Sunday 14 May 2017

Supernatural Think Tank - Anna's Thoughts on "There's Something About Mary"



Darkness and tragedy are no strangers to Supernatural and this episode is a perfect example of how well this show does sad.   You know, as with most of this pairings outings, there is quite a lot of negative discussion out there regarding this episode, but contrary to most of these negative feelings I actually liked it and all the questions it posed.  Granted now,  there were aspects of this episode that I was totally confused with, most especially the entire Lucifer/Crowley transfer of power thing, but on the whole I  thought this episode to be interesting, touching, sad, funny, infuriating.....a basic roller coaster ride of emotions that had me in a state of "Wow" when it ended.  When an episode has me running the gambit on every emotion inside me, I call that a win.  I just found this episode, even with the tragedy and darkness to be so emotionally satisfying for me although I could be very much alone in this. I thought I'd explain from where I come from.



There's Something About Mary started out with a bang and just never stopped for me.  I wasn't expecting such heavy emotion so early on, I mean not since AHBL2 has Supernatural started out with me requiring a box of tissues close by. Death has come to many that the boys have grown close too and even loved over the years, but none felt so tragic as the death of Eileen. (Charlie comes closest)  I liked her and was sorry to see her go, though it wasn't really a surprise as show pretty much told us she was on the kill list, especially since she had shot BMOL henchman #5 and still lived to tell about it.  Eileen's death though, felt more like a tragedy than most of the other deaths we've seen over the years.  I couldn't help but feel for this poor girl, all alone and afraid, running for her life from an invisible killer she couldn't see and in her case, couldn't hear either.  How the fear must have engulfed her, not knowing where her enemy was, unable to hear it's growls or the stomping of it's gigantic paws as it made its approach.  She had no backup.  She had no family that we knew of.  She had been fearing for her life ever since she returned to Ireland, enough that she'd written to Sam and Dean and had come back to America in the hopes that she can find protection under their roof.  The only people in her life that she can turn to, a continent away.  How much terror this girl had experienced running from her killer only knowing that her imminent end was near when it's hot breath hit her body as he flung her around and ripped her apart like a child's unwanted rag doll. I felt for her so much in that moment. I mean I've cried over deaths before. I cried along with Sam when Madison died, when Sarah died, when Dean died, when Ellen and Jo died.  I even got a bit furklumped when Bobby and John died. All these deaths, none of them were alone. Each and every one of them had Winchester by their side. Other than Charlie, Eileen was the only one who died all alone. No family. No friends. What a scary and tragic thing for someone to go through. It broke my heart.💔

Mine wasn't the only heart that broke though. Dean was upset for sure, but the look on Sam's face when he saw Eileen at the morgue. I believe ladies and gents that Sam Winchester has finally reached his limit. Sam was so beyond words, and the fact that he just wanted to punch something in the face....for Sam Winchester folks, that speaks volumes.  Just when I thought Sam couldn't break my heart any more in this ep, he went and did.  When the boys went to their PO box and found and read that letter from Eileen, oh  my Chuck, the look on his face....I was done and that was just the first 15 minutes. 😭  Another person that Sam had a connection with killed. I kind of want to ask TPTB if there is a reason for this. I even wondered if this was the curse that Mary had laid on her son when she made that deal with YED all those years ago. I also wonder if Mary redeemed that sin in some way, if this curse on Sam, cuz that's kind of what it feels like it is, would end. I know that Eileen's death wasn't just for nothing, I know it was a driving force for Sam, but still...ouch goes the heart here.😟 This is just my personal opinion, but I feel like this season especially, Sam has been portrayed as the peacekeeper between Dean and Mary as well as Dean and Cas. He's been understanding to the umth level with both Mary and Cas and he's tried so hard to reach out to Mary even when she showed no interest in responding to it.  I know on the surface it seems that Sam has been quite Zen, but I don't really think Sam is as Zen as he's making out to be.  You know when you watched those old Bugs Bunny cartoons and they lit that really long fuse to the bomb that would explode.  I compare Sam to that bomb.💣  This entire season Sam's fuse was so close to that flame 🔥it just hadn't been  lit  yet, but the death of Eileen, that was the spark that finally lit that fuse and now.....tick, tick, tick ,  boom💥. The death of Charlie last season was the driving force to put Dean over the edge and fall to the MOC. I think Eileen is meant to drive Sam. I think she will be his motivation in his quest to destroy the BMOL. Look out Brits[?] because a pissed off Sam Winchester is not one you want knocking at your front door. " Hey Ketch, you know I hear Venus is nice this time of year"🚀

Now if I were one who had connected with Mary on some level then I might be able to empathise with her and the situation she found herself in. I think I might have felt for her as I watched her will slowly being taken from her.  I would feel her anguish as she reached out to Ketch, willing to off herself and begging Ketch to do it for her. I think I would've pitied the mess she ended up getting in when all she wanted to do was make the world better for her children.  I would understand that she knew how much she messed up her kids lives and working with the BMOL to rid the world of monsters, so the boys could leave this life, is her way of atoning for what she'd done.  I would feel for her when I saw her giving up, unable to fight anymore.  I would even try to have forgiven her as she betrayed her sons once again...because after all it wasn't really her fault.  I might have felt all of this....but unfortunately I did not.  I'm afraid I just don't have a connection with Mary on any emotional level.  It's probably because she's shown no connection to her own children on any emotional level.  I'm afraid telling Ketch she loves her family just doesn't do it for me.   I  guess I would've rather have seen the love Mary has for her sons.  It wouldn't have taken much....just some mother and son time.   While the scenes with Mary and Ketch were well done, I just didn't feel empathy during them.  hat doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the hell out of them though.

I can't help it.  I know Ketch is a psychopath, but I can't help but enjoy every minute of screen time that he's in.  Lady Toni is despicable as well, but I actually enjoy her.  I find her evil , arrogant,  and self righteous.  She definitely has hers coming, but for now I can't help but enjoy despising her.   I absolutely love the snarky British humour that comes from all of them, including Hess.  I can listen to that all day long.   It makes me😀.  You know, the parts I did laugh at, were mostly the Ketch and Bevel scenes.  I also laughed at her when the boys had her in the back of the car.  I couldn't help it.  I only imagine that Jared and Jensen laughed as well during that scene.  I felt that the Brits really brought the humour in what was a pretty dark episode.   I thought the rivalry between Ketch and Bevel made for an interesting aspect of their story.  Seems like sex isn't really a deterrence for Ketch when it comes to doing his job.   Everyone is expendable it seems.  I wonder if that includes him too?  I wonder now that Toni has been deemed expendable by the BMOL where her loyalty will lie. 

I like the whole Crowley/Lucifer storyline, but I will admit that the monologuing from Crowley had gotten a bit worse for wear. I will admit that I was totally confused at everything Drexel was telling Lucifer. What I basically got out of it and I think that's what matters is that Luci now can control Crowley.  Lucifer wasn't long for those chains so this was of no big surprise.  We all knew, as Luci had said it often enough, that this wouldn't end well for Crowley.  It seems that Luci doesn't lie after all.  It appears that Crowley was no match for Lucifer in the end.   Lucifer is now free and on his quest to find his son.....uh oh.😈🍼😱
  
I did say that it appears that Crowley was no match right?  Looks like Crowley is still 11 steps ahead,  they will be tiny steps as he is in the body of a rat and they do have very little feet. 🐀  See Crowley ain't no Kermit the Frog. 🐸 or Kermit's brother here. 
I was surprised though by Crowley's relationship with the BMOL.  It must've been going on for some time.  So does that mean that Crowley fears the BMOL that he made a deal with them and is thus apparently extending that deal to America?  Why would Crowley fear the BMOL?  My current theory is that the reason he fears them is because he knows that one of them is Asmodeus, the third Prince of Hell that we learnt of this season and the only one we have yet to see. Do I think that Crowley will stand by and let the BMOL destroy the Winchesters?  I don't think so.  Crowley knows the Winchesters are an asset and they are literally the only reason that he and the underworld as much as the planet still exists.  What about Lucifer?  Maybe Crowley decided that he'll let the Winchesters deal with that problem and claim the prize once Lucifer is destroyed?   All I know is I don't think he'll remain a literal rat for much longer.   As for Lucifer, well seems he quite likes the rock star look.  I don't think we have to wait but a few more days before we get to see that family reunion. 

I love when we get to see badass Winchesters.   Heartache wasn't the only thing that Eileen's letter provided for the boys.  She gave them vital information as well.  She told them that it was the BMOL that had been following her and she let them know that her phone had been bugged.  That information was crucial as it set the stage for the boys confrontation with Toni Bevell.   I love how they trapped Toni.  Dean made me laugh at his remark about dating her after she put him on the ground.  Sam, well he was just hot, and not just hot looking either.  The fury that raged on that man's face, I thought he was going to shoot her, or at the very least punch her in the face.  I laughed that Sam had to actually stop Dean from doing just that....c'mon, mentioning mom sex, and with a psycho to boot.  Again, the snarky British humour just makes me laugh.  It's one of the reasons I like Crowley so much.  The scene at the end though, Ketch waiting to ambush the boys, and the way Sam spinned Toni around, using her as a shield while firing...damn that was so freaking cool.  The boys were just so in sync with each other and they held their own.  You don't want a Winchester on your bad side, that's for sure.  Then the devastation on Sam and Dean's face when Mary turned on them.  Dean pleading.  Sam's broken expression.  I really do think it's possible that Sam has reached his limit regarding Mary.  It was the bookend heartbreaking scene of the one that the show opened with.  Started with tissues, ended with tissues.  The boys really do appear to be on their own, as it was in the beginning all those years ago. 

This was one of those episodes that raised some questions.

Is what happened what really happened or just what we are meant to think happened? Is Mary playing Ketch? 

Leaving Sam and Dean alive in bunker to lose air in 2-3 days leaves room for escape, who's plan was that?

Did Crowley know what's been going on all along with Luci and Crowley's demon and plan his escape?  Did Crowley go into the rat using one of his mother's spells perhaps?  Will Crowley leave his current form or move into a nice new sewer where he can meet a nice female rat and have female babies?

My current theory:  I think Mary calling Ketch into the room was her attempt to play on any sympathy he might have.  I think she was trying to get a read.  Once she got a sense of what she was dealing with, she made the attempt for the gun and aimed it at herself, to see what he would do.  He did  stop her, but he didn't help her.   With that I think Mary decided to play at being brainwashed and went with Ketch.  I do think that it could've been her idea to have the boys locked down instead of Ketch putting a bullet in his head.  I think she'd be clever enough to play the suffocation thing as more torturous and they would suffer more, especially knowing they were dying by the hands of their own mother.  Ketch would be attracted to that idea. The boys now have time to either figure a way out or she could sneak back to the bunker when Ketch goes to sleep.  Does Mary know about the grenade launcher, cuz if Baby is in the garage, then the boys have a way out. I'm going with Mary more likely going back. She would want to explain to the boys what she was doing.  Of course with that, I think Ketch will either wake up and find her missing, or pretend to have been sleeping in the first place and follow her back to the bunker.  Then it's going to be all out war on the BMOL.

That's mine scenario....what's yours?

Quotes:

“Monsters and demons don’t team up. Seven Hunters are gone, we can’t grab a signal from mom’s phone, Cas has Kelly Kline who-knows-where, Mick has slipped off the grid, Ketch is lying to us. I want to punch something in the face.”

-Sam to Dean   

Crowley: “Before long, of course, I will get rid of you, but I will miss our little chats."
Lucifer: “You mean the ones where you prattle on about your imagined power and I pretend to care. Those chats?"   

“Rule of thumb: If you think we killed someone, then we probably did.”
-Lady Toni to Sam and Dean   

"I never thought of you as a cuddler".

-Lucifer to Crowley

"Master strategist, more like Kermit the Frog. "

-Lucifer to Crowley

Mary: "I killed someone.  He was a friend."
Ketch:  "I do it all the time."

Toni: " Mary's part of the team.  She's even got a super decoder ring."
Sam:  "You're lying."
Toni:  "You're right, there is no ring."

There were issues of course, but none that I can't hand wave away.  Everyone did a fabulous job.  All the guest stars were fantastic. They brought heartbreak, laughter, hostility and excitement.  Jared and Jensen were  perfection.  I can't express how much these two actors have endeared my heart to loving their characters and feeling their anguish and anger.  They deserve an award.  I really enjoyed the humour of Mark and Mark.  They really are a comedic joy.  Again the BMOL ...love to hate them.  The actors who portray them are doing them justice.  Every emotion was touched on in this ep and this ain't the only roller coaster in the Supernatural theme park.  So I got my ice cream. 🍧 I got my box of tissues.  I'm ready for next week. Til then folks.

Thanks for reading.

-Anna

13 comments:

  1. This is a welcome oasis in the sea of fandom negativity--it's so nice to know I'm not the only person who thought it was a fairly solid episode. Thanks so much for sharing! :)

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    1. thank you for reading. unfortunately when it comes to this particular writing duo the negativity is pretty much a sure thing, it's just a matter of how much. they certainly have not been or ever will be forgiven by many for killing Charlie, which is understandable. this particular episode though I thought to be quite well done. Some of it was confusing, but I managed to get the gist of it. Mostly though it made me wonder what was real and what wasn't...who was playing who? and got me excited to find out....so however one looks at this ep, it did it's job in that my curiosity level and excitement for this Thursday is at peak level.

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  2. 1: I LOVED this episode. Sam and Dean were at the top of their game. When Dean got the best of Ketch was my favorite part!
    B: I do NOT think Mary is faking. I think they really did brainwash her. (Like Sam's very disturbing hallucination). I haven't felt a connection with her, but I did in that scene. When she said her will is all she had. I can understand that. Coming back from the dead after 33 years. I bet she hasn't felt in control of ANYTHING! Probably why she has handled things so badly with her boys.
    I am so excited for the finale!!! Crowley will be back, for sure. I have no idea what is going to happen. And Damn it, I like it that way!! ��

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    1. I like the not knowing too. The scene in the bunker was bad ass. As for Mary, I'm not sure with her....due to spoilers and I will refrain from saying anything else.

      I will say that Thursday won't come fast enough....

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  3. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed this episode! I was more than shocked by all the hate that it got. It broke my heart to see Eileen go down like that, but I think it meant to show just how brutal and ruthless BMOL are and that the deaths of other hunters, who won't cooperate, will be just as gruesome and shocking.

    I think this episode gave us a lot of food for thought and an interesting set-up for the finale to work with: 1. Dean, Sam and Toni stuck at the bunker together; 2. Ketch and Mary driving away together; 3. Lucifer out and about, tracking down Castiel, Kelly and Lucifer Junior, who are also somewhere together; 4. Crowley, the reminder of his true nature, and his new rat friend; 5. BMOL's ever looming threat for American hunters (or what is left of them) and their unfortunate efficiency when it comes to killings; 6. Lucifer and Lucifer Junior as the common problem that could bring two sides together, but surely won't - not with the way things are.

    I can't wait to see how it's all going to pan out. I think Toni and Ketch are working together and her staying behind was part of their plan. I'm not sure whether Mary is faking or not. After the whole season I still don't know her well enough to know what she's capable of or when she's sincere. But she looked pretty convincing to me.

    I actually made a post about my thoughts before the finale, but it's way too long to post in the comments, so here's the link to my blog: http://faridamestek.blogspot.com/2017/05/supernatural-some-thoughts-before-finale.html

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  4. the only reason I'm not sure about Ketch and Toni working together is due to their obvious dislike and rivalry for the same position. When we first met Toni she said she wanted nothing to do with that psychopath...referring to Ketch when her man lady henchman was torturing Sam and mentioned bringing in Ketch when Sam proved to be stronger that Lady T anticipated. Granted they had sex, but Ketch also noted a conflicted and regret in his relationship with Toni when it was brought up that he'd slept with her...I forgot the ep he said it and who he was talking to. In this episode, they were clearly hostile with each other both in front of Hess and when they were alone. When she was in the room alone with the hellhound, after Ketch left, she once again called him a psychopath....then she got the call. My guess is she either went off on her own, or went to Hess. Ketch at that time was with Mary as she asked for him. I think Bevell went off on her own. The question is, did Ketch try to kill Toni of his own accord? I kind of don't think so because Hess is the one who brought up to Ketch that Lady Toni wanted his job....instigating Ketch...I think Hess wants Ketch on top...but she might not be the only deciding factor, so in order to get her choice running things in America, her way, Toni would have to be out of the picture.

    I do think that Lady Toni will work with the Winchesters to try to get out of the bunker...i'm not sure where her loyalties will stay when she sees herself deemed as expendable by the BMOL.

    on the bright side, only 4 days til we find out

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    1. I tend to think that it was Ketch's initiative most likely. It seemed to be their standard mode of operation at Kendricks: being pitted against each other and watching who pulls the trigger first. Ketch was faster this time around. So I'm not sure that it will have a material effect on Toni's loyalties - unless you're right and Dr. Hess was behind it all along. In this case, who knows? Toni doesn't strike me as someone who enjoys being considered expendable. Especially, after all that work she's been putting in.

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    2. I wish I could agree with you that Mary was just playing Ketch, but it's hardly so. All her emotions seemed to me quite sincere, and the whole scene was truly heart-breaking. It's interesting, though that in one of the pics for the finale we again see Ketch in the bunker. What has he forgotten there? He can't be trying to save the boys for Mary's sake, but his feelings could slow him down in the final fight. Then he's a goner, and so is Toni (sorry, Anna, but I'm afraid, it's unavoidable).
      By the way, I,too, have a feeling that there must be someone behind BMoL people. Is he the same person who Castiel recognizes in the finale? If so, it could be the one familiar to the viewers. Michael? Cain? Oh my, what a wild idea, lol!

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    3. I still think it could go either way with Mary. Sam has a strong talent for going all method acting...he did it back in s5 with the he-witch and he did it again when Toni tried brainwashing him and he pretended to try to kill himself....this scene with Ketch is very similar to Sam's scene with Toni. I don't think it's that far off to presume that Mary is doing what she can to get to Ketch. I do believe she was getting to him, even before she went for his gun..as a matter of fact I'm not so sure she would've gone for the gun if she hadn't seen the affect she was having on Ketch. I'm also not seeing Ketch, mr trigger happy, having the patience or the stupidity of not getting rid of sam and dean with a bullet, rather than giving them ample time to think of a way out. Ketch is aware the boys have a grenade launcher is he not? either way, it's a careless move. one that i'm not so sure he would come up with. Mary could've convinced him, gone through with the mission, and the talk of regret in the car be totally from the heart as she just allowed her children to believe she was team ketch. With that, mary would sneak off in the night to head back to the bunker to help them escape..

      or, the treatment was diminishing and Mary realized what she did and went back...

      the problem for me is that the conversation in the car indicates that Mary was totally aware of what she did....and someone who was truly brainwashed shouldn't be cognitive of that or even care....that's why i'm leading to her playing everyone...


      I know, if we're aware of this wouldn't Ketch be as well? I think it could be that he is and that's how he ends up back at the bunker, likely to go after all of them. I do think that Ketch has some feeling for Mary which could be why this plan of hers got as far as it did.

      I'm all for Toni biting it....she deserves it..it's just that as much as I find her character despicable, for me she's one of those characters that I enjoyed hating....much like Ketch and Lucifer....Luci has done much worse to sam than Lady t

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  5. Loved this episode. Thank you for putting into words my thoughts. I thought the first 15 minutes were some of the finest of spn

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  6. Thank goodness there are more of you out there that enjoyed this show. I feel bad for the writing duo because they never stand a chance at a total win. As soon as everyone sees they are the writers the negativity starts without even viewing the episode so how can one draw an honest unbiased opinion going into it that way.

    The whole Crowley is the rat still has me saying I don't think so. Remember we still have Claudette the rat that Rowena changed her into so why couldn't that be her and Rowena cast that spell on Crowley for him to come back to life like she did to herself when Lucifer snapped her neck. Let's look at the Crowley death scene closer. There was no smoking out, no red eyes appearing, and further more, no light show that one gets when an angel blade is used on them so I am holding out in believing Crowley smoked into the rat cause we never saw that.

    As for Mary, I don't believe she went totally dark side either but she sure could have turned the tides when the boys killed all the other BMOL in the bunker and all that was left was Ketch and Toni. She is a very smart hunter though, so I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt that she has a bigger plan in store and will in no way shape or form allow her children to die. After all it is Mother's Day and how can one mother to another think anything less. I have always been a Mary fan though so I will keep thinking positive and in 4 days we will know for sure.

    Great write up and review Anna. I love your open mindedness and it is always a pleasure to read yours and Amy's reviews and thoughts on our awesome show.

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  7. Crowley aint dead for sure....as a matter of fact I feel like he has a plan brewing. just so you know, olivette isn't a rat, Rowena turned her into a hamster. I have no doubt that the rat is containing Crowley...the thing is that rat followed him into his meeting with Luci...so Crowley can control rodents too?

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  8. I feel the same way about Mary that you do. I wish we had been given more insight into what Mary has been feeling. I didn't want poker-face Mary this season, I had thought that we were going to see some emotion, darn it.

    I liked the ep, mostly, and really hope that the 2 remaining hours we get this season have lots of emotion. If they are stuck in the bunker for a while, they have to talk to each other, right? That should lead to something dramatic, I would think. It would be nice to see Sam confront his mother with all the things that he has gone through in his life, and to have Mary hear what Dean has done his whole life to be a good son and brother.

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