Review for 3x15 'Time Is On My Side'

[galathea]

This week brought us a lot of gore, maggots and entrails, courtesy of Sera Gamble! *g* I’m not easily grossed out, but Time Is On My Side had me really squirming on my seat a couple of times. But of course there were also the patented brother angst and some mytharc reveals. Rambly and probably not entirely coherent thoughts ahead …



I find myself increasingly frustrated with the fact that we are missing 6 episodes out of this season’s arc, because the last 2 episodes, while very enjoyable and perfect mid-season episodes, don’t feel at all like a lead-up to the finale for me. Long Distance Call and Time Is On My Side are exactly what I expected for the early second half of the season, more focus on possible deal breakers, both boys becoming increasingly desperate and reckless in the attempt to work their way out of the contract, until the tension builds up to a breaking point in the finale. Even with the fact that they dropped all other storylines for the last three episodes, the shortened season makes a considerable cut in exploring the character arcs tied to Dean’s deal and hence it feels rushed to me and doesn’t seem to be developed with quite the same care I came to expect from the show.

I hate how several external factors (strike, budget restraints, network interference) screwed over the whole season and I find myself wishing that they had just ended the season with Jus In Bello and continued all the storylines in S4. I guess I should be thankful for what we got, but it just kills me that it was the season with my favourite plotline so far that had to take the hit. Maybe it’s too early for a general judgment on S3, but I doubt that the final episode will be able to erase the feeling of loss, disruption and incompleteness accompanying this season. :(

Anyway onto the episode: First off, there were a couple of inconsistencies in this episode, the most important one of course the huge timeline problem we suddenly have between Ghostfacers and Time Is On My Side. With Dean’s deal coming due at the 2nd of May and Long Distance Call placed at the end of April, the show was quite on track, and now Time Is On My Side suddenly jumps ahead to the beginning of June and we have still three weeks left until Dean’s time runs out. That makes no sense whatsoever and completely screws over the timeline that was very accurate up and until Ghostfacers. I am not sure if the pressure under which these last episodes were produced is responsible for these kind of mistakes, but it is irritating to say the least. I guess there’s no other way than to just ignore the last two onscreen dates via props we got and go with the 2 months timeframe given in Ghostfacers.

Another inconsistency is the revelation that Lilith is Dean’s contract holder. Until now, I was under the assumption that Lilith couldn’t be the contract holder, because the crossroad demon referred to her boss as a 'him'. While this wouldn’t necessarily be a huge deal for me, because I never thought of demons as fixed in gender, it’s still either a mislead, a sloppy mistake in writing or a last minute change in the plot, and I am not fond of either. On the one hand Meg showed clearly that demons are not bound to a certain gender when they take possession, and given the fact that demons forget about their humanity, it makes sense that they don’t remember their gender either. On the other hand all demons so far did use pronouns referring to the gender of their preferred host and whatever biblical lore the show uses on Lilith, she is traditionally a female, so if they knew beforehand that Lilith was the contract holder, why refer to her as a male in the first place? So, in my opinion it’s probable that Lilith was never intended to be the contract holder and that due to the season shortage, they needed to change plans.

Edit: In the S3 DVD Extras Sera Gamble mentions that the exact identity of the new Big Bad wasn't decided until shortly before Jus In Bello, but it was generally intended to be male demon. The writers made a last minute decision to use a female demon though, mainly to set it apart from the YED. This explains the discrepancy between Bedtime Stories and Time Is On My Side.

Lastly, while I appreciate the fact that they wanted to tie in the episode with the comic - by using the Doc Benton storyline from the Origins comic-series - they could have at least tried to get the facts straight between both media. In the comic the Doc Benton legend includes Benton using a dark ritual in order to secure his own immortality, and John doesn’t only cut his heart out, but also dismembers him gruesomely with a chainsaw. Anybody who saw the illustration to that scene knows that there was really no way for Benton to put himself together again. While we can concede that the legend was simply based on false lore and Sam discovered the true source of Benton’s immortality, i.e. science instead of dark magic, the discrepancy between John’s journal entry in Time Is On My Side and the comic is hard to discuss away. Ah well, I never really considered the Origins comic canon anyway.

Okay, moving on! I really loved how we jumped directly into the exorcism scene with the boys, finally seeing them actually take action to acquire some information, instead of just being told so. The methods they have at their disposal to force a demon into talking prove to be ineffective though, the terror Lilith strikes within the demon world obviously exceeds the YED’s influence by far, which again makes me wonder why she didn’t oppose him earlier. With no other option than sending the demon back to hell, Sam and Dean are back to square one though. And man, Dean looks terrified at the thought of going to hell and being at the receiving end of the torture he just applied to the demon. The situation is bleak.

Sam: "Look man, we’re trying to do the same thing here!"

While it was Dean who shoved all rationality aside last week, when he thought he found something he could place his faith in, it's now Sam who clings to the hope that he finally found something to get them out of Dean’s deal after they ran into walls for months now. In his misdirected eagerness he even goes as far as to deliberately deceive Dean into taking an alleged zombie case, knowing full well that his brother would not be able to resist that temptation. Deep down Sam knows that Dean would never agree to the suggestion of prolonging his life with supernatural means, so he decides to keep Dean on a need-to-know basis and lure him into the case, counting on his brothers curiosity, hiding ulterior motives in order for Dean to play along. Man, Sam is John’s son after all.

While it is clear that Sam sees immortality as a temporary solution (which in itself is a flaw in thinking right there) to buy them more time to find a more permanent way to break the deal, it is still unsettling to see the single-mindedness in which he pursues his goal, and his unwillingness to look beyond the immediate consequences is disturbing, especially after he preserved such a calm and rational approach in Long Distance Call. Sam's attempt to secure immortality for his brother is in no way less twisted than Dean's belief that their dead father calls him from beyond the grave. At the moment both boys are obviously willing to grasp at straws in their desperation.

The central confrontation between the brothers, when Dean wants to pursue the lead on Bela while Sam wants to stay on the Benton case, was intense and very reminiscent of Scarecrow. Back then Dean also tried to lay down the law and Sam decided to leave him to follow his own path; here it is Dean who walks out on Sam, to follow the lead he considers their best shot. I think it is actually the first time in the show that Dean leaves Sam behind - he initiates the separation here, whereas in Scarecrow and Hunted it was Sam, who initiated it. Sure, Dean sometimes storms out for a couple of hours to clear his head when they have a disagreement, but usually he is the on who gives in, when Sam refuses to yield, his instinct to protect Sam usually overpowers his own needs. But here and now he realises that soon Sam will be on his own anyway, with Dean no longer there to protect him. Not to mention that stopping Sam, once he has set his mind on something, is a futile endeavour anyway, so Dean has no other viable option than to leave. And man, the long look full of regret and concern that passes between them when they say their goodbyes just breaks my heart. :(

As Sam rightly points out, they are both fighting for the same thing here. However, their methods and the lines they are willing to cross to achieve that goal are still very different. Dean chooses to go for what he knows from experience will work, while Sam is willing to enter unchartered territory, even if it goes against his principles as a hunter. This whole season Dean’s deal created a chasm between the brothers, emotionally as well as ideologically. To loosely quote the Crocotta - they are still deeply connected, but they have never been as alone as in this season, where they keep secrets from each other and push each other away. At the beginning of the season the brothers have been divided by their different goals, and while they had a short period of reconciliation and defined a common goal, they soon started to drift into a division of means and methods again. Sam’s willingness to cross lines and veer into dark territory in order to save Dean is just as worrying as his increasing trend of ruthlessness. Still, the unhesitating way he saves the girl from Doc Benton’s basement or his care for Lanie last week shows that when it comes down to it, he has his priorities straight and the compassionate young man is still in there, and that gives me hope.

Rufus: "Folks like us, there ain’t no happy ending!"

I had a short moment of squee when we had the introduction of the grumpy hunter Rufus Turner, played by X-Files alumni Steven Williams! I really hope he will come back for more next season, as I instantly got attached to his character. His snarky, and at the same time melancholy, conversation with Dean was one of the highlights of this episode for me! While he was mainly used as a means to move the plot forward, it was his interesting characterisation that prevented the character from falling flat. Finally a hunter who’s is not depicted as a revenge driven sociopath, but as a world-weary and cynical hermit, knowledgeable and resourceful, like Bobby, but without Bobby's social inclinations! I loved it! ♥

Rufus' paints a bleak picture of Dean's future, and Dean doesn’t even bother to disagree with him. These last two years Dean has gotten incredibly weary, his life-affirming and optimistic attitude gradually undermined by the losses he had to endure, and its not difficult to see Dean reflected in Rufus, only 30 years down the road, hiding from the world, because he gave everything he had to give. Still, how many times has Dean been told now that there is no way to save him? Last week he was teetering on complete despair, and he got up again nonetheless, not willing to give up, only to now see his only tangible lead fizzle out. With the Colt irretrievable, he is again left with nothing. It’s indeed like there is no happy ending in sight for our boys. :(

Bela: "I can’t be bothered to give a damn! Just like I don’t care what happens to you!"

I dreaded Bela's backstory ever since Red Sky At Morning, as I was convinced the writers would use it as a tool to redeem her character, so I was relieved that they didn’t exactly go down that route here. While the story of little Bela, who made a deal with the crossroad demon to rid herself of her abusive parents, was just as clichéd as I feared it to be, they at least kept her story short and didn't go into a lengthy flashback sequence. I feel for the child she once was, but I cannot feel for the woman she became. Her immoral choices were all her own. Bela held onto her unscrupulous, cold and self-reliant attitude 'til the last minute and was willing to go to any length to secure her own survival, and that includes the cold blooded assassination of Sam and Dean without a second thought. For me there was no redeeming quality in her character, and I couldn’t really feel sympathy at the situation she manoeuvred herself in.

I enjoyed the confrontation between Dean and Bela a lot, especially the effortless way Dean disarms her and fires a warning shot when she doesn't follow his instructions! I was very glad though, that although his wrath against Bela was righteous, Dean wasn't able to kill her in the end. I am convinced that even if he hadn’t noticed the herbs above her door and made the connection to the hellhounds in his mind, he wouldn’t have shot her. Dean is no killer and Bela is human after all. Anyway, with Bela giving the Colt to Lilith in order to barter for her soul, Sam and Dean have no chance to retrieve the weapon, and I have to admit that I am glad about that development. The Colt was always way too convenient.

While the twist in Bela’s story won’t make her appearances in earlier episodes any less contrived, it does at least put her actions into a new context and with hindsight that might make her character a little more layered at rewatching the season. I really loved about the reveal of Bela’s deal though, that it retroactively set-up her character as a dark and twisted mirror to Dean in this season, highlighting the humanity of the one character through the inhumanity of the other. Dean’s final 'see you in hell' isn’t even angry anymore, they are both condemned, and he knows it.

Dean: "What he is, isn’t living. Look, this is simple. Black or White. Human, not human!"

Over the last two seasons Dean’s horror at becoming one of the very things he hunts has become a recurring theme. Dean defines himself through his humanity above everything else, as it sets him apart from the monsters he brings down, and as such it is the only thing he was never willing to sacrifice. No matter how terrified he is at the prospect of going to hell, giving his humanity up is simply not an option. So, Dean's instant rejection of the solution Doc Benton offers him isn’t surprising. To be stripped of his humanity unwillingly while being tormented in hell is one thing, but to become a monster by choice is something that’s unimaginable for Dean.

This brings me back to the question of how far Sam is willing to go for Dean? Is he willing to give up his humanity if it will secure Dean's survival? Does he even still believe in his own humanity? After all, he not only has demon blood in his veins, but was also brought back from the dead. He fought so hard last season to keep his own integrity and ultimately died for his convictions, but now he seems to be pushed more and more past his own limits. Anyway, Dean’s refusal to accept Benton's offer to make him immortal rips Sam's last and only hope to save his brother away, and the devastation clearly shows in his expression. Sam is at his breaking point, and I think it's entirely possible that he is willing to take even more drastic measures the closer they come to Dean's final hour.

As a side note: Dean’s clear separation here, between black and white, human and not human, is very reminiscent of his hard stance in Bloodlust, and I couldn't help but wonder, if this is the very reason why Sam didn’t tell him about the YED's blood ritual over his crib yet. He hesitated a long while before he confided in Dean about his visions, not sure how his brother would react, but ever since his secret is out in the open, Dean never gave him any real reason to believe that anything could change his feelings for Sam. On the contrary, while Dean loathes the thought of himself being touched by the supernatural, when it comes to Sam, he was never able to see anything other than his little brother, despite the fact that Sam’s visions and his connection to the YED worried him. When it comes to Sam, it's not quite as simple as black and white, human and not human for Dean, and Sam should know that. But could Dean ever forgive Sam for choosing to become evil. And could he ever forgive himself for being the catalyst for Sam's downfall? I really hope it never comes to that situation.

What else was noteworthy:

(1) Aww man, the typical siblings banter, with Sam trying to gross his brother out while he is eating a burger and Dean not letting him win this round was just too adorable for words! I dare anyone who has a sibling to tell me they haven’t tried that as well! *g* It might be up there on my list with favourite brother moments, alongside the rock, scissors & paper game in Heart. I just love that amidst all the doom and gloom they can still share this unadulterated moments of fun, just being brothers! ♥

(2) I also love how very annoyed the doctor they asked for details on the missing liver case reacted to their obviously lousy cover story. And I also loved the grumpiness of the patient they pestered for answers about his missing kidney. Heh! It’s so rare that civilians don’t buy right into their stories and authoritative demeanour, so it was fun to have it twice in one episode. It can also be seen as a sign how their focus isn’t really on the case itself and they become more sloppy in the process.

(3) As usual I love it very much when Dean is depicted as the resourceful hunter he is. In Time Is On My Side he recongnised rare herbs with one glance, instantly noticed Bela trying to pickpocket him, but didn't give himself away and saved his little brother just in the nick of time. If we disregard the little fact that chloroform is volatile and would not stick on a knife, his idea to disable Doc Benton with chloroform, using his own MO against him, was a nice twist as well. :)

(4) Last but not least one word on Lilith: It’s interesting to note that she avoided to confront Sam herself twice now, first sending her demon army and now Bela after him. He is only human and at the moment no real match to the powers she exhibited so far, so what is she so afraid of? With her holding Dean’s contract she also has the perfect leverage to force Sam into capitulation or even put him completely out of the picture by offering to set Dean free in exchange for Sam’s life.

At least it seems very unlikely now that Sam will claim his position as the army leader in exchange for Dean’s contract, which was always my guess from the beginning of this season. Trusting that they don’t conjure up a cheap deus-ex-machina at the last minute, that leaves only two probable speculations in my opinion for the season finale: Either Sam is going to sacrifice himself in exchange for Dean’s contract or Dean actually goes to hell, fulfilling the contract in order to secure Sam’s life.

One episode to go and while I still feel like the season has only just begun, I can’t wait to know how the resolve the storyline around Dean’s deal. Given my predictions I am sure it will be devastating.

Comments

[tuesdaymelodies.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Amazing review! The second the episode ended last night I was waiting for you to post your review of it. I abosulutely agree with you about being cheated this season. Things feel to rushed, I said that the second Ghostfacers went off. Stupid writers strike! I knew it would cost us. >_

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Aww thank you! Always takes me a while with the reviews, but I usually try to get them out Friday or Saturday.

Man, I really supported the writer's strike but the effect it has on my favourite show kills me every time. I can only hope that they gain ground again in S4.

[tuesdaymelodies.livejournal.com]

Yeah I know they had good reason to strike, it just sucks that the show has to suffer. I'm annoyed that the storyline with Dean isn't going to get the attention it deserves. The past two seasons had really been about Sam to me, and Azazel and his plan and finally the Dean gets his own big thing instead of being Sammy's protector, he's the one that needs saving, they're not gonna get to spend the time really needed on it to make it the best it can be. It's so dissopointing.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Dean's deal was my favourite storyline so far and I am really bitter that it was cut down. /sigh While I agree with S1 being about Sammy, S2 was really all about Dean for me though. Sam's characterisation was often left behind in order to delve into Dean's head. This season I think both characters had good plotlines, with Dean's deal and Sam's role as army leader and the cumulative effects their situation had on both boys and their relationship.

[tuesdaymelodies.livejournal.com]

Season 2 was kinda about both of them I guess. Dean having to step up and take the place of his father, learning to live without that safety net and just dealing with his death, plus the secret John laid on him before he died. And it was about Sam and the secret, finding out that Azazel had big plans and that they had just started to scratch th surface so to speak in season 1. And then just when you think it would end with Dean killing Azazel, the gate to hell is opened and all hell breaks loose to speak and Dean made the biggest sacrifice yet for Sam, following in his father's footsteps and I was really expecting a lot of big stuff this season, and they delievered big time until the writers strike hit, and then it's just like "wtc happend to my show?!" you know? Not that I could ever love the show or the writers any less, because the past three episodes have been amazing in an episode sense, but it's just all to rushed, and I feel like the Dean story line is really getting cheated. It might have been better that they held it all until season 4 to do it up right instead of just rushing it like they had to, but maybe the finale will partly make up for it, and they'll come back with an awesome season four.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

I do think S4 has good prospects, with Kripke wanting to focus more on the brothers relationship again and exploring the Winchester family history. I think that's the right direction. With Bela out of the picture there's also one annoying factor less for next season and they might even go back to their old cinematography. So, while I am dissappointed about the shortcomings of S3 it can't really be helped and I look forward to S4. Often a good follow up season after a weaker season manages to make it more worthwhile with hindsight! :)

[tuesdaymelodies.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm already excited about season 4 and season 3 hasn't even ended yet! I heard that they're gonna reveal the secret from Mary, you know in season 2 finale where Mary KNEW Azazel? I heard all of that comes out in the first part of season 4, at least that's what I heard. Either way i'm excited. Kripke has owned me since the first promo I seen on the WB way back before the Pilot even aired! Lol.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

To be fair: S3 may not have met my overall expectations but it still had some really fantastic episodes too. Yeah, this show owns me body, heart and soul! ♥

Heh, yeah I am excited about some of Kripke's reveals about S4 as well, especially about the Mary mystery which I am kind of waiting for since she apologised to Sam in S1 'Home'! LOL

[tuesdaymelodies.livejournal.com]

Oh I know! Season 3 has some of my favorite episodes (The Kids Are Alright and Bad Day At Black Rock are classics!).

I just watched Home the other night, actually, and it wasn't that I forgot she said it, but everytime I watch it, it just bugs me more because it can be taken so many ways, and you know on this show it isn't simple, it's somthing big. And you know for sure it's somthing after the reveal in the season two finale. If only John was here with our boys to find out what it was as well. :(

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

LOL maybe it's better John rests in peace and doesn't know. Or maybe he did already know and didn't tell his boys, would be just like him. *g* Oh, it definitely is something huge. The big Winchester family secret. I really love that they want to delve into it next season, the show is always most interesting and acurate for me when it's about family.

[tuesdaymelodies.livejournal.com]

I agree, the family is the base of the show, it's what makes it what it is. This season has felt a little off to me, because there hasn't been as much family as in the past two season. Its mostly been about Dean's deal and Sam fighting even if Dean wasn't willing to at first, and now they're both fighting and it's like you've said in your reviews, they're loosing hope and grabbing at any chance they can get. Anyways! I know next season is gonna be awesome. Maybe they'll reveal about Mary's journal as well, and I think you're right that John knows whatever it was. He knew all about Sam and didn't tell them, it isn't like John doesn't know how to keep a secret!

[sweetgirl7808.livejournal.com]

Wow Deine Reviews sind die ausführlichsten die ich je gelesen haben. Fantastisch!!

Zu Deinen Bedenken wegen Lilith könnte ich was sagen. Denn ich hab mal ein Interview mit Kripke gelesen, indem er was gesagt hat, das Deine Frage beantworten könnte. Aber ich weiß nicht, ob das spoilery ist. Daher bin ich nicht sicher, ob Du es wissen willst.

Ich mochte die Folge wirklich gern. Aber ich hab auch nicht das Gefühl, dass wir uns einem Finale nähern. Und ich kann nicht glauben, dass nur noch eine Folge übrig ist!! *cries*

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Danke! Ich geb mir Mühe LOL, aber ich schlaf einfach besser wenn ich meine Gedanken in irgendeine Form gebracht hab.

Hm, ich weiss dass Lilith nächste season eine grosse Rolle spielen wird, aber ich weiss nicht genau worauf du hinaus willst. Interviews mit Kripke lese ich normalerweise alle LOL. Spoiler oder nicht, ich bin einfach gern auf dem Laufenden was er so denkt und plant und was für Auswirkungen bestimmte Ereignisse auf die Show haben. Hilft immer die Dinge in Perspektive zu rücken.

Ja, es war eine wirklich gute Folge, wie gesagt, ne perfekte 15. Folge aber nicht notwendigerweise die perfekte 21. Folge. Und das erste Mal, dass wir keinen 2-Teiler bekommen. :(

[sweetgirl7808.livejournal.com]

Ich hab ein Interview gelesen, in dem Kripke meinte, wir sollen uns nicht zu sehr an das Aussehen von Lilith halten, da sie sehr mächtig ist und daher in verschiedenen Formen auftreten kann. Dies würde natürlich erklären, warum SIE zuerst als ER erwähnt wurde.

Aber ich geb dafür keine Garantie! *gg*

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Ja, ich erinnere mich an das Interwiew. Er will sie sowohl als Zerstörerin von Kindern als auch von Männern darstellen. Er meinte, sie wird nicht immer in ihrer Form als kleines Mädchen auftreten. Es besteht jedoch eigentlich keine Veranlassung Lilith jemals nicht in weiblicher Form darzustellen, da sie historischerweise einfach eine Frau ist. :)

[sweetgirl7808.livejournal.com]

Ja das macht auch wieder Sinn. *hmmm* Kripke ist ein Saddist! Mit jedem Wort das er verrät, schafft er auch gleich neue Fragen. *gg*

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Wow, you posted this early. Please tell me you weren't awake all night! *hug*

Fabulous review, hon - you managed to corral your thoughts into order so much better than I have! A really fluent, fluid read - kudos. You've summarised everything I wanted to say but found so difficult in my own review. Yay you.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Hey hon! *hugs* I went to bed around 3am but only lay awake 'til around 6:30 so I decided to get up. LOL dunno why it was still going around in my head.

Thank you! Means a lot coming from you. I even tried to split lots of loooong sentences down into 2 sentences this time. *g* See, I am trying. Heh!

[joans23.livejournal.com]

Devastating to the extreme. On the one hand I can't wait for the finale and on the other I am totally dreading it. Even with the timeline mistake and everyone moaning about the brothers being split up again, I really loved this episode. It gave us so much else in return that I'm willing to forgive a little. I've watched it three times already and just can't get enough. This show OWNS me!! What else? I liked how they wrapped up Bela's storyline and am very happy she's done. I *squee*ed in delight when Mr X opened the door. That moment when Dean tells Sam to be careful just broke my heart to pieces.
Well, onward to the finish, I guess. I can't wait. No, watch. No, wait. You get the picture ;)

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Oh don't get me wrong, I loved this episode and felt compelled to rewatch it immediately. The brothers going separate ways is a season theme and while I hurt badly seeing them that way, I think it is developed in character and plausible. When I point out inconsistencies it doesn't always mean it spoils an episode for me, it's just observation. If I am angry at something I usually express that accordingly. LOL

That one look really killed me too! Jensen and Jared just manage to pack a whole conversation into one long look at each other, there was love and care and regret and sorrow all wrapped up in that tiny moment! ♥

LOL I catch your drift. I am torn too, I don't want it to be the end but I do want to know how they resolve it! *g*