Scenes I Love . . .
"Provenance" (cont.)
Sam has noticed there are differences in the painting, and Dean theorises the changes might provide clues that could help them stop the murderous spirit. “We gotta get back in and see that painting,” he says, “which is a good thing cause you can get some more time to crush on your girlfriend.”
But Sam has become impatient with his brother’s matchmaking:
SAM
Ever since we got here, you been trying to pimp me out to Sarah. Just back off, all right?
DEAN
Well, you like her don't you?
SAM raises his arms and eyes to the ceiling.
DEAN
All right, you like her, she likes you, you're both consenting adults...
SAM
(Frustrated, rising voice) What's the point, Dean? We'll just leave. We always leave.
DEAN
Well I'm not talking about marriage, Sam.
https://supernaturalwiki.com/1.19_Provenance_(transcript)
After an initial dig about Sam being cranky, Dean actually drops his annoying big brother persona, and we have a rare opportunity to see him expressing genuine care and concern. He is surprisingly gentle and respectful as he brings up the topic of Jessica, and the brothers have an open and honest conversation about the subject. It’s probably the most intimate conversation we’ve witnessed between them so far, and it’s a measure of how much they’ve bonded since the start of the season:
DEAN
(Sitting up on the bed) You know, seriously Sam, this isn't about just hooking up, okay? I mean, I, I think that this Sarah girl could be good for you.
SAM sighs and scratches his head. DEAN watches closely.
DEAN
(Softly) And... I don't mean any disrespect but I'm sure this is about Jessica, right? Now I don't know what it's like to lose somebody like that.... but... I would think that she would want you to be happy.
SAM is quiet and listening now, tears in his eyes.
DEAN
God forbid have fun once in a while. Wouldn't she?
SAM
(softly) Yeah, I know she would.
(Ibid.)
As Sam thinks about her, he smiles slightly, and I have to wonder if this is the first time since her death that he’s been able to think about her with fondness instead of pain?
But then he reveals “you're right. Part of this is about Jessica. But not the main part.”
Instead of replying, he just fixes Dean with a meaningful look, then his gaze drops away and we’re left wondering what the “main part” might be. Dean appears to catch on quickly, but it seems he doesn’t want to talk about it anymore than Sam does.
Their hunting vocation and the search for their father is, of course, an obstacle to serious relationships, but Sam’s already made that point, so that isn’t what he’s referring to here. Later in the episode he discloses that he feels cursed and sees himself as a danger to anyone he cares about, but it seems to me that would fall under the heading of being “about Jessica”, so I don’t think that’s what he’s talking about either. It occurs to me that perhaps he might be reluctant to become romantically involved while the question of his psychic powers remains unresolved. They haven’t been mentioned recently, but they will soon become an issue again in a couple of episodes, so perhaps this is foreshadowing. If so, it’s very subtle.
Whatever the elephant in the room is, the writers are content to leave it as a blank for the fans to fill with their own speculations. Would anyone care to offer their thoughts as to what it might be?
I love the way Dean watches his brother with one sly little eye while Sam resigns himself to calling Sarah . . .
And learns that her father has sold the painting to a new owner, who we find in her home doing a spot of solitary late-night reading.
We get a creepy shot of Isaiah’s head turning in the painting, then we see the razor blade reflected in the lenses of Evelyn’s spectacles while she takes a tea break:
To be honest, I find the reflection a bit corny and implausible since it seems unlikely the blade would appear isolated like this from any glimpse of its carrier, plus it moves unrealistically slowly and smoothly. Nevertheless, it’s a nice visual, and I find it effective despite my nit-picky reservations. 😉
Throughout the episode the smart use of camera angles avoids giving the game away too early. The pov attacker shots have all been taken from above the victims - in this case because Evelyn is sitting down and, earlier, because the husband had fallen on the floor - cleverly forestalling the revelation that the murderous spirit is a child.
When the boys arrive at the house, they are joined by Sarah who has insisted on coming against Sam’s recommendation. She is startled when, on failing to shoulder through the door, Dean starts picking the lock and Sam tries to break through the windows.
What are you guys, burglars?
SAM
I wish it was that simple. Look you really should wait in the car. It's for your own good.
DEAN gets the door open and SAM quickly follows him inside.
SARAH
The hell I will. Evelyn's a friend.
SARAH runs in after them.
(Ibid.)
She’s unprepared for what she finds inside though as, upon tapping her friend’s shoulder, the woman’s head rolls back to reveal her throat has been sliced almost completely through.
Then Sarah looks up just in time to see Isaiah’s painted head move. I have to say, I struggle to believe that her attention would stray to the painting in that moment, let alone notice a detail like that, rather than remain riveted on the shocking neck wound. I confess, the first time I watched, I didn’t even notice the movement myself and I had to go back and rewatch to check what they were referring to when they talked about it in the next scene.
That’s her “OMG” moment? More than nearly-headless Evelyn? 😲
But I do still think the moving painting FX are effectively creepy for their time.
TBC.
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