World Enough and Time

Watched two episodes of Supernatural tonight: "Everybody Loves Hitler" (8x13) and "Trial and Error" (8x14). Loved them both. The show was in a slump; but right now, I'm loving it.

I haven't watched much of Supernatural season 7. It didn't seem compelling.

But tonight I watched "Time After Time" and totally loved it. Even ( if just ... )

Things went entirely haywire today in many directions at once, and in the end I spent the evening in a way I didn't plan at all: watching last week's Supernatural with Pim and maaseru.

It was a thrown-together supper of Kraft Dinner, PC frozen meat balls, Caesar salad, and (thanks to Marion and Vicky last night) chocolate mousse cake. Really quite good, in the end. With food and the easement of a few minor crises (don't ask) tempers cooled and we really enjoyed th episode. Pin said she thought it was better than the season opener of Fringe. I found it hard to compare; I like Fringe so very much better, think it's a much better show. But Fringe's "Neither Here Nor There" didn't feature Peter, wasn't particularly tense, and didn't have a lot of plot; while Supernatural managed to pack a lot of punch, and humour too, into a nicely coherent story.

I could still do without the gore.

( Nevertheless, this is what I liked about 'Supernatural'... )

Watched Supernatural over supper with maaseru and Pim.

My love for Dean is reviving. And Castiel... oh, Castiel.

( Much entertainment here... )

Watched the first six episodes of season six of Supernatural today, and enjoyed them mightily - much more than last year. I still like Lisa. I don't trust the Campbells.

Spent as much time as possible in stretching the arm. I can't tell if it makes any difference at all. It seems futile, except... well, there's been progress in the past, so even though I can't tell either way, there's no alternative but to do them.

I moved the budgies away from the window, so they're now behind me at the computer, where they will be warmer. A sign of winter coming for sure.

The snow stayed on the ground all day.

So there we have it. The End. Only it isn't the end, is it? Another season coming.

I wonder if this is the ending we would have got if they hadn't planned a sixth season. I'm not sure I want to know.

( There were... )

From Fannish 5: What are your five favourite sibling relationships?

1. Francis Crawford of Lymond and his brother, Richard Crawford, Third Baron Culter. Richard and Francis are wonderful. I love all their scenes together, particularly the most fraught ones: in the clearing in The Game of Kings, on the beach in The Ringed Castle. I like the way they love each other, but Lymond can always push Richard's buttons, and does... And Richard has no defenses against him.
   
   
2. Northstar and Aurora, in Alpha Flight and X-Men and other Marvel mutant comics. I love Northstar in particular - Canadian, gay, a glamourous athlete. Aurora I don't much like - she has suffered badly from terrible writing over the years, and characters with dual personalities are notoriously hard to write well. But they are pretty together, and dramatic, and they can fly.
   
   
3. Sam and Dean Winchester, in the TV show Supernatural. The writing there has had its ups and down, but my goodness, they are fun - heartbreaking and heartwarming. My favourite Sam and Dean scene is the moment with the cereal, when Dean gives Sam the last serving.
   
   
4. Robert, Cyril, Anthea, Jane and the Lamb in Five of us and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet, and The Story of the Amulet by E. Nesbit.
   
   
   
   
5. The Power children, Alex, Julie, Jack and Katie Power, from Marvel's comic, Power Pack. This is not surprising, in view of my choice #4: I believe Louise Simonson once said that the Power kids were inspired by the E. Nesbit books.
   

I watched Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man episode 3 last night, and it was as interesting and inspiring as before. This time he went to several places I've been - not just Edinburgh, but Thirlstane Castle, and Durham, and Harrogate. I got quite excited.

And yes, once again it was inspirational.

Also watched Supernatural 2x16, "The Dark Side of the Moon". ( It felt... )

abrakadabrah pointed me to an interesting commentary on the fifth season of Supernatural by karenmiller.

I'm still mulling it over.

I had thought the feasons for the change in the show, and the loss of quality, were (1) they lost Kim Manners, and (2) Eric Kripke lost interest in the story and consequently lost his sense of direction - in both senses of the word. He's already proved that he can tell a strong story, but suddenly stopped doing so. karenmiller thinks they lost faith in their own story, which is perhaps a different way of saying the same thing. Faith in our own creativity gives us direction. Lack of faith gives us George R.R. Martin. Stories that ramble, unravel.

At first, I thought it was a cool idea, to hold an Apocalypse and no one notices. That would have worked... If we'd had more coherency of storyline and character. I was riveted by season four. I was committed. Season Five is just too random, and I've gone from something close to fannish obsession, to paying almost no attention and not much caring any more. Breaks of many weeks between episodes don't help.

Now, for me, Castiel was the biggest draw, at least, before I fell in love with Dean Winchester. But the dangerous, conflicted angel of season four seems to have turned into comic relief. Disappoints me more than all the rest, maybe. And Dean is no longer the Dean of season four.

Can the show reclaim my interest? I hope so, but I'm afraid to hope too much.

After all, I remember what happened to X-Files.

I went to a noontime yoga class at Adishesha Yoga Zone today. It was superb. I was most impressed with the teacher, Basia Going, and plan to go back for another class on Thursday. I emerged from the class feeling both relaxed and energized - which is exactly how I should feel. And it's a sign that my back is much better.

Then I met Lynne at Bridgehead, and showed her my Caribbean photos, and we talked about various things - mostly travel. She's going to the Isle of Skye in May. Lucky woman.

Spent most of the afternoon writing my apazine, mostly about my trip.

Then I watched Supernatural "The Song Remains the Same" with maaseru and explodedteabag. maaseru and I had both seen it yesterday, but explodedteabag hadn't. She liked it even more than I'd hoped. And I enjoyed it even more than I did yesterday, especially the parallel scenes between Sam and John, and Dean with Mary. Sam is superb in this one. But then, so is Dean.

Then I perusade them to watch the pilot episode of White Collar, which I am happy to say, they both liked a lot, and they recognized and reacted to the slashiness of it. Yay! My pimping was succesful.