Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Supernatural Season 5.03 " Free to be You and ME"



Episode 5.03 FREE TO BE YOU AND ME

In order to review these episodes it is necessary that I view them at least 3 times. There is so much packed into an episode that it is impossible to pick up everything in one viewing.

So having seen “Free To Be You and Me” 3 times, I think I’m ready.

For me another terrific episode. I so like the direction the writers and Eric are taking this season.

I’ve read some comments that the episode felt too disjointed with there being a lot of stuff jammed into this one, but writers did it well. The abundance of content is what made the episode have a huge impact on me.
First we see Sam (shirtless no less, and in bed! Good place for him (thanks wardrobe, do it more often ) with Jessica. Nice to see Adrianne Paliciki back even if it is a short stay. Next I notice this new hair style. What do you think of it? Me not crazy about it, but understand it takes Sam away from being “Sam”.

Everything Jess pointing out that he’s running away again, rather than deal with what he’s feeling and what he has done. Jess saying he has always known that there is a darkness in him and he just can’t run away from yourself. Cruel on Jess’s part telling Sam she was dead from the moment she met him. First place in this episode something was toughing at my heart strings. Sam just wanting to go back to loving and being with Jessica and wanting to live a normal life. A life now so far away and impossible. Next Sam is burning all his ID’s to try and convince himself what he is doing is to protect the people he loves. All the people who have died or been hurt by Sam’s actions

Next shot trunk of impala closes with Dean back to what he's lived his life doing, hunting things, saving people. Dare I say the family business.This back and forth between Sam and Dean showed that much more of how both of them were in reality dealing with this in much the same…trying to avoid having to think.
This episode had so many great lines, it’s hard to single out one scene.
My favorites:
Dean: “Eat it Twilight”

Dean: "You were wasted by a teenage mutant ninja angel?" --on learning that Raphael was the archangel who smote Castiel.

Dean: "Last time you zapped me someplace I didn't poop for a week. We're driving." - Dean, on choosing the Metallicar over angelic intervention

Sam: "I'm a riddle wrapped inside an enigma wrapped inside a taco." -- on his mysterious past

Bobby: "Let me see if I can think of the best hunter who might be in the immediate vicinity. Oh, that'd be you." Talking to Sam
Dean: "last night on earth - what are your plans?"
Castiel: "I just thought I'd sit here quietly."
Dean: “There are two things I know for certain. One: Bert and Ernie are gay. Two, you are not going to die a virgin. Not on my watch.
Castiel:” This is a den of iniquity. I should not be here."
Dean: "Dude, you full on rebelled against heaven. Iniquity is one of the perks!"
Castiel: "Today, you're my bitch."
Dean: What he said.

Back to the episode, Sam washing the bar, Dean washing the impala. Almost as if by washing and cleaning they can both cleanse themselves, their lives and their emotions.

This was pointed out in another review and I quote “ Jared Padalecki is dealing with characters named Dean, Jess and Lindsey? As in Dean and Jess, the two boys Rory had to choose from on Gilmore Girls, and Lindsey, the woman Jared's Dean married? Something to think about!!!
Lindsey’s comments to Sam “What’s your poison” and showing him a three year chip for being clean and sober. Telling Sam that there isn’t anything anyone has done that is so bad that you can’t forgive yourself. There was reference all through the bar scene to AA’s “Twelve Step Program” Taking moral inventory, confessing to yourself and another human being what you have done is a start to the healing process for Sam. And Sam is will always be an addict, he’s just a clean addict. Even when the hunters forced him to take the blood, he didn’t swallow it, but spit it back at them keeps Sam still clean.

I know from personal experience we humans keep going the same thing over and over and expecting the same results. (BTW - that's the definition for insanity) But in this case both Sam and Dean are a lot wiser and deep down inside, more responsible.

Sam commanded most of the episode … Trying to stay away so as not to hurt anyone else, were good intentions but not possible. I believe Sam will come to the same conclusion. Dean on the other hand, being flippant and light hearted was Dean dealing (or denying) how he feels about them living and working apart. This all felt dejavu…Dean all of season 3 not wanting to deal with going to hell but in both occasions he is scared of what is happening.

Sam’s rage with the hunters was frightening. You could see the evil starting to come out, but when Sam caught sight of Lindsey and saw the look of horror on her face Sam was thinking rationally realizing that was a path he didn’t want to travel, and he HAD a choice which way he went.

Most of the scenes with Castiel felt strained, and was almost like Jensen doing a really poor job playing Dean. Running out the back door of the cat house with Castiel, laughing and saying that’s the most fun he’s had in years. My only thought here “if that’s how you REALLY feel then shouldn’t you tell yourself to do a better job of laughing? Wasn’t any belly laugh but maybe if Dean keeps telling himself it was maybe he’ll start to believe…..NOT!

Dean talking to Cas about knowing something about missing fathers was the first time that Dean could help Cas deal with something Castiel had no experience with. What Dean told Castiel about glad he wasn’t chained to his family anymore was all a lie. Dean is not alright and not happy at all. He just had a chance to let off some emotional stuff that has been consuming him. Looking at the empty passenger side showed exactly how Dean was feeling.

Dean in a very short time will come to the same conclusion as Sam you can’t run away, you can’t lie to yourself and for better or worse FAMILY IS FAMILY. They both need each other.
There were so many scenes where those heart strings of mine were being pulled in 47 different directions. Sam and Jessica gut wrenching, Dean alone in the car with a big empty space beside him gut wrenching, Lucifer’s words to Sam telling Sam that he will let him in and Sam saying it will never happen but being terrified that Sam won’t be strong enough.

Okay, by the end of this episode I was a sobbing, blubbering, emotional wrench sitting on the floor. Eric
This was Jared’s episode to shine. Jared’s acting throughout this episode had some really heavy stuff and he pulled it off brilliantly. Jared’s grace and agility in the bar fight was something to behold and showed just how far he has come since Season 1. Kudos to Jared.

At first I thought when in heaven’s name did Jensen loose his acting chops? Never have I seen a worst portrayal of Dean. Then I realized Jensen should get "The Emmy" for playing "the really bad actor" playing Dean as doing a lousy job of convincing anyone he meant what he was saying.
Kudos to Jensen.

The story that is building this season has me chewing my nails to the bone, trying to fight off this feeling of dread I keep getting. Lucifer (Mark) is one really cool presence and Mark's Lucifer is so what Eric promised us.
I do wish the writers could have used 2 episodes for this topic, there was just so much to absorb in a mere 42 minutes I didn't feel the episode was disjointed that much, it just showed how different each of the brothers are at this time and how far apart they are. They need this to realize that neither can do anything alone that they need each other to succeed. By the end, I felt Dean and Sam had done a 180 degree turn. Last season Dean had all the weight of the world on his shoulders and it almost destroyed him, but there in lay his strengths that he would find by end of the season. Now it is Sam's turn shoulder the weight of the world and only then will he be able to make the responsible decisions and start to forgive himself and become a stronger brother so that Dean and Sam can actually win this fight. I don't know where this season is going, I can hope that it ends with the Winchester Brothers a demon fighting team, but regardless it's going to be one hell of a ride. Can't wait for next week.

Nitewoman

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