Supernatural Virgin Diary – The boys fight like cats and dogs

Another Thursday, and another entry in my Supernatural Virgin Diary. For those that were waiting with bated breath for last week’s installment, my apologies for needing the extra seven days — I blame Netflix not working for me last Wednesday night. The delay wasn’t, as might have been implied around CliqueClack central, my attempt to forestall having to watch “Bugs.” Because, really? Who doesn’t love hordes of creepy, crawly, flying things trying to kill you? Sounds like my idea of a good time!

“Bugs”

Everyone has been so kind, warning me about this episode. Usually when something like that happens — lowering my expectations — I generally end up liking whatever it was. With “Bugs?” Not so much.

My struggle with this show, as I’ve mentioned previously, is going to be the whole “case of the week” concept. That’s my burden to bear, and something I’ll try not to harp on each week. But my problems with “Bugs” go beyond that superficial complaint. The development of the discussion about Sam and his father was a little too ham-handed for my tastes, especially early on. The story of this relationship is obviously central to the show, at least in these early seasons. This episode just didn’t seem worthy of that story.

Plus, that was the quickest 12:00AM to dawn to fully lit day I’ve ever seen. I never really bought the terror that an insect/animal attack like that would entail. The Birds this episode was not.

“Home”

Now this is more like it. I love Loretta Devine. Her first scene, when she dressed down Dean (multiple times) was a hell of a lot of fun. Her character Missouri — funny name, especially for someone living in Lawrence … people don’t like anything called Missouri in that town — had a great dynamic with the Winchester boys … all three of them. I hope that this is a character we’ll see again.

So we learned a couple of things in “Home.” First, Sam’s dreams are obviously more than just that. They lead the brothers back home — and literally come true as his vision was realized in the last attack. Missouri, when speaking later to John, specifically talks about how powerful Sam was without realizing it. As he’s just becoming aware of his abilities — whatever they are — he will develop them as time goes on. When entering into this Supernatural Virgin Diary, I had no clue that either of the brothers would have “powers.” This development — how Sam will learn more about himself and what he can do, and how it can and likely will alter the dynamic between he and Dean — is something I’m looking forward to.

We also learned just how closely John is watching over his boys. We knew that he was keeping up with them already — his changed phone message indicated that. But to actually have followed them to Lawrence (if he wasn’t already there) is a different story. And we know that he is on his own mission, to find out “the truth.” Whatever that is — though, I’ve heard tell it’s “out there.”

“Asylum”

Doing a show like Supernatural, you had to expect a “Insane Asylum” episode would be coming down the pike sooner rather than later. The twist that it was the doctor who was the evil spirit, and not the patients, was pretty obvious early on.

The stuff between possessed Sam and regular Dean was pretty good, but went by too quickly. Sam obviously has some problems with his brother; this shouldn’t be news to either of them considering how far he ran away from his family when he went to college. Their search for their father has brought them closer, but hasn’t necessarily solved any of the problems that were there before.

Speaking of their father, don’t you just hate cliffhangers like that?

“Scarecrow”

Things certainly got worse between the brothers rather quickly. It didn’t surprise me that some time apart from each other would do their relationship wonders. Dean’s attempt at an apology was hilarious, and Sam rushing back to save his brother completed this particular story arc for the time being. Dean handles himself quite well — despite needing to be rescued — but they work much better as a team than they do separately.

It’s funny how different the introduction is for a character like Meg than those of the regular, case of the week participants are. I’d hoped that she would actually be some sort of ally to the boys, and while I know things aren’t always what they seem, her “call” to her “father” in the closing minutes of the episode seem to place her solidly on “team bad guy,” at least for now.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Jun 21, 2012 @ 11:00 EST5EDT