Recap – “The Real Ghostbusters”
The guy then gets around to inviting the guest of honor, or really the only guest speaker, the writer and creator of Supernatural, Eric Kripke, I mean, Carver Edlund. Out comes Chuck and he’s so nervous! The crowd goes nuts and Dean stares with curiosity with his hands in his pockets and Sam has a similar look with his arms folded. Chuck sees the mike works and says this isn’t nearly as awkward as…then he fetches water. He nervously chugs a bunch of it down then finally takes the mike. When Rob Benedict took the stage in Chicago for his first time at a con, he said the fake convention was far more intimidating than the real one. He thinks it was everyone in costume.
“So I guess, questions?” Everyone’s hands go up. He picks a tall dude who will be playing the Sam lookalike in this episode. How did he come up with Sam and Dean? Oh, that’s easy. He started having visions because an angel put them there and he wrote them down thinking these were fictional characters when they were real guys. He learned that he’s really a prophet of the Lord and he’s writing the Winchester Gospel. Nah, Chuck isn’t that crazy. “Oh, it came to me.” It should be noted in this scene the camera goes to Sam and Dean constantly to get their reactions. Every single time that happens it makes a very strange scene quite funny.
Next Chuck picks the guy with the hook since he stands out among the flannel. Hookman is German and a nitpicker. Why is it in every fight scene Sam and Dean have their knife and gun knocked away by the bad guy? Why don’t they keep it on some kind of bungee? I laugh hard because I have actually read that a few times before. Yes, people were that serious about it! Cut to Sam and Dean, who aren’t impressed. Chuck doesn’t know. German guy has a follow up. Why can’t Sam and Dean see that Ruby is evil and that she’s just manipulating Sam? “It’s quite obvious.” Yep, that gets a face from the real Sam. Becky interrupts, exactly the way a mega fan would on the boards. “If you don’t like the books don’t read them Fritz!” Uh oh. I’ve done that. I’ve actually used the line “time to get a new show.” I was really provoked though. No matter though, for it’s clear I’ve been Kripked. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Boy did I have that coming!
Chuck moves onto the next question since Fritz is scared. He should be! Rabid fans can be really scary. The guy is wearing a hooded sweatshirt, so we’ll put him in the Sam clone column. In the last book, Dean went to Hell. Now what? That gives Chuck his chance to make an announcement. Thanks to a wealthy Scandinavian investor, they’re going to start publishing again. The crowd erupts in a standing ovation while Sam and Dean now want to kill Chuck.
Chuck is at the bar and he’s getting two frou-frou drinks that are this weird lemon color. He takes them over to a table where Becky is. “Here’s your yellow-eyed cooler.” They didn’t have those in Chicago, but they did along with the bad purple nurple have a Sam-tini. Yes, I did throw up in my mouth a little. Right before I ordered one. Hey, it was the same thing as a cosmo except cheaper. Chuck is trying to ask Becky out, but she loses it when Sam arrives. Yes Dean is with him, but as we know she pretty much ignores him. Oh Kripke, you just won’t stop with the fandom quirks, will you?
Sam uncomfortably nods, but Dean’s pissed enough to speak for both of them. “In case you haven’t noticed, our plates are kind of full. Finding the colt, hunting the devil, we don’t have time for this crap.” Chuck says he didn’t call them. Sam clarifies, Dean means the books. Why is he publishing more books? “For food and shelter,” Chuck says. That’s actually a good answer. I’d write them for that reason. Nah, I’d do it for free. I already do! “Who gave you the rights to our life story?” Dean asks. “An archangel, and I didn’t want it.” Chuck replies. Again, he’s making perfect sense. Sam tells him the deal’s off, their lives are not for public consumption. Oh yes they are!
Chuck asks Becky to excuse them and she’s more than willing. They go into the other room and Chuck is mad. “Do you guys know what I do for a living?” “Yeah Chuck, we know,” Sam replies. “Than can you tell me? I don’t. I’m not a good writer. I’ve got no marketable skills, I’m not some hero that can just hit the road and fight monsters, okay? Until the world ends, I’ve gotta live. Alright? And the Supernatural books are all I’ve got. What else do you want me to do?” You see, this is where I think Sam and Dean are being jerks. Cut Chuck some slack! Look at all he’s done for you.
Sam and Dean don’t have time to argue, for they hear a scream. They race upstairs along with several other Sam and Deans. Yes, this is the same set used for “Playthings.” I’m not sure if it’s a popular location or on the studio lot, but I’ve seen it in just about every show filmed in Vancouver. They ask the maid what happened. She saw a ghost. She then goes into bad character acting mode to tell “a terrifying tale of terror.” Oh Kripke, you have been reading fanfic too! She tells everyone the tale of Leticia Gore. Sam and Dean roll their eyes and leave. They should have known better. The LARPing has begun!
Becky comes over and gives them the flyer for the game. It’s a fake entry from John’s journal. “Dear Sam and Dean, this hotel is haunted. You must hunt down the ghost. Interview witnesses, discover clues, and find the bones. First team to do so wins a $50 gift card to Sizzler. Love Dad.” I’m sorry, but I’m dying over the idea of John Winchester throwing in a Sizzler incentive. “Good job icing the demon boys! We almost died so let’s go celebrate with a steak and salad bar!” “You guys are so gonna win,” Becky says. Dean look of disgust enhances the absurdity of all this.
Back at the lobby and now everyone is suits with their FBI badges. Their aliases are agents Lennon and McCartney. You see!!! Kripke has been listening to us. He knows we’ve been griping lately about the overuse of Page and Plant. We get a Jagger and Richards later, so thanks for that! That actually makes me happy. Of course he’s probably making fun of us, but I’ll take what I can get. The bearded announcer is in role as the manager and claims the establishment is indeed haunted. The building was an orphanage run by Leticia Gore. 100 years ago this very night she killed four boys before taking her own life. The souls of those four boys are trapped there and the evil spirit of Ms. Gore punishes them to this very day.
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