Supernatural is in hiatus. Here's our review of "On the Head of a Pin"
(spoilers for the episode)
"On the Head of a Pin"~ Written by Ben Edlund. Directed by Mike Rohl. Starring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Robert Wisdom, Chris Heyerdahl, Julie McNiven, Genevieve Cortese...
One of my favorite episodes, "On the Head of a Pin" pairs up my favorite duo: Ben Edlund and Mike Rohl. Edlund and Rohl weave a visually stunning and exciting tale suited for the big screen, but successfully scale it down for TV viewing. This episode centers around several story lines seemly abandoned by the writing team and brings them sharply together into a single episode worthy of a big screen horror film.
The murder of angels provoke angels of God, Uriel and Castiel (Misha Collins) to capture Alastair (Christopher Heyerdahl). They believe that the only person qualified to interrogate him and torture him is Dean Winchester. In "Heaven and Hell", Dean confesses that he tortured souls to escape his bonds and cease thirty years of torture at the hands (metaphorically speaking) of the demon, Alastair. Ackles raises the bar incredibly high during this riveting and tear jerking scene; I worried that the actor had gone too far and would never surpass his work in "Heaven and Hell".
I've wanted to talk about Robert Wisdom for some time. I liked Wisdom. I miss Robert Wisdom. I liked Uriel's domineering, over confident, I will smite you without God's orders personality. An angel with personality? Absolutely! Uriel not only had personality, the perfect antagonist had a sense of humor rivaling Dean Winchester's crude jesting. Wisdom's looming presence balanced the quiet, sensitive, angel Castiel. Dean and Uriel can cause a ruckus of epic proportions together, I jest. But Wisdom played the perfect misguided angel, although at times his character fell upon uneven writing. Uriel's absolute belief in Lucifer's beauty made me cringe, all the while applauding Robert Wisdom. The intelligent and sexy actor brought an edge to the show that I miss. I hope Wisdom returns.
In a past blog I mentioned my attachment to John Winchester and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. My love for Supernatural began with John Winchester and my adoration for Jeffrey Dean Morgan lingers, even when the actor has moved on. Allow me tell you a story. My husband and I had a brief conversation about Jeffrey Dean Morgan before we watched "On the Head of A Pin", for I had a tendency to say that Morgan's acting had yet to be beaten on Supernatural. My husband jokingly implied that Jensen would finally change my mind with "On the Head of a Pin". I laughed and laughed and then we settled down to watch the episode...
This episode, in my opinion, marks the point in which Jensen took that marquee from Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Not to worry, I have a feeling that I will always feel enamored when gazing at Jeffrey.
Ben Edlund and Mike Rohl team up to set up one of the most critical and brilliant moments in the show's history, showing Dean's understanding of torture. Edlund lures the audience inside Dean's head. But Ackles ensnares the audience into Dean's murky, confused, and traumatized world. It's why I've chosen to backtrack and do this review. Ackles and Heyerdahl act on a completely different level than seen before on the show; bringing artistry and technique to an extreme. Although at times, Heyerdahl's over the top vocalizations borders along comical. Up to this point, no other scene in Supernatural can compare. The horrific sequences intrigue and exhaust the audience. A manipulative Alastair and a traumatized Dean exchange sly banter, but Dean cannot hide from his past. Ackles refuses to allow the audience a reprieve and takes us hostage into Dean's reality.
Edlund stirs up a spell of excellent writing, the most brilliant acting I have seen on TV in a long time, and pure sophistication from both Heyerdahl and Ackles. When Dean discovers that he is the righteous man to draw blood in hell (thus breaking the first seal), the devastating truth resounds through him as well as the audience. Mike Rohl directs the moment flawlessly in semi-darkness and Ackles proves that acting is an art form. Dean's quite despair is pure brilliance and utterly profound. Jensen Ackles makes the most interesting decisions with his acting. Daring both physically (unafraid to get physically close to Heyerdahl) and uncompromisingly daring emotionally, Jensen's intricate acting style drives this episode and destroys the playing field.
Ben Edlund, a proficient story teller, weaves several story lines into a climactic ending. The episode also addresses a conspiracy amongst the angels with the boys trapped in the middle of it. Sam and Dean become victims in this scenario. Dean loses his hold on Alastair and Sam steps closer towards that dark chasm to save his brother.
Sam searches for Dean, worried and desperate, believing that his brother incapable and too weak to perform the task of torture. Rumor has it, that in an earlier version of the writing, Sam rescues Dean from hell, by developing and using his psychic ability and demonic powers. Ben Edlund gives us a glimpse of what might have been if Sam could have raised Dean from the dead. When the writing changed, I think it left Jared Padalecki without a target, without an emotional focal point. The fourth season seemed the most difficult for Padalecki, dealing with a character that should have reached a climactic point somewhere in the end of the third or beginning of the fourth season.
When Padalecki knows what to do, he delivers in heaps and soars with it. First, he handles a blood thirst sequence drowning in sadness and screaming in desperation. Then just like a superhero, Sam comes to the rescue, not only saving Dean and Castiel, but interrogating and killing Alastair. Jared Padalecki uses his physicality and his incredible understanding of Sam Winchester in a shocking, sexy, and heart pounding scene. Stop. Rewind. Play again. The interrogation held my fascination. Padalecki moves through this episode with a spectacular amount of elegance necessary to portray a character driven to save his brother and obsessed with saving as many people as he can. Even at his own expense. Edlund allows us to see what could have - would have happened - if the writing had stayed its course. Edlund needs to write for Sam Winchester all the time.
Edlund also manages to give two supporting cast members some juicy bits. Ruby (Genevieve Cortese) uses her specials skills to help Sam in his time of need. Then Anna intervenes when pugilist angels Uriel and Castiel argue over Uriel's deceit. I'm still talking about the same episode, Edlund is amazing that way.
If I have the correct time line, Jensen Ackles had laryngitis during the filming of the last scene. The final scene between Dean and Castiel truly show off their chemistry, whether the actors were filmed together or not. When Ackles wants Dean Winchester to disturb an audience he succeeds. Dean drenched in such inundating misery and helplessness at the thought of starting the apocalypse...disturbing.
Coming up next...I'm taking a breather, then Celebrity Hollywood Connection will review "The Curious Case of Dean Winchester" because Jim Beaver was so awesome in it. I'd like to take this moment and thank everyone for reading and keeping up with this fanblog.
~ Louisa Hinmon
(spoilers for the episode)
CW Supernatural Screencap by Supernatural Wiki
"On the Head of a Pin"~ Written by Ben Edlund. Directed by Mike Rohl. Starring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Robert Wisdom, Chris Heyerdahl, Julie McNiven, Genevieve Cortese...
One of my favorite episodes, "On the Head of a Pin" pairs up my favorite duo: Ben Edlund and Mike Rohl. Edlund and Rohl weave a visually stunning and exciting tale suited for the big screen, but successfully scale it down for TV viewing. This episode centers around several story lines seemly abandoned by the writing team and brings them sharply together into a single episode worthy of a big screen horror film.
The murder of angels provoke angels of God, Uriel and Castiel (Misha Collins) to capture Alastair (Christopher Heyerdahl). They believe that the only person qualified to interrogate him and torture him is Dean Winchester. In "Heaven and Hell", Dean confesses that he tortured souls to escape his bonds and cease thirty years of torture at the hands (metaphorically speaking) of the demon, Alastair. Ackles raises the bar incredibly high during this riveting and tear jerking scene; I worried that the actor had gone too far and would never surpass his work in "Heaven and Hell".
I've wanted to talk about Robert Wisdom for some time. I liked Wisdom. I miss Robert Wisdom. I liked Uriel's domineering, over confident, I will smite you without God's orders personality. An angel with personality? Absolutely! Uriel not only had personality, the perfect antagonist had a sense of humor rivaling Dean Winchester's crude jesting. Wisdom's looming presence balanced the quiet, sensitive, angel Castiel. Dean and Uriel can cause a ruckus of epic proportions together, I jest. But Wisdom played the perfect misguided angel, although at times his character fell upon uneven writing. Uriel's absolute belief in Lucifer's beauty made me cringe, all the while applauding Robert Wisdom. The intelligent and sexy actor brought an edge to the show that I miss. I hope Wisdom returns.
In a past blog I mentioned my attachment to John Winchester and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. My love for Supernatural began with John Winchester and my adoration for Jeffrey Dean Morgan lingers, even when the actor has moved on. Allow me tell you a story. My husband and I had a brief conversation about Jeffrey Dean Morgan before we watched "On the Head of A Pin", for I had a tendency to say that Morgan's acting had yet to be beaten on Supernatural. My husband jokingly implied that Jensen would finally change my mind with "On the Head of a Pin". I laughed and laughed and then we settled down to watch the episode...
This episode, in my opinion, marks the point in which Jensen took that marquee from Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Not to worry, I have a feeling that I will always feel enamored when gazing at Jeffrey.
Ben Edlund and Mike Rohl team up to set up one of the most critical and brilliant moments in the show's history, showing Dean's understanding of torture. Edlund lures the audience inside Dean's head. But Ackles ensnares the audience into Dean's murky, confused, and traumatized world. It's why I've chosen to backtrack and do this review. Ackles and Heyerdahl act on a completely different level than seen before on the show; bringing artistry and technique to an extreme. Although at times, Heyerdahl's over the top vocalizations borders along comical. Up to this point, no other scene in Supernatural can compare. The horrific sequences intrigue and exhaust the audience. A manipulative Alastair and a traumatized Dean exchange sly banter, but Dean cannot hide from his past. Ackles refuses to allow the audience a reprieve and takes us hostage into Dean's reality.
CW Supernatural Screencap
Edlund stirs up a spell of excellent writing, the most brilliant acting I have seen on TV in a long time, and pure sophistication from both Heyerdahl and Ackles. When Dean discovers that he is the righteous man to draw blood in hell (thus breaking the first seal), the devastating truth resounds through him as well as the audience. Mike Rohl directs the moment flawlessly in semi-darkness and Ackles proves that acting is an art form. Dean's quite despair is pure brilliance and utterly profound. Jensen Ackles makes the most interesting decisions with his acting. Daring both physically (unafraid to get physically close to Heyerdahl) and uncompromisingly daring emotionally, Jensen's intricate acting style drives this episode and destroys the playing field.
Ben Edlund, a proficient story teller, weaves several story lines into a climactic ending. The episode also addresses a conspiracy amongst the angels with the boys trapped in the middle of it. Sam and Dean become victims in this scenario. Dean loses his hold on Alastair and Sam steps closer towards that dark chasm to save his brother.
Sam searches for Dean, worried and desperate, believing that his brother incapable and too weak to perform the task of torture. Rumor has it, that in an earlier version of the writing, Sam rescues Dean from hell, by developing and using his psychic ability and demonic powers. Ben Edlund gives us a glimpse of what might have been if Sam could have raised Dean from the dead. When the writing changed, I think it left Jared Padalecki without a target, without an emotional focal point. The fourth season seemed the most difficult for Padalecki, dealing with a character that should have reached a climactic point somewhere in the end of the third or beginning of the fourth season.
When Padalecki knows what to do, he delivers in heaps and soars with it. First, he handles a blood thirst sequence drowning in sadness and screaming in desperation. Then just like a superhero, Sam comes to the rescue, not only saving Dean and Castiel, but interrogating and killing Alastair. Jared Padalecki uses his physicality and his incredible understanding of Sam Winchester in a shocking, sexy, and heart pounding scene. Stop. Rewind. Play again. The interrogation held my fascination. Padalecki moves through this episode with a spectacular amount of elegance necessary to portray a character driven to save his brother and obsessed with saving as many people as he can. Even at his own expense. Edlund allows us to see what could have - would have happened - if the writing had stayed its course. Edlund needs to write for Sam Winchester all the time.
Edlund also manages to give two supporting cast members some juicy bits. Ruby (Genevieve Cortese) uses her specials skills to help Sam in his time of need. Then Anna intervenes when pugilist angels Uriel and Castiel argue over Uriel's deceit. I'm still talking about the same episode, Edlund is amazing that way.
If I have the correct time line, Jensen Ackles had laryngitis during the filming of the last scene. The final scene between Dean and Castiel truly show off their chemistry, whether the actors were filmed together or not. When Ackles wants Dean Winchester to disturb an audience he succeeds. Dean drenched in such inundating misery and helplessness at the thought of starting the apocalypse...disturbing.
CW/ Supernatural Screencap
CW/Supernatural Screencap
CW/Supernatural Screencap
Coming up next...I'm taking a breather, then Celebrity Hollywood Connection will review "The Curious Case of Dean Winchester" because Jim Beaver was so awesome in it. I'd like to take this moment and thank everyone for reading and keeping up with this fanblog.
~ Louisa Hinmon
*Is Jensen Ackles Underappreciated in Season Six of Supernatural?
*Supernatural Pixs (random ScreenCaps)
*Teen Choice Awards: The Nominees for TV Actor/Fantasy/Sci-Fi
*Supernatural Pixs (random ScreenCaps)
*Teen Choice Awards: The Nominees for TV Actor/Fantasy/Sci-Fi
This article is a reflection of the opinions of the author. The author and Hollywood Celebrity Connection are in no way affiliated with the CW, Supernatural, or it's creator Eric Kripke. This is a fan blog. Supernatural is the property of the CW network. Screencaps courtesy of Supernatural Wiki.
