Review for 3x08 'A Very Supernatural Christmas'

[galathea]

Supernatural's first very own holiday themed episode, was pretty much what you would expect: a lovely, peaceful and mellow episode, with Christmas choires singing uplifting tunes and happy families exchanging presents ... uhm, wait ... *cough* ... well, okay maybe not exactly like that. ;)



So, I have to say that out of the two new writers that were introduced this season, Jeremy Carver really makes a very solid impression so far. I find his Sam and Dean characterisation in both, Sin City and Supernatural Christmas very enjoyable and the episode plots entertaining and well written, though both episodes start out a bit slow and need some time until it gets to the interesting bits, but I don’t necessarily mind a slow pace so much.

I still reserve my full judgement on Laurence Andries until I have seen more of him, but so far, after repeated re-watching, his episode proved to be the weakest of the season for me. I am still confused as to why we didn’t have a John Shiban episode yet. He is still listed in the credits and was one of the busiest writers in the first seasons, I wonder if he changed to production only. On the other hand, it looks as if Matt Witten is also banned from the writing staff, which I see very positive, I have to admit. So while we lost 2 very strong (Tucker, Shiban) and one weak writer (Witten) this season, we seem to at least gain 1 good writer in return so far. It will be interesting to see how that develops over the course of the season (well, if we get a full season, that is, of course). Sorry, for my ramblings lol, but I just take a specific interest in who writes which episodes, call it a hobby. *g*

Anyways, while I am the first one to admit that I was deeply struggling with the distance that Sam and Dean kept from each other in the first couple of episodes, I have to say there’s a lot of delayed gratification in the newly found emotional closeness between them, which probably wouldn’t hold the same gravity if there hadn’t been that chasm between them in the first place. So, I was very happy to see that the reconciliation in Fresh Blood wasn’t just a fluke in the brotherly dynamics, but continued to delight me in A Very Supernatural Christmas as well.

The emotions are out in the open and both brothers try to deal with it in their own way, but are now willing to share with each other. I had the impression throughout the episode that Sam was heavily struggling with the memories that their current case file stirred up in him, as well as with his brother's nostalgic streak, clearly fighting with the reality of losing Dean soon, while Dean was pretty relaxed around Sam and obviously enjoying his time with his brother. I think it was easier for Sam to push his immediate fears more to the back of his mind, when he was frustrated and angry with Dean, but now, with his research stuck, the finishing line drawing nearer and Dean clearly accepting of his death, Sam visibly struggles to hold it together.

I think this was the first time since Bugs that we heard the boys openly voice such an immensely different take on their childhood experiences. While Sam retrospectively seems to remember their Christmases as a series of unfortunate events, Dean is able to look back quite fondly, even if the flashbacks show, how bleak the situation was for them and how difficult it was for young Dean to maintain at least some resemblance of normalcy for him and his brother. But since he put a conscious effort in making those holidays as positive as possible for them, taking an active part in creating those memories in the first place, he is holding on to a more optimistic look on his childhood.

Dean: “We have the coolest Dad in the world! He is a superhero!”

The flashbacks not only managed to keep up the timeline continuity to the earlier episodes, they also very much confirmed what we know so far from canon, content-wise. In fact the first flashback pretty much exactly visualised Dean’s monologue at Sam’s death bed in All Hell Breaks Loose Part II, with 8 yr old Sam relentlessly asking questions, which 12 yr old Dean carefully tries to evade by brotherly teasing and insulting. He tries to keep up a façade for Sam, to retain some kind of childhood for his brother, that he has long lost. It again emphasizes how protected Sam was in comparison to Dean, who had to carry all the knowledge while trying to hide it from Sam and being a support for John at the same time.

The flashbacks also tie in neatly with the Supernatural comic series Origins, where we learned that Sam was kept in the dark about Mary’s death and Dean refused to talk about it, not only for his own sake, but mainly because he knew that it upset John too much. So, Dean's harsh reaction to Sam’s question about Mary was understandable, although clearly upsetting and confusing for young Sam, who had no real understanding of the emotional complexity that topic holds for Dean. We know from Home, that Sam never really learned the full truth about what happened in that fateful night and that Mary and the events around her death were a forbidden topic in the Winchester household.

Since the Pilot established that John already trusted a 9 yr old Sam with a gun against the monster in his closet, it’s apparent that despite Dean swearing Sam in on secrecy towards their father, John obviously found out that Dean told Sam the truth. So, I guess it’s fair to assume that Sam’s 'warrior training' started pretty much after Christmas 1991. Although, if Sam knew about the supernatural threats by the age of 9, his demand in the Pilot that John should’ve told him to not be afraid of the dark, makes even less sense than it did before, but I guess we can write that off as Sam simply being petulant and wanting to get a rise out of Dean in that moment.

It’s clear that Sam stole John’s journal before his father left for the hunt, probably because he was annoyed at being kept in the dark and running against walls with his questions. I assume that the first chance to take a look at the contents of the journal arose, when Dean stormed off that afternoon and left Sam alone. Anyway, stealing John’s journal shows that young Sam already developed his disobedient and stubborn streak at a pretty young age, definitely pre-teenage.

We also finally get canon confirmation for the fact that Bobby knows the boys pretty much their whole lives and that they spent enough time with him to consider 'uncle Bobby' family. While this always shone through in the interaction between Bobby and the boys, it’s nice to have it affirmed here. I love that Bobby gave Sammy the necklace for John, and it’s interesting to speculate if Bobby knew more about the amulet; if he considered it a simple piece of jewellery that he just gave away to satisfy young Sam or if he knows of any functions that are connected to the amulet. Anyway, it would have been interesting to see his reaction when he met the Winchesters the next time and saw Dean wearing the talisman and not John.

Talking of the necklace: How much do I love that Sam gave Dean the necklace that Dean never ever takes off? ♥ I always assumed that it holds some kind of emotional value for Dean, and I loved to learn here that it is the visible representation of his connection to his brother. With this new knowledge the scene in Skin, where Dean reclaims the amulet from the shapeshifter, suddenly has a new symbolic layer, as does the fact that in What Is and What Should Never Be, where Sam and Dean were estranged from each other, the necklace was replaced with a simple chain.

What I loved especially though, is the symbolic act that goes hand in hand with this gift, because with this little gesture Sam’s trust seems to shift from John to Dean. In the beginning of the flashback sequences Sam is intent on giving his father a special present, focused on John’s whereabouts and his return. When he learns that John lied to him though, coupled with the disappointment that he failed to be back to celebrate Christmas with his sons, Sam starts to question John's priorities, starts to lose his faith in him. It pretty much seems to mark the begin of the chasm that will open up between him and his father over the next couple of years. Although Dean hid the truth from him as well, he was upfront with his little brother when directly confronted. Sam obviously also realises how hard Dean tries to give him what John fails to provide, a sense of safety and normality, so the gift, he so carefully prepared for John earlier, goes to his big brother instead, Sam’s trust and faith transferring to Dean right with it. ♥ Well, that’s how I see it anyways!

Dean trying to convince his brother on every occasion that their Dad is fine and will be home for Christmas was heart-breaking, because it was visible that he desperately tried to convince himself as well. His hero worship for John, while clearly sincere, nevertheless comes off as an urgently needed defence against his own disappointment with his father’s absence and the fear that something could happen to him. I had to think back to Bloodlust where Dean stated that he convinced himself that nothing could kill his dad, that John was indestructible. So, turning his father into a super-hero clearly was a way to deal with his fear for John's life. It also kind of repeats the sentiment that Dean voices on John’s behalf in What Is and What Should Never Be, namely that the happiness of his sons only comes second to the importance of the lives they save. Young Dean already tries to embrace that credo whole-heartedly, by emphasizing the hero status of his father. That Dean is able to see and react to Sam’s needs though, tells a whole story about Dean’s own needs.

I have to say here, that I loved that they kept Ridge Canipe as Dean, not only for continuity reasons, but because I already thought in S1 that he does a pretty good job at being the bratty big brother, but showing enough vulnerability beneath. Colin Ford as Sam was considerably more convincing than the young actor in Something Wicked and did a good job with displaying Sam’s confusion, fear and defiant attitude. It was amazing how spot on the two little actors matched some of the mannerisms of their adult versions. I also loved that the dynamics between young Sam and Dean pretty much mirrored their normal older versions, with Dean being evasive, reverting to jokes and insults and even storming out of the house, when Sam’s questions get too close for his own comfort and Sam being pushy and stubbornly pursuing his need for knowledge, until Dean relents and opens up.

While I was a tad irritated at first that Dean went out to leave Sam alone (after all it’s post the Shtriga incident), I realized on re-watching that scene, that it is clear that he left because he was upset and wanted to avoid Sam’s further nagging, but he didn’t go far and presumably was only out for a short time, given Sam’s surprise when Dean comes back, clearly unexpected. He also had to leave Sam alone though, when he snuck out of the room during the night to steal the presents and the Christmas tree and lights for his brother, so with Sam being a bit older, he obviously doesn’t have too much trouble to leave his little brother out of sight for a short while.

The sap for brotherly love in me was a bit disappointed that young Dean didn’t physically comfort his little brother, when he was crying. On the other hand it was interesting to see Dean's verbal reassurance routine ("it will all be better soon") established this early in their lives. Adult Dean usually employs the same tactic when it comes to comforting Sam. I utterly adored his attempt to convey comfort by organising Christmas for Sam, trying to pass it off as John’s surprise, trying to keep his brother’s faith in their father up and at the same time filling in on the parental void that John’s absence creates, but miserably fails to fool Sam.

As a funny side-note: It’s nice to see the double standards Dean so often applies to himself and Sam in the small details here. While he questions Sam earlier for presumably having stolen the money for a gift for John, he obviously has no problems with stealing presents for Sam himself. It’s also a heart-breaking detail, that while he stole presents for Sam, he clearly didn’t think of getting something for himself, not even under the pretence that John was supposed to have left the gifts and hence there should have been presents for the both of them. :(

Dean: "Merry Christmas, bro."
Sam: "Yeah! Yeah, merry Christmas. Hey, Dean, ... you feel like watching the game?"

I love very much how they pull off the parallels again, with young Dean secretly preparing a Christmas for a devastated Sam, to give him the illusion of safety, comfort and home, and 16 years later Sam is doing the same for his brother, giving him the illusion of normality, even though it pains him and looks a lot like acceptance of Dean’s fate. His frantic search for a solution to Dean’s deal and his complete denial over Dean possibly not being around next year earlier this season seem to have come to a complete halt. Sam admitting to believe that it is his last Christmas with his brother takes the same line, he seems to have resigned in his quest, which could confirm the theory that Dean’s year seems to be pretty much up already.

Their quiet exchange over the question why Dean wants to celebrate Christmas and Sam does not, was utterly sad, even though I am happy that they are finally able to openly share their feelings over Dean’s impending death and don’t play hide and deny anymore. Dean is looking for closure, for some last happy moments with his brother and holiday rituals can be a very potent expression for that notion. I love how carefully and sincere Dean voices his needs and wishes to Sam, especially compared to his 'death wishes' in the beginning of the season, where he tried to guilt-trip his brother into allowing him his escapades, while here he just drops the topic as soon as it becomes clear how much it hurts Sam. It’s not really much that he asks for himself, and even though Sam struggles, he can’t really deny him in the end.

But while Sam tries to give his brother what he wants, he fails to sell it 100%, just as Dean did in the flashback. Sam’s smile is a tad too bright, his voice a smidge too loud and his laughter a bit forced, the presents exchange slightly awkward. But what he really wants to say then comes out only a moment later in a helpless and quiet 'Hey Dean ...' and an utter expression of love in his eyes. They have always been better in communicating the really important stuff in a silent look, better than in words anyway, and the way they continued to steal glances at each other, instead of following the game, really said it all out loud. Oh boys! ♥ ♥

It’s a funny side observation though, that skin mags and shaving cream are just as flawed presents for an adult Sam, as a Barbie and a glitter stick were for young Sam, while in both timelines Sam’s presents were pretty much perfect for Dean. While I don’t think that Dean knows Sam less, than Sam knows Dean, it’s probably the fact that while Sam intentionally bought presents for Dean, Dean wasn’t expecting for Sam to give into his wish for a shared Christmas and either just spontaneously redirected his own purchases as presents for Sam or he bought something he himself could use in case he wouldn’t be able to find an opportunity to give it to Sam, without getting him upset again. In the end though, the real gift exchanged between them was just spending time together as brothers, like both of them wanted, even if Sam probably wasn’t aware how much he would struggle with his emotions, when he asked Dean for it in Fresh Blood.

Dean: "You fudging touch me again, I fudging kill ya!"

For an anti-Christmas person like me the bloody Christmas story was obviously lots of fun, and there were some very creepy moments in the episode, notably the sequence where the frightened little boy has to watch his struggling father getting dragged up the chimney. It’s also an interesting parallel to the wee!chesters storyline, that in both of the cases Sam and Dean investigate, it is the father who has gone missing and the distressed mothers were left explaining to their kids, why their father isn’t with them on Christmas, just like Dean had to explain the same thing to Sam. It underlines the theme of Christmas as a family ritual and why it would be so important to Sam and Dean that John was with them on that occasion.

The pagan gods' basement was awfully reminiscent of The Benders, as was Dean’s utter rage at Mr. Carrigan carving up Sam. Nobody hurts Sammy and gets away with it! Do the bad guys never learn? *g* Though I have to say, it is funny how Sam went through getting shot in the shoulder in Bad Day At Black Rock without a fuss and Dean just cut himself in the arm in Fresh Blood - with a machete nonetheless - without flinching and yet they both are pretty wussy about getting cut with the ritual knife here. Sam’s fingernail, now that’s a completely different story of course! :(

What else? Oh, the special Christmas title card was very nifty. ♥ The only scene in this episode that I wasn't very fond of is where Sam and Dean burst into an impromptu Christmas Carol, after they mistakenly storm sleazy Santa’s trailer. I guess it hit on my embarrassment squick. ;)

In conclusion: A Very Supernatural Christmas was one of my favourite episodes this season so far, and I found it especially satisfying that it was solely focused on Sam and Dean, struggling to find a new balance in their relationship and no recurring characters in sight, apart from the quick phone-call to Bobby. Now it’s another long wait til the next episode, although with the prospect of the strike not finding a resolution any time soon, I might be glad to draw out the last remaining episodes as long as I can.

* * *
Did you know? Jared mixed some extra alcohol into the eggnog Sam gives to Dean, to make it taste stronger and get a genuine reaction out of Jensen. *g*