Recap - "Changing Channels" - Part One
Monday, 09 November 2009 22:56 | Last Updated on Sunday, 28 November 2010 23:07 | Written by Alice Jester | 
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This recap is ridiculously long. I was not kidding when I said last week I’d be setting a record here. The recap is so long, just like with last year’s “On The Head of A Pin,” I’m breaking it into two parts. Except this one has WAY more screencaps. The faces in this episode were too good. So enjoy every single detail! There’s plenty. The Recap
Want to know how to get 3 plus million people to say “WTF???” right off the bat? Open with a very bright and cheery shot of a sun drenched motel with palm trees in the background and the voice of Jensen going “Supernatural is filmed in front of a live studio audience.” I pause, open my TV guide and check the listed genre. Horror. Then it dawns on me cheesy 80’s sitcoms are horror shows. I continue.
It’s Dean! Wow, where the fuck is he? The Technicolor lens is back! The colors on the wall are bright, the cabinets perfect white, the refrigerator is full with condiments, beer, and something called “smeet” (what, they couldn’t get the rights to Spam?) and Dean is happy. There’s a Dagwood sandwich piled about a mile high in the center of the two person kitchen table. “I’m going to need a bigger mouth.” Laugh track goes. Yep, I’m positively freaked out right now. Way to scare the crap out of us Kripke!
Sam walks in and there’s loud cheering from the laugh track. You know, the Big Bang Theory uses a laugh track. They don’t need to! We laugh on mark all the time. Want to know why? Because the jokes are funny. Why does this shameful device still exist??? So, if you haven’t already noticed, I will be taking the chance from time to time in this recap during the episode spoofing the absurdity of US television to throw in my own mini rants about the absurdity of US television.
Where was I? Oh yes, Sam! Dean asks him “What’s happening Sam?” “Nothing really, just the end of the world.” Laugh track blares, and Dean gives him the most adorable smirk! He obviously grew up on these bad sitcoms. Then Sam looks at the sandwich and says, “You’re gonna need a bigger mouth.” Ooh, Sam watched them too. They did have a screwed up childhood.
Sam gets to business. Did Dean do his research? Dean rolls his eyes, and feigns the fact that he did. Then a hot chick in one skimpy bikini comes out of the bathroom. Oh, so that’s where my bikini disappeared to. I’ve been looking for it everywhere. Sam folds his arms and does his best Desi Arnaz. “Dean…” Dean turns to the camera. “Son of a bitch.” Wow, how do you describe the goofiness of that? The laugh track explodes again and so I do. So bad it’s good.
Okay, this opening is BY FAR the most bat shit crazy thing this show has ever done. Crazier than the giant teddy bear. Crazier than alien slow dance. Crazier than the attic scene in “Bugs.” So, I’m going to share this moment the only way I know how. Picspam!!!!
Supernatural
Town to town, two lane roads
Family business two hunting bros
Living a lie just to get by
As long as we’re moving forward there’s nothing we can’t do
Together we’ll face the day
You and I won’t run away
When the demons come out to play
Together we’ll face the day
Kripke you magnificent bastard.
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Comments
"Please tell me your anger is guided at what he did to Sam. You don’t even remember getting killed by him, so it must be.”
I think Carver was just consolidating here for brevity's sake. The killings of Dean were the method of Sam’s psychological torture, so mentioning them encapsulates both the Trickster’s murderous nature, and the personal affronts to both brothers. It’s a rather elegant way of avoiding lengthy “As you know, Sam” exposition.
“Dr. Ellen Piccolo. Isn’t that a St. Elsewhere nurse name?”
I think it was meant to be a riff on Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy. Piccolo is probably a reference to how waiflike and squeaky she is.
“Jensen is making this part look really scary.”
He’s terrific at conveying pain, isn’t he? There are times when I actually cringe watching him, because I get that sympathetic pain sensation. I can’t even watch that scene where Alastair is crushing his throat and his one eye rolls back in his head.
“Dean asks if they’re good, and I’m wondering with all the blood and pain how Dean isn’t griping and complaining up as storm by now.”
30 years with Alastair, man. It changes a man’s definition of “pain”.
And yeah, that herpes commercial was GOLD. Absolute gold.
thank you , thank you so much for this amazing recap – please, feel free to set new length-records all the time….
This is easily my favourite episode of this season so far, and a wonderful recap like this really does it justice…with the great quotes (sure, it has to be that long to get them all) and the fantastic screencaps (getting even longer – did I mention, I love that?)… Bring on the second part (and here I realized that I am looking forward to part two almost as much as I await the next episode… )
That episode had so many gems, and some of my favourite ones were Dean’s fan moments (I fear there will pop up several Dean-slash-Dr.Sexy fanfics now… sorry, just a second, I need to throw up) and – of course – the herpexia commercial… Kudos, Jared! To deliver that in such a death defying manner… and, yes, everything aches from laughing my head off… still searching for that ball with my face on...
Impossible to say, really, which moments were the best, pretty much everything had me dying with laughter (that intro… oh my God… love it, love it, love it… Dean’s Hasselhoff impression, Sam’s ‘should I honk?’ – I died, the dead-on CSI Miami moments, the guys should wear blue more often, they looked just great in those suits…), cringe with pain (Dean getting shot, Sam’s nutcrack, sweet jesus, somebody help me – does a show like this really exist or did glorious ‘basterd’ Jeremy Carver make that up??), and actually curse the Trickster for the umpteenth time…
I know you’re busy, so I’ll try to sit back and wait patiently for part two… (I’ll tell you later if I succeeded)…. Love Jas
I agree, the intro was the most weirdass thing I've ever seen on this show and when I first saw it I thought I was going hysterical with laughter. Even my hubby started to look at me funny
But underneath all those laughs were an actual lesson -so to speak- to lear, a serious tone, a story. The tale of Sir Gabriel, which was really good, Richard kicked ass (as he has before) in this role but the move to Gabriel was astoundingly powerful and a clear shift from the playfull cracky Trickster to an ages old archangel, weary of the heavenly fighting. It was a beautiful ending scene. The whole warehouse -bit was really creepy and sad and had the tone of This Is Inevitable behind it, and I really started to get nervous. But when Dean looked at Sam and then back at Gabriel and said "no" in a very quiet but determined voice, I squeeeeeeeed so hard
Oh, I love this show. And I loved this Ep, and I have a sneaky feeling, it's only going to get more epic as the rest of the season unfolds.
Great recap part 1 and seriously(hee!) looking forward to part 2
I think I say this every time but I just love your recaps.
Once again I made the mistake of reading this at work last night.
With the help of your screencaps I was able to visualize all those hilarious moments.
It’s amazing the looks you get from co-workers when you have your hand over your mouth, tears running down your face, and strange noises coming from your throat as you try to swallow down your laughter.
I have to say this is my favourite comedy episode.
I guess with the Trickster being archangel Gabriel all this time, explains why the brothers were never able to successfully kill him with the wooden stakes.
Thanks again Alice, can't wait for part two.
The screencaps are great specially the ones from the opening credits, just for those you're my hero Alice!
The herpexia commercial *laughs*, I swear I don't know how you manage to describe it all without a fit, oh wait... you did have a fit
I'll be eagerly waiting for part 2. *keeps laughing*
Like you, in the beginning, I questioned whether I had the right show. ….wondered if my TV stationed had been changed for some reason. Wouldn’t be the first time my dog played with the remote. (I just have to remember to PICK IT UP!) And, I wasn’t watching during a commercial free viewing, so II really thought they HAD switched to a commercial when herpes came on. I almost walked away. I can’t believe how well they worked all this together. Anyone who missed this show REALLY missed out.
Trickster does mainly target Sam, and now, of course he uses Sam’s letting Lucifer out as the reason. I think that’s why both boys’ questions were about Sam. In all actuality, as the storyline is now going, this melodrama needs BROTHERS. If either one of the boys hadn’t been born, none of this would have happened. I really don’t see any reason to make any more out of it than that. At least this time, Sam and Dean are together for the trickster’s ‘lesson’. And what a formidable force they are!
As for the trickster being Gabriel, it was a way to bring him back into the story. A lot of fans liked him, and being an angel seems give him more impact in future episodes. And , yes, I think he will be back….hopefully in a much more humble mode.
As far as Gabriel is concerned, if he thinks we are so terrible, he can leave any time. We didn’t tell him to hide here.
(Love it)
Amazing recap!
In light of the ep's revelation (ha ha) I'm starting to wonder if the trickster having it out for Sam isn't because of letting Lucifer out but to keep pushing him so he'll start to break down and just say yes and get the ultimate show on the road.
Were the producers planning this episode since last season?
I'm a first-time poster after lurking around your site for a little while, and I just wanted to chime in with my appreciation of your recaps and all your fun articles! They're really great, you do a fantastic job, and I always look forward to reading them in the days following an episode.
I especially appreciate your site because there's room here for mature discussion in the comment posts (most of the time) which seems to be a pretty rare thing with some Supernatural sites. Fans get a little carried away sometimes!
I had never seen an episode before this year's season premiere (which I randomly saw) and I loved it! I realized I was missing out on a great show and promptly started Netflixing season 1. But only having two disks at a time and then having to wait two days in between receiving those (horror!) simply wasn't fast enough for me, so I went out and bought all the seasons on DVD to catch up. In the meantime, I started browsing the internet for SPN sites to see what was what, and that's when I found your site.
Again, I'm so glad I did because I love having a mature and respectful place to come to share my love for this show! So keep up the great work, and I'm sure I'll be back posting again soon because I'm really loving this season so far, and I can't help but talk about it.
:mrgreen:
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