Episode Title: “Mother’s Little Helper”
Writer: Adam Glass
Director: Misha Collins
Previously on “Supernatural”:
As Misha Collin’s steps behind the camera to direct his first… anything, I’m reminded that he’s not the first cast member to do so. Jensen Ackles has directed three episodes to date, including my season six favorite “Weekend at Bobby’s.” It was that episode that provided a richer context for Bobby’s (Jim Beaver) death one season later, and considering how spotty a season that was, I still look fondly upon it.
A giant, glaring omission to this season thus far is the lack of Abaddon (Alaina Huffman) on screen. Having only appeared in a handful of episodes in season nine, “Supernatural” has squandered a great character. She’s become mostly a name, and her influence is relegated similarly to the influence of the Leviathans of season seven. It lacks impact; and there is no threat there. I’ve long advocated that this show is in need of a strong female antagonist. In that sense, season three was full of spoils. There were three, and one of them paraded around as a small child. Alaina Huffman’s influence on Abaddon has been far reaching for such a short period of time. If you follow her on Twitter, her feed is full of cosplay pictures at a plethora of conventions. Wake up and smell the roses Carver.
Tonight we finally have an end game for Abaddon, and Huffman’s performance proves just how great she is with that character. While Crowley (Mark Sheppard) has layers of cunning and cruelty, Abaddon feels more like the successor to Lucifer’s throne. She has the title (Knight of Hell) and the viciousness for the position. Tonight’s episode is about Josie Sands transformation into Abaddon. It becomes a choice to save a life for someone who has long since been dead
This seasons over-arcing plot, if killing Abaddon really is it, feels different than past ones. There’s no sense of urgency, no plan from the other side, at least, until tonight. I know I ask this practically every week, but where are the angels? Now being a little more organized, shouldn’t they have intelligence on this? Compared to last year’s story arc, everything came together nicely in the final episodes of the season. This season, it just feels like the writing team lost pages. I’ve never seen a show ignore a significant plot development like this before, and it still baffles me.
But, I digress. The brothers’ dissension continues to propel the story forward, but in the most stagnant of ways. Reliving the same feud over and over again, from one season to the next, has been a long term weakness of “Supernatural.” Not the feud itself, but the rehashed feeling that every writing team has ever had with it. It feels like Sam and Dean have just been having the same argument since the second season: it always involves Dean holding information from Sam (Jared Padalecki), and once that information is revealed, Sam gets pissed off at Dean for, like, the rest of the season. Enough already!
Another portion of the nine’s problem is that there is no individual growth when they’re apart from each other. Likewise, the same can be said when they’re together. The supporting cast has had more development this season than the main characters. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it adds to the amateur feeling the writers have brought to the characters.
In this weeks split, Sam is led to Illinois, where people are becoming very violent for unknown reasons. Not the worst hook in “Supernatural” history, but not the best either. Adam Glass actually does a great job here, leaving the obvious signs, and playing into them slowly, like a slow stab wound (there is a scene from Saving Private Ryan in a bell tower that comes to mind here). Instead, he uses it to add more back story to the Men of Letters and and the brothers’ grandfather Henry Winchester (Gil McKinney). As we learn more and more, it transforms into the story of Josie and how she became the Knight of Hell. The story leads Sam to St. Bonaventure’s, a church that has been shut down for years. Part of Abaddon’s plan is to steal souls and turn them into demons, raising an army of demons. Demon army. Doesn’t that phrase sound familiar? Oh, that’s right, season two. It’s almost like Abaddon is attempting to do what Sam was expected to do.
For Dean’s portion of the episode, there is a mirrored effect. Sam’s story plays into the war going on with his brother. Dean still comes across as being effected by the Mark of Cain, emotionally as well as physically. With his violent tendencies growing, he turns to Crowley. Crowley’s intentions are a bit obvious: he wants to have fun with Dean, use the Mark to his advantage and sway him to his side. This Crowley has a new weapon though, the weapon of empathy. Embracing his addiction as a human blood junkie, Crowley now has the ability to think like a human and appeal to human nature. Here, he tries to expose Dean’s fear of what the Mark is doing to him. However, Dean is not that far gone. In a scene with another “hunter,” Dean talks him down from going into the bathroom and attempting to shank Crowley. It’s a test of loyalty by Crowley, which seems like it’s going to play more and more into future episodes, as will his influence under the Mark.
In his first time behind the camera, Misha Collins directed a hell of an episode. It’s a given that for a first time television director, they will be given stand alone episodes to direct. As far as “Mother’s Little Helper” goes, it helped to flesh out key backstory. It also put things into perspective, that despite being so divided, Sam and Dean finally recognize that they are on the same journey together. A sense of urgency has been established. “Mother’s Little Helper” is proof that “Supernatural” can be a deep show, with rich thematic elements that tie together and reflect one another. Whether it’s acting or directing, more Misha Collins please!
