This is one of the show's best monster of the week episodes. The creepy moving, painting is especially cool and I like how they bring Jessica back into the story. Sam's guilt and sorrow over her death continue to haunt him and drive his quest to find her killer. This isn't a vital episode for the story arc, but it is one of the season's best episodes and you really shouldn't skip it.
"Provenance" revolves around a haunted painting. It's of a creepy family who were killed in 1912, supposedly by the father. After a couple buys the painting at a charity auction, they are quickly found brutally murdered. Sam & Dean head to the auction house to investigate. While they're there the meet the owners attractive daughter, Sarah, who immediately sets her sights on Sam. Sam's attracted to her, too. But he feels guilty because of Jessica. Dean feels that it's his responsibility as a caring, older brother to pimp Sam out to Sarah. In the meantime, they destroy the painting, but it regenerates itself.
Sam & Dean do some more investigating and discover that the painting moves and changes position. They think that the spirit is tied to it. But even after salting and burning the bones of the father in the painting, the killings continue. Sarah is confused about the brothers' story that the painting is evil, but she helps them investigate. She and Sam continue to grow closer. More research reveals that it's really the evil little girl in the painting that doing the killing. She attacks Sam & Sarah. Dean has to burn the last remains of the girl, which happens to be a doll with the little girl's hair on it. With the painting exorcised, Sam & Dean leave town. But before he goes Sam kisses Sarah good-bye.
There are some good parts to this episode. I enjoy watching Dean trying to fix Sam up with Sarah. He's trying to make Sam happy and get him past his guilt over Jessica, but he's just so clumsy at his match making attempts that I have to laugh. From pretending to loose his wallet at the auction house so Sam would have to go back and see Sarah, to switching the car radio to a love song when Sam walks Sarah away, he's just so cute. And I like Sam's reaction to trying to fight the evil little girl. He can't find any salt in the house to use as a weapon, causing him to label the homeowners "low sodium freaks." It cracks me up. Also, the ghost in this episode is really creepy. The way the painting changes, objects disappearing and the coming back, people's positions changing... It's all just really scary and fun.
On a side note, I think this is one of the more unique hotel rooms that the boys stay in. I enjoy seeing what sort of seedy establishment they'll pick each week. Every episode it seems like they have a new temporary "home" and I kind of see it as a metaphor for the bleak and thankless nature of of Dean & Sam's life on the road. They don't have a real home, (except the Impala,) so the hotels all look sort of like the same place to them. The decorations are different, but they choose the same sort of establishment again and again in an effort to create some stability and predictability in their crazy world. It's interesting, especially when the decor goes a little nutty. This room and the one in season three's "Dream a Little Dream of Me" are probably my favorites.
On the down side, Sarah was the best of all the boys' girlfriends. I'm sad that Sam left her and I'd like to see her come back.
My favorite part of the episode: Sam's stunned reaction to the painting being back at the auction house all un-burned. "Oh My God!" It just makes me laugh every time.
"Provenance" revolves around a haunted painting. It's of a creepy family who were killed in 1912, supposedly by the father. After a couple buys the painting at a charity auction, they are quickly found brutally murdered. Sam & Dean head to the auction house to investigate. While they're there the meet the owners attractive daughter, Sarah, who immediately sets her sights on Sam. Sam's attracted to her, too. But he feels guilty because of Jessica. Dean feels that it's his responsibility as a caring, older brother to pimp Sam out to Sarah. In the meantime, they destroy the painting, but it regenerates itself.
Sam & Dean do some more investigating and discover that the painting moves and changes position. They think that the spirit is tied to it. But even after salting and burning the bones of the father in the painting, the killings continue. Sarah is confused about the brothers' story that the painting is evil, but she helps them investigate. She and Sam continue to grow closer. More research reveals that it's really the evil little girl in the painting that doing the killing. She attacks Sam & Sarah. Dean has to burn the last remains of the girl, which happens to be a doll with the little girl's hair on it. With the painting exorcised, Sam & Dean leave town. But before he goes Sam kisses Sarah good-bye.
There are some good parts to this episode. I enjoy watching Dean trying to fix Sam up with Sarah. He's trying to make Sam happy and get him past his guilt over Jessica, but he's just so clumsy at his match making attempts that I have to laugh. From pretending to loose his wallet at the auction house so Sam would have to go back and see Sarah, to switching the car radio to a love song when Sam walks Sarah away, he's just so cute. And I like Sam's reaction to trying to fight the evil little girl. He can't find any salt in the house to use as a weapon, causing him to label the homeowners "low sodium freaks." It cracks me up. Also, the ghost in this episode is really creepy. The way the painting changes, objects disappearing and the coming back, people's positions changing... It's all just really scary and fun.
On a side note, I think this is one of the more unique hotel rooms that the boys stay in. I enjoy seeing what sort of seedy establishment they'll pick each week. Every episode it seems like they have a new temporary "home" and I kind of see it as a metaphor for the bleak and thankless nature of of Dean & Sam's life on the road. They don't have a real home, (except the Impala,) so the hotels all look sort of like the same place to them. The decorations are different, but they choose the same sort of establishment again and again in an effort to create some stability and predictability in their crazy world. It's interesting, especially when the decor goes a little nutty. This room and the one in season three's "Dream a Little Dream of Me" are probably my favorites.
On the down side, Sarah was the best of all the boys' girlfriends. I'm sad that Sam left her and I'd like to see her come back.
My favorite part of the episode: Sam's stunned reaction to the painting being back at the auction house all un-burned. "Oh My God!" It just makes me laugh every time.