Review for 5x17 '99 Problems'

[galathea]

Admittedly, I was pretty apprehensive of 99 Problems, as Julie Siege, who wrote the script to the episode, has been the least consistent writer this season in my opinion, and given the brilliance of the previous episode, I feared yet another let-down. However, the episode hit the ground running and didn’t really slow down in the forty minutes that followed. 99 Problems is a beautiful combination of character work, development for the mytharc and monster-of-the-week plot and not only follows logically from where Dark Side Of The Moon left off, but also puts all the characters into position for the (presumably first) dramatic climax of this season’s arc in the 100th episode. Fabulous! ♥



First off, it’s amazing how a clear direction for the storylines improves the overall quality in writing for this show. Earlier this season – in between The End and Abandon All Hope, to be specific – I complained a lot about the lack of consistent characterisation for Sam and Dean. The brothers’ reconciliation arc came to a screeching halt for no apparent reason, and they either regressed to shallow versions of themselves or were strangely out of character. At some point during that period the characters simply stopped to make sense to me, which resulted in a major disconnect from the story on my part. The fact that the odd run of light-hearted, mostly standalone episodes effectively killed the momentum of the apocalypse storyline as well, only served to cement that feeling. Unsurprisingly, the second half of the season, where a new direction slowly started to emerge, suffered from the after-effects of the writers’ negligence to continuously build on both the character arcs and the mytharc. The incredibly strong and consistent arc the writers created from The Song Remains The Same onwards – namely step by step destroying Dean’s hope and faith, while at the same time building up Sam’s strength and determination – illustrates all the more how poorly the episodes from Fallen Idols to The Real Ghostbusters have been executed.

It seems to me that especially the weaker writers, like Julie Siege, Andrew Dabb and Daniel Loflin, profit from a clear direction of the storylines, if Dark Side Of The Moon or 99 Problems are any indication. The current team of writers already showed last season that they can create very consistent arcs, when they know exactly where the story is heading. Not that S4 has been perfect, far from it, but there has always been a sense of direction and focus throughout the season. These last couple of episodes in S5 not only recaptured that sense of purpose, but also put the careful development of the characters ahead of the overarching story, without losing sight of the bigger picture, a balance that S4 didn’t always achieve. The Song Remains The Same, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, My Bloody Valentine and Dark Side Of The Moon all told very personal, character centric stories, while at the same time continuously sustaining the apocalypse storyline, and with 99 Problems the perspective now slowly broadens and shows the results of the characters’ long march into hopelessness. Coupled with the sense of urgency that finally started to emanate from the apocalypse plot, that's quite powerful storytelling. So, overall, I really love how the story comes together at the moment, and I just wished the writers had found their balance earlier.

As a side note: I wasn’t really prepared for yet another season with Sam and Dean this severely at odds with each other, especially since Kripke promised us a reconciliation for S5. However, while I think that the situation is depressing at the moment, I find it nowhere near as bleak as the brothers’ estrangement in S4. I think that is mostly owed to the fact that in S4 Dean’s disappointment with Sam and his disillusionment in regard to their relationship was based on a real betrayal on Sam’s part, while his feelings now are rooted in an understandable misjudgement of Sam’s motives, fuelled by his intense hopelessness and despair. And where Sam in S4 lied to Dean, dismissed his brother as weak and belittled him, he now makes an effort to stabilise Dean and be there for him. So, overall, I am way more comfortable with the root causes that are responsible for the brothers’ current lack of closeness, than I have ever been in S4. I feel the situation is fixable, although it will take a long while to rebuild the trust between the brothers. I just hope that’s where S6 comes in, devoting the majority of the story to a true reconciliation between Sam and Dean.

Anyway, onto the episode! This is the second time in a row that the show gives us an out of the ordinary teaser sequence that throws us right into the middle of the story, instead of just setting up the monster-of-the-week first and then have one of the brothers do the exposition. I love that, not only because it is a welcomed variation from the norm, but also because these kind of opening sequences usually precede exciting episodes and 99 Problems is no exception in that regard. The opening chase scene where Dean tries to get him and Sam to safety from a horde of demons – with an injured Sam thrown in as a bonus even – only to be rescued by a group of militant civilians in the nick of time, is fabulous and sets the tone for the fast paced and action packed episode right away.

Sam: "So what, you just want to stop fighting, roll over?"
Dean: "I don’t know. Maybe."

As I already explicated in my review to My Bloody Valentine, Dean has been on the brink of a clinical depression in various stages ever since the beginning of S2, where John’s death threw him into a self-destructive downward spiral caused by grief, survivor’s guilt and self-loathing, and in the years that followed he accumulated burdens that would have broken a lesser man long ago. He picked himself up time and again, but each time he fell a little lower and each time it took a little longer for him to bounce back from the blow, so it was really only a matter of time until Dean would come to his final breaking point. Over the last couple of episodes what little fight Dean had still left in him has slowly been eroded by further loss and the failure to stop the apocalypse or at least prevent the suffering of the people close to him. Finally, in Dark Side of The Moon Dean not only lost all hope of an intervention from God, but also the faith in the one thing that has always been his main source of strength: family. There is nothing left for Dean to hang on to, his loss of faith is absolute.

Consequentially, Dean’s attitude in 99 Problems is the attitude of a man who has capitulated completely. He fights alongside Sam and the townspeople, but it’s obvious that he simply goes through the motions. I don’t really think that Dean doesn’t care anymore, quite the contrary, actually, but he closed himself off, firmly believing that there is nothing he can do. I think that Dean has internally argued the pros and cons of giving into Michael for a while now and that the events in Blue Earth simply gave him the final push. Dean’s main argument for saying no to Michael has always been that if he gives in, he will be responsible for the loss of the millions of lives that will result from the confrontation between Michael and Lucifer. Now, however, Dean has resigned himself to the fatalistic standpoint that humanity is destined to perish in the fires of the apocalypse no matter what course of action he takes, so it’s only consequent that he cuts his losses and tries to salvage what little he can by using his capitulation as leverage for the safety of those close to him. Self-sacrifice has always been the means of choice for Dean, after all. Furthermore, I think that Dean speculates that he has a good chance of saving Sam by saying yes to Michael and trying to make sure that Lucifer will be stopped before he manages to get to his brother. From Dean’s current perspective serving as Michael’s vessel is a win-win situation.

It’s understandable that Dean seeks some kind of closure before he gives himself over to Michael and given that he is unable to say his goodbyes to Sam, Bobby or Castiel, knowing that they would only try to stop him, he turns to Lisa instead. On first glance that seems a bit random, but I think Dean chooses her for what she represents – the idea of a family of his own and the pursuit of personal happiness – and not because he perceives her as the love of his life. Moreover, I believe that his complete loss of trust and faith in the only natural family he has left, i.e. Sam, makes his ideal fantasy of a life with Lisa and Ben even more desirable to Dean. "Marriage, family, it’s a blessing. Especially in times like this. So hold on to that," Pastor David Gideon says at the beginning of the episode, and while that must sound hollow in Dean’s ears, especially in regard to Sam, I think it still deeply resonates with the family man in him and in the end inspires his wish to see Lisa one last time.

Sam: "I got one thing, one thing, keeping me going. I can’t count on anyone else. I can’t do this alone."

As already predicted in my last review, Sam came out of the brothers’ shared trip to heaven with new hope and a renewed sense of determination and is now the one who tries to hold things together for the both of them. Unlike in S4 though, where he took charge out of a misdirected sense of superiority and illusionary strength, he now seems to be motivated by genuine strength – he doesn’t even seem tempted by the demon blood around him – absolute faith in their ability to persevere if they just stand together and concern for Dean’s well-being. While I think that the last couple of episodes all positively reflected on Sam’s growth this season, it’s his effort to keep Dean and himself afloat here, which demonstrates most effectively how much he learned from his fall last season. While Sam’s single-minded streak has been his biggest weakness in the past, he now turns it into a strength, by putting every ounce of determination into fighting their supposed 'destiny', and where he tended to allow his fears to overwhelm him, he now channels them into further resolve. Furthermore, where he dismissed Dean as weak in S4, when his traumatised brother was in a similarly fatalistic mindset, he now tries to reach out to him and reignite Dean’s strength of purpose.

Still, in previous episodes it became increasingly clear that ultimately Sam doesn’t trust himself to withstand Lucifer without having Dean (and Bobby) at his back to support him, and seeing Dean crumble right before his eyes, not only terrifies him for Dean’s sake, but also his own. Sam makes various attempts to break through Dean’s fatalistic mindset and strengthen his resolve to keep on fighting. At first he tries to appeal to Dean’s ingrained sense of responsibility, knowing that 'saving people, hunting things' always deeply resonates with his brother’s caring personality. When that fails, however, he is only left with the choice to appeal to Dean’s protective streak where Sam himself is concerned and openly admit how much he relies on Dean. In the past that has always been an approach that successfully allowed Sam to bring down the walls Dean had built between them, most notably in Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, where showing Dean how badly his violent tailspin in the aftermath of John’s death affected Sam persuaded Dean to open up to his brother and in Fresh Blood, where Sam’s desperate plea for Dean to drop the show and be his brother again managed to push Dean out of his reckless and seemingly indifferent behaviour. This time though this approach fails as well, as Dean is beyond the point of trying just for Sam’s sake, especially now that he lost faith in his bond with Sam anyway.

Given Sam’s preoccupation with Dean’s state of mind, it’s no surprise that he seems to be the first who instantly grasps the implications of Dean’s ability to kill Leah and worriedly confronts his brother with his suspicion that Dean has decided to turn himself over to Michael and hence is now considered a true servant of heaven. Although Dean denies that claim, Sam consequentially doesn’t trust Dean out of his sight in fear that his brother does something monumentally stupid. In the end though, he finds himself at the receiving end of his own patented way of lying and sneaking out on his brother, when Dean leaves him behind to act on the very decision he denied of having made earlier. Sam’s forlorn and desperate expression when he watches his brother drive away is heartbreaking. I just hope that now Sam steps up to the task and finds a way to save his brother from his own self-sacrificial nature.

Pastor David Gideon: "You’re an angel."
Castiel: "Poor example of one."

Just like Dean, Castiel lost all hope that they have a chance to banish Lucifer, his faith shaken by the revelation that God has no intentions of actually intervening with the apocalypse himself. Although we haven't seen much of Castiel’s search for God ever since he announced his holy mission back in Good God, Y’all, it’s clear that the angel truly believed that once he found God and proved himself as a faithful servant to His will, the heavenly order would be restored and humanity would be saved. Back in Sympathy For The Devil Castiel’s faith was strengthened by his belief that God had resurrected him for a higher purpose, but now that this very belief has actually been confirmed, he no longer draws any comfort from that fact. The feeling that he has been abandoned by his father when he needed him the most outweighs all other considerations. He feels personally betrayed. Castiel has surely come a long way from his confident self in Are You There God? It’s Me, Dean Winchester, where he had the calm conviction that even though he doesn’t always understand God’s ways, ultimately they will always lead to something good.

Furthermore, by losing faith in God, Castiel also lost faith in himself, and where once he stood proud and tall, a righteous warrior of the lord, his spirit is now defeated and he perceives himself as a failure. He is at the beginning of the personal downward spiral that will eventually turn him into the self-destructive sex-and-drug addict we see in The End. While Castiel still comes to Sam and Dean’s aid, when they ask him to – albeit delayed, where once he would have turned up instantly – his attempt to drown his despair in alcohol and his obvious lack of enthusiasm in regard to their fight against the 'Whore of Babylon' speak volumes about his downfallen state of mind. Castiel’s loss of faith is absolute, just like Dean’s.

Like in other episodes before, I have to point out here that once the writers don’t force themselves to produce a 'comedy' episode or try to sneak in a scene that is specifically designed to be 'funny', the humour starts to flow more naturally from the storylines. In 99 Problems Castiel worked well as a comic relief figure, without ever reducing the integrity of the character or compromising the tone of the episode. His perplexed reaction to cell phones will never not be funny, and his deadpan delivery of jokes that are only funny to him is hilarious. And I am relieved that for once the writers didn’t simply use Castiel’s state of inebriety for cheap jokes here, but used it to effectively convey the angel’s despair.

What else was noteworthy:

(1) I think it is odd that the writers chose to set this episode in Blue Earth, Minnesota, but then completely ignored the fact that Pastor Jim had lived and died there (Salvation). We know that Pastor Jim was a close family friend of the Winchesters, so it’s not unreasonable to expect that at least one of the brothers would have referred to him at some point or inquired if Pastor David Gideon had known him, when he was still alive. Not to mention that Dean’s surprise at seeing a priest who is armed like a hunter makes no real sense with their relationship to Pastor Jim in mind. So either the writers forgot that they used that specific place before or they neglected to make a connection to Sam and Dean’s past here, which is sad, because it would have made for nice continuity.

(2) I loved that despite the tension between Sam and Dean, there have also been some nice little brotherly moments, which always demonstrates to me that no matter how much at odds the brothers are, on some base level they never really stop caring. For example, there is the opening scene, where Dean asks if Sam is okay, although they are in the middle of a hasty escape. The way Dean looks around and locks eyes with Sam as soon as he killed the last demon in the big fight scene is a beautiful little moment, as is Sam and Dean companionably clinking their beer cans together after they defeated the demons. I also love that Sam instantly drops his impatient inquiry of Dean’s whereabouts the moments he sees the blood on Dean’s hands and just worriedly asks if he is injured.

(3) The huge fight scene in the demon infested house is very impressive – in fact I think it’s the biggest combat scene in the complete show – and beautifully choreographed. I have to wonder though why Sam and Dean didn’t take the time to simply memorise the very short and simple enochian exorcism, instead of using Ruby’s knife, in order to spare at least some of the hosts’ lives.

In conclusion: It seems that S5 has finally hit its stride in these last couple of episodes. 99 Problems is a prime example of the quality in writing that this show can deliver, and I am really excited for the rest of the season now. I am luckily completely unspoiled for the next episode, but given that there are still four more episodes to go after that, and I highly doubt that they will feature a possessed Dean for the rest of the season, I am convinced that Sam and Castiel will stage some sort of intervention that will prevent Dean from saying yes. I really hope that it is ultimately Sam who pulls his brother back from the brink though, as it could be the first step to a true reconciliation between them.

I had no opportunity to actually watch Point Of No Return yet, so please no spoilers in the comments. :)

Comments

[chiiyo86.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is hard to comment on this review without referring to Point Of No Return... I will try, though. :)

However, while I think that the situation is bleak at the moment, I find it nowhere near as depressing as the brothers’ estrangement in S4.

Yes, me too. As you said, last season there was a real betrayal - also, I find the brothers more reasonable in their fights this season. They try to voice out their thoughts instead of hiding them, they listen more to each other. They still don't quite understand each other's point of view (as it is obvious in Dark Side Of The Moon) but it's definitely more positive.

On first glance that seems a bit random, but I think Dean chooses her for what she represents – the idea of a family of his own and the pursuit of personal happiness – and not because he perceives her as the love of his life.

When I first watched it, I was a little uncomfortable with this scene, but through the many episode reactions I've read, I've finally come to understand its purpose, and what Lisa represents for Dean. Some people have complained that there wasn't a scene like that with Sam, but the point is that Dean can't talk with Sam right now - he would only try to stop him.

I really look forward to your thoughts on 5.18...

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

I finally watched 5x18 and I loved it! ♥

I find the brothers more reasonable in their fights this season
Word! Their ability to actually have mature arguments without letting them escalate to full-blown fights increased exponentially this season.

the point is that Dean can't talk with Sam right now - he would only try to stop him.
Well, exactly. I think if Dean were able to talk to Sam, he wouldn't run in the first place. I mean, I love a good emo moment between the brothers like the next fangirl, but a goodbye between them is simply impossible with Dean's current state of mind. *shrugs*