"What’s Up, Tiger Mommy?" continues the strong opening to Supernatural’s eighth season established last week with the premiere. Writers Dabb and Loflin return to form after their lacklustre season seven episodes with a script that continues to set up the myth arc, but does so while beautifully balancing humour and pathos. The writers use foreshadowing deftly and delve further into Dean’s personal arc, as we learn what he has both embraced and hopes to escape. Castiel returns to the story as a key player in this arc.
We pick up with Dean and Kevin arguing over whether they should check on Kevin’s mom, given Crowley’s anger at losing the prophet. Kevin is focused on his personal fear Crowley may have twisted his mom into a pretzel. Dean is focused on the big picture of closing the gates of hell and feels Crowley will be equally focused that way and view Mrs. Tran as a valuable hostage. Sam tries to mediate between the two—and thus everyone’s thematic positions are revealed.
Dean’s experience in Purgatory has left him hardened to making tough decisions. He tells Kevin, “She’s bait, man. You want to swim up and bite the hook?” But Kevin doesn’t back down, asking Dean, “Can you really not understand why I want to make sure she’s okay?”
Of course Dean can—he’s been in that position with loved ones many times himself. With Sam siding with Kevin, he gives in. Taking off to the Tran residence, they discover Mrs. Tran is currently fine, but surrounded by disguised demon spies. Sam and Dean quickly and ruthlessly dispatch the outside guards—they’ve long since gotten used to ganking the human hosts along with the possessing demons. Mrs. Tran and Kevin are taken aback when Dean is equally ruthless about killing Eunice the neighbour—but they accept it when Dean points out the escaping demon would have warned Crowley and endangered Kevin. It turns out Mrs. Tran is no pushover herself.
When Sam and Dean try to dissuade her from accompanying the motley band to find the tablet, she shows her steel. To Sam’s warning that if Crowley can find a way to separate her from her soul, he’ll take it, she replies, “It’s not my soul I’m worried about; it’s my son’s.” On this show, soul talk is seldom throwaway, but to the writers’ credit, I did not see how this foreshadowing was going to play out before it happened.
Article comments
1 - Tina
Actually I disagree we didnt follow Sam's pov in season 4 and alot did lose sympathy for him but thats another story.But I do agree with Dean it is different and we will not have a problem understanding where he is coming from .Sam on the other hand is different so it remains to be seen what Jeremy Carver,s idea is.
Thanks for the review Gerry.
2 - Pooj
As long as they show Castiel in every episode I don't care what story line they follow...
3 - a
They aren't going to show Castiel in every episode; he's only scheduled to appear in 8 out of 23.
4 - Gerry
Hi everyone! Lovely to see you here.
Tina, I take your point that everyone reacts to story lines in their own way. I had no problem keeping sympathy for Sam in season four, because we got to see why he made the decisions he did and he always was trying to do his best. He had flaws which Ruby manipulated, but everyone has flaws.
I am looking forward to seeing where Carver is taking Sam this season. I'm a little surprised with where we are starting with him, but then I've been surprised with Supernatural before. I think Carver has already addressed some issues I had with the storytelling last year, so I'm not rushing to any judgements over Sam.
Pooj, as a commented, Castiel is so far only supposed to appear in 8 episodes, though that could change. It's great to see him back!
5 - Marie
I am not liking this season so far...I think that they are making Sam out to be a douchbag when he is not. He would have never just turned tail and not looked for Dean. This show is not all about Dean...it is the relationship between the brothers that I fell in love with and right now I see none of that in this season. I worry this arc is going to ruin my favorite show for me.
6 - Gerry
Hi Marie, I think many people share your surprise that Sam didn't look for Dean. I do myself.
However, I'm a long way from looking at Sam as a douchebag. I think we'll get many more looks at Sam and his headspace and how that affects his relationship with Dean.
I hope the season picks up for you. I think Jeremy Carver is bringing a lot to the table, so my hopes are high.