Sunday, October 21, 2012

It was a "Heartache" in "Supernatural's" Latest: A Television Review


Director: Jensen Ackles.

Writers: Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming.

After two good establishing episodes defining what is to come in CW's "Supernatural," the series writers are only giving fans a "Heartache" tonight. The Eagles was not an inspiration for this episode. But in terms of keeping the momentum up for episodes to come, episode three and four may well go thump and be missed since very little of the overall story arc is touched upon.

With this episode, a tease of what Sam’s (Jared Padelecki) girl is like gets revealed at the end. This short segment showing Sam being greeted with birthday wishes by Amelia (Liane Balaban) is priceless. The expression on his face is tender and he is happy to have a normal life. After all the years he has suffered through—from being trapped in Hell, losing his soul, his memory and having Lucifer torment him—to be given a white picket fence moment made all his dreams come true.

As this series progresses, viewers will start to understand that Sam wants to return to that simpler life before he resumed hunting for monsters. But with Dean (Jensen Ackles) back from Purgatory, who knows who is holding the leash in this season’s yarn. This season seems to be exploring the Winchester’s spiraling relationship.

This plot for this third episode centers on a mysterious killer. He can pull a heart out of a man's chest. Mola Ram from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom might have competition. But here, this killer is from a different culture. Viewers will be able to figure out who the mysterious murderer is, after the Winchesters visit Eleanor (Patty McCormick), Brick Holmes mother. Apparently, all the dead victims had a body organ transplanted into them from Brick. He’s a healthy jock, a football player who tragically died. His last wish was to help those in need.

At least Brick has died knowing he has done some good. He is nothing like a cult member of the goddess Kali. Viewers who know their mythological lore might recall this god wears body parts of her victims upon her waist or around her neck. However, in what the Winchesters reference as a God of Blood Sacrifices, the Mayan people may want to call shenanigans.

There is a big question some viewers may ask. Which Pakal are the Winchesters referring to? The history books mention several and the most famous one is King Hanab Pakal. He is depicted in many steles (written slabs) looking like he's rocketing to the stars, or resting in his sarcophagus. This is how the conventional theory goes. In the show, this figurehead is the god of the maize.

Hopefully, this mythical figure appears to tie in with last season's episode, "Defending Your Life." The Egyptian version, Osiris, decided to come to earth to exact his own kind of justice. He too was originally a god of the maize before becoming the god of the underworld. And, writers Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming might be pulling an Erich Anton Paul von Däniken moment here. If that’s the case, a massive reveal may happen in the future to suggest that every ancient culture is related. Should this direction be true, "Supernatural" is truly going where no god has gone before. And, that direction is to supply a corny path that is truly unneeded. The series has grown to pride itself in examining the Neo-Classical world with a bit of Judeo-Christian mythology tossed in. But, when they expand into including every other cultural milieu, the series producers and writers must be careful in taking not too many creative liberties.

The subtlety of the series direction is great should that be this series’ intent. But, this does not make up for this episode's predictably. The killer's identity is very apparent. To tie all the deaths to a body donor is an old idea. Seeing the brothers distanced from each other has been done too many times before.

Sam wants to retire from hunting and Dean wants to get back into the business. This episode is simply another filler showing. And, too much repetition of a series formula can be deadly. Some viewers have been kissed enough with these familiar story arcs.

Overall: 6 out of 10.

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