Recap – “Weekend at Bobby’s”
I’m going to love doing this recap. It’s a feel good episode! I haven’t done one of these in so long. There are lots of shout outs to prior episodes, so let’s see if I get them all. Plus it’s the directorial debut of Jensen Ackles, so I’ll be throwing in a few directors critiques here and there. I normally do that anyway, but this time its more special.
It all starts on Bobby’s ancient TV, one that looks like it pre-dates remote control (I don’t see a digital converter box on it). It’s airing the story about how Galveston a day earlier was getting pummeled by a hurricane like swells and winds and today is mysteriously calm. The announcer, as we know from inside reports, is an actor from the Dallas, Texas area by the name of Alan Ackles. Yep, the father of this episode’s director. Oh, I think his son also has a prominent acting role in the show too. He plays Dean something or other. The caption informs us this is taking place one year earlier, aka, roughly a day after Sam did his triple lindy into the hole.
“Making merry are we?” Crowley asks. “Bite me,” Bobby says. “If that’s your thing,” Crowley replies. That’s what you get Bobby for walking into the words of a bisexual demon. Crowley turns off the TV with a point of his finger and gets a big ole growl from Bobby. “That swan dive of Sam’s, it’s a thing of beauty. Tens all the way around, standing O from the Romanian judge,” Crowley jokes with a big smile. Yeah Bobby, you guys won. Crowley tells him he should be proud, for as far as deaths go it wasn’t too shabby. Wasn’t too shabby? It was spectacular, heroic, and just thinking about it gets me all…oh Sammy!! Not only did he lose his life and become imprisoned in the cage with Lucifer, but now he gets out by some miracle and isn’t right in the process. That sounds like a crappy death to me.
“Cheer up mate. We saved the sodding world together. Me, I’ve been celebrating.” No doubt it involves some fine scotch, one fine looking man and one fine looking woman. You know, a devil/angel thing. Bobby’s frown makes it looked like someone crapped in his celebration oatmeal. “I hate to see what you call celebrating.” “Yes you would,” Crowley says. Let’s see, man/woman, angel/devil. Maybe a beast in there as well? Sorry, imagination going too far. Bobby offers Crowley a drink, who instantly answers “No.” Bobby goes into cranky rant and it’s great. “Let me get this straight. We just ‘saved the sodding world together’ (in full British accent!) and you’re too good to drink with me?” Obviously, but because Crowley has a specific brand. Craig, aged 30 years, been drinking it since he was in grade school. In fairness, I drank a bit of local scotch while in Scotland a few years ago. It’s definitely a different blend. It’s hard to go back to the American or Canadian swill. That’s probably why I drink beer.
“I got old rotgut, aged six days,” Bobby says. I’ve been to Kentucky too and that stuff is really harsh. Although, there’s a prime selection of it at the massive Liquor Barn in Lexington. They don’t call it the liquor “barn” for nothing. Their hundreds of varieties of rotgut dissolves your intestines! Anyway, Crowley points out that stuff will burn a whole in Bobby’s soul, oh, his soul. But Crowley knows that’s why he called. Bobby wants him to hold up his end. Yeah, how much do you want to bet Crowley has found a contract loophole? You don’t have to be a demon to do that! Here’s a quick joke. California has the most lawyers, New Jersey has the most toxic waste dumps. Why? New Jersey picked first.
Bobby reminds Crowley of the deal, they ice Lucifer, Crowley rips up the lease. Crowley tells him he didn’t read his contract. Not sure he had a whole heck of a lot of time. Bobby wants to know what contract, so with one snap of his finger Crowley pulls it up on Bobby’s skin. Oh, that contract. “Paragraph 18, subsection B, which is on your naughty bits. I only have to make “best efforts’ to give back your soul.” Again, that still makes him a cut above a real lawyer. Bobby wants clarification. “I’d like too…but I can’t.” Bobby gets ten years. Whew, at least he got the standard deal. Dean’s really sucked. Crowley suggests until then he starts drinking the good stuff. I actually agree with him there.
Kenosha, Wisconsin, Present Day. A kids playground. Any angels hanging around? Isn’t that were they hang? Dean looks at a mauled corpse while Sam in the background confirms no EMF. Dean, removing the rubber glove (yuck!) finds a claw in torso where guts used to be. Sam doesn’t recognize the claw. Dean knows what to do. He calls Bobby and one look at his house, he’s nowhere to be found. “Maybe’s he’s in the can,” Sam theorizes. Um, taking this deductive reasoning a bit too far guys? How about he’s busy and will call you back later? Luckily, Bobby comes in from outside and answers the phone. Sucker!
“What happened, you’ve fallen and can’t get up?” Ooh, Dean get over yourself. He does have a life. Bobby just gives him a “hilarious.” I would have hung up on the bastard. Dean explains the problem. They’re in Wisconsin, six bodies chests cracked open, no EMF, no hexbags. Dean takes a picture of the claw from his state of the art cell phone and somehow it manages to get sent to Bobby in a split second. I have a state of the art cell phone and my 3G coverage even at full capacity takes several minutes. What’s even more laughable is the photo loads super quick on an ancient PC running Windows 3.1. Over a modem! Ha! Sorry, but any photo, not just a high quality one from a great cell phone, would take all day to load at that rate. I know, TV. Dean even tells Bobby to check his “Wang” which makes me laugh more. That is a term every dork uses for ancient computer technology. How would Dean know that? I’m assuming Sam’s used the term before.
Seriously, Crowley’s love of good old single-malt Scotch got me going there. And I loved how Rufus waxed poetic about it too. How can I not like these guys?
Crowley is my favorite character, after Dean, Sam, Bobby, and Castiel. So it was a real treat to see Crowley and Bobby trade barbs this episode.
And I really enjoy a whole episode dedicated to Bobby, the unsung hero.
Dean, can you be MORE emo as you whine on the phone about Sam? Come on, man. I know that Sam is weird but dude. Sam has been weird since Season 4. How is this news? Except that his soul is gone or whatever, I know. Poor Dean. No Sam puppy eyes this season, I guess. I’d be sad too. But I love how Bobby throws some perspective in there. Yeah yeah, you did the whole Apocalypse thing. Great. But sometimes, a dude just wants a bit of recognition.
And Sam’s response. Classic.
I like Sheriff Mills. I’m always happy when the show gives us some awesome female characters.
And Rufus. Have I said enough how much I like Rufus?
“’I want my soul back idgit.’ Points to himself. ‘Afraid not.’ (Mocking Bobby’s voice) “But I’m surly and I’ve got a beard. Gimme.†Blah, blah, blah, homespun corn pone insult, witty retort from yours truly.” (I was legitimately rolling on the floor laughing at this part)
I LOVE Sam and Dean being in Scotland! And also LOL at poor Dean being on a plane for that long. The bit of them in that tiny car was priceless.
Oh, also. Jensen did a great job directing. My favorite bit was the old-school alarm clock flipping while Bobby did his “homework.”
Really enjoy your recaps. Thanks so much.
I enjoyed reading this recap – thank you. 🙂 (Although I have to say that I read this after watching the Dean Vampire episode in 6.05, and I am a bit unsettled :-))
Just a short note.
Many moons ago, when writing about Season 5, you wrote this about Crowley (awarded Best Monster of the Week for Season 5) :
“Sure he’s evil, has an agenda, and said agenda is probably underworld domination at expense of the Winchesters.” (Source :https://www.thewinchesterfamilybusiness.com/article-list/category9/9005-season-five-awards-part-one.html)
You were right Alice, and now that Crowley is King of Hell. 🙂
Not positive, but I think John P Jones was the leader of a sixties band called Paul Revere and the Raiders? Anyway, a band from the late 60s. So Dean’s still using rock aliases.
Loved your review, loved the ep, gave me the warm fuzzies
Already posted on here just how totally wonderful I thought this one was and, as always, the great recap is like re living it all over again Alice, but just got to add that if I know my boy at all the John P Jones alias has GOT to be John Paul Jones bass Player with the mighty Zeppelin.
Awesome recap! Bobby, Crowley, Rufus…so many great lines & chemistry there!
The Mystery Machine van was useful, but I’m happy to see Bobby back in the Chevelle. She really does need a paint job, though!
And the guys in Scotland! I’ve been to New Zealand, & Scotland is next on my wish list.
Dawn
‘The Good, the Bad, and the Cranky’ starring Bobby, Rufus, and Crowley. (you figure out which is which) 😆
Great recap Alice.
We just keep getting more questions, by the time the first hiatus(sorry :cry::-)is here, our heads are going to be spinning if we do not get some answers.
Like:
Why wasn’t Crowley surprised to see Sam????
Who was Sam speaking to on the phone (shades of Ruby)?
WTF is wrong with Sam?
How did Crowley become King of Hell if Lucifer is supposed to be back in his cage?
Marcy is the first blonde in a white nightgown that actually lived ❗ 😀 But she did end up looking like Carrie (just thought of something:Sissy Spacek was a blonde in a white dress, she was doomed to die) Did I just date myself 😆
Bobby forgot that in ‘Dream…’, when the doc called Dean, what did Sam and Dean do. They dropped everything and ran to Bobby’s side.
After the events of ‘Swan Song’, and Crowley refused to give Bobby back his soul. What did Bobby do? Nothing. He wanted to leave Dean alone and Sam was in the pit. When Sam got out of Hell and reunited with Bobby (wonder if we will see that), I assumed that he didn’t mention anything. Then we have ‘Exile..’, and Bobby still keeps his silence. ‘Weekend..’ is the first time that Sam and Dean are made aware that Bobby still doesn’t have his soul. Who’s fault is that? Sorry to say, it is Bobby’s own. :roll::
One more thing, I don’t know about a song for Cas, but Sam’s song should be ‘Who are you’ by Who. Classic rock song and it calls back to ‘Changing Channel’.
Not to be nit-picky…..oh, who am I kidding, since I”m posting this, I guess I am.
Anyhow, the equipment Bobby uses to dig a hole in his yard to bury the Okami is a miniEx, short for mini excavator. Not a backhoe. How do I know? Because we own one.
If anyone cares to know the difference, a back hoe, is a hoe on the back of a tractor (bucket on the front, hoe on the back). It’s highly technical. GRIN
Laugh! That’s what I love about the folks that come here. We have experts on everything!