Review: Supernatural 7.03 The Girl Next Door

WHY??

Supernatural 7.03 The Girl Next Door was written by Andrew Dabb and Daniel Loflin, directed by Jensen Ackles.

All living things must eat to survive and everything tastes better with cheese. Ewwwwww.

The Leviathans are smarter than the demons.. they now have a network of police and doctors to hunt down the Winchesters and Bobby. They are so screwed. They are so screwed. They are so screwed. Sorry. It's Supernatural, what do you expect?

The Girl Next Door isn't as epic as the season openers, but it's still very enjoyable. Jensen has done a fantastic job in directing his second episode for Supernatural. They've given him a heavier episode to work on this time. There are more characters to direct and some scenes are more emotional. Jewel Staite is a great actress, I've seen her in Firefly and Stargate Atlantis, I also met Jewel in Supanova a few years ago, she was here the same year as Jared. She was so nice. I thought Jewel brought the compassion element to the episode, which helps to tell a story and why Sam hasn't killed her then and now.

Back to Jensen's directing... Having two Sams to direct could be tough. Jared is in more scenes this time than Weekend At Bobby's. And we also welcome Colin Ford back as young Sammy. Colin was amazing, he has grown so much as an actor and he was SO SAM! This is the first time Colin carried the flashback story all on his own, without young Dean or John, and I think he did a great job!

What lies beneath?

Jensen is really smart when it comes to using cameras and editing to tell a story. The pace of hospital escape scenes was so awesome. We see Bobby passing a room while pushing Sam in one shot, then you see Dr SexyLeviathan arriving at the Dean's room realising he was gone. Then you switch back back to Dean passing the same room Bobby had three seconds ago, you know Dean wasn't far behind from Bobby. And then you see Dr Sexy and the nurse tried to track Dean down, who was on crutches (so cute). Dean was looking for a way out to meet Bobby at the dock. Then you cut back to Bobby racing to the ambulance. We see more Dean-chase in the hospital. Then back to Bobby who was anxiously waiting for Dean in the ambulance. You were hoping to see Dean to burst out from the doors, but Dr Sexy did.. and you're like SHIT! Where is Dean?! And then he jumped in to the ambulance. Go! Go! Go! I thought I should point out how good these few seconds were. I also like some really cool camera angles Jensen used in this episode -- the panning of the camera on Dean when he was on the hospital bed and when Bobby was racing to the ambulance. To me it's like, Jensen is not a master director, he is only new to the gig. But I think he gets it. He certainly knows how to design a scene with cameras and editing etc to tell a story. So he needs a hug! And he will get one from me in Nashcon next year!

It's very heartless for me to say this, but I am sure Sam's hallucinations will eventually become the materials for funny fanvids you see on YouTube. I love the Girl Interrupted reference! Seriously, this is how you do a Sam centric episode. I think this episode really sums up who Sam really is deep down. He has compassion, he understands what it's like to be a 'freak'. He wishes people understands him. When he meets other freaks like him, he wants to help, rather than to kill.

Dean and Sam certainly are on the same page when it comes to 'saving people, hunting things, family business'. But to dig deeper, Dean is very black and white, he is the 'if it's supernatural, we kill, that's our job' type. But Sam is more the 'our job is hunting evil. If these things aren't killing people, then they're not evil' type. Sam saw it with his own eyes when he was little, he saw it with his own eyes that Amy Pond killed her own mother to protect Sam. The show has touched on similar themes in Metamorphosis, Sam wasn't going to kill Jack, the Rugaru, unless he was evil. Turned out Jack was pushed and pushed, and eventually couldn't control himself. It's not easy, isn't it? We've seen both Dean and Sam struggled with the ideas of what to kill sometimes. Dean wasn't going to let Amy Pond go, there is no way he can know for sure that she won't kill again, if she does kill again and innocent people die, it's on him. I don't like that scene, but I get why Dean does it. Because everything has consequences. Dean has to do it. And when Sam finds out, it's gonna kill him! Things are so not black and white when it comes to the Supernatural. There will always be guilt. There will always be crap.

On other stuff, I love the idea of staying put at Rufus' get-away house in Whitefish, Montana. Oh Rufus! You're awesome even when you're dead! I love the fact the Dean is a crap TV sucker! I love the My Bloody Valentine 3D reference. I love the fact that Sam will never get Dean his pie! And I love cheese… oh wait.. what?

In next episode, Dean's on trail by an Egyptian God. Alona Tal reprises her role as Jo. Don't miss 7.04 Defending Your Life.