Supernatural 5x8 "Changing Channels"

[Dorian Thompson]

Hate to break it to you, Startrek Watcher, but every media person who received an advance copy of this ep loved it to pieces. But to each her own. No problem there. C'est la vie. I thought it was one of the best of the season. The humor slayed me.

 

[AliciaD496]

Loved it. Until the end where they have their 'discussion' with Gabriel I think I was laughing the whole time. The sitcom intro, Sam's reaction to Dean being a fan of Dr Sexy, MD (and the subtle nod to Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Sam being the voice of KITT, Dean figuring out how to work the Japanese game show. One of the best episodes in a long time (and it related into the arc, unlike last week). I also liked that it looked they had fun while making this episode. Can't be serious, dark and depressing all the time.

Man...I can't wait until this season comes out on DVD, I'll probably wear a hole in the disc watching this episode. Ooo..and Chuck's back next week!

 

[startrekwatcher]

Hate to break it to you, Startrek Watcher, but every media person who received an advance copy of this ep loved it to pieces.

So? Their opinion doesn't carry any more or less weight than mine or yours or your average tv watcher. I've seen media people go on and on about overrated shows. I've seen them hate shows that I adored. And frankly I find a lot of tv critics aren't nearly as good as they think they are.

I'm really not that surprised so many loved this episode--I had a feeling they probably would. Doesn't change the fact that I found the parody didn't go far enough, the humor was forced or flat out dumb(look Sam got whacked in the nuts--hee hee!, Dean, the tough guy, is secretly a soap opera fan, DEan is messing around in Sam's trunk ha ha) and its commentary--what little of it there was--was not at all that biting.

I also didn't buy Sam's behavior in a lot of the show. I could see him begrudgingly going along with it but he seemed to throw himself into it--hence a lot of the time I felt I was watching Jared not Sam. Dean I could buy hamming it up though.

SN is coming off the rails. I used to really enjoy this series but the weaknesses have only become more pronounced this season. The writers should stop with these "cutesy"/"funny" stories.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

Eh, this episode actually kind of reminds me of that Angel episode on their 5th and final season, where Angel turns into a puppet. The tone felt very similar in that episode as it did with Supernatural and last nights episode. Who wrote this one anyways. Did Edlund write this one too?

 

[Othello]

I liked the episode because it had what I was bitching about all the previous episodes were missing last week. It was cheeky but serious at the same time and had ties back into the mtyharc. Worked for me.

 

[Checkmate]

I wish we could have had a glimpse of what Castiel was going through. Whatever it was, it was fucking him up pretty badly.

 

[Iasius]

I overall loved the show, however when the characters were back to their normal selves, the continued references to TV shows were in my opinion a bit too much. It makes sense within the story of this episode, but at that point, they didn't remind me of the earlier TV spoofs, but that the normal Supernatural I'm watching is also just a TV show.


PS: I've been thinking about giving up on reading these threads because I'm really a complete spoiler-phobe (I just prefer being completely unaware of what happens in future episodes) and that includes vague references to previews and things you've read online.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Did Edlund write this one too?

Believe it or not, he didn't. Jeremy Carver wrote that. Ben Edlund wrote "Monster Movie." He also wrote the upcoming ultra serious "Abandon All Hope" episode 10. That's the thing about Edlund. For all his psychotic humor, he's also written some of the very best ultra serious episodes.

Iasisus, I'm sorry. I'll try to be better about coding future spoilers. I hear what you're saying.

Othello, glad you enjoyed it.

Mswood, you were saying that the trickster's actions against Sam didn't make sense if he were really Gabriel but actually they do. Gabriel wanted the apocalypse because he felt it was inevitable. For the apocalypse to start, Dean had to go to hell. What did he say to Sam? When are you gonna learn that you can't save your brother? The Trickster wanted Sam to see the futility of it all. He sure did a number on Sam.

 

[Bad Atom]

I gave myself all day to think about it and I'm still not sure if I liked it or not. Nice to see that everyone else's opinions are sharply divided. I think I need to watch it again...

 

[mswood]

Hate to break it to you, Startrek Watcher, but every media person who received an advance copy of this ep loved it to pieces. But to each her own. No problem there. C'est la vie. I thought it was one of the best of the season. The humor slayed me.

Dorian one of the problems with this is the media critics appear to be biased on how they judge materials that spoofs aspects of Hollywood. In fact every single one of them produced by Supernatural has been screened to overwhelmingly strong reviews (Hollywood Babylon, GhostFacers, Monster Movie & Changing Channels) in fact they track better reviews then any other type of episodes that screeners have been made public for.

And sorry but none of them are better (for example an episode that screeners were released for) In My Time of Dying. Just to use one example. In fact out of the serious pieces of work only Lazarus Rising has equaled the media reviews from any of the media/comedy episodes.

Hell even not counting screeners, there are several who have either watched from the beginning or recently caught up who still count those types of episodes as the best material that SN puts out, and frankly thats laughable.

Not that I think those episodes are bad episodes (Especially Monster Movie), and I already mentioned parts of this last episode that I did enjoy (both serious and humorous), but the media seems to have an unusually high fondness for those types of episodes, that I don't thin truly reflect the quality of the rest of the series.

 

[mswood]

Dorian I had pulled Mystery Spot and quoted the full dialogue between both confrontations with Sam (but the post was eaten), and frankly I don't want to do it again.

But the main parts.

Trickster has two specific lessons for Sam.

One Dean is going to die (that no one is questioning).

Two: Sam stop obsessing over it, just live with it, you see what you turned into, don't let it.

Finally when Sam doesn't give up, Trickster finally gives up, resets it and says Sam will find out what this will get him (not learning that lesson).

So it shows that Trickster doesn't have an absolute belief in iron glad destiny. Otherwise his 2nd lessons for Sam makes no sense.

If he felt these events were going to take place, he wouldn't warn Sam about how his he needs to just get over Dean dying. Because a could part of what Sam did was because he was obsessed with his brother dying. He wouldn't have isolated himself away from Bobby and others, he wouldn't have joined up with Ruby, ect. He wouldn't have seen a reason to harness his abilities, ect

So until quite recently he still had the belief that one could change their own destiny.

Now you could argue that when he tells Sam that he's had enough (at his final moments in Mystery Spot) that he loses that belief, that he sees Sam wont change, that he will barrel down into his "destiny".

 

[Dorian Thompson]

But In my Time of Dying received overwhelmingly positive reviews as well once aired. As for what Gabriel originally said to Sam, it's all in the interpretation. Each of these characters is filtering things through a personal bias as to what's "the truth" and "destiny." That's what I like about the show. NO one is overwhelmingly "right" like Clark Kent and the antagonists like Trickster and Zachariah have some things to say that aren't necessarily wrong. One could sure argue that Gordon was right.

What can I say? I enjoy the off the wall humor. Not everyone does, but I do. Different strokes. I'm not right and startrekwatcher wrong. You're in between. We run the spectrum.

Now you could argue that when he tells Sam that he's had enough (at his final moments in Mystery Spot) that he loses that belief, that he sees Sam wont change, that he will barrel down into his "destiny".

That's exactly how I see it, mswood.

 

[Lt. Trull]

Well... it actually comes down to one of the last conversations....
Is Gabby going to balls up and stand up to his relatives....
That's the true lesson here.

 

[Servo]

I'm actually starting to think that startrekwatcher hates everything he watches on TV. I don't think I've ever seen him speak positively in any show thread I've seen him post in. In fact, it's gotten so predictable that I knew even before opening this thread that his post would be slating the episode.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

If anyone's worried, (and out of respect for Iasius I won't go into details) SPN will return to open a vein drama a la season 4 starting in episode 10. It won't be funny forever. I like the funny and the drama, so I'm covered.

I think Startrekwatcher likes Mad Men.....maybe? I like Mad Men. Did you know that one of Supernatural's writers from last season, Cathryn Humphris, is the story editor for Mad Men this season? Mad Men won best drama.

 

[mswood]

Dorian I wasn't trying to say that "In My Time of Dying got bad reviews", just that the ones I saw weren't gushing glowing reviews (well some were) that seem to follow around the comedy episodes that focus on media.

But if you notice (just on the threads here and two other sites that heavily feature SN) there are two types of shows that have are very polarizing. The comedy episodes, and then the episodes that get the Dean Girls and Sam girls up in arms.

Yet that polarity never seems to hit the media reviewers for the comedy episodes (ever). Look at 30 Rock its praised left and right by media critics yet it doesn't seem that loved by the viewing audience. Hell I hear more praise from general viewer for Mad Men then I ever hear about30 Rock and the show has a quarter of the audience.

On another subject how awesome was it that SN (and for that matter VD) tied Fox in adults 18-34 (and Fox is the only other network that does really seek out that demo).

And how impressive that we now have three weeks of SN holding an equal male audience (or greater) then the female one. Very surprising with the considerable female audience that VD has (though out of the female driven shows it does have the largest percentage of male viewers).

 

[mswood]

Dorian

One thing I think the producers have done poorly is how they have ordered these episodes. This is the longest stretch of episodes with a humorous (or off beat) theme that the show has ever aired in one primary segment.

I think it really was a error. Of course for example I thought an episode like The Curious Case of Dean Winchester was going to play more like Cris Angel is a Douche Bag. An episode that had a few cute moments, but was exceptionally serious (I really liked that episode). Just something like that would have made the stretch between 5-9 a lot easier to swallow for fans like myself who like some of the humor, but thank a little goes a long ways.

I do like what I hear about the two parter (well all but two things, damn it), and I really really hope its a step up from last years very disappointing two parter.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Oh, I hear you, mswood. It's copacetic. I've seen 30 Rock. I think it's funny, too, but it's a quirky kind of humor that you either appreciate or you don't. I'm not surprised that it doesn't have mass appeal. The media does like the SPN comedy eps, which also have the weird humor, but then again those are the eps that SPN's PTB always release in their entirety in advance to media people. They never release the dramatic eppies in advance. "In My Time of Dying" is still my number 2 overall rated episode of SPN, and "On the Head of a Pin" still tops my list. I adore the dramatic eps. It's just that the last eps have been comedy heavy so some folks are saying "too much with them." But the same folks also said "the show's too dark" last year when it was ultra serious for so long. It goes to show you can't please everybody so you may as well tell your story.

Yeah, Mad Men is pretty high on the buzz meter for a show with such a small audience. I love that show, too, but it's even slower build than SPN, much slower. The payoffs are always great, though. Vincent Kartheiser is brilliant in his part. So are Christina Hendricks and January Jones. The one actor that everyone thinks is so brilliant, Jon Hamm, is only so so for me, but mileage varies.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I'm actually starting to think that startrekwatcher hates everything he watches on TV.

It isn't my fault that tv is so crappy. I actually wouldn't watch these shows if I didn't like certain aspects or had been a fan back when the series was good and wanted to see how it all ends--good or bad.

I know there are internet fans that watch a show just to bash it but if I don't enjoy a show I stop watching it i.e. Stargate Universe, Sanctuary, Nip/Tuck, True Blood. I do think sitcoms these days are awful and don't bother watching them.

Yes I'm hard on Heroes but I specify what I disliked about the show. I do think the characters are dull, the pacing is plodding and the creative choices have been questionable. Interesting material has failed to be fully mined in my opinion. But if you disagree and love it that's cool.

Fringe I do think is a pale imitation of The X-Files and should try to carve out its own identity by embracing its mythology which at this moment is the only thing keeping me as a viewer otherwise I would have stopped watching.

There are shows I do enjoy on a regular basis but don't usually post about either because there isn't a thread, not much discussion/activity or is a show that you simply enjoy and doesn't lend itself to any real discussion i.e. Gossip Girl(yes this is a guilty pleasure but entertaining nonetheless)/Vampire Diaries(I have been surprised by how good the three leads are and the storylines have been entertaining so far)/The Legend of the Seeker(a solid fantasy show love the three leads)/Burn Notice or I enjoy the show and manuevering through some threads is like a minefield because of the spoilers and theories that I want to avoid being exposed to i.e. Flash Forward or LOST--the latter series which I have nothing but positive things to say about it from its inventive intriguing mysteries to the impressive structuring to its WTF cliffhangers. Lost has not had one bad episode since the middle of season 3. The worst that can be said about its weakest episode is that it was average.

I can't help that this tv season has been weak compared to years past when I did enjoy Heroes in season one, Jericho, Prison Break, SCC, Damages in season one etc. And it isn't just tv that I find poor--cable news, music, films. In fact, I find myself preferring to watch an old tv series, an older film and popping in a CD from Fleetwood Mac or GreenDay than anything that is out now.

And I do think SN is better when it is a straight-up drama and not trying to do these inane comedy riffs. And I do feel the show has been weaker than last season and uneven. A lot of the episodes don't feel worthwhile on their own beyond seeding plot points for later use. The only really solid episode with no flaws this season was "I Believe that Children are Our Future". The season premiere did a bit too much of everything without doing most of it justice. "Good God Y'All" was decent fare but nothing that really engrossed me. I though the guest stars were wasted. I could go on but I've made these same points in the earlier threads.

I don't think I've ever seen him speak positively in any show thread I've seen him post in.

And if you disagreed with anything I said you could have countered it if you believed I was off base.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

And I do think SN is better when it is a straight-up drama and not trying to do these inane comedy riffs.

Fair enough. I don't agree with you but I don't want to chase you away either. You have every right to post a non favorable opinion.

I thought the questions in Japanese were such a clever touch. The issues between the brothers are still lurking but they've buried them and don't recognize that they're still there waiting to fuck them up, just like they didn't recognize the Japanese words. It didn't strike me as juvenile because there really is a Japanese game show where guys get smacked in the testicles if they answer incorrectly. I'd seen that youtube clip before. Think about it, Dean answered "yes" to his question and he didn't get hit in the jewels. It was the "right" answer that he's thought, at least on occasion, that his folks would be alive if Sam hadn't been born.

And no matter the problems, it's still 100 times better than post season one Heroes. And LOST most certainly has had a bad episode since season three. Kate's still in it. I quit LOST in season two because I got tired of the unending questions and no answers, and because I think Kate is the most annoying broad on television. Just shoot her already.