Monday, October 12, 2009

Let The Healing Sorta Kinda Begin

Supernatural: Fallen Idol
Season 5, Episode 5

Well, we're about a quarter of the way through this season and we finally got an episode that doesn't quite stack up. Not that 'Fallen Idols' was a BAD episode but it just wasn't up to the standards set by the previous four episodes. Its never a good sign when the boys mention (and try to explain!) that they are doing something unrelated to the oncoming apocalypse. It's tantamount to the producers straight up telling us that we're going to be seeing a standalone episode. Standalone episodes are fine, but with the show's mythology drilling the importance of the apocalypse into our brains it seems out of place to go on a random hunt. I know that Sam and Dean bicker over this detail and Dean insists that they need to get some training in as duo before tackling the devil head on but I don't buy it.

There's been a lot of dread on the internet regarding this episode because of a certain "celebrity" guest starring and yes, Paris Hilton does have a relatively large role as the baddie in this episode but doesn't derail the episode much. Wait! What? Yes, that's right. I'm going to say it right now, in terms of stunt casting Paris Hilton doesn't do a terrible job. She's not a good actor by any stretch of the imagination, but I've seen Britney Spears guest star on How I Met Your Mother and barely survived. Compared to Ms. Spears, Paris Hilton is fabulous.




So the boys are in Canton, Ohio investigating murders that seem to be committed by famous dead people. It's pretty cool to have the episode set in a town that I lived fairly close to at one point (not as awesome as the episode that took place in my hometown of Erie, Pa however).

This episode easily could suffice as our "comedy" episode this season as we get to see homicidal versions of Abe Lincoln and Ghandi. Plus we got to see Dean's impersonation of Honest Abe--comic gold. The silliness of the killers and the always funny quips from Dean made this episode fairly funny without being out and out goofy like 'Monster Movie Special.'

Without any movement on the main story line the only thing keeping this episode from feeling like a complete waste is the movement in the Winchester boys drama. It seems as if the problems between the boys aren't completely ironed out. Sam feels like Dean is treating him with kid gloves and Dean... well, Dean knows he's treating Sam with kid gloves and just doesn't care. Okay, maybe that's not exactly true, Dean is too proud to admit that he's treating Sam any differently. Dean is treating Sam like an older brother treats his younger sibling, like he's older, wiser and knows what's best. Ultimately most of the problems that the boys are having boils down to this.

In the end it's interesting to note that you can track Dean's feelings towards Sam by his car. When Dean offers to let Sam drive the Impala you know he's trying to smooth things over with his brother. It's the best gesture that Dean can make to Sam and he's been making the same sort of gesture since before their falling out. Still, it's nice to see the boys get some of these issues ironed out and start making amends.

All in all this episode was not one of my favorites, the stunt casting (while not deadly) was distracting, the story was rather bland and honestly I want more arc based storytelling.

1 comment:

Arindana said...

You're right (choke) about Paris not being that bad. I just hate her LOL A waste of my breathing air. I've banned her name being used in my classroom LOL

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