Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category

4.22 Lucifer Rising - A Review

May 18th, 2009 | Posted in Reviews | No comments

Lucifer Rising

Scene from EpisodeSupernatural Season 4, episode #22.
Airdate: Thursday May 14, 2009.
Written by Eric Kripke.
Directed By Eric Kripke.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: My first reaction to this season 4 finale was…HOLY SH*T!!! Who would have thunk it. Kripke managed to trump season 1’s and season 3’s finale cliffhangers with one that is even more suspenseful. The ending was WOW, just WOW!

    Backing up a bit, I have to say that the acting was top notch. Jared and Jensen did a fantastic job. Jim and Misha are masters of their craft. Even Cortese’s Ruby was convincing. Kripke knows best how to bring his characters out of the actors. His directing style, though not as edgy and dramatic as Kim Manners’ was, had me totally engaged throughout the episode. At times, he had me gripping my chair for several OMG moments. I even screamed aloud to tell Sam “DON’T DO IT!”.

    Kripke presented some interesting dualities in this episode and for the season as a whole…from the title “Lucifer Rising” as a counterpoint to the premiere’s title, “Lazarus Rising”; then the fact that it was one Winchester who broke the first seal and another Winchester who broke the last; the continuing contrast of an angel-Dean duo versus a demon-Sam duo; and, of course, there’s that “small thing” where the season ends as the end-of-the world begins.

    One of the high points of this episode for me was seeing Dean reenergized, trying to save his brother as well as the world. I missed my hero terribly. I had stopped enjoying this season when Dean’s armor was revealed to be badly tarnished, when he was laden down with guilt and self-loathing. But Kripke finally returned to us the man who would sacrifice himself to help others, the man who knows what’s right from what’s wrong better than even the angels!

    I also particularly enjoyed the flashbacks to previous seasons that were interspersed in the episode. The opening song “Carry on my Wayward son” brought back memories of their Daddy and the good old days when the Winchesters life was much “simpler”. Yellow-eyes was back in a scene from the past that revealed his true motive behind the spawning of the psychic kids. Even the brothers themselves seemed to revert back to their season one personalities. Kick-ass, protective Dean was back. And angsty, conscientious Sam, still needing his brother’s approval, was back (in a way), too. As they worked together to kill Ruby, it felt like the badass demon-killing duo from Season 2 had reemerged. Can Lucifer himself survive the Winchester brothers working as a team again…I think NOT!! Bring on season 5!

  • Nags: So, when Sam realized that he screwed up and opened up Lucifer’s prison, why didn’t he immediately begin sopping up Lilith’s slow moving blood. Considering what was about to happen, you’d think he’d start desperately trying to undo what he did…but he didn’t. Oh geez, does that mean he’s too far gone over to the dark side? I hope not.

    We were finally shown the yellow-eyed demon real plan and saw that it succeeded even after his death, but too many BIG questions still remain especially about Sam’s fate. Does Sam’s eyes turning demonic black mean that his soul is now so twisted that he has turned into a demon himself? Is Lucifer done with Sam? Is Sam to become Lilith’s replacement at Lucifer’s side or is he supposed to be Lucifer’s meat suit? Can Dean still save Sam or is it too late for that? Is Dean back to his normal kick-ass self or is he still immobilized by guilt? How the heck is Dean supposed to kill Lucifer, a former archangel, when only another angel can kill an angel? Is Castiel toast? Is there going to be a season 6?

    Kripke, you have succeeded yet again in torturing me for another Summer…damn you!!!

  • My Rating: Excellent episode. 4 and a half out of 5 stars.4.5 stars

In the Beginning - A Review

October 18th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | No comments

In the Beginning

Scene from 4.03 In the Beginning RisingSupernatural Season 4, episode #3.
Airdate: Thursday October 2, 2008.  
Written by Jeremy Carver.
Directed By Steve Boyum.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Supernatural has been remarkably good this season and this third installment was no exception. In this mythology-heavy episode fans got a satisfactory wrap up of the mystery of Mary Winchester, Sam's big secret was finally revealed to his brother, and the yellow-eyed demon was back to add yet another layer to the story. Plus we got a few humorous moments, lots of Dean angst, a scary scene, and even some classic rock. What was missing was the much-loved Winchester brotherly moments. Surprisingly, this did not detract from the episode too much. Although Sam was AWOL, his story was front and center throughout.

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Lazarus Rising - A Review

September 21st, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | 5 comments

Lazarus Rising

Scene from 4.01 Lazarus RisingSupernatural Season 4, episode #1.
Airdate: Thursday September 18, 2008.
Written by Eric Kripke.
Directed By Kim Manners.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Supernatural's season 4 premiere finally arrived and I was blown away. I already knew Dean would return, but Kripke managed to surprise me with the story anyway. There was plenty of drama, some good comic moments, tense moments, and a little gore. There was no real scares, but this episode's three big shocker scenes more than made up for that.

    The opening scene was jaw dropping. With intermittent bursts of light like flashes of a camera, we glimpsed Dean in a world of blood, fear and noise. Then it was silent and pitch black and Dean was in a coffin. His struggle to speak and then break free was spellbinding. When he emerged from the ground and we saw the devastation around his gravesite…and that strange hunched back shadow he cast in the morning sun…that just wowed me! Amazing and shocking and one of Supernatural's best scenes ever. Fantastic acting, directing, and special effects!

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No Rest for the Wicked - A Review

May 18th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | 5 comments

No Rest for the Wicked

Scene from 3.16 No Rest for the WickedSupernatural Season 3, episode #16.
Airdate: Thursday May 15, 2008.
Written by Eric Kripke.
Directed By Kim Manners.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Supernatural's season 3 finale is an episode that fans have eagerly anticipated and dreaded. Dean's fate is going to be decided one way or another and the tension is high. The episode started off intense and kept the pace throughout, with a few splatterings of comic relief to break the tension. Then, when it ended, I was left reeling. I don't usually bring up the ending of a episode right away, but this one was so devastating that it colored my perception of the whole episode. It was such an unhappy outcome that had I been in a movie theater, there would have been dead silence from the audience after this show was over. But I guess that is the point. Kripke obviously wanted to shock us and he certainly achieved that.

    Jared, Jensen, Jim Beaver, and even Katie Cassidy's performance kept my attention riveted to the screen throughout this episode. The little girl who played Lilith is a very talented young actor. And the actors playing her parents and grandparent did a fine job of making me believe in that cute child's evilness. Dean was all seriousness and focused on preventing his brother from repeating the Winchester sacrificial cycle. It was Bobby who was the delightfully snarky one in this episode. I laughed out loud when he called Dean “hell's bitch”. I can see where Dean inherited his smart mouth. He didn't get it from his Dad, so he must have picked it up from Bobby growing up. Then the final scene happened…and all that went before was erased. Dean is dead and his soul is trapped in a Hellraisers' movie set.

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Time Is On My Side - A Review

May 10th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | 2 comments

Time Is On My Side

Scene from 3.15 Time Is On My SideSupernatural Season 3, episode #15.
Airdate: Thursday May 8, 2008.
Written by Sera Gamble.
Directed By Charles Beeson.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Sera Gamble has written another great Supernatural episode. She knows how to combine just the right amount of humor, brotherly angst, and suspense to make an interesting story. And she was right on the money once again, with one exception…this episode was way grosser than usual. In fact, this was the most gross-out, gory Supernatural episode that I have ever seen. I real slasher show…COOL!!! Heh..Heh. I admit it. I am one of the fans who enjoy Supernatural because of the weekly scary story, not just the brothers' relationship, though that's a nice bonus. Hell, if I only wanted a family story, I'd be watching Brothers and Sisters (blagh), not Supernatural. There were two scenes that were particularly gross: the woman's bloody arm covered in maggot (real maggots!! ugh), and Doc Benton pulling the still beating heart out of the man's chest (sticking out ribs, bloody goo 'n all). They didn't show the doc actually opening the chest cavity, but the sound of it was enough to make my skin crawl. Kudos to the special effects team for these realistic add ons. Supernatural is pushing the envelope on what can be shown on primetime TV, horror wise. Since this is an area where the show can stand out and get noticed, I am all for it. OK people, lets stoop to the level that Gossip Girl did with teenage sex, and sell the hell out of Supernatural's “blood and gore” to attract new audiences.

    Doc Benton was a Frankenstein-like character that totally surprised me when he spoke politely, with a lyrical southern accent. The incongruity of that sweet voice coming from that grotesque face was creepy. As contrast, there was Rufus, the rude, antisocial former hunter who turned out to be a fountain of information for Dean. I actually liked this character a lot. He was quite amusing. And when he told Dean, “I’m what you have to look forward to in a few years”, I could see that…if Dean came back from hell with a seriously dark tan, that is.:)

    The appearance of Bella in this episode was actually a good one. Gone was the snarky and superior biatch that we've all grown to hate. Seeing her bravado drop and her face crumble as she begged for Dean's help was kind of painful to watch, especially after the big reveal about her history. I feel like a heel for being so hard on her before (as would Dean, if he knew). I am glad Kripke left her departure from the show open-ended and didn't actually show her getting mauled by a hellhound. Lauren Cohan did a great job and I wish her all the best. I would have preferred that Kripke axed Cassidy, not her, but I'm not a typical fan, so who listens to me, anyway.

    Both Jared and Jensen's acting was suburb. I particularly liked how Jared portrayed Sam's quiet and growing desperation. That Sam is willing to go over the line to save Dean, even to the point of turning both of them into the kind of thing that they hunt is alarming. Dean, thankfully, still sees the wrong in that. Then there was that ominous scene where Dean declares Doc Benton “a monster!” and the camera focused briefly on Sam, hidden in the shadows and looking quite creepy himself. Ohoooo. Makes me wonder what are we in for in SPN's future. Now that's a sign of a great episode…it leaves you wanting to see what's going to happen next.

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Long-Distance Call - A Review

May 3rd, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | 2 comments

Long-Distance Call

Scene from 3.14 Long-Distance CallSupernatural Season 3, episode #14.
Airdate: Thursday May 1, 2008.
Written by Jeremy Carver.
Directed By Robert Singer.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Supernatural's mytharc was front and center in this episode, plus it had a great standalone story with a new scary creature I never heard of before. There were plenty of Dean snark, a laugh out loud scene with a porn-addicted telephone guy, Dean angst, brotherly moments, good fights scenes, and a heart pounding scene where Sam grabs a little boy out of the path of speeding truck. I am always happy when television surprises me or brings me something new and interesting. This episode did that several times. The twist of the villain turning out not to be the sloppy, porn-addicted tech, Stewey, but his better groomed coworker, was surprising. I had not known that Thomas Edison, the actual inventor of the telephone, had been rumored to have an occult link or a “spirit” phone invention. The supernatural creature itself was a good one. The “crocada” is a soul-eater that calls you on the phone, pushes just the right buttons to send you over the edge, and says “come to me” over and over…wait a minute, if that were “come visit me”, that creature could be my mother. :-)

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Ghostfacers - A Review

April 26th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | No comments

Ghostfacers

Scene from 3.13 GhostfacersSupernatural Season 3, episode #13.
Airdate: Thursday April 24, 2008.
Written by Ben Edlund.
Directed By Phil Sgriccia.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: I am a fan of the original Blair Witch Project, so I looked forward to seeing Supernatural's take on this pseudo-documentary, pseudo-amateur film style. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the entire episode was filmed this way. Viewers were given the impression of watching a Ghostfacers video instead of an episode of Supernatural. It is a refreshingly different style for the show and this third party viewpoint was fun to watch, though a bit dizzying a times.

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Jus In Bello - A Review

February 24th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | No comments

Jus In Bello

Scene from 3.12 Jus In BelloSupernatural Season 3, episode #12.
Airdate: Thursday Feb 21, 2008.
Written by Sera Gamble.
Directed By Philip Sgriccia.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: This is the episode that was shuffled so it could be the season finale if the writer’s strike did not end. So, do I think it measured up? Well…almost. There were some aspects of this episode that was truly great. There was fighting, some funny moments, a few truly tense and even scary moments, and some fantastic special effects. The best moments of this episode were it’s tense moments. When the deputy director unceremoniously shot Dean, it was shocking. The special effects of the black clouds approaching, then surrounding the building was just awesome and quite scary. I even appreciated the irony of Bella doing to the Winchesters what they did to Gordon.

    Dean was at his snarkish best and the result was some hysterically funny scenes. I especially loved when Dean declared that they were not killing any virgins. The way he said it just cracked me up. That idea just had to come from Anteka’s plastic!Winchester theater where plastic!virgin sacrifice is not an infrequent topic. (more…)

Mystery Spot - A Review

February 15th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | 2 comments

Mystery Spot

Scene from 3.11 Mystery SpotSupernatural Season 3, episode #11.
Airdate: Thursday Feb 14, 2008.
Written by Jeremy Carver & Emily McLaughlin.
Directed By Kim Manners.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Another great episode. That makes two in a row. Supernatural is stepping up its game. And finally we got what fans missed the most this season, Sam angst…loads of it. This episode was shocking, dramatic and funny all at the same time. The first death was sad, the second startling, the third outright funny, and I chuckled through all the other deaths, except the last one. When that occurred, I found myself crying right along with Sam. Jared is a versatile actor, but he really shines when doing angst. The scene of Sam mimicking Dean word for word was hysterical and so was Dean’s reaction when Sam told him he peed himself after being hit by the car. I also couldn’t help noticing Dean little dance to “Heat of the Moment” and was awed by Jensen’s natural grace (and beauty). No doubt about it, fans are going to be emulating that movement for some time to come.

    After a comedic first half, the show took a dark turn both literally and figuratively. (more…)

Dream A Little Dream - A Review

February 9th, 2008 | Posted in Reviews | 2 comments

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Scene from 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of MeSupernatural Season 3, episode #10.
Airdate: Thursday Feb 7, 2008.
Written by Sera Gamble & Cathryn Humphris.
Directed By Steve Boyum.

In deference to my overseas visitors wish not to be spoiled, episode review posts and images are no longer being displayed in the blog index. Please click on the post link or go to the “Reviews” category to read a review.

  • Synopsis: Click here to read the episode summary.

  • Praises: Now this is more like it. At last, a great episode of Supernatural with some laughs, some angst (from Dean), and some fighting. There was even a little classic rock thrown in. The only thing missing was some good scary moments. The acting was top notch, the story was even better, and the special effects pretty good. I found myself really enjoying some parts. I got a good laugh over the scene where Sam wakes up from an erotic dream about Bella and has to stay seated when she walks into the room. Jared is such a natural at physical comedy and he plays the embarrassed, awkward geek so well. Dean also elicited a laugh from me when he asked Sam if he was dreaming about Angelina Jolie and, when Sam said no, asked if it was Brad Pitt. But this episode was no comedy. It included a touching scene between Dean and a nightmare-distracted Bobby: when Dean blurted out “you’re like a father to me” and that immediately snapped Bobby out of his nightmare trance. This episode made me realize that Dean and Bobby are much closer than I thought, though neither will ever demonstrate that outwardly. When Sam turned the tables on Jeremy in Dean’s dream, that came a little too easily and too powerfully for just a first effort, and that made it scary. As Bobby brought up, this may be a sign of Sam’s demon-linked abilities resurfacing. This episode also had hidden subtleties just for us fans. The symbolism of Sam being pinned to the ground in a crucification like manner was notable. Is this a hint that Sam believes he is what Gordon thinks, the anti-christ? I hope not. This episode was a welcome reminder of why I love Supernatural so much.

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