Recap – “The Real Ghostbusters”
After recapping “Changing Channels,” anything is easy. This one wasn’t half bad, once I got around to it. Blame Chicago. So let’s go through “The Real Ghostbusters.’
ANY episode that starts with a racing Impala wins with me. Especially when Dean is driving. This episode if judged alone on opener and closer would get an A. Oh, but there’s the stuff in between so no cigar. Both Sam and Dean look really worried. Dean parks, they jump out of the car and huh? Dean spots three other black 67 Impalas next to him. He’s a little freaked. I’m in paradise. Sam doesn’t care and tells him to come on.
It’s Chuck! Good ole loveable loser Chuck. Rob Benedict at the Chicago con said he loves Chuck because he is the most unlikely person to be a prophet. He certainly looks un-prophet like here. Rob was also impressed that they found Chuck a sport coat like that. Anyway, Sam and Dean come running up pleased to find him. Chuck is a little surprised to see them and asked what they’re doing there. Dean says he told them to come. Chuck claims he didn’t. Sam has a bit more. “You texted me. This address, life or death situation, ring a bell?”
Dean complains they drove all night. Really? Changing Channels took place in Wellington, Ohio which is southwest of Cleveland. This con takes place in whereabouts unknown of Ohio, but given the lush surroundings we’ll say the eastern or southern part of the state. One end of Ohio to another is five hours at worst. So, where could they have gone in that time frame that constitutes all night? Haven’t they learned that it be best not the leave the state? They should get a home here. The house next to me is available!
Anyway, Chuck is still confused and then it hits him. “Oh no.” “Oh no” screeches at the top of the steps. “Sam, you made it!” It’s superfan Becky from the season opener. You know, Kripke’s psychotic creation. If Chuck represents Kripke, then Becky is an amalgamation of every bat shit crazy fan online that overly praises his name. Plus she’s a Sam girl. Oh crud, I’ve been outed. Except I’ve never written slash!
Sam looks at this crazed woman and says “Oh uh, Becky, right?” Oh Sam no, you opened the door. Becky gets all doughy-eyed, for Sam remembered her. Dean rolls his eyes. So that allows her to make the leap that she can’t get him out of her head either. Way to try and be polite there Sam! Chuck asks Becky if she took his phone. She borrowed it. From his pants. Chuck grimaces and wonders how he was ever born. She thought Sam and Dean would want to see it. “See what?” Sam and Dean ask in unison, which gets Becky all fangirly. I think we all did. A bearded man comes out and tells Chuck it’s show time. A very nervous Chuck apologizes to Sam and Dean and goes in, followed by Becky, followed by a “we’ve got to see this” Sam and Dean.
They all go into this quaint country inn lobby and this gets a bit too surreal for Sam and Dean. A fat dude comes over dressed like Dean and says “Hey Dean, looking good.” Dean isn’t getting it, asking who the guy is. He scoffs wondering why it isn’t obvious. “I’m Dean too. Duh.” Yeah, except this fake Dean is actually wearing the amulet. I still don’t get why Dean had to give that up. Bring it back Kripke! Dean and Sam share a glance of confusion and then Dean’s eyes pop out of his head when a bad imitation of leather face from “Scarecrow” comes out. Sam turns around and gets the same startled expression. “Uh oh, it’s Sam and Dean. I’m in trouble now.” Then he tells them to have fun.
“What?” Dean asks and Sam notices more. A fake Bloody Mary. A scary clown. The Impala on a mug. Books and merchandise and the dude selling them has black eyes. There’s a fake Bobby, a fake Ash with the really bad mullet, and Sam dares to ask Becky what is this. “It’s awesome. A Supernatural convention. The first ever.” Yeah, you know it. Sam and Dean are both unsettled. Then they show something I REALLY wish was for sale at these cons, a shirt that says “got salt?” The crap at the con in Chicago wasn’t that cool. There’s a dude with yellow eyes and has Kripke ever been to one of these things? I’ve never seen a dude with yellow eyes, let alone everyone in these getups. Final shot on a disturbed Dean before going into the title sequence. Why didn’t they use the intro from “The Monster At The End of This Book?” That would have been perfect!
Everyone is gathered into the ballroom. The room is about three quarters full and everyone is in costume except Becky, Sam and Dean who are standing in the back watching. Sam and Dean are obviously sticking around because it’s like watching a train wreck. It’s gruesome, but you can’t look away. The announcer welcomes everyone to the “first annual” Supernatural convention, and if Kripke shows this con every year from now on we know he’s desperate for some story lines. You should know that the way Jared and Jensen were talking at the Chicago con, they have no freaking idea now when this show is going to end now. Tom Welling is assured for season ten of Smallville so any length of time is possible. No, they didn’t mention Tom Welling, but they seriously have no idea when this will end.
The announcer lists the events for later. At 3:45, “Frightened little boy, the secret life of Dean.” At 4:30 there’s the “Homoerotic subtexts of Supernatural.” The look on Sam and Dean’s faces? Priceless! I think that was Jared and Jensen reacting for real. Kripke just won’t let this slash thing go, will he? The big hunt starts at 7pm sharp, and the crowd of mostly male Sam and Dean clones goes wild. Plus two clowns. A girl dressed as Bobby. A scarecrow and Hookman. And some women that just don’t belong there. Their boyfriends obviously dragged them. Kind of the polar opposite of the real cons. It’s all women and a scattering of reluctant boyfriends/spouses.
Loved it, Alice! It’s like watching this episode all over again, with some fine, little comments… talking about fun… Thanks for the beautiful Impala line up… gosh I love that car… as Christmas is approaching: can I have one?
Your Con account is hilarious, and I’m there with you – the cut to Sam and Dean during that scene makes it worthwhile and wonderfully funny. But – do Americans really think Germans talk like that? I haven’t heard that kind of accent before, and I live among Germans (though I am of different origin), for my ears he sounded more French than German (he was annoying nonetheless).
Sam-tini?! Really? Oh dear… I’m feeling sick…
It’s great how they throw in the differences to the LARPing fans, as they are mostly geeks, insecure boys, I liked the girl’s line ‘you’re not afraid of women’, damn straight he isn’t. I’ve never really understood why some guys get afraid of a pretty woman, but I’d have to be a man to get that, I suppose. I missed that suave look on Dean’s face, he didn’t have much time to put it on lately… give me some more flirting Dean…
‘I like fake Dean. He’s demented but not delusional’, have I ever mentioned I love your use of wordplay and alliteration? Great job!
I agree with you – we should enjoy the light stuff before the ‘major downers’ kick in. I still hope for the occasional fun episode, come on who could stand twelve heavy chapters, I’m going to run out of Kleenex. I do hope to see Jensen and Jared in comedies; their timing is indeed impeccable, as their body language comes so organically. Rolling on the floor? Yep. Really liked this episode. Really liked fakeSam and fakeDean and that they became the true heroes of this episode while being sweet and simply good guys.
Hey, first days of the hiatus have already passed – this will be going fast… and January 21st will be here sooner than we think…
;-), Jas
I feel i should point out that Barnes on TWOP is actually a woman pamela barnes i believe. Read Demians review of this episode his outrage is amusing!
Alice you just made my day!
Great recap (6 pages, yey!) as usually, I felt like I was seeing the episode all over again. And the comments you add are wonderful, you manage to get me laughing every time!
Great screencaps too, the boys faces during the all episode were really priceless, and the Impalas!
I’m pathetic, I was determined not to spoil myself but it’s all gone to pot in spectacular fashion now … :roll::
I’m looking on it as a taster for the real thing!
Alice I like your recap. I liked the episode too. It had a happy ending, which is rare in Season 5 – even an ep like Changing Channels didn’t have one.
I thought the Leticia Gore actress’s comment on the 17 fake Deans was that they were all wearing “MacGyver” jackets, and that this was a nod to Jared’s Young MacGyver pilot.
I hope Mr Winchester Family Business doesn’t get as far as page 3 on this one!
I remember the episode being quite comical, but this really brought it back (an apocalypse is a powerful thing, no?)
At least they didn’t use a first/last name combo. Geddy and Lee? Angus and Young? I bet Neil Peart and the estate of Bon Scott were quite pissed.
I absolutely loved Chuck’s answers, so matter-of-fact. He really doesn’t want this gig but given that Sam and Dean are living it, sympathy’s a bit harder to come by and I can, er, sympathize. Of course, by the end, fake Dean sets him straight.
Hey, Jasminka, most of us guys don’t look like Jensen or Jared, thus, dorky loser neuroses. 😎 And, yes, that was a stereotypical German as done by an American (you should check out the SNL Hanz and Franz sketches for even more), but yeah, I can see how that would come across as almost French.
I think the ultimate lesson of this episode is that, show runners, *always* hire an obsessed fan to nitpick continuity and offer helpful suggestions.
Great recap Alice. Thanks for the line of impalas and Dean’s smile at the end. Also all of Sam’s bitch faces and the gun-shooting-throat-slashing shot. Your right, they should do comedy.
I also noticed fake Dean was wearing the real amulet the first time I saw it. I was screaming at the TV, Dean GRAB IT! Kripke could have gotten a fake amulet too! I didn’t need to see someone else wearing it! 🙁 Here I’ll say DAMN YOU KRIPKE!
In the end, when Sam and Dean were both being…er…scalped….Sam called to Dean for help. That was something the s4 Sam would not have done, but the Sam of seasons past would. Again an indication that the brotherly bond is as strong as ever. I felt bad that Dean didn’t jump up and help his brother, and when the next shot showed Dean, I thought he was going have a surge of adrenalin, dissipate his ghost, and get to his brother…but instead the fake duo came through. Which was cool to see also. But what else could you expect, after all…. THEY HAD THE REAL AMULET……OF COURSE they are going to be heroes… how could they NOT be! Kripke, give that back to Dean!!!! 👿
Fun recap Alice!
I too would like Dean to get his amulet back. But where have his ring and bracelet gone to? Did Cas take them too? LOL. Did Jensen just forget to put them on for the last couple of episodes? How will he open his beer?
I did enjoy this episode and kudos to fakeDean and fakeSam to being real heroes. Becky is annoying, but then she is supposed to be so I’m OK with that. Poor Chuck! How is he going to put food on his table now?
Perhaps the archangel will provide for him.
yes hilary love sam dean
Alice I love your recaps!! They always find a way to make me laugh 😀
Jensen and Jared’s faces throughout this episode where hysterical and I’m so glad you put pics of them in here 😀
Fake Dean and Sam really grew on me too throughout this episode. Especially at the end when fake Dean gave real Dean the little speech and then totally freaked Dean out by admitting that fake Sam was really his partner lol hahaa. Really great episode this one I think.
Hi Randal, I took a glimpse at the Hand and Franz clips (those I could look at, unfortunately some videos are not available to us not living in the US) you mentioned – hilarious, really, not exactly representative, though, as the imitate Schwarzenegger, right? Oh dear, the man comes from an Austrian region called the Steiermark, I believe, and the dialect there is (for my ears, sorry Arnold) on of the most annoying in Austria… Any Austrians out there, don’t kill me – I adore Vienna a lot! Lived there for a while, studied there for a while. Absolutely loved it…
Oooops, Jas