Reply To: Let’s all talk about Houses of the Holy (S2 E13)
Well, it was NOT “meh”!
I really enjoyed this one on re-watch!
I think the most compelling part is the push and pull between the brothers. We learn that Sam is either hopeful or desperate or a bit of both (desperate about his own possible destiny). It’s so sweet to learn he hopes that there is just as much unseen “good” out there (angels) as unseen (by most) evil. It seems Sam believe in the yin and yang…there has to be a balance. His challenging Dean on his (Dean’s) views is very passionate. His hope that the “thing” telling people to kill bad people is an angel and not a spirit is so palpable and when it turns out to be the spirit of Father Gregory, you can just SEE Sam’s face fall. So I give Jared HUGE credit in this episode. He really drew me in and held me. I cared about what he felt.
And yet…99% of the time, Dean is always right and he was right here as well. It WAS a spirit speaking to the murderers, but I did love how Dean had his certainty shaken with the way the final “bad guy” victim died; impaled like archangel Michael impaled the serpent.
So…what was really going on? Was God informing the dead priest? Or was the priest’s spirit working on knowledge he gained from these people in confession about the bad things they were planning to do or wanted to do? Trying to stop them before the did it. It would all have been okay if it didn’t turn other “regular” people into murderers. It sounded like the spirit of Father Gregory promised them redemption for carrying out his requests to kill bad people. Was that a real promise? Or was he promising something he couldn’t deliver?
I loved Dean’s certainty. Even in the face of Sam’s pleading, he held fast to his beliefs. Of course, NOW we know that they are going to have extensive dealings with very real angels! But back then, he hadn’t encountered one yet. I like how he did stick to what he said; he believes what he sees and when he saw something he couldn’t explain like that final death, he was open to reinterpretation.
I thought the guest cast was strong; from the first “lost” woman who killed the first victim to the older priest to Gregory. All good and believable.
I didn’t remember how compelling this one was. It kept me interested trying to figure it out as they did (it has been a LONG time since I last saw this one) and I thought Jared was incredible.