Discussion of 1.02 "Wendigo" - Aired 9/20/05 (WB-US)

[Bela Talbot]

After having no luck in the investigation of Jessica's death, the brothers follow instructions found in their father's journal and head to Blackwater Ridge, Lost Creek, Colorado. Posing as park rangers, they help a young woman named Haley (Gina Holden) and her younger brother Ben (Alden Ehrenreich) search for their lost older brother Tommy (Graham Wardle), who disappeared while on a camping trip. Sam and Dean soon realize that he was taken by a wendigo that has terrorized the woods since 1936. While searching, Haley and Dean are kidnapped by the creature, but Sam and Ben are able to track them to a mine. After Dean, Haley, and Tommy are freed, they kill the wendigo with a flare gun.

Source: Wikipedia

I forgot how much more "horror" this show was in the early seasons. Some of the scenes really feel like a horror film.

Also I think it's interesting how "Dean" Dean was even in these beginning episodes, and how "good cop bad cop" he and Sam could be. They really did a good job defining the two rules from the beginning.

And of course, it was cool to have not one but two Battlestar Galactica characters in this episode lol

 

[Death]

I love the silent communication you get between Sam and Dean in this ep, it shows that although they haven't been around each other much recently, they still remember how to work as a team and that they were once really close

 

[Shurley]

Top 3 - Least Favorite Moments

The MOTW wasn't bad, but I prefer the later ones that can pass for human.

Even though he recently lost Jess and all, Sam's lack of empathy for others seems entirely out of character on a re-watch.

And so begins the tediousness of all the girls wanting Dean in S1, despite what they are dealing with, like a missing brother!

Top 3 - Absolute Favorite Moments

The birth of this iconic motto.

This poor man's backstory is very touching and a good view of the great minor character stories we'd get throughout the show.

Dean's inventive breadcrumbs!

Rating - 6/10

 

[SwanSong]

I forgot how much more "horror" this show was in the early seasons. Some of the scenes really feel like a horror film.

I always think the same thing when I go back to the beginning.

I quite like this episode, it was one of the hooks for me. And memorable enough for me to remember it 14 season on

My Buffy equivalent for season 1 would be Witch. Scary and relevant to the development of the show.

 

[Death]

I completely forgot about the hand coming out of the grave in Sam's dream.
It's interesting to note the things that change, like no devils trap in the trunk, when you get so used to seeing that.
Good to see them using symbols though as warding, although I don't think we see it much in the early seasons.

I do think it's funny that all through the episode they say how fast the creature is and yet it's so slow at the end.