Robin’s Rambles – “The French Mistake”
Editor’s comments: Here are the things that made me laugh:
Seems like season 6 is a thorn in this director’s side, huh? Interesting. The discussion amongst them was really cool about how to handle the scene. “Whatever,” decides the director. Is that a common season 6 mantra?
Dean finding himself a “painted whore” was hilarious. Sam trying to bluff his way through an interview, which we didn’t see, must have been a bunch of “No comments,” which the reporter took to mean he couldn’t reveal spoilers at the cost of his life.
Dean wonders why anyone would want to watch their lives. He should see himself as we do. He might get a clue. Of course, Sam learned not that many folks do watch. Let me tell ya, Sammy, those of us who do, watch quite rabidly!
Sam is now Polish, a Jared Padalecki–or Padaleski? I’m just rolling with laughter!
The FOUR Impalas, and none of them was poor Dean’s real Baby! All those useless props, but they kept playing with them, even sticking each other with the prop knives!
Misha, stone-faced, pretending to be Cas, so well that they believed him–until he dropped out of character with the script changes. Then they took back the key and returned the script, walking away in disgust. Cas HAD to tweet this latest to his minions! LMAO!
Was that really Jensen’s trailer? If so, wow, he’s so lucky. Very luxurious, all the comforts of home! There’s the refs we all know and love from the J’s lives to Texas, Blue Steel and DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Dean and Sam are disgusted!
Throughout the show, there are frequent references made to the fact that Jensen and Jared in this universe don’t talk to each other and are not friends. “Since when are you two talking?” seems to be a frequently-asked question when Sam and Dean are seen hanging out so much together. At one point, it was unfortunately a good question for Sam and Dean, too. Luckily, in this episode in particular, that is no longer true. They are tighter than ever, not just talking, but brothers in arms against the darkness like in season one!
The horror when Dean realized they were in CANADA, not AMERICA!
When they enter Jared’s home!!!!!!
1. Is that REALLY Jared’s place?
2. Do he and Gen REALLY have those narcissistic paintings?
3. Do they REALLY own a tanning bed?
4. Do they REALLY own an alpaca?
Of course, watching Sam and Dean’s reactions when it appears Sam has married Ruby in this alternate reality is very funny, too, and she seems to have just as feisty a relationship with Jensen as Ruby had with Dean. She also wonders why they’re talking all of a sudden.
Wait,” says Dean, “you and Ruby?” Making a face, Gen says, “Do you honestly think that’s funny, Jensen?” “Riiight,” says Dean–“cause you’re not Ruby, I mean how could you be–you, of course, are the lovely actress who plays Ruby, and you are in Jared’s house because you two are, uh, (he spots wedding photos) married!” (To Sam) “You married fake Ruby?” They look at each other a moment. “What are you doing?” asks Gen. “Work,” says Sam. “Work,” echoes Dean, “I thought I’d pop in, say hey–hey–and maybe run some lines.” “You’ve never even been to our house,” Gen says scathingly. “Well,” says Dean, “now that I know there’s an alpaca out back, I’m definitely comin’ back!” “Alpacas are the greenest animal,” says Gen. “Right. . .right,” says Dean, first to Gen, then to Sam, “that is so important.” “There’s that thing I have to get to,” says Gen. “Oh, yeah,” says Sam. “The International Otter Adoption Charity Dinner?” she reminds him. “Oh,” says Jared as she steps up to plant another big kiss on him. “I’m glad you two are talking, anyway,” she says, walking away, and they both watch her tush admiringly. “Looks like you did all right,” says Dean. “Yeah!” agrees Sam–“I should figure out her name.”
Sam and Dean go online on Jared’s computers to find the items they need. On the wall is an enormous, hilarious poster of Jared on horseback (a western movie)? Dean is all set to drive to Mexico City to steal a hundred thousand dollar item, but instead they use Jared Padalecki’s credit card to buy it and have it sent triple rush, no problemo, in Dean’s words. When they max out one credit card, they just use another. “Money, man, there is nothin’ like it,” chortles Dean. When they have finished ordering, Dean flings himself onto a leather sofa. “Couch, TV star, beauty rest,” he says.
Sam greets “Genevieve” when she gets home. “Gen,” she reminds him. “Gen, of course, yeah,” he says, “how was the otter thing?” “It was good,” she replies, “everybody missed you there.” “Oh, wow, wow, I bet,” he stutters, “so listen, I gotta ask you a question, do you remember year before last, all those disasters? The whole earthquake spike? The 9.2 in Rome? The 8.5 outside Boston? The whole east-west tsunami chain?” “Yes, I remember all of those from last season,” she says, “on your show.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, that’s what I mean,” he says, taking another slug of beer. “You have been Sam Winchester way too long,” opines Gen, taking his hands in hers and kissing him. She leads him upstairs, presumably to their bedroom.
Sam and Dean pick up a package at the airport. “Why are we pickin’ up packages that haven’t cleared Customs yet?” Cliff asks Dean. “Just savin’ time,” the latter answers. Sam climbs into the car with the package. “All right, here we go,” says Dean. “We’re not doing anything illegal, are we?” asks Cliff. “Would it make you feel any better if we said no?” says Sam. “No,” answers Cliff.
The brothers are on the Bobby set, slitting open the box, thinking they’re alone, when the lights suddenly flash on. The director, who has just finished saying, “We finish in 12 hours or he kills us all,” and something about the A and B cam, is thrilled to see them: “Here for the first run-through, before anyone else? Dedication!” Dean tells him they are going to need the set cleared for an hour or so–“Me and Jared are going to do some ‘actor stuff’.” “We’re thrilled to see you collaborating so creatively,” says the director, “and your enthusiasm is refreshing–you know, Dean Cain was like that on LOIS, and that man’s a real actor, and we will clear this set when we shoot the two and three eighths pages we are scheduled to shoot on this set, so if you do your ‘actor stuff’, we’ll do our ‘camera stuff’, then. . .” Misha sees the box sitting next to Sam and asks what’s in it. “Part of a dead person,” replies Sam. “Cool,” says Misha. Dean reports to Sam, “Bad news–looks like we’re going to have to do a little acting.” “What?” asks Sam, terrified.
“SUPERNATURAL, scene 36, take one!” Cas: “Balthazar is no hero. But he knows Raphael will never take him back. Dean hits his mark, but has no idea what to say. “CUT!” yells the director. TAKE 8! ACTION! Sam moves his arms in some sort of weird dance as Dean steps forward and says something that makes no sense whatsoever. “CUT!” shouts the director. Someone fixes Cas’ hair and he pushes her away. “Action!” calls the director. “It’s because we have no other choice,” says Sam. “Don’t look at the camera,” says Dean, “look anywhere but the camera.” Sam repeats the line, looking up at the ceiling. “CUT!” shouts the director, annoyed, mystified–“for the love of. . .!” ACTION! Cas faces the brothers and forgets his line. “CUT!” yells the director. “If there’s a key, there must also be a lock,” says Sam, sounding like a douche. “CUT!” Same scene, Sam tries again, adding “And when we find the weapons, we can get the weapons, and we’ll have the lock, I imagine, because the lock, and of course the initial key.” Someone is checking the script. “Do we really need all these lines?” demands Dean–“I think we’ve covered it!” “CUT!” shrieks the director–“WHAT IS HAPPENING?” (repeated thrice) “Atrocity is happening,” says the man sitting beside him. “It seems like they should stop,” says another guy. “They can’t stop,” says the director, “nobody stops. We get ANYTHING we can use?” Technically they have them saying everything in bits and pieces. It can be sort of experimental. “Whatever,” sighs the director, staring toward heaven, “season 6.”
Sam, looking at the lines, complains, “Who wrote this? No one says penultimate!” “Gun. Mouth. Now,” agrees Dean. Misha sits behind them. “Moving on!” calls someone. “Thank God,” says Dean as they exit their chairs. Misha Tweets: “J & J had a late one last night. ROFLMAO”
“We earned this,” says Dean, taking the items out of the package.
The director is on the phone with Sera, who wants to know the terror level alert here. “Orange, maybe,” he says, “they started talking to each other.” She thinks that’s a good thing! “I thought so,” he says, “but now Jensen’s living at Jared’s house, plus they’re smuggling illegal things in from Mexico.”
Dean draws the symbol on the window in blood. “That’s it, Toto,” he says.
Misha’s celebrity tweet says it’s a black market organ thing, reports Jim. “I’m betting drugs.” “I think they’ve lost any shred of talent they ever had,” reports the director to Sera. Behind him, the brothers crash through the window, moaning in pain. “Drugs,” repeats Jim.
In Jensen’s trailer, Sam suggests, “Maybe we did it wrong.” Dean insists that spell was perfect, it shoulda worked. “What if it can’t?” asks Sam.–“I was up all night looking online; there was no sign the apocalypse happened here, ever, and as far as I can tell, monsters, ghosts, demons, they’re all pretend. No hunters. Maybe that’s why our spell didn’t work–maybe here, there’s no supernatural, no magic.” “No demons, no hell,” says Dean, “no heaven, no God?” “Something like,” says Sam, “even better, no angels.”
On a hotel set, a sigil appears on a window–and Virgil comes bursting through, his eyes filled with evil!
Editor’s comments: “You married fake Ruby?” LMAO! That one just never stops being funny!
ARE Alpacas the greenest animals? Otter Adoption Charity Dinner?
Sam kisses Gen big-time, then realizes he should figure out her name.
Dean enjoys the use of Jared’s credit cards, fancy computers and nice leather sofa.
Sam runs by what he believes were REAL earthly disasters for Gen, but she only knew them from SUPERNATURAL. She put it down to him playing Sam too long and led him to bed. How far did Sam go to make sure Gen wasn’t suspicious?
Cliff takes the boys to pick up a mysterious package that surpasses Customs. Wonder if the real-life Cliff would so easily let that one pass?
Dean tries to get the director to do his will and it doesn’t work, but his effort does make one laugh. “Actor’s stuff.” LMAO!
The brothers’ efforts at acting are hilarious! That no one thought there was something seriously wrong with them right away boggles the mind, but that they let it go on for so many takes? Would they really do that? Why didn’t Misha beat them up? I would have! Sam and Dean’s after-conversation? “No one says penultimate.” “Gun. Mouth. Now.” GOLD!
Sera and Bob confab: Jensen is living at Jared’s house; they’re smuggling illegal things in from Mexico or they’re doing drugs. They’ve lost all their talent!
And Misha gleefully Tweets!
The brothers figure out this world is demon, angel, hunter, magic and perhaps even God free, which might make it impossible for them to get home.
Loved, loved, loved the show. All the unsubtle references and shout-outs. The overblown trailers and mansions, the images of the characters on you tube, trailer monitors and mnasion walls, the suggestions of rivalry between the fakejared & fakejensen,and especially the slow motion Morricone themed death of Kripke that was worthy of a Leone film. (I wonder who chose that)
There are so many layers of in-jokes here that it will probably be analysed for a long time to come.
Just a correction when the boys are returned to their reality they are dragged back by Raphael not “the Winchesters launch themselves, backward, against it”.
I liked the episode the first time I saw it. After a re-watch last night, I have to now say that I thought it was a brilliant piece of work. Still not my all-time favorite episode, but brilliant nonetheless (hello Ben Edlund).
Favorite scene: the acting one, but I also liked the street shoot mass killing one. The music alone had me laughing out loud.
Lots of inside jokes, and whether any of it is true or not, I don’t really care. I understood what was being poked at and that was enough.
Re: the ‘at least we’re talking’ and Dean’s speech: You know, I’ve given up on the where the brothers are at questions and pay little attention to them now. I don’t know where Dean is at and Sam, obviously, is with Dean and has his back. Whether that stays, falls apart, or continues to be built upon is just not something I’m not paying attention to it any longer. For the last 2.5 years, I feel the viewers have been so jerked around on the brothers’ bond issue and that the drama the show is built upon is how that bond is going, I’m just kind of immune to it.
There again, with Dean’s speech. Last week Dean having to leave Lisa/Ben put him more depressed than I’ve ever seen him (even more so than in PONR, I thought). This week he’s giving s speech on the value and worth of their jobs. Then he offers Sam the option of staying, and I thought that was Dean being okay with quitting if Sam wanted to stay, so I don’t know what show is doing with Dean.
I’m not much into the Cas character and I’m not a Mishamigo, but Misha was funny in the episode.
My least favorite part was the end with Cas, Virgil and Raphael. As soon as these powerful beings show up, the boys are in the background because humans are simply too weak to handle the powerful beings. The scene did set up going into Heaven’s civil war and finally meeting the big bad, so it was a useful scene.
I haven’t answered all the questions, but just wanted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the episode, though it was brilliant, and I’m very happy to be able to say positive things about an episode this season.
I don’t think that spending the night with Gen was out of character for Sam. Actually, I think it was quite revealing. Despite all his sense of freakness and his apparent inability of forming emotional connections other than Dean, Sam is obviously hungry for a little love. His keeping it from Dean and his refusal to satay in this alternate universe where he has a “better life” – other than the fact that here they are not brothers – could only mean that he thinks he doesn’t deserve to be happy.
Also, a reviewer mentioned that maybe Sam was once in love with Ruby. So this normal and non-demon Ruby who also happens to be his (Jared’s)wife is a secret wish fulfilment.
I’m left with a tiny hope that, by acknowledging Sam’s needs, the writters might be planning sopmething good for him in the future. If Dean has his Lisa after all, why not Sam? I like to think that somewhere, Sarah Blake is still waiting for him.
[b]1.What was your favorite part of this episode? [/b]
Honestly can’t pick a favourite. The entire fake acting scene was A1, the ridiculously over the top mansion, the Terminangel, Castiel’s wings, Dean Grimly (my 2nd alternative username!) but some of the smaller parts were awesome as well, the guy limboing out of the way of the bullet before nonchalantly walking away was hilarious.
Also: ‘Should we be killing anybody?’ and ‘I should figure out her name’ are two of the best lines ever!
[b]Least favourite?[/b] I wasn’t too gone on the idea that the boys are back to being kept at an arm’s length and to being used by angels. I mean, they saved the fecking world, it’s not like they can’t be trusted. Surely Castiel has learned at this stage the damage that can be done by keeping secrets. It’s a pity he can’t put this knowledge into practise.
[b]2. Did you find the episode confusing in any way? Explain.[/b]
Not really. I didn’t get the alpaca joke (though the picture of it on the mantle was mad!) but apart from that I was pretty good. I’m not going to put too much thought into the whole ‘Jared as Sam as Jared as Sam etc’ bit because trying to write it is a pain in the arse.
However, the very last bit left me a little confused (and concerned). I liked Sam knocking on Bobby’s wall and declaring it solid while Dean commented that it’s chock full of things that want to skin you (or something). I took this as a metaphor for their relationship, it’s now solid (or growing more so) but there are still ‘termites’ out there that may try to weaken it. The bit I’m concerned with is Dean (seemingly) indifferent reaction to Sam’s optimistic grin and his ‘At least we’re talking’. He couldn’t even muster a smile at it. I don’t know what I was expecting there but it just seems a little off to me.
[b]3. How much of what you saw in this episode do you think was true? How much do you believe was satire or parody?[/b]
Not very much (true) to be honest, apart from the names, setting, relationships, some pictures, previous jobs, directors, new showrunners and so on and so forth….
I imagine (and hope) the part about the hugely ostentatious house and trailer are pure satire. Also, I doubt that JP has gigantic pictures of himself all over the place cos while he’s good looking and all, that’s a bit much.
[b]4. How did you like JUST the Sam and Dean portion of the show and the way they worked their way home?[/b]
Actually this question is confusing as wasn’t it all Sam and Dean…… sorry!
I liked it. I liked the contrast between their fake lives and their real lives and that they choose to go back to their crappy lives because back there, they were brothers. In TVland, they weren’t even talking and they were that way for too long. I felt these scenes really reinforced the boy’s relationship, especially with Sam’s rejection of a mansion, wife, career etc in order to be Dean’s brother.
[b]5. What did you think of the alternate universe Misha Collins?[/b]
Soooo dorky! I don’t get this whole tweeting, facebooking, beboing thing going on at the moment so anything to do with that is strange to me. Plus, he has a really squeaky voice! (He looks knackered tired in this episode though.)
I’m assuming it’s a much more exaggerated version of his true self (tweeting, yoga etc). It feels like it focused on Misha Collins the character rather than Misha Collins the person.
[b]6. What do you think happened to the REAL Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki from this universe?[/b]
They’re at my place, obviously. Where else would they be??
Only messing (John wouldn’t allow it…) If it’s an alternative reality then I assume it was set up by the angels specifically for them. Therefore there is no real Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki (if I didn’t have a headache before, I do now!)
[b]7. What do you think happened between Gen and Sam up in that bedroom?[/b]
Not much to be honest. Research, as he said. I don’t think he slept with her. (I wonder what cheating on yourself with your own wife would be like??) I’d say there are too many bad memories and negative connotations associated with Ruby for Sam to be able to sleep with her.
[b]8. What was the significance of the whole “But at least we’re talkin’†business?[/b]
Perhaps it’s alluding to the many times Sam and Dean kept things from each other in the past? Might also be a gentle reminder to Dean that as bad as things are, it could be worse (they didn’t do much talking when Sam was RoboSam). It’s nice that Sam is the one looking for silver linings these days.
[b]9. Your overall opinion of “The French Mistake?†Yea, nay or abstain?[/b]
Most definitely ‘Yea’. There were too many priceless bits in it for me to be negative about it. From the looks of things we’re in for a heavy few weeks (and we’re after a heavy few weeks) so this was a great breath of new air. Plus, it gave the writers and actors a chance to just let loose (and vent!).
[b]10. How did you react to Dean’s speech to Bob Singer about the Winchesters and how they’ve done important things in the world?[/b]
Ithought it was a serious step forward in Dean acknowledging his worth. He does mean a hell of a lot to people back in reality land, he has saved the world and he does mean something huge to his brother. It should give him a bit of an ego boost, especially as he was in the doldrums last week (and for most of season 6, really)
Thanks, Robin. You always ask such interesting questions.
Huh, Dean’s lukewarm reaction to Sam’s ‘at least we’re talking’ sounded really weird to me at first. But on second thoughts, the poor guy is always worried about Sam, especially now with the wall. He was probably not totally convinced that coming back was the best option for Sam. ‘Things that want to skin you’ reminded me of what Castiel said back in Like a Virgin about Sam’s soul feeling like it had been skinned alive. I guess that’s what was in Dean’s mind.
Hi, Yume
I don’t think he was in love with Ruby either, not romantically anyway. But I still think that he projected his deeply buried desire for love on her. And like you said, she was his only relatinship after Jessica.
As for his night with Gen, I have a different POV. Actually it’s complicated and I’m sure not everyone will agree, but if he’s Jared in this universe, so technically speaking she’s his wife. If he spent Jared’s money as his own, he might have thought that he was using his legitimate conjugal rights too.
I’m sure that his sense of responsibility and, ultimately, setting things right, comes first, much like John. But I can’t forget the ‘I’m the least of you all’ either. I still believe that the notion of being undeserving is there somewhere.
But I think we both agree that he does deserve something good. 🙂
I liked the episode. I thought it was histerical. Cliff(the bodyguard) tweeted some answers to some questions about the episode.
1. jand j’s houses are much more low key they don’t want that kind of place.
Jared has said in one of the cons, either the SF one or the L.A. one that he lives on a condo while in Vancouver.
2. he has huge pics of me on his wall lol
3. no J and G don’t have any exotic animals, but they have me …lol
I was surprised they made no mention of Sadie and Harley.
4. and no fish tanks in trailers either and no helicopter.
Cliff confirmed that Jared and Jensen are the best of friends. You can see that in the recent con vids.
fantastic episode, laugh much.
[quote]My favorite part was the shootout at the end with the music from Tarentino’s Kill Bill Vol 2 blasting [/quote]
Much of Kill Bill’s music was either referenced from or direct from Ennio Morricone – he originally was approached to work on the Soundtrack but for whatever reason backed out. Both Tarantino and Rodriguez are Morricone/Leone fans. I’m really hoping that the forthcoming Supernatural Western episode will continue these references. (Spaghetti Western Tragic)
I could only watch till Gen pulls Sam up the stairs then it flashed unable to download.So I really hope Sam did not sleep with Gen because that is not like Sam…I will comment further after some how hopefully i can download the full ep and watch it..
The best parts for me were:
**The “acting” scene. Hilariously funny.
**Virgil gunning down the entire crew (except for the one crew member who seemed to be able to dodge bullets!).
**The return–finally!–of smart, observant and totally badass Dean.
For the sake of Sam’s character, I really hope the answer is “nothing,” It would be, imo, non-consensual sex because she thinks she’s sleeping with her husband. Sam would be intentionally leading her to commit adultery.
So again, I hope not.
I think there has been a lot weighing on Dean (let’s not forget that Dean’s PTSD has never been dealt with, and Dean remembers Hell in detail; no wall for him) and the events of this season, and having to leave in the lurch a family who gave him validation and a sense of worth, combined to leave him very depressed.
That said, I think that the events of this ep was an eye-opener for him, and brought him at least part of the way back to believing that he is, in fact, a protector of people, that there is value to what he does even if it doesn’t always seem that way.
I disagree that Dean was saying he would quit if Sam wanted to stay. I think that Dean–based on his speech to Bob Singer–had already made his decision to return to the “real” Earth, no matter what. What he was doing, imo, was offering Sam the chance to stay if Sam wanted to. He was letting Sam go if that was what Sam chose to do.
My apologies: I clearly did something wrong and my post is missing the quotes I was responding to. I have no idea why and I don’t seem to be able to edit it.
Technology strikes back!