#s4e17 It’s a Terrible Life

[mythiodic]

Me when I spend new years watching season 4 of supernatural

[spnstillstudies]

77/327 (KO-FI♡)

S4E17, “It’s A Terrible Life”

[eversw]

SUPERNATURAL l S4E17 It's a Terrible Life

[wideeyedloner]

Wraith Thoughts

In SGA S1 the Wraith were pretty much unbeatable monsters that had even the Ancients fleeing Pegasus to escape them. S3-S5 made two significant changes to how the Wraith were portrayed:

They were severely weakened

They were humanized, but not by the Tau’ri

In S1E02 Rising Part 2, Teyla told Sheppard that the Wraith could make people hallucinate. That basically stopped happening except to Teyla.

In S3E04 Sateda, Ronon was shown to kill several Wraith on his own as a runner, but it took time and work. In S5E09 Tracker, the runner has set many traps in the forest to slow or kill the Wraith, so presumably Wraiths used human runners to improve their hunting skills and were consequently proficient.

However, in S4E17 Midway, Ronon and Teal’c were able to subdue most of Todd’s crew on their own. Even keeping in mind that they were both formidable warriors, they were way outnumbered (the same issue the Ancients faced), and we’d seen Ronon subdued by greater numbers before.

The humanization of the Wraith was something I wish had been explored more. Todd established himself as a warrior poet and unexpected friend to Sheppard in S3E7 Common Ground. He gave Sheppard back the life he drained in captivity when he didn’t have to. This proved that, like humans, Wraith were individuals capable of empathy. I had hoped this would be the start of an amazing friendship spanning species and galaxies, but TPTB had different ideas.

Sheppard and the Tau’ri would prove themselves terrible friends and allies to Todd through the rest of the series (S4E08 The Seer, S4E09 Miller’s Crossing, S4E11 Be All My Sins Remember’d, S4E12 Spoils of War, S4E17 Midway, S5E11 The Lost Tribe, S5E20 Enemy at the Gate), treating him as an enemy combatant/prisoner whether he approached them as a friend/ally or not.

I’m disappointed in the lack of curiosity the expedition demonstrated about other cultures in general, and in the Wraith specifically once Todd was introduced as a friend/ally—especially since they had Todd say, “There is much about Wraith that you do not know, Sheppard (S3E7 Common Ground). In S4E09 Miller’s Crossing, McKay asked if Wraith have siblings, but this question was never answered.

Speaking of McKay, he ended up having the best relationship with Todd. He seemed comfortable working together and didn’t mind Todd touching him (S4E11 Be All My Sins Remember’d). He seemed to have no issue with Hermiod (S2E02 Intruder), either; conversely, Sheppard was extremely rude. Considering his personal debt to Todd, his consistent one-sided hostility and death threats were baffling.

Even in the finale, poor Todd spent the episode in captivity even though he gave the Tau’ri two ZPMs. Justice for Todd!

[2sw]

Supernatural S4E17 It's a Terrible Life

[greaseonmymouth]

I am someone who loves AUs but also has a healthy wariness towards them because not every canon or character or pairing can plausibly be put into a high school AU (always American) or a coffeeshop AU or whatever. For most things I lean more towards canon divergence than a true AU

that said I’ve seen some posts flit across my dash discoursing about AUs and their merits and demerits and whatnot and for some reason they’re all focusing on coffeeshop AUs - I mean I get it, it’s kind of become a shorthand for low takes fluffy AU scenarios of any kind - and this morning my brain took a “okay, let’s consider this possibility seriously” turn and I tried to think of a way I could make a coffeeshop AU work for Afdeling Q.

friends, I will spare you the mental gymnastics I went through and cut to the conclusion: the only way I could possibly see a coffeeshop AU work for Carl & Assad is if they were dropped into it It’s A Terrible Life (supernatural s4e17) style. complete with breaking through the brainwashing to to realise they are, in fact, not a barista and the new pastry chef, with weird chemistry with each other, who happened upon a crime to solve, but hard boiled detectives with traumas and a solidified codependent relationship.

[mysteryspotcast]

🚨 Ep. 48, Chuck Shurley is Pink Diamond, is here! 🚨

Join us as we recap Supernatural S4E17: "It's A Terrible Life" and S4E18: "The Monster at the End of This Book."

Points of Interest: W*ncest is culture persevering, Sam’s unethical enclosure, Dean is NOT gay, a ghost who can send a believable corporate email, Winstincts, the Supernatural writers have stopped answering our emails, apologies for the deception, Dean’s Goodreads ratings, W*ncest is canon (not in the way you think), “Speaking of BL-“, and Chuck Shurley on Undercover Boss.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app!

[mlobsters]

Supernatural S4E17 It's a Terrible Life (written by Sera Gamble)

The Magicians S4E5 Escape from the Happy Place (written by Mike Moore)

[watchingspnagain]

Rewatching It’s a Terrible Life

Welcome to “Sam and Dean are Just Steps on the Bossman’s Ladder: A Supernatural Rewatch Blog” with Lor and Mace!

Up today, s4e17: It’s a Terrible Life

Dean Smith works a middle-management white-collar job at Sandover Bridge and Iron, and Sam Wesson is a grunt in the IT department there. Sam thinks something about this life is wrong, and when he runs into Dean he could swear they’ve met before. But Dean brushes him off until employees start dying real weird in the company. When Dean witnesses an IT tech stab himself in the throat during a panic attack over filling out a form incorrectly, he accepts that Sam might be on to something. The two work together to research the company and the deaths, eventually realizing the ghost of the company’s founder is compelling workers to kill themselves if they don’t give Sandover their all. Smith and Wesson dispatch the ghost (after finding some helpful tips online from the Ghostfacers), and eventually Dean’s boss reveals that he is actually Zachariah, an angel who arranged this little interlude for Dean to help him remember that he is and always will be a hunter at heart. Dean doesn’t take kindly to this interference from the angels and promises that one day he’ll stab Zachariah in his face.

Below is a log of our real-time reactions as we watched. Remember that there may be spoilers for any part of SPN’s 15-season run here. Note also that the nature of our conversation is adult and thus it may contain adult language and themes.

 [and we begin:]

Lor: bounces I love this one

Mace: 

it is a good one

he looks so ridiculous in that shirt and tie

Lor:

and I love that this show is like "ep 16: torture, hero almost killed by a demon who tortured him in hell for 30 years. ep 17: alternate universe shenanigans"

mmm. someone should maybe take him out of them

Mace: 

they like to mess with us

Lor:

yep

Mace: 

LOR.

Lor:

wot?

innocent

Mace: 

simmer down

Lor:

NEVER

Mace: 

omg this guy plays such a hilarious weirdo on Psych

Lor:

Zachariah?

Mace: 

yeah

Lor:

omg Dean Smith. you do not need to lose any weight. eat a cookie

kill a ghost

Mace: 

HA

Lor:

LOL Sam's face

Mace: 

SAM IN THAT POLO

Lor:

YES

even Dean Smith makes "no homo" jokes when no one else brought that up pets him go to therapy, baby

Mace: 

it’s crazy to me that Sam is uncomfortable in this fake life but Dean suspects nothing

YEP

Lor:

DID YOU TRY TURNING IT OFF AND THEN ON

yeah it is WEIRD

Mace: 

HAHAHA

Lor:

but it fits with his "I can fit in anywhere thing"

Mace: 

hm. I wonder if it’s more “I’m so unhappy in the life my daddy forced me into” thing

Lor:

oh definitely

Mace: 

my god he FITS in that shirt

Lor:

YAAAS

he should really stop being work buddies with this asshole

Mace: 

(omg I am seriously wearing almost EXACTLY that other dude’s outfit right now)

Lor:

HAAAAHAHAHAHA I LOVE IT

poor Sam doesn't fit in his cubicle

Mace: 

graphic t with ratty flannel over

Lor:

it is the BEST outfit

Mace: 

oh Sammy, sweets, I’ll nap with you

Lor:

MACE

simmer down

Mace: 

I love how he does NOT fit into that cubicle

Lor:

YES

Mace: 

Dean’s profile. just DAMN, son

Lor:

YAAAAAS

they made him extra pretty this ep and I love that they bothered

Mace: 

he cleans up super nice

Lor:

Dean, you know you have some vampire romance novels under your perfectly made bed

Mace: 

SNORK

“you overshare”

HAHAHA

Lor:

the tiny montages of the workplace mundanities

Mace: 

YEP

“I hope they spank me” this boy is naughty

Lor:

LOL

look, we've all been where he is. no evil ghost needed

Mace: 

HA

Lor:

EW

Mace: 

oh GROSS

SHOULDERS

Lor:

YAS

omg Dean's pretty pretty face. his LIPS

Mace: 

RIGHT?!

Lor:

omg Sam and Dean are both researching it and asking the same questions on their own. i love it

Mace: 

YES

“did you shave?!”

Lor:

lol

"the dash-Rs"

Mace: 

“hey, guy”

Lor:

omg his back in those suspenders

Mace: 

right?

omg EW

Lor:

RIGHT?

i always forget this one has some serious ew horror moments

poor Dean so shook

Mace: 

but not as shook as a normal person, which is kind of awesome

Lor:

the way his voice kinda fails on "neck"

YES

I love the way he just totally took charge with Ian (even though it didn't work)

Mace: 

why did he bring his bag?

yeah

Lor:

security laptop. it makes him feel safe

Mace: 

emotional support laptop

Lor:

YES

"NOT NATURAL"

Mace: 

HA

Lor:

"no that would be nuts" HAAAAAHHAHAHAHA poking fun at their own show history

Mace: 

SNORK

Lor:

"some skills I happen to have"

Mace: 

okay settle down, Taken

Lor:

I admire from afar

Mace: 

Dean’s arms in that shirt

Lor:

HEY. SETTLE DOWN

Mace: 

“right?!” BOYS

Lor:

"I am dying to check this out." "Right?" YES

Mace: 

SNORK! Look, I’m always like this. It’s weirder when you do it

Lor:

LOLOLOLOL

Fair enough

Mace: 

your desire to trot at any given moment is, like, lukewarm

Lor:

at best

Mace: 

which is, of course, completely cool - PUN INTENDED - I’m just saying that when you bump it up to hot-trotting, it’s just different

Lor:

LOLOLOL

I get it

Mace: 

whereas my trotting enthusiasm always runs at toasty, minimum

Lor:

except for the GIANT BOWL OF APPLES

eat a food, Dean, I beg you

Mace: 

HAHAHA

Lor:

LOL toasty trots

DON'T BE A SNOB DEAN SMITH

Mace: 

right?!

(also, their NAMES)

Lor:

your daddy raised you better'n that

Mace: 

did he, though?

I think you mean Bobby raised him better

Lor:

(YES I am kissing whoever decided to give them OTHER gun names platonically on the head)

Mace: 

(HA)

Lor:

Bobby is his dad in the universe, that's what I meant

Mace: 

omgomgomg

Lor:

HAAAAHAHAHAHA GHOSTFACERS

"instructional videos"

Mace: 

GHOSTFACERS

I forgot they were in here!

Lor:

THIS IS LIKE THE BEST JOKE that they learn how from them who they hate who learned it from them

I LOVE IT kicks feet in glee

Mace: 

YESYESYES

Lor:

nrrrrrf Dean's dumb buttondown tucked into his dumb dress slacks

Mace: 

YES

“yeah now sucks"

Lor:

his portfolio is in the sewer. poor rich baby

Mace: 

HA

Lor:

"useless douchebags the Winchesters"

"possibly all states"

Mace: 

HAHAHAHA

Lor:

and Dean's face at the idea of digging up bodies

Mace: 

YES

omg Dean hiding

Lor:

YES

oh man another super gross bit coming

Mace: 

UGH

“…what?” SAM

Lor:

YES

eeeeeeeeew

Mace: 

EWEWEWEW

poor Bean

Lor:

poor sammy

"take the stairs"

Mace: 

HAHAHA

Lor:

aw Dean's little swallow

Mace: 

YES

Lor:

"I have no idea"

Mace: 

oh boys

Lor:

hey! stop throwing my Dean around into things!

ooo the teamwork

Mace: 

YES

Lor:

I love that Sam immediately clocks that the way to help Dean is not to help him but to dispatch the ghost

Mace: 

YES

so smart

“that was amazing!”

Lor:

HE HAS A FIRST AID KIT IN HIS OFFICE

pets him

Mace: 

yeah

“how would we live?”

HEALTH INSURANCE

Lor:

"you don't wanna go fighting ghosts without any health insurance" I LOVE HIM

YES

Mace: 

I LOVE that Sam instinctively knows who he is

HE WENT TO STANFORD

Lor:

YES

RIGHT?!

And his family is Bobby, Ellen, and Jo

Mace: 

well, Bobby at least

“you don’t know me, pal” ooof

Lor:

"you should go" sigh

YAS SAM

Mace: 

YAS SAMMY DO IT

Lor:

GOD HIS ARMS

Mace: 

YES

he BENT the poker MY GOD

Lor:

YES

Dean, hold out for your own angel

Mace: 

HA

Lor:

gross

Mace: 

yeah

Lor:

THE WAY THE COLOR DROPS OUT

Mace: 

OMG YES

Lor:

"my GOD am I hungry"

Mace: 

HAHAHA YES

Lor:

trots in with a bag of cheeseburgers and fries and pie

Mace: 

HA

Lor:

"gross. no thank you"

Mace: 

“gross” HAHAHAHA

Lor:

lololol Dean

ass clowns in monkey suits

Mace: 

how did they not realize how he would respond to this?

Lor:

his idiolect! I cannot

RIGHT?

Cas coulda told them. No way they ran this by him

Mace: 

nope

daddy issues

he’s not wrong there

Lor:

"I will stab you in your face" AND HE DOES

Mace: 

HAHAHAHA

Lor:

his face journey after "fornicate with women" is something else

look, Dean, I'm here to tell you you can hunt and still have the lattes

Mace: 

HAHAHA YES

and fuck all of them for doing all this to Sammy too but not bothering to explain

Lor:

RIGHT?

Mace: 

and HE’S THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY PASSED THE STUPID TEST

Lor:

like Sam goes from "my brother is beat to hell in a hospital bed" to being mind fucked and then no one bothers to tell him what's up

RIGHT?

Mace: 

so mean. he needs comforting.

Lor:

I think we've talked before about how if they'd given Dean a life HE MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE HAD, like running his own auto shop, restoring cars, with either Cassie or Cas, he would have STAYED THERE FOREVER

Mace: 

YEP

[recliquary]

some living, some standing alone by ferrera

fandom: supernatural pairing: sam/dean, smith/wesson word count: 3266 tags: s4, it's a terrible life, pining summary: Dean Smith's gone, discarded like the plaything he was, and Dean Winchester is supposed to move on.

rec note: a lovely, aching post-s4e17 offering that has dean grappling with the fact that smith and wesson hooked up. i greatly enjoyed the introspection along with the pining and the exploration of dean smith as a part of dean. it feels lonely, being dean, in this fic but it's not hard for me to imagine sam working through his own brand of denial so that the two of them might figure themselves out at some point.

[random-spn-quotes]

I am not one of your ducks.

-Dean Winchester

S4E17 it's a terrible life

[myfriendlungleg]

ive got to s4e17 its a terrible life and now don't get me wrong, it's not a good or coherent episode (classic case of the writers forgetting how the characters work & what their actual dreams and motivations are in persuit of more immediate narrative arcs), but there's definitely something there in terms of like. if it weren't for this life you would be an unmarried workaholic who wears pristine button-up shirts and drinks smoothies and loves project runway. which is interesting given the other alternate universe episode in s2 where he's picture-book default-married to a beautiful woman he can't connect with and his family keeps alluding to his drinking problem. something-something guy who is a closet homosexual in every universe.

[let-me-be-your-home]

#SamDeanChallenge

Day 5 : Favorite AU Version 

@aborddelimpala’s Sam & Dean Graphic Challenge

[eversw]

SUPERNATURAL l S4E17 It's a Terrible Life

[pantha-is]

You broke into their email accounts? - i used... some skills that i happen to have to... satisfy my curiosity

suuure

officer i didnt kill him i used my stabbing skills to satisfy my need for some peace and quiet

i mean, what if they´re something... not natural?

Not Natural the new tv series with the brothers Soren and Damian Wallpaint in the two main roles

the real crime in this episode was the car Dean was driving. what the fuck was that

[spnambience]