Let’s all talk about Wendigo (S1 E2)

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    • journalbookbinder
        December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3704

        It still feels very raw; the finale. But we will soldier on and continue to enjoy what made us love Supernatural in the first place! I keep hoping that, with time, it will be all love and gratefulness and not so much finale pain. I’m truthfully just mourning the end of this show I love so much; no matter what the finale was like.

        Let’s talk Wendigo!

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      • PigNaPoke
          December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3851

          I know Eric Kripke always cringes at this episode….I don’t know why? I LOVE IT!

          Maybe it’s the Wendigo itself? Ok, maybe….kinda rubbery and awkward looking, but I thought they did a good job hiding it in half light and fast movement.

          I, for one, am a sucker for Native American legends and mythology and I remember I was excited back in 2005 that they used such well known creature early in the series. SADLY other than in “BUGS” that was it for many seasons, which I am still sad about. There’s such wealth of folklore and myths that they could have played with.

          But back to the positive.

          Creepy camping in a far away location – always a good start. HA. I am with Dean : I HATE camping!
          Especially with monsters in the woods and no Winchesters on speed dial.

          To my point from last week, again, great guest actor casting – shout out to Alden Ehrenreich and R.I.P. Corey Monteith – all around.

          So between the set up, the monster, the outdoorsy nature, which to me always translates into no protection and vulnerability, I like the episode a lot.

          Aside from all that we learn a lot new things about the brothers! We hear from Dean that Sam is not behaving like is usual self – Sam seems to be more hot headed and and charge-in-first-ask-questions later at the moment, which sets up future character development nicely, because we see Sam already in two possible ways.

          In this episode it becomes even more apparent that Dean is the concerned, protective big brother. First in the car after Sam wakes up from the nightmare (establishing the BRO-MENT in the car concept!!) and especially through the talk by the camp fire where one of our most central catch phrases is coined (“Saving people, hunting things, the family business”)! Yes, he comes across as cocky and a little devil-may-care at first, but we see already in espisode 2 of 327 that there is a big heart and selfless willingness to help and sacrifice of himself behind the facade. That is great writing AND incredible acting so early on.

          We also learn about the importance of John’s Journal and Dean’s view of “the job” and his duty to fulfill it.

          We see Dean’s love for PEANUT M&M’s – another thing I agree with him on!! hehehe

          We find out that Sam might be upset and anxious to revenge Jessica’s death and find his dad, but when it counts he is smart and resourceful and when the chips are down he is just as focused on saving the people in his care and getting the job done as Dean is.

          I loved ALL of that.

          To me the episode keeps up it’s tense feeling all the way through. The woods seem spooky, the labyrinth tunnels of the mine are oppressive, the monster is menacing especially because you DON’T see much of it.
          The score also helps a lot to get your heart pounding and worry for our boys and their charges.

          AND this episode marks the first real SAVE for the Winchester Brothers. In the pilot they destroyed the ghost, yes, but they didn’t directly save a person. HERE they do BOTH. It’s feels great at the end that they were able to at least save the brother and keep the siblings together even if all involved are a little worse for wear at the conclusion.

          One thing:
          I noticed before when rewatching the series that in the early seasons the focus is sometimes off. Like when you have a close up of a person’s face and only the ear or shirt or something other than the face is in focus. I often wondered if that was on purpose? It’s weird.

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        • PigNaPoke
            December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3852

            I am trying hard to watch the episodes this time around with the intent NOT to let “God’s plan” or “God’s writing” color my view.

            I want to watch it discovering things I might have overlooked in the past. I want to watch the Winchesters grow and change and have their horizons expand.

            I do not believe that all that was GOD’s doing!! I will stick with that opinion through out. God might have set the general outline and scenarios, God might have played the long story arc of getting the Winchester brothers born and put on the playing field for the apocalypse. He might have put road blocks in place that forced the brothers’ hand BUT I truly believe that their actual actions, their growth and their gained experience is THEIR OWN.

            In my opinion they influenced their story as much if not more than God ever did.

            PNP

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            • kate38
                December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3874

                “I am trying hard to watch the episodes this time around with the intent NOT to let “God’s plan” or “God’s writing” color my view.

                I want to watch it discovering things I might have overlooked in the past. I want to watch the Winchesters grow and change and have their horizons expand.

                I do not believe that all that was GOD’s doing!! I will stick with that opinion through out. God might have set the general outline and scenarios, God might have played the long story arc of getting the Winchester brothers born and put on the playing field for the apocalypse. He might have put road blocks in place that forced the brothers’ hand BUT I truly believe that their actual actions, their growth and their gained experience is THEIR OWN.

                In my opinion they influenced their story as much if not more than God ever did.

                PNP”

                I agree! I think that whole evil-manipulative-Chuck story line was a last-minute construct for seasons 14 and 15, because the writers needed tools to turn Chuck into a villain. I refuse to let my rewatch be tainted by such a silly and weak plot device. Just “no”.

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            • journalbookbinder
                December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3853

                I didn’t know this episode made Kripke cringe. I think it’s really good! (I know Kripke regretted Bugs.) And I have the advantage of watching these with someone who has not watched SPN early on. She was cheering for Dean to outsmart the monster (which he did). I think this one is good and creepy (and I actually like camping) and there is so much insight into Sam and Dean and their personalities and dynamic for only being the second episode!!! I had forgotten how Dean was, right away, verybtuned in and caring towards Sam and Sam listened to Dean trying to give him caring advice. Peanut M&M’s are gross. I’d be dead, unable to leave a trail.

                And yes, sad seeing Cory Montieth.

                Even here, Dean seemed badly injured and kept going. I too am trying not to think about the finale, but there were some similar “pain” expressions used by Jensen even way back then. Very effective. And he let Sam drive. I remembered him as much more of a cocky jerk early on – he was caring – about the family of orphans, about Sam.

                Even though Sam was dead-set on avenging Jess’ death, I loved how he always got a bit lost in research and figuring out a case.

                Sam was so level headed and protective of the brother and sister they were trying to save.

                There was also some fun, cocky dick waving from the backwoods guide and I thought the effect of the Guide getting grabbed by the head by the monster was a good one.

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                • kate38
                    December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3875

                    “Peanut M&M’s are gross. I’d be dead, unable to leave a trail.”

                    LOL!!! Hubby LOVES Peanut M&Ms. They’re only allowed in the house in small bags, because he eats them all right away 🙂 They’re okay with me. I prefer Cadbury chocolate anyway.

                    I love that Dean was creative and resourceful enough to leave that trail; even though, as you said, he was likely injured and being dragged through the woods and up into trees by a Wendigo. That’s our hero!

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                • kate38
                    December 1, 2020 at 12:51 pm #3876

                    I’ve always thought Wendigo was a fun, early-season episode.

                    I liked the monster! I even thought the way they filmed it was creative — not showing us enough of the monster for us to really see that it was a skinny guy in a rubber suit. Later, I was reminded of how DIRECTOR Jensen chose to not really show us the llamia in “Weekend at Bobby’s”. We only ever saw the shadow, but we got the gist of the monster. A similar technique was used in “Shadow”, when we only saw the demon’s shadow move across the wall. It’s a nice, low-budget way to NOT show us too much of the monster, which helps make it scarier.

                    Right away, I appreciated how Dean understood the relevance of John’s leaving his journal behind. Dean has always been quick on the uptake, and this was no exception. That scene when he reminds Sam of their mission is a classic.

                    I’ve never been camping, but I don’t like bugs or the idea of peeing in the woods and wiping my hoo-hah with leaves. So, I’m gonna leave camping to the experts. I’m a day-hiker and I’m okay with that 🙂

                    I’m amused (more now than I was years ago) that the Winchesters got away with posing as feds, rangers, etc. when they were really young. I mean come on! Jared still had pimples 🙂

                    I’d love to know if the interior of the abandoned mine was a set, or an actual mine. It looked VERY believable!! I immediately got an appreciation for the darkness, dampness, and claustrophobic tightness of that space. If it was a set that they built from scratch, Bravo!

                    I think my favorite scene is when Donnely Rhodes (who plays the guy who survived being attacked as a kid) is telling the brothers what happened to him. To me, that scene is CLASSIC Supernatural at its best. If I scared easily, that scene would’ve scared me. It’s not easy to do, but sometimes describing a horrific thing is scarier than actually seeing/hearing the thing, because our imaginations are good at filling in the gaps. This scene worked very well for me in that way.

                    On to Lake Manitoc 🙂

                    • This reply was modified 3 years, 3 months ago by kate38kate38.
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