Recap – Supernatural 7.14 “Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magical Menagerie”
Dean goes to the boiler room and the flaming cauldron with hoodoo symbols all over in the center of a chalk sigil on the floor should be the sign he’s looking for. “Well that’s perfectly normal.” In your world Dean, it actually is! There’s a book of spells nearby and underneath that is Tyler’s placemat. Oh, and weird guy still weirding his rainbow vest and yellow bow tie pointing a gun at Dean telling him to drop it. Yeah, I’m not surprised.
Dean drops his gun and slides it over, then notices that the heavy hoodoo he’s got going there can’t “poop out a unicorn.” According to Howard, there’s power in fear. He’s right there! When a child draws that, some of the mojo ends up on the page. For it to work, he has to not only throw in the kid’s drawing, but he needs something off the parent too. He says that bits been tricky. “Well it hasn’t seemed to slow you down,” Dean says sarcastically. That sets Howard off a little and he claims he needs to. Oh great, grown man joyfully working at a Plucky Pennywhistle’s is unstable. Go figure.
Dean plays along and then throws something at Howard. He tears up the robot placemat so bummer, there will be no giant robot with laser eyes attack on Tyler’s mom today. I was really hoping to see how they would have pulled that off. Turns out though, Howard picked a different target at the last minute. Tyler’s mom, aka “that B word” isn’t in the clear, her day is just not today. Now that FBI guy, seems Howard didn’t like how he was a bully. See Sam, that did get you in trouble! Giving Howard the business card didn’t prove to be a smart move. Five minutes ago, his business card was torched along with a drawing from Howard’s personal collection. This is where Howard crosses into evil genius territory.
“I picked it out real special for him too.” Howard tells his story while Sam watches Tyler’s mom. “As soon as I saw him I noticed. Staring at every little Plucky like it was going to stab him or something.” Sam gets out of the car all business and tough, looking at Tyler’s house, then suddenly he’s face to face with the clown from the opener. It’s incredible how fast that tough expression fades to pure childlike fear! I don’t think Sam saw that coming. Back to Howard with the zinger. “Guy’s got a real thing about clowns.” See Dean, even Howard noticed! Flash on the laughing clown tormenting Sam some more, and Sam quaking in his boots. Now that’s how to do a villainous ploy!
Back to Sam kicking his way into the garage and now the credits say “RIGHT FRIGGIN’ NOW.” That’s no clue. That’s hysterical! It a repeat of the opener in that Sam unsuccessfully blocks out the clown, two of them surround him, Sam’s gun doesn’t kill (but does produce a ton of glitter each time he fires) and clowns start beating him.
Back to Dean trying to talk Howard through their little showdown. He picks a Plucky figurine that Howard obviously made and calls it “freaking Plucky.” Howard takes offense, for Plucky helps kids and that’s all he ever wanted to do. However, he got passed over for the management job. “Shocker,” Dean replies. I don’t know Dean, he figured out this hoodoo pretty well. He’s got to have some sort of brain in his head, even though his screws are loose.
Suits don’t listen, so Howard’s doing it his way. By this time Dean has pocketed Howard’s Plucky doll that he made. “Let me get this straight. You didn’t get the good parking spot so you start dropping bodies?” In the corporate world, that’s actually a sane defense for murder! Howard says the parents were horrible and deserved what they got. Saul had a big mouth. Yeah, we get it, your way.
Here’s a welcome break from the unfolding of Howard’s diabolical plan. More clown beating for Sam! Sam gets kicked and then the creepy laughing clown soaks him with seltzer from his flower. Oh yes, this just keeps getting more crazy!
Dean lectures Howard about how the horror of seeing their parents killed don’t exactly put the kids first. Howard thinks they’re all be better off, for he would have been. Dean looks over at the child drawings on the wall. He sees it now, a kid is drowning in them. Then there’s a pictures of Howard with his brother when they were kids.
Sam gets slammed into the windshield, gets dragged off and pummeled, but he manages to get in a few whacks with the tire iron.
Back to Howard, who tells the story of how his parents wouldn’t listen to him when he called for help for his brother. He obviously blames them for his drowning death.
Back to poor Sammy, who ducks when a clown comes after him with a wrench. Sam whacks that clown with the tire iron, but the other grabs the wrench and gets Sam in the abdomen real good. Shouldn’t that be causing internal bleeding? Unless its, well, that would ruin his manhood if it was there. It’s a pretty vicious hit. Sam whacks that clown with the tire iron in retaliation in the nether region, then the other across the face, and there’s a brilliant slo-mo of a blood clown tooth flying through the air. That’s just wickedly cool.
Back to Dean, who takes one of Howard’s drawings off the wall. He figures out Howard now. He’s really scared about the whole seeing his brother drowning thing and bets he hasn’t been in the water since. I do love it when Dean plays hunches! “Because you’re afraid.” Dean pulls out the plucky figurine and along with the picture throws it into the fire. Howard freaks out, starts firing while Dean ducks, but it’s too late.
Standing in front of Howard is his late brother as he last saw him, wet, in his clothes and looking rather ghostly. He stares down Howard with an evil stare and man this looks like “Red Sky At Morning” all over again. CLUE! Howard pleads it wasn’t his fault but too late, water starts pouring from his mouth like he’s drowning, just like “Red Sky At Morning.” CLUE! Why in the world would anyone give a shout out to that episode? It’s planted in the dreamer’s mind. Maybe.
Back to Sam, who’s at the end. Both clowns clearly have their advantage now. One picks up a giant pipe and charges, the other charging from the other side. Sam holding a wrench looks in horror, for he’s toast now. Sam ducks and…suddenly both clowns explode in a giant cloud of glitter, Sam in the the middle of it all. The dust settles and now Sam is still standing there holding his weapon covered entirely in glitter. It’s even in his hair! He lets out a breath of relief and glitter goes flying. OMG! Can’t…breathe… it’s…too…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
Just when Sam thinks he’s seen it all. Just when I think I’ve seen it all!
I only got through the second paragraph and had to stop and comment. You put that you feel Hammer of the Gods Is the worst episode ever written. I feel otherwise, that the episode is in fact a great one and great written at that. Therefore I cannot take your opinion on this episode or any other episode seriously, though I plan on reading this whole review. I would like for you to give an explanation why you believe Hammer of the Gods to be the worst written episode ever, as I can think of many other episodes much worse than that one. Thank you.
Finding my old reviews are pretty easy. I’ve been writing them since season three. Go to our episode guide (easy to find on the menu on the top left side). Here’s the link to the one I wrote for Blogcritics and the full length recap for here.
[url]http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-review-supernatural-hammer-of-the/[/url]
https://www.thewinchesterfamilybusiness.com/article-list/category9/7874-recap-qhammer-of-the-godsq.html
Ever since that episode aired, I have made it no secret how much I hated it. MANY times. Sorry you’re offended by that, but I can’t change almost two years worth of complete and total disgust for it. If you think that hatred for one episode is going to reflect on what I write about others, I’m not sure that’s being very open minded. After all, I’ve written of ton of these things and haven’t gotten many complaints.
As we say here, we’ll agree to disagree. So what did you think of the actual episode being reviewed here?
Obviously people have different tastes. I too hate Hammer of the Gods but I also hate Yellow Fever. What can you say? I always go into reviews knowing that on some episode the reviewer and I will not agree. I still love your reviews. If we disagree, I look on it as getting another POV so I can see the episode through fresh eyes.
In other words, thanks for all your reviews. I look forward to them.
Oh wait you’re Alice? My apologies! How I failed to realize that is beyond me! Much apologies to you, I am a grateful fan of all you do and I have enjoyed reading things from you and am a fan of the facebook page. I will keep an open mind as I’m now about to read this review along with the one for Hammer of the Gods as I enjoy my first cup of coffee and will give my thoughts when I am done. Sorry again for sounding so hatred toward you.
No problem! I apologize too if my response sounded a little defensive.
I certainly don’t expect people to agree with me (any many times they don’t) but I still have fans to this day come back to me blasting me for reviews I wrote years ago. It’s really funny how some cling onto those grudges. I’m glad to see you aren’t one of those people.
Honestly, when he used the term Juggalo, I nearly keeled over! I’m from MN, my oldest daughter is a Juggalette. I couldn’t believe it! She couldn’t believe it! LOL
Too funny! I must admit, I’ve never heard of the term before now. Great to see it used!
Hey, Alice! This was a wonderful review! Oh, and I agree with you “Hammer of the Gods” was not a great episode. It’s on my “yuk” list, but “Yellow Fever” is on my must watch list. I’m adding this current episode to that list. 😆
Anyway, at first I only really liked this episode, but the more I’ve re-watched it…it’s jumped up to a LOVED one! Definitely a solid “A” in my book! My number one thing that I loved…Dean laughed hard! It was a big hearty laugh. I haven’t seen that since “Free to be You and Me” although Dean did give a big smile at Rufus in “And Then There Were None”. The second thing was Sam’s look when he first entered Plucky’s. That was priceless. That look of raw terror! Jensen and Jared hit this one out of the ballpark! 😀
Now, the creepy guy was just that creepy! I read somewhere that he’s Julie McNiven’s husband. Wow! That’s really cool. He did a good job. His eyes were just…. 😮
I agree with you. There were loads of clues in this episode. I really think that the theory that one of the brothers is having a dream fits. You think it’s Sam and I think it’s Dean. The time references going back to coordinates could be…but I still don’t see where the 4 hour clue fits into the puzzle unless that’s the actual time. Reality seeping in. I’m going have to ponder that one for a while.
Now onto the next one! I don’t know about you, but I’m going to have the tissues, wine, etc. on standby and I’m going to try to stay off Twitter…since I’m on the west coast! (I’m not sure if I’ll be able to…that old curiosity killing the cat and satisfaction bringing him back thing) Oh, well…. 😉
So glad you liked both the episode and the review. These full length recaps are a bit overwhelming! To think I actually wrote these for every episode once.
Yeah, I’m really not sure if it’s Sam or Dean or both if it’s a dream scenario. I just wonder why they keep putting all this crap in. It’s my guess to torture bored fans!
Yes, Friday’s looks intense. We’ll see what comes of it. We just might need a few weeks break after it.
I was waiting for your take and i loved both your take and the episode.
1) About thinking it was an angel i think Sam was referring to gabriel like angel.
2)I liked that they gave both Sam’s and Dean’s pov on the same childhood memory.Whereas Dean thought Sam would have fun at penny’s Sam actually hated it.I really don’t think Sam was scared at that time of clowns,So that is why Dean left him at a place where children of Sam’s age group enjoy to do something he enjoys. I am no psychologist but i think people can develop phobias at any age.So i don’t think Dean was insensitive.
Thanks! Glad you like the review.
I don’t think Dean is ever intentionally insensitive. I’m sure things like childhood fears are something he just doesn’t get though. After all, he saw his mother toasted on a ceiling. Once you’ve had that happen to you, all other horrors pale in comparison. Dean just doesn’t realize that Sam has a different perspective. At least he doesn’t until it’s too late! Plus, what sibling doesn’t rib the other about fears? Sam seemed to have fun both times with the flying thing.
Oh, Alice. You did love this episode. I did too. I really like D&L as writers. I don’t always like their episodes (After School Special, Jump the Shark, Unforgiven, Time for a Wedding), but they know these two characters and I know I’m going to get insight into them when they write an episode.
Mostly I like D&L because they usually introduce deep insight and elements into the two boys and the story that become canon. For instance, Dean’s alcoholism was introduced in Yellow Fever. Sam’s unforeseen anger management was introduced in Sam, Interrupted. Also in that episode, Dean was seen to be truly crazy, which had only been hinted at before. John as a complete douche bag (or, as some may think, purely human) and Dean’s crumbling hero worship of John was introduced in Jump the Shark, and it showed that Sam was exactly like John. Dean discarded the amulet in Dark Side of the Moon, when Dean realized that Sam’s leaving for Stanford was a reflection of how Sam had always felt about his family. After School Special showed more insight into Sam’s character than any other one. I Believe the Children Are Our Future solidified Dean and Cas’s friendship, which we are still seeing played out. I’ll stop here on this point.
D&L episodes usually also set up what is going to happen in the rest of the season. I’m not sure I can tell what that is at this point, but Plucky’s did show that Dean is quite adept at using black magic and he didn’t flinch once about killing a human in doing so; whereas, in Family Remains when he killed the feral boy in self-defense, he did show regret. All I can really tell about this one right now is that the brothers were back to being the brothers we all love, for whatever that means, and that is a complete reversal of how we saw the brothers at the end of The Slice Girls.
I’m still really skeptical about this all being a dream season. If it is, I’m not going to like it one bit and will call BS for a complete wasted season that went nowhere.
I’m not convinced it’s a dream season, but I wonder if parts are an hallucination or dream of some kind. It just seems so strange they would keep throwing all that at us.
I’m so with you on what you said about Dabb and Loflin. I still think “Dark Side of The Moon” is a cannot miss classic. “Unforgiven” thought is one of my favorite episodes of season six, if not one of my personal favorites overall. I LOVED the way it was shot and how Sam kept quietly falling apart with each memory. Too bad all of that went nowhere. Kind of like “I Believe The Children Are Our Future.” Great setup that went nowhere.
Couldn’t agree with you more on Dark Side of the Moon. That one may be my No. 1 of the series (on the drama side of things).
Funny how a episode can be seen differently I dont like Dark side of the Moon at all for my own reasons. And Time for a Wedding was one of the reasons I stopped watching for a while .
And yet this episode from these two I enjoyed so these writers can be hit and miss for me.
That was a great recap, I do enjoy them so. I’ve already posted a few times on how I thought this episode was all kinds of awesome, so I won’t do it again.
Just a small comment on this: “There are phone booths left somewhere?†The show being filmed in Canada, yes we still have phone booths. Our shopping centers still have them too. And thank God, cause I don’t have a cell phone and it’s handy when you need to call someone. But I’ll agree with Dean about the yuck factor. I don’t lean the phone on my ear when I need to use one, and I purell like crazy afterwards.
Ah, that explains it. You Canadians are mucking up the works! 🙂
There are probably plenty of phone booths around in major cities but in the suburban and rural midwest US, they’re completely gone. I’m shocked to find they found one in rural anywhere.
Thanks for commenting!
Hi Alice
I loved this episode for all the reasons you and all the other reviewers and commentors have given. It was light humoured, fun (except for Sam’s beatdown, poor Sammy) and I just loved the brotherly moments.
As for the countdown clock I took those numbers to be the countdown in hours, minutes and seconds. The first one indicated 60:00:00 meaning they went back 60 hours(2 days and 12 hours) from Sam’s first NOW moment. When Dean is looking through the bloodied hole that the Unicorn made it was 36:36:07 meaning it was now 36 hours, 36 minutes and 07 seconds away from Sam’s NOW moment.
Hi Karen!
Oh sure, it was a countdown clock to hours, minutes, and seconds, but I was questioning whether that was supposed to mean something else too. These time references are popping up all over this season and I just wondered if this could be another clue.
I’m really glad you loved the brotherly moments. They seem so few and far between these days. We got to treasure them when they do happen!
Ok, now I understand.
D’oh! 😳
The glitter part was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in this season so far. They are probably still cleaning glitter from Sam’s clothes and I’m pretty sure Jared kept finding it in weird places lol. it never goes away.
THREE rolling smilies in one recap! I’m going to hazard a guess and say you liked the episode….
Re: the different cars, I never noticed that. Why the hell do they have different cars? Could it be a sign of Sam’s need to be in control (because if he’s not then hello Lucifer) and also of Dean um, reDeaning himself, slowing making his way back to the Impala, which will be the final sign that Dean is really Dean again, not this half a guy we’ve seen for most of the season?
The Impala has to be a metaphor for something. It’s no coincidence that she’s been absent for most of the season and there have been numerous connections between the destruction of the car and the destruction of various stages of Deans life ie rebuilding it after Sam’s collapsed wall and after his father’s death. I guess once we see him sit back into the Impala that will means he’s (properly) back.
Re: the octovamp. The same day this episode was on there was a programme on about Humboldt squids. Now those guys are soil yourself scary. Ten arms, more teeth than our freaking national debt, a bloody BEAK!! Oh, and apparently they’re hitting the west coast of the U.S at an allmerciful rate (thought you guys would like to know that….) Anyway, I’m not surprised that Octovamp was on some kid’s scary list.
Wonder if the slinky will become like the new amulet. Admittedly it’ll be a pain to hang around Dean’s neck but at least it will brighten up the place (once Dean stays away from trashcans!)
Is JP pulling a Dorian Grey on us because I think he’s getting younger looking? Either that or absolute terror knocks years off you.
Up until reading DixieThorns reply I thought ‘Juggalo’ was a made up word, like some sort of strange type of gigolo. (What, I didn’t know it was a real word…)
I love the attention to small detail like the bits of glitter flying out with the clown tooth.
I think I’m buying more into your ‘The whole thing is a dream’ idea for this season. Maybe it’s because I’m on hollerdays (yay!) and I’ve had time to think about it but yeah, there’s definitely something there (either that or they’re overcompensating). I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Sam or Dean get out of the shower at the end of the season and then see John sitting on the motel room bed, cleaning weapons (now that bit might be wishful thinking but still).
Thanks for this, Alice.
I’ve never been a fan of Dabb and Loflin’s episodes – I hated both Yellow Fever and DSOTM and was just meh about all the others – but this one I absolutely loved. It was a great big glittery, rainbow slinky, brotherly love hour of fun. Plus it had those wonderful clips of ELAC!Sam – one of my all time favourite episodes, not to mention my all time favourite Sam!Hair – at the beginning. 😆 I felt so bad for Sam in this week’s episode (I hate clowns too) but whilst half of me wanted to grab him and take him someplace clown-free and safe the other half of me was laughing too hard at the poor boy’s misfortunes. 😆 There were so many scenes I loved – Dean reassurring Sam over the phone and his ‘Sammy’ (awwww…) when Sam protested ever slightly too much, Sam’s near to overwhelming panic when he first went into Plucky’s, Sam’s bad cop routine, Dean’s ‘oooohhh…I want one…’ face when he first saw the giant slinkys at Plucky’s, the way Dean’s eyes narrowed so dangerously when the bad guy said Sam was the next to be targeted, Sam’s dimples and smiles in the scenes at the beginning when Dean was on the phone to Frank and shortly after when the boys were discussing monster babies. But my favourite scene has to be the last one. Dean’s laugh – oh how I’ve missed happy Dean, Sam’s happiness at seeing Dean happy, Sam giving Dean the slinky and the sparkly awesomeness that was Glitter!Sam. Fabulous stuff. Now roll on next week. I am SO excited to see what’s ahead for Sam.
Thanks for the review. I do love reading all the reviews here. Although I’ve got to say I hope the ‘it’s all a dream’ idea doesn’t actually materialise on the show. I really don’t want to see that scenario at all.
Fun review for a fun episode! Jared sold Sam’s fear and exasperation so well, though having lost many a game of skeeball, I do sympathize with Dean’s plight.
My only complaint for this episode is that is didn’t seem to fit into this part of the season. There was a lack of continuity in tone. However, Glitter!Sam makes up for so much.
I am starting to buy the dream theory. This whole season would make more sense if that was the case, with its odd time jumps and call backs.
As long as “Hammer of the Gods” is being discussed, I thought it had a couple good moments, and was nowhere near the train wreck that was the first 7/8ths of “Seven 7: Time For A Wedding”, but I respect all opinions – unless there is someone out there who has “Bugs” in their ten best episodes list.
Thanks Alice!
First time responder. I have wondered since last season if things were off because we were in Dean’s head, maybe a bad djinn trip. To me cas exploding and Bobby dying in that order were reminiscent of stull battle. Then I rewatched s 6 and realized …. oh the mytharc is purgatory. So not my favorite season but makes more sense. This season is Also off. In addition to everything noted in the speculative articles/comments I would add the conspicuous use of genre iconic. actors. We have seen Buffy /angel, x-files, and vmars/moonlight alumni. If we are in anyone’s. Head it feels like Dean. It feels like his pov mostly and his fears. And he is more the pop culture junkie.
[quote]
I don’t think Dean is ever intentionally insensitive.
Dean just doesn’t realize that Sam has a different perspective. [/quote]
i agree
Seasons 1-5 were the Winchester Gospel presented to the viewer as a cohesive and editted tale of the brothers and their roles leading up to the averted apocalypse, courtesy of chuck. Maybe seasons 6-7 have a different feel because the story is no longer edited per se. We are seeing events more piecemeal. In fact season 6 might be best described as castiel’s story and we and the Winchesters were in the dark as to his role for most of the season. If cas started it he may have to finish it. Season 7 may still be his story even though he has been indisposed. Who knows maybe cas is the “dreamer” somehow both aware and disconnected from events.
The Hammer of the Gods is very poorly researched. Hindu Gods are vegetarians and to show them as cannibals was shocking. Goddess Kali is the destroyer of demons and not a destroyer of the world and she is the most powerful God out there. Ganesh is the God of Plenty and the most kind-hearted, gentle and loving God in Hinduism. In Hinduism animals are worshipped as anyone with even a bit of general knowledge should know. That is the reason why Hindu Gods don’t eat flesh and that is why in India we have preserved wildlife for so long. That is why vegetarianism is so common in India.
I am a Supernatural fan, and the only reason I did not take offense at this episode is because I realised that it was just stupid writing. I mean how would Christians feel if Jesus was depicted as a cannibal? They would laugh I guess!
Just discovered your side two days ago. Finally, I can enjoy other fan-girls opinions on the episodes I am recently watching because I am new to the Winchester Universere and am still catching up.
I looooved your review for “Death’s Door” btw. It left me in tears again.
I felt like commenting on this review because I have a total different opinion on this episode, which makes me wonder why. IMO it was the worst episode ever. Totally unecessary and crappy. Normally I enjoy the more lighter, funnier episodes. They ease my hearth because it’s good to see the boys having some fun once in a while. I hysterically laughed watching “Yellow Fewer”.
But the whole clown thing totally lost me. I start wondering if it is because I cannot relate to those play paradises (what are they called?) one can put their kids into. The whole concept of such places is new to me (do they even excist in Europe???) and maybe that’s the reason I did not get all the jokes and the overall funny-ness of the Winchester brothers in such a place?
On the other hand I was really waiting for some moving-forward the character development and the overall story-line. So far Season 7 confused me with it’s sudden jumps in mood and non-comprehensible character twists.
But well, jsut my two cents. 🙂
Welcome to the site! Your two cents are most valued!
I don’t think this is the funniest episode ever to hit the show, but I did love the beating by clowns. Also compared to a lot of season seven, this ended up being one of the better ones. You are right, the writing was wildly inconsistent most of the season.
Those pizza places here are basically called Chuck E Cheese here in the US. I’ve spent a few times there when my kids were younger, and trust me, they’re the seventh circle of Hell! 🙂
Thanks for commenting and spending time with us!