Recap: “Bad Day At Black Rock”
Sure enough, one sound effect later Sam can easily push his attacker off. He kicks Grossman across the room and shouts out to Dean he’s got it as he gets up…to Dean’s revolver pointing square at him. Wayne is pissed. Sam gives him a nervous smile but Wayne fires anyway. The gun jams! He tries again numerous times and then trips on broken pieces of coffee table, knocking himself out. Sam and Dean can only share a perplexed glance. Dean spots Grossman in the corner ready to fire with Sam’s gun but the bookshelf over his head falls right on top of him, forcing the gun to go flying, right into Sam’s hand! Wicked!
Dean stares at the gun stunned, Sam stares at the gun in his hand stunned. There’s a shot of both Grossman and Wayne unconscious on the floor. “That was a lucky break,” Dean observes. Sam is still staring at the gun in wonder. “Is that a rabbit’s foot?” Dean asks Sam. Sam holds it up and looks at it, still dumbfounded. “I think it is.” “Huh,” Dean answers. I think its sinking in.
The Impala is now parked outside of Biggersons. Sam is in the passenger seat looking gloomy while Dean comes back from the mini-mart looking like they won the lottery. Literally. He has a bag full of scratch tickets. Sam can’t find anything about the rabbit’s foot in John’s journal and then really whines about the lottery tickets. Dean’s logic is pretty good. “Hey, that was my gun he was aiming at your head. My gun don’t jam. So that was a lucky break. Not to mention them taking themselves out, also a lucky break.” Sam broods, not feeling so lucky, but scratches the first ticket anyway. “Dean, its got to be cursed somehow otherwise Dad wouldn’t have locked it up.” That point is totally lost on Dean though because the ticket is a $1200 winner. Dean revels in joy while Sam broods more. Dean hands him another ticket.
Back now to unlucky Wayne and Grossman. Well, only Wayne since Grossman is still unconscious. Wayne gets up, tries to wake Grossman and kicks an empty beer bottle away. It rolls into the kitchen. Since the camera specifically focuses on it rolling to the kitchen, this is important. The ominous music also adds to the a sledgehammer effect to the setup. But the final whack of that setup comes when Wayne goes to the kitchen sink and puts the contents into the dish drainer, including a nice sharp BBQ fork prong up. I know, the setup is blatant, but it least it gives me fair warning to turn away. Wayne washes his face, steps forward onto the beer bottle, falls backward and, er, we’ll just say that’s one direct hit from the back of the head right through the mouth. No recovering from that one! Leave it up to Ben Edlund to make this a dark comedy. Grossman wakes up just in time to hear and see the gurgling and the strategically placed bloody fork.
Next Dean is giggling like a schoolgirl over winning lottery tickets while Sam is apologizing on the phone to Bobby, claiming they didn’t know. Bobby still gives Sam the what for for touching the rabbit’s foot and then also admits he knew about the storage lockup. He built those curse boxes. Geez Uncle Bobby, thanks for sharing those warm memories. “You have got a serious problem. That rabbit’s foot ain’t no dime store notion. It’s real hoodoo, old world stuff, made by a Baton Rogue conjure-woman a hundred years ago.” Of course the whole time Bobby is talking Sam finds a gold watch in the parking lot, inspiring Dean to mouth “awesome”. His joy is infectious! Sam broods.
They decide to eat at Biggersons because they’re gluttons for punishment and Dean has already figured it out. Bobby will find a way to break the curse, until then they hit Vegas and pull a little “Rain Man.” Sam can be rain man. Isn’t he a bit big for that? Sam wants to lay low instead until they hear back from Bobby. Ah, but that rabbit’s foot has other ideas, for good luck usually involves public spectacle. Like when a restaurant chain is waiting for that one millionth customer to come through the door. Balloons, confetti, and a giant sign, the whole works. Guess who the lucky winners are? They even snap the reaction photo, Dean grinning like a fool from ear to ear while Sam winces. How perfect! I wonder how many takes had to do to get that reaction shot so perfect.
Sam on the laptop confirms that Bobby is right, the lore goes way back. Pure hoodoo. “You just can’t cut one off any rabbit. It has to be in a cemetery under a full moon on Friday the 13th.” I’m too caught up on how great it is that Biggersons has free wifi to let Sam find that out. Most places like that don’t. Dean’s bliss comes from the giant banana split he’s devouring, the one that gives him the most adorable ice cream headache. Even Sam laughs. Bout time you cracked a freaking smile Sammy!
Oh, but there’s something else that gets Sammy to smile! The hot waitress with the dark hair pouring coffee. He has such a thing for brunettes. Since he’s “distracted,” Sam doesn’t notice anything is amiss when she spills the coffee and cleans it up. Dean doesn’t notice either and oh you horndogs you! One of my favorite snapshots of the series is born, the two ogling brothers gazing at the hit chick as she leaves. Dean naturally has the perfect words. “Dude, if you were ever going to get lucky…” I don’t think Sammy needs luck to score with women. He’s got puppy dog eyes in his arsenal.
Of course the legend being what it is, the luck turns fast. Sam burns himself with the coffee, jumps up and takes out a waiter with a tray of food nearby. This is where the show takes Jared Padalecki’s enormous size and turns it into pure physical comedy gold. Dean all of a sudden isn’t so joyous anymore because he realizes that wasn’t lucky. Sam checks the “secure” pocket and oh yeah, the foot is gone. That bitch! Dean says “son of a bitch” but he only has that half right.

Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
As usual, great recap Alice! I now must re-watch this episode for the millionth time. The photos were priceless – the shoe scene had me in hysterics again too. My favourite is the last picture because you can clearly see Jared fighting the laughter – great moment to capture!
Hindsight aside, I could have tolerated Bela and didn’t mind her in the episode up until she shot Sam and then managed to snake the lottery tickets (even if it did give that great “son-of-a-bitch!” moment). I wouldn’t have minded her in a few episodes trying to outsmart them, with a few witty exchanges back and forth. The thing that killed me about Bela was that she ALWAYS beat them (except that last time) and while Sam and Dean are many things, easy marks they aren’t! (rant over)
Thanks Alice, this was a fun read!
I totally understand your soft spot for season 3, Alice – it gave us many great episodes like the one you took on here. Thanks for this fun read – I’m going to watch it now. I haven’t done so in a while.
This episode has some of the best faces on our heroes, bitch face here, surprise face here, I-lost-my-shoe face here, I’m-Batman face there…. I love, love, love it. And the dialogue is some of the best ever. And those little hints (like the stickers on Kubrick’s bus – ‘DOn’t make me come down there – GOd’ ‘How Would Jesus Drive?’, brilliant exposing of the religious fanatic)…
I know you can’t abide Bella, but I learned to appreciate her role in the show and the kind of woman she became. But you know that ;-)…
Thanks again, Alice, for this fabulous recap! :D, Jas
I loved this recap Alice. This episode was so full of great comedic moments. And the two Js were both excellent at the slapstick comedy.
I too came to the show in season 3, so never could understand why so many disliked it. I became a fan after watching Supernatural Christmas, bought the dvds and completely fell for Dean and Sam and haven’t recovered since.
I never hated the actress who played Bela. I thought she did a great job being completely annoying. Hated Bela always one-upping our boys though and shooting Sam was inexcusable. So sorry poor Dean lost his windfall. That would have saved a lot of his time hustling for motel and food money. 🙁
i love this episode it’s one of my favourites … love the recap! especially the photo’s.
for the record i actually liked Bella in this episode and if she had stayed a one episode character i would have continued to like her, in the end she just ended up irratating me which i think was probabyl more the fault of the writers than the actress. on a really pedantic note her accent really annoyed me, no one english actually sounds like that … seriously!
anyway minor rant over with! again loved the recap! x
Lovely recap Alice. This is one of my favorite episodes! Season three title card is my favorite too and I never did like Bela. So nice to reminisce with a wonderful episode like this. Can only hope s6 will provide a few like this too.
Sometimes I think I’m the only one that likes Bela. She had a certain appeal and I like a bit of banter and bickering between a man and a woman. I just wish they had given her back story earlier. If only it had been a full season.
But good recap. Love this episode.
Great recap of a great episode. Season three shouldn’t be shortchanged merely because it’s, er, shorter, look at the evidence: this episode, arguably the finest comedy piece they’ve ever done (Mystery Spot isn’t 100% sidesplitting, that last half is an emotional mofo), Casey, Dean as pop, Casey, the bloody death of a supreme villain, Casey, Xmas Is Dead, Casey, Mystery Spot, Casey, a supreme homage to John Carpenter, Casey, a ridiculously fantastic finale.
Alas, poor Kubrick, Jesus knew him well.
Hi Alice
Once again loved the recap.
This is one my favourite episodes, definitely in the top 10.
I have to admit I didn’t even mind Bela. (runs for cover):o
I wanted to punch her out when she shot Sam of course, but I still enjoyed the banter between her and Dean.
Randal…I’m sensing you may have had a thing for Casey??? 😎
Loved the recap Alice, great depiction of the scenes and I love your comments. Can’t help but smile, laugh and cringe right along with you. And Randal, obsessed with Casey much? Too funny! She is one of the few demons on the show I kinda liked, although for different reasons I think than yours. 😆
Very fun recap, Alice. I’m glad that you’re going back and updating some of your recaps because I really like to read them. And they usually make me want to re-watch the episode! This one did for sure. It helps when the episode is this great, though.