Supernatural’s ninth season got off to a solid, dependable start. The first episode was fun, had some thrills, and as mentioned in the last review, encompassed me like an angsty blanket. But the second episode? Well we just got nine kinds of Winchestery up in this joint.
Tonight we learned that Knights of Hell are really hard to kill, but also super scared of angels. A soldier demon resurrected Abaddon (who managed to retain the same sassy meatsuit) who is organizing a Hell coup, while Crowley stews in his own juices in the Batcave’s basement. Kevin is redefining the Bobby job by botching supervisory roleplay but winning at government website hacking, and Dean has already nicknamed the angel on Sam’s, erm, person. There was zero mediocrity tonight, so i’ll share a minor complaint and then rave about the badassery.
Alaina Huffman is awesome. She’s imposing and gorgeous and imparts some hard core presence as an androgynous Hell Knight in the body of a drop dead gorgeous dame. But – and this is certainly not specific to this actress – I always lose a little immersion when a villain is played evil. She has a smirk and a strut, but it’s often very obvious that Abaddon is acting evil. I don’t know if it’s a performance or direction issue, but her terrifying speech to Dean tonight could have had such a bigger impact had it been played straight, matter of fact, or even loving. Can you imagine the threat of possession infused murder being whispered like a caress? GAH. But when delivered as “hey look how evil I am,” any Big Bad loses some leverage. But since I am uncomforatable with so specific a criticism of an individual and to further my point, let’s move on to the awesome.
Seriously? Every episode I want to stand up and give Mark Sheppard a slow clap at least once. My preference of Crowley’s delivery over Abaddon’s is just that, and it really boils down to what scares an individual viewer. And lemme tell you, Crowley is terrifying. Even when there’s hilarity and the rare bumble, he is terrifying. The trick lies in his ability to make you forget that he is so evil he conspired to have Lucifer imprisoned and take over Hell. You guys. He didn’t think Lucifer was boss enough. That’s evil.
Crowley almost seduced Kevin tonight. It’s so easy to sit on your couch and scream “OH MY GOD KEVIN WHAT ARE YOU DOING” through a mouth full of Count Chocula (what no I didn’t do that that would be embarrassing), but if you stop and think, Kevin is doing what most of us would do in the same situation. In an attempt at a vain justice he of course pauses to hear the tempting lies, but sometimes Crowley’s truths are just as horrible. So where do you lay your chips? Sure. Crowley might have killed Mrs. Tran. But would it not be just as likely that he has hidden her in a torture hell dimension so that one day he can bargain with her angry, prophetic son?
So there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write. But I digress.
I’m looking forward to more Kevin Tran. I think he fills the role of Central Command with a new flavor, and I would hate for the show to take on Bobby Singer 2.0. Kevin’s filling the intel position with new tools and abilities. I hated to say goodbye to Bobby (but am not opposed to the occasional ghost Bobby visit), and while I don’t know if it was plotted seasons ago, his departure has done more than make way for technology and youth. Now that Bobby is gone, Dean is moving in to the father figure role.
I try to be impartial in my reviews, but it’s probably pretty obvious that Dean is my favorite Beatle. I think it just came about because he’s the funny one, but now nine years in he is the comforting hand on the shoulder as well as the stern voice of decision. As the show and character have grown my empathy lies with the decisions he has to make, and the fact that not all of them are sound. Like, remember that time he told an angel it could possess Sam?
Zeke. ZEKE. I avoid Supernatural spoilers like the drunk girl at the Waffle House at 2am, but knowing that Ezekiel would return was unavoidable, through premise as well as commercials. But did any of us predict seeing Sam Winchester smiting a fistful of demons while spreading his angel wings? I say to thee we did not. And did you see those wings? Those tattered, boney, featherless wings? Ezekiel has seen some SHIT, y’all. In the immortal words of Truvy Jones, there’s a story there.
On a final note, Sam and Dean were agents Stark and Banner tonight, and that just tickles me to no end.