Defending Your Life
I’m currently recovering from having my appendix and gallbladder out on Tuesday, so this will not be a full recap. Instead I’m just going to share my thoughts on Defending Your Life. However, I’m doing so under the influence of pain killers.
Between the killer car (and I called Christine before Dean did) and the killer dog my first thought was that Stephen King was responsible for killing these people. Frankly, I kinda liked the idea of an author’s fantasies materializing. I wanted to see ole Stevie with a cameo. But it wasn’t long before I realized their demise was caused by the method of their guilt. When the old dude was being haunted by the couple he killed in a robbery I actually felt saddened to lose the King connection. (Maybe there still is one and I don’t know it.)
What really struck me in this episode was how old and tired Dean acted. From stretching out his aching back to bitching about just wanting a simple day job for once, he’s showing a wear and tear we haven’t seen before. Did anyone else think he seemed more than a little resigned to his death sentence? Has the fight gone out of him? 
I actually enjoyed the character of Osiris and particularly enjoyed the trial…until the end. The whole time I was thinking, “Oh, no, here it is, Sam’s going to find out Dean killed Amy.” Dean positively squirmed with guilt and the viewer knew it was that deadly deed and lying to his brother about it that would ultimately cost Dean his life. But he wouldn’t allow Osiris to call her to the stand. I was concerned for nothing.
While Dean was waiting for Sam and Bobby to figure something out I just knew Amy would show up then…but no, it’s Jo. Okay, I get that. It’s a lot meaner for Osiris to send Jo to snuff Dean out. It’s more personal. Cruel. Reciprocal, even. But still…
Overall, I wasn’t real keen on this episode. I like that we learned Dean never wanted to be a lone hunter. I liked seeing Jo again. But the false threat of Dean’s betrayal hanging over the episode like a black cloud and then amounting to a whole lot of nada made me feel cheated. At the very least wouldn’t Sam press him harder to find out who that secret witness was? What did you think? Maybe I’ll rewatch the episode one day and see if I feel different post-recovery. In the meantime, I’m just looking forward to seeing Cordy and Spike next week!
9 comments:
I agree Terri. It's not the drugs lol. I wasn't as disappointed as you were as I thought Dean and Jo were a great story line he was tortured over. He really does look worn, like his spirit is almost defeated! That's not our Dean :( I loved the judge! I'll ditto your comments there and on Bobby and Sam.
I thought Sam was awesome! Also I love when they remember...can't wait for next week!
It's about time it is available on netflix. Good news!
Love your weekly wrap up! Thanks you!
Your biggest fan.
Hugs on the surgery! But no, not the drugs. I love the earlier seasons, but NOT the secret-keeping part, and this flashed back to that for me. I'm bummed about the last two episodes. They weren't as strong as the first two. I'd rather go back to the Leviathans.
Thanks, Jen. :) And I agree that's not our Dean. Something is a'brewing there.
Thanks for the hugs, M.J. I don't mind getting back to the Moster-of-the-Week storylines, I even like how Sera said she was going to strip them of all their usual "props" for dealing with evil - credit cards, research books, etc. - because that could be a cool challenge. But the direction they're going with Dean does not set well with me! And I miss Cass.
Dean's gone down this path before (and it was draining then too -- Sam's supposed to be the one that hates the life and Dean's supposed to smile and crack jokes and be a hunter). Right before the episode where Zachariah made Dean and Sam take real jobs, forgetting they were even brothers, Dean was over it. I think that was S4. He was also over it before he got the ghost virus. OH! And he was like this before he was dragged to hell at the end of S3. Yeah, they keep playing this broken record, come to it.
But I was so angry/sad/unforgiving when the writers killed off Jo and Ellen. Are there any hunters beside Dean, Sam, and Bobby alive at this point? I get the hunter life is hard, but this is without hope. And then they brought Jo back and she was so sorry she was being forced to do a thing she clearly didn't want any part of. That made up for the other parts of the show I didn't care for. The best moment was her hand against Dean's face and his downcast eyes and sadness -- not guilt -- at what had happened to her.
Finally, why didn't anyone crack a joke about Osiris having no penis? It was the only part of his body that Isis couldn't find after Set chopped him up into a million pieces and dumped him into the Nile. That joke was BEGGING to be quipped. I did think the actor who played Osiris was a great choice. (Penis jokes aside.)
Having typed all that, I love Monster-of-the-Week episodes and I'm glad we're moving away from all the Angel/Demon/Apocalypse stories.
Usually I prefer Monster of the Week stories, but this one didn't do it for me :(
I didn't know that about Osiris. But that definitely sounds like a needed joke.
I think there's still lots of hunters, with new ones emerging out of necessity, but we've lost all the ones we're aware of.
The one death I really hated was Pamela, the psychic. Loved her!
Terri, I'm so sorry you've had major surgery! I hope you're recovering okay. Next time (gah, hope never!) get one of us to cover for you! :(
I liked this whole episode, but of course some I loved more than others. I'm also less than thrilled about having another secret between them. I love that they have a chance to grow as brothers without being at odds, and this is such a typical TV setup for blowing that apart. I guess we should be grateful that in a 7th season, it's still as good a show as it is, and this is a minor quibble for me.
I loved the montages during the trial. I loved Jo saying there was one thing Osiris was right about, and Dean said "Your monster crush on me?" and she told him to shut up and they shared that humor and affection. Their story thread resonated so much, I think because they got to have a kind of reconciliation a lot of us wish we could have, but never will.
Dean's weariness is definitely heavier this time, a less desperate kind of "I'm done" than in the past. Anne Marie's right, he's gone down this path before, but he's always had some driving force to keep him going. Sam's soul, getting Lucifer back in the pit. The Leviathans are bigger than any of that, because there's NO hope. No possible way they can find how to defeat them, because they predate humanity. There IS no way to defeat them. So where's Dean going to get the hope that drives him again?
It'll be interesting to see how it goes.
I love monster of the week, but this one didn't do it for me. I loved seeing Jo again and her tenderness with Dean was terrific.
But I also HATE waiting for the to quote Dean "other shoe". You know Sam's gonna find out about Amy and it'll get ugly.
I miss Bobby's house. And Ellen, Jo and Pamela. Really miss Rufus and Chuck!!
Sadly, I miss Dean, too! Come on, let's have our Dean back!
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