Alice’s Recap – “Slash Fiction”
Okay, you’re wanted criminals, your brutality is all over CNN and cable news, and you think that pulling into a gas station isn’t going to get you recognized? Do you know how bored clerks get? They like watching sensationalized stories about brutal killers on CNN. Sam and Dean do it anyway because they’re still not getting the full grasp of this situation. Haven’t you guys been on the run from the law before? Anyway, Dean fills up while Sam goes inside to get Dean’s favorite junk food. It rhymes with “sing songs.” What, no pie? No, these are bing bongs, which are cupcakes. Oh Dean, you child.
Sam asks if they have protein bars, and the wide open look of his face on that tall frame is more than enough for the clerk to realize who he is. The clerk cleverly tells him it’s in the back and to give him a second. Sam looks behind the counter while the guy is gone and sees the news report of them killing innocents. Then he sees the clerk on the cell phone. Time to leave! What, you don’t even grab the food? If it was Dean, he would have grabbed the food. Sam calmly walks outside and tells Dean he’s been made. Time to leave. At least they didn’t pay for the gas. Their fugitive reputation is cemented. I could see the terrified clerk’s testimonial on CNN right now. “They, they came into the store, and they, they…DIDN’T PAY FOR THE GAS!” He busts into tears, the hosts behind the desk feign shock over this unspeakable horror. Cable news is so f-ed up these days.
In the meantime, we meet the new FBI tools handling the case. Morris and Valente. They are at the Manitoc Savings and Loan. They have to leave though because Sam and Dean were spotted at a gas station a thousand miles from there. The two theories are they flew or took a batmobile. Both good, but I guess evil clones just isn’t on the board right now. Man this episode is moving along quickly. It’s hard to keep track!
The Impala pulls up to a dark property at night. This must be Frank’s house. Lovely fellow. Wouldn’t it be nice if for once they got to pull up to a luxury beach house? Nah, that would be too freaky. They enter the dark property without guns drawn? Uh, you’re entering someone’s remote house at night that didn’t answer your knock and you’re not expecting trouble? Yeah, they enter the living room, a guy turns on the light and there a older dude in glasses pointing a semi-automatic at them. He smiles. “Well, well, spider caught some flies.” Oh wow, another nut job. Go figure!
Sam and Dean aren’t exactly sure why this guy has a gun on them. Uh, you enter someone’s remote house at night and…never mind. Frank suddenly recognizes them. “Well I’ll be darned, psycho Butch and Sundance.” See, Frank saw the parallel too! He tells them they’re on CNN right now. Sam tells him it’s not them, but Frank knows that. “Not unless you have a teleporter.” Then Frank gets a bit paranoid and serious, waving the gun at them more. “Do you have a teleporter?” Oh, I love this guy. The hubby has a cousin who’s a government conspiracist like this. He’s a barrel full of laughs at a party without realizing it.
Sam and Dean confirm with hands still raised, no teleporter. Too bad, I know there isn’t much time in these eps, but it would have been great if they played along and offered to show him it? Frank wants to know who sent them, “NSA, the Feeb (FBI perhaps?), March of Dimes?” He’s really bitter about the March of Dimes thing. Okay, not playing with a full deck. Dean answers “Bobby Singer” and that really makes Frank mad. Oh, they’re dying. Sam stammers about owing Bobby from Port Huron, and Frank is now all whiny. He doesn’t get to kill anyone. “Guy saves you live one time, what, and you owe him the rest of yours.” “That’s usually how it works, yeah,” Dean answers. Frank puts the gun down in disgust.
Frank gets to work on shredding their fake credit cards and IDs while dismissing the idea of “magic hooey.” “The truth is the government has been cloning people for years. I guess it was your turn in the barrel.” Bwah! I do love it when clever writers run with colorful characters. Sam tries to explain what happened but Dean stops him. “Forget it, he’s rolling.” Frank watches the footage of the Leviathan!Sam and Dean’s killing spree. “Yours have been Busy Beavers. #2 on the FBI Most Wanted List. Quickest climb up the chart since Donna Summer.” Number 2? How many innocents to you have to butcher to become #1? Even Donna Summer hit number 1 and only a few people died from it. (I kid, I kid).
Sam asks for suggestions. “Cuba’s nice this time of year.” I would have said Bolivia! That would have been the perfect Butch and Sundance parallel. Dean makes it clear they aren’t hiding. “Is he always this stupid?” Frank asks Sam. “We’ve got to stick around and kick a couple asses,” Dean explains, “so we need you to get us further off the grid, but keep us on the board.” Frank turns on classical music while he’s saying all this. At least he’s a cultured lunatic. You picture old Sam and Dean like this someday? Oh, I often do wonder what would happen if they grew old ungracefully.
Frank has some suggestions, but they aren’t gonna like it! He has to wipe all their old aliases. No more rock “shoutouts” for them. It’s Tom and John Smith. I’ve always thought that was the smarter policy! Do you think the rock aliases are gone for good? No more fake credit cards either, only cash. He throws a couple of new cellphones at them. “Change your phones on a very frequent non-schedule schedule.” They also need to stay clear of the 200 million cameras the government has everywhere. “200 million?” Dean asks actually buying that line. “Big brother, he has many eyeballs my friend. You see a place that looks like it can afford security you just ease on down the road.”
This next part kills me! Hey, I’m a computer professional, damaging perfectly good equipments hurts. Frank pulls out Sam’s laptop, confirming it’s his. Frank smashes it to bits, shocking the crap out of both Sam and Dean. Frank then hands Sam a perfectly good one with a cheesy smile. Sam gives him an uncertain, “Thank you, I guess.” Oh, it’s not free. Frank wants $5,000 cash for it. “Unless you want to go comparison shop at the mall sweet cheeks. Say “Hi” to the cops for me.” I’m rolling here! Sweet cheeks? What cheeks was he actually referring to?
Oh, but this is the best part of all! Frank is on a roll. He grabs his camera and then Dean, pushing Dean up against a backdrop on the wall. “Let’s Blue Steel you up some new ids.” Bwah! That’s a shoutout to “Folsom Prison Blues” BTW. I’ll try to point out some of the shoutouts, but I’m bound to miss several. He takes a stunned Dean’s picture, and then Sam’s. Their expressions are priceless! “Mr. and Mr. Smith.” Oh, oh, where’s my remote? Gotta pause, I’m laughing too hard.
Okay, I gotta stay focused, for this wild roller coaster ride is going back to Bobby and Chet. Bobby blows Chet away with the shotgun, Chet starts hollering like he’s at a theme park. “Whew! Do it again! Come on, do it again!” An agitated Bobby just puts the gun down. Nothing is working. “Are you going to just touch me in the morning, and then walk away?” That’s a shoutout to “Touch Me in The Morning,” a hit for Diana Ross in 1973. So, we are to assume then that Robbie Thompson loves 1970’s female R&B recording artists? That’s the second shoutout in two scenes. I would have picked 80’s hair bands myself.
Bobby is at wits end. He still maintains that if they can bleed black snot, they can die. Chet taunts him, making it clear he’s going to really enjoy eating Bobby when the spell wears off. You know what I’d be doing? Going back to Don Stark and finding out how to cast that spell. That buys more time. When Chet promises to eat everyone Bobby ever said “Hello” to, Bobby loses it and picks up his sword. Off goes Chet’s head in one awesome swipe. The head is shown on the floor oozing black. “Hot damn. Well that’s something,” Bobby says. Yeah, small breakthroughs are always rewarding.
Back to Sam and Dean, who’s fresh ids are getting thrown in a cigar box. Dean is now Thomas Smith, Sam is John Smith. Hey, we’ve always said Sam is more like John. Frank hands Sam a map, marking all the towns their “stunt doubles” hit so they could see the pattern. Sam asks what that is. Frank has no idea. “Little tip from a pro. There is no such thing as a random series of robberies/murders by your evil twins. Have yourself some uppers and look at that some more.” I love this guy! He gives Sam a sardonic “good luck” pat on the shoulder. Sam thanks him. “For what, sending you to your death? Your doubles want to be on candid camera, put you in the line of fire. I’d lay low cause I love life and it’s infinite mysteries but you two want to be dumb, that’s fine.” I’m so using that line from now on in daily conversation. “I love life and it’s infinite mysteries.” Perfect sarcastic line to throw at someone at the coffee station when they ask through small talk, “How are you this morning?” “Living the dream” is getting to be so droll.
Oh no, Frank’s about to hit a sore spot. “At least have the common sense to ditch your car.” Dean does a double take, shocked over what he’s just heard. “Your doublemints, they’re using a car just like the one outside.” Dean is devastated. Sam can only look at Dean through the corner of his eye, making sure that his brother isn’t losing it. Oh, he’s close.
Thanks!
enjoyed it alice! it was like i relived the ep which i adored!! agree especially with the ending, it was mature of them, sam to walk away & dean to let him. i also think that dean will be hiding behind trees!
Nice recap, Alice.
‘Honeybunny’ is from Pulp Fiction in the diner scene – I seriously LOL’d
Nice job, Alice. I loved this episode and I have to admit that I used to love Air Supply when I was a teenager in the late 70’s, early 80’s. They had great slow dancing songs! So, I found myself lipsyching right along with Dean.
BTW – I liked how Dean and Sam have handled this new rip in their relationship. This is a more mature response than has been present in the past. This time, Sam left to cool off and Dean let him go. No fuss and no fists thrown. And I agree, Dean is probably watching him from the trees and bushes. I, too, saw the clips from this weeks coming episode and all I can say is about time! I hope they don’t leave it so limited. This has been a long time coming and it is something that needs to be addressed finally once and for all. Then, the show needs to move on and drop this issue and not drag it through the mud. 😀
Alice – Re whether Robbie Thompson is part of the writing team, Jim Michaels tweeted the other day “Robbie Thompson has written episode #712 being directed by Phil Sgriccia! We are currently prepping this script!”
So looks like the answer is that he is part of the team. I am pleased about that as I thought the writing on this ep was great (last scene excepted).
Thanks so much for the recap, I miss them, though I know how much work you put into them. Great episode, great writer, great director, great actors. Most definitely an A.
I loved this episode. I was on such a Supernatural high after the first two episodes of the season…and then 3-6 happened. I have since come to appreciate The Girl Next Door a liitle bit more, but do not like eps 4 and 5 at all. So I was jumping for joy after the end of this one that I flat out loved it. Can we keep Sheriff Mills as a regular? She would make a great addition to the team, and Bobby, Sam, and Dean could really benefit from her presence.
Lovely recap, Alice! The only place I have a different feel for is the end reveal. I think your take on the scene shows that the lie had a big pay off and that the three episode build up was worth it.
I think Dean not trusting Sam to be able to handle a difficult kill fits with what was happening at the time. He had just finished grounding Sam from SatanVision an ep earlier. I understood the lie, even though it was going to be hurtful for Sam in the long run.
I think the time we spent with Dean obviously suffering from lying to Sam and Sam trying to dig the secret out made Sam’s hurt really believable when he finally did get the truth. And I knew why Dean looked actually relieved it had finally come out. It wouldn’t have had near the impact if everything had come out immediately.
I’m really enjoying Sam and Dean renegotiating their relationship and I think they are showing growth. Dean will have to let go a bit with the “big brother saving Sam” and Sam will have to learn not to walk away when he’s upset. I’m loving this plot line.
No Alice. I had the best Pontiac Acadian hatchback (silver too). Lasted me for over 20 years and cost me hardly anything to run except for gas. Was still going strong when I traded it in 2 years ago for a new car. In fact, I bought it in 1988 second hand and it took me 5 years to pay it off.
Best car I ever had so far. (My third car)
Must have been my lucky day on the used car lot. 😛
My first car was a chevette (baby blue). I was the car’s third driver (it went through the family as a handed down car). That was twenty years ago and the car only recently had to be finally retired after a crash. My guess is that the cars were just so simple without any bells and whistles that there just wasn’t a whole lot to break.
Hi Alice thanks for your recap, I love them!!
The scariest scene I’ve seen in Supernatural is the leviathans killing the people like that.
I can’t believe that Sam and Dean were walking around in the city seeing the brutality the leviathans used to kill the civilians, and Sam and Dean didn’t even change their clothes or used mustache or something!! 🙂
Oh! and I loved the my little pony in the car, I was: hey is Cass !! (even it had the wings and all) 😆
I don’t know how the police didn’t know Sam and Dean were still alive cause they supposedly died in season 3, but they have been arrested again in season 4,5 and 6 and as far as I know when the police take you to jail one of the 1st things the police do is take your fingerprints…..
And about the episode ending,
I honestly don’t know if I’m on Dean’s side or Sam’s side. Sam is angry because Dean lied to him and because Dean killed his friend, Do you imagine if your brother kill your friend after you told him not to???. And on the other part Amy killed people because his son was sick what if later her son would get sick again?? she would kill again?, she said no but what if she would do it again??
And well Sam always deal with those situations like he always does, he just walks away, even soulless Sam walked away from Dean at the end of 6×10. I hope we can see how they reunite again next episode.
Hi Alice,
Thanks for the fun recap of this very entertaing episode. (Except for the massacre in the bank vault and the diner. They bother me, because they’re so real and plausible. So, yes I was chanting “puppies and rainbows” too. In fact, I think was playing with our new kitten, and saying “It’s only TV.. It’s only TV)
I loved the witty, sharp writing that propelled the episode forward. And Dean + My Little Pony + Air Supply + Sam Bitchfaces!!! Brilliant!!
I appreciated the way the show actually had a bit of brightness to it, despite the grisly, brutal killings. (Puppies and unicorns.. Puppies and unicorns). Bob still had hope in a future where love and companionship are possible. If Sam & Dean knew that he believed in that possibility, maybe they could have a little faith too.
Also, any time Robert Browning’s line [i]”Ah, but that a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”[/i] gets mentioned, it’s a win for me.
And while we’re on the subject of literature, you can find some examples of literary parallels between Supernatural and SE Hinton’s work, in my article “The Winchesters: The Outsiders Who Are Just Ordinary People”.
I have a slightly different interpretation of Levi!Dean’s speech to Sam. I think he was referring to both brothers when he says “you’re strong, uninhibited, and smart enough, believe it or not”, because he goes on to say they’re too busy taking care of each other.
I liked Crazy Government Conspiracist Frank. I think maybe he’s Ronald Resnick’s uncle? I know Sam & Dean are totally capable of making their own ID’s and using disposable cellphones (they did that in Fresh Blood, to evade Gordon), but I think he was introduced as a possible recurring character, and also as a tech genius, something the brothers are not. They’re capable, but not computer wizards. I could be wrong but I got the sense he could manipulate current technology, maybe even make certain facts about the Winchesters disappear from the internet. Just a thought.
As well, I was surprised by Dick Roman (I laughed out loud at the name)and his haughty, hateful attitude with Crowley. I’m wondering if Leviathans and demons have some bad history between them. It also makes me think of God!Cas and his comment to Crowley in the delightfully decrepit trailer in MTNB, when he talks about not wanting to let Michael out of the cage. Conspiracy theorist that I am, I got to pondering whether Michael did more than slay demons and help Daddy banish little brother Lucifer to the Pit. Maybe he was the Archangel who exiled the Leviathan to the Purgatory in the first place. Maybe he even created it? That theory provides resolution to many of the still-dangling Dean/Michael threads. (Oh, how they beg to be explained.)
Of course, resolution, leads me to the end scene… I do think the brothers were fighting in a more equal, mature way. Although it might have been a fresh take if Sam had slugged Dean, and really aired the problem, right then and there.
I agree that Sam is upset that Amy is dead, but more wounded by the fact that Dean said he trusted him and then went and killed her anyway, and then lied to him. The lie and the lack of trust are crushing for Sam right now, as he tries to rebuild his sanity. He needs to believe that Dean believes in him. Now, he’s going to question that. That can’t be good. He needs that Stone #1, so Dean has some work to do in the “foundation repair business.”
Although in fairness to Dean, I don’t think he was in a completely sane state of mind when he killed Amy. He was grieving Cas, and still dealing with the fact Sam couldn’t tell the difference between RealDean and LuciDean and was fired at by his own brother. I’m not sure Dean even totally understands why he killed Amy and that’s going to make it harder to explain or rationalize it to Sam. The show is full of minor monsters who get ganked, and bigtime baddies who walk. Amy is yet another shade of grey in this monochrome.
But, I’m sure that part of the reason Dean lied to Sam was because he was worried about what would happen when Sam found out. I agree that it’s manufactured drama, but I hope the outcome is that they actually get past it, and realize you can be right and wrong at the same time. And if it turns out that Kitsune can kill Leviathan, that will be really weak storytelling!
Tied to that, I think LeviDean only told part of the truth when he said RealDean thinks Sam is off his game. Dean is concerned about how/if Sam can really cope with his Hellucinations. He’s worried about that in terms of how it affects the safety of both brothers. I don’t think it’s as negative a sentiment as LeviDean painted it. He manipulated the truth, much like a demon. I do think JA did a great job with him. I think we need a few more EvilDean characters. They’re spicy and sassy and fun!
My one complaint, and big concern is the description of Sam and Satanvision all the time. My fear is that they’re making him so damaged it strains credulity on how he’s functioning. And if he is still functioning relatively normally, given that much psychic destruction, he’s probably superhuman. And that takes away the need for a brother and friends he can lean on, and get the much-needed support from. It takes away that Ordinary People aspect which I find so appealing.
Thanks Alice,
The very long-winded Pragmatic Dreamer
I enjoyed this very detailed preview – and Pragmatic Dreamer’s (slightly less lengthy :P) post 🙂
Oops. As Dean would say, “Awkward!”. I think I got on a roll, and forgot to stop. Either that, or I just didn’t want to make dinner!
Smiling, with some chagrin,
Pragmatic Dreamer
Thanks for the write up!
No doubt, this was a good one. So many references to the past – you caught so many more than I did – and genuine comedy. I laughed like crazy at Dean and Sam in that horrid little car, with that terrible song, and the innocent and intimidating my little pony. Poor Baby, she’s been mistreated enough already without being replaced by an Acadian.
I loved seeing Sheriff Jodie back, and while her civilian manner was different, much more relaxed and friendly, it rounds out her character, and does not to detract from her ability to kick ass in later episodes. She’s the best female character to debut on the show since Ellen. I have liked her interactions with Bobby in the past, and this was no disappointment. They just go well together.
I wonder when Sam and Dean last used a household cleaner? If ever. Go Jodie.
Jim Beaver impressed me this episode. He had a much more layered plot this time, having to deal with a bit of romance and a gruesome science project who literally got in his head. And when that happened, Bobby visibly calmed and locked down, then started talking about Browning. His excited kissing of Jodie was perfect, and the quiet, reserved but still warm parting was too.
This episode had the most Leviathans so far, and it was good to see that each had different characteristics. Leviathan!Sam and Leviathan!Dean’s restaurant conversation was a highlight. The nods to Pulp Fiction’s Pumpkin and Honey Bunny were fun and chilling.
Crowley’s appearance in the limo was well played. Crowley conducted himself with so much more diffidence than he does with Sam and Dean and Bobby. He dropped the snark, brought a gift, and tried to be serious and cordial. I was reminded that he’s “in sales”. He’s also a shameless opportunist, and he doesn’t close doors if he can avoid it. I can easily see another partnership; their last one was only six episodes ago.
I loved that Leviathan!Dean revealed the grand Amy secret, much as I disliked the way the secret has been obsessed over. I expected it, but it sold very well.
I have to admit to an eye roll when Sam walked off at the end. He’s been walking off since Scarecrow. No, since Stanford, if I’m thinking about it. But I agree, given his fragile mental state, this could lead to more pronounced recurrence of hallucinations, and I would not turn down the opportunity to see Lucifer again.
At the same time, I don’t want him to have to crawl back. Neither brother is 100% in the right on this, and I’d like them to both see that, and on some level they do. I was waiting for Sam to ask if Dean killed her son. Letting the kid go may be a level of mitigation for Sam.
Hoping for more like this!
Thanks Alice!
Love your recaps. 😀
And this was a great ep, up along with ep 1 &2. Didn’t like tGND and DYL. Liked SUdP a little more.
And I have been re-watching 6.22-7.02 about once a week. Those three ep’s are “one” if you know what I mean?
Love this show! 😛
Masja,
Sweden
Thanks, Alice!! Great recap. I could see the Pontiac emblem but couldn’t remember the Pontiac equivalent of the chevette.
This episode will definitely go in my favorites list. I loved all that we learned about the guys, including Bobby, through the perceptions of the Leviathans impersonating them. Knowing that Bobby still has hope gave me hope for the guys’ future.
I thought that Jody figured out where Bobby was, because she knew about the connections Bobby and Rufus had. Cas never met Rufus so the leviatans don´t know about them.
Great recap. Almost as good as watching.