strange and random thoughts

[roxy]

Looking at Liane Balaban's pic at all_spn and you know, I really hate how SpN made most of us hate her. I don't think I can recall any other show that went out of their way to make what should have been a sympathetic character so obnoxious and unlikable. I guess she was supposed to have come off as spunky and quirky. The kind of girl that would have captured Sam's attention, with just enough damage to make Sam's caretaker self want to help take care of her, but with just enough toughness to show us that she wasn't a wimp. She did not come off that way.

First, she tried to blackmail Sam into taking a dog, this without the slightest idea as to whether he was an asshole or not. Second, she treated a person who was obviously distraught with an astonishing lack of kindness--kept it up until I wondered what masochistic impulse made Sam go after her. They made her look, I don't know...not attractive, not appealing, when in fact she's a *very* attractive woman. (That's Show's SOP, really. I'm always astonished at how gorgeous women are when they're not on SpN. Why is that???)

Mind you, I really liked the idea at first. Granted, I was hoping it was all in Sam's mind--yes, yes, happiest when they're not with women, I know. Still, how cool would that have been? Sam really believing there was a girl, Dean and us viewers slowly finding out no, there wasn't...*sadsigh for lost dreams*. Failing that, if she'd been a more attractive personality, I would have been so moved when Sam chose his brother over her. I would have believed that he did it for Amelia as well as for Dean. But it came off, to *me*, as an unspoken bribe to keep Dean away from Benny.

Of course, that was the kind of thinking that got us Bloodlines. They just don't know who we are, do they? And poor Liane got crapped on by a crummy, pointless storyline, poor us got our reunion diluted, poor Jared tried to pull that equine carcass along with all his might. He acted the hell out of that, I must say, and it was the only bright spot in that whole less than fabulous arc.

Comments

[firesign10.livejournal.com]

Excellent analysis! It's true, she wasn't just annoying, she was horrid. From the get-go, I couldn't understand what on earth Sam saw in her. She was damaged, but that didn't seem (to me) to be enough to offset her acid tongue and prickly persona. I frankly couldn't see the last of her soon enough. (and that's without the whole thing of going back t her RETURNED FROM THE DEAD husband, then deciding to leave him for Sam's pecs after all.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I tell you, I really felt kind of sorry for her. She had so little to work with, and hardly nay room to make her a sympathetic character. And of course, after giving her a bad start, little character development, and a pointless story, TPTB rant on about how SpN fans just can't tolerate a woman with the boys, blah, blah.

Give Sam a chick as smart and cute and sharp as Charlie, as hot as Sarah, (but god not JODY, she's his faux MOM for god's sake, ew!!), and everyone would be more on-board. That's what we need! A Star Wars loving, Hobbit knowing, sexy-ass broad for Sam.

[tasabian.livejournal.com]

I've seen her in Canadian films and she's very good - when she was introduced on SPN. I hoped she would turn out to be an agent of Naomi and was trapping Sam in a "dream world", because some of the flashback scenes seemed rather unreal, with gauzy cinematography. As written, the plot lacked all impact because she wasn't a compelling enough character for Sam to be torn between staying with her and going with Dean.

The other way it might have worked is if she and Sam were both so submerged in grief for their lost loved ones that they made a deeply dysfunctional bond, that then broke when Dean/Don returned.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

The other way it might have worked is if she and Sam were both so submerged in grief for their lost loved ones that they made a deeply dysfunctional bond, that then broke when Dean/Don returned.

YES! This would also have worked perfectly, and it even seemed as though they were going there, her with her thousand limes down the sink. I thought she was an alcoholic at first. That would have been something each of them understood about the other--addiction. Trying to prop each other up, with that, the grief...it would have lent more sense to her Dad's reaction to him. Because it *looked* like two addicts trying to pull themselves out of some deep shit on their own.

Yeah, they could have made it better. I remember many folks were excited to have her on Show so I had a favorable outlook to the idea. And then we got that....

[capnzebbie.livejournal.com]

When I rewatched that season, I ff'd through the Sam/girl scenes. (I disliked her so much that I don't remember her character's name). I don't know why SPN usually gives us women who are either disposable or rage-inducing.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

They are in general TERRIBLE when it comes to writing women. It's almost as if their writing staff heard there was a thing called "WOMAN" but had only ever heard them vaguely described and never actually met one. And aren't there actual women writers on the show? Or is that a rumor started by TPTB? :D

[capnzebbie.livejournal.com]

LOL! Probably the women writers try to insert some sense and personality into the women characters, and the men writers say, "What? Women don't do that! They...have babies. And make men miserable! And....die horrible deaths! What were you thinking with the brains and the personality and the "women are real people" thing. HAHAHAHAHA. You're so silly!"

[tabaqui]

Yes to everything you said! Lisa, they did such a good job with. Ellen, Jo (after the first couple eps), Jody, even Abbadon! But Amelia.... Yeesh. Her browbeating Sam (a total stranger, possibly a jackass, probably homeless) into taking a *badly injured dog* on..... Wow, no. That just ended her for me. No responsible vet would do that.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Yep, not only was that some terrible characterization, but an insult to the viewers. I can't believe they thought anyone would read that as other than crazy-ass bitchiness.

[casey28.livejournal.com]

Her character was very badly written, and the storyline is something I'm trying to forget. Even if they had done a better job with it, Sam was totally OOC in the first half of season eight, so there's nothing about it that could've made it work.