Recap – “In My Time of Dying”
Dean sees the clerk at the reception desk starts talking to her, asking about how he was in a car accident with his Dad and brother.Β It’s the actress that will later play Bobby Singer’s returned from the dead zombie wife in “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.”Β Her hair is pretty scraggly here.Β Dean realizes she doesn’t notice him even though he’s right in front of her.Β Uh oh.Β Dean walks briskly through the hall now, a huge look of alarm on his face.Β It doesn’t take long for him to find what he was looking for.Β It’s him, in a hospital bed, hooked up to life support and not looking so good.Β Dean comes closer and stares with alarm.Β Welcome to the world of disembodied spirit Dean!Β
It’s time for an unveiling of a new title card, you know, that thing that happens in every season opener.Β I think this one is way cooler than season one.Β A fireball, flames burning, the word “Supernatural” in burning red emerging from the flames and the “A” is a pentagram.Β Very cool.Β One of my favorites actually.Β Season three I think is the best.Β (Check out Sablegreen’s most wonderful analysis on all the title cardsΒ from seasons 1-5, even the special edition ones).Β
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Okay, that was a breath taking opener.Β Where do we go from here?Β Oh, there’s plenty. Β Dean is still watching himself and suddenly there’s a visitor.Β Dean is so relieved to see it’s Sam, who’s okay, um, sort of.Β He’s an emotional wreck and his face looks a new variety of really bad.Β It isn’t so puffy anymore but yikes, the bruises and scratches! Β Sam ain’t so relieved to see Dean, aka the guy in a coma in the hospital bed. Β He can’t see spirit Dean who’s trying to tell him with a smile how good he looks, considering”Β¦. Sam, who’s very distraught, let’s out a soft yet worrisome “Oh no.”
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Sam goes over to Dean’s side and looks all over at the mangled mess of wires and tubes keeping his brother alive.Β Dean’s hoping Sam can hear him and asks about John, but gets no answer.Β “Come on, you’re the psychic, give me some ghost whispering or something.”Β He has visions of people dying Dean.Β You’re already dead.Β It doesn’t work that way!Β Although, he should at least sense you.Β Give him time, he’s been through a shock.
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A doctor walks in to at least deliver the good news that John is awake.Β Dean is relieved, Sam couldn’t care less.Β “Doc, what about my brother?”Β Oh, him.Β Um, yeah, about that”¦ The doctor brings up all the bad injuries he’s suffered, like the blood loss due to Yellow Eyes carving up his liver and kidney, but that’s really not the problem.Β It’s the head trauma from the accident.Β “There’s early signs of cerebral edema.”Β What does that mean in layman’s terms?Β Excessive fluid is building up in his brain, essentially killing it.Β In order words, he’s TOTALLY screwed.Β
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Sam innocently asks what can they do.Β The doctor won’t know his full condition until he wakes up.Β “If he wakes up.”Β Both Sam and spirit Dean don’t take that comment well.Β The doctor does give some hope, mentioning how others with this degree of injury wouldn’t have survived that long.Β That’s stubborn Winchesters for you.Β The doctor assures Dean is fighting very hard.Β “But you need to have realistic expectations son.”Β In other words, it goes back to the options in “Faith.”Β Burial or cremation?Β Spirit Dean doesn’t want to give up.Β “Come on Sam, go find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on me.Β I’ll be fine.”Β Sam’s look of stunned worry doesn’t seem to indicate “fine.”Β I do love how the shot circles in a close up from the back of Sam’s head to the front, showing that prolonged worry while spirit Dean tries to talk to him.Β Oh, the gems in this one!Β
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Now there’s a closeup of John pulling a card out of his wallet.Β He’s sitting up in his hospital bed, awake with his right arm in a sling.Β He hands the card to Sam, it’s his insurance.Β “Elroy McGillicuddy?”Β Sam asks.Β Hee, that last name is from “I Love Lucy.”Β Strange reference for them.Β “And his two loving sons,” John answers.Β Sam cracks a smile over that one, but its short lived, especially when John goes back to the subject of Dean.Β He wants to know what else the doctor said about Dean.Β Nothing, but Sam isn’t giving up.Β “If the doctors won’t do anything, then we’ll have to, that’s all.Β I don’t know, I’ll find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on him.”Β Ha, he is listening!Β Sammy the Ghost Whisperer.Β I really wish they let him keep that ability all throughout the series.Β It would have been fun.
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John assures they’ll look for something, but it’s looking pretty bleak.Β “Why not, I found that faith healer before.”Β Gee Sam, how did that work out?Β Dean riddled with survivors guilt because another person died so he could live?Β Did you learn nothing? John tells him that was one in a million so Sam gets all touchy.Β “What then, we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?”Β John gets stern, telling him he’ll check under every stone, so Sam goes back to brooding silently.Β
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John then gives the hot button question.Β “Where’s the colt?”Β Uh oh, you shouldn’t have asked that!Β Sam’s black and blue face sours.Β “You’re son is dying, and you’re worried about the colt?”Β John gives the perspective, they’re hunting “this” demon and he’s probably hunting them too.Β That gun is their only cover.Β Sam backs off, letting him know while sulking it’s in the trunk.Β It’s been towed somewhere.Β Likely protected by those symbols that made the trunk a lockbox against demons.Β Of course there’s always humans, but that’s explained.Β John worries that a junk man will find it and Sam lets him know he already called Bobby.Β He’s an hour out.Β He’s going to tow “the Impala” back to his place.Β Here’s a piece of interesting trivia.Β That was the very first time the car was identified or called an Impala.Β Wild, huh?Β Okay, maybe not.Β
John starts barking his orders.Β Sam will meet up with Bobby, get the colt, bring it back to him, and watch out of hospital security.Β Sam scoffs at that last part.Β John, your sons are a lot smarter than you give them credit for.Β Sam goes to leave, but John gives him a list of things he needs Bobby to pick up for him.Β Sam reads off the unusual contents, wondering what they are for.Β “Protection,” John lies.Β Sam lets it go.Β He again goes to leave but then decides now would be the time for another nagging question.Β After all, these Winchesters are all about ill-timing.Β “Dad, you know the demon, he said he had plans for me, and other children like me.Β You have any idea what he meant by that?”Β “No, I don’t,” John calmly answers.Β
Sam gives a quick smile and leaves, and it’s time for another cool director’s trick!Β The camera closes in on John’s profile, he’s obviously hiding something.Β Then there’s a blurred image behind him in the corner and suddenly the camera focuses on that image.Β It’s spirit Dean, watching with pure skepticism and a bit of anger, arms folded.Β “Well you sure know something.”Β Awesome!Β Too bad Dean doesn’t remember this again until season four when it’s too late.
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I really love this next scene.Β That’s because is so understated and takes on a double meaning.Β Sam is meeting up with Bobby at the junkyard to examine the damage to the Impala.Β We get the full visual impact via broad daylight.Β It’s bad.Β It seems damaged beyond repair.Β Just like Dean.Β I break into tears over that shot.Β Sam isn’t giving up though.Β “Oh man, Dean is going to be pissed,” Sam says.Β Bobby is being practical.Β “Look Sam, this just isn’t worth the tow.Β I say we empty the trunk, sell the rest for scrap.”Β I sob.Β Sam pulls out from the backseat his season one Dell laptop with the awesome symbol.Β Now that’s damaged beyond repair.Β
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“No, Dean would kill me if we did that.Β When he gets better he’s gonna want to fix this.” Sam answers, throwing a piece of the damaged laptop to the side.Β “There’s nothing to fix,” Bobby explains.Β “The frame’s a pretzel, the engine’s ruined, there’s barely any parts worth salvaging.”Β Sam tries to hold it together, telling Bobby with determination, “Listen to me Bobby, if there’s only one working part, that’s enough.Β We’re just not going to give up on”Β¦”Β His voice trails off, but substitute an unspoken “the Impala” with “Dean.”Β Now I’m bawling profusely.Β Bobby doesn’t need to hear more, Sam’s tortured puppy dog eyes say it all.Β He agrees, showing his wonderful look of sympathy.Β He understands.Β I break down into repeated chants of “Oh, thank you Bobby, thank you.”Β
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Sam pulls it together long enough to give Bobby the list John gave him.Β Bobby is confused by the contents.Β Sam explains it’s for protection from “the demon.”Β Bobby’s look of alarm now speaks volumes.Β Those items aren’t for protection!
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Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business.Β She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time.Β Thatβs on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
What an utterly fantastic review Alice!! I especially loved your utter concern regarding the car !! You have your priorities straight indeed. You made me cry from laughing! Long live the Impala!
Kim Manners directing was phenomenal and heart rending indeed. He really knew how to pull off those emotional moments and could convey the brothers feelings with no dialogue like no other. Wish he was still with us.
This episode was very special indeed. (the no layered look was much appreciated by these eyes in the shallow end of the pool). Sam’s love for his big brother really came through and contrasts so much with RoboSam’s soulless
attitude which hurts like hell to see.
Alice I always love to read your reviews especially the retro ones. You are right that some things just have a different perspective if you look at it with the knowledge of now 6 and a half seasons.
I extremly enjoy how you describe your feelings while watching it and all those snarky comments. Keep bringing those retro recaps on.
Great recap, Alice! This is one of my fave episodes, too. Love the camera work. Love how all three say so much with expressions, even when there are no lines. Come to think of it, these two could pull off an entire episode, I think, with no dialogue at all, but this one did stand out. Makes me want to go watch it again… now.
My goodness – I really thought I was over crying through this episode but just your review made me bawl like a baby.
I mean, who could get past the wrecked and battered, broken body of the shows main hero?
Hopefully we’ll get a retro-review showing how that hot guy got all sweaty putting my heroic baby back together again!
Oh yeah, the rest of that show was pretty heart wrenching too .. I mean someone died right? Not just my car huh?
-RIP Kim Manners –
Thanks for the review though I’m already on Prozac due to the @$@! postponement till NEXT Friday πΏ
Once again Alice, you come thru with a great recap of a great episode.
‘Not the Impala’. π π
‘Kripke wouldn’t kill the car, would he?’ π Well, since we now know that he has killed Sam and Dean numerous times, then the ‘death’ of the Impala shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. And like her boys, she returns badder than ever. π
Sam was ‘mad about the car’, silly me, I thought he was protecting his brother and his father. Thank you for opening up my eyes to the truth. π
The good old days when Sam and Dean LOVED EACH OTHER. Please Sera and Co, now that Sam has his soul back, can we get some brotherly love?
please please please with sugar on top.
Whatever happened to Sam’s abilities?? All he had later on were demon exorcisms with his magic hand and nose bleeds. π
I loved the scene where John and Sam are talking. John lies to Sam about not knowing about the YED plans for Sam and the other ‘special children’, and Ghost!Dean calls ‘bulls**t’.
Then there is the scene where Bobby is talking about the Impala, but Sam is thinking about Dean. Poor Impala, poor Dean, poor Sammy.
Is it just me or was Bobby reacting more as a father to Sam then John? John’s priority was more geared towards the YED then it was towards Dean. Okay, he did get Dean’s health back, but then he just puts this great amount of stress on Dean with his ‘order’ to kill Sam. So he does a ‘good’ thing (so to speak) by trading his life for his son, but then he does a really f**ked up thing, by putting this weight on his son’s (very broad) shoulders.
‘Sam Winchester open arms of annoyance’ π Also seen when he (and us) finally learn what John whispered in Dean’s ear. How about calling them the ‘Sam Winchester open arms of being pissed off’?
Even as a ghost, Dean has to mediate between his brother and father.
Another one of my favorite scenes, is when Dean saves himself from the reaper while Sam watches. Even though he is near death, Dean still tries to reassure his baby brother that he is not going anyway. Then Sam is like ‘Dean is that you’. Sera this is what I am talking about: BROTHERLY LOVE.
Of course, seeing how calm Tessa is with her ‘being a spirit’, we can tell that she is acting for Dean’s benefit. She is trying to get his defenses down, but he realizes that she is too calm. Smart!Ghost!Dean. π π
Alice, I loved the Ouija board scene. π π BROTHERLY LOVE.
Just a thought: Whatever happened to John’s journal??
When Young!John cuts his palm in ‘Song remains the Same’, I think it was a callback to John cutting his palm in this episode.
All the foreshadowing that is in this one episode:
Sam telling his father to go to Hell. We come to find out that all the Winchester men will go to Hell.
The doctor telling Dean that he has an angel watching over him. Hello Castiel. Also, what Mary told her oldest son.
What we thought was the first deal with YED, was really the second. Mary f**ked up the natural order by making a deal to bring John back to life. Funny, that the character that didn’t live past the pilot (she didn’t even make it to the first commercial break), is the reason that we are all here.
If Mary hadn’t made that first deal, think of the possiblities. Would she had continued hunting? Maybe joining up with Bobby and/or Rufus? Then again what about the fight between Lucifer and Michael, would that had occured without Sam and Dean Winchester?
You have to love the ‘what ifs’.
Anyway, Alice great recap. I loved it so much that now I am going to get my season 2 DVD and relive this wonderful episode. Thank you. π
So, I take it you like this episode then? I love it, but for some reason it never makes my top ten. Not that it isn’t good, it’s just this show is a riches of good! Okay, here’s a slight spoiler just for you (and anyone else who bothers to read these comments). John’s journal makes an appearance in the next episode, 6.12. A key appearance.
Great recap!
“Sam pulls out from the backseat his season one Dell laptop with the awesome symbol”. Yes, the symbol that is in the background of the an awesome site “the winchester family business” π
“You know the truth, right? About Sammy and the other children?Γ’β¬Β John Γ’β¬ΕYeah, IΓ’β¬β’ve known for a while.Γ’β¬Β You bastard! Tell your children! Tell me! Oh right, we figure it out 21 episodes later.”…. hehe one of the longest time we have had to wait for an answer is in episode: Home, when Mary said to Sam: “Sorry”, and we didn’t know why she said that until season 4, 4.03 “In the beginning” .
wow awesome episode and awesome recap
Awesome review Alice! Oh, the woes (tears, angst and non-verbal communication)of the Winchesters! Oh,the imperilled Impala! Oh, the single layers!!!
This is one of my all-time faves. There is just so much there. It really is a brilliant combination of writing, acting and directing.
I find that I can’t help but compare this episode to Appointment in Samarra. They are so tied together (at least in my mind).
There is the continuing chemistry of Dean and Tessa. And really, if she was human, they’d make a great pair! They’re very similar. They’re both dedicated to their jobs, in part because they believe they are doing work that, although unpleasant at times (okay, many times)needs to be done. They’re both feisty, smart and strong, but also full of compassion and empathy. And I think Tessa really likes Dean, for all he keeps messing up the natural order. That’s why she alternates between being so gentle with him, and so frustrated by him. He’s The One That Gets/Got Away. That’s a phrase we often use to describe the romantic loves we should have kept in our lives.
Both episodes also have as part of the storyline, the idea of trying to repair something that is battered and broken. In AIS the battered and broken things are Sam, Sam’s soul and Robo!Sam. In IMTOD, it’s Dean and Dean’s body. Interesting, in both cases the goal is to reunite soul to body. In IMTOD, without his soul, Dean will die. In AIS, restoring Sam’s soul could kill him.
Also, both episodes look at the issue of love and sacrifice. In AIS, Dean is willing to wear Death’s ring for a day in order to get Sam’s soul back. He’s not sure what the cost will be to him personally, but he’s willing to pay it, whatever it is. In IMTOD, John sacrifices his soul to save Dean, although I don’t think that’s what he originally had in mind, when he summoned the Yellow-Eyed Demon.
I have also always thought it intriguing that the writers chose to make Dean’s line “You haven’t called a soul for help”. Dean could have said “you haven’t called anyone” but it doesn’t carry the same weight. He meant something very definite when he talked about calling a soul for help. Perhaps foreshadowing the power of souls?
In fact IMTOD really highlights the soul and how it defines us, and acts our moral compass. It’s Dean’s soul that is walking around while his body lies in a coma. And Dean’s soul is very much HIM. He still wants to protect his family; still acts as a mediator between his Dad and Sam; still continues to hunt and fight in every way he can; and is still heartbreakingly funny and snarky, tragic and vulnerable.
There’s also something niggling in my mind about the parallels between Tessa reminding Dean several times in IMTOD that he’s living on borrowed time, while in AIS she’s teaching him what happens when you screw around with the natural order.
But I don’t think it’s really Dean’s fault that he threw such a wrench in the works. In both Faith, and IMTOD he was saved by the agency of others. In Faith, it was Sam, Roy LeGrange and the spell binding the Reaper. In IMTOD, it was John’s deal with the Yellow-Eyed Demon. I think it’s significant (although I’m not sure why yet) that in both cases, Dean was willing to die naturally, but that option was taken away from him.
So, I’m musing, as I’m wont to do, could there be another Dean Winchester soul sacrifice coming this season? We know souls are powerful. We know the natural order is out of whack. We know Death has told Dean to take living, and dying more seriously. We know Sam’s soul served to stave off the Apocalypse. Perhaps Dean’s soul will be necessary to re-set the natural order, and to wipe out his debt of borrowed time.
Probably not, but fun to ponder.
I’m back from rewatching this wonderful episode, and I have a crazy thought:
Did the YED and John seal the deal with a kiss?
π π π π π π π
awwwwh, Alice, this is one of my all time favourites! I know every scene by now, every word the characters say… I don’t know how often I’ve watched this. And it still manages to make me reach for tissues. Bloody episode!
I couldn’t possibly say which scene is my favourite here, but I’ll go with John’s good-bye speech to Dean… *chokes*.
“watching” it again through your eyes was a huge pleasure. Thanks for this retro-recap!
Love Jas
P.S.: It’s a joy to see the comment section back in its pretty. Great job, lady of the site! π
Hi Alice
I just love this episode, itΓ’β¬β’s in with my top 10 favourites.
I remember watching this when it first aired and being literally glued to the TV. I felt so fortunate that this had landed on one of my nights off so I didnΓ’β¬β’t have to resort to recording it on my then Γ’β¬ΛTape Eating VCRΓ’β¬β’ player.
Ahhh Alice,
I have waited for this since a Sunday night ages and ages ago when you made a rare visit to CBOX to talk about an idea you had for writing some retro-recaps and which episodes to chose.
This is a very special for me as it was my first one. I had not seen any Tv for at least a couple of years and had just started to watch again, I bought the Season 2 Part One in a second hand shop, all I knew about the show was a distant memory of a glimpse of a trailer featuring Echo and the Bunnymens` `The Killing Moon`, and remembered thinking , `that looks interesting`, boy was I right!!
By the end of this episode I was totally and utterly hooked and have never looked back or waivered in my passion for the show.
It is one I return to again and again and it`s interesting to try and remember how different that first viewing felt. The biggest difference, I would guess, is that I had no idea just what that truck was hitting, and I do not mean our much loved boys here. Who would ever have thought you can care so much about a car! I do remember finding the episode very moving even having no investment in the story or knowledge of the characters. That also changed, and how, and now it tears me up knowing all the wheels that were set in motion here, and the implications of that whispered sentence in Deans` ear.
I am there with Dmakdavis in that I got all misty just reading your recap, how many TV shows could do that to you ?
Thank you Ju
In German Free TV aired the Epi after one and a half year break (almost two). But I was stucked from the beginning. The road so far helped to remember. It was soooo sad to watch Sam and Dean losing John. And it keept me wondering what John told Dean!
Great Review
Such a great episode! Ugh, but that 1st summer Hellatus was horrible, worrying not only about all 3 Winchester men but also the Impala. Honestly, I really was worried most about the car!
The emotional impact of this one was so powerful too. I was in tears just reading your review & remembering all those scenes, especially knowing all that has come since then.
Alice, I am new here and have watched this episode recently (try yesterday). “Watching” it through your eyes made it all the more entertaining.
When I first watched this episode, I too went absolutely bezerk when the Impala got smashed. It rbought tears to my eyes thinking about how that could be my baby someday. π I hope I’m not in her when it happens. That sounds dirty… Eeek.
This episode doesn’t make my all time faves list either and it’s the same reason as yours but I am rethinking that stance after reading your recap.
I also realize how much I miss the Sam and Dean relationship and am happy to hear that it is more than likely coming back.
On a personal note, thank you for providing a place for fangirls to come and hang out with each other. It means a lot.