I can’t tell if tonight’s episode title, 99 Problems, is in reference to the Jay-Z song or not. If so, I may have myself a little DVD bonfire. Clever, though, as tonight was the show’s 99th episode. And what a strange episode it was — as if Hookman (or Faith) and The End had an angsty love child in the middle of the Vietnam War. Shut up. It makes sense in my head.
Where you sit on this episode probably depends on where you stood at the end of the last episode. If, like me, you were a little confused about what exactly Dean was forsaking when he threw his amulet in the garbage, this week probably confused you even further and characterization issues abounded. If, on the other hand, you agreed with some of the very good comments last week that the amulet in the trash was more about Dean giving up on Sam (I agree, theoretically, I just don’t think the episode did a great job of conveying it because there a mishmash of themes going on), this episode might’ve worked for you. Again, I’m stuck in the middle on this one, which, unfortunately seems to stem from my general lack of enthusiasm for the Apocalypse storyline, but I’m leaning more towards the “confused” side this week. While the general arc actually showed some progression, I was less impressed with the MoTW elements and characterization, Dean’s in particular.
Let’s start with the Monster of the Week: the Whore of Babylon. Interesting concept, clumsy execution. Not only was Dean hitting on her in a jailbait sort of way (ew), but within about ten seconds of her character being onscreen, I went, “Evil ***! Duh.” The writers are not very good at holding these things close to their chests. So the big reveal there was not so big. The preacher dude was kinda cool, as was Greg Kinnear Lite (the dad), and I was impressed by the townspeoples’ reliability when it came to packing salt rounds. However, I can’t help but roll my eyes at the “grieving mother” character because the issue of the “Devoted Flock” has been dealt with so tactlessly (for lack of a better word) that even I, as someone who’s only experience with religious fervor has been vis a vis western humanities courses, am starting to wonder if there’s some sort of deep-seeded anti-faith issues that the writers are struggling to work out. Because so far, the Devoted have been shallow, selfish, and screwed. Maybe that’s actually the point Kripke and Co. are trying to make: that the people who do believe are the ones who have a really good reason to. But I really wish it didn’t come off as quite so vitriolic.
Also, the Whore got stabbed with a rather phallic-looking stick, yes? Haha, guys. Haha… not really.
Onto arc/characterization. For the first time in what seemed to be a very long time, we had character moving the plot forward, not, well, plot (a.k.a. Heaven and Hell) moving the plot forward. So the premise is that Dean, having given up hope that his Apocalyptic Last Stand will be of any benefit, throws it all away, puts the pedal to the metal, says goodbye to the only thing he was still living for (Lisa/the promise of a better life after hunting) and prepares to give his fiiiiiine meatsuit over to Michael, potentially ending the Apocalypse. But we know it can’t end yet because there are five episodes left in the season. That’s what I get for trying to be practical about this.
So the level of compelling-ness for this part of the story depends largely on how convincing the proposition of Dean giving up hope and making that decision is. Again, if that point came for you, the viewer, at the end of last episode, then that’s awesome. Dean’s actions made perfect sense here. However, even if I’m willing to accept the amulet in the trash as one part “*** you, Sam,” one part “*** you, God,” and one part, “*** it, I’m done,” I still don’t see the events of this episode lining up enough with where Dean was at the end of the last episode to make his position in this episode sensical. I think Julie Siege, who wrote this episode, has trouble writing Dean’s character in general (see: Swap Meat, Fallen Idols), so I can’t say I’m surprised. First of all, if Dean really had lost faith in Sam after the last episode, I would have expected relations between them to be more strained this episode. They didn’t really get strained until Sam stumbled in, drunk (the little extra stumble by the door was a nice touch), and the two had something Monster of the Week-related to argue about. Second, for someone who’s spent the last two seasons fighting against the Apocalypse and lost EVERYTHING in the process, Dean sure rolled over and died quickly. Not even Sam’s betrayal broke him last season, but toss a couple of tender memories his way with a promise of Paradise from an admittedly biased source (the Whore) and he’s all down for ending it by surrendering to the other side, which he knows he can’t trust? I dunno. I’d like to think Dean’s smarter than that. From the stuff I’ve seen from next week (and I’m trying to make this as general as possible so as not to spoil anyone, but we’ve got three sneak peeks here), it seems like these two episodes might work best as a two-parter, so I’m not going to get worked up about Dean’s characterization if it resolves itself logically next week. But right now, I’m just like, “WTF, Dean?”
And he didn’t even say goodbye to Sam. He’s gotta know that the moment he gives in to Michael, Sam’s gonna cave as well.
A final random aside that makes me giggle every time (besides Drunk!Castiel… hee): what is it with the beer beside the car? I mean, when you finish the beer, what are you going to do? Get in the car and drive. Drunk, or at least slightly inebriated. I guess in this Apocalypse, if the demons don’t get you, the drunk drivers will.
"(phone lady)You have reached the voice mail of…..(Castiel)Why do I have to say my name?"
ha ha liked that, but… "I found a liquor store and drank it" was better. :)
I totally want to have this as my voicemail now! Isn't it hilarious that Cas has become the comedian in recent episodes? It balances out the sad and mopey boys, but I wish they could all just be funny together.
I think that Dean hasn't rolled over and died quickly, Julia. I think it's been a very slow build from the "fight to the death with a smile on his face" version of Dean we used to know back in season 1 and the "so tired that he just wants to give up" Dean we have now. The seeds of this were planted as long ago as season 2, in episodes like "Croatoan", where Dean told Sam he was tired of fighting. Couple that with his trip to Hell and everything that has happened after and it's no wonder the poor boy wants to give up.He knows he can't trust the angels, but he's also run out of hope – hope that he can stop Lucifer, hope that God might step in and help and maybe even hope that he and his brother are still a team. Put that all together and he's drifting. We saw that he's still capable of love and there's some tiny spark in him that wants a future (see his visit to Lisa tonight), but it's no wonder the man is defeated.
Yeah, it's a reference. The song was featured in Supernatural during the first or second season, too. I think that the thing about this episode that killed me the most was when Dean said something like, "When I imagine me happy, I imagine me with you and the kid." It made me bawl. Especially after re-watching the Dream episode, where he saw Lisa and the picnic and stuff. I think Dean's about had it. He's been beaten down again and again, and last week, he found out that the person who quite literally defines his entire life doesn't cherish the memories he does. He found out that he's not the thing that makes Sam happiest. And then he found out that the last hope of beating the Apoc without giving himself over is gone.
Really, dude? Can we have this conversation without you insulting my intelligence like a cranky five-year-old who got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?
Interesting. Its also a sly reference that this is the 99th episode.Me too. Dean is written down as a love em' and leave em' guy, with an attitude that screams jerk. But deep down he is a good person. Loyal to a father who worked so hard to protect sons that he unappreciated them and in the process created a giant chip on Dean's shoulder. He has loved or been really happy with a woman before; Cassie Robinson and of course Lisa Braeden.I agree Dean has said it before. Screw the job. He is good at this, but there are people everyday who are great at their jobs and are miserable as hell. Sam, you know even if JDM is doing more movies I think just to hammer the importance he should have recorded a line of dialogue, you know the line "You walk out that door, don't you ever come back!" I also think that Dean is starting to see alot of Lucifer in Sam. Lucifer would kill all humanity, his brothers and even his own minions to enjoy the whole world, hey maybe even Lu would find himself a puppy and grow a rose garden too. It does look like its over for Dean.I'm guessing he'll do like Jimmy Novak did. Agree to the angel as long as his loved ones are protected. Then the big yes.But I haven't lost hope. Season 6 is full and unless Jared and Jason are going to play Lucifer and Michael all year. Then maybe there is still something else they can do.