I think we've reached the deepest depths of apologetics at this point. So, here goes:
No, Sam and Dean are not known for sharing. However, at various points, the narrative of the show has - through other characters, through visual displays, through Dean's severe and worsening alcoholism or other manner - shown that they do indeed feel pain. That they suffer from that which they have survived. And the causes of that pain: their emotionally fucked father, demons, the whole Lucifer conspiracy, their emotional codependence, have, in general, been depicted by the narrative of the show as "bad things" that cause pain and suffering.
Not last night. Last night drugged induced rape was treated as something that is wrong, but mostly which is annoying. The actions of someone who was drugged out of his right mind were treated as something he needed to apologize for. The whole incident was treated as a learning experience for everyone from which Sam actually emerged as a stronger person capable of trusting his own, previously damaged mind, even more, and with no real lasting consequences. Drug induced rape! Ha, what a joke! It builds character!
That's my objection. That's why this episode felt like a punch to the stomach, and then the face, and then being told to say thank you for it and that if I didn't, I was a humorless person who obviously didn't get the joke. I got the "joke". It just wasn't funny. I'll close with a quote from Ricky Gervais that sums up my feeling about last night's episode better than I ever could.
When dealing with a so-called taboo subject, the angst and discomfort of the audience is what’s under the microscope. Our own preconceptions and prejudices are often what are being challenged. I don’t like racist jokes. Not because they are offensive. I don’t like them because they’re not funny. And they’re not funny because they’re not true. They are almost always based on a falsehood somewhere along the way, which ruins the gag for me. Comedy is an intellectual pursuit. Not a platform.
no subject
No, Sam and Dean are not known for sharing. However, at various points, the narrative of the show has - through other characters, through visual displays, through Dean's severe and worsening alcoholism or other manner - shown that they do indeed feel pain. That they suffer from that which they have survived. And the causes of that pain: their emotionally fucked father, demons, the whole Lucifer conspiracy, their emotional codependence, have, in general, been depicted by the narrative of the show as "bad things" that cause pain and suffering.
Not last night. Last night drugged induced rape was treated as something that is wrong, but mostly which is annoying. The actions of someone who was drugged out of his right mind were treated as something he needed to apologize for. The whole incident was treated as a learning experience for everyone from which Sam actually emerged as a stronger person capable of trusting his own, previously damaged mind, even more, and with no real lasting consequences. Drug induced rape! Ha, what a joke! It builds character!
That's my objection. That's why this episode felt like a punch to the stomach, and then the face, and then being told to say thank you for it and that if I didn't, I was a humorless person who obviously didn't get the joke. I got the "joke". It just wasn't funny. I'll close with a quote from Ricky Gervais that sums up my feeling about last night's episode better than I ever could.
When dealing with a so-called taboo subject, the angst and discomfort of the audience is what’s under the microscope. Our own preconceptions and prejudices are often what are being challenged. I don’t like racist jokes. Not because they are offensive. I don’t like them because they’re not funny. And they’re not funny because they’re not true. They are almost always based on a falsehood somewhere along the way, which ruins the gag for me. Comedy is an intellectual pursuit. Not a platform.