The Born Again Identity - initial reaction. Spoilers (obviously)

[amberdreams]

I loved this episode!! I've only watched it once - I want to watch again but I'm posting first impressions as a kind of test to see what stood out for me.

So - shallow reaction first. 

Sammy was red hot in his white outfit, even looking washed out and ill (or maybe especially looking pale and ill!).  I love scruff on Jared and we don't see scruffy Sam much so this was niiiiiiiice.  He looked so good, I was distracted from Dean and it takes a lot to do that!

More seriously - what was going on with Cas?  I did end up reading some spoilers though I'd been trying to avoid them, but they just confused me when it came to watching the episode so I think I'll make a bigger effort to avoid any spoilers in future.  I wasn't expecting him to still be an angel (thanks to spoilers!) and as yet I'm not entirely sure what I think about the whole amnesiac angel angle. The cynic in me wonders if the only reason they did that was so they could 'fix' Sam's head as they can't have a non functioning Winchester for the rest of the season.  But we'll see.  Leaving Meg in the hospital watching over Cas leaves some potential for expanding on his story (or finishing it off) at some point in the future, which is a good thing.

Performance-wise, Misha rocked playing Emmanuel who was innocent and Cas-like without actually being Cas, and his transition into full on angel-mode was kick-ass.  I wonder what his taking Hallucifer into his own head will mean for him, given that he is not human, and his brain must work differently to Sam's.  I didn't get he impression that this was a cure for Sam, because he did describe it as more of a diversion, given that he told Dean it was impossible to rebuild Death's wall. Which is good, because that would have been such a cop out and on a par with the Dallas shower scene!

Speaking of Meg - I was shocked when I first saw her and not because I wasn't expecting her appearance, more about Rachel Miner's swollen face.  (I understand she's got some sort of allergic reaction to medication?  Poor girl!). I like Meg as a character, I like that she's still a loose cannon because it gives the writers an interesting resource to bring in and fuck with our boys' heads the way that demons should do.  And it is nice to have a Hellish adversary for Crowley too.

Sam and Hallucifer! I was not disappointed there - Mark Pellegrino was awesome.  He was so amiable and wicked, and Sam was so wrecked by the constant poking and shouting and singing - that was actually quite underplayed but incredibly effective.  You could see how Sam could get so worn down and worn out and my heart ached for him, especially in that scene with Dean. Oh boys!
I loved how his hunter radar was piqued by the girl next door and her ghost brother - and how that helped him focus and I felt maybe brought him back from the brink of despair.

Now I really need to watch again, and again.  And maybe one more time....

Comments

[nrrrdy-grrrl.livejournal.com]

It was one of the very few well-written episodes of the new story arc/s.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

The writing was tight and consistent, I thought so too.

[nrrrdy-grrrl.livejournal.com]

I was so distracted by the way all of Meg's dialog was delivered. What the heck was THAT, lady?

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

She does have a very strange delivery. Weird.

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

Meg practically wrecked the episode for me. Her line delivery just took me out of every scene she was in. The bit in the store with Dean was particularly bad. I just wanted to skip over everything with her in it. I can't love this episode because of her and the thought of her being in more is making me sad.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I don't like critisising actors but I agree, I find Rachel Miner weird. It does make me wonder why they cast her. But I can live with it I suppose as long as she isn't in too many episodes for too long. And I do like the character.

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

I alllllways enjoy Edlund's writing! For me, though, it wasn't as tight as I'd have liked but that was balanced by copious amounts of scruffy, sick Sam brilliantly acted by Jared. In white. So all told? A keeper.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I can always pick holes in most episodes, this was better than most though... Mind you I could have been distracted, what do you think?

[monicawoe.livejournal.com]

That is a beautiful, beautiful cap : D

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Someone has pointed out that it looks like he's frowning at his groin going "is that me or just a crease in my pants?"

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

OMG, the white hospital jammies with scruffy Sam in them were gorgeous. Yum, yum, yum.

[monicawoe.livejournal.com]

Sammy was red hot in his white outfit, even looking washed out and ill (or maybe especially looking pale and ill!). I love scruff on Jared and we don't see scruffy Sam much so this was niiiiiiiice. He looked so good, I was distracted from Dean and it takes a lot to do that!

Yeah agreed. I think I might have some SWSAO material after all ; ) Gonna cap the hell out of this ep, that's for sure.

I didn't get he impression that this was a cure for Sam, because he did describe it as more of a diversion, given that he told Dean it was impossible to rebuild Death's wall. Which is good, because that would have been such a cop out and on a par with the Dallas shower scene!
Agreed completely. I think Jared even said (about this episode) that Sam's essentially "putting on a brace to get back in the game" - it isn't a complete fix, just enough to get functional again.

<3 <3 <3 Meg. SO glad to have her back!

Pellegrino and Jared rocked so much I can't even put it into proper words, but especially Jared. Holy crap he's good!

Now I really need to watch again, and again. And maybe one more time....

Same- I'm going to be re-watching as much as I can this weekend (have to wait until my little girl naps though.)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I love that we are all waiting on our loved ones taking a nap to rewatch....hilarious!

[monicawoe.livejournal.com]

and another beautiful cap!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

He does the furrowed brow so well, doesn't he...

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

*steals picture*

[verobian.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you!!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I gather that folk elsewhere have been getting their knickers in a twist... *sigh*. Me, I'm just enjoying the ride.

[aerithqoc.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed it even if it wasn't, like you said, as tight as it could've been. But scruffy Sam, worried Dean and Lucifer being snarky? I can never not love an ep that has all that in it haha

Gotta wonder though... what about Emmanuel's wife? Is she just gonna disappear forever now or something? Strange strange

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

yes, they have a habit of that though don't they, and sometimes with a character much more significant than this throwaway wife - like Jesse the Antichrist!

[peepingdru.livejournal.com]

enjoyed::DDDDD

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

mmmm nice gif!! :D

[embroiderama]

Sammy was red hot in his white outfit, even looking washed out and ill (or maybe especially looking pale and ill!). I love scruff on Jared and we don't see scruffy Sam much so this was niiiiiiiice. He looked so good, I was distracted from Dean and it takes a lot to do that!

YES YES to all of this. Well, the whole post really, but Sam and his hurtiness was especially epic.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

It really was...

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

YES.