MOONLIGHT VAMPIRE SOCIETY

Hi all - Within this thread you'll find all of the articles written by Alice Jester, a television reviewer and lover of Supernatural, who writes at www.blogcritics.org. If you haven't been following Alice's work - please take some time to look them over. She is one of the most thorough tv reviewers out there and I enjoy her humorous take on the Winchester Boys! Most of these have already appeared in the Ride With the Winchesters Thread but it made sense to me for them to stand alone.

HIS ARTICLE CONTAINS LOTS OF SPOILERS IF YOU ARE NOT UP TO DATE ON SN! Consider yourself WARNED!!!

This (LONG) article is written by Alice Jester who has written a series of articles at BlogCriticmagzine.org. I came across these articles and I've chosen just two of the many she has written to post here. This author/fan has seriously done her homework! Please, if you are a SN fan and appreciate great writing, check out her posts! She can be found at: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/09/075627.php

Supernatural Season Four: What We Know So Far
Written by Alice Jester
Published October 09, 2008
Part of The Winchester Family Business: Supernatural

Get on your meta hats everyone, its time to tackle some deep questions before moving on to Thursday’s episode, “Metamorphosis.” With all this mythology and back story unfolding over the first three episodes, it’s time for a sanity check. Except I think I’m anything but sane after this exercise.

In the heated discussion about angels in “Are You There God, It’s Me, Dean Winchester,” Sam said that “for once this isn’t a bunch of demon crap.” You ain’t kidding, Sammy. The introduction of angels and a head-scratching mythology is fueling countless hours of speculation and research over where in the world Mr. Kripke is leading us. I’m sure it’s someplace good but in the meantime, speculation is fun.

Angels
We already had a good idea that angels weren’t the warm, fluffy, Touched By An Angel variety. In “Houses of The Holy” while in the cathedral, Sam notices the image of Michael the Archangel.

Sam: So they're not really the Hallmark card version that everybody thinks? They're fierce, right? Vigilant?

Father Reynolds: Well, I like to think of them as more loving than wrathful; but yes, a lot of Scripture paints angels as God's warriors. "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone down upon them, and they were terrified."

Sound like our favorite new angel Castiel? By the way, if you Google Castiel, you don’t find much. Castiel is mentioned in “A Dictionary of Angels” but all that is known about him is he’s the Angel of Thursday. Clever!

According to Castiel, angels haven’t roamed the earth in 2,000 years, so his lack of people skills is understandable. Castiel finds Dean as much of a puzzle as Dean does him. He figures out after a couple of disastrous attempts that he must take another form to communicate with Dean. The person he chose as a “vessel” appears to have been at wits' end due to his overall haggard appearance and likely after an act of desperate prayer was chosen for this task. “He is a righteous man. He prayed for this.” Dean finds the possession appalling where Castiel has no issue with it at all. That goes to show how far apart these two are in their perception of good and evil.

Castiel approaches Dean at their first meeting with curiosity and innocence, perplexed by Dean’s lack of faith and feelings of inadequacy. I suppose if my first contact with a human after 2000 years was Dean Winchester, I’d be very curious too. He picked a live one. In their next meeting Dean is even more defiant and angry, still struggling with the idea that God and angels are real. Castiel tries to talk to him rationally, but Dean forces his patience. Castiel had every right to put the so called “fear of God” in him and it worked. Interesting too, since Dean usually doesn’t take threats very well. By “In The Beginning” Dean’s accepted that this guy’s the real deal, which means God is real. This is a pretty big jump for him.

“In The Beginning” really pushed the dynamic between these two. Why did Castiel think Dean needed to know the truth? Why deliver the message in such a harsh way? Going back again to “Houses of The Holy”, Dean states to Sam, “I believe what I can see.” Letting Dean see his family’s tragic history, experience it first hand, is what he needs to accept everything he’s been told so far is real. He has to know the gravity of the situation, how serious Azazel’s plan is, and how much Sam plays a role in this.
This trip back in time is likely as much of a test for Dean as it is to share the truth. Castiel is non-specific with instructions, allowing Dean to do what he sees fit. He judges Dean’s reactions, thus he asks questions in the car about him changing history. He knows anything Dean did would be of little consequence, but has to know the reasons. In the end he tells Dean where Sam is because Dean proves he’s up to the task. He would do anything to save his family.

Castiel knew this experience would personally affect Dean, and his arrival with a deep gesture of sympathy after Dean saw Mary make the deal with Yellow Eyes is very touching and appropriate. Angels can be loving at times, like Father Reynolds said. More loving than wrathful though — that remains to be seen.
When back at the motel room, Castiel’s information about Sam could be considered an act of mercy. Again from “Houses of The Holy”, Sam admits he prays daily and believes in a higher power in hopes that he can be saved. Even though Dean could protect him, he is only one person, and Sam needs to believe something else is watching, too. This could finally be the answer to Sam’s prayers, right when he’s giving in to the darkness. Dean is the one chosen for the task to save him, even being pulled out of Hell for it. It isn’t too late for poor Sammy. Castiel makes it very clear, though, what will happen if Dean fails. “Stop it, or we will.” Dean is Sam’s only hope.

“Because we have work for you...”

Was Dean raised from Hell only because of Sam? What else do the angels have planned for him? I previously speculated that Dean was chosen to stop Sam. Now that I think about it more, he was chosen to save Sam. The angels can stop Sam on their own, but so far the only one that has proven to get through to Sam is Dean.

Is that all that’s required of Dean? There’s a special reason why Dean was chosen. Part of it ties back to what Roy LeGrange said about looking into Dean’s heart in “Faith.” He saw "a young man with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn’t finished.” Dean is so far uneasy with his task, wondering why angels and God would care about an ordinary guy like him. Dean doesn’t realize the most famous people in the Bible were ordinary folk. Add in Castiel’s comment, “Destiny can’t be changed Dean. All roads led to the same destination,” and its clear Dean has a destiny just like Sam does.

Is Dean’s purpose good and Sam’s evil? Considering this show has always drawn fine lines between good and bad, chances are it won’t be that clear cut. Sam may have evil inside him, but so far he’s been the faithful one. Dean has done nothing but shun the existence of God and mercy, and he’s the one spared through a divine act. Even an obstacle like Hell isn’t going to stop a destiny. We wonder if Sam and Dean will arrive at the same destination or different ones. The angels wonder that too, which is why Dean is there.
“I don’t know if what I’m doing is right...”

Sam can’t avoid the evil inside of him. It’s who he is. He had a chance to save Dean with his abilities and couldn’t, so now the guilt is tearing him up so much that he’s rationalized he must use his powers to save others. It’s his redemption, turning something evil into something good. He doesn’t know whether to trust Ruby, but he’s listening to her anyway. He probably senses he’s taking a dangerous risk, but he still believes he can control the situation. He also doesn’t realize that once he unleashes the monster, he might not be able to stop it.

Sam’s been forced to rely on himself, and Dean coming back isn’t going to change that. He’s confused and believes he shouldn’t count on big brother anymore because Dean can’t always be there. “All Hell Breaks Loose Part I” is a perfect example of that, as is last season’s finale. Dean has never understood what’s inside him, so he’s not going to understand what Sam’s doing with demons. Sam believes he’s doing good right now and it’s the most right he’s felt in a long time. This is his fight and not Dean’s.

We know Sam must be misguided though, for whatever he’s doing is bad enough where Castiel must intervene. All these brotherly secrets forced an angel to step in and reveal the truth. When divine intervention is required, Sam’s in some serious crap.
No wonder Lilith took Dean’s deal and wouldn’t bargain with Sam. Dean is the one that can get in the way of Sam’s destiny, which likely affects Azazel’s end game, or maybe it’s Lilith’s end game now. It’s also possible Lilith’s fear of Sam is a ploy, as is Ruby’s intervention, because it’s all part of the bigger picture, which starts by drawing Sam’s abilities out. Maybe Dean is the one they really fear. I’m curious to see if, when Lilith finally does resurface, she’ll be intimidated by Dean’s angelic backing.

Alright, I’m going there. Is Sam Winchester the Antichrist? Gordon said it, Ruby said it, even Dean said it (albeit jokingly). It’s always something I’ve dismissed, probably because I don’t want to believe it, but is it possible? Sure, anything’s possible on this show. What made Gordon make the leap from “monster” in “Hunted” to “the Antichrist” in “Bad Day at Back Rock?” Did he know something legit or was he just nuts? Ruby hinted the same thing in “The Kids Are Alright.” One has to admit, being the sole survivor of a half-breed evil race seems very suspicious.

Christians say the Antichrist is one that will oppose Christ and substitute himself in his place. Other groups think he comes with great power and disguises himself as Christ. Others say he’s a human man walking among us. Most agree he comes from evil, is a man of sin, and tie the appearance of the Antichrist with the apocalypse. There are so many texts and prophecies out there about who or what the Antichrist is that Kripke could invent any version he wants.

Since we’ve already had concrete signs of the apocalypse in “Are You There God…” the timing of the rising of the Antichrist seems right, and all clues point to the definitely possibility of that being Sam’s role. The angels don’t know for sure, that’s likely what Dean has to find out. We’ll find out when he does.

Mythology From A Blender

The female hunter in the beginning of “Are You There God…” was reading The Secret Teachings of All Ages. The mere presence of that book shows the mixed bag we’re dealing with when it comes to mythology Kripke style. That book is a huge encyclopedia of mystical teachings involving the Qabbala, alchemy, tarot, ceremonial magic, hermiticism, neo-Platonic philosophy, mystery religions, the theory of Rosicrucianism, and Freemasonry. Throw in ancient Hebrew texts like the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, the numerous apocryphal texts, the many interpretations of the Christian Bible, plus movies like Constantine and Star Wars, put it all in a blender, and there’s no end to where this version of the Apocalypse will go.

We got a good indication that the show was going to follow its own rules when Bobby said of the Bible, “The widely distributed version is just for tourists.” Judging by the old book in Hebrew he was reading, there’s way more out there than anyone can imagine. An Internet search on “rising of the witnesses” doesn’t come up with much, but rising of the dead in general is a mentioned is several prophecies. The show is taking some creative liberties, but we don’t mind.

Sixty-six is an interesting choice for the number of seals. Sixty-six is a master number in numerology, although a rarely used one. Derivatives of that number, 11 and 22, are master spiritual builders. There are 66 books in the Bible and 66 was mentioned in the Bible twice. Sixty-six can also be taken from 666, which is the number of the beast of the Apocalypse in The Book of Revelations. The number means a multitude of things, but it’s also possible someone is just messing with us, kind of like that Angel of Thursday thing.

This could also be the religious retelling of Darth Vader’s story, especially with all the Star Wars references in past episodes. If Sam’s destiny is truly as dark as we believe, how far will he go? Will he be able to be saved? Will Dean manage to save not only him, but the world? That’s what the rest of the series is for, but we love picking apart the clues as they unravel. With this type of creative latitude, we’re in for anything.
Whew, my brain hurts. Enough of this, bring on episode four! We’re ready for more punishment... I mean, entertainment. Nothing like pesky angels to stir up trouble. At least this isn’t the same old demon crap.

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/09/0756275.php

Hi all - Here is the second article from Alice Jester's "The Winchester Family Business: Supernatural" series. All of Alice's articles can be found at: http://blogcritics.org/video/

This article is all about Erik Kripke - the "adorkable" creator of SN. Alice wrote this article in April of 2008, after she saw him speak at a convention. I've always thought that the man was brilliant and after reading this I'm even more impressed. Not only does this tell us a bit about Eric it gives some insight into the daily ups and downs of being a show creator! Enjoy!

Eric Kripke Deserves Our Support

While I’ve always suspected that Eric Kripke has the hardest job in show business, after seeing the responses from his panel, it’s official now. No human should have to endure all the headaches and pressures he has. What’s even more incredible was how he delivered honest answers while still smiling, joking, and showing love for the audience. I didn’t think my respect could grow any larger, but it did in droves.

First, I’ve rarely seen any show creator/runner so in touch with the fans. He honestly cares about what fans think and desires feedback. While I won’t mention names, there’s a particular show that I used to watch, one that gets incredible ratings and has an endless budget, yet when I read any interview from that show’s creator it was clear that he didn’t care what the fans thought. I don’t watch that show anymore. I don’t see any of the top rated shows with a show runner who shows a fraction of the interest and respect for their fandom than Eric Kripke. Most avid fans are usually written off as crackpots (at least Matt Roush says so). That’s why I fell in love with not only this show, but the fact that we fans feel like we’re part of something, and the top guy feels it, too.

After his panel, I wanted to hop in my car, drive to LA from Ohio and give Eric Kripke a huge hug. It’s depressing what he has to go through to get a fraction his vision realized. The writers' strike derailed all show runners’ plans, not just his, but still, the show was gaining momentum and finding its stride when the strike hit. Losing six episodes in a season with such high hopes is a major bummer for a creative visionary, not to mention the fans. Season three now can no longer be compared to others, because it was never allowed to follow its complete path. We all feel his pain, especially with this nice, lengthy hiatus to drive us crazy.

The many comments about budget just killed me. The budget is always too tight, and while other shows run 42-45 minutes, Supernatural’s episodes often run only 38-40 minutes. Kripke has to cut scenes, really cool SFX, and in the saddest part of all, he often can’t include the classic rock that could potentially push any scene from great to fantastic. On the season two DVD extras, there’s a feature on the making of last year’s season finale, “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II”. It goes into huge detail about all the major compromises made from the original vision because of budget, and it’s really sad. To hear that season three and the next season suffer from the same calamity, it’s pretty deflating.

The lack of classic rock is what puzzles me the most though. Could anyone see the end of “Nightshifter” without “Renegade” by Styx? No, I can’t either, and I hope this hasn’t meant lost opportunities this season. The music can’t be that expensive (unless it’s Led Zeppelin or The Beatles), since American Idol for years saved money on using older songs. Kripke apparently also mentioned that a soundtrack for Supernatural won’t likely happen either, because Warner Brothers told him they didn’t think it would sell. I call that corporate laziness. Of course it would sell. Profits would be marginal though (meaning decent but not huge), and marginal rarely appeals to a big company like Warner Brothers (or its parent, Time Warner).

Other shows have had soundtracks, and with far lesser music. Heck, even Dexter has a soundtrack. They do that for a reason, because it promotes the show. How many copies exactly need to be sold in order for it to be considered a success? Even if the distribution costs are too much, it can be made available for download only. Since most music is being bought on iTunes lately, that’s a practical option. Another idea that Warner Brothers should consider is to contribute all proceeds from the soundtrack toward a special fund to bring classic rock back to Supernatural. I can assure that every fan out there worldwide would buy at least one copy, if not several, and that would solve some budget constraints.

That’s a major problem with big media corporations though, it’s all about controlling costs and studios are often too budget-minded for the here and now, even though there are systems in place now where a genre show like Supernatural will be generating revenue for Warner Brothers for years to come. It’s actually a proven business model thanks to shows like The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Supernatural will have enough episodes for syndication next season, not to mention the income from the huge worldwide distribution. Warner Brothers needs to ante up a little. They’ve got deep pockets, just read a Time Warner balance sheet.

I also felt bad when Kripke mentioned how crazy the fans can make him. He feels extremely blessed because his idea has inspired millions around the globe and the fan support has allowed his grand vision continue into the fourth season. He’s also cursed though because this is a smarter than average lot that calls him out on many creative decisions and several other obsessive details. I appeal to every fan, please, give this brilliant man his creative license. It’s bad enough the studio and network won’t let him have it. Look at what he’s managed to deliver thus far. Judging by his excitement and his passion over all the possibilities, I sense great things are coming. I can’t wait.
The crap he puts up with over Ruby and Bela has been the most incredible, and to see him address this issue in a long answer at the convention made me both sad and proud. I’m sad that he had to defend his vision, but I’m proud that he cared. For the record, I love Ruby, too. I’ll trust his future choices about Bela, although my visions have Ruby gutting Bela with that knife of hers. Sorry, I’ve digressed. Kripke knows what he’s doing.

I was very pleased to read the many wonderful tidbits about episodes and ideas upcoming, none of which I’ll share here for spoiler reasons, but I adored the sheer enthusiasm when Kripke shared all that. He does truly love his craft, despite the headaches. I was sad to hear him admit he’s forced to kill off brilliant recurring characters and drop story lines because he can’t secure the actors due to scheduling conflicts. That could be again a curse of all show runners, but that just goes to show the caliber of the casting. When those actors are highly sought after in other realms, he has to feel pride that his show did something right.

There's a big plus, though, that has to leave Kripke feeling great. He found out early that Supernatural was getting a fourth season, so that gives the entire team a head start on next season instead of worrying about if there will be a next season. That has to be an exhilarating, if not unique, feeling considering past renewals came at the last moment. I’m very excited for everyone involved with the show over that. Let’s hope that means that season four hits the ground running.

In every interview I’ve ever read from this guy, he’s remained positive and passionate about his show, despite every obstacle thrown his way. He’s thrilled by how Supernatural has evolved, by the cast and the crew he gets to work with everyday, and by the devotion of the fans worldwide. So, to you Eric Kripke, I send a big virtual hug. You keep doing the amazing things you’re doing every week, and you have the heartfelt thanks from me and millions of other fans for creating something that we can’t imagine our lives without. You also have our thanks for appreciating us as much as we do you. We hope all goes well enough where you can execute your full vision, and play out this story with the quality and impact that your ambitions require.

Oh, and one other thing, Mr. Kripke. If anyone at Warner Brothers gives you flak about not having enough money to use a kick @ss classic rock song that will transform a scene into greatness (unless it’s Zeppelin, that’s just too expensive), just let me know and I’ll organize the bake sale.
Source: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/04/02/1504034.php

Here is another brilliantly (IMHO) written article by Alice Jester reviewing the most recent episode of Supernatural and the Monster Movie genre. Once again it is quite long but really well written. Rather than post the whole thing I have chosen a few paragraphs to highlight and if you'd like to read the whole thing please go here: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/19/225552.php.

Note: Alice's comments are in italics, the blue comments are mine.

For those cinema history buffs, this episode is a pure treat. Jensen Ackles proves that if he had been born about sixty years earlier, he’d have been an iconic Hollywood leading man. He plays his part as well as it’s written; dashing, sexy, charming, funny, tough yet tender, a selfless hero, irresistible, and basically every woman’s dream. Not that he isn’t those things already, but his performance for this particular setup reminded us why Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, and Cary Grant were all so popular. At least those of us who watch Turner Classic Movies.

Hell yes, Alice!

Sam also gets what I think is the funniest line of the night. He goes to pull off the ear of Mr. Brewer, only to find he’s not the shapeshifter. “It’s supposed to come off,” to which a horrified Mr. Brewer replies, “No, it’s not!” I also loved Sam kicking down the fake door, mirroring Frankenstein’s monster. An inside joke poking fun at Jared’s huge size perhaps?
Yup, I agree. 6 foot 4 inches is pretty darn big!

It’s all good though, especially when Dean Winchester meets lederhosen. That’s not just funny, that’s disturbingly funny. We knew Sam would show up with a Hansel joke. The moment that got everyone talking though is Dean’s open conversation with Jamie. He talks of his “near death” experience and confesses that since he’s “woken up,” he’s on a mission from God. There, he said it! He believes now. The honest and heart melting delivery seem strange coming from a novelty episode, but he did it perfect and got the girl to kiss him to boot.

Dean's revelation, while intended to be somwhat humorous didn't escape me either! Dean on a mission from God only means that there is more craziness and angst headed our way.

Agents Angus and Young. Fantastic! Why did it take four seasons for that one to happen? AC/DC’s been a fixture on this show since the pilot.

I love the fake names that the writers come up with! This one has got to be at the top of the list! Just perfect for our boys!

If you have a few minutes I highly recommend reading the entire blog entry. I think Alice is a marvelous writer and I appreciate her insight and wit.

Cheers to all - Flo

Another review from Alice Jester and her Winchester Family Business journals! I've only included page one here but follow the link to pages 2-4 where she addresses Sammy's yellow eyes and the Kripke/Dean's a Dick situation! Alice does her homework and IMO is the AUTHORITY on the Winchester Boys! Rock on Alice!

TV Review: Supernatural - "Yellow Fever"
Written by Alice Jester
Published October 26, 2008
Part of The Winchester Family Business: Supernatural

Like many other fans, I settled on the couch Thursday evening eager for the harrowing drama that this week’s Supernatural promo hinted was coming. I got my wish right away, for the first shot is Dean in a suit, running in the dark of night with full blown terror, the howling of hellhounds on his trail. Oh no, what happened, Dean? After warning a hobo of the danger that lurks, Dean’s eyes widen in terror as the creature catches up with him. The camera pans down, and the identity of the treacherous beast is revealed.

A Yorkie? With a cute pink bow? Dean runs, and the wide shot shows the little critter’s long scatter across the frame after him. I pause the TiVo to work in my fit of hysterical laughter, because comedy involving cute animals works with me and the joke is on me. They’ve pulled a prank and it’s a good one. A screwball comedy is coming, and what happens next is anyone’s guess.

That seems to be the mantra of season four — leave fans guessing. The first three seasons' stories, formulas, and overall construction followed a consistency that was entertaining, yet often predictable. None of that in season four. Each one of the six episodes aired so far has been structured and executed perfectly, managing to work in enough twists and heightened drama that has us a jittery mess until next week. Each episode supplies enough breadcrumbs for the trail to the next episode, and with the potential path fresh in our minds, it twists in another direction we didn’t anticipate. Best start to a season ever.

This Is Episode Six?

Even the traditional throwaway episode six, which from the last two seasons were the really bad “No Exit” and “Red Sky At Morning”, turned out to be a wild ride that had fans buzzing with delight until the end. Throw in a wacky ending montage, no thanks to Jensen and his study of old Survivor videos, and fans get a rare glimpse of the goofy fun that’s usually reserved for the crew during long days of filming. In other words, a major bonus for us.

“Yellow Fever” is one of those double meaning titles that took this episode into extraordinary territory. “Yellow” means cowardly, turning the normally bad @ss Dean Winchester into a quivering mess thanks to a troubling ghost sickness. The other side of yellow is Dean’s greatest fear, Sam willingly turning evil, yellow eyes and all. One yellow was absolutely hysterical, the other absolutely frightening. Yep, this show keeps us on our toes.

Read the rest here:http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/26/1239222.php

Alice Jester on "It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester." As always Alice breaks down each episode and shares her very insightful thoughts. The article is five pages long and I've included only page one here. I would highly recommend that you read the whole thing, especially those who are interested in the Angels. Alice's words gave me a lot to think about this week.

Alice's full review can be found here: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/02/112328.php

What a concept! A horror show where one of the main characters accurately states, “For us, everyday is Halloween,” opts to do a Halloween themed episode. Considering the Halloween season is a disastrous time in the Winchester family history, why not dress up the fact that this year isn’t proving to be any better for the brothers?

“It’s The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester” pays fitting homage to the teenage slice and dice horror flicks of the 1980s. You know, those countless films in which Halloween urban legends were depicted with horrifying gore (like razor blades in the candy) and enough campy teen kills during bad parties to make us wonder how a town didn’t notice the sudden drop in the teenage population. Maybe the motivation behind following that formula in this week’s episode was to confuse enough channel flippers into thinking they were watching Halloween (insert your terrible horror movie here).

Trick or Treat?

Oh, but we knew this was a Supernatural episode. Plenty of the familiar elements were there. Sam and Dean again played FBI agents with the rock and roll names. This week Agent Seger (as in Bob) and Agents Geddy and Lee (lead singer of Rush for those who aren’t educated in such things) were accepted by unsuspecting authorities without question. That’s the second shout-out to Rush this week by the way, for their song “Tom Sawyer” played a big role in the crucial scene of Monday’s Chuck and it was awesome.

The MO started the same as well. Suspicious kill, clue found (hex bag), investigate the lore, give Sam a few minutes in lecturing mode to educate us on said lore, and of course, talk to the witnesses. It wasn’t until the angels showed up that this episode took a different turn, and that turn was good. If this episode is remembered for anything though, it would be the stunning exorcism in which Sam pushed his abilities to new agonizing limits to rid the world of Samhain, all while Dean watched with the most heart-crushing look of sadness and concern.

In comparing this holiday themed episode to last year’s extraordinary “A Very Supernatural Christmas,” this one fell short. The writing was average and the dialogue standard. However this was written by a new writer, Julie Siege, and considering some of the crap other new writers have put out in the history of this show, this was an acceptable effort. Also average here was the directing. Charles Beeson has directed four other episodes but they weren’t exactly classics (“Playthings,” “Sin City”). His style isn’t bad, but he didn’t offer anything exceptional either. Plus, a Halloween backdrop doesn’t seem as outrageous on this show like an over-the-top Christmas theme that’s supposed to represent joy, not human sacrifices.

End of page one...to read more go here:http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/02/112328.php

One more thing, toward the end of her article Alice addresses comments/complaints made by fans about the true meaning of the celebration of the festival of Samhein, the mis-pronunciation of the word and the artisitic license taken by SN's writers. I'm 100% with Alice when I say this is entertainment people not a history class. If you're interested in the origins of Samhain, Halloween and some its shared symbols - stay tuned. I hope to post a second installment of the "Mythology, lore, etc. of SN" tomorrow. Cheers - Flo

Alice Jester rocks another review of Supernatural's recent ep: "Wishful Thinking." Because it is Alice it is a long article, but because its Alice it is SO worth reading all five pages! ENJOY! Here's a teaser of page one:

Be careful what you wish for! It’s dark comedy done Supernatural style and with anything using this genre, the side-splitting laughter usually comes with a dark and cynical sentiment by the end of the piece. Dark enough to even make a teddy bear want to blow his brains out. (HA! HA! Poor Teddy - I just loved this "character!" - Flo)

Despite the sinister territory, the execution of “Wishful Thinking” is perfect. It’s a slower-paced yet very entertaining episode that felt familiar, probably because it’s written by the wacky yet brilliant veteran writer Ben Edlund. Robert Singer is the director, adding to the comfortable flow and feel of the Winchester’s latest mind-boggling adventure.

This week’s locale is picture postcard perfect and the breathtaking scenery managed to greatly enhance the bizarre-ness episode. I was told this is the same place where Men In Trees was filmed (the fictional town of Elmo). One Google search later and the name of the actual town, Squamish, British Columbia, emerged. Here it’s Concrete, Washington. No matter what the name, Squamish is going on my places to visit list.

Clearly the tortured soul of the week title goes to Dean, whose recollections of Hell are coming back to haunt him. He can no longer hide his misery from Sam, although Sam was tipped off by the angel Uriel last week and reminded Dean of that a few times. Dean is coming apart at the seams and his only refuge comes from a surreal encounter with a giant stuffed animal, serious issues with a sandwich gone bad, and taking on Superman.

By the end of the episode, the lesson learned turns quite depressing. Call it the Tao of Winchester if you wish, but the notion that “People are people because they’re miserable bastards because they never get what they really want,” and when “People get what they want, they get crazy,” made me want to join that suicidal teddy bear in his cloud of misery. The ending was far from happy and all those involved were still as broken as when the mystery began.

How Many Times Can You Kill A Winchester?

For all you trivia buffs, this episode has a strange link to classics “In My Time of Dying,” “All Hell Breaks Loose Parts 1 and 2,” “Mystery Spot,” and “No Rest For The Wicked.” How? A Winchester dies. Sam dies, again, this time after being struck down by the sudden appearance of a cloud and a lightening strike. Didn’t I tell Kripke that this show is done killing Winchesters? The special effects for that scene are awesome, equally comparable with Dean being cut down by a car and a desk in “Mystery Spot.” Given the trimming of the VFX budget this year, we’ve learned to appreciate bits like that more.

Link: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/09/012924.php

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Alice Jester Blogs about Supernatural Chicago Convention! In true Alice fashion this one is long but very interesting...tomorrow's installment should be awesome as she will be attending the panels with Jared and Jensen! Very lucky woman...

Alice writes:
Here is the much anticipated day one report from the “Salute to Supernatural” convention in Chicago. I must say, so far it’s been quite an event and it’s only getting started.

First Day

This was a surreal experience from the word go. The day started by me getting up at 4:30 am. Considering that I'm a night owl who rarely turns in before 1 am, I only see one 4:30 a day and AM isn't it. Fueled on a coffee-and-power-bar high and armed with well loaded iPod, I made it to the hotel 7 1/2 hours later, and easily an hour of that was in Chicago traffic.

Check in was easy and while waiting I talked to James, one of Creation's faithful volunteers. He's done about nine or ten of these events for Creation in Chicago, and does a great job of not letting the riff raff in. He mentioned that so far Fangoria has been the craziest (about 1,000 people winding through the hotel in line), but Sunday here, when Jared and Jensen arrive, will be pretty nuts too. He also said there's no Star Trek convention this year because people have lost interest. He hopes for next year though, when the new movie comes out. I must say, that news surprised me.

The first speaker went on at 12:35, and it was Gabriel Tigerman, who played the ill-fated but loveable goofball Andy in season two. He's a very funny and charming guy and his panel was a lot of fun, even though the ballroom was barely half full. Here are some of the things we learned from his panel:

• He's working on an indie film written by him and a friend, greenlit for March 2009.
• He got married six weeks ago.
• He didn't take the news well (in a joking way of course) that he's no longer the only character other than Sam and Dean to drive the Impala since Bobby just drove it in "Yellow Fever." He accepted it with grace though, saying Bobby was "in good company."
• Contrary to rumors, there was no discussion with Eric Kripke to bring Andy back. In an amusing story he told the driver while filming "All Hell Breaks Loose Part II" that his character was getting killed off. The driver asked if the body would be salted and burned. When Gabe replied no, the driver told him "oh, then you're good."
• He got the common asked pranks question (that Jared and Jensen are notorious for pranks), and said he'd never been a victim.
• When asked what actor or director he'd work with, he said Pauly Shore. Ask a strange question, get a...
• His favorite episode? “Simon Said” of course. He didn’t die in that one.
• He let out a strange rant against Time Warner Cable, which in the end was meant to make a point he doesn't have Showtime and has been catching up on Dexter with Netflix. I actually understood his pain on that one.
• His favorite scene -- Dean telling the truth in "Simon Said" and him driving off in the Impala, "which is no longer special."
• He addressed an issue that his wife saw on that site we won't mention over whether Andy was a rapist, (aka, scoring chicks through mind control). His answer was a pretty solid "No!" (the answer was lighthearted, so he didn’t take offense and found it funny).
• He originally auditioned for the part of Neil and didn't get that part. He was called back for Andy later.
• In what is my favorite story, he had to ride to the set in the back seat with Jared's dogs (Jared was in the front seat). They apparently got more of his coffee than he did.
• He also fears spiders and sharks, and told a gruesome tale of his wife microwaving a spider when she was young. Guess what? They don't explode.
• He got the stranded on a desert island question (which character would you be stranded with) and he said Bobby, so they could share driving the Impala stories. Then, in the best answer of the panel, he said that according to fanfiction, he should be hanging out with Chad (Lindberg, who played Ash). That got me rolling pretty good.

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Read the rest here:http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/15/230236.php

Here's Alice's take on Heaven and Hell! She and I share a lot of the same questions and it makes me feel a bit better! Enjoy - Alice is taking a hiatus until January 15th but MVS isn't! We'll continue to post Supernatural news and fan videos to help us pass the time! Cheers - Flo


TV Review: Supernatural - "Heaven and Hell"
Written by Alice Jester
Published November 24, 2008
Part of The Winchester Family Business: Supernatural

Usually after an episode I’m immediately on the fan boards sharing my initial reactions. I then spend time and more posts trying to debunk what complainers and dissenters have to say, asking people in general to look deeper than what was presented.

I did none of that after watching “Heaven and Hell.” After watching, I was left with more questions than answers, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I wasn’t ready for discussion. I immediately did the re-watch, and while the episode came across far better the second time, I was still left trying to reconcile all what was presented. So, in something different for me, I went to bed to sleep on it.

I’m still trying to make sense of it all. The setup seems straightforward enough. On one side are the angels. They can’t feel, they’ve never seen the face of God (except four of them), and they act purely on faith and orders. On the other side are the demons, most of whom were human once and turned demons when they forgot their humanity. The rest are ancient fallen angels following Lucifer. In the middle are the Winchester brothers, one saved by angels and aligned with a fallen angel, one cursed with demon blood and aligned with a benevolent demon (supposedly). The explosive result (besides two very opposite sex scenes) happens when all sides come together in one place to fight for what they believe is right. We get a battle between good and evil, and in the end we still aren’t sure which side was which and who won.

It Wasn’t Flawless

First, I’ll get the nitpicks out of the way, so I can rave over all the great character moments. This episode was written by Eric Kripke himself and his imagination went a little wild here. First, that whole idea of “ripping out grace” is borderline ridiculous to me. Nah, forget borderline. It fell in Kentucky? It’s a tree? Uriel is able to capture it and put it in a vial? All Anna had to do is get her grace back with said vial and she’s an angel again? Don’t angels fall because of disobedience? Sorry, but all that doesn’t even look good on paper. It certainly didn’t work when acted out.

Second, I’m still scratching my head over the construction that went into the “plan” of bringing the angels and demons together. Given the risky timing variables, like Ruby ending up getting tortured and the angels showing up late in the morning (when Ruby sneaked out in the middle of the night), it seemed to be a plan held together by a wing and a prayer (excuse the pun). I don’t know, maybe it’s me, but I figured Sam and Dean would be a little slicker than that. It went over clunky despite the decent end result.

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click here to read the rest: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/24/072735.php

LMFAO! OMG Alice cracks me up. She sure does know her Winchester's though!

Wowza! Alice is intense and funny. She really knows her stuff.

YAY! A December post from Alice all about her thoughts on the Jared versus Jensen debate! Read it through and you'll see that she makes an excellent post! We may all have our favorites but if the casting hadn't been perfect at the beginning we would not be discussing this show right now! Both of the actors have had amazing moments this year and Alice has highlighted almost every single one!

Enjoy! By the way, what was your favorite moment or moments of this season? For me (and Alice too) it was that final scene in Heaven and Hell - OMG the emotion was so raw from both and I couldn't imagine it played out any other way!

Alice Writes:

Jensen vs. Jared: I'm Going There
This is a debate I usually avoid, dismissing it as just a bunch of bored fans stirring up unnecessary trouble. Hell, I even chastised BuddyTV for bringing it up last month. However, two things this week triggered my addressing the issue. First, comments on my review of “Heaven and Hell” on blogcritics have turned into a huge “who’s the better actor debate”, and it’s still going on today. Second, I’ve been rewriting the recap that I originally posted for “Mystery Spot” (since it was one of my first reviews written and it sucks), so I’ve been watching the episode again. If anyone thinks that Jared is an inferior actor truly hasn’t watched this episode carefully. Or any of the episodes of the past two seasons.

What defines a “better actor”? An actor is only as good as the writers’ development of the character. A good actor needs to take mediocre lines and turn them into something incredible as well as sell any dilemma through a series of looks and mannerisms, giving us far more to the story than what’s on the page. Match a strong actor with a charismatic character and sparks fly. Those are the combos that end up on Emmy reels. Those are the combos that inspire fans and critics to gush for hours. It’s all good, and Jensen Ackles easily fits the bill there.

So, what happens when you match an actor with a dark, brooding character? One that isn’t open and often has to sell the internal conflict with tortured looks and nonverbal cues? One that often gives a haunting performance that is mostly noticed by those of us watching carefully and not by those waiting for the “in your face” Emmy submission performance? I’m the first to admit Jared Padalecki was very green when he started. It’s been exciting to see him grow as an actor, and the turning point easily was “Born Under A Bad Sign”. Since then, he blows me away just as much as Jensen with just his silent gloomy glares and weepy puppy dog eyes. No one sells a troubled Sam better.

The writers are very smart people for they craft their scripts every week to the strengths that their actors provide. Write a long piece of dialogue that showcases an intense emotional breakdown, character vulnerability and a gut wrenching weak moment that makes a viewer curse over why they didn’t have a box of Kleenexes nearby and Jensen’s your man. Despite all the fantastic emotional scenes from season four, my favorite Dean scene to date still is from “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II”, when he delivers his punch-you-in-the-gut meltdown over his dead brother’s body.

Jensen excels like none other too as the tough talking, won’t take crap from anyone older brother whose confidence in the leadership department has gradually evolved over four seasons, now soaring to dramatic new heights. As Dean’s trials grow more layered and complex, we never cease to be amazed over what Jensen brings each week. It’s all fantastic, and as fans, we’re giddy.

So, that makes Jensen the better actor, right? Did anyone watch the end of “Mystery Spot”? That scene crushes me every bit as the above mentioned scene from “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II”, and there’s only a fraction of the dialogue. Sam has been through a long ordeal, one that’s lasted anywhere from nine months to a year. He finally has Dean back, but his efforts have left him very broken. Sam is so despondent, so crushed by everything and we witness it in the most powerful way just through his withdrawn behavior, his pained and faraway eyes, his faint smile at Dean’s joke, and his somber gaze at the motel room before leaving. I have never been more haunted by a scene than that one, for any TV show. It made me worry very very much about Sammy.

Of course, Jared’s triumph was “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, but many people didn’t notice because of Sam and Ruby. Sam the entire episode was raw emotionally, coasting on fumes, and on the brink of total self destruction. I bought every bit of it, and can someone tell me which scene had the big speech where Sam wallowed over his pain? There wasn’t one. Again, Jared’s strengths were played. Need more proof? The scenes in the motel and the Impala in “Metamorphosis”, the end of “No Rest For The Wicked” (he’s a far more emotional crier), the scene at the hospital near the end of “Bedtime Stories” and every single minute of “Mystery Spot”.

Anyone who partakes in this debate forgets one very crucial thing, the key to this show’s success is the on screen chemistry of the two actors together. The show wouldn’t be anywhere near as good if it was only Jensen. If anyone doubts that, go ahead and sit through “In The Beginning” again. That was a decent episode that told us some outstanding back story and offered the best guest acting of the series, but come on, it wasn’t the same without Sam. There was something missing. I still think both Dean and Sam should have been there together. It would have brought an emotional impact much like their first visit back to Lawrence in “Home”.

The brotherly relationship is the core of the show. Not the demons, not the urban legends, not the action, not the secondary characters, not the freaks of the week that either make us cringe, laugh, or scream. The writing is strong, the directing is strong, the special effects and set decoration is top notch, but all that pales in comparison to what BOTH Jared and Jensen bring to Sam and Dean each week. They are the stars. If you doubt that, watch the mausoleum scene in “It’s The Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester.” Those two pulled off the most dramatic and jaw dropping brotherly moment of the series without saying a word.

Or, take the last scene in “Heaven and Hell”, the one that started this entire debate. Raise your hand if you think that scene would have been just as good if we didn’t see Sam’s heartbreaking reactions in the background. It was Jensen’s show for sure and he knocked it out of the park, but often we take those little background moments for granted, the ones that transform something good into something spectacular. That was an important BROTHERLY moment, and we can’t forget that.

I’m sure eventually when this show is over both Jensen and Jared will go their separate ways and take new opportunities that will cater to their strengths as actors as well as challenge them in new ways. One will probably end up doing better commercially than the other. In the meantime though, let’s enjoy what we’ve got with them together, for that is where we are truly blessed. (AMEN ALICE!)

Source: http://www.jesterz.net/index.php?option ... c&Itemid=3

Year End Musings from Alice Jester on Supernatural, Supernatural Fans, Blogging and the future...


My Year End Thoughts

It’s incredible to think what I was doing this time last year. After spending the last two months catching up on 52 episodes of a new show we discovered and fell in love with, the hubby and I followed the holiday tradition of pulling out all the old Christmas videos featuring those hokey specials that we’ve been force fed since the 1970’s. After again questioning why Santa was such a racist after watching Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, we left the kids in front of the holiday shows and snuck downstairs to put on Supernatural season one for a second run through.

I’ve been a huge fan of other TV shows before, but no show even comes close to what I’ve experienced since I started watching Supernatural. I’m still scratching my head, trying to figure out how getting hooked on a TV show inspired to me to write an article that thrust me unexpectedly into the blogosphere. How I have a spot on a great site where I can gush in writing over my favorite show every week. How I’ve had the extraordinary opportunity to communicate with fans from all over the world sharing the same love. How I’ve had the chance to actually talk with behind the scenes folk for the show and meet the two stars, finding that they’ve read my work. This has gone far beyond curling up on a couch for an hour each week to savor in delight the latest episode. Supernatural is far more than a TV show. It’s a total fan experience.

No wonder Supernatural season four so far has been a big success. The premiere went up one million viewers over last year (very amazing for a three million viewer show) and it continues to grow in viewers without any promotion or support from their network. Supernatural recently made a very short list of returning scripted shows that increased in viewers 18-49, improving by a whopping 23%. The ratings go even higher when DVR usage is factored, and Supernatural made the top twenty list of Greatest % Of Overall Viewing By DVR.

I’ve read many comments from TV analysts and critics over Supernatural’s extremely loyal fan base. Some think the fans are nuts, others think the actions are admirable since whatever they’re doing is working. I just think the fans know a great thing when they see it. I certainly wasn’t there from the beginning, and I admire all those that have been there since day one spreading the word and keeping this show going. While nothing is ever official until mid- to late spring, chances of season five happening now are very good, and everyone that got even one friend to watch deserves a huge pat on the back.

Thank you, Supernatural, thank you, fans, and thank you to Blogcritics for making this a most extraordinary year. Let’s hope the next one is even better. Happy holidays!

Source: http://www.winchesterbros.com/index.php ... 0&Itemid=2

Flo note: Many thanks to Alice for sharing her wisdom, wit and wonderful talent with all of us!