Diary of a Supernatural Virgin – Dark, funny and twisted … and I mean Kripke

Season 4, episodes 5-8

You’ve all warned me of the darkness of season four, but so far, all of the episodes have had nuances of the funny that I like, and there have even been some completely light and hysterical episodes (see “Monster Movie” below). I think what makes season four “darker” is that we’re really getting more into the psyche of the boys, and it should be dark, because they’ve been through a lot in the last four years. It’s just Supernatural staying true to the characters, something they do so well.

“Monster Movie”
Dean and Sam encounter a shapeshifter who takes on the form of monsters from the old movies in a very tongue-in-cheek episode.

“So you guys are like Mulder and Scully or something, and the X-Files are real?” – Jamie, guest bimbo
“No, The X-Files is a TV show; this is real.” – Dean

Someone’s not only a monster movie fan, but I’m thinking either Kripke or Edlund dig Young Frankenstein too (one of my all-time favorite movies). This was beyond normal Supernatural humor; I kept waiting for the rimshot after some of the lines. It was nice to get a light episode of pure fun after the intense stuff at the beginning of the season. Supernatural always seems to time it right when they mix it up.

I’m just going to list some of my favorite moments from this episode:

• the style of the beginning credits
• the boys driving in to Pennsylvania / Transylvania
• Dean’s quote about “a straightforward, black and white case” and the episode was filmed in all black and white
• agents Angus and Young
• Dean’s rehymenation, and the “happy ending with a happy ending, no less.” “Classy Dean,” as Sam said.
• Dean’s musical wink, the maverick who doesn’t play by the rules.
• The set of the kids parking in the woods — a perfect old movie scene
• Dracula getting pepper-sprayed and driving off on a motorcycle
• intermission
• innocent Ed, who just likes playing the Casio
• the shapeshifter paying for the pizza delivery with a coupon
• I was just waiting for Sam’s reaction to seeing Dean in Lederhosen, and “Hey there, Hansel” was perfect.
• the dramatic death scene
• Dean wanting to play out Porky’s Two.

“Yellow Fever”
Dean catches “ghost sickness” and nearly scares himself to death; it’s a good thing Bobby and Sam figured out how to outsmart the spirit.

“No one is possessing me, this is what I’m going to become, this is what I want to become and there’s nothing you can do about it.” — Sam to Dean, as a yellow-eyed hallucination

There was a lot to love about this episode, from the opening with Dean running from the pint-sized puntable fluff dog with the pink bow, to the names of the softball teams the victims were on (Gamecocks and Cornjerkers). I adored Dean’s uncomfortable moment when the coroner handed him the victim’s heart during the autopsy, and the trump moment of the spleen juice splattering Sam’s face. And I do believe this is the first time that a witness picked up on the names Dean and Sam gave, Agents Tyler and Perry in this case. Sam blows it off with a “Yeah, small world,” but that was a great touch.

The whole exchange when Sam explains to Dean why he’s infected is priceless. Basically, the victims were all dicks who used fear as a weapon. So Dean counters, “You’re a dick too.” And Sam retorts, “Apparently I’m not.” Ah, brotherly love. The writers were even taking jabs at Dean, with his reading the hallucinations “You’re dying again loser” and “Baby gonna cry?”

I wrote last time about the awesomeness of Bobby, but I just loved the way they slipped in the little fact that he reads — and speaks — Japanese.

Now I’m really starting to wonder if my theory about Demon Sam is wrong. They are seriously shoving it down our throats now. It has been hinted since season one that Sam might turn bad, but Dean’s hallucinations, with Sam as yellow eyes (and again after Dean was better, we saw them flicker) are a bit in-your-face.

One thing I didn’t get, though, is what Lilith said to Dean in his hallucination. He didn’t know why he got infected, and she said to him, “You know why you got infected — listen to your heart.” Is there something there? Or was she just trying to tell him he’s a dick, like everyone else in this episode?

Other moments I enthusiastically enjoyed and have to mention even though I’ve written a whole post on this one episode now:

• Dean, when Sam found EMFs emanating from him: “Am I haunted?”
• Dean afraid of the teenagers loitering on the street corner and of speeding.
• Dean’s girly scream at the cat in the locker was the funniest thing I’ve ever heard; so funny that I’m having a hard time describing it without using expletives.
• Dean fleeing out the door of the wood factory when they first saw the spirit.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Psych-like outtake at the end, showing Jensen Ackles lip-synching to “Eye of the Tiger,” with Jared Padalecki roaring with laughter in the background. It’s nice to know they have fun on the set.

Random observation: my four-year old has Dean’s haircut, complete with side-part cowlick — is there something weird about that?

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester”
Ancient witches raise Samhain, which is one more of the 66 seals that is opened.

“Witches, man — they’re so friggin’ skeevy.” – Dean

The thing that really stood out for me in this episode was that Castiel admitted that he has doubts and he doesn’t know what is right or wrong anymore. Uriel was a badass (and a jerk, threatening Sam and outing the fact that Dean remembers Hell) angel compared to Castiel, and I’m thinking now that he is the one I don’t trust.

Sam’s reaction to meeting the angels was so… Sam. Of course Sam, with his high ideals and belief in prayer would be disappointed in meeting the two dicks. I love how Dean tries to pep talk him into thinking that maybe God hates them too, that they are the bad ones of the bunch and not who Sam has been praying to.

The look on Dean’s face when he saw Sam sending Samhain back to Hell was perfect. The way Supernatural stays true to the characters is remarkable. I’m wondering if Dean thinks Sam’s powers really are all that bad.

Other things worth mentioning:

• Kripke’s totally gross — swallowing four razor blades? Ewwwww….
• As a Kyle XY semi-fan, it was loads of fun seeing Josh Trager get offed by a zombie. Good times.
• Agents Getty and Lee
• Sam taking a shot that smearing blood all over their faces would protect them from Samhain.

“Wishful Thinking”
When they wish on a wishing well in a Chinese restaurant, people’s wishes come true but with very bad consequences.

“I don’t want some giant, pissed off flaming teddy on our hands.” – Dean, when discussing how to take care of the bear.

Only in Supernatural could we get an episode that encompasses a suicidal giant teddy bear and Dean’s heartfelt confession to Sam that he remembers everything that happened in Hell. If that doesn’t explain the brilliance that is Kripke’s brain, I don’t know what does.

This episode had the funny:

• The invisible teen spying in the shower: “Mrs. Armstrong, please don’t tell my Mom.”
• A porn-stealing Teddy Bear with a foul mouth (reminiscent of the ventriloquist’s dummy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season one’s “The Puppet Show“).
• Dean searching for the right ID to be from the health department
• Dean getting sick from his wish sandwich
• The Teddy Bear becomes suicidal, shoots himself and there’s … fluff everywhere.
• Dean getting wailed in the face by Super Todd, as he’s giving the kid the speech about “with great power comes great responsibility.”

And the poignant:

• Sam wouldn’t wish for his old life back, because he’s not that guy anymore. He’d wish for Lilith’s bloody head on a plate.
• Dean drinking too much and having nightmares from his stint in Hell.
• Wes doing the right thing and making all the wishes go away, even though he knew Hope wouldn’t remember him.
• Dean confessed to Sam that he remembers everything about Hell, but that he won’t tell Sam about it because he wouldn’t understand.

I’m so looking forward to being caught up with Supernatural in time for season five, but alas, I regret that I cannot be rehymenated like Dean. I’ll never be a Supernatural virgin again.