Boy, did I get an interesting one for what turns out to be the only season three episode I have left to review. "Jus In Bello" is a highly buzzed episode from seasoned writer Sera Gamble, and it ended up being one of the highest rated of the season. As much great action, drama, and character display this episode had though, it wasn't flawless.
This was the only episode to feature both Ruby and Bela. Sadly, both were more irritating than normal. Sam was very dark and moody, and this episode gave us the worst ending of the series (okay, maybe tied with “Bugs”). Despite all this, Agent Henriksen proved to be a kick ass hunter and it was Dean Winchester's finest hour, thrilling us to the point where we overlooked most of the problems.
Let The Recap Begin
Our heroes enter a nice hotel room in Monument, Colorado (wasn't it boring?) and right off the bat we get smug, irritating Bela getting the best of the boys. That's boring, too. The only redemption is Dean didn't take her crap, giving tough talk on the phone, letting us know right away he would be feisty in this one. Cold-hearted bitch calls the Feds on our known fugitives (they're wanted by the FBI for those who don't remember “Nightshifter” and "Folsom Prison Blues") and we are treated to the dramatic entrance of Agent Henriksen. The pan up from the floor via Sam and Dean’s viewpoint is a really cool visual, and all of a sudden, I realized that I’ve never spread the love for director Phil Sgriccia, who’s done numerous great episodes for this show. There's phenomenal directing throughout this episode, so the man is about to get his due.
This episode is supercharged from the word go, and what better way to start than with Henriksen at the local jail hyping up how dangerous the Winchesters are, all while insulting the local sheriff. That’s not quite how Verbal Kint did it in film The Usual Suspects when spinning the legend of Keyser Soze, but hey, we know his arrogance comes back to bite him. For my tastes, this scene was a little too over the top, but the point was made.
In come our hot yet perilous felons in chains (yes, I'm drooling, too), Dean wisecracking and confident, Sam somber and withdrawn. In many ways the sharp contrast in moods works, but sometimes it comes across as heavy-handed. Dean acknowledges meek Nancy, and we know they’ve got tender scenes coming. Too bad they don't involve Dean nailing her. An episode can’t happen without a comical brotherly moment, so those two getting tangled up in chains does the trick. I could watch that for a whole episode, especially if wrestling is involved. They assess the situation, and it looks bad. Those two together in chains, however, look great.
Article comments
1 - Drew E.
Hey, Alice,
My name is Drew and I run a virtual Supernatural spin-off titled Sam. Basically, it picks up where NRFTW left off. Dean in Hell, Sam on the road. The address to the site is Sam and since you said you were taking requests, I was wondering if you minded reviewing a few episodes. The first three are up and new episodes begin airing again August 22nd with 1x04 up to October 3rd with 1x10 followed by another mini-hiatus.
Thanks in advance,
Drew.
2 - vichi
Hi Alice,
Great review as always! I really enjoyed this episode, even the end, but I really felt sorry for Nancy and for Hendriksen. But maybe we'll have a chance to see Hendriksen again in season 4,or at least that's what I read somewhere on the net.
I would like very much to do the review for In my time of dying or What is and what should never be.
Thank you,
Vichi
3 - Elle
Thanks for the excellent review! I wait anxiously all week for your episode reviews - they're awesome!
I agree with you for the most part about this episode - Dean rocked. I love him *sigh*
Even though I know both Bela and Ruby are no more for SPN, but they bug me. The redundant plot of Bela one-upping the Winchesters drove me mad! In every other context, they are street-smart, clever and not vulnerable to petty, thieving conartists. Enter Bela and suddendly they're bumbling fools caught red handed? Please.
And I don't believe Dean should have taken Ruby's crap. I agree - that self-sacrifice thing was BS.
Thanks for the great review!
Request: I would love a review of In My Time of Dying and What is and The Benders.
4 - Jayne
Me too for a review of What Is but I'd also love reviews of Born Under A Bad Sign & Heart. Pretty please with sugar on top?
5 - Huppy
Alice, I had never thought of the possibility that Henricksen was already possessed when the sheriff was freaking out, but that is an excellent explanation as to why he was so calm when the phones were not working and the lights were flashing, and was so insistent on staying put.
I agree the ending was disappointing, with Henricksen and Nancy both dying, and Dean and Sam just taking the tongue lashing from Ruby, who was dead wrong in saying that Dean's plan failed. Nancy and Henricksen(and the deputy) only died because Lilith showed up, and I doubt that was just based on the information she received from the one demon who escaped.
I was sorry to lose Henricksen and Nancy, both great characters. I guess maybe it was because the writers were focusing on Bela and Ruby this season, but I thought season 3 had very few memorable one episode female characters. Nancy, Lucy from Fresh Blood, Tammi and Elizabeth from MM, and Casey from Sin City are the only interesting one episode females characters this season that I can think of. Mostly the females were blah, like Lisa in TKAA and Maggie from Ghostfacers.
My main problem with JIB was why possessed Groves shot at Dean. Wasn't Sam, "the Boy King," the one Lilith saw as a rival and wanted dead? Why try to kill Dean by shooting him (and on top of that, failing at such close range)? If Demon Groves had wanted Dean (and Sam) dead, it would have made more sense to get them both in the helicopter and have the helicopter crash. If you have any thoughts on Groves's actions, Alice, I would like to hear them, because I have never come up with a good reason. Thanks.
6 - Alice Jester
Drew- I will take a look. Thanks for pointing out Sam The Series out to me.
Vichi, Elle, and Jayne - I'll try to work in your requests. Chances are many episodes will be reviewed on non-episode weeks in Season four, but a couple could be worked in before the premiere.
Huppy - I found the original review that I wrote and never published for this episode back in February. That very same question was there, why did Groves shoot Dean first, but I didn't have a great answer. Proximity had a lot to do with it, Dean was there first, and I'm sure Sam was next if it wasn't for his quick thinking.
However, and this is something that has spiked my curiosity since the finale, I wonder if Sam can be harmed, as in death harmed. Lilith couldn't do him in (granted she didn't try a gun), but you have to wonder if maybe Sam came back with the subconsicous ability to protect himself from whatever evil sources are out there. How else would Dean get shot and not him? It could also be what might happen in season four, and maybe Dean is really the main target. It's something to keep in the back of our minds as the plot unfolds further. Only time will tell.
Great hearing from everybody!
7 - Drew E.
Ok, thank you.
8 - cassi
Great review!
I don't know how often I watched the prison scene with Sam, Dean and Henriksen! I'm really happy about the way Sera wrote this episode (only the Ruby monolg at the end is a bit weird), I almost can forgive her for killing Henriksen!
And Dean is just OMG in this episode! Jus in Bello is like a season finale!
9 - Heather
though I disagree with your view about the ending (I thought it was a great ending. Perhaps not something I wanted to happen but a great ending none the less) I absolutely agree wih you about Dean here. He's just so adorable and made of win here.