Rufus

Supernatural 5.04 The End "Am I my Brothers Keeper?"

2009-10-02T03:23:00.000-07:00

The last few episodes have centered around Sam being Lucifer's vessel and Dean being Michael's. The choice both have to make is, do they say yes. Sam and Dean have been hunters their whole lives and they try to save people but for a short while Dean tired of the role and at the begining of "The End" says no to Sam. Sam wanted to hunt again, work for redemption and Dean felt that it was too dangerous for them to be together.

Dean: Look Sam, it doesn't matter whatever we do. I mean, it turns out that you and me we're the, uh Fire in the oil of Armageddon. On that basis alone we should just pick a hemisphere, stay away from each other for good.

Sam: Dean, it does not have to be like this. We can fight it.

Dean: Yeah, you're right, we can, but not together. Sam I think we're weaker because whatever we have between us--love, family, whatever it is. They are going to use it against us. And you know that. We're better apart. We got a better chance of dodging Lucifer and Michael, and this whole damn thing. If we just go our own ways.

In a cosmic war it seems that humanity got lost in the battle between the Angels and Demons. Dean is holding fast to the rejection of allowing Michael using him as a vessel. Zachariah uses a trip to the future in hopes of winning Deans cooperation. We find out that after Dean rejects Sam the brothers never speak again and the world suffers for it. We see a world that is a battlefield of humans fighting other humans infected by the Croatoan virus. Dean meets himself and what is left is someone Dean never thought he could turn into. Castiel is no longer an Angel of any power who longs to belong to that better club he was a wing wearing member of. Now, Castiel is a lost guru, stoned, skirt chasing. Chuck is no prophet past his telling Dean that toilet paper is the new gold. When Chuck asks Dean what to do now that their supplies are so low Dean suggests they 'share' and Chuck gives him a strange look. One reason could be just how ruthless the Future Dean has become. This Dean abandons his car, uses people, biding his time before he gets to die. All this because he said no to the person who counted.

Zachariah sent Dean to a future where hope is lost and Lucifer is getting to wipe the earth clean of the hairless apes he hates so much. In a final ploy to get Dean to say yes to Michael, the Future Dean uses his friends as decoys while he makes a final desperate run with the magical 'Colt' to kill Lucifer. He tells his former self to say yes when he gets the chance. Lucifer kills Dean and then turns to find the Dean of the past. Again we get to hear how he fell, with a few more details:

Sam/Lucifer: You know why God cast me down? Because I loved him--more than anything. And then God created...you. The little...hairless apes. And then he asked all of us to bow down before you...to love YOU more than HIM. And I said "Father...I can't!" I said "These human beings are flawed--murderous--and for that God had Michael cast me into Hell. Now tell me...does the punishment fit the crime? Especially when I was right. Look at what six billion of you have done to this thing. And how many of you blame me for it.

Dean: You're not fooling me, you know that? With this sympathy for the devil crap! I know what you are.

Sam/Lucifer: What am I?

Dean: You're the same thing only bigger. The same brand of cockroach I've been squashing my whole life, and ugly, evil, belly-to-the-ground, Supernatural piece of crap. The only difference between them and you is the size of your ego...

Lucifer: I know you won't. I know you won't say yes to Michael either. And I know you won't kill Sam. Whatever you do...you will end up here. Whatever choices you make. Whatever details you alter. We will always end up...here. I win--So, I win.

Dean: You're wrong.

Zachariah returns Dean to the past and again asks him to accept Michael. The Angels, Lucifer and future self have pounded into Dean that nothing he can do will change the fact that the only choice is to say yes to Michael,learn his lesson obey, play his part. But Dean just says 'nah'. This enrages Zachariah who decides to use force but Dean disappears to the road where Castiel has been waiting patiently. Castiel asks Dean what he is going to do and this Dean the Dean who gets the chance to do it over again reaches out to the brother he had resented, grown tired of worrying about and this time it's to make things between them right.

Sam: What made you change you're mind?

Dean: Long story. The point is...maybe we are each others achilles heel. Maybe they'll find a way to use us against each other. I don't know. I just know we're all we've got. More than that...we keep each other human.

Sam: Thank you. Really, thank you. I won't let you down.

Dean: Oh, I know it. I mean, you are the second best hunger on the planet.

Sam: So what do we do now?

Dean: We make our own future.

Sam: I quess we have no choice.

A Christmas Carol was referenced by Dean when he called Zach the Ghost of Christmas. The book is a reminder to people that only thinking of our own personal gain makes the world a cold, lonely, prison. Dean got a chance to change the future and he chooses to do it with his brother. He's not only his brothers keeper but the only chance the world has to prove Lucifer wrong. Sam had a choice to stay out of the fight but with the help of a fellow worker (Lindsey) he chose to think that he could change. Dean got the chance to look at his brother with a new perspective on the consequences of his earlier choice and chooses his brother over Michael. They don't know what will happen from here but now each learned from their past mistakes and with each others help will remember to be humans first, hunters second.

* I do have hope for some of the Angels like Anna and Castiel as they have gotten closer to humanity and have learned to see that there is more to living than an eternal war.

I have to say that Season five of Supernatural reminds me of Season five of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I see Dean as Buffy and Sam as Willow. Sam has had a lot of power to use and he didn't use it well and we ended up with the black-eyed Sam who killed Lilith and kicked off the Apocalypse by letting Lucifer out of the place he had been trapped in. With this last episode Dean reminded me of Buffy in the season five episode "Weight of the World" where his brother has become a weight that he feels is too much to bear along with the future of mankind. His journey to the future brings a new beginning for the brothers as Sam has realized that the power he craved had taken over his life and clouded his judgement on how to deal with the apocalypse. And Dean, he realized that without his family and friends the future was bleak. My only question is will there be a Supernatural version of season five Buffy's "The Gift?"

Supernatural

2009-09-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

News on Supernatural ratings.

For reviews for Supernatural I've found the best is The Watcher, Maureen Ryan.

Supernatural 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil

2009-09-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

Yippie!!!! The first episode of season five started with a plane ride...yes including oxygen masks. First we saw Sam and Dean where we left them last season, watching while the door was opening for Lucifer. They did try to leave but ended up in a plane while a light pierced the sky from where they had been. One of the better questions of the night being "How did we end up on Soul Plane? What was there left to do but find the prophet Chuck? Bad news, the arch-angels smoked the heck out of Castiel...proof being a molar (Cas blew up like a water balloon full of chunky soup) left in the prophets hair. Next part to the bad news was that angelic jerk Zachariah showed up to piss everyone up with a speech and some of it kinda made some sense:

Zachariah: Maybe we let it happen. We didn't start anything, right Sammy? you had a chance to stop your brother and you couldn't. Why quibble over who started what. Let's just say it was all of our faults and move on. Like it or not it's Apocalypse Now and we're back on the same team.

Let's just say that Zach is a lousy coach who doesn't fill anyone with confidence. Dean showed Zach the door with a trick he learned from his friend Cas. To make a long episode short, it turns out that Dean is the vessel for the angel Michael and Zach wants Dean to just let the Angel in. He goes as far as to give Dean cancer and take out Sam's lungs and when it was getting fun Castiel shows up (good trick given he was recently a tooth in the prophets hair) and sends a few angels a packing. Zachariah looked like someone had ruined a good plan:

Zachariah: How are you......
Castiel: ALIVE? That's a good question. How did these two end up on that airplane? Another good question, because the Angels didn't do it. I think we both know the answer don't we.
Zach: No, that's not possible.
Castiel: Scares you--well it should. Now put these boys back together and GO--I won't ask twice.

Zach did just that, he left. Then we find out that Lucifer is about to score a vessel and it's time to get to work.

I have to mention that one of the helpers tonight was a clavicle caressing slash writer Becky who stayed around long enough to touch Sam and state her disappointment on Dean. Slash writers...gotta love them.

There were two stories going on. The brothers and Lucifer. Lucifer was selecting a lucky volunteer to be a vessel. We got to meet Nick/future home of Lucifer, who has had a tragedy and isn't dealing well with the loss of his wife and baby. Lucifer came to Nick in the form of his wife and made his pitch:

Lucifer: You call me Satan and Devil but do you know my crime? I loved God too much, and for that he betrayed me--punished me. Just as he's punished you. How could God stand idly by while that man broke into your home, butchered your family in their beds? There are only two rational answers, Nick. Either he's sadistic or he simply doesn't care. You're angry, you have every right to be. I am angry too. That's why I want to find him, call him accountable for his actions. Just because he created us, doesn't mean he can toy with us like playthings...I can give you the next best thing--God did this to you Nick, and I can give you justice.

I know that Lucifer was sort of talking about Nick but it was really about his obsession with a God that didn't love him enough. I almost expected him to say "if he won't love me over everyone else, then no one will be able to love him once I've finished with him." Sure he mentioned justice for Nick but it was really only about what he wanted for himself. I can see why the angel Michael kicked him to the basement.

I forgot about Bobby. As soon as he rejected Sam I knew there was something wrong. It got Sam to leave and Dean alone to face a posessed Bobby. What the demons didn't count on was Bobby making the self-sacrificing choice to ruining Meg's party. Yeah, Meg's back and she took the time to lip lock with Dean before having Bobby kill him. Bobby wouldn't ever give up on Sam and he took the time to make sure Sam knew that.

The last scene had Dean vent about his lack of trust for the brother who chose a demon over him. I wonder how long it will take Dean to get over that hurt?

Things I loved the best about episode 5.01:

Becky caressing Sam's firm chest.

Bobby being the worst patient on the planet.

Chuck plucking the tooth from his hair.

Castiel telling his former superior Zachariah to 'shoo'.

Castiel kicking some Angel ass.

Bobby telling Sam he'd never give up on him.

Now a few questions:

How did Castiel get re-created?

If the Angels didn't put Sam and Dean on that plane, who did?

Did Sam really get some spiritual methadone in that short trip?

Can Dean forgive Sam?

Supernatural 4.1 Lazarus Rising (Touched by a what?)

2008-09-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

First a few articles:

'Supernatural' season premiere: Back from hell

'Supernatural,' 'Flashpoint' score sweet ratings

CW’s ‘Supernatural’ offers hell of a good time

On TV last night: ‘Supernatural’

'Supernatural' 4.02 Preview: Are You There God?

Out of all the shows I watch I had the most fun with Supernatural's "Lazarus Rising". Besides the fun parts with the Ipod and "Jesse Forever", I find that the show is just getting better with time. I know there will be some that say that Angels may be a sappy addition I have the feeling that Castiel (everyone google now)isn't that humble a creature (notice when he showed his wings they weren't the pure white but dark). We know the demon knife and all the other usual goodies can't even touch him, but something isn't right about the whole thing which will be why this season may get fun. Then we have the fact that Dean and Sam are lying to each other and did anyone notice the Buffy parallel in Dean digging his way out of the grave. Dean doesn't have fluffy memories of a heaven but the real torment of hell. Sam is killing demons on his own in a very effective way. So, the rest of season four has lots to work with storywise. For me, Supernatural had the best season premiere of anything I've seen yet which includes Sarah Connor, Mad Men, and Bones.

It's all Garbage, Mad Men 2.7 "The Golden Violin"

2008-09-09T04:08:00.000-07:00

Garbage, not all of it can be tossed away as easily as that beer can Don throws after the picnic with the family. He directs his son to pee behind a tree then Betty flips all the refuse off the blanket and they drive away leaving it behind. Nothing green about those days. Duck also mentioned that the one thing strange he saw on a hunting trip was a refrigerator in the pond. So there's the by-product of a life of consuming and the garbage that is slowly dragging Don down. Cooper told him to get into a tux and become the horse chasing the carrot. He may not have fired Don for his fake identity but he does use it to keep him in line in a very subtle way.

The Golden Violin is a story written by Paul Cosgrove and read by Salvatore. It's beautiful but can't play a thing, kind of like Salvatore's crush. Once Salvatore could see that deeper than the account man he had worked by a crush seems to have developed. Trouble comes in the form of a kitty, Kitty the wife. Salvatore cooks, decorates, cleans, and treats Kitty very much like he treats his mother. Kitty can only look puzzled as she watches Salvatore fuss over his dinner date which is what he considers Paul's visit. Paul is oblivious and Salvatore doesn't want to ruin the status quo. Will anything develop past pasta night, I don't know.

Besides pissing in the park we have the final scenes at the party with Jimmy and Bobbie. Jimmy is a jerk but when you look at his eyes you can see he is hurting and strikes out at Peggy first when he states the obvious about Don's relationship with his wife. Peggy becomes sickened and strikes right back with a racist comment. Jimmy then moves onto the one he should have stepped outside with. He calls Don the garbage that he considers him to be. He's right, Don shouldn't sleep with someone's wife but on the other hand, Jimmy should have left Betty out of it. Bobbies role in the party is a bit less clear but I'd bet that she egged old Jimmy on to get even with Don.

I wonder who the blonde in the flashback is?

Roger is a jerk and set up a potential cat fight between Joan and Jane from Jane street.

The painting in Coopers office, means nothing more than numbers to the man, numbers and proof that he has arrived. Liking the painting has nothing to do with it.

I wonder if Don gets a replacement car now that the new interior relects the mess he has created.

Is Plump Pretty?

2008-09-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

True Blood is starting tonight and here's an article to carry on with the talk for the vampire people. Vampires Stake a Claim on Audiences' Hearts There's mention of Buffy ex Angel. The vampire in our pop culture has changed so much that they barely resemble the monster in Dracula. They reflect us a bit more closely in that there is no absolute in good and evil. I haven't seen True Blood yet but in a half hour I'll have my popcorn ready.

Now to something that really pisses me off. The same discussion has been had in regards to the witch Tara on Buffy the Vampire slayer. The lovely and curvy Christina Hendricks (Angel, Firefly, Mad Men)has been sniped about in regards to her weight. Now a new article askes that question Is Joan on 'Mad Men' too plump for Primetime? Here's a quote:

With or without Zoe, curves are definitely making a comeback. Christina Hendricks as Joan on "Mad Men" (left) could singlehandedly bring back hips. Real hips. The kind that will send a skinny man skittering across a dance floor. And I must admit that my jaw still drops when she sashays on screen with a rump as big as a holiday ham. My first reaction is always: She's huge! What a silly reaction to a woman who is probably a size 8 or 10.

Then I realize that most leading women on TV, such as Holly Hunter and Teri Hatcher, are pipe cleaners, and so I never expect to see prime-time zaftig. It's as odd to me as a virgin martini. Frankly, I am so accustomed to seeing protruding hipbones that I have to adjust my own visual definition of what is womanly. That's pretty screwed up, in fact.

Even models are tired of maintaining those sharp clavicles. In Vogue this month, Karen Elson admits that she took laxatives to stay whippet svelte and blames the fashion industry for imposing such thin measures. Kate Moss told the Guardian last week that she realized at one point, while standing in a bathtub, that she was too skinny. The Council of Fashion Designers of America has erected booths at Fashion Week in New York to spread the word on eating disorders and promote healthy living. Hmm. Why do I suspect that the Moet booth will be mobbed and the bulimia booths will be empty?

Personally, I think she is absolutely gorgeous. I don't care what size CH is. There is always going to be curvey ladies and slim ladies. Too bad that when someone insults a women the best they can come up with is "she's huge" "ugly" or "a bitch." Worse they pit woman against woman in an no winner battle of one upmanship in who can become the skinniest instead of who can achieve more than calorie restriction.

Supernatural, Mad Men, True Blood

2008-09-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

Some True Blood articles:

Review first five episodes: HBO's "True Blood" worth a look

Vampire novels adapted for HBO's 'True Blood'

For more on True Blood visit:

http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/?ntrack_para1=feat_main_image

I see that AMC has seen the light. AMC decides to allow fans' 'Mad Men' Twittering

For Canadians who may have missed the latest episode of Mad Men you can go to CTV

Supernatural season 3 DVD is available today but one thing has me just p/o'd...no commentaries. I don't know what possessed them to leave them out but it's a deal killer for me. It's bad enough that season 2 of Dexter had none but Supernatural is going to cost more. Now I wonder what Bones season 3 will have to offer me except the heartbreak of what they did to Zack.

Mad Men, Supernatural

2008-08-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

Supernatural Season 3 DVD's are out on Tuesday. Here's an article from a local rag which mentions how many shows and movies have filmed in the Lower Mainland area.

Welcome to Anywhere, USA by Dan Ferguson - South Delta Leader

Link to old posts on last seasons Dexter:

http://leorarufus.blogspot.com/

Mad Men season titles

Titles for season two:

2.1 For Those Who Think Young
2.2 Flight One
2.3 The Benefactor
2.4 Three Sundays
2.5 The New Girl
2.6 Maidenform
2.7 The Gold Violin
2.8 A Night To Remember
2.9 Six Month Leave
2.10 The Inheritance
2.11 The Jet Set
2.12 The Mountain King
2.13 Meditations on an Emergency

I think I mentioned that I thought that Don would do himself some Duck hunting and I guess that's this week.

Ain't it Cool News

A new series starting next week is inspired by the "Dead" series featuring Sookie Stackhouse. I hope Charlaine Harris is getting a big paycheck for this one.

HBO's "True Blood" strikes while the vampires are hot

So, I'm still infatuated with Mad Men and can't wait for the newbie True Blood and finally a new season of Saving Grace. Dexter, well that one I will have to watch to see how they explain the death of Harry and any new code.

I'm a liar!

2008-08-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

OK, I said I wouldn't buy the Dexter DVD but I rembered a few episodes that I liked and caved. This week I'll be buying Heroes season 2.

A few Mad Men articles:

George Hatza column: "Mad Men" reveals the present in the past

LIFE ON THE COUCH: 'Mad Men' remarkably captures feel of early 1960s

I got the first season of Saving Grace and have it in the player now. In a few weeks I get to see more Saving Grace with season 2 starting early September and the new series based on the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris called Tru Blood with aires on the Movie Central pay station in BC starting September 7th.

Mad Men, Dexter

2008-08-09T17:44:00.000-07:00

Mad Men news:

Screw the Sixties: It was a Mad Men's world

AMC's Mad Men Viewership Dips Post Premiere

I finally got my hands on a copy of season 3 The Closer and I still love this show. Too bad I have to wait for the DVD's and can't discuss the show with others while it airs.

Now to why I'm not going to buy the S2 DVD for Dexter. I'm pissed that there are no commentaries at all. I can forgive The Closer for the same thing because it's the only way to watch the show for me but Dexter needs commentaries. Commentaries aside, I hated the season. It was bad enough to lose Doakes (the only thing that would have killed the show was if Dexter killed him), but the character of Lilah is like fingernails across a chalk board. I hated the slithery character and hated how Dexter reacted to her. So, season 3 is coming and I can only hope that I see better than they resorted to last year.

Mad Men Season Two Tonight!

2008-07-27T04:24:00.000-07:00

A few articles to look over to pass the time:

Changing times for 'Mad Men' and women

I love the comment M Weiner makes about "Girls gone Wild" Hedonistic 'Mad Men' echoes the times

A little Peggy spoiler in this one 'Mad Men' madder still, and better than ever

Hmmmm Ship of Fools A look inside cable TV's hottest show: 'Mad Men'

Mad Men

2008-07-24T16:29:00.001-07:00

I love getting the google update with links to articles. A few favorite Mad Men articles:

Stark, raving mad by Salon's Heather Havrilesky

'Mad Men:' Cable hit riding a wave of publicity into its second season
By FRAZIER MOORE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Okay, the next guy doesn't like Vincent Kartheiser:

Advertising rage: Overhyped ‘Mad Men’ will leave viewers angry by Mark A. Perigard

Toshiba quits HD DVD!

2008-02-19T05:07:00.000-08:00

I was waiting for this news from Toshiba. I was planning to buy a Blu Ray but Mr. Rufus wanted to wait out the Sony/Toshiba war. Who wanted to be screwed over like the consumer was years ago with the VHS/Beta war. Now for a good sale.

I'm still wondering what will happen to the seasons of my favorite shows. BSG will go the route they've used before, part of the season 4 now, the rest next year. The DVD's will be in 2 parts. Supernatural is back on April 24th with 4 more episodes. Who knows if they will be renewed. So, this Thursday will be the last of the new shows untill April...better than nothing I guess...;)

Some LOST news. For more on the latest Lost episodes go read some Doc Jensen at EW.com.