Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 7, Episode 13 of The CW's "Supernatural," entitled "The Slice Girls."
I'm of two minds about this week's "Supernatural," which made the somewhat questionable decision to revisit the basic theme of one of this season's most divisive episodes, "The Girl Next Door." In that hour, Dean was forced to kill Amy, one of Sam's childhood friends (or a girl that he'd known for a matter of hours, depending on how you chose to look at it) because she was a "monster" who had killed humans -- deserving or not -- and would likely do so again. In this hour, the roles were reversed, and Sam was forced to kill Emma, a girl who was genetically Dean's daughter, but also a girl he'd known for less than a matter of hours.
As some of you may recall, "The Girl Next Door" sparked a firestorm of comments in Mo Ryan's recap, some arguing in favor of Dean's decision, others decrying it as character assassination. The show later validated Dean's viewpoint in "The Mentalists," when Sam admitted that his brother had been right to dispatch a creature that had been killing people, and that his judgment had been clouded by his memories of Amy as a child. Since a show's writing staff conceives episodes far in advance of their airdate, I'm sure that no one at the "Supernatural" production offices predicted such a vocal reaction to episode 703, nor saw anything potentially problematic in paralleling that story in "The Slice Girls."
I don't believe that there was anything in this week's episode that merits the kind of vitriol that "Girl" inadvertently elicited, since Sam was acting in defense of his brother and no deception was involved, but I do wonder whether the familiar story will dredge up old resentments that the writers might've been wise to leave undisturbed. Before writing this review, I had already seen comments on Twitter decrying Sam's decision to shoot Emma without offering her the chance of redemption, since she had yet to actually kill anyone, as Amy already had when Dean took her out.
I think that the biggest challenge facing both the writers and the audience is the inconsistency with which the show has presented Sam and Dean's morality over the years. "Supernatural" has spent many episodes exploring the shades of grey inherent in the hunting world, often with varying results. While some "monsters" who have killed before, such as Lenore and Lucky the Skinwalker, were allowed to go free under the assumption that they were acting in defense of loved ones or would be able to control their murderous impulses in the future, others, such as Madison, Amy and now Emma, were dispatched without the option of proving themselves trustworthy -- even though Amy was also arguably acting in defense of a loved one in trying to save her son (if she was telling the truth about his illness).
So how do Sam and Dean judge who can be redeemed and who is too dangerous to be left alive? The decision sometimes seems arbitrary, and I wonder if that randomness is what some fans struggle to reconcile themselves with. Did Sam simply see his brother in danger (and once again frozen at a critical moment, as he was in "Adventures in Babysitting") and act out of instinctual protectiveness, or did he make the decision, in that split second, that Emma had been so well-brainwashed by her tribe that there was no possibility for redemption? I think it was the former; given Sam's own experience with being destined for a dark purpose, one would hope that he wouldn't simply dismiss another person's capacity to escape the shortcomings of their biology the way he always feared Dean might dismiss him.
The episode was written by Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner, and though their names might not seem familiar, they have written one episode of "Supernatural" previously: "Route 666," all the way back in Season 1. I think it would've been excellent if the episode had allowed Sam time to ruminate on the symmetry between his life experiences and Emma's potential path, but it seemed as though the relative newness of the writers hampered their ability to mine the emotional depths of the characters and create that narrative touchstone.
Still, after seven seasons with Sam and Dean, it doesn't surprise me that audience opinion seems split straight down the middle regarding every episode -- no matter how strong or weak I consider a plotline to be, I can always find someone on Twitter with the opposing view, so I'm sure the writers have embraced the notion that they can't please everyone at this point. I was dubious when I read the synopsis for this week's episode, but despite a few missed opportunities, it wasn't as cheesy as the concept suggested. I do wish that there had been more mention of Dean's experience with raising Ben after he was faced with the possibility of being related to Emma -- especially when Sam questioned his brother's knowledge of child development -- but the episode still provided some enjoyable character moments, both in the banter between Sam and Dean, and in their evolving methods of coping with their grief.
Dean's slowly unraveling mental state was further explored, even after his attempts to follow Frank's advice and "fake it." Clearly, Sam knows his brother too well to be convinced by his forced smiles, and their brief, raw moment of disagreement over whether Bobby's spirit had unearthed a piece of lore or whether it was just the wind was unexpectedly poignant. Likewise, Dean's obsessive attachment to Bobby's flask was further evidence of his mindset, proving that he's still trying to hang on to the denial stage of the grieving process. I was also touched by the brothers' instinct to call Bobby for help with research, even though both knew he was no longer around to answer. Small, character-driven scenes like that are where "Supernatural" really excels, and they always help to elevate the material no matter what else is going on in the episode. And no story would be complete without the prerequisite brotherly conversation in the car to wrap things up, but I was glad that the Winchesters are at least talking about their feelings, albeit in their own gruff, reticent ways, with Sam noting that Dean seems to be choking on hunts with frightening regularity these days. I was also glad that they tossed in another mention of Cas' death, since that loss hasn't yet been discussed with the same depth as Bobby's.
"Vampire Diaries" star Sara Canning didn't have much to do as Lydia (but given a certain scene, it's not a guest role I would've turned down, either) but she still managed to imbue the character with a surprising amount of pathos in her short moments on screen, conveying a subtle sense of melancholy at having to produce a daughter only to give her up three days later for the good of "the tribe." And I was pleased to see the parade of "Buffy" alums continue with Harry Groener guest-starring as the gregarious Professor Morrison -- he seemed to be having a lot of fun showboating and running circles around Sam and Dean. Casting Canadian actress Alexia Fast as Emma was also an inspired choice, since she truly did look like an amalgamation of Canning and Jensen Ackles.
Longtime "Supernatural" production designer Jerry Wanek made his directorial debut in this episode, and his eye for detail was immediately apparent in the thoughtful composition of scenes, the engaging use of close-ups, and the inventive camera angles. I particularly enjoyed the way Dean and Lydia's sex scene was intercut with a victim's murder, creating an effective visual symmetry that fit with the B-movie tone of the season -- especially since it was accompanied by the welcome return of the show's signature rock soundtrack. AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" was certainly an apt choice. The couple's flirtation at the bar, complete with tempting close-ups of eyes and mouths to emphasize their attraction, was another stand-out scene. I hope Wanek finds time to take the helm again, since his knowledge of the characters definitely came through in the presentation of the episode.
What did you think of "The Slice Girls"? Was Sam right to kill Emma, and do you think the storyline was comparable to what happened between Dean and Amy?
"Supernatural" airs Fridays at 9 p.m. EST on The CW.
Check out the slideshow for the full rundown of what to tune into this week.
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I just have to ask and hopefully someone out there knows the answer......
What happened to Dean's handprint scar on his shoulder? I've seen all the episodes and don't remember any that told us that the scar had disappeared, but it was quite evident in the sex scene that he didn't have it anymore. He did have the tattoo, but no scar. Anyone know?
I'm with you on the Sam vs Dean crap. I don't get it. To me SPN is the story of both boys and how they deal with what life throws at them. They are a unit.
I'm totally with you about the story being about both of them. The comments from the fangirls is getting to the point where it's just downright insulting. I read an article about Jared and Gen's baby on the way and so many of the comments were insulting and rude. I just couldn't imagine being that way and still call myself a 'fan'. I honestly like both Sam and Dean equally as characters, I have a firm grasp on reality and realize the difference between real and television, and it really scares me sometimes when it's so evident that a lot of people out there don't seem to have this basic understanding. The actors are friends, the show is about both of them, and the only real conflict comes from the fandom. It just gets insane sometimes. At least the posts on this article seem civil enough so far. That's a relief.
Within this fandom, some people are very divided between Deangirls and Samgirls. And that fuels the uproar when these difficult decisions are made, rather than just the decisions themselves. Because for them their brother has to be right and the other brother has to be wrong, rather than seeing it as two men struggling with very tough choices in very tough situations. I view it through the latter prism, and I'm glad the writers do too.
I'm interested in how the boys, as a unit, deal with what is thrown at them.
I don't see any resemblance between Emma and Amy situation. And Dean was right there and right here willing to give a girl a chance. Sam was wrong killing her because he killed an innocent person. But it's kind of IC for sam so i wasn't surprised.
Something I found very interesting was Dean's affect in that final car scene. He doesn't even seem all that upset by Emma's death until Sam mentions how she wasn't Dean's- you could briefly see Dean's pain when he answered Sam that yes, she was, before he buries it. And I thought Dean's response when Sam put on the little brother face and asked that Dean not get killed was significant. He doesn't reassure Sam like he would have in the early seasons, other than to say he'll try. While I think it's a good thing that Dean is treating Sam like an equal instead of just placating him, it felt as if Dean isn't expecting to survive much longer. Makes me wonder if there was a hint of foreshadowing in there- might Dean launch a kamikaze style mission against Dick Roman towards the end of the season?
The difference between Sam shooting Emma and Dean shooting Amy are pretty significant. Firstly, Sam walked in and saw Emma holding a knife and Dean holding a gun. Thinking Dean wouldn't be able to pull the trigger when the only other choice was death makes it defense of a third person, whereas Dean killing Amy was plain old homocide-- there was no threat. Naturally this doesn't matter in the slightest legally speaking as the brothers don't give a flying flip about the law, but morally it makes all the difference to me, and it's also why I think Sam's decision here can be considered in character whereas I didn't (and still don't) see Dean killing Amy as logical for his character.
Overall this was another mediocre episode. It's sad that this is becoming the norm for "Supernatural" but something's just missing this season. Well, two "somethings". And the lackluster hunts and mythology isn't helping (seriously, why did they use Harmonia, goddess of harmony/oneness and tranquil stuff instead of Artemis, goddess of childbirth, wilderness and hunting and who actually had connections to Amazons in lore?!).
I do have to say that while the "monster of the week" storyline was weak, I loved the moments between Sam and Dean. I could tell just by subtle glances that Sam was worried about Dean and that Dean just ignored the worry from Sam. These small interactions between the brothers are what saved this episode for me. I did not enjoy it overall, but I enjoyed enough of it that it will land in the "average" episodes that every show has.
One correction: As for the writing team, they also wrote "Shut Up Dr. Phil" this season. So, that brings them up to 3..not 2..."Route 666", "Shut Up Dr. Phil" and "The Slice Girls".
I don't see the inconsistencies you describe as that significant. I don't think they are inconsistencies in the writing so much as the characters go with their gut a lot. They make life and death decisions all the time. Getting that right depends on their instincts being honed and focused. At the moment neither are at the top of their game. A couple of years ago, with Bobby helping them, and their mental states less broken, this case would have been solved in hours. They are struggling as people and as hunters. I think that is actually very cleverly done by the writers.
On the decision by Sam, it was a no-brainer. If you watch the scene again, Emma turns to Sam and gives him an evil look, with her eyes turning red - just as the detective's had - then turned back to Dean and, all sweetness, gives him the 'I just want a chance to be good' speech. Dean then clearly wavered, but Sam had seen her deception. Dean hadn't. Sam knew she was playing him. I see no moral ambiguity there. She had to kill her own father, so the future risk if Sam let her go wasn't to some stranger. It was to Dean.
Sam's fear of losing Dean in that last scene, that he disguised (poorly) as anger, was very well written and played. It reminded me of the s3 'just quit the act and be my brother again' speech.
I loved this