Post by luxshine on Oct 9, 2017 21:08:59 GMT -5
Disclaimer. This is, by far, one of my favorite Sam episodes. Like… I adore it. Mostly because of Sarah. Man, I miss Sarah. But the point here is… I am coming into this with high hopes for Sam. He got a bit better last episode, and I really hope he will keep raking positive points to offset what I know is coming in Seasons 4 – 12. (I know, I know, hope springs eternal).
Also, I am hurrying a bit with this since I want to finish season 1, and then go back to type all my notes for the first watch to finish season 9… try and get myself up to date with both. Well, as far as I can with this as seriously, I give a lot of time for each of the rewatches.
General stuff
Creepy picture is incredibly creepy. I totally miss the times when Supernatural was THIS creepy in the opening shot. Anyway, doomed couple starts flirting and we already know where this is going because no one who buys such a creepy picture in a show named Supernatural deserves to live past the 10 minute mark
Anyway, girl is dead, man is screaming, and we go to the title card and the brothers.
And they’re in a bar. With Dean doing that womanizing thing that some writers love to act as if it was his one personality trait (This particular episode was written by David Ehrman, who never wrote anything for Supernatural ever again. It was also directed by Phil Sgricca, who had a lot more staying power, and who has had great episodes in his hands, like the amazing Point of no Return, but also horrible wrecks like Fan Fiction. And yes, I am aware those are episode 100 and 200 respectively) while Sam Is looking for a hunt and of course, not happy that Dean is flirting around.
Funny thing, we see mostly this womanizer Dean/responsible put upon Sam convo from one-time writers. Once they have more than one on their belt, both brothers start getting more and more personality traits. And this wasn’t so easy to spot in the first ten or so episodes, but by now both Jared and Jensen have gotten to know Sam and Dean much better so the revert to factory settings is a bit jarring. And it will get a lot more jarring as episodes advance as whenever the ACTORS have a better grasp of character growths than writers, it shows.
And here is why shows require a show bible, so that newcomers can see how the show has evolved from the pilot to the now.
(BTW, this is also why we get cyclical things like the codependency being not that huge in one episode and then back to “we should commit this two into a hospital and not let them see each other for a year” levels the next. The writers literally only know what they’ve written and what the show runner tells them so there’s no real continuity)
Also, let’s go and consider this scene to how Dean has treated women in all the previous episodes: Here he is lying about his identity –presenting himself as a talent scout- and Sam makes it clear that he has done it before. But in the Pilot, Wendigo, Dead in the Water, Skin, Scarecrow, and Shadow, he only flirted with the bartender –and as far as text goes, he never lied to them about his identity – and treated the VoW with respect. Hell, with Jess standing before him in basically underwear, he kept his eyes to her face. And then, in Shadow, he actually encouraged Sam to go with his friend (Ok, so it was Meg, but still). So… in 19 episodes we have never seen Dean act this sleazy… and yet Sam acts as if it was normal behavior for his brother. This is something that happens a lot with this series: Informed character traits. It’s like Sam’s empathy, which we only see in the episodes where the case of the week is about Sam, or like Dean’s apparent lack of smarts (That gets contradicted by the show very often despite the text telling us that no, Dean has no use for “schoolary” smarts)
To top the weirdness of this specific opening, Sam is the one looking for a case. Sam, who so far, has been the one who DOESN’T want to hunt, and wants to find their father. And Dean is saying that they need a break, some fun before going back to hunting. Now, this looks a bit out of character regarding what we’ve seen before, but consider two things: first, Dean is not just hooking with a girl for himself: he clearly states that he wants SAM to go out and have fun. Something that he’s been doing as early as Hookman. Second, and most important, their LAST case was the Shtriga case. A case that was horribly taxing to Dean, anemically speaking, that made Dean start realizing how his relationship with John was not that good. So it is not a surprise that Dean wanted a small break. And Sam should realize that, especially after his personal epiphany about how much Dean had sacrificed during their childhood. As he doesn’t, well, you know how I am tallying this.
Wow, this one has been heavy and we are barely past the 6:00 min. mark.
After a “cute” moment where we can see that Dean is now letting Sam drive Baby, we get to the auction house where they suspect the cursed object –identified by Dean as the probable cause of the case despite being hung over- and there we see the contrast of the rich “upper class” with Sam and Dean. It’s funny how the first thing we see is the cars, where Baby is by far the dirtiest even if we know that it’s probably the best maintained (Although, as Sevenpointedspiral made me consider, we don’t see Dean obsess over Baby that much until later and the reasons why that might be are kind of sad).
Here is where we get the Girl of the Week: Sarah Blake. I could write a thesis about how great Sarah is, and it’s so cute to see that Dean jumps into shipping mode the second that he sees Sam smile at Sarah. In any case, Sarah’s dad doesn’t approve and has them run out of the place. So Dean arranges Sam to go out on a date with Sarah. Which I am not counting as “Dean is forcing Sam to do something” because Sam not only wanted to go on a date with Sarah -he does admit he likes her- but also he doesn’t DO what Dean assumed he would do at the date. Which means, he didn’t go just following Dean’s suggestions.
Sarah’s date with Sam is charmingly awkward. She is pretty smart, and realizes pretty much immediately that Sam is not an art dealer. Unfortunately, the writer’s insistence of making Sam the center of the universe comes forward.
So, just like Sam, Sarah lost someone dear to her not so long ago. Just like Sam, she tried to keep herself safe from harm by not dating anyone –something that Dean mentioned as early as Hook man-. And thus, Sam starts falling for her.
Which leaves a really weird taste in my mouth, given that Sarah is the one of the TWO Sam romantic interests that is not supernatural OR tortures him (Or both). And Sam ALSO had some points of identification with Amelia –but we will see that WHEN I get to season 8, which I hope is not when Supernatural is around season 24.
That night Sam finds the cursed painting in the provenances, after a bit of ribbing from Dean regarding Sarah where Dean offers that they could stay a bit after the case. This is important because once again DEAN is offering Sam an “out” from the hunting life. A vacation, so to speak. Sam ignores him, of course, but this completely breaks that idea that Dean “Forced” Sam to stay hunting. After all, we’re JUST in season 1, and Dean has offered Sam his outs at least 3 times already.
The brothers break and enter to the auction house. Sam disarms the alarm, and that is something I want to see more often: actually Smart Sam and not just Informed Smart Sam. Dean finds the really creepy painting (Seriously, kudos to the art department) and they steal it and burn it. However, as it is just minute 14:24 is no surprise that the painting remakes itself on the frame just as it is being burn. It is not going to be that easy.
Next morning, Dean is really worried as he lost his wallet during the breaking and entering. Sam doesn’t doubt this for a second (seriously, Sam has no trust on Dean’s ability for the job) and they go back to the warehouse where Sarah is working. Obviously this was a trick from Dean to get Sam to talk to Sarah again. So yeah, Dean is totally a Shipper on board.
Sam notices the painting in what has to be the most painful bit of acting from Jared Padalecki that season.
So Sam goes and tells Dean and now it’s time to figure out how to destroy the painting. That makes time for a library run. I miss those moments, to be honest, Internet has kinda stole that from the boys. Also, the colorful guys who gave them the information. This particular guy was quite too cheerful about a guy killing all his family.
Meanwhile, Mr. Blake sells the cursed painting to the next victim.
Sam decides that Isaiah (The father) is the killer as he is looking DOWN on the picture instead of to the front as in the book they find about the family. And we get a joke about Dean “waiting for the movie” instead of reading the Da Vinci Code. So this is a “Dumb Dean” episode.
The conversation that follows it’s far more serious. It’s also the reason why Dean’s insisting on Sam and Sarah getting together is not part of the “Dean forces Sam to do something” tally.
Ok, so up to here, yes, this looks as Dean literally trying to give up his brother for sex. Sam calls it pimping, and it seems like he is honestly uncomfortable with the subject. And while it could still be considered “Brothers teasing each other”, as long as we’re in THIS level it’s still Sam’s sort of boundary (even if this is the first time Sam puts forward that boundary). HOWEVER, the conversation continues like this:
Dean is actually worried about Sam. All his actions up to this point are NOT of a teasing brother, but of a worried parent. Go out, make friends, stop being so focused on what brings you down. THAT is Dean’s position through all this.
Dean here is trying to comfort Sam. He has given him time to grieve Jess, but he is worried. He’s worried about Sam’s secret, Sam’s apparent lack of social life, Sam’s sleepless nights, Sam’s powers. And thus, he tries to talk to Sam. But Sam doesn’t want to talk, and once he refuses to answer, Dean drops the subject.
THAT is respecting boundaries.
And yes, he still tells Sam to call Sarah, but it is about the CASE. He drops the “call her for a date” angle and he drops the subject of what is the main part of Sam’s problem. As I said, Respecting Boundaries.
In any case, Sam calls Sarah and finds out that the painting was sold. Obviously he panics for the new owner and asks Sarah for the address.
New buyer is an old lady. I miss when the VoW were more varied.
Anyway, the brothers AND Sarah arrive at the VoW’s place. Conveniently, the VoW, Evelyn, is an old friend of Sarah’s family and upon hearing she was in danger, Sarah decided to join in, over Sam’s protests.
This will be important later.
Unfortunately, Evelyn got her throat cut before Sam and Dean could save her. However, unlike every single other girl of the week Sarah doesn’t panic. Instead, she lies to the cops for Sam and Dean and then demands an explanation.
At first, Sam is reluctant to say what’s going on –which will also be important later- but finally gives up and tells her everything. Sarah’s reaction is not just to call them crazy (because she does) but to ask how to fight those things, because she is not going to sit idle while a painting she and her dad sold is killing people.
Dean’s reaction sums it all:
DEAN
Sam?
SAM looks across to where DEAN is sitting. DEAN points out the door after SARAH.
DEAN
Marry that girl.
Yeah, shipper on board.
So they go back to Evelyn’s house and check the painting together. Here Sarah isn’t much help, as Sam and Dean notice all the changes between the archived image of the portrait and the actual portrait: in particular, a mausoleum that is in the painting that is in fact the family crypt. She is there basically to provide commentary on how odd is what the guys do (something that we hear practically every week when the Girl of the Week helps around), and how creepy everything is.
Still, she doesn’t run away.
I can’t even start to explain how important that is. She stays in, despite having seen a friend killed in a gruesome way. Despite the brothers saying that it was a ghost inside a painting. She STAYS.
In the mausoleum, they discover that the Father was not cremated with the rest of the family, which is finally a new lead to stopping the killers.
Dean goes to find out what happened to Daddy Dearest, while Sam and Sarah share a cute moment. Cute moment in which Sarah takes the plunge, and asks Sam directly if there’s something between them because she’s tired of waiting to see if he takes the first step. However, Sam shoots it down since he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to be involved because he likes her and people who get around him get hurt. It’s horrible to know that once we get to season 8, this will reach Sarah too
Sarah gives no fucks for this. In fact, she tells him it’s a bunch of bullshit.
Dean comes back with the news that Isaiah Merchant wasn’t cremated with the rest of his family, and instead buried by the state. This means they have bones to burn in order to get the painting out of commission.
Sarah goes with the brothers to find Killer Papa, and Sam actually tries to use their work as a reason for Sarah not to be attracted to him. She rolls her eyes at him and I love her more. They still have to check the painting, but Dean decides to stay in the Impala so that Sam can “make his move” (Since he didn’t get the memo on Sam not wanting to purse things with Sarah). Unfortunately, as we’re still 9 minutes from the end of the episode this is were we find out that Isaiah was a red herring: The one who is not in the painting is the little girl and the razor, and Sam and Sarah are alone with her.
Fortunately, they have cellphones to communicate and Dean tries to open the door while Sam and Sarah look for salt or Iron. This here has one of Sam’s best-known (And funniest) lines in season 1:
The little girl is creepy as hell. I mean, she’s probably the second creepiest little girl in the whole Supernatural series (Second only to Lilith v.1.0), but thankfully a fire poker made of Iron dispels her before she can cut Sam or Sarah.
Back to the phones, they start considering how to get rid of the little psycho. Sarah remembers that dolls were made with real human hair, and well, hair and bones are still human remains.
So Dean runs to the mausoleum while Sam and Sarah have to face little creepy girl once more.
It’s a very tense scene where we see both the attack and Dean hurrying to burn the doll’s hair, but they manage to survive just enough for the girl to go up in flames and back to the painting.
At the end of the day, Dean figures out that the girl, Melanie, was the one behind the killings of both her original family and the Merchants. Dean grumbles about not being thanked, but leaves Sarah and Sam alone as he knows now they will be leaving. Sarah is still convinced she and Sam can work it out, as she survived the night, and asks him to come back to visit her. He promises he will, and leaves. We know he’s lying, and that makes this scene a bit sadder.
Still, he does go back, to share one kiss with her while Dean looks on with pride as the episode ends.
Violence
No violence between the brothers. Which is one of the things why I love Season 1 so much. This section is practically useless for now.
Emotional Violence
I already talked a lot about how Sam simply disregards Dean’s need to put some distance between himself and what happened in Something Wicked. But I want to make a note of it here because it is part of a long, long chain of people disregarding Dean’s need to heal. Sam himself has done it before (post Home, Asylum and Faith to be precise) so it’s no surprise that he keeps doing it. What it’s surprising is that Dean keeps trying to get a different response from his brother.
And once again we see Dean grabbing as much food as he wants while he passes as an art dealer –not very well, one might add. Funny how they didn’t even took out their FBI suits for this mission- and Sam, AGAIN, rolling his eyes at this. I know I have mentioned this before, how Dean’s habit of stuffing his mouth is a sign that he suffered from lack of food in his childhood but now we have actual proof given Something Wicked. And given Sam’s continuous attitude, it’s impossible to believe Sam suffered from the same neglect. It is important to note it despite the monotony of me writing “Sam rolls his eyes at Dean” because it proves that no, Sam is not empathic. Not even towards his own brother, not even when he knew now that at times Dean would throw away food because SAM didn’t want to eat what was prepared.
Speeches and Apologies
It is rare that I have to deal with anyone giving a speech to someone not named Winchester, but there was a bit of a moment that jumped almost at the end. And it was Sam’s reaction to Sarah’s knowledge:
I’ve talked before about how Sam tends to look down on people who have knowledge that he thinks is useless (more specifically, Dean). But here we have him talking down to a woman he likes, in the middle of a crisis where SHE has proven to be a good resource of information and brave enough to face ghosts, and instead of asking her with a bit more politeness or, hell, just let her finish, he answers with sarcasm. Sarcasm that is unwarranted because, in the end, it’s Sarah’s knowledge what leads him and Dean to the fact that the doll they saw at the mausoleum probably was made with the girl’s real hair.
And this goes again at how Sam tends not to treat people like people, but like guest stars for his own story. It is also noticeable a bit earlier, when he gives his reasons for being afraid to get involved with Sarah:
So lets’ get this straight: Sam is warning Sarah that getting involved with him could very well end up with her dead. However, he is not warning her again for HER safety –which is what she assumes- but for HIS suffering. Which is once again against everything we’re told about Sam. If he is so empathic, if he is so good to people… then why his FIRST priority is “I don’t want to suffer” rather than “I don’t want you to die”?
Again, this is a common problem with the writers, which seem to be more invested in painting Sam as a hero than in showing us how he is a hero.
(And we will have to re-visit this once we get farther in the seasons, namely seasons 6 and 8 respectively)
Double narrative standard
This is a section I was not very sure I would add, but with Sarah’s appearance and how her story is treated here (long, long before she was revisited in season 8), it becomes something needed.
See, we are told that Dean is a womanizer who has a girl in each town and cares nothing more than about having one night stands, while Sam is the knight in shining armor that is still grieving for his lost love. We’re also told that Dean follows John’s code to the letter, while Sam is the rebel who managed to get a “normal life”.
And yet, we also get this strange double narrative: Sam doesn’t tell Jess about the family secret, which in turn he believes is what got her killed. In the other hand, Dean had Cassie, and he told her the secret because he loved her. So when we get to Sarah, Sam tells her the truth, which is shown as a good thing even if he keeps trying to get her away. She accepts him, and we are led to believe that if he tried, he could make it work with her.
But then let’s compare Sarah’s reaction to Cassie’s reaction: Cassie left and told Dean he was insane. She abandoned him (A recurring theme with Dean) because she thought he was lying, that the supernatural was a hoax, an excuse to run away. And when she finally figured that it was the truth, it was still not enough to keep them together because she didn’t trust him in the first place. Sarah, on the other hand, with nothing to prove that the supernatural was real, was open to believe Sam, to lie to the police for him and then to go with him to a hunt even when she doesn’t see a ghost until well into the second night after her friend is found dead.
So far, the narrative hasn’t pulled many weird contrasts like this. But it IS interesting that the first girl that Sam trusts with the family secret accepts it wholeheartedly while the first girl Dean trusted simply couldn’t cope. (Of course, Sarah is not Sam’s first sort of romantic interest in the series after Jess. We still have the preacher’s daughter back in Hook man)
Final Tally
This episode doesn’t have a lot of movement in the tally. We still have Sam’s constant rolling eyes and demeaning people (and Dean), but this is one of those episodes that almost fits with the fanon idea that the brothers have a perfect relationship. It is a filler episode dedicated to Sam, but other than that, this is a Monster of the Week that is pretty average.
Numbers (or the TL;DR summary)
(Episode/Total so far)
Times Dean has lied to Sam or to a loved one: 0 / 0
Times Sam has lied to Dean or to a loved one: 0 / 3
Times Dean has been caught in a lie: 0 / 0
Times Sam has been caught in a lie: 0 / 1
Times Dean has hit Sam in anger: 0 / 1
Times Sam has hit Dean in anger: 0 / 3
Times Dean’s lies or secrets have caused someone’s death: 0 / 0
Times Sam’s lies or secrets have caused someone’s death: 0 / 1
Times Dean has abandoned (Or wanted to abandon) a hunt in the middle for his own needs: 0 / 0
Times Sam has abandoned (Or wanted to abandon) a hunt in the middle for his own needs: 0 / 6
Times Dean forced Sam to do something: 0 / 0
Times Sam forced Dean to do something: 0 / 6
Secrets kept by Dean: 0 / 1
Secrets kept by Sam: 1 / 2
Times Dean has blamed Sam for something: 0 / 0
Times Sam has blamed Dean for something: 0 / 3
Times Dean has apologized with words to Sam: 0 / 3
Times Sam has apologized with words to Dean: 0 / 2
Times Dean has respected Sam’s boundaries and/or rules: 1 / 7
Times Sam has respected Dean’s boundaries and/or rules: 0 / 0
Times Dean hasn’t respected Sam’s boundaries and/or rules: 0 / 0
Times Sam hasn’t respected Dean’s boundaries and / or rules: 1 / 12
Times Dean has made fun of something Sam does or has: 0 / 6
Times Sam has made fun of something Dean does or has: 1 / 30
Times we focus on Dean’s needs: 0 / 1
Times we focus on Sam’s needs: 0 / 4
Arc episodes dedicated to Sam: 0 / 6
Filler episodes dedicated to Sam: 1 / 6
Arc episodes dedicated to Dean: 0 / 0
Filler episodes dedicated to Dean: 0 / 4
Arc episodes dedicated to both brothers (or to none): 0 / 1
Filler episodes dedicated to both brothers (or to none): 0 / 2
Dean’s Dropped Plotlines: 0 / 1
Sam’s Dropped Plotlines: 0 / 2
Also, I am hurrying a bit with this since I want to finish season 1, and then go back to type all my notes for the first watch to finish season 9… try and get myself up to date with both. Well, as far as I can with this as seriously, I give a lot of time for each of the rewatches.
General stuff
Creepy picture is incredibly creepy. I totally miss the times when Supernatural was THIS creepy in the opening shot. Anyway, doomed couple starts flirting and we already know where this is going because no one who buys such a creepy picture in a show named Supernatural deserves to live past the 10 minute mark
Anyway, girl is dead, man is screaming, and we go to the title card and the brothers.
And they’re in a bar. With Dean doing that womanizing thing that some writers love to act as if it was his one personality trait (This particular episode was written by David Ehrman, who never wrote anything for Supernatural ever again. It was also directed by Phil Sgricca, who had a lot more staying power, and who has had great episodes in his hands, like the amazing Point of no Return, but also horrible wrecks like Fan Fiction. And yes, I am aware those are episode 100 and 200 respectively) while Sam Is looking for a hunt and of course, not happy that Dean is flirting around.
Funny thing, we see mostly this womanizer Dean/responsible put upon Sam convo from one-time writers. Once they have more than one on their belt, both brothers start getting more and more personality traits. And this wasn’t so easy to spot in the first ten or so episodes, but by now both Jared and Jensen have gotten to know Sam and Dean much better so the revert to factory settings is a bit jarring. And it will get a lot more jarring as episodes advance as whenever the ACTORS have a better grasp of character growths than writers, it shows.
And here is why shows require a show bible, so that newcomers can see how the show has evolved from the pilot to the now.
(BTW, this is also why we get cyclical things like the codependency being not that huge in one episode and then back to “we should commit this two into a hospital and not let them see each other for a year” levels the next. The writers literally only know what they’ve written and what the show runner tells them so there’s no real continuity)
Also, let’s go and consider this scene to how Dean has treated women in all the previous episodes: Here he is lying about his identity –presenting himself as a talent scout- and Sam makes it clear that he has done it before. But in the Pilot, Wendigo, Dead in the Water, Skin, Scarecrow, and Shadow, he only flirted with the bartender –and as far as text goes, he never lied to them about his identity – and treated the VoW with respect. Hell, with Jess standing before him in basically underwear, he kept his eyes to her face. And then, in Shadow, he actually encouraged Sam to go with his friend (Ok, so it was Meg, but still). So… in 19 episodes we have never seen Dean act this sleazy… and yet Sam acts as if it was normal behavior for his brother. This is something that happens a lot with this series: Informed character traits. It’s like Sam’s empathy, which we only see in the episodes where the case of the week is about Sam, or like Dean’s apparent lack of smarts (That gets contradicted by the show very often despite the text telling us that no, Dean has no use for “schoolary” smarts)
To top the weirdness of this specific opening, Sam is the one looking for a case. Sam, who so far, has been the one who DOESN’T want to hunt, and wants to find their father. And Dean is saying that they need a break, some fun before going back to hunting. Now, this looks a bit out of character regarding what we’ve seen before, but consider two things: first, Dean is not just hooking with a girl for himself: he clearly states that he wants SAM to go out and have fun. Something that he’s been doing as early as Hookman. Second, and most important, their LAST case was the Shtriga case. A case that was horribly taxing to Dean, anemically speaking, that made Dean start realizing how his relationship with John was not that good. So it is not a surprise that Dean wanted a small break. And Sam should realize that, especially after his personal epiphany about how much Dean had sacrificed during their childhood. As he doesn’t, well, you know how I am tallying this.
Wow, this one has been heavy and we are barely past the 6:00 min. mark.
After a “cute” moment where we can see that Dean is now letting Sam drive Baby, we get to the auction house where they suspect the cursed object –identified by Dean as the probable cause of the case despite being hung over- and there we see the contrast of the rich “upper class” with Sam and Dean. It’s funny how the first thing we see is the cars, where Baby is by far the dirtiest even if we know that it’s probably the best maintained (Although, as Sevenpointedspiral made me consider, we don’t see Dean obsess over Baby that much until later and the reasons why that might be are kind of sad).
Here is where we get the Girl of the Week: Sarah Blake. I could write a thesis about how great Sarah is, and it’s so cute to see that Dean jumps into shipping mode the second that he sees Sam smile at Sarah. In any case, Sarah’s dad doesn’t approve and has them run out of the place. So Dean arranges Sam to go out on a date with Sarah. Which I am not counting as “Dean is forcing Sam to do something” because Sam not only wanted to go on a date with Sarah -he does admit he likes her- but also he doesn’t DO what Dean assumed he would do at the date. Which means, he didn’t go just following Dean’s suggestions.
Sarah’s date with Sam is charmingly awkward. She is pretty smart, and realizes pretty much immediately that Sam is not an art dealer. Unfortunately, the writer’s insistence of making Sam the center of the universe comes forward.
SARAH
(Slowly) It was my Mom. She died about a year ago. Totally unexpected. It really threw me. I went into this shell. A nice warm safe shell. But lately I’ve been thinking. It’s not what she would have wanted for me. So….
(Slowly) It was my Mom. She died about a year ago. Totally unexpected. It really threw me. I went into this shell. A nice warm safe shell. But lately I’ve been thinking. It’s not what she would have wanted for me. So….
So, just like Sam, Sarah lost someone dear to her not so long ago. Just like Sam, she tried to keep herself safe from harm by not dating anyone –something that Dean mentioned as early as Hook man-. And thus, Sam starts falling for her.
Which leaves a really weird taste in my mouth, given that Sarah is the one of the TWO Sam romantic interests that is not supernatural OR tortures him (Or both). And Sam ALSO had some points of identification with Amelia –but we will see that WHEN I get to season 8, which I hope is not when Supernatural is around season 24.
That night Sam finds the cursed painting in the provenances, after a bit of ribbing from Dean regarding Sarah where Dean offers that they could stay a bit after the case. This is important because once again DEAN is offering Sam an “out” from the hunting life. A vacation, so to speak. Sam ignores him, of course, but this completely breaks that idea that Dean “Forced” Sam to stay hunting. After all, we’re JUST in season 1, and Dean has offered Sam his outs at least 3 times already.
The brothers break and enter to the auction house. Sam disarms the alarm, and that is something I want to see more often: actually Smart Sam and not just Informed Smart Sam. Dean finds the really creepy painting (Seriously, kudos to the art department) and they steal it and burn it. However, as it is just minute 14:24 is no surprise that the painting remakes itself on the frame just as it is being burn. It is not going to be that easy.
Next morning, Dean is really worried as he lost his wallet during the breaking and entering. Sam doesn’t doubt this for a second (seriously, Sam has no trust on Dean’s ability for the job) and they go back to the warehouse where Sarah is working. Obviously this was a trick from Dean to get Sam to talk to Sarah again. So yeah, Dean is totally a Shipper on board.
Sam notices the painting in what has to be the most painful bit of acting from Jared Padalecki that season.
So Sam goes and tells Dean and now it’s time to figure out how to destroy the painting. That makes time for a library run. I miss those moments, to be honest, Internet has kinda stole that from the boys. Also, the colorful guys who gave them the information. This particular guy was quite too cheerful about a guy killing all his family.
Meanwhile, Mr. Blake sells the cursed painting to the next victim.
Sam decides that Isaiah (The father) is the killer as he is looking DOWN on the picture instead of to the front as in the book they find about the family. And we get a joke about Dean “waiting for the movie” instead of reading the Da Vinci Code. So this is a “Dumb Dean” episode.
The conversation that follows it’s far more serious. It’s also the reason why Dean’s insisting on Sam and Sarah getting together is not part of the “Dean forces Sam to do something” tally.
DEAN
Which is a good thing cause you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend.
SAM
Dude. Enough already.
DEAN
What?
SAM
What? Ever since we got here, you been trying to pimp me out to Sarah. Just back off, all right?
DEAN
Well, you like her don’t you?
SAM raises his arms and eyes to the ceiling.
DEAN
All right, you like her, she likes you, you’re both consenting adults…
SAM
(Frustrated, rising voice) What’s the point, Dean? We’ll just leave. We always leave.
DEAN
Well I’m not talking about marriage, Sam.
SAM
(Agitated) You know, I don’t get it. What do you care if I hook up?
DEAN
(Calmly) Cause then maybe you wouldn’t be so cranky all the time.
SAM stares at him, then huffs out a breath and looks away.
Which is a good thing cause you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend.
SAM
Dude. Enough already.
DEAN
What?
SAM
What? Ever since we got here, you been trying to pimp me out to Sarah. Just back off, all right?
DEAN
Well, you like her don’t you?
SAM raises his arms and eyes to the ceiling.
DEAN
All right, you like her, she likes you, you’re both consenting adults…
SAM
(Frustrated, rising voice) What’s the point, Dean? We’ll just leave. We always leave.
DEAN
Well I’m not talking about marriage, Sam.
SAM
(Agitated) You know, I don’t get it. What do you care if I hook up?
DEAN
(Calmly) Cause then maybe you wouldn’t be so cranky all the time.
SAM stares at him, then huffs out a breath and looks away.
Ok, so up to here, yes, this looks as Dean literally trying to give up his brother for sex. Sam calls it pimping, and it seems like he is honestly uncomfortable with the subject. And while it could still be considered “Brothers teasing each other”, as long as we’re in THIS level it’s still Sam’s sort of boundary (even if this is the first time Sam puts forward that boundary). HOWEVER, the conversation continues like this:
DEAN
(Sitting up on the bed) You know, seriously Sam, this isn’t about just hooking up, okay? I mean, I, I think that this Sarah girl could be good for you.
SAM sighs and scratches his head. DEAN watches closely.
(Sitting up on the bed) You know, seriously Sam, this isn’t about just hooking up, okay? I mean, I, I think that this Sarah girl could be good for you.
SAM sighs and scratches his head. DEAN watches closely.
Dean is actually worried about Sam. All his actions up to this point are NOT of a teasing brother, but of a worried parent. Go out, make friends, stop being so focused on what brings you down. THAT is Dean’s position through all this.
DEAN
(Softly) And… I don’t mean any disrespect but I’m sure this is about Jessica, right? Now I don’t know what it’s like to lose somebody like that…. but… I would think that she would want you to be happy.
SAM is quiet and listening now, tears in his eyes.
DEAN
Chuck forbid have fun once in a while. Wouldn’t she?
SAM
(softly) Yeah I know she would.
SAM gives a half smile, then sighs heavily.
SAM
Yeah you’re right. Part of this is about Jessica. But not the main part.
DEAN
What’s it about?
SAM refuses to answer.
DEAN
Yeah all right. (He lies back again and crosses his arms) Well we still gotta see that painting, which means you still gotta call Sarah, so…
(Softly) And… I don’t mean any disrespect but I’m sure this is about Jessica, right? Now I don’t know what it’s like to lose somebody like that…. but… I would think that she would want you to be happy.
SAM is quiet and listening now, tears in his eyes.
DEAN
Chuck forbid have fun once in a while. Wouldn’t she?
SAM
(softly) Yeah I know she would.
SAM gives a half smile, then sighs heavily.
SAM
Yeah you’re right. Part of this is about Jessica. But not the main part.
DEAN
What’s it about?
SAM refuses to answer.
DEAN
Yeah all right. (He lies back again and crosses his arms) Well we still gotta see that painting, which means you still gotta call Sarah, so…
Dean here is trying to comfort Sam. He has given him time to grieve Jess, but he is worried. He’s worried about Sam’s secret, Sam’s apparent lack of social life, Sam’s sleepless nights, Sam’s powers. And thus, he tries to talk to Sam. But Sam doesn’t want to talk, and once he refuses to answer, Dean drops the subject.
THAT is respecting boundaries.
And yes, he still tells Sam to call Sarah, but it is about the CASE. He drops the “call her for a date” angle and he drops the subject of what is the main part of Sam’s problem. As I said, Respecting Boundaries.
In any case, Sam calls Sarah and finds out that the painting was sold. Obviously he panics for the new owner and asks Sarah for the address.
New buyer is an old lady. I miss when the VoW were more varied.
Anyway, the brothers AND Sarah arrive at the VoW’s place. Conveniently, the VoW, Evelyn, is an old friend of Sarah’s family and upon hearing she was in danger, Sarah decided to join in, over Sam’s protests.
This will be important later.
Unfortunately, Evelyn got her throat cut before Sam and Dean could save her. However, unlike every single other girl of the week Sarah doesn’t panic. Instead, she lies to the cops for Sam and Dean and then demands an explanation.
At first, Sam is reluctant to say what’s going on –which will also be important later- but finally gives up and tells her everything. Sarah’s reaction is not just to call them crazy (because she does) but to ask how to fight those things, because she is not going to sit idle while a painting she and her dad sold is killing people.
Dean’s reaction sums it all:
DEAN
Sam?
SAM looks across to where DEAN is sitting. DEAN points out the door after SARAH.
DEAN
Marry that girl.
Yeah, shipper on board.
So they go back to Evelyn’s house and check the painting together. Here Sarah isn’t much help, as Sam and Dean notice all the changes between the archived image of the portrait and the actual portrait: in particular, a mausoleum that is in the painting that is in fact the family crypt. She is there basically to provide commentary on how odd is what the guys do (something that we hear practically every week when the Girl of the Week helps around), and how creepy everything is.
Still, she doesn’t run away.
I can’t even start to explain how important that is. She stays in, despite having seen a friend killed in a gruesome way. Despite the brothers saying that it was a ghost inside a painting. She STAYS.
In the mausoleum, they discover that the Father was not cremated with the rest of the family, which is finally a new lead to stopping the killers.
Dean goes to find out what happened to Daddy Dearest, while Sam and Sarah share a cute moment. Cute moment in which Sarah takes the plunge, and asks Sam directly if there’s something between them because she’s tired of waiting to see if he takes the first step. However, Sam shoots it down since he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to be involved because he likes her and people who get around him get hurt. It’s horrible to know that once we get to season 8, this will reach Sarah too
Sarah gives no fucks for this. In fact, she tells him it’s a bunch of bullshit.
Dean comes back with the news that Isaiah Merchant wasn’t cremated with the rest of his family, and instead buried by the state. This means they have bones to burn in order to get the painting out of commission.
Sarah goes with the brothers to find Killer Papa, and Sam actually tries to use their work as a reason for Sarah not to be attracted to him. She rolls her eyes at him and I love her more. They still have to check the painting, but Dean decides to stay in the Impala so that Sam can “make his move” (Since he didn’t get the memo on Sam not wanting to purse things with Sarah). Unfortunately, as we’re still 9 minutes from the end of the episode this is were we find out that Isaiah was a red herring: The one who is not in the painting is the little girl and the razor, and Sam and Sarah are alone with her.
Fortunately, they have cellphones to communicate and Dean tries to open the door while Sam and Sarah look for salt or Iron. This here has one of Sam’s best-known (And funniest) lines in season 1:
SAM
What kind of house doesn’t have salt? Low-sodium freaks.
What kind of house doesn’t have salt? Low-sodium freaks.
The little girl is creepy as hell. I mean, she’s probably the second creepiest little girl in the whole Supernatural series (Second only to Lilith v.1.0), but thankfully a fire poker made of Iron dispels her before she can cut Sam or Sarah.
Back to the phones, they start considering how to get rid of the little psycho. Sarah remembers that dolls were made with real human hair, and well, hair and bones are still human remains.
So Dean runs to the mausoleum while Sam and Sarah have to face little creepy girl once more.
It’s a very tense scene where we see both the attack and Dean hurrying to burn the doll’s hair, but they manage to survive just enough for the girl to go up in flames and back to the painting.
At the end of the day, Dean figures out that the girl, Melanie, was the one behind the killings of both her original family and the Merchants. Dean grumbles about not being thanked, but leaves Sarah and Sam alone as he knows now they will be leaving. Sarah is still convinced she and Sam can work it out, as she survived the night, and asks him to come back to visit her. He promises he will, and leaves. We know he’s lying, and that makes this scene a bit sadder.
Still, he does go back, to share one kiss with her while Dean looks on with pride as the episode ends.
Violence
No violence between the brothers. Which is one of the things why I love Season 1 so much. This section is practically useless for now.
Emotional Violence
I already talked a lot about how Sam simply disregards Dean’s need to put some distance between himself and what happened in Something Wicked. But I want to make a note of it here because it is part of a long, long chain of people disregarding Dean’s need to heal. Sam himself has done it before (post Home, Asylum and Faith to be precise) so it’s no surprise that he keeps doing it. What it’s surprising is that Dean keeps trying to get a different response from his brother.
And once again we see Dean grabbing as much food as he wants while he passes as an art dealer –not very well, one might add. Funny how they didn’t even took out their FBI suits for this mission- and Sam, AGAIN, rolling his eyes at this. I know I have mentioned this before, how Dean’s habit of stuffing his mouth is a sign that he suffered from lack of food in his childhood but now we have actual proof given Something Wicked. And given Sam’s continuous attitude, it’s impossible to believe Sam suffered from the same neglect. It is important to note it despite the monotony of me writing “Sam rolls his eyes at Dean” because it proves that no, Sam is not empathic. Not even towards his own brother, not even when he knew now that at times Dean would throw away food because SAM didn’t want to eat what was prepared.
Speeches and Apologies
It is rare that I have to deal with anyone giving a speech to someone not named Winchester, but there was a bit of a moment that jumped almost at the end. And it was Sam’s reaction to Sarah’s knowledge:
SARAH
Sam wait. We used to handle antique dolls at the auction.
SAM
Well that’s fascinating Sarah but is it important right now?
Sam wait. We used to handle antique dolls at the auction.
SAM
Well that’s fascinating Sarah but is it important right now?
I’ve talked before about how Sam tends to look down on people who have knowledge that he thinks is useless (more specifically, Dean). But here we have him talking down to a woman he likes, in the middle of a crisis where SHE has proven to be a good resource of information and brave enough to face ghosts, and instead of asking her with a bit more politeness or, hell, just let her finish, he answers with sarcasm. Sarcasm that is unwarranted because, in the end, it’s Sarah’s knowledge what leads him and Dean to the fact that the doll they saw at the mausoleum probably was made with the girl’s real hair.
And this goes again at how Sam tends not to treat people like people, but like guest stars for his own story. It is also noticeable a bit earlier, when he gives his reasons for being afraid to get involved with Sarah:
SARAH
Look I’m a big girl Sam, it’s not your job to make decisions for me. There’s always a chance of getting hurt.
SAM
I’m not talking about a broken heart and a tub of Haagen Dazs. I’m talking about life and death.
SARAH
And tomorrow I could get hit by a bus. That’s what life is. Look, I know losing somebody you love – it’s terrible. You shut yourself off. Believe me, I know. But when you shut out pain, you shut out everything else too.
SAM
Sarah, you don’t understand. The pain that I went through… I can’t go through it again. I can’t.
Look I’m a big girl Sam, it’s not your job to make decisions for me. There’s always a chance of getting hurt.
SAM
I’m not talking about a broken heart and a tub of Haagen Dazs. I’m talking about life and death.
SARAH
And tomorrow I could get hit by a bus. That’s what life is. Look, I know losing somebody you love – it’s terrible. You shut yourself off. Believe me, I know. But when you shut out pain, you shut out everything else too.
SAM
Sarah, you don’t understand. The pain that I went through… I can’t go through it again. I can’t.
So lets’ get this straight: Sam is warning Sarah that getting involved with him could very well end up with her dead. However, he is not warning her again for HER safety –which is what she assumes- but for HIS suffering. Which is once again against everything we’re told about Sam. If he is so empathic, if he is so good to people… then why his FIRST priority is “I don’t want to suffer” rather than “I don’t want you to die”?
Again, this is a common problem with the writers, which seem to be more invested in painting Sam as a hero than in showing us how he is a hero.
(And we will have to re-visit this once we get farther in the seasons, namely seasons 6 and 8 respectively)
Double narrative standard
This is a section I was not very sure I would add, but with Sarah’s appearance and how her story is treated here (long, long before she was revisited in season 8), it becomes something needed.
See, we are told that Dean is a womanizer who has a girl in each town and cares nothing more than about having one night stands, while Sam is the knight in shining armor that is still grieving for his lost love. We’re also told that Dean follows John’s code to the letter, while Sam is the rebel who managed to get a “normal life”.
And yet, we also get this strange double narrative: Sam doesn’t tell Jess about the family secret, which in turn he believes is what got her killed. In the other hand, Dean had Cassie, and he told her the secret because he loved her. So when we get to Sarah, Sam tells her the truth, which is shown as a good thing even if he keeps trying to get her away. She accepts him, and we are led to believe that if he tried, he could make it work with her.
But then let’s compare Sarah’s reaction to Cassie’s reaction: Cassie left and told Dean he was insane. She abandoned him (A recurring theme with Dean) because she thought he was lying, that the supernatural was a hoax, an excuse to run away. And when she finally figured that it was the truth, it was still not enough to keep them together because she didn’t trust him in the first place. Sarah, on the other hand, with nothing to prove that the supernatural was real, was open to believe Sam, to lie to the police for him and then to go with him to a hunt even when she doesn’t see a ghost until well into the second night after her friend is found dead.
So far, the narrative hasn’t pulled many weird contrasts like this. But it IS interesting that the first girl that Sam trusts with the family secret accepts it wholeheartedly while the first girl Dean trusted simply couldn’t cope. (Of course, Sarah is not Sam’s first sort of romantic interest in the series after Jess. We still have the preacher’s daughter back in Hook man)
Final Tally
This episode doesn’t have a lot of movement in the tally. We still have Sam’s constant rolling eyes and demeaning people (and Dean), but this is one of those episodes that almost fits with the fanon idea that the brothers have a perfect relationship. It is a filler episode dedicated to Sam, but other than that, this is a Monster of the Week that is pretty average.
Numbers (or the TL;DR summary)
(Episode/Total so far)
Times Dean has lied to Sam or to a loved one: 0 / 0
Times Sam has lied to Dean or to a loved one: 0 / 3
Times Dean has been caught in a lie: 0 / 0
Times Sam has been caught in a lie: 0 / 1
Times Dean has hit Sam in anger: 0 / 1
Times Sam has hit Dean in anger: 0 / 3
Times Dean’s lies or secrets have caused someone’s death: 0 / 0
Times Sam’s lies or secrets have caused someone’s death: 0 / 1
Times Dean has abandoned (Or wanted to abandon) a hunt in the middle for his own needs: 0 / 0
Times Sam has abandoned (Or wanted to abandon) a hunt in the middle for his own needs: 0 / 6
Times Dean forced Sam to do something: 0 / 0
Times Sam forced Dean to do something: 0 / 6
Secrets kept by Dean: 0 / 1
Secrets kept by Sam: 1 / 2
Times Dean has blamed Sam for something: 0 / 0
Times Sam has blamed Dean for something: 0 / 3
Times Dean has apologized with words to Sam: 0 / 3
Times Sam has apologized with words to Dean: 0 / 2
Times Dean has respected Sam’s boundaries and/or rules: 1 / 7
Times Sam has respected Dean’s boundaries and/or rules: 0 / 0
Times Dean hasn’t respected Sam’s boundaries and/or rules: 0 / 0
Times Sam hasn’t respected Dean’s boundaries and / or rules: 1 / 12
Times Dean has made fun of something Sam does or has: 0 / 6
Times Sam has made fun of something Dean does or has: 1 / 30
Times we focus on Dean’s needs: 0 / 1
Times we focus on Sam’s needs: 0 / 4
Arc episodes dedicated to Sam: 0 / 6
Filler episodes dedicated to Sam: 1 / 6
Arc episodes dedicated to Dean: 0 / 0
Filler episodes dedicated to Dean: 0 / 4
Arc episodes dedicated to both brothers (or to none): 0 / 1
Filler episodes dedicated to both brothers (or to none): 0 / 2
Dean’s Dropped Plotlines: 0 / 1
Sam’s Dropped Plotlines: 0 / 2