Supernatural 2.3: "Bloodlust"
Written by Sera Gamble
Directed by Robert Singer
The previous episode covered the fallout of John Winchester’s death and incorporated a fairly simple horror film cliché in the process. The results were varied, with many fans annoyed with the “killer clown” concept in general. This time around, the writers focus almost entirely upon the psychology of the characters and the dangerous world of “demon hunters”. The result is a tense episode that demonstrates everything currently working for the series.
The distinction of “Supernatural” is that it presents a paranormal world fraught with danger, but the real story is the psychological and emotional journey undertaken by the Brothers Winchester. The characters are easy to care about, especially in their current bereaved state. Sam and Dean are struggling to keep it together, and in this episode, they really are a mess. Both of them are trying to find a sense of normalcy.
I was a little disappointed to see the Impala on the road again, even if it was something desired by creator and fan alike. I thought it was a powerful metaphor for Dean’s fractured psychology, and bringing it back so quickly takes something away from that. Of course, this episode makes it clear that Dean has a long way to go in terms of healing. He’s looking for a father figure instead of becoming his own man, and his choices in this episode are disastrous.
I still think the theme of the season will be letting go of their childhood needs and becoming their own men, but that process is going to be a lot more painful than expected. Sam doesn’t really know where he belongs or who he should be, and Ellen can only give him so much of the maternal support he wants. Dean is trying to put his world back into the safe little boxes of black and white, and it’s not working.
The not-so-subtle message is that change and growth are painful, and sometimes go against one’s sense of nature and rightness. The vampires in this episode are choosing a better way, a means of co-existence. It goes against their demonic nature, but they just want to be allowed to live and thrive on their own terms.
Dean and Sam need to do the same. Sam needs to reconcile his gifts with his humanity and find a way to live a whole life. If anything, he understands Lenore because of those gifts; he’ll never be completely normal again. Dean, on the other hand, struggles with the notion of allowing that world to co-exist at all. The idea of a harmless demonic creature goes against his training and education.
It’s all very simple, but that simplicity allows a lot of room for character exploration. Amber Benson does a near-perfect job as Lenore. Some may remember her as Tara on “Buffy”; here, she shows her range and plays both predator and prey with equal confidence. (And she looks lovely with the darker hair, too!) And Sterling Brown gave the character of Gordon the necessary gravitas to be a potential father figure in Dean’s mind. Without the capable guest cast, this latest look into the minds of the Winchester boys wouldn’t have been so impressive.
(As a sidenote: I also have a podcast associated with my various reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Current episodes cover “Supernatural”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
Directed by Robert Singer
The previous episode covered the fallout of John Winchester’s death and incorporated a fairly simple horror film cliché in the process. The results were varied, with many fans annoyed with the “killer clown” concept in general. This time around, the writers focus almost entirely upon the psychology of the characters and the dangerous world of “demon hunters”. The result is a tense episode that demonstrates everything currently working for the series.
The distinction of “Supernatural” is that it presents a paranormal world fraught with danger, but the real story is the psychological and emotional journey undertaken by the Brothers Winchester. The characters are easy to care about, especially in their current bereaved state. Sam and Dean are struggling to keep it together, and in this episode, they really are a mess. Both of them are trying to find a sense of normalcy.
I was a little disappointed to see the Impala on the road again, even if it was something desired by creator and fan alike. I thought it was a powerful metaphor for Dean’s fractured psychology, and bringing it back so quickly takes something away from that. Of course, this episode makes it clear that Dean has a long way to go in terms of healing. He’s looking for a father figure instead of becoming his own man, and his choices in this episode are disastrous.
I still think the theme of the season will be letting go of their childhood needs and becoming their own men, but that process is going to be a lot more painful than expected. Sam doesn’t really know where he belongs or who he should be, and Ellen can only give him so much of the maternal support he wants. Dean is trying to put his world back into the safe little boxes of black and white, and it’s not working.
The not-so-subtle message is that change and growth are painful, and sometimes go against one’s sense of nature and rightness. The vampires in this episode are choosing a better way, a means of co-existence. It goes against their demonic nature, but they just want to be allowed to live and thrive on their own terms.
Dean and Sam need to do the same. Sam needs to reconcile his gifts with his humanity and find a way to live a whole life. If anything, he understands Lenore because of those gifts; he’ll never be completely normal again. Dean, on the other hand, struggles with the notion of allowing that world to co-exist at all. The idea of a harmless demonic creature goes against his training and education.
It’s all very simple, but that simplicity allows a lot of room for character exploration. Amber Benson does a near-perfect job as Lenore. Some may remember her as Tara on “Buffy”; here, she shows her range and plays both predator and prey with equal confidence. (And she looks lovely with the darker hair, too!) And Sterling Brown gave the character of Gordon the necessary gravitas to be a potential father figure in Dean’s mind. Without the capable guest cast, this latest look into the minds of the Winchester boys wouldn’t have been so impressive.
(As a sidenote: I also have a podcast associated with my various reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Current episodes cover “Supernatural”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
posted by John Keegan | 15:18
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