Episode Title: “I’m No Angel”
Writers: Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming
Director: Kevin Hooks
Previously on “Supernatural”
Last night’s Castiel (Misha Collins) centered episode of “Supernatural” was a long time coming for fans of the show. Since being reinstated as a show regular, the idea of Collins’ getting his own episode, even a stand alone is a comforting feeling.
Unlike last week’s “Devil May Care,” this week’s episode doesn’t feel as claustrophobic or full of dead ends. However, certain aspects of the show feel too secular considering its world of creatures. The lives of angels and demons still remain separate three episodes in. While the focus is on storytelling, “Supernatural” tends to put its mythology on hold for the sake of it.
This seasons has shown its hand very slowly. Last week, Abbadon (Alaina Huffman) proved to be the demons’ top choice for head honcho with Crowley (Mark Sheppard) in stasis, while this episode establishes the lead angel Bartholomew; a disciple of Naomi (Amanda Tapping). The potential for a showdown lingers within each episode, but it looks like we’re in for the long haul before anything will come to a head.
The angels this season are organized. At the start of “I’m No Angel,” a faction has emerged to hunt down Castiel for his hand in the whole angel exile thing. They’ve even taken to hiring rogue reapers to track him, and use evangelical ministers to spread the word about letting angels in. Permission is still needed to enter their hosts, but not all can handle it. In fact, people most often die in this episode from internal explosions from angel possession.
The angels however, haven’t been compelling characters since season four. For all their faults, the Leviathan’s, while being poorly executed, had promise as the baddest of the bad. Their downfall was with borax and terrible dick jokes. The angels as presented here have no personality; they’re hard to relate to. Often, they’re the worst villains on the show, and very one dimensional. This year’s batch is no different.
Castiel’s part in this episode doesn’t disappoint. Collins’ ability to play both friend and enemy have made Castiel seem fresh through the post Kripke seasons. It’s also refreshing to follow a character’s journey through completely new beginnings. In Castiel’s new humanity, it’s not hard to see all of the things we take for granted. Most of them come off as basic impulses: hunger, kindness, selfishness, even sexuality. All of those nuances that Collins portrays in his role this season are a joy to take in. Whether it’s a simple conversation with a woman in a church about the power that faith has or his first sexual encounter as a human, Castiel continues to be the show’s most compelling character. And who doesn’t have a tear in the corner of their eye for Meg, every time that Castiel uses Clarence as an alias?
Trust is another aspect of the human condition that is betrayed so easily. When April (Shannon Luccio) shows up to help Cas, it never feels too good to be true. She never comes across as anything more than a good Samaritan. While she turns out to be a reaper on the hunt for him, the writers of the show have done a fantastic job of not making it a human problem. Throughout the seasons, it has always been the human race getting the short end of the stick, but this time it’s different. Humans are now holier than thou.
By the end of the episode, Buckner and Ross-Leming have done such a great job setting up Castiel’s death. Despite knowing he’ll live, it feels earned. That his death matters. Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) final words in the episode to Castiel carry the same weight as that death scene, if not more.
While Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean feature as heavy as Castiel, their parts in the story are dwindled down to the necessary amount. Padalecki continues to deliver an excellent performance as the angel possessed Sam. Even if it’s just his expression as he walks over to Castiel’s body to heal it, he pulls it off so well. Thankfully, the show hasn’t overused it to this point, and hopefully it stays that way.
The big hangup this season, like in most seasons, is the lying game between the brothers. The excuses as to why Dean knows certain things are becoming lazy. When Sam asks him how he knows that angels are organizing, all he can say is that it seems logical. With the repetitive motifs, the brothers have become the least enjoyable part of the show this season. Aside from Ezekiel in Sam’s body, their performances have been pretty flat thus far. Sam’s health kick is getting to be annoying at this point. Let’s be honest, he was doing it for the lady, what’s the point now?
This season of “Supernatural” has the ability to remind us of who we are, and why we are the way we are. The monstrous new world populating the show is microcosmic, and it should be throughout the rest of the season. Will it remain that way? Probably not. That’s just the nature of this show. Still, the new moral direction reminisces some of “Supernatural’s” best episodes, such as “Faith” in season one, or “Mystery Spot” in season three.
There are many different directions to proceed in from here. While promising, this season has a greater chance to falter than most before it. It’s hard to see a season defining arc from here, but given that last season’s wasn’t developed until about half way through, it could either be painfully obvious or straight out of left field.
Whatever the case, all we can ask of the creative team is to keep that Castiel coming!
