“The Real Ghostbusters” – What Do You Think?
Wow, another episode night already. Only two more of these before the winter ”Hellatus” kicks in. Tonight, “The Real Ghostbusters.” Here’s a synopsis since the promotion on this one has been nil.
I’ll say this real softly just in case Kripke is listening, because he should know I still believe in him, but….
Meta-humour, little bit of character moments, and a lead on the colt. All in all, I didn’t mind this episode.
I agree with pete, it all could have gone the other way, but why would I doubt TPTB?
It was fun AND I got my mother to watch the show. She was laughing at all the appropriate moments, though I did have to explain a few things to her. Nice work, overall.
Can’t wait for next week because if they kill Lucifer, then what about the rest of the season? Because this is so far from being over.
“The way I see it, it’s not really jumping the shark if you never come down.” 😆 😆 😆 😆
I just found a new tagline for the site!! That and, “You know, maybe that guy was right. Maybe we should put these things on a bungee.”
So-so episode, but some golden soundbites.
Oh, here’s a rare critique from the hubby. “It wasn’t Bugs.” I guess that means it didn’t suck!
The fan question scene was great – especially when Sam and Dean consider the bungee thing.
@Alice – my prof actually ended the class after 10 minutes because he wasn’t feeling well (he has epilepsy, so no taking chances when you feel the symptoms coming on), so sadly, next week I will be back to my regularly scheduled late-night tape viewing. Good news, next semester = no Thursday night class!
Off for the second watch now!
Okay……I liked it. It was fun, and I didn’t want to miss a moment. I really think Kripke has gotten the pattern. This was a good MOTW episode. Good fun epi for die-hard fans, but light enough on the myth arc so casual viewers could enjoy it. Maybe the colt info at the end was enough of a teaser for people to want to tune back in. Almost escaped the juvenile humor, but, for me, still okay. If I had to recommend an epi to reintroduce people to SPN, this would work great.
I don’t know if any of you have partaken in mystery diners, but it reminder me of those.
Chuck was as adorable as ever. Him and Becky…so amusing…love Becky letting Sam down easy. LOL And all the one liners between fake!Dean and fake!Sam are priceless. There were so many good bitch faces from both Sam and Dean…and I loved the line from Dean about ‘puppy dog’ look. Reminds me of “Scarecrowâ€.
Also loved the shot of smiling Dean leaning on the roof of the impala waiting for Sam. You know he was so pleased with the comment about how the fake!Dean and Sam envied them. They really are lucky to have such a strong brotherly bond.
I am glad this time they ended on a positive note, and I don’t mean the colt info…..that was a plus. But to let people know that Dean and Sam’s motive are honorable, sincere, and, yes, righteous…again going back to the earlier seasons. And to show family counts! That is important for viewers.
Maybe I am looking for more than is there, but I still feel Kripke is working to a happy ending and a good intro into s6.
It was funny but cringing at the same time, that larping was just so bad, in a funny annoying way. If there wasn’t any mention of anything good this episode might have been a bad one. Although it totally had its moments, like word on the Colt, Dean’s reaction to the two larping nerds reciting lines from Asylum, and Chuck mentioning that the books were going to be published again (maybe just the whole him being back thing was awesome).
I do wonder if Chuck is going to take Sam and Dean’s objections seriously and not continue the series. I loved that at the end when Sam told Chuck he could write the books.
“Seriously?” “No, we have guns.”
Alice..That was the MOST priceless lines of the epi!
Mostly good, a few misses.
It’s amusing for the brothers to see how others see them- when whatshisface mentioned how great it would be to be a Winchester, Dean needed the boost. Of course, all the fan info is from several seasons ago, before the Apocalypse, etc. but still. Hee, Dean’s a superfan of his own life 😛
No one else has mentioned this yet, but I LOVED the “more than friends” bit at the end. Kripke didn’t make his shipping point with a hammer this time, but he was definitely laughing at the Wincesters there! And there’s Dean, watching two gay guys acting like him and his brother, holding hands and cuddling.
Call me greedy, but I really wish they’d give us a real “brother moment” like they used to. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great they’re not fighting anymore, and I was glad for the reminder that they would die for each other (and they both know this), but dang it, I want more bonding!
I liked it, it was a good eppie.
Nothing earth shattering but it’s nice to have a “normal” good episode once in a while. Had its laughs and moments. I liked the puppydog-eyes -line (heh, first wrote puppyGOD LOL) and when Chuck saves the day (lol the cheezy hero-music), Beckys’ break-up and the two Sam & Dean wannabes. And the “we have guns and we’ll find you” line was hilarious. And the end shot at Dean leaning on the Impala was dreamy *sigh* He looked happy.
Woe, alas … My computer has died again so no downloads and no idea what everyone is talking about.
Bloody useless Dell … Grrrrr …
That was fun.
The line-up of black Impalas at the start was just beautiful. Screen-cap please, Alice.
I have to admit that I was nervous about this episode, I couldn’t help but pause before I watched it but I actually enjoyed it. It was a nice easy MOTW episode.
I loved the boys beginning to see their relationship in a different light. The moment with fake!dean and fake!sam where Dean moved from looking at what he’s lost to what he has was a small but lovely moment especially when you saw that he’s actually taken in what was said.
I also liked the moment with Damien and Barnes… it was a bit of a dig but an affectionate one and it made me go awwwwwwwww 🙂
I have to admit when I was looking at the con I couldn’t help but think ‘not enough women’. Ok confessional moment – when they were looking round the con, showing the merchandise I saw the “got salt?” t-shirt and I kind of wanted it 😳
A lot of great one-liners, so don’t forget about the crazy, 180°-from-true note from John, heh heh. Love the Six Million Dollar Man effect when Chuck brings the iron.
There’s no such thing as a Croatoan virus down there!
The LARPers were sufficiently geeky – real men play table-top, ahem – and it was very cool to see the fake Sam and Dean join the fight despite their trepidation. The ending was pretty cool and heartfelt, the fakes getting Dean, not back on track, but believing a little bit more in himself. Even flashed a content, understanding grin at the Impala.
At first, the over-the-top-ness of Becky was a bit grating, but as the episode rolled on, one realizes that that is exactly how she is, a completely, consciously exaggerated personality.
It would be difficult for anything to follow Changing Channels, but I liked it, and I think it’ll grow even more on repeated viewings once the DVDs come out for those of us shlubs w/o DVR. 😎
One more thing- not sure what to think about Chuck and Becky getting together. At first, I was like, “Awwww” and it seemed so appropriate. But later, I thought, “wait, that b*tch stole your phone, made up a pile of BS to get Sam and Dean to rush out to the Con, then made obvious googly-eyes at Sam the whole time while pretty well ignoring Chuck!”
I mean, glad she decided to shake her Sam-crush off enough to see the better qualities in Chuck, but he got over everything else pretty fast. Well, if they’re happy together, congratulations to them :P.
Alice, I’m with Faellie, screen shots of the Impala line up are required! That got me chuckling right away.
As with many things this show has done, it wouldn’t have taken much for this story to go horribly wrong. But Kripke has the touch and it worked. Sure, not an earth shattering episode, but sheesh, my heart can only take so much. A lighter episode is a requirement lest I keel over!
BTW, did anyone else find the acting of the ghost boys to be fantastic? They went from innocent victims to creepy killers very well.
I also thought the character of Becky was handled really well. She really could have been a major annoying nuisance, butting in and disrupting everything but she didn’t. I feel that even fake!Dean and fake!Sam were not over done. I mean really, the Ghostfacers were more over done than this (and I love the Ghostfacers).
All in all, I really enjoyed this episode.
I really enjoyed this episode a lot. It reminded me of Season 1 which I love entirely.
The larping Sam and Dean were amusing and ended up being very likeable. Loved the speech fakeDean gave to our Dean and it is such a relief to see a genuine smile on his face. So thanks fakeDean!
The 3 kids were entirely creepy. How do they get kids to do that? So much talent ends up on this show.
Chuck doesn’t have to stop writing the books, they just don’t want him to get them published. Don’t know how he would make a living though. Maybe he would get manna from heaven. LOL. He did keep writing after Dean went to hell, even though that was the last book published. Love Chuck’s character and always glad to see him back.
It was a good episode to see before the probable doom and gloom and angsty next episode. And I’m not too pleased with rumours of a death. I don’t want to lose Bobby, Ellen or Jo. Too many have perished already. (I still miss Andy and Ash).
Bethany, I’m right there with you… Got Salt? Priceless, and me want some 😉
Tigershire, yea, the kids, c.r.e.e.p.y. as hell. Kids on this show *shivers*
Bevie, I also felt a strong S1 vibe in this one, stronger somehow than I’ve felt before… Dunno what it was especially… Although the whole mansion surround brought Playthings to mind.
Absolutely freaking Awesome – I loved it!
Think I’m on a different plane to a lot of you guys as last weeks episode left me uneasy – I definetely wasn’t feeling the love (except for the opening credits obviously) – But this week it’s all Hearts and Flowers –
Superb!
Most of the recent episodes have brought back that season 1/2 groove of it being a full-on roadshow, which I love. I don’t mind the overarching apocalypse, but along the way, even if dealing with Antichrists, it feels like old times.
Season four was necessary – every hero has to take that dark journey through the underworld – but we’re getting back in the saddle.
@Bevie, at a pivotal moment, someone always has to die (granted, it’s always a secondary persona), but I still wish Andy would have found a way to escape. I absolutely loved Simon Said. What a great character.
Hi folks,
‘Like a monkey on a sun it was too hot to live..’ – what a hilarious episode, almost like one of the earlier season’s – the brothers hunting ghosts, like in the good ole days, supported by wannabe-hunters that did a fine job, really enjoyed this.
The moment it started with the line up of Impalas, I knew I was going to love this episode…
I agree very much with Randal here, I loved the early season ‘groove’, reminded me of the first days I fell in love with this show. My affection for this unique series has never faltered, and I’m excited about where we’re going, most of all because of Sam’s and Dean’s development and growth and the facets their relationship gained in the course of the show.
Got salt? Complaining fan with an actually great idea (bungee, might come handy), bloodthirsty brats (yes, children are scary, and clowns kill…), ‘MayGyver jackets’, ‘he takes the story really seriously’ – seriously, Sam? Deadpan! Love it – ‘screw you very much’, ‘we have guns, and we’ll find you’ – another wry remark, bless you – ‘just give her the puppy dog thing’ (spilled a whole pot of coffee at that from laughing, Dean wins my heart every time with a line like this)… with so many other remarks, this was another day in one liner heaven.
You really gotta love Jared’s and Jensen’s skills – they’re speaking pages of dialogue with their faces alone, listening to Chuck’s answers to the fans’ questions (and Dean’s reaction to the announcement of the homoerotic subtext panel was – again – hilarious), reacting to the fans in general and poor Sam’s interaction with hormonally supercharged Becky (she really sent him a lick…? Oh God…)… while in the end he was being utterly chivalrous as he played along with her dumping him for Chuck, not hurting her feelings by saying something like ‘thank God you’re off my back’. She really seems to care whether Sam will be okay (she truly believed, he had a thing for her – okay, Becky is nuts, but not entirely awful, just wonder how Chuck will keep up with her… Is it okay to feel slightly sorry for him? – but then again, he had his hero-moment and did wonderfully!)
Once again (for the millionth time by now, I guess) I noticed another aspect I love about this show – the attention to detail. At least ten fake Fed-IDs, cheap suits on the fans, the weeping violins playing the moment Becky opened her mouth to give her good-bye speech to Sam… The guys behind the camera manage to enhance a scene with so little an effect, and it becomes a marvellous example of filmmaking (albeit on tv, but essentially, the work is related). I love and admire that.
Even more, as the creators give us a funny episode, combined with extraordinarily moving moments. Barnes and Damian are sweet guys, their lives suck (in their eyes, okay, I don’t see anything wrong with fixing copiers. It’s not the most exiting job in the world, but it’s not second-class either, and saving lives is not as glorious as it may seem on tv or in books), but with Supernatural they find something else… and, truth be told, Damian’s words got me all misty, and obviously did something to Dean’s mood, I guess. Reminding him of what he has, in the midst of all that ‘river of crap that would send most people howling to the nuthouse’ – a brother who will die for him, just like he would for Sam. They’ve been through it all, but I’m convinced they would do so again in a heartbeat. Let’s just hope it won’t be necessary.
And – back to the season’s storyarc – we get a hint at what happened to the colt. Bela sold it to Crowley? As in ‘Alistair Crowley’? I’m dying to find out more about that. As we’re going to meet Lucifer and Castiel again in the coming up episode, perhaps we’ll hear about the wondrous gun… I’m looking forward to see how our hunting ladies are doing, I’ve missed Ellen and Jo.
Gosh, this has gotten so long, wasn’t trying to write a review here; thanks for bearing with me.
Take care y’all, Jas
Speaking of Scarecrow, Sablegreen, I loved how Sam flinched and looked freaked when he saw the guy in the scarecrow costume!! Another fun moment. And Sam playing along with letting Becky him down easy, the look on Dean’s face when he saw the line of Impalas…
Next week looks intense.
POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING
(Had to do that, I’m a bit of a spoilerphobe–I love Neil Gaiman and I picked up a copy of Good Omens recently that I’m dying to read, but restraining myself for fear that it’ll spoil SPN for me!)
Bevie, I’m glad you brought up the rumors regarding next week, ’cause I’m totally with you. I inadvertently encountered those online and in retrospect I’m actually glad because it’s allowing me to prepare myself for some possible heartbreak (I know, I’m stressing over fictional characters…) And then i saw Dean kissing Jo in the preview, I always liked the idea of those two together, but seeing as they were never going to pursue that storyline before… I loved Andy and Ash too, especially Andy, still miss him! But who knows– Kripke could do something totally unexpected…
Jas–I was laughing when Becky sent Sam a lick too…Samlicker81 indeed 😀
I was feeling some echoes of It’s a Terrible Life (there are worse things than fixing copiers…) but I’m sure it’s more meaningful when it’s not coming from Zachariah.
I really enjoyed this episode! If it wasn’t for the connection with the myth arc I would swore I was seeing a season 1 episode.
Good to see Chuck again and I liked the fake!Dean and fake!Sam because in the end they actually helped (and they didn’t have to) and especially because of what they told Dean in the end, I really think Dean needed to ear that (and that smile!? *sights*).
Becky “dumping” Sam got me laughing, but I’m happy for Chuck, hope it works.
“Seriously?” “No. We have guns and we’ll find you.” It’s got the be the best line of the episode! (I’m right there with you Sam)
The boys faces were priceless during the entire episode!
And Alice? I too want a screencap of the lined Impalas
and maybe that one of Dean leaning on the Impala and smiling? Pretty please? (One of this days you’re gonna have to teach us how to that so that we stop asking you).
So, how’s Chicago?
I think this epi is funniest episode in season5 ^^
I’m just waitng next episode winchesters face off
Lucifer ~~!!!
Hi everyone,
after re-watching this episode twice (I’m still in bed with a mean, mean cold, what better excuse could a gal have to watch the odd Supernatural episode?), I couldn’t stop thinking… where are we going? This season has had several lighter episodes so far, and I had not expected the apocalypse to swing in on a sea of laughter…
Right about now I’d like to be a convolution in Kripke’s brain for just a minute to take a look what he has in store for us. In the past light-hearted episodes came like a breather we needed before the dark stuff kicked in. Judging from that – are we going really dark this time?
I haven’t been able to watch any trailers of the upcoming episode due to server problems, but I’ve seen the pic’s the CW published, and it’s looking big and tense. Scares me a bit, after reading about the rumours that a character might die (just hope it’s not Ellen or Jo, as women often don’t survive encounters with the Winchesters)… And then speculating once more how the storyline will progress (when will the episode 11 air in January?? I’ve seen various dates. Help.)
Well, perhaps Alice will come up with some news about that (here’s hope that the actors will feel chatty).
When I look back at the past seasons, I’m amazed how the creative Supernatural bunch connected the dots over such a long proceeding storyarc and not betraying the myth they established. So far Kripke & Co. haven’t brought up anything without a reason, and I’m sure there is a bigger picture behind the Becky-Chuck love connection or the Skandinavian publisher that is going to feed our prophet (but Chuck might ‘heed’ Sam’s threat), my first thought was: okay, Lucifer has gone Ikea…
I liked this episode, and as much as I welcome a good laugh at such a multifaceted story, it makes me burst with curiousity about where Kripke might be headed with the show. I’ll be trying to tame that, don’t wanna end like the proverbial cat… Kripke, you brilliant bastard. There goes another night…
Take care, Jas
Given that the guest stars are Ellen, Jo and Bobby, and killing off Bobby would bring about a riot (not that death is ever final on this show)….
I had always equated the trickster with Loki (see what reading Voluspa at midnight will do to ya?), and the Scandinavian thing had me thinking, hey, Thor’s hammer, but then I remembered the Christians won up far north and that I’m a big geek.
I think you’re right, Jas, some seriously dark thunderheads are on the way. I’m glad that Kripke+ didn’t go fire and brimstone and blood apocalypse (sometimes a smaller budget is a good thing, creatively), but there’s gotta be some harsh stuff coming down the road. Just make sure the trickster comes back to be their right flank.
And drink your chicken soup! 😎
Oh, Randal,
shake me and you’ll hear soup bubble…
You didn’t read all the Voluspaa stanzas at midnight, did you? How many are there? sixty? Seventy? Got stamina, man. 😉
I’ll get back to my soup now, good night, Jas
Jas,
Here is a tidbit of information for you the next time you are feeling curious.
Curiosity killed the cat, is only the first half of the saying. The rest is “satisfaction brought it back”.
So go ahead, be curious. 😀
I’ve read 2 episode reactions from very intelligent and nice people who write fanfiction (and bloody well too, great writing from both sides, often better than the show!) and who were highly disturbed by this episode.
And I can’t see why.
I mean… it was cute. And fun. And gentle. You know, at least it was, when I watched it.
Misocyny? Seriously, dear women? FY Kripke?! Seriously?!
One of those writers was offended (as much as I understood) by most of the fans on the convention being male.
So weird.
Would she not have been offended if all the fans would have been female? Maybe then she would have been complaining “Why are women so STUPID in this show, fangirling and getting killed all the time?”
Yeah, maybe.
But… but I mean, actually I REALLY respect those 2 women I talk about! I visit their sites almost every day and they are not flamers or negative people AT ALL. They are fans – in the good meaning of the word – and they both are really smart. I’m not kidding. They are.
So maybe there was something I missed because of my European background or slow wit? Some serious insult toward womankind or fandom? Something rude?
Somebody help! Because I can’t find it. But there must be a reason why _both_ of them are angry and sad after this episode. Sad and angry enough to curse.
I had a great time watching it. It was a lighter episode but with good memorable lines. My two sons and I have been quoting around the house for the last couple of days, “dad says that I may have to kill you.” in a gravelly voice. If that isn’t a good family bonding time, then I don’t know what is…
vana naine, I can’t answer for anyone else’s thinking, and I thought this episode was about par for the patriarchal Hollywood course (of which Supernatural as a whole is a mainstream example). But I can think of two concerns off the top of my head.
The first concern is that minorities – and in terms of mainstream commercial culture in general, and movie making and TV making in particular, women are both economically and visibly a minority – are used to being airbrushed out of representations of situations where they are in the minority in any case, but will be more likely to take offence at being airbrushed out of situations in which they are the majority. It’s the female equivalent of showing street scenes in Harlem in New York with mainly white extras.
The second concern could be that a mainly male convention means work for mainly male actors, so perpetuating behind the scenes inequalities.
I suppose the makers of the episode might argue that, because the fictional Convention is based on fictional books rather than being a factual one based on the TV show, a predominantly geeky male audience is at least as realistic, if not more, than a fervered young female one. They could argue that it better fits the purpose of the episode (lots of Sam/Dean impersonators needed for comic effect). And they could argue that they are including representations of male Supernatural fans to try to “rebalance” fandom and encourage more male viewers. And so on.
Personally I can’t get too offended, but then I tend to save such feelings for situations I can, or should, do something about.
Thanks, Tigershire, for the reminder – I tend to forget that second part of the saying. Okay, I’ll have t-shirts printed with ‘happy to be curious’. Aawwwwww… 😯 Jas
Henry,
how adorable! You’re absolutely right. Pleaso go on quoting around the house, sounds like major fun! Best wishes, Jas
Vava naine,
Please don’t question your wit for not noticing any offence here… You liked the episode. That’s what matters.
I don’t know those two women you refer to, of course, but to my experience – when somebody takes offence, it’s because something deeply personal was touched and perhaps hurt.
I haven’t noticed any ‘serious insult toward womankind or fandom’, although some people with their sensitive spots tied to those issues might feel offended. There are enough other fields in this world where serious insults take place on an everyday basis, so, personally, I wasn’t looking for any offence I could take. I’m an emancipated woman, but I don’t mind laughing at my own sex (or myself) once in a while.
I regret that those women you obviously admire feel offended ‘enough to curse’. The writers decided to have more men in the audience at the convention for whatever reasons. And those men were not exactly depicted in the most flattering way (complaining fan, major geeks, guys afraid of women).
I agree with Faellie here – I, too, rarely take offence with a situation I can do nothing about. And it is, after all, a tv show. I want to enjoy it.
If you enjoyed this episode – what’s wrong with that?
🙂
Take care, Jas
Faellie,
you bring up some interesting and important points, I think.
We forget sometimes that a show like Supernatural operates within a huge machinery we call show business, with all the rules and iniquities you don’t see from the outside at first. It has never been a specifically women friendly business, but then again it’s not exactly a biz anyone would call philanthropic (but you find the nicest people there, as well, of course). There are ‘suits’ that decide on behalf of a studio, as that’s where the money’s coming from, and sometimes creativity suffers for that.
It has always been a hard business for women in general, in terms of income or influence. And even though it’s getting better, albeit slowly, it is still harder for women. What I used to despise in particular when I was a part of all that was the constant need to starve myself to a smaller size (sure, you always look bigger in front of a camera or on a stage even), even though I have always been slim. A friend once said ‘it’s another way to keep the women in this business small’, I was never able to shake the feeling that she had a point. It’s become even worse today. In this show we’ve seen those lollipop bodies (big head, very small body) as well – rules of the business.
It tightens for men more, as well. The pressure on men to stay fit is also increasing (and often results in getting up two hours before the morning call to work out for example… after having slept perhaps a few hours after a night shoot… ). It’s hardly surprising that plastic surgery thrives.
It’s not my place to get into a full fledged criticism here. With watching the show I support the business, with each ticket I buy in a movie theatre I do the same – and I do so on purpose, as many people work there who are doing the best job they can to provide us with escapism whenever we seek it. I hope, though, that some conditions will improve.
Thanks for sharing, Jas
Not having access to Kripke and the writers’ brains – hey, someone at some con ask – I still think that they were poking loving fun at fandom in general, and that having an audience full of screaming females would have been 1)incredibly obvious and 2)invited all kinds of crap, so they went extra snark and went after the dudes. And if I’m not mistaken, there were a couple of females LARPing. Plus, I still think the show has the surface trappings of a ‘guy’ show, so such a male-dominated con for a book isn’t that surprising. I’d bet that a Tolkien gig pre-movie was mostly dudes (admittedly I’m going on anecdotal evidence), but post-movie, it’s mixed because women who might not otherwise have picked up LOTR or the Silmarillion went back to read them.
Hollywood, like planet earth, has the white male as its default worldview, so nothing is really shocking. I think, given that dominant dynamic, Supernatural does pretty well. And hey, unlike all the other minority characters, Rufus didn’t die. Probably ’cause Steven Williams would kick everyone’s ass. 😎
Thank you all!
Your answers were thoughtful and serious and I appreciate that.
Also, you gave me things to think about.
Gratefully
vn.
Wow, guys I missed a lot discussion over the weekend. Vana naine, I also noticed the convention was mainly male oriented…found that unusual given the art work that was depicted on the novel covers and the previous publisher. I just assumed it would be hard to get much done, in a supernatural way, if you had a bunch of screaming females! Sorry if this has been mentioned before, but I didn’t have a chance to read all the comments in full.
Yes…I agree with all who felt this epi was right from s1. Kripke is going back to the earlier season themes, and I can’t help thinking that it’s because he had so many more viewers then. I think there is a reason for that, and I hope to be able to get my research together for an article during the hiatus.
The more I watch the epi, the more I like it. It IS like going back in time to s1. And that is a good sign….