I just saw a vid that had a comparison of the hugs, and there is a definite flat affect going on with Sam. I've seen some great things from Jared so I'm betting on it being on purpose. Typo boy's theory of PTSD is the most logical to me. I also think there is something to the theory that all hell dimensions aren't on the same timeline, so Sam could have spent more than a day or week in Lucifer's cage. Even if it was only a day, being cut to pieces once would probably suffice for year long lack of emotion.

Here is the vid with the comparisons. [link]

Oh yeah and what's with the little nod?

being cut to pieces once would probably suffice for year long lack of emotion.

Dean was cut to pieces for thirty years, and he looked happier day one hugging Sam. So it would have to be more complex than that. And Dean rocked the PTSD for about two years.

That's what I'm sayin'. Something is up.

eta: *I just pictured Sera reading my statement above and saying, "ya think, Sherlock!?! Thanks for giving me credit that I thought this season through." She would be right. I just WANT EVERYTHING NOW!!

Something is up.

But what something? We've seen PTSD and extended cutting up, like you suggested, and those didn't manifest like JP's expression.

That's what we have to wait to find out. Patience isn't one of my virtues.

Dean was cut to pieces for thirty years, and he looked happier day one hugging Sam.

Yeah but Sam is not Dean. He does not have to break the same way. Mind you I actually agree that the plottiness will probably require something more than PTSD. But honestly one day (or one hour) of torture is enough. We don't really know that it took ten years for Dean to break. Just ten years for him to break enough to begin the process of turning Demon. Numbness can happen a lot sooner.

We don't really know that it took ten years for Dean to break. Just ten years for him to break enough to begin the process of turning Demon

Thirty years, FWIW.

How are you defining break?

I'd be very surprised if Show decided Dean had thirty years of torture and ten years of torturing and could still look relieved and almost happy and Sammy had hours or days and couldn't manage the same. I doubt they'll ever draw such a huge distinction between their emotional capabilities.

Which is why I'd imagine that either JP fucked up the moment, or something other than what happened to Dean happened to Sam, or something went down since he came back that makes him this way.

Again, does not mean Sam is more broken. Broken in a different way.

Which is why I'd imagine that either JP fucked up the moment, or something other than what happened to Dean happened to Sam, or something went down since he came back that makes him this way.

I think it's a little of all that. I think JP is simply not great at nuanced expression (assuming he had any direction on the nuance), I suspect something different happened to him in Hell, I think Sam is naturally less guilt-ridden and wouldn't want to wallow in his misery (like Dean), and I think something is going down (since he came back).

I enjoyed the first episode, though I thought it was a little too much set-up and a little slow as a consequence, but it did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for the show.