Wednesday’s Watching Supernatural 11.07 “Plush”
11.07
Writers: Eric Charmelo & Nicole Snyder
Director: Tim Andrew
Director of Photography C.S.C: Serge Ladouceur
BY WEDNESDAY
Uncle Hoppity comes to life!
Disturbing direction, parallels, and questions keep us guessing.
What did I see?
There could have been a whole lot more bunny jokes:
Harvey, Donnie Darko, Monty Python’s killer bunny, etc. More KILLER BUNNY!!
Dialogue did not always ring true for some characters.
The script was more intent on drawing existing parallels and themes and raising some interesting questions.
Two initial questions were, “Why would Sam kneel at the foot of his bed to pray? What is he four?”
And another question, “Why did he leave the door open?”
The answers reveal the point of this episode. Sam confronted his fear of Clowns, a fear instilled in him at a young age.
The boy inside the man.
Dean’s question in the Road So Far echoes eerily throughout this piece, “What in the world did they do to you?”
Another fear that becomes apparent in Sam is a fear of being closed in: Claustrophobia.
This probably has more to do with his experience in the CAGE.
This episode was about Sam confronting his fears.
The beginning scene no longer seems weird in retrospect, just a little contrived.
If the script’s intent was to raise questions about the major arc of the season, it succeeded.
(See DISTURBING QUESTIONS further down.)
As interesting as Sam’s character development was, Donna’s floundered.
A theme explored was the cruel persecution that comes from pre judging someone.
But, Donna doesn’t seem the type to be bitter or cruel to someone just for having the same name as her ex.
Donna was completely devastated by her ex’s put downs, but here, she has become crueller than ex-Doug.
Not buying it.
Is this all a contrived way to show women, especially mistreated women, not to judge all men by the bad behaviour of
one man? As in #NotAllMen. Boo. Sure, we get it.
Although, there probably are women who become a little standoffish after a failed marriage,
Donna doesn’t seem to be one of those.
She was downright cranky pants when Sam offered her some advice and she told him to mind his own bee’s wax.
And, she did not apologize.
Then, there’s the scene where she insists on lifting the rabbit by herself, “CrossFit” and all that.
But, of course she can’t, proving once and for all that women are not as physically strong as men!?????
Boo and boo again.
The fat sucker jokes annoyed many people. This woman is gorgeous.
It’s her mannerisms and acting that make her seem a little goofy.
That uniform is also not doing her any favors.
( And, is it just me, or does she look slimmer?)
Can we stop with the fat jokes and the diet obsession? It’s not healthy.
I’m glad she’s now a hunter. Hugs all around.
(However, you do realize, women hunters do NOT fare well on this show.)
It would have been nice to see Jody Mills, too. Donna and Jody are a great team.
I have a suspicion this episode will make more sense with hindsight.
Great moments were the passing of the clown photograph, the bunny jokes, and Dean’s pissing contest with the
weightlifter. To see Dean lift, see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txZZLAKRnWA
ALLUSIONS
For trailer and more info visit the site.
Listen to this Pearl Jam-ish song here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbXlJDxVQZg
COSTUMES
Kerry Weinrauch and the costume department stole the show with the creepy, gungy costumes.
How did Chester not terrify the children wearing these?
The Bunny:
The Jester:
The Deer:
There was also the clown costume, featured below.
(I’ll pass on the Woodpecker costume.)
COLOUR
Various shades of Green provided an atmosphere of FEAR.
“Fear cripples you. Makes you do nothing, or worse, makes you do something you regret.”
MOTIFS/SYMBOLS
The Cage
The Chair
SPECTACULAR SEQUENCES
There were some disturbing deaths by beer bottle, kettlebell and scalpel, and the Bridge drop.
The Clown killing the Coach with the high angle/low angle shots and the close-ups of red shoes, blood
spatter, and the interesting mirror shot was creepy.
This was all done to the accompaniment of freaky, carny music.
The simplicity of the Sam/Clown sequence and the reactions of Sam
make this scene a standout memorable SPN moment. Ironic “Elevator Music” plays throughout.
The doors slide open.
The doors slide close.
Sam confronts his fears.
The Bridge drop was also a brilliantly done scene, capturing the terror of Chester from his perspective,
high angle shots, and the assailants’ perspective.
The drop is captured in a LONG SHOT.
The panic and guilt of the characters
is framed by a surrealistic scene of lush green cliffs and indifferent water.
FULL SHOT of Sam. Rare, perhaps because of his height, Sam is unbalanced and framed
by an open doorway with a dissipating plane of perspective behind him.
SUBFRAMING SHOTS
(Picture within a picture)
Ear Frame
Baby Frame
Interesting shots were framed with important elements of the mise en scene and made full use of the bottom foreground.
Disturbing Over The Shoulder Shot
DISSOLVE
DISTURBING QUESTIONS
1. Was Chester innocent or guilty of sexual abuse? Was young Sam molested by the Clowns?
2. What is going on with the pedophilia theme this season?
3. Was the plot parallel of Rita betraying her brother Chester, used to portray
Sam and Dean, or God and the Darkness?
4. Note the Coach and Stan Hinkle were described as being “like brothers.” Did they kill Chester? Was it really an
accident? Are they supposed to parallel Sam and Dean: two brothers righteously trying to protect others?
5. So many uncles. Uncle Hoppity, Uncle Crowley, Lizzie Borden’s uncle, and Uncle
Chester. (Chester the Molester, Really? Really?) Donna also mentions having an
Uncle Wally with a big head. If Dean is Amara’s father, does that make Sam, Uncle Sam?
6. So much smashing glass. Dean goes through a mirror in “Our Little World.” Sam
breaks through the china cabinet. Dean crashes through the French doors. Are they
in an alternate universe? Like Alice through the looking glass, or the French Mistake?
(Nice crashes BTW)
7. What about the “Magic,” the “puppets,” and the images of the earth?
All the Feels
From the Rear-view
THANKS TO:
Supernatural Wiki
Screencapped Net: Thanks Raina!
Forever Dreaming Transcript
IMDB: Cast List
Tumblr gifs:
out-in-the-open
winchestears
hellosupernatural
estaticcas
laoih
seasons-out-of-time
Already cited: Plush Movie offical site, Song Facts,
Google images: STP
Wed.gif from Giphy
I have been waiting sooo long for your review Wednesday and again I’m not disappointed. Thank you. Although you have many questions for us to think about. ?????????
Pedophilia Could/would/should Supernatural go there, No I don’t think so it is the wrong platform for such a delicate subject. To suggest it is enough to write it into a episode concerning one of our main characters doesn’t sit right with me. I thought I understood what pedophilia was but I checked it on Wikipedia and I don’t feel it is appropriate in this setting, they have a cut off age for this mental illness which is usually 13yrs old. (A pedophile prefers a prepubescence to age 13)
Dylan Kingwell in his flash backs of Sam is around this age but other flash backs that we have seen of Sam at this age have all shown a tough, resiliant, young hunter I believe, that the clown phobia and the claustrophobia may be linked in some way. Maybe Sam was accidently locked in a room with a clown or a clown was possessed and Sam had to deal with this problem on his own and in the process killed the clown maybe Sam’s first kill ,or maybe he was forced to dress as a clown as some horrid joke / traumatized and with his Dad or Dean not around he created Sully to cope with what happened
As for your other question I feel that the paraellel could relate to all 4 Amara/God, Sam/Dean Again the similarities are much the same. As I read somewhere else. You have Lucifer/Michael, Sam/Dean — Amara/God, Sam/Dean Uncle Sam, Dean as Amara’s father I have gone of that idea. Maybe Sam & Dean our Uncles – maybe their is another Winchester who could be a daddy
Or maybe Sam just shares the same inexplicable fear of clowns as so many others do. The same as Deans fear of flying.
I don’t get the fans bitching about the ep touching on possible pedophilia. It’s a horror show, it touches on all kinds of uncomfortable subjects. It wasn’t gratuitous, it fit in with the story. It’s what they do. Considering the subject matter I think they handled it well.
Thanks Allycat, They do and have handled many sensitive issues on Supernatural and its not as though it was blurted out a 100 times, it was as you said just a part of the story line, and handled well
And yes many,many people have a phobia for clowns I even find them a bit yucky Thank you for putting things in perspective, Jen
And I wouldn’t be surprised if Sully was created by Sam out of lonliness or a need to confide in someone other than his brother or father. The oppurtunity for a close friend was not available to either Sam & Dean. Sam would have been able to talk to Sully about, hunting. monsters, life, love, his Mum something he couldn’t do with anyone else outside his Dad & Dean
I always love seeing if there are any repeat cast members 😀
Hi Wednesday. Nice job. I particularly like all the framing shots. I hadn’t noticed that when I watched the episode, but it seems pretty deliberate in your review. And I also like the emphasis on the color green and it seemingly being related to fear. Did you notice that in the long shot of Sam in the hallway that the hospital doors are all green and the elevator doors were also green in that scene between Sam and the killer clown. Did you also notice that while Sam fights the clown that the elevator is going down? They made a big point of showing the numbers going down several times. It seems pretty clear that the elevator and the confrontation is a metaphor for the cage. Can’t wait to see what happens there.
Thanks everyone, for your kind words. Sorry it is later than usual….had a bit of a break.
The review also had some quirky things that only now have been revised.
So please reread to catch missing ALLUSIONS information.
So many questions but all answers are pending. I’m sure we will know soon.
I love how this season has continuity and little hints each ep.
There was a ton of GREEN everywhere in this, I had to be selective.
There was also some interesting BROWN used on various characters and the set; but I could not nail down its intent.
Did you notice the sign behind Donna and the Bunny in the wheelchair? O O 😉
[quote]Did you notice the sign behind Donna and the Bunny in the wheelchair? O O ;)[/quote]
I didn’t notice that the first time around. When someone (you maybe?) pointed out the door the sheriff’s car reading “she” I thought it was a stretch that it was deliberate, but now, it really seems to be a tid-bit related to TheD. Did anyone catch if there were any train whistles in this episode?
[quote]women are not as physically strong as men[/quote]Donna is not as strong as Doug.Donna is not all women and doug is not all men.#not all women, #not all men.Maybe it does need reminding.The strength depends on the individual man and woman in that situation.[quote]1. Was Chester innocent or guilty of sexual abuse? Was young Sam molested by the Clowns?
2. What is going on with the pedophilia theme this season?
3. Was the plot parallel of Rita betraying her brother Chester, used to portray
Sam and Dean, or God and the Darkness?
4. Note the Coach and Stan Hinkle were described as being “like brothers.” Did they kill Chester? Was it really an
accident? Are they supposed to parallel Sam and Dean: two brothers righteously trying to protect others?
5. So many uncles. Uncle Hoppity, Uncle Crowley, Lizzie Borden’s uncle, and Uncle
Chester. (Chester the Molester, Really? Really?) Donna also mentions having an
Uncle Wally with a big head. If Dean is Amara’s father, does that make Sam, Uncle Sam?
6. So much smashing glass. Dean goes through a mirror in “Our Little World.” Sam
breaks through the china cabinet. Dean crashes through the French doors. Are they
in an alternate universe? Like Alice through the looking glass, or the French Mistake?
[/quote]
1. Chester was innocent.About Sam dont know.
2.I have not noticed a theme.
3.Maybe god and darkness.
4.Most probably accident ,since he was in a costume maybe they did not have a proper grip.
5.Yes because Sam is Dean’s brother he becomes the uncle by default, if Dean is the father that is.
6.This has been happening from season 1.so i do not attach much significance.
[quote]The fat sucker jokes annoyed many people.Can we stop with the fat jokes and the diet obsession? [/quote]I was Okay with the jokes.[quote]Donna doesn’t seem the type to be bitter or cruel to someone just for having the same name as her ex. [/quote] but it was because of her experience (the most recent ones)I do not think she will the same after this experience, . she needed time to thaw and more importantly a person to speak.That is a reasonable woman.I can understand why she was acting so with new Doug and the ending convo with Doug (the new one) showed me that she was moving on.So I was happy for her.[quote]Is this all a contrived way to show women, especially mistreated women, not to judge all men by the bad behaviour of
one man?[/quote]No I do not think so.I think it was about how when she was perfectly good towards her ex how shitty he treated her.That had affected her…but for her goodness she got a person who did not take her words to heart and was understanding enough of her.I do not know how their relation will progress (new doug and donna) but I was happy at the place they were at the end of the episode.It showed how hurt can change you and how friends and time can heal.
As far as the sam in cage, the masks the shots are brilliant.As far as the she in the shot I do not think it means anything.
I heard one train in this episode. At the burning of the bunny head with Sam, Dean and Donna just at the start when they are chatting == 2 long blasts
Interesting!!! So this time the train whistle was while they were burning the bunny head… in Baby it was while they brother’s were hashing things out between themselves. When were the other times there was a train whistle? I wonder if there is any significance to WHEN we hear one? Like in key moments in the drama? Hmmmmmm.
I can’t find the chart that someone so thoughtfully put up which explained the meaning behind each different whistle. It’s in one of these recent threads a few eps back. Yes the whistle was in this one and the one where Sam and Dean had their talk in Baby. I keep meaning to review what other episodes this season you hear it but RL keeps getting in the way. I did manage to recall the first and only other time that I had heard one prior to this season and that was the scene in Dead Mans Blood where Dean is handing the ringer over while John is giving him the Colt. I will try and review as promised and report back. I still don’t think it’s just a random sound effect that they chose to leave in.
That was me Aly here it is again – I have been trying to help you guys with this train project Its funny though unless you really tune in they sneak up on you LOL I usually find it clearer with head phones on and thats funny too because thats when other people sneak up on you Ha Ha haaaaaaaaaaaa LOL
Succession of short sounds Used when an emergency exists, or if persons or livestock are on the track.
– When train is stopped. The air brakes are applied and pressure is equalized.
– – Train releases brakes and proceeds.
o o Acknowledgment of any signal not otherwise provided for.
o o o When train is stopped: means backing up, or acknowledgment of a hand signal to back up; when moving: stop at next station.
o o o o Request for a signal to be given or repeated if not understood.
– o o Warning that a second section of a timetabled train is following.
– o o o Instruction for flagman to protect rear of train.
– – – – Flagman return from the west or south.
– – – – – Flagman return from the east or north.
– – o – Train is approaching public grade crossing(s). This is known as Rule 14L in almost all railroad operating rules.
– o Inspect the brake system for leaks or sticking brakes.
Other whistle codes
Not all railroads use exactly the same whistle signals or assign the same meanings. Some railroads will use their own variations of the above. A few of the signals are obsolete because the workers they were used to communicate with (such as flagman) are now obsolete.
In Norway, for example, the following whistle signals are used:
One short: Stand by or general acknowledgment.
Two short: Apply/increase manual brakes.
Three short: Apply manual brakes to stop the train as soon as possible.
One long: Approaching railroad station or blind curve.
One long, one short: Decrease manual brakes. When repeated, decrease brakes fully.
One long, two short: Prepared for change of tracks, crossing and/or other situations that necessitates a gentle approach.
Multiple short: Danger.
There is no pedophilia theme this season, if people choose to read a scene where Amara speaks to Dean in a soft manner as sexual, well that’s on those people, and they probably need some mental health help. Some nasty accusations were being thrown around at Berens and the actress after that episode. But yeah, the gay man was living out his fantasy by writing a heterosexual pedo fantasy, that makes perfect sense.
I in no way indicated that the pedophilia theme stemmed from any “Amara and Dean” scenes.
To the contrary. In previous articles I have indicated the elements of “romance’ or “sexual attraction’ and abuse are NOT evident in their relationship.
I agree with you , that it is complete nonsense to think so and really icky, too.
I am referring to some definite links to pedophilia made in other episodes such as “Form and Void” Where Crowley makes the following comments:
[quote]“Form and Void” 11.02
CROWLEY: Oh, yes. Dean was a rather scrumptious young altar boy.
CROWLEY: I have sources in the Catholic church — nuns that owe me a favor, priests with a taste for —
And at the end when Crowley slides opens the van door using a classic pedophile’s pickup line:
CROWLEY: My, haven’t you grown into a sweet young thing? Want some candy, little girl?
[/quote]
And also to the historic Lizzie Borden/Father relationship in “Thin Lizzie”
There have been many episodes which dealt with abused children, although not necessarily sexual abuse.
It’s there. I noticed.
Wronged Donna=wronged Amara.
Good catch on the STP song, evokes the stained glass window. To me Amara’s story is feminist.
Lack of trust between siblings.
Sexual subject matter. Is this a hint that God was a bad boy with his,sister. Both pedophilia and incest are taboo.
My baby review discusses grindhouse subject matter. Killer clowns is so drive-in. Wronged women getting revenge so exploitation cinema.
All of the episodes have roundhouse/exploitation themes. True return to classic horror.