kate38
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“Dean looks genuinely surprised when she keeps talking him down in terms of years of life on the contract. All the way down to one. I DO like that this “secret” was not drawn out. That by the end of this episode, he tells Sam what he did. I wish this trend would have continued on this show!”
Man, I SO agree with this! I can’t remember who said it — Bob Singer, maybe? But later in the show, around season 10, one of the producers said something about how “secrets are no longer interesting as plot devices”. After that point, the brothers tended to keep fewer secrets from each other. But I’m with you! I wish they’d started sooner. Even in season 9, I 100% agree that Dean made the right choice when he let Sam get angel-possessed. My only criticism of Dean is that I wish he’d told Sam about it sooner. I know he wanted to several times, but Ezekiel/Gadreel talked him out of it. Yes, if Dean had confessed in 9×1 or 9×2, Sam would’ve dropped dead and Dean would’ve made some sort of terrible deal to resurrect him. In the end, the story line likely wouldn’t have been that different except there wouldn’t have been yet another secret.
kate
“Jake was a good character addition. And he’s a very skilled actor, Aldis Hodge, who went on to do much bigger things. He was good as a very wary “special child”. I liked that they threw in the bit about him being a soldier as he thought differently about the situation because of that. Having superhuman strength as his gift was kinda unfair to the others! How could that not give him an unfair advantage?”
I like Aldis Hodge, too. Although I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to hate Jake, I’m glad someone as talented as Aldis got to play him! And DEFINITELY! Making Jake a soldier (which I think was added to the script later, if I recall) was a good choice because it made him more heroic than he’d otherwise have been, and therefore more sympathetic.
Good point about the Superman strength. I guess Andy’s gift is the only one that might be stronger. Being able to mind-control people is arguably more powerful than superhuman strength. Andy was able to send Dean a vision from several states away. That’s pretty impressive. Jake would have to get his hands on you to hurt you.
I guess I never connected with any of the other psychic kids. I didn’t like Andy because he seemed like a bong-smoking loser who lived in his van, skipped out on his bills and financial responsibilities, and (I’m pretty sure) mind-controlled that pretty blonde into sleeping with him. Ava just seemed too high-strung and jarring to me, even in “Hunted”. I felt a bit sorry for the girl who had the death touch, but she didn’t stay around very long, so they didn’t have much time to develop her.
Now that I think about it, it feels like Jake had more screen time in this episode than any of the other psychics did. Maybe that’s part of the reason I feel more connected to his story. I’m angry that he killed Sam, but I get why he did it.
kate
“Loved that moment when Dean realized he was dating a nurse. “How respectable!” Love that. BTW, my spouse who wear scrubs says no one ever holds scrubs up to their body when deciding what to wear as Carmen did.”
LOL! Your spouse is very wise and absolutely correct! Nobody does that 🙂
In fact, many people who wear scrubs don’t even wear them outside of the medical facility, to reduce the risk of bringing something contagious home, or bringing something from home into the medical facility (where your patients might be immunocompromised). I’ve always changed from my street clothes into scrubs when I got to work, and then changed back into street clothes when I leave. I’ve seen some people wear scrubs outside (getting coffee in the morning at Starbucks, riding the train to or from work, etc.) but I don’t think most people do that.kate
“Jensen. Oh my God. Every subtle expression…the one that gets me every time is when Mary casually touches his face when she says goodnight and he chases that touch. Gives me shivers. It says everything about much he needed and missed out on when Mary died young.”
SO true! If you have the DVD or Blue Ray, you should listen to the commentary for this episode. Eric Kripke remarks about how Jensen was so dialed in and connected to Dean’s emotions in this episode and in those scenes with Mary in particular.
I think I’ll rewatch again just to hear the commentary…:)kate
Ahh…this is the first time we hear “Carry On” in a season finale. That song will never be the same for me. It will always have meaning and will always make me a little sad. 🙁
I remember Jensen giving an interview and saying that he told the director he’d only be able to do Sam’s death-bed scene once, because of how emotional it was. So, the director and director of photography lined up all the cameras to get the angles they needed for that scene. If I recall, Jensen did John’s gravesite scene in “What Is and What Should Never Be” all in a single shot, too. I can’t say it enough times. Jensen Ackles deserves about a dozen Emmys for his performances in Supernatural over the 15 seasons. It’s a shame that he’ll likely never be truly recognized for the amazing actor he is. Maybe in future projects, or maybe he’ll be recognized for his directing someday.
It’s heartbreaking that Dean felt he’d let Sam and John down somehow. I hate that he blames himself for things that are far beyond his control.
By the way, the lighting in that death bed scene was spot on. It highlighted Jensen’s face perfectly. I also love all the Kim Manners’ close-ups in this one. They make me smile and miss him…
I LOVE the backstory about Samuel Colt and the devil’s trap. That’s so ingenious! Question: Did Colt’s railway fail? The demons blasted through it, right?
Another question: When Dean gets to the crossroads, Lloyd’s bar isn’t there. Do you guys think that was an oversight? I guess we’re supposed to believe that Dean found another crossroad that just happened to have enough loose gravel so he could dig a hole with his bare hands. Okay…
Sigh…I hate to watch that crossroad deal scene because it’s so gut-wrenching. We know Dean’s going to make the deal, but THE WHOLE TIME, I’m still screaming internally for him to not do it. And the demon is so cruel and seductive. “It’s a fire sale and everything must go.” Like I said, I hate watching that scene because of the consequences. But the scene itself is so well done in every respect that I can’t hate the scene. The actress totally delivered. And of course, Jensen did too.
I can’t say enough wonderful things about Bobby. He loves his boys so much. That scene when he confronts Dean about the deal is beautiful. He’s furious that Dean put himself in such grave danger, but his rage clearly comes from a place of love and protection. Yes, Dean’s self esteem at that point was already in the abyss. He’d never stopped blaming himself for John’s death, and now he blamed himself for being unable to protect Sam. When Dean says he had to do it so his life would mean something, and Bobby says “It didn’t before?!” – Oh, my heart. I just love Bobby! Jim Beaver is a treasure.
When Azazel was taunting Dean in the graveyard, he implied that what was resurrected might not have been “100% Sam”. Do you guys think the writers were initially going to take the story that way but changed their minds between seasons 2 and 3? Or do you think that was just a misdirect? I’m curious, because early in season 3 (“Sin City”, I think), Dean asks Bobby the same thing about Sam. It really made me wonder. And wouldn’t it have been VERY Interesting if the story had actually gone that way?
That iconic scene when John returns and Dean kills Azazel is just wonderful! Only John Winchester could claw his way out of hell — after being relentlessly tortured for 100 years — to help his boys…again. Then, John gets the reward of going to heaven, after a silent but powerful farewell to his sons. Sigh…all the feels. I know lots of fans don’t like John Winchester; but I think he’s just a misunderstood character. He never stopped loving his sons and fighting for them. Even the grave and hell itself couldn’t stop that. Like I said…all the feels.
kate
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This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by .
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This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by .
Poor Dean! After Sam ran off in “Hunted” and disappeared again in “Born Under a Bad Sign”, now he inexplicably goes missing AGAIN! It must have killed Dean to realize that, probably for the first time in his life, he truly couldn’t protect Sam from whatever was coming for him.
I don’t like too much about this one, but I do like the mood and feel. The abandoned western town is just perfect for an episode like this. And the constant rain, mud, and gloom just adds to the atmosphere.
The cast of characters didn’t do much for me. I didn’t really connect with any of them. I felt bad for the blonde girl with the death touch. But I never liked Andy, and Ava seemed very monochromatic. Jake was interesting, and I’ve liked Aldis Hodge in other things. Of course, I hated Jake by the end of the episode. He was clearly manipulated by Azazel, but I still don’t forgive him for killing Sam after Sam showed him mercy by not killing him.
I was SO annoyed that they killed Ashe. He was one of my favorite characters from the early seasons. I was disappointed that they burned down the Roadhouse, too.
Speaking of annoying, this was the episode that really made me dislike Mary. In Sam’s flashback, Mary clearly recognized Azazel, which means she remembered her deal and chose to ignore it. She was from a line of hunters going all the way back to the Mayflower, had access to the family library, and extensive resources. She could’ve at least looked for a way to break her deal. Bobby figured a way out in a year – Mary had ten. She could’ve told John THE TRUTH about who she was, and the two of them could’ve found a way out together. Ignoring her deal was naïve, selfish, and illogical.
In Sam’s dream with Azazel, the demon said there were “other generations” of chosen psychics. If the chosen psychic was to lead hell’s army by being Lucifer’s vessel, does that mean Dean and Sam (and their family bloodline) weren’t the only “true” vessels for Lucifer and Michael? That has always bothered me. Am I conflating separate events? I know this other part doesn’t come up until season 4, but Alistair tells Dean that John was supposed to break the first seal, but Alistair couldn’t break John under torture. And Castiel tells Dean that the one who breaks the first seal is the only one who can “stop” the apocalypse (presumably by being Michael’s vessel). If both of those things are true, then the original apocalypse battle was supposed to be between Sam and John, not Sam and Dean. Thoughts?
What can I say about that iconic last scene? Jensen and Jared were both unbelievable. Jensen’s performance was especially raw and visceral. I felt his shock and grief. He continues that same level of performance in AHBL part 2, but I’ll talk about that when we get to that episode. Jensen deserves all the Emmys. He truly does.
kate
Raelle Tucker knocked this one outta the park! This is one of those episodes that is so chock full of good things that I could write a book about it. I’ll try to just keep it to the highlights.
I always LOVE the Dean-centric episodes. Not only is Dean a compelling character, but watching Jensen in action never leaves me disappointed. He gives us EVERYTHING In this episode. His reaction when he sees Mary for the first time is so…pure and real. His heartbreak when he’s at John’s gravesite is visceral. He deserves an Emmy for that scene alone, by the way. His yearning to spend time with Mary is also very touching. I don’t like Mary, but I respect what having her in his life meant for Dean, and it makes me regret her death because of the effect it had on his life. Not for nothin’, but Samantha Smith was amazing in this episode. The scenes with her and Jensen are among my favorites.
Interesting that in Dean’s dream life, Mary and Jessica are both alive, but John isn’t. I wonder if JDM was too busy for this one, so they had to write him out of the story. I can’t imagine Dean not wanting his father alive.
I like Carmen a lot! I love that, if Dean had what he wanted (according to his djinn dream, anyway), he’d have a stable life with a woman who loves and understands him, a job fixing cars, and a guitar on the stand in the living room of HIS HOME. Dean was deprived of all those things, and it makes his 15-season story arc that much more tragic. Even though Dean was very broken when he was with Lisa, I think he was the closest we’ve ever seen him to happiness and stability when he was with Lisa and Ben. I think Dean never stopped wanting that life, even though he’d convinced himself that he didn’t deserve it. In “Paint it Black”, he mentioned wanting to “experience life differently”. I think having a stable life and a family of his own is one of the things he was probably thinking about. It makes me that much more furious that he died in the finale without ever having a chance at that life, or some version of a happy life. I know the finale is controversial (for a lot of reasons), but the fact that Sam got to live a life and Dean didn’t will never sit right with me. Never.
I love the shout outs to earlier episodes, like “Phantom Traveler”, “Playthings”, and “Something Wicked”. Dean needed to see that he, Sam, and John SAVED people and changed the world for the better. It was hard watching that scene at John’s gravesite, when the tremendous burden of Dean’s real life came crashing down on him again. It was also hard watching Dean – once again – sacrifice his happiness and Sam’s for the mission, but it also affirmed how heroic and self-sacrificing Dean is.
I also liked the shout out to the scene from the “Pilot”, when Dean broke into Sam’s apartment.
I like how Dean figured out this case – the connection to the mystery girl, that killing himself might free him, etc. It says a lot about his intelligence and tenacity. I also love Sam’s acknowledgement that most people wouldn’t have had the strength to get out of the djinn’s illusion. Dean needed to hear that.
kate
“Good character actor in the “long time convict” that Sam talks to while mopping the floor.”
Yes! I don’t know his name (I should, because I’ve seen him in tons of shows), but this actor is very good. He’s sincere, understated, and totally convincing as Randall. I liked that scene with Sam when they’re mopping the floor, and the other scene when Dean has to pay him in cigarettes for information.
kate
“Why did the ghost always just go to the next target? I thought she was there to keep the rules intact. She went for Dean, then he hit her with salt, and she immediately seemed to go after Tiny for no reason.”
Great question, JBB! I’d always assumed that the ghost was punishing Tiny for breaking the rules by fighting. I’d assumed that’s also why she killed Lucas, and why she came after Dean.
kate
“I greatly enjoyed this one. Kate made a comment in the last one (Hollywood Babylon) about how Dean fits in everywhere. As a PA there and a prisoner here. Learning how to use cigarettes and currency…figuring out how things work. When Sam asks if he’s at all disturbed how well he fits in there, he says no. He learns to adapt everywhere! I love that about him here.
I remember, on first watch, I didn’t guess who Deacon was and I was VERY nervous when the warden pulled them aside and told the other guard to leave. I thought they were going to get a serious beating. I remember on first watch that reveal surprised me.”
I 100% agree with both of these, JBB! I think Dean’s relatability and understanding of human nature are often overlooked in the show. I love seeing those attributes — and his intelligence — so prominently on display. And you’re right — if Dean ever ended up in jail for real, he’d absolutely end up running the place :).
I REALLY liked how they revealed Deacon’s identity! I remember being shocked the first time I saw that.
kate
I LIKE this one! Whenever I hear “Green Onions”, I think fondly of the perp walk in this episode – LOL! The look on Sam’s face when his cell mate stands up in priceless! It’s amazing to me that they found someone taller than Jared 😊. Even Randall was a fun character. I like the lady lawyer a lot, too.
When I first watched this one, I was surprised that the Winchester brothers would trip a silent alarm. But when I realized they’d gotten arrested purposely, it made perfect sense.
Interesting exchange of roles between the brothers: When they first arrive, Sam makes a comment about how the four people who died weren’t “innocent” because they were in jail. Dean had to remind him that not only are some people in jail innocent, but even if someone has been convicted of a crime, it doesn’t mean that person deserves to die. In the early seasons, the writers tried very hard to paint Sam as the empathetic one, while painting Dean as an absolutist (at least where monsters are concerned). But in this episode, it’s clearly Dean who sees the humanity in the prisoners and Dean who has a much easier time relating to them. It’s also Dean who has to remind Sam that they should work the job and stay until the job is done, because Deacon saved John’s life in the Marine Corps, so honoring their word to him is important.
Little piece of trivia: When they were filming this episode, one of the filming days was Jensen’s birthday. I read that many of the extras were actual prisoners (I’m not sure how WB worked that out, or if that part is even true). So, when all the prisoners in the yard surprised Jensen by suddenly turning to face him and singing “Happy Birthday” Jensen admitted being a little freaked out – all those grizzled, burly guys singing “Happy Birthday” was probably weird 😊.
Clif Kosterman is adorable as Tiny! And Dean is just plain adorable from start to finish! The Blue Steel is famous now 😊
I still like Victor Henricksen, even though I’m not supposed to! He’s so smart, sassy and combative. And when the brothers escaped – yet again – I saw a little smile of respect, just like I saw at the end of “Nightshifter” when the brothers slipped past feds AND a SWAT team. I think Henricksen respected the brothers – especially Dean – despite being adversaries.
Question: Wouldn’t an old jail building like the one in this episode have iron doors (especially in solitary), and probably iron bars? If so, a ghost should’ve had a harder time moving through the corridors at will. The writers implied that she escaped the older building when the iron door was opened and she was freed from that cell, so it makes me wonder how she was so mobile after being released. I’ve chosen to ignore the fact that the old cell walls were just cement (not salt-impregnated or anything like that), so that old cell shouldn’t have been able to keep her confined, anyway. I’ve also considered the possibility that the “new” part of the building could’ve had steel bars and doors. If so, it would’ve been nice if we’d been told that.
kate
I don’t recall liking very much about this one. I agree with you, JBB — it was the television/film industry folks making fun of each other and the industry in general (haunted movie sets and whatnot). They even mention McG by name. I guess I can’t fault them for taking an opportunity to have some fun, but it was too silly and heavy-handed to entertain me. Maybe I should look at this episode as a cautionary tale about creators of a show being true to the story and not caving to Hollywood tropes and fan-fiction idiocy…cause that doesn’t happen to Supernatural in the final season…nope…
I’m curious: Does anyone know when the WB became the CW? I wonder, because in one of the scenes, the producer is asking someone (I’m guessing the director) if the show can be “brighter”, and the other two people are saying it’s a horror movie, so it’s supposed to be dark; but the producer guy insists that horror doesn’t have to be dark. It makes me suspect they were making fun of the CW for forcing them to make the lighting in Supernatural “brighter”. I know that between the early seasons and season 4-ish, the show clearly got brighter because the CW forced them to. I wonder if it happened between seasons 2 and 3.
I LOVE how Dean is always so quick on the uptake, reads situations, and blends in with different types of people. It comes up again in “Folsom Prison Blues”. It just demonstrates how savvy Dean is about human nature, and how well he can read other people and connect with them. And I agree with you, JBB — I LOVE seeing Dean having so much fun being a PA AND getting some quality time with his movie idol 😉 😉 . The dude deserves some fun!
kate
I don’t have that much to say about this one…
Sorry, but I don’t like Madison as much as I’m supposed to. It’s fine to flirt with the guy if you think he’s cute, but it was a bit over-the-top to dump your underwear on the table in front of a dude you just met. It reeked of desperation or something. I know Madison is a fan favorite, but she never really appealed to me. And the sofa conversation scene between her and Sam was cringy. The sex scene was effective, but that was choreographed and without dialogue, so that may be why it worked. Anyway, I think I was supposed to like and pity Madison, but I didn’t. I get that she didn’t know she was a monster, but I had a hard time caring. It was also cowardly to make someone else kill you because you lack the courage to do it yourself. The actress did a fine job. I just didn’t care for the character. I felt bad for Sam for having to kill her, but I just didn’t pity her.
Hey, did you guys recognize Olivette – head of the Grand Coven? She was the coroner in this episode 😊.
Whenever I watch that motel scene between Dean and Sam (when they’re talking about finding bodies with missing hearts), I can’t stop thinking about the clip from this scene that ended up in the gag reel. It always gives me a chuckle. 😊
The last scene is one thing I agree with most fans about. It was very well done. All three actors’ performances were exceptional, and this was a rare Sam moment from the early seasons that I thought was well acted and told a good story for this character. I love that Jensen flinched when he heard the gunshot. He is always so in-the-moment and such perfection!
kate
“What DOES always crack me up in this episode is that the night never ends! As per Dean they have 2 hours to sunrise just before Molly gets snatched by Greeley, but then they have time to find them, dig up Greely, fight and burn him AND then drive Molly home before the sun rises…..was there a DeLorean parked somewhere?”
BAAHAAHAA! Yes, someone got his hands on a DeLorean 🙂
Excellent points, PNP! I also find it hilarious that Sam can dig up Greeley’s grave in the amount of time it takes Dean to get inside the cabin and fight for a few minutes with Greeley. It couldn’t have been FIVE minutes! That’s some superhuman grave digging!kate
“It’s sweet that it’s more gray area – not just an angry spirit hurting people though we have that too with the initial victim. There are gray areas THERE too as Sam and Molly find the photo album and see that he was happy; that he wrote his wife beautiful love letters. He was not an evil person in life but the way he died changed him and made him want eternal revenge. Even Molly trying to talk to him about his wife made no difference. The idea that his wife hanged herself after his death because she didn’t want to be without him (and how about the “ancient history” of their relationship being in 1992 – geez; I half expected it to be from the ’50’s or something; not the ’90’s!) is terribly sad. So one random accident destroyed 3 out of 4 lives. Only Molly’s husband found a way to go on. It’s all SO FREAKIN’ SAD!!!!”
You make several excellent points here, JBB. In many of the ghost cases we see, the person was wicked before death. But in this episode, Greeley and his wife were deeply in love and very happy. Greeley’s death was as tragic as his wife’s subsequent suicide. And of course, Molly’s story was tragic, too. As you said, one single accident destroyed 3 lives — PLUS all the people who died on that road over a 15-year period because of the haunting. This whole episode is just sad and tragic. I have to hand it to Raelle Tucker (again) for creating characters and a story that have such an emotional impact.
kate
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This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by