RearView Review: Supernatural 10.17 “Inside Man”

“Inside Man”
10.17
Writer: Andrew Dabb
Director: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Air Date: April 1, 2015

BY WEDNESDAY

THEME
Lying is always a gamble. Who can you trust? Who believes who when the
deception and lies fly fast and furious? Pull a thread and watch it unravel in
Wednesday’s RearView Review.

PLOT & CHARACTERS

Foreshadowing

Sam, Cas and a psychic hold hands around a séance table.
Lights flicker. The table shakes. The candles flare.
In heaven, Bobby (Jim Beaver) listens to Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler” on an antique radio.
He’s reading Tori Spelling’s book, drinking whiskey, and relaxing in a recliner.
Interspersed with song lyrics, Sam’s voice comes through the radio,
“Bobby, can you hear me? Bobby, we need your help.”
Bobby recognizes the voice, “Sam?”

NO NEED TO KNOCK

“Sam!” Dean screams from nightmare hell,
waking Sam who grabs a gun and runs through the bunker barefoot in PJ’s.

Sam stops at Dean’s bedroom door watching his brother writhe on his bed. “No. No! No!”
Dean’s nightmare has FLASHBACK images: Abaddon, Lester, Cain’s prophecy,
“My story began when I killed my brother, and that’s where your story inevitably will end.”

Sam doesn’t wake him and watches the struggle within Dean fade.

Dean enters the library drinking coffee, lying that he slept like a “drunk baby.”
Sam, on his laptop, ends a phone conversation and reports there’s not much going on.
“Yeah, I mean, no weird deaths, no demon signs. There’s a Kitsune working some truck stops outside of Boise,
but Rudy’s on it.” Dean considers it a “snow day” and wants to “get drunk and shoot crap.”
Sam says he’d rather see a French movie about “a mime that’s secretly a cockroach.”
(Marcel Marceau in the Metamorphosis?)
Dean’s not interested.
Sam lies, it’s “playing in Wichita” and he “might not be back ’til the morning.”
Like a parent, Dean says, “I trust you. Make good choices.”
Sam asks Dean to join him but Dean’s happy to have some “me time.”
Sam warns him, “Stay out of my room!”
(Just asking for trouble.)
“Totally.” Dean agrees, lying through his teeth.

On a roadside, Sam pulls up in a truck (?) to a waiting Castiel.
Sam informs Cas that Dean’s “getting worse. Cas, we’ve gone through every other option possible.
             We got to talk about …”
Cas doesn’t want to hear it, but Sam insists they’ve hit a dead end and if they “want to get rid of the Mark…”
Cas will drive.

KNOCK!
Naked, Rowena’s painting symbols on herself. Crowley enters and exclaims, “Oh God!”
Rowena says he’s seen it before but Crowley doesn’t want to “see anything. I’ve been to hell,thanks.”
Rowena tells him to “knock” but Crowley’s in his domain, “I don’t knock.” Crowley suspects Rowena’s
up to something. She’s been too quiet. She lies, admitting to having “desires, needs, and
Trent is” an “assistant manager at Biggerson’s. He’s not the brightest bulb, but he’s so firm!”
Crowley tells her to stop talking and “put some clothes on.”
After he leaves, a hidden box full of acquired treasures draws a smile from Rowena.

HOME ALONE

Dean sabotages Sam’s bedroom while checking with Rudy on the phone.
He rubs his bum on Sam’s pillow, tapes down the phone,
(Do they even use those antiques?) and uses Sam’s toothbrush in his armpit.
He offers to help, but backs off when Rudy sounds offended. Dean stares into the mirror while lying to Rudy.
He’s “fandamtastic.”

HEAVEN’S DOOR

An angel (Lee Majdoub) guards the playground portal to heaven denying Cas, “I have orders. You aren’t allowed upstairs.”
The angel leaves his vessel. It’s re-assumed by Hannah, whom Castiel recognizes with a smile.
Hannah needs to have a “conversation” with Cas.

She knows he’s after Metatron. She simply will not allow him to be freed to help remove the Mark.
She doesn’t believe he’ll help, “Metatron lies.” He’s “too dangerous to be freed.”
Castiel argues that after all he’s done for heaven and her…Hannah tells him to leave.
Four angels appear to support Hannah’s decision.
Sam gets Cas to walk away.
They’ll work on Plan B: “We break him out.”

SHAMELESS P.P.

“Last year, my son, Crowley, was taken by the Winchesters.
I need to know where they were holding him, and I’m told he made a call. I was hoping you could trace it for me.”
Rowena manipulates Hell’s Switch Board Operator/Microsoft Salesman (Rowan Schlosberg).
“Of course. You are the queen mother,” the Demon traces the call to within a “10 miles radius.”

GAME ON

The Bar’s busy with college men. Dean orders a “Hervé Villechaize” platter of Nachos.
(Suicide by Nachos? I thought he was ordering “two shots.” What? Too soon?)
After a quick scroll (pause 4 product placement) through his phone, (Sandra D.?)
Dean decides not to call Sam.
Dean asks the Bartender (Steve Baran) about the “Abercrombie rejects” playing pool.
Donnie says the kids are “slumming it” by visiting his bar.
Dean’s surprised, “Slumming? What are you talking about? This is a nice joint, huh?
You got those custom urinal pucks.“
Ty (Chris McNally) at the pool table challenges, “Come on, bitches. Who’s next? 20 bucks a game.”
Unable to resist, Dean musses his hair, winks to the Bartender, and saunters drunkenly to the table, beer in hand.
“Yeah, I’ll, play.” One of the men comments that Dean looks “blitzed.”
Dean says he’s “good to go.” Ty smirks, eyeballing the money Dean’s waving.
“He’s fine,” and tells Dean to “Grab a stick.”

KNOCK, KNOCK?

Sam informs Cas, “Back in the 50’s, Oliver Pryce was a kid psychic…the real deal.
The Men of Letters were teaching him to control his powers when they got, you know. ..”
“Brutally slaughtered?” asks Cas.
Sam’s convinced this psychic can help despite the “no trespassing signs” all over the home’s exterior. 
Cas offers to break the door down, but Sam cautions him to wait.
The porch light snaps on.
Oliver Pryce (Richard Newman) identifies Sam, a “Man of Letters“, but he can’t read Cas.
“What are you?” When Castiel says, “an Angel“, Oliver scoffs that he can’t be, because he’s an “Atheist.”
“Not anymore.” Sam guesses as he enters.
Oliver hates being around people, “all those brains yapping all the time.”
He can’t hear Castiel, “All I’m getting from you is colours. But the hippie over there?
I’m seeing some creep ass hobbit looking fella, a prison cell?”
Castiel tells him, “That’s heaven’s jail.”
Sam enlightens him. They have an inside man they need to contact.
Oliver asks Sam ‘what happens if he refuses?’
“You’re the mind reader.”
Oliver agrees to get his crap.

HUSTLE

Dean miscues and loses badly, setting the men up for a 300.00 bet.
Thinking it’s ‘easy pickens’, Ty gets his buddies to chip in, but they come up a little short.
Dean asks Ty to throw in his watch. Ty says the watch is from his father.
Cruelly, Dean insists on it, “I’m sure it’s a very touching story. Got a little tear in my eye.
Come on. We gonna play or not?“

As soon as the bet’s established, Dean drops his drunken act, “Rack ’em!”

 WHO’S THERE?

Oliver requires an item of the deceased. Sam puts Bobby’s hat on the table.
They shut up and hold hands as Oliver chants.
The séance connects to Bobby’s radio in heaven.

Dean finishes Ty on the pool table who realizes Dean hustled him.
Dean collects his winnings, “You’re pretty quick for a guy who’s all hair gel and body spray.
Thanks, fellas.” Dean goes to check the custom urinal puck.
A friend holds Ty back, “Forget it, dude. He’s an ass.”
Rowena appears, “Hello, boys.”

In heaven, Bobby likes the sound of Sam’s voice and learns all about the need to get rid of the Mark.
He asks to talk to Dean. Sam says Dean’s “not in a good place right now.”
Castiel explains the plan: “Each soul in heaven is locked in its own private paradise. That’s where you are now.
You need to escape. You need to find the gate to earth and open it. Then you and I will find Metatron, the scribe of God.”
While Bobby’s “playing Steve McQueen,” he will be hunted, “The Angels will not like a soul wandering free.”
Bobby thinks he’s too “rusty” but “Hell, I’m already dead. What’s the worst that could happen?”

In the bathroom mirror, Dean sees his eyes turn demon black.
(He has been acting a little ‘DemonDean.’ Maybe, it’s the shirt.)

Returning to the bar, he sees Rowena. “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? I’m sorry.
Did I say ‘nice girl’? I meant ‘evil skank.‘ ” Rowena winks.

KNOCKOUT

Watch the bar room brawl with awesome choreography using handy weapons,
and the FLASHBACK sequence of Lester, Anne Marie’s ex, Charlie, and Olivia;
and, the FLASHBACK sequence of “Girls, Girls, Girls” here:
(French subtitles…not nudie French though.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYvOBkEj7Gc

(Curse Translation: Gaelic? Great Spirit, make this man pay! Defeat him to ashes!)

DOORS

Castiel instructs Bobby “to find your heaven’s escape hatch.
Look for something that shouldn’t be there, and that’s your way out.”
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
Bobby sees a chain/thread in the rug which he pulls opening the wall door. He enters into an entirely white hall.
Name plates on the doors are ‘Robert Singers’ from various eras. (I.e. Roberto Singer 1723-1786)
An alarm sounds. “Balls!”

YOUR MOVE

Obviously, Dean allowed Rowena to leave in exchange for saving the men’s lives.
She stomps back to her hell room and picks up a knife. Crowley’s busy working when Rowena enters bloody and beaten.
Crowley asks “Rough date, mother?” Rowena lies announcing that Dean Winchester did this to her.
Crowley orders everyone out.
Rowena admits she tried to kill Dean but the spell didn’t work. Crowley explains the Mark of Cain to her.
She’s not impressed, “It’s just a curse. The first curse. But still, it can be removed.”
Crowley asks about her “suicide run.” She did it to get rid of the Winchesters who are controlling him.
Crowley has the Winchesters “exactly where I want them. What do they say? Friends close, enemies closer.”
Rowena’s outraged, “Do you even care that Dean Winchester mutilated your mother?… I love you. Well, if my
suffering’s not enough, you know how much demons gossip. Right now, word’s already spreading about all this. If you do nothing,
you’ll look weak. Your subjects will start to doubt you, mock you. Then it’s just a matter of time
before you have a revolt on your hands, before you lose your throne.”
Crowley warns her, “You’re playing a dangerous game.”
“And it’s your move.” Rowena snaps, “So you can’t kill Dean. Fine. Take him, throw him in some dank cell, let him rot.
But do something! No more stalling. No more excuses. Show them how strong you really are. Be a bloody king!”

COME IN! DOORS OPEN!

Sam and Castiel wait near the playground for Bobby to open heaven’s door.
Bobby opens all the Robert Singer doors from various eras. They gather confused in the hall.
Angels appear to herd them back to their rooms, “I need you to return to your heavens in a calm, orderly manner.”
Bobby starts a revolution, “Well, who made you boss?”
The Roberts get rowdy, pushing, and shoving while Bobby slips past.

(Find the Canadian Bobby.)

Crowley greets Dean, “Squirrel.”
“Borris. Where’s Natasha?” Dean retorts. “So, we gonna do this?”

Over the radio, angels are warned: “The Bobbies are fighting back. All hands. We need all hands.
They’re surly. I repeat, the Bobbies are surly.“
Bobby, after a FLASHBACK for instructions, finds door “42” and opens it.

Sam and Cas run towards the portal. Sam tackles the angel guard.
Cas jumps through the portal.

Castiel slides into heaven’s hall through door “42” at Bobby’s feet.

Noting the prison is close, Castiel lies, “Dean’s resting. He’s sick, and . . .”
Bobby tells him to try again. Cas admits Dean doesn’t know about their plan.
“Well, that’s a page right out of the Winchester playbook, ain’t it?” Bobby grumbles.
Bobby and Cas agree they won’t give up.

BACKING

Dean denies doing anything to Rowena. Crowley determines “she’s a liar.”
Dean’s unimpressed. “Must run in the family.”
Crowley lets Dean know that the “Mark is just a curse, and can be removed. Of course, she doesn’t know how.”
Dean thinks Crowley is soft because of “all the human blood that Sammy pumped into you, you know?
…But the old Crowley, he would have come in here with hellhounds and demons, and he would have blown the
roof off the joint. Now? You didn’t want to fight. You wanted to talk. And maybe I’ve changed, too.
Here I am playing Dr. Phil to the King of Hell. Never saw that coming.”
Crowley thinks it might be because they are getting old and Dean never saw that one coming either.
He asks Crowley why he lets “mommy dearest tie” him “into knots.”
Crowley says they’re “Family. Blood.”
Dean disagrees: “That’s not the same thing. A wise man once told me, ‘family don’t end in blood,’ but it doesn’t start there,
either. Family cares about you, not what you can do for them.
Family’s there through the good, bad, all of it. They got your back even when it hurts. That’s family.
That sound like your mother?”

Outside Metatron’s cell, Bobby’s disappointed, “This is the scribe of God? He looks like a Fraggle.”
Metatron (Curtis Armstrong) considers that a compliment.
He knows why Ass-tiel is there and he’s not interested in being Dean’s “punching bag.”
Metatron will be Castiel’s punching bag this time. Metatron calls them “Team B.”

BACK HOME

Metatron greets Sam at the playground portal, “Sam-tastic!
Miss me? Oh, smell that? That smells like freedom. Well, let’s go. I call shotgun!”
Castiel slows him down, “You’re not in charge here.”
Metatron thinks otherwise, “I’m afraid I am. I know about the Mark. I have your Grace. I make the rules.
It’s called leverage, boys. Learn it, live it, love it.”
After a nod from Sam, Castiel snicks Metatron’s throat and collects his angel essence.

Sam shoots Metatron in the kneecap.
Castiel informs him, “You’re mortal now. So you will answer our questions, or Sam will . . . What’s the phrase?
Blow your fricking brains out. It’s called leverage, Metatron.”
Sam completes the adage, “Learn it, live it, love it. How do we get rid of the Mark?”

But, Metatron doesn’t know, only that it’s “old magic. God-level magic.
Or Lucifer level, but you can’t ask him, exactly, can you?”
Metatron says he lied about the ‘river ends at the source.‘
“I was just making up crap, trying to buy time till I could screw you over.” Castiel confirms he’s telling the truth.
Metatron saves his sorry existence by claiming to know the whereabouts of Castiel’s grace.
Sam lets Cas decide what to do.

Crowley tells Rowena to get her things and get out. “We’re done.”
Crowley chose himself, “I put up with your lies, your sad little schemes because . . . maybe you were right.
Maybe I did lose my edge. But that ends now.”
Rowena starts to tell him he can’t do this but he disagrees,
“I can. I’m bloody Crowley! I’m the King of Hell. I do what I want, when I want.
And I don’t take orders from you.” Rowena cries saying she’ll watch it burn.
Crowley gives her five minutes to clear out, “After that, pray I don’t see you again.”

Sam passes Dean eating cereal in the library. Dean asks how the movie was.
Sam lies “French. What about you? What did you do last night?”
Dean lies, downplaying his evening, “Played some pool. It was kind of boring.”
Sam goes to clean up in his room. He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket
(F.B. Castiel gave him this from Bobby.)

Sam reads while images of Dean eating cereal, Rowena leaving, and Cas and Metatron’s road trip are shown.
Towards the end there’s an image of unhappy angels entering Bobby’s heaven.
RE-WATCH THE BEAUTIFUL MONTAGE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cjgVvr9XYM

Sam cries.

THE SCRIPT

FUNNY

This was a funny script with the pranking and great funny lines and insults.

SAD

Dean’s nightmare brings Sam running in his PJ’s to helplessly watch his brother’s distress.
There was a major tear jerk moment with Bobby’s letter to Sam.

PLOT ADVANCES

Cas is not allowed in heaven but he now has a chance to get his grace back.
Crowley gets his mojo partially back and sends Rowena packing.
It’s confirmed that Metatron is a liar. “The river ends at the source” is a false, misleading distraction.
(I blame the writers more than Metatron)
The Mark is old magic, a curse that witchcraft, or Rowena, might be able to remove.
Dean’s nightmare, cruel swindling of Ty’s watch, and the black eyes signal a
deteriorating condition. But, there is hope as we watch him rein it in.

OLD CANON MEETS NEW

Bobby!

Previous Season ten episodes are alluded to!
Previous Seasons alluded to. 9: Abaddon and most notably Season 3: i.e. Dean’s scream from hell is used.

Pranking.

It’s what’s been missing. Brothers may age but the hacking and pranks never die.

Hustling Pool

Although it’s mentioned how the Winchesters stir up extra cash, we actually get to see it.

Finally the whole cast together plus Metatron and Bobby!

FLAWS

MISOGYNY

(Bitch-1 Skank-1)

Dean calls Rowena a “skank” but when he finds out she’s Crowley’s mom, he’s says  “Lady!”
(It’s always someone’s mom, or daughter.)

There is a decided lack of women. There’s a token Robert Singer female in heaven. While some found this funny it blatantly
underlined the lack of women in this episode. Hannah uses a male body. Most of the angels are male. Most of the extras are male.
The Psychic was a male replacing Pamela Barnes. The Bartender was male.
Not only did this script fail the Bechdel test, it mocked it.
And then there was the treatment of Rowena.
Besides the NASTY DATE RAPE JOKE, there was
Poor Ruth Connell forced to pose nude in front of cast and crew.
(An aggravating expectation all actresses face: do it or get lost.)
Pasties, bikini, or not, why was it sanctioned by Show Runner and Director? It was completely UNECESSARY.
Why was this scene contrived? So that Crowley could make a lame joke about seeing his mother naked and being scarred for ever.
Ha, Ha. Let’s put down mommy! Once again the icky Oedipal undertones of this relationship
rear it’s unwanted, unwarranted, and conspicuously misogynistic head.
Apparently, the audience is comprised of males living under their mother’s rule and in her basement who want a little revenge.
Well, here they have it. What a flip! Son kicks mommy out of the basement. Ha!
Take that you evil controlling mommy! Why are we going here?
Is it to titillate angsty adolescent boys?
Surely they’re aware that a vast portion of the audience are, in fact, mommies.

FALSE ACCUSATION

By far the worst aspect of this script was trotting out that tired, offensive,
and damaging trope of a woman making a false accusation of assault in order to get pay back against a man who has bested her.
This myth, perpetuated here, is damaging to assault and rape victims.
So much so, that many rape victims do not report the crime (60%*) because they fear being called liars and sluts while
their assailants go free. Truth is, in the real world, false accusations rarely happen,
and when it does it’s usually a psychotic person blaming an unknown assailant, or stranger.
Yet, the perpetuation of this myth by the media instills in audiences that it is common place,
and this contributes horrific damage to victims and to our culture.
We are literally being trained to doubt a woman’s word.
Of course the brother bond between Crowley and Dean trumps the mother/ son bond.
Of course it does. Were you ever in doubt? Men should never trust a woman, right?
This scenario KILLED whatever value this script may have had.
It was like finding a cockroach in a box of chocolates.

UNFORGIVEABLE.

MOTIVE

Rowena claimed to have only Crowley’s interest at heart. She was trying to protect him
from becoming too good. But that doesn’t make much sense given previous episodes.
Wasn’t her motive “FREEDOM!”? And, didn’t she get exactly that?
She should be smirking as she walks away.

HEAVEN

First,we have to wrap our heads around a Psychic who’s also an atheist. Somewhat conflicting.
He comments, “Heaven HAS a Jail?” but, after this episode “Heaven IS a jail!”
Sitting in a recliner sipping whiskey, reading Tori Spelling, and listening to Kenny Rogers sounds like hell defined.
Even Bobby, whose heaven this is, misses the voices of loved ones and seems lonely and bored.
This heaven has everyone locked down and sedated with complacency not unlike a Matrix type scenario.
Heaven runs alphabetically with guards to keep it running smoothly.
It’s funny, if not deeply depressing.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO?

Dean’s eyes turned black. What happened with that?
What will happen to Bobby? Will the angels punish him? What happened with that?
Will we ever get to see Sam revenge pranking Dean?

PRODUCTION

The editing room must have been a nightmare of crosscutting and cutaways.
FLASHBACKS to previous seasons, episodes and scenes within this episode made it fast paced.
It was too much, seemingly focussed towards viewers with attention spans of two –year olds.
Especially the flashbacks to the same episode,
(Bobby remembering Cas’ instructions, Sam remembering Cas giving him the letter) seemed excessive.
The foreshadowing of the teaser spoiled the surprise of Bobby’s appearance, although the promos killed the surprise, too.
The slo-mo footage of the portal jump was perfect. The montage, while Sam read the letter at the end, was art.

DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER

Welcome new director: Rashaad Ernesto Green

Cinematographer: Serge Ladouceur

SWEET SHOTS

DISSIPATING PLANE OF PERSPECTIVE

ASYMMETRICAL ANGLES

SYMBOLS

SIDE LONG GLANCES
(Trust  me? Do I trust you?)

SETS

HEAVEN

BAR

Love what you’ve done to the place!
Sam’s bedroom. (So Far From Dean’s.)
Lots of burgundy and green linking places.

Even the playground portal looks better at night, all lit up like a freaky carny.

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY

(Featured in YouTube Clip Above)

SFX

FROM THE REARVIEW

Fraser Corbett (Angelic Guard) played (Sparky) in 6.08 “All Dogs Go to Heaven”
Rhys Williams (Ty’s friend) was a Local in 1.02 “Wendigo”
Chris McNally (Ty) was in 4.15 “Death Takes a Holiday”

THANKS TO

SUPERNATURAL WIKI
SUPERNATURALDAILY GIFS
GIPHY: WENDGIF
KISSTHEMGOODBYE
IMDB.COM
STORIFY: JERRY WANEK BEHIND THE SCENES
*R.A.I.N.N. ORG.https://rainn.org/statistics