Let’s all talk about Route 666 (S1 E13)

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  • This topic has 10 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by journalbookbinder.
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    • journalbookbinder
        February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5411

        Cassie! One of my all-time favorite Dean love interests. I wish she had returned or had a larger role. She was smart and beautiful and established that Dean has diverse taste in women and I loved that.

        • kate38
          February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5495

          I don’t know why this episode gets so much hate from the fans. It’s actually a pretty important one for season 1, and there are lots of episodes that are far worse but don’t get rebuked as severely.

          What’s wrong with a racist whose spirit infected his pickup truck? That’s a pretty interesting story, if you ask me. The episode also deals tastefully with 1960s era racism, current-day racism, and society’s feelings about interracial couples. I’m African American, and I wasn’t offended by any of that. Did I miss something?

          Cassie was a class act, except for the part when she couldn’t accept Dean for who he was. I get that at the time she thought he was crazy or lying, but I’m not sure I’d cut Dean Winchester loose just for that. Have you seen this guy? LOL! Other than that, I liked Cassie. And I liked her and Dean as a couple. That sex scene was smokin’, and so was that kiss at the end (slobber string aside). I wouldn’t have minded some reference to Cassie later in the series at some point. She was Dean’s first love (aside from Mary, John, and Sam, of course). It would’ve been nice to at least know if she was still alive.

          This episode also gave us an interesting revelation about Dean and Sam. Dean only knew Cassie for a few weeks, but he fell in love with her and told her the truth about who he was. The guy who rarely disobeyed John’s orders broke a family rule and told the truth. In contrast, Sam dated Jessica for at least two years, but he never told her who he truly was. So, the guy who picked fights with John as easily as making a turkey sandwich decided FOR ONCE to obey one of John’s rules? Sounds too convenient for me. Later, when we learned how Mary kept her true identity hidden from John, I saw an instant parallel between Mary’s secrecy/deception and John’s. It’s one reason I grew to dislike Mary, and struggled for so long to find something likable about Sam.

          Interesting twist on the lore in this one. In this episode, a ghost/vengeful spirit can’t enter hallowed ground. But that falls by the wayside pretty quickly as the series progresses. Ghosts and demons seem to have no problem whatsoever with holy ground. Eventually, we meet Father Gregory’s ghost (“Houses of the Holy”), who materializes in a church, and Dean and Sam discuss at one point how there’s no point checking for EMF at a cemetery, because there are spirits everywhere (I’m extrapolating from “Highlander” lore, but aren’t cemeteries considered holy ground?). And by season 11 “Paint it Black” a nun’s vengeful spirit is actually haunting a church and killing people. Nothing like rewriting the lore :). I guess it would’ve quickly become inconvenient to maintain that, so they let it go.

          Anyway, I don’t think this was a bad episode overall 🙂

          kate

          • This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by kate38kate38.
          • PigNaPoke
              February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5728

              Interesting twist on the lore in this one. In this episode, a ghost/vengeful spirit can’t enter hallowed ground. But that falls by the wayside pretty quickly as the series progresses. Ghosts and demons seem to have no problem whatsoever with holy ground. Eventually, we meet Father Gregory’s ghost (“Houses of the Holy”), who materializes in a church, and Dean and Sam discuss at one point how there’s no point checking for EMF at a cemetery, because there are spirits everywhere (I’m extrapolating from “Highlander” lore, but aren’t cemeteries considered holy ground?). And by season 11 “Paint it Black” a nun’s vengeful spirit is actually haunting a church and killing people. Nothing like rewriting the lore :). I guess it would’ve quickly become inconvenient to maintain that, so they let it go.

              And how about the hook man? Wasn’t he attacking them on Holy Ground, too? But maybe the priest’s house isn’t part of church property?
              Yeah, I think this was one of those things that they tried but it wasn’t practical to stick with. HAHA
              I can totally forgive that, though, as THEY aren’t 100% sure that that is what “killed” the ghost truck either. Maybe there were also spirits of the murdered children and THEY cancelled the evil spirit of the truck out, no matter the holy ground. There could be other explanations why it worked that the Winchester’s might not be aware of.

          • kate38
              February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5500

              “One of my all-time favorite Dean love interests. I wish she had returned or had a larger role. She was smart and beautiful and established that Dean has diverse taste in women and I loved that.”

              I agree with all this! I would’ve liked a reference to Cassie at some point later in the series. At least it would be nice to know if she’s still alive.

            • kate38
                February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5724

                I also really like the actress who played Mrs. Robinson. She was hauntingly convincing.

              • PigNaPoke
                  February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5727

                  I couldn’t agree more, kate38!

                  I LOOOOVE this episode!!

                  It was a risk taking on such delicate subject, but I thought they did it well and realistically. The idea behind the case is innovative and based in the possibility of true events. I thought the writers showed respect and gravitas when it came to the racial crime and the resulting spirit truck was GREAT!

                  There were some great brother moments in this episode I thought. Sam teasing Dean about being in love. Dean’s one “gimme a second” finger behind his back when he was kissing Cassie and Sam was being obnoxious. Sam at the end asking Dean if he ever thought it was all worth it and Dean NOT answering. The banter during the car chase and final “Honestly, that thought hadn’t occurred to me” line. HA! All great scenes.

                  I also adore Cassie. A strong woman who knows who she is and what she wants. A realist when it comes to her and Dean’s chances. All make me really respect her. She WOULD have potentially made a great long term love interest for Dean, because she COULD have handled it (and him), but I totally respected that she made the decision not to be the second fiddle to his job responsibilities. THAT showed great strength. Because….have you SEEN that guy?! HAHA.

                  YES – the sex scene was HOT AS HELL!! I particularly liked that they kept it very even between them. Cassie taking charge at the beginning was hot to me and as it went on, I felt they were nicely matched. I also really appreciated the urgency – representing to me that they had time to make up for – and that they kept staring at each other’s faces intensely – speaking to me of more than a casual hook up. Great camera angles and music, too.

                  I also thought the direction and visual effects were awesome in this episode.
                  From the gruesome make up on the Mayor after he was hit by the truck was really well done.
                  The night time car chase through fog and mist and the driving itself were amazing to watch. The way the truck collided with the Impala and dissolved in the end looked cool.

                  I did feel bad for Jared and Jensen in this episode because they had to deal with some pretty awful WEATHER, though. Filming in freezing rain at night cannot be fun!!!

                  I thoroughly enjoy this episode every time I watch it.

                • PigNaPoke
                    February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5729

                    The ONLY thing I never liked was that the writers made Dean ask “Why didn’t they call the cops” after Cassie’s mom had told them the story about Dorian’s death!

                    I thought that was STUPID on so many levels.

                    A) Dean as a mad always forced to live on the edge of the law would understand most why NOT calling the cops was the obvious choice.
                    B) Dean is NOT stupid! He KNOWS that in the sixties in the South a black man killing a white man no matter how justified would have NEVER resulted in fair treatment!!! I thought that was a disservice to the character of Dean and I didn’t like it

                    • kate38
                        February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5916

                        Yeah, that little bit always annoyed me, too. I LOVE the expression on Mrs. Robinson’s face though! “Are you insane?”

                        On a more serious note, I thought the writers were trying to hammer home the point that a white male and a woman or man of color live in totally different realities, although we share the same “world”. To Dean, it probably seemed completely reasonable to call the police, because the outcome for him would undoubtedly have been more favorable.
                        It also occurred to me that some viewers (who don’t live in the same reality that Cassie and her family did) might ask the question “Duh, why didn’t he just call the cops and explain what had happened?”. So the writers would have wanted to make it clear that such a move for a person of color would have been suicide.

                        I like that they made Mayor Todd more fair-minded and not a racist. That reinforced an important point, too. That not all people of a given race or social position (e.g., male, white police officer) think the same way.

                    • journalbookbinder
                        February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5767

                        I liked this episode for even bringing up the subject of racial injustice and prejudice. I liked that it established that Dean has no one “type” of woman he likes…he’s equal opportunity. I loved getting an insight into Dean’s past – discovering it right along with Sam. I was surprised that on rewatch, I didn’t think Cassie’s acting was as good as I remembered, but I still liked her and the banter between Sam and Dean was priceless. There was a lot of Jared coming through in this one, but I liked it.

                        Kate, you crack me up. Dean could be a serial killer and it would be hard to let go of someone that pretty. 🙂

                        I always thought that was a particularly gruesome “dead makeup” job on the mayor who was run over by the truck. I liked it. It’s still gruesome by SPN standards. He looked run over!

                        Good point, Kate, on abandoning the “hallowed ground” idea as the series progressed. That is one of my very favorite Sam and Dean moments though…when Dean can’t believe that Sam was just GUESSING that drawing the truck into the church yard would work! One of Dean’s best reaction moments ever.

                        I really wish we had seen Cassie again too. She was busy being the medical examiner on CSI Miami for awhile, I think I recall. She seemed to have had too big a role in Dean’s life to never go back to! Like you said, Kate, the ONE PERSON he told their secret to. There was something special about her!

                        Yes! Cassie’s mom was SO CONVINCING as an actress! The look she gives Sam and Dean when they ask why she didn’t just call the cops back in the 60’s when her husband killed a white man was PERFECT!

                        The sex scene was nowhere near long enough and throughout the series, our chances to ogle Dean’s gorgeous body were too few and far between when compared to our chances to ogle Sam’s gorgeous body. Nicely choreographed sex scene though.

                        Sensitive issue. So many sensitive issues in American history and I hate that. It’s REALITY. Glossing over it doesn’t fix anything. I hate that some seem to think that recognizing facts somehow diminishes this country. I think it makes it stronger IF the injustices can be righted. So far, that hasn’t happened.

                      • journalbookbinder
                          February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5768

                          This episode also reminded me (way back when) that Can’t Find My Way Home by Blind Faith exists…and it’s one of my all-time if not THE all-time favorite song of mine. It’s a crime that the Netflix season 1 didn’t have it. It’s essential to that episode.

                          • kate38
                              February 22, 2021 at 11:50 am #5917

                              Yes! Me, too 🙂

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