glad you discovered the reviews at Pink Raygun! I have a lot of fun writing them, so it's fun to hear that people get pleasure out of my it.

Foreshadowing you say? Interesting....because the battle between the brothers isn't over yet, right? I've been seeing foreshadowing to this showdown, but I can totally see that we've not seen the last of it. Thank goodness. There's something hotty hot about it when the brothers go at it. Wall-slamming, mmmmmmmmmmm.

[supreme-empress.livejournal.com]

I think the battle might be over but the war has only just begun. That exchange at the end of last episode. Sure they might say they are fine but nothing really got resolved and the issues are still there. The way they have subtly been putting the boys on the ends of the good/bad scale will come into play. Wall slamming? That'll be the tip of the iceberg!

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

It's like a cornucopia of angsty, emo goodness, just waiting for us!!

[supreme-empress.livejournal.com]

It is. I am not down with this hiatus. At all.

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

I've been told it's because of a) spring sweeps and b) we're going digital here, but that got delayed....

I recommend Fan Fiction. At least one story a day. : D

[supreme-empress.livejournal.com]

They all sounds like feeble excuses to me! Not on Show, not on at all!

If you have any recs, throw them my way because I think you have a winning plan there.

[sylvia-bond.livejournal.com]

It is feeble....but it's the best I can come up with before caffine.

And I cannot resist your pleas...check this list out. Check out the master list, which breaks down fan fic into categories. This woman has the best taste EVER. Enjoy. : D

http://amothea.livejournal.com/

[supreme-empress.livejournal.com]

You rock. You are officially on my list of cool people.