RearView Review: Supernatural 10.08 “Hibbing 911”

“Hibbing 911”
Season 10, Episode 8
Written by Jenny Klein
Directed by Tim Andrew
Airdate: December 2, 2014

By WEDNESDAY

THEME

This world has its share of bullies who suck the life out of you. What happens when you discover there’s a whole new world of bloodsucking monsters? Well, if a sister with a machete and a couple of brothers have your back, you realize you had the “power all along, my dear.”

PLOT AND CHARACTERS

In a dark alley in Hibbing, Minnesota, a Tagger uses stencils to paint his Nirvana-ish “Smiley Face” logo inspired by his belt buckle.
He smirks shaking his paint. There’s a noise! Nothing’s there but a van.
He continues, smirking at his handy-work, while a dark figure stands behind him.
The shadow attacks. Through a chain link fence we see the Tagger thrown and savagely beaten.
On the wall, the shadow continues to deliver blows until blood splatters the logo.
The stencil wetly falls away revealing a grim smiley face.

Welcome to Minnesota’s Dakota’s Retreat

Jody (Kim Rhodes) tiredly pauses before the Sheriffs’ Retreat Lodge and gives herself a pep talk.
“You can get through this.” Her luggage handle breaks. Gahh!
She stoops to repair it when a ragged young woman (Morgan Taylor Campbell)
begging with a paper cup appears.
Jody asks how old she is. She responds, “Nineteen.” Jody tucks money in her
cup advising her to get “some lunch.”

In the Lobby, Sherriff Donna Hanscum (Briana Buckmaster) cheerfully
welcomes Jody and enthusiastically offers her help. Jody cannot muster a smile.
 “What’s wrong?” Donna asks. “Left your smile back in Sioux Falls?” Jody grumbles about a pile of work,
a needy teenager, an insistent mayor … Donna interrupts, “Yah, yah yah, I hear yah. Here. Have a sucker.”
The sucker is bright yellow like the flowers behind her and reminiscent of a Smiley Face.
Jody declines but at Donna’s insistence, she accepts. Doug (Michael Karl Richards)
enters to compliment Donna’s appearance. Donna proudly admits she’s “lost six pounds.”
Doug cruelly remarks she’s “a quarter of the way there!”
Donna’s face falters.

Jody glares at him. Doug wheedles extra meal vouchers, calling Donna, “true blue as ever.”
He dives into the sucker bowl grabbing a greedy handful. Donna can see Jody’s not impressed.
Before Jody can comment, Donna explains they used to be married.
(As if that somehow excuses his dickdomness.)
Donna’s Smiley Face fades as soon as Jody turns away.

BUNKER DOWN

Researching the Mark of Cain, Dean sarcastically announces he loves “the smell of parchment in the morning.”  
He grumbles to Sam that he’s only found 600 pages on “He-wolf/She-Wolf: A Study in Werewolf Transgenderism.”
They can’t shed any light on the Mark.

LODGE CONFERENCE HIBBING

Sheriff Len Cuse (Fred Ewanuick), obviously a first time host, uncomfortably greets everyone.
He wants everyone to find a new friend. Jody’s on the phone to Alex trying to convince her to NOT throw a kegger.
When she turns back to the conference, everyone’s buddied up. Donna rescues her.
“Looks like you didn’t get a partner. Well, you got one now.”
They examine the Events Board. Kevin (Andy Nez) asks Donna if she heard about the body, arousing Jody’s interest.
Kevin relates the body was eaten down to the “peach pit” without even a claw mark.
“No wonder Sheriff Cuse was so out of sorts back there.”
Donna says animal attacks are rare. Jody, on a hunch, leaves to make a call.
Donna promises, “Save ya a seat, Jodes.”

HIBBING 911

Jody calls the Winchesters, happy to hear Dean’s back.
On speaker phone, she relates Alex is “head of the cheerleading squad.”
Joke. Actually, “she smokes grass under the bleachers. But at least she’s not luring men to their deaths.”
Jody fills them in on the mutilated body found in Hibbing and asks for input. They know of nothing.
Dean offers to “head that way.” Jody declines saying she can handle it.
After the call, Dean admits he’s about to “swallow knives” if he has to keep researching.
He makes puppy dog eyes at Sam. Sam relents, “All right. Let’s take a drive.”

HIBBING CORONER’S

Jody introduces herself to Dr. Shelley (Ellie Harvie) and asks to see the victim.
Nothing doing. Jody’s not a Hibbing Officer.
Donna enters and the mood changes to an informal chat bewildering Jody.
Donna tells Shelley that Len’s too busy and thought she’d have a look.
Shelley thinks Donna needs a “halo” but, what’s with Jody?
Donna jokes, “she left her manners back in Sioux Falls. But, she’s with me.”
And that makes it OK. “Curtains are up” and they’re told to “hang on to their breakfasts.”
“Uffda!” Agrees Donna eyeing the remains.
Jody checks out the victim’s blood soaked giant pants. She’s informed there’s no belt.
Jody’s doubtful, “These stayed up without a belt?”
Donna, glasses on, exhibits her expertise. “I’ve been huntin’ since I could hold a mini rifle.
Seen darn near every bite in the book, but I couldn’t tell ya what did the bitin’ here.”
Jody was “afraid of that” but doesn’t elaborate.

DUMPSTER DIVE

In a dark back yard, a woman’s voice nags Howie not to “go smoking.”
Howie (Noah Beggs) growls back, “Just watch your ‘Top Model.’”
He finds one broken cigarette in his secret stash dryer vent.
He throws the trash in the dumpster and begins to leave when he hears a noise.
He returns to the dumpster for another look and gets pulled in.
Bump, bang, scream! A stream of blood flows from the dumpster.

BAR BLUES

Donna pumps Len at the bar for information, but Len excuses himself to look after a “raffle.”
In the background, Doug’s having a good time dancing. Donna’s crushed. Jody’s amazed,
“Honestly, Donna, I just met the guy, but, Doug seems like kind of a dick.”
Donna sadly notes, “But he was my dick. I’m gonna go hit the can. You know, where
it’s less gross.” Jody leaves and overhears Len and Brice talking about another attack.
They ask Jody to keep it quiet.

FRESH CORPSE, JERK EX-HUSBAND, OUT-OF-CONTROL TEEN

Jody monitors Alex by phone, “Stop. No! Why do I hear firecrackers? Hello?”
Donna, overhearing, suggests, “Maybe your life’s not all cupcakes, either.”
Jody agrees while flashing her keys. Donna realizes Jody’s leaving. “Uh-oh. Flyin’ the coop
without me? Again? No, I get it. I do. ‘Take a hint, Donna,’ right?”
Jody shifts the focus by announcing there’s been another attack.
“Shut the front door. Says who?” Jody updates her. Donna asks if Jody needs help with her phone call.
Jody reveals she has problems with teenaged Alex.
Donna asks, “Kind of a dick?” Jody says Alex isn’t all bad.
She remembers being 17 with big hair and a guy on a motorcycle who rocked her world.
Donna invites Jody to get “blingo’d on my minibar and watch pay-per-view?”
Jody declines, “I’m gonna crash. It’s been a long day.”

PUT THE LOAD

Baby hums through the forest while “The Weight” plays. Sam and Dean greet Jody in the Lobby.
They’re fresh from the morgue where the second victim was missing a wallet.
Sam wonders, “We have monsters eating and then robbing people?”
Donna calls cheerily, “Jodeo, you take sugar? No. No sugar. Okie dokes.”
Sam recognizes Donna from the fat spa and begs Jody to keep her distracted.
Dean agrees, not wanting her “mixed up with this crap yet.”
It’s too late. Donna spots them and remembers their aliases. “Agent Frehley? Agent Criss?”
Jody steers her to the Gear Expo.

(TWEET: Jenny Klein: Jodeo!! This ain’t her first rodeo.)

STARS V.S. EAGLES

Sam and Dean join Sheriff Len and Deputy Brice (Aren Buchholz) drinking coffee.
Wisely keeping their aliases, they announce they’re looking for information about the attacks.
Deputy Brice interrupts rudely, “You’re telling me the FBI’s got nothing better to do?
… Arrest a bobcat from Hibbing?” Dean’s hackles go up. “Is there a problem?”
Brice jeers at him, “No, there’s no problem. You ain’t the first feds to roll through here and come up with nothing.
Sure is cute to watch you try, though.”
Dean takes offense, “Oh, pal, the FBI doesn’t do cute.” Sam soothes things over,
asking if there’s any surveillance footage. Len says no, but the Winchesters know he’s lying.
Sam wants to investigate while Dean takes a crack at “Deputy Douche.”
(Dean sure doesn’t like Power Bully cops.)
Sam cautions him not to be too defensive of his “pretend job”.
Dean disagrees, “You know, this badge means something.”
Sam laughs, “I made it at Kinko’s.” “Yes, you did.” Dean agrees. “Be proud of that.”

GUNSHOW HEAT

Donna and Jody show the condescending vendor they know a thing or two about guns.
(You tell him, sisters.) Doug reaffirms that Donna isn’t what she seems,
“Sheriff Hanscum here is a wolf in sheepskin.”
Donna tells him to save his flattery for “other female people” referring to his date.
Doug’s date was “Sherriff Goodhill” whom he met on a police dating site, “Cuff Links.”
Donna says she’s not ready for that.
Doug offensively jokes, that’s because she’s not in “date shape.”
Donna tries laughing it off, but Jody’s appalled and jumps in.
“You get off on fat-shaming chicks? …you are just a douche.”
Doug leaves. Donna’s upset, “Calling my ex a douche to his face?”
Jody doesn’t understand, “So he gets to treat you like a doormat forever?”
Donna tells Jody to keep her “mouth zipped” until she’s lost a husband.”
(FLASHBACK to Jody’s husband’s and son’s deaths.)
Donna and Jody grasp their mistakes, and part ways.

Dean wears a fake smiley to get more information from Deputy Brice who doesn’t make it easy.
“Agent. Are you looking for some teeny-weeny handcuffs to slap on some paws?”
Dean reins it in, admitting, “I think we got off on the wrong foot.”
Dean flatters Brice by asking for his expertise.
“We’re looking for some local help. You know, someone who’s not afraid to talk shop with the
big boys back in D.C. Think that might be something you’d be interested in?”
Brice bites. Dean asks about the missing footage.
Brice reveals Sherriff Len took care of it, for probably good reasons.
Dean thanks him and if there’s a need, “I’ll come find you, okay?”
(Oh, DO IT, Dean!)

TEETH

Donna, out for air, sees a blood trail leading to a dead Sherriff Goodhill (Marina Pasqua).
Sheriff Cuse, examining her body, flashes his vampire teeth.
Donna ducks behind a tree, rattled by what’s she’s seen.

Jody asks Dean how he’s doing. He lies, “Fantastic.” Jody heard he went “off the rez.”
Dean accuses her of “passing notes in class” with Sam.
Jody offers to “make a mean bowl of chowder” if he ever needs to talk.
They realize Sherriff Len Cuse has not been around.
Sam returns, relating the surveillance files were deleted.
Donna steals Jody away.
Jody begins to apologize, but Donna interrupts, “It’s okay. We’re okay.
Only, there’s something else I can’t quite wrap my head around.
You ever think there are things out there, things that don’t end up on the police blotter?
… what I think I saw were teeth. It was Sheriff Cuse. I saw him standing over Sheriff Goodhill’s body,
and his mouth was full of Shark teeth, like some kind of…”
Jody finishes, “Monster?” Donna’s not to worry, “those guys from the FBI” will believe her.
Donna knows Len’s room is 304. After Jody leaves a message on Sam’s cell, they head off to explore.

Donna and Jody snoop through Len’s room finding enough sunscreen for the “Copacabana.”
The doorknob moves. Jody whips out a machete shocking Donna.  Sam and Dean enter.
Jody informs them of the “Vampire.” “What the cuss? A vampire?” exclaims Donna.
Dean advises Jody to give Donna “the talk.”

Jody and Donna rejoin Sam and Dean. Donna gets clarification about the fat sucking monster.
They turn their attention towards the Vampire hunt.
Donna’s pencil scratched pad, stolen from Len, shows an address to a farm.
When Dean tells Donna to “sit this one out” she objects, “Stuff you, Dean! Or whatever your real name is.”
Jody vouches for her. If they allow Sam and Dean the lead, they can come along.

VAMPIRE NEST

Dean distributes weapons and advice, “If you’re gonna swing, swing hard. With vamps, head’s gotta roll.”
Sam sees Sheriff Len through a window. Len disappears and reappears to warn Sam, too late. “Run!”
Through a blur Sam sees everyone captured. They’re tied to posts while Starr, the homeless girl,
torments them with small talk. “Well, hi, there, sunflower.”

HALF PASSED DEAD

She moves to Dean, removing his belt, “All of you will become all of us. We won’t waste one bit.”
Dean’s not impressed, “Okay, Mufasa, enough with the ‘Circle of Life’ crap. You’re a vampire.
You’re scum. End of story. Yeah, I’m not in the mood.” Jody’s confused, “Wait,
 it’s not enough that you kill people. You’ve got to rob them, too?”
Starr informs her that they “scavenge.” Len begs Starr to free them.
She owes him for destroying the video surveillance.
Len no longer kills people and only drinks bagged blood.
Donna refutes this because she saw him with his teeth out. Len says he couldn’t help that,
“I smelled her blood. I couldn’t help my fangs. But, I didn’t bite.”
The Vampires scoff.
A Vampire who doesn’t feed is like a “Tiger eating salad.”
 

Starr informs them that Len “turned” her at Woodstock. They’re former hippies
but Len abandoned them to become “a damn cop.” Len claims he grew a conscience
and refuses to kill any more people. Starr tells Len to kill, or be killed.
Len refuses. Starr beheads Len.

By rubbing a nail, Dean breaks free and takes out two vampires.

Donna, using a piece of glass, also breaks free and chops off Starr’s head before she bites Jody.
“Hakuna matata, lady!”

BABY TALK

Jody compliments Donna on her chopping ability. Donna feels “the world seems… I don’t know,
bigger, darker.” Jody volunteers to give Donna pointers.
Dean and Sam stand behind Baby for a private talk. Dean feels as though the Mark wasn’t pushing him.
Sam asks, “So, that’s good, right?” “Yeah.” Dean answers, but he rubs his arm.
They pile in.

Baby’s headlights shine.

THE SCRIPT

Loved seeing these two dynamic ladies exploring crucial viewpoints of women.
The child rearing and the nasty ex were intriguing plot lines that built a desire to know how it ends.
(Doug and Brice need to pay!)
(TWEET: Briana Buckmaster: Thanks [jenny klein] for writing a great ep
where woman were kicking ass AND watching each other’s back. Let’s learn from
Donna & Jody.)
There were funny lines, comedic situations and some touching moments.
(But, enough with the “Douche” insult! Do people not know what a “douche” is and means?)
The tired Vampire MOTW disappointed, although providing a soft introduction to the monster world for Donna.
The flashbacks were annoyingly unnecessary either covered in the “Road So Far,” or already in the show
(Len revealing teeth). This episode took a load off J2, but it was in the wrong place not
furthering the Season’s Arc.

PRODUCTION

IN THE FOG

Three words describe the production of this episode: MISTAKES, UNDERDEVELOPED and INCONSISTENT.
This jarringly out of place episode belonged before the previous episode.
The last episode’s Marc of Cain and character development were ignored. –MISTAKE.

The Hippy theme could have been more fun. A van appeared at the beginning and Starr was sort of dressed like a hippy.
How about a peace symbol, or some clue to Woodstock? Len was greying but also from the Woodstock era,
where he turned Starr (19) into a vampire. Vampires don’t age. Len aged; Starr didn’t? (Casting MISTAKE)
If Len was a hippy, could his ring tone play a “Jimi Hendrix” tune? Could Howie be
an old hippy sneaking out for a joint? The vampire nest could have echoed a hippy, groovy place but…
coulda/shoulda, this theme was UNDERDEVELOPED.

Three distinct worlds collide here.
The real world was awash with the pale blue and tan of police officers with stars.
The hits of yellow signified suckers, or vulnerable victims.
This was featured most in Donna’s first appearance surrounded by yellow flowers.
She hands Jody a yellow sucker. When Jody gives money to Starr,
there are hits of yellow on her badge and the Police car.
Howie had a yellow T-shirt, with a mystifying ‘F’ on it. But, Tagger and Goodhill had nebulous yellow.
-UNDERDEVELOPED.
The Vampire world should have been RED. There was a tiny hit on Len’s police badge and straw.
Len’s room was predominantly red checked, but the other vampires and Starr had no red.
-INCONSISTENT.
The hunters were from another world, too. Were they green? Grey? Not sure.
-UNDERDEVELOPED.

Low key lighting has its place for establishing suspense but this was a blackout.
This was, “can’t fricking see” darkness.
(Images used here were considerably lightened.)
-MISTAKE.
The Special FX team did not exhibit their usual exceptionality. (Decaps rocked!)
Murders don’t always need to be explicit but Tagger, Howie AND Sherriff Goodhill?
And, that skeleton was BAD.
-MISTAKE.

Glass symbolized “Things, or People, aren’t as they appear.”
When Donna puts her glasses on, we realize she isn’t a push over.
She’s a competent, knowledgeable officer.
Len sits under a glass rack with a clear drink and a tiny red straw. Len deceives us.
When Sam sees Len through the broken glass, he mistakes Len for a Vampire; but, Len’s trying to help him.
The CU on Baby’s headlight hints that Dean lied. (MOC is hurting/affecting him.)
A nice touch but too subtle.
-UNDERDEVELOPED.

DIRECTOR/ CINEMATOGRAPHY

Tim Andrew / Serge Ladouceur

YELLOW = SUCKERS

GLASS (Not as they appear)

TAKING OUT THE TRASH

(TWEET:‎@OsricChau: Well that solidifies my irrational fear of dumpsters.)

RELATABLE MOMENT
When your luggage handle breaks. Thank you Airport “Bag Handlers” everywhere.

BEST PERFOMANCE
                          Hard to split the sisters, but Sherriff Donna had the most challenging role.                          
Congratulations Briana Buckmaster!

MUSIC

“The Weight” by The BAND

See Jensen Ackles perform with Timothy
Omundson and Jason Manns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k87Cenfct4

FROM THE REARVIEW

 

Tim Andrew (Deputy Brice) played Vampire Boy in 6.05 “Live Free or Twihard”
Andy Nez (Sheriff Kevin) played a cop in 4.03 “In the Beginning”
Hibbing was also the setting for 1.15 “The Benders”

(TWEET: Jensen Ackles: Sheriff Cuse and I faced off once before. Many moons ago.
That’s right…#Dark Angel) Fred Ewanuick

THANKS TO

Supernatural Wiki
Home of the Nutty Screencaps
Google images “Smiley Faces” & “Fred Ewanuick”
Briana Buckmaster (self-tweeted photo)