In the sixteenth episode of the eighth season of Supernatural, Sam and Dean try to help a man who dies once a day, only to be revived, solve the mystery of his curse. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Supernatural.
Well, that was a neat episode, and it certainly helped that it came after the thing. But I don’t think it’s the show’s strongest entry in terms of non-mythology episodes. The idea is intriguing, the mystery was fun to try to figure out, but like a few of the stories this season, I got the sensation that the show was, once again, putting the Winchesters through the motions. Even when we’ve got scenes meant for introspection on the Winchester journey, they don’t feel as powerful as they could.
Which is a shame, because these two brothers certainly know a thing or two about futility, death, and rebirth. It’s their whole story! And while there are moments within “Remember the Titans†that are meant to make the audience ponder the parallel between these characters and Prometheus, they are few and far between, not enough to give this episode the kind of emotional impact a lot of the non-mythology episodes usually have.
I suppose it’s also hard to suspend my disbelief in order to fully immerse myself in this concept. The idea that Prometheus is still alive, suffering Zeus’s curse in the modern day, is intriguing. I won’t deny that! And yet, there’s not a real sense that the Greek gods present in this episode are part of some epic struggle. Admittedly, that’s an incredible hard thing to convey within this context. But it doesn’t help that the actors cast for Artemis and Prometheus seem so young and so up-to-date on current fashion. I could buy that for Artemis, but Prometheus? This episode asks us to believe that this man’s memory is in shambles due to his experience; he’s died so many times and suffered such trauma that he can barely remember who he is or where he came from. They’re so vague in his mind that he’s adopted an identity – Shane – that’s only a few years old. Given that he’s thousands upon thousands of years old, that’s a relatively short time to be Shane. Just seven years, y’all, at the least! And yet, he remembers to shave. He wears clothing that’s utterly appropriate for 2013, so much so that he’s indistinguishable from the general populace. Where’s the exhaustion? Why does he look like a J. Crew model?
Like I said, I can buy Artemis’s characterization. (So much so that I really wish I had more of her.) But Zeus doesn’t feel like… well, the king of the Greek gods. He feels like a slimy businessman. That’s not to criticize Jim Novak’s performance, as I think he does a splendid job with the lines he was given. But the script doesn’t convey that sense of grandeur that I felt should come along with Zeus. I do think the show does a decent job portraying his cruelty, particularly with his treatment of Oliver. But I don’t know that I cared about any of these characters once the episode ended. Prometheus died in order to kill Zeus, so that was sad and a little bit relieving. But it’s not a terribly exciting resolution, you know?
And I get that Prometheus’s sacrifice caused Sam to rethink his role in the Trials. Given that his body is physically reacting to the first Trial (WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT ABOUT), it makes sense that Sam would be disturbing by Prometheus’s death. What if this is what he’s setting himself up for? I’d say my favorite part of this episode is Dean’s prayer to Castiel, who is probably off being Naomi’s agent. Y’all, it’s such an intimate scene, and it’s not lost on me that we get something like this while Dean is in his first bedroom ever. In that moment, Dean seems so desperate that he’s almost childlike in his innocence. I know that’s a weird thing to say about Dean, since he’s the most cynical person on this show. But it’s through this that show invokes a dynamic I felt like we haven’t seen since early in the show: Dean being Sam’s big brother and wanting the best for him. It’s such a pure scene, and of course, that means IT’S NOT AT ALL FAIR.
The video for “Remember the Titans†can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– Mark Does Stuff is now on Facebook! Feel free to Like the page, which I’m running myself, for updates and SILLINESS.
– If you would like to support this website and keep Mark Does Stuff running, I’ve put up a detailed post explaining how you can!
– Please check out the MarkDoesStuff.com. All Mark Watches videos for past shows/season are now archived there!
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features will be The Legend of Korra, seasons 2 – 4, series 8 of Doctor Who, and Kings.
– The 2015 Mark Does Stuff tour is being announced!!! Check my Tour Dates / Appearances page often to see if I’m coming to your city!
