Recap – “In My Time of Dying”
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Next is John, stunned that his youngest son is a ghost whisperer.Β “What do you mean you felt something?”Β Luckily, he’s not yelling this time.Β Sam tries to explain it felt like Dean, like he was there out of eyeshot or something.Β That’s because he was!Β Sam isn’t sure if its his psychic thing or what and asks John if he thinks its possible.Β Gee Sam, how many spirits have you dealt with in your life?Β Wouldn’t you say that makes it possible?Β John thinks it is, for what answer was Sam really expecting?Β You’re effin nuts?Β Sam has a way to find out a goes to leave.Β He’s got to pick something up.Β John stops him, promising he won’t hunt the demon until they know Dean’s okay.Β Liar!Β Sam doesn’t seem to care either way and goes.Β
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Dean and Tessa are walking and talking.Β Dean’s impressed with the way she’s taking this.Β Tessa admits she was freaked out at first but she’s dealing now.Β Dean wonders if she’s okay with dying.Β “No, of course not.Β I just think whatever’s going to happen is going to happen.Β It’s out of my control.Β It’s just, fate.”Β Dean looks at her rather blankly.Β “That’s crap.Β You always have a choice you can roll over and die or you can fight-”Β His speech is interrupted by another emergency, and this time the voice on the intercom is calling for “Dr. Kripke.”Β How funny!Β However, didn’t they have beepers back then?Β Who uses the loudspeaker anymore? Β
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Before I go on, I want to note how it’s so much fun to see this conversation now after seeing these two in “Appointment In Samarra.”Β Imagine if she had really gotten through to Dean here.Β I suppose if she did, the show would have ended right there and we wouldn’t have had our gross amount of entertainment. Β Still, to ponder the possibilities.Β The things that wouldn’t have happened!Β Sam would have stayed dead and, oh screw it, someone else would have ended the world. Β
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Back to the drama.Β A little girl is dying.Β Dean runs off and tells Tessa to wait there.Β Silly Dean, now you have no chance to figure out Tessa is the reaper.Β Dean sees the ghostly figure from before reach out and touch the girl.Β Dean tries to stop it, but he’s too late.Β The ghost disappears and the girl dies.Β The nurses are very accepting.Β “At least she’s not suffering anymore.”Β Yeah, but the ghost guy next to you isn’t taking this well!
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One of the items on my “to do” list is my top ten favorite scenes of Supernatural.Β Here’s a sneak peek, this is one of them.Β Everything about it is so damned wonderful!Β An apprehensive Sam comes into Dean’s room holding something in a paper bag.Β The full bright shot of his face really accents how much he looks like crap.Β Coma Dean is actually looking better.Β Sam lets out a huge sigh and starts talking.Β “Hey.Β I think maybe you’re around and if you are, don’t make fun of me for this, but “Λum, there’s one way we can talk.”Β Sam pulls out the contents in the bag.Β A Mystical Talking Board!Β I guess they had to avoid the common name, Ouija, since there’s a trademark thing and likely money involved.Β Β
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The camera pans to Sam’s left as he gets the board out and spirit Dean is there.Β “Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,” says spirit Dean.Β Yeah, he’s making fun of Sam for that.Β Sam walks over to the floor, crosses those gigantor legs of his, and lays the board out on the floor.Β He looks very nervous.Β There’s no sign of spirit Dean as he does this, hinting this is Sam’s POV.Β Β
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Sam is ready.Β While he asks “Dean, Dean are you here,” the shot circles around him and to the other side of the room, ending up behind him.Β Now spirit Dean is standing opposite of him.Β “God, I feel like I’m at a slumber party.”Β Dean reluctantly takes a seat on the floor across from Sam (showing off his nasty black feet), and the shot now moves to the two of them in the frame together with the board in the middle.Β Dean tells Sam this isn’t going to work.Β Β
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Sam has his hands on the little viewing glass eye thing on top of the board.Β Dean grabs it from the other side and slides it to “Yes.”Β Sam is stunned and happily relieved.Β So is Dean.Β “I’ll be damned,” Dean says.Β Sam lets out a huge sigh of relief.Β “It’s good to hear from you man.Β It hasn’t been the same without you Dean.”Β “Damn straight,” Dean answers, and takes the viewer thing to send another message.Β The shot turns to Sam, who is surprised to feel the thing move.Β Camera pans to the right and now Dean is not there, only Sam holding the thing as it moves to letters.Β This is so cool, going back and forth between both their perspectives.Β Β
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The camera circles behind Sam and it spells out “H-U-N”.Β Sam wonders what “hunt” means.Β The shot completes it’s full circle around Sam, showing just him with the board, asking Dean what he’s hunting.Β The view circles around to the side again and Dean is back.Β “One question at a time dude.”Β Dean starts spelling out “R-E-A-P”.Β “I don’t think its killing people.Β I think it’s taking them.Β You know, their time is just up.” Β “A reaper,” Sam says before Dean finishes, and now he’s not looking too good again.Β “Dean, is it after you?”Β Dean sadly moves the thingy to “Yes.”Β Β
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Sam knows exactly what that means and his quiet devastation kills me.Β “If its here naturally, there’s no way to stop it.”Β “Yeah, you can’t kill Death,” Dean answers.Β Sam looks sick.Β “Man, you’re uh-”Β “I’m screwed Sam,” Dean says finishing the sentence.Β I absolutely love how they’re having this conversation when only Dean can hear it.Β Sam is now taking the situation just like Dean is by not accepting it.Β Sam gets up proclaiming there has to be a way and suddenly Dean isn’t across from him anymore.Β Have I said how brilliantly these shifts in perspective are done?Β Sam leaves, claiming Dad will know what to do.Β Yes, he does, but you’re not gonna like it!Β Sure enough, Sam goes to John’s room and he’s gone.
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Next we see John in the boiler room.Β He finds an open area, and draws a sigil on the ground.Β
Sam is back with coma Dean while spirit Dean is standing next to the window.Β Sam tells coma Dean Dad wasn’t in his room and spirit Dean wants to know where he is.Β You’re the ghost, go find him!Β Sam has the journal and is hoping there’s something in there.Β Spirit Dean comes over and looks at his brother earnestly while Sam is flipping through the pages.Β “Thanks for not giving up on me Sammy.”Β Oh, that just gets you right in the center, doesn’t it?Β Both these guys are really working us over.Β Plus John and Bobby!Β Sam finds and page on reapers and Dean sees something.Β “Son of a bitch,” and he goes tearing off.Β I guess there was some good info in there, huh?Β Β
Dean goes into Tessa’s room and she’s not a coma patient anymore.Β She’s sitting on the edge of the bed in an outfit of black.Β “You know, you read the most interesting things.Β For example, did you know that reapers could alter human perception?”Β Tessa looks back at him blankly, indicating she’s heard it all before.Β Dean sure didn’t.Β He knows they can appear however they want, like say, a pretty girl.Β He tells her she’s a lot prettier than the last reaper he met.Β That’s for sure!Β Season one’s reaper wuz fugly!
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Tessa was wondering when he’d figure it out.Β Dean is livid and goes through the whole ploy, the body, the mother, etc.Β “It’s my sandbox, I can make you see whatever I want.”Β Dean is not happy over her toying with him but she claims he didn’t give her much choice.Β “You saw my true form and you flipped out.Β Kind of hurts a girl’s feelings.”Β Yeah, I’m sure you’re really smarting there Tessa.Β Basically, this was the only way she could get him to talk to her.Β A snippy Dean gives her a chance to speak.Β What does she want to talk about?Β “How Death is nothing to fear.Β It’s your time to go Dean.”Β She touches him and he shudders (his reaction gives me chills!)Β “You’re living on borrowed time already.”Β Just wait lady until you see how long he pushes that borrowed time thing.Β
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John has the whole nine yards going now.Β The sigil, the candles, the cauldron with some sort of flashy powder stuff, and of course the knife so he can draw his own blood on the palm of his hand.Β He’s latinating (Sam still does it better, sorry John fans) and he lights the cauldron.Β “Poof!”Β He stands up and waits.Β No one is there…until the janitor shows up.Β He pulls the whole “explain it to security” act but John sees through it.Β He pulls the colt out and aims.Β “Hey, how stupid do you think I am?”Β The janitor smiles and shows the yellow eyes.Β Gold star for you John!Β “You really want an honest answer to that?”Β Two goons join Yellow Eyes and take their places behind John.Β John maintains his steely disposition, because after all he is a bad ass Winchester.Β
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“You conjuring me John, I’m surprised.Β I took you for a lot of things, but suicidally reckless wasn’t one of them.”Β John with a wicked smile tells him he could still shoot him. Β “You could always miss,” Yellow Eyes taunts by showing a quick reflex.Β He’s done it before!Β “And you’ve only got one try, don’t ya?”Β Yellow eyes can’t believe John would think he could trap him.Β “Oh, I don’t want to trap you.Β I want to make a deal.”Β That certainly sparks Yellow Eyes’ interest!Β
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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.