SUPERNATURAL Season 6 Premiere: ‘Exile on Main Street
September 25, 2010 by Nicole
It’s been a long summer without a Winchester fix, and I’ve thought more about this show than someone who doesn’t actually work for the show probably should.
After Kripke’s initial five year story arch came to a (very emotional) close, with Sam sacrificing himself to drag Lucifer back to hell and stop the Apocalypse – I kept thinking, where would they go from there?
When we last saw the brothers, Dean had settled into the simple life with Lisa and Ben, and Sam was looking in on Dean’s new life from the street outside. Was it really Sam? Was he possessed? How did he get back? These are the things I’ve been thinking about since May, and I know you have too.
We still don’t have a lot of answers, but so far, it seems that it really is Sam, back from hell. But it’s not the Sam we tearfully said goodbye to last spring; he’s cold, emotionless and seemingly indifferent. When he reunited with Dean after a year, Dean was in a tailspin and Sam acted like he had just returned from a run to Costco. I know that he has the benefit of being in the know, but you’d think finally being able to talk to his brother after a year would stir a little something in him.
Once Dean got over the initial shock and relief at seeing his little brother alive, he rightfully bitched him out for not coming to him sooner (and later did the same to Bobby who also knew about Sam’s return the entire time and didn’t mention it). Sam chalked it up to wanting Dean to live a normal life. But something wasn’t right. Whatever happened to Sam in Hell has changed him, much like it changed Dean when he was sent there a few years back.
As for Dean’s new life, the opening montage contrasting his new duties as Mr. Suburbia with his old role of hard-edged hunter set to “Beautiful Loser” was really excellent. And kind of sad. I’m all for Dean being happy, but did he really seem all that content or merely going through the motions? He seemed like a man who was trying to be happy because he knew that he should be; he got to be alive and be a part of a family that he loves, but he lost a lot to reach that point. It was pretty unnerving watching Domestic Dean with his BBQs and his lawn mowing. As SPN fans, we’re trained at this point to expect that any hint of domestic normalcy means that bad things can’t be far behind.
Before long, Dean starts investing mysterious happenings in his town, and comes face to face with Yellow Eyes – talk about unnerving! That is one face I didn’t expect to see again on this show. He turned out to be a hallucination, but still. I was dreading for a moment that Lisa would end up like Mary and Jess, leaving Dean and Sam to take Ben along with them on their escapades, and I really didn’t want to see season 6 become SUPERNATURAL: Two and a Half Men (which coincidentally, is the title for next week’s episode and no, I am not kidding).
So who brought Sam back? We don’t know; but it’s the same person/being that had a hand in bringing Samuel Campbell back from heaven. The two have been working together since their respective returns to earth, and they’ve joined up with a few long-lost Campbell cousins, one of whom is played by none other than Corin Nemec (Parker Lewis Can’t Lose). Nice to see him again! The cousins are all hardcore hunters; like Dean and Sam, they grew up in the life. Not sure yet if they’re a temporary addition or if they’ll play a big role this season, but I’m interested to find out.
I was expecting the episode to end with Dean leaving Lisa and Ben to join his brother & grandfather back in the hunting game, but surprisingly he decided to stay at home. Even if it’s not where he’s happiest, he loves them and wants to protect them and that is more important to him than returning to his old life for now…for now. Obviously this is going to change at some point; we just don’t know the when and the why.
I did really enjoy the episode, but overall I wish we had gotten a little more from Sam’s perspective. I really want to know where his head is, and what kind of a person he is now. I trust that’s coming, but I’m impatient and I want to know NOW.
A couple of technical comments: I was really sad that there was no “The Road So Far” featuring “Wayward Son”, but I suppose this is intentional in that it signifies that season 6 is the beginning of something new rather than the continuation of everything that happened previously. As is tradition, there is also a new title card for the season – I don’t think anything will top season 5’s blood titles, but the shattering glass is pretty cool.
Below, I’ve embedded the promo for next week’s episode, which as I previously mentioned, is called “Two and a Half Men”. This is the first time I’ll actually be watching something on tv with that title! I’m a little confused as to how Sam and Dean get from the end of this episode to babysitting for what appears to be Rosemary’s Baby, but I can’t wait to find out.
What did you think of the season 6 premiere? Are you excited to see where the show is headed or are the changes freaking you out? How much did you miss Cas in this episode? Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
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I need to know where you found that Supernatural banner. It is awesome! Also, I think you guys should do live chats during or after the SPN episodes the way you do for other shows, like Bones. I will be Tweeting along with each episode but that’s not as interactive and fun. (twitter.com/danielletbd)
Well, I was so excited to see the new season. I was counting down and watching all the eps. TNT. So Friday comes and I’m happy! The show was good. For me it had some high parts and low parts. But I guess it’s just me, because I can’t just seen Dean as a family man playing golf of all things. LOL Sam, I can tell he’s not who he used to be. But I just don’t buy the whole story about him wanting Dean to be happy and that’s why he didn’t contact him when he got back. Dean can only truly be happy with Sam and fighting the baddies. Can’t wait until things get back to normal. But I do feel like a new chapter in borht of their lives have started with this season, and I can’t wait to see where it leads them. And looking for Cas! Can’t wait to see him again.
I have been discussing this on my other SPN board, and we all agree. Something is not right in the land. The whole ep was off kilter. It did not feel real, at all, like Dean was dreaming it all. And Grandpa is creeping us the hell out. Why did he kidnap a djin instead of kill it. What does he want with it? And Dean was in hell for the equivalent for 40 years, tortured, sewed back up and tortured again, and when he got back, he still grabbed an Asian Busty Beauties magazine, plus the first person he tried to call was Sam, then Bobby. So even if he came back a little worse for wear, and a little depressed, you could tell it was still Dean. I don’t think it’s Sam, at all. And I don’t think the Campbell band is up to any good either. I figure by ep 4, all will be revealed, I hope. Because I want to punch the smugness right off of Sam’s cute little face.
Nicole, “Wayward Son” is actually only the Finale recap song. All the previous season premieres had different “The road so far” music!
I’m with Marry Potter on this.
I strongly believe that what we saw on Friday was not Sam. Sam doesn’t look uncomfortable when his brother hugs him. He doesn’t wait a year to contact Dean because he *knows* Dean would be miserable thinking he’s in hell. He wouldn’t refuse the Impala. He wouldn’t contradict himself in the end by asking Dean to leave Lisa and Ben NOW and join him. Something tells me we’re dealing with a doppelganger. Creatures we don’t even have a name for as the grandpa put in so eloquently. Only I’m thinking he was talking about himself, the gang, and yes, the Sam. I says there’s a real Sam somewhere banging his fists against a door screaming to break free and come to Dean’s rescue before this faux family drags him into an unknown but undoubtedly bad destiny.
Hi Everyone! Lots of good points mentioned in the comments so far.
@Danielle – The live chat idea is a good one – not sure about the logistics, and it’s not something I could do weekly, but maybe for one or two key episodes? We’ll see!
@Lilly – I agree – it’s really strange to see Dean Winchester as a ordinary joe. Beyond bizarre – it’s unnatural.
@Tanya – Yikes, thanks for correcting me. I think I so closely associate that song with the show that in my head I’ve imagined that they play it in the season premieres when, you’re right – they play it to sum up in the season finales. Thanks for pointing that out.
@Mary Potter & @Tessa M – You guys both raise some really good points, and as I’ve now had the chance to watch the episode a second time, I think there’s a very good possibility that the theory that Sam isn’t Sam is correct. At least, I really hope it is. And the same for the Family Winchester, including Grandpa (speaking of, I didn’t mention the fact that he captured the djinn rather than killing her, which was suspect – I just chalked it up to him wanting to question her more before getting rid of her).
Sam’s behavior was so un-Sam, but at the time my thinking was hello, he’d been through hell, and then he’d spend a year with a tough group of hunters (none of whom seem overly emotional or even friendly), which just cemented the harder side of him that developed in hell. Plus, I also figured that his experience in hell would probably have been different than Dean’s, given that he got there by hosting Lucifer in his body and then forcing him back into the pit. There must be a special place in hell for someone who does that, right? Even worse than what Dean went through. It was that thought that allowed me to explain the fact that Sam was so much further gone than Dean was when he came back. Having said that, he was NOTHING like Original Sam. There wasn’t even a trace of him. I think I also let my suspicions be quelled when he drank the salt water, cut himself, etc. But Mary, I loved your line “I want to punch the smugness right off of Sam’s cute little face”. So exactly how I felt, haha.
I hope this theory is correct, because I miss Original Recipe Sam something fierce. Here’s hoping!
I have to say, that the season premier has so far been the only episode that has ever dissapointed me. Supernatural is my favourite show for many reasons. One being the hunerous side. This episode had no humour at all and it didn’t feel like I was watching the same show that I have loved so much for the last five years. My beloved Winchesters had been tranformed into emotionless shells of their former selves. In all honesty I feel that Swan Song would have been the perfect end to the perfect show. It tied up every loose end and left me at peace with the world of Winchester. To be brutally truthful, there was really no need for another season. Having said all that though, the second episode changed my mind. It had all of the things that made me fall in love with the show in the first place, classic rock, classic Dean one-liners and most importantly, The classic Impala. I do agree with the idea that the person calling themselves Sam is not the real Sammy at all. There is nothing about his character that even remotely resembles Sam Winchester. He would not have been so cold towards Dean after not seeing him for an entire year. I understand that hell must have changed him in some way, but the real Sam would do anything for his brother. After just four months of Dean being in hell their reunion was emotional and happy. This time I expected fire works and got a candle light. I sincerely hope that episode three will change my onion as it sees the return of Castiel, one of my favourite characters, but whether or not Season Six will live up to its predecssors remains to be seen. But at the moment, the outlook looks bleak.
Hey all, I have a feeling that Sam isn’t possessed–he’s just in big time denial. You remember the episode where Sam had to live for like, 10 yrs without Dean (Hotspot?) This Sam is acting just like that Sam, as if there are so many emotions running around inside him that, to function, he had to turn them all off. I have every confidence that Sam will get better though, because Dean is onto him and Dean-when he wants to be-is like a dog with a bone.