Recap – “The Real Ghostbusters”
“You’re wrong you know,” fake Dean says while Dean tries to leave. “About Supernatural. No offense, but I’m not sure you get what the story’s about. In real life, he sells stereo equipment. I fix copiers. Our lives suck. But to be Sam and Dean, to wake up every morning and save the world, to have a brother that would die for you, well who wouldn’t want that?” Wow, I’m misting. What a great little speech. So unexpected and so dead on. It’s okay boys, I’m a computer programmer. We need a “life sucks let’s love on Supernatural” get together.
This certainly affects Dean somewhat. “Maybe you’ve got a point.” Isn’t a perspective change refreshing once in a while Dean? Dean mentions they don’t make a bad team themselves. How do they know each other? Okay, you asked. They met online in a Supernatural chat room. “Must be nice to get out of your parents basement, make some friends,” Dean says. Oh Dean, you and your generalizations. Fake Dean sets the record straight; they’re more than friends. They grab hands. They’re partners. Dean doesn’t know what to say. “Oh.” Fake Sam puts his head on fake Dean’s shoulder. “Well, howdi partners.” I’m dying to know if Kripke himself has ever used that line at a party. Fake Sam says “Howdi” back and Dean leaves feeling awkward.
Speaking of awkward, Sam isn’t getting off easy either. Becky is giving him a dramatic speech, complete with violins playing in the background. The gist, she’s letting Sam down easy. “Look Sam, I’m not going to lie, we had undeniable chemistry.” Sam is trying to be respectful, but you know he’s holding in a sigh of relief instead. “But like a monkey on the sun it was too hot to live.” Then Sam gives her this “What???” look that’s probably the best startled reaction in an episode loaded with startled reactions. It’s hysterical!
It can’t go on. She and Chuck have found each other. “My yin to his proud yang. The heart wants what the heart wants.” Sam is looking at her like she’s nuts. She says she’s sorry, then Chuck says he’s sorry, and Sam handles it like a pro. “Will you be alright,” Becky asks? Sam chooses to play along, and with one deep sigh answers, “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ll just have to find a way to keep living I guess.” What a sport! Who knew Sam could be so facetious? “God bless you,” Becky says.
“Okay,” Sam says, suddenly much better. “Oh, hey Chuck, look if you really want to publish more books, I guess that’s okay with us.” “Really?” an excited Chuck asks. “No, not really. We have guns and we’ll find you.” Chuck suddenly agrees no more books. He’s got the backing of an archangel though. What’s stopping him? Still, Sam’s line becomes the funniest line in this funny episode.
Just as Sam leaves Becky jumps in with a little tidbit that would have been so useful before now. She mentions the end of “Time Is On My Side” and goes into the whole bit about how Bela stole the colt and gave it to Lilith. Uh yeah, Sam knows that part all too well. Does he know she lied? She really gave it to a demon named Crowley. Now Sam’s interested. He asks Chuck how come he didn’t mention this. “She knows the books better than I do.” Hmm, interesting, you think Kripke is confessing to something here? Naturally, Sam asks Becky for everything. For those that wonder why Becky would suddenly bring up the colt, I’m certain it has to do with Dean’s outburst in the bar early in the episode when he told Chuck in front of Becky they were hunting for it.
Dean is waiting by the Impala smiling. This whole experience wasn’t so bad after all. That’s the way I always feel after a con, despite my reservations in going. Sam arrives and asks if he’s okay. Yeah, he thinks he’s good. Sam mentions he strangely got a lead on the colt. He’ll tell him about it on the drive. They climb into the Impala and drive off in another great glory shot of parting.
Oh, but we get a bonus ending! Rob Benedict said this wasn’t in the script, its just something the editor threw in. Kripke had about two pages of these quick lines and so they taped them realizing they wouldn’t make the final cut. Maybe they were thinking gag reel. Apparently they did have some time to show a few. They’re pure gold!
“Like a lot of authors I started writing because of love. Yeah, I had a huge crush on Nancy McKeon who played Jo in The Facts of Life. I must have written her 40 to 50 letters. She never wrote back.”
“I don’t think The Benders made flesh suits out of all their victims. Maybe like a couple of scarves.”
“Actually my favorite movie was Beaches. Hillary and CeCe were just so brave.” This part was actually the one part of the episode that got me rolling on the floor. Sam slowly emulates slitting his throat, while Dean pretends to blow his brains out with his two fingers. These guys MUST do comedy together when this show is done. Their timing is perfect! “So strong,” Chuck finishes.
“The way I look at it, it’s not really jumping the shark if you never come back down.” There’s a tagline! Must find a place to put it on the site.
Okay, that’s an episode. Next week is a major downer, so enjoy the light stuff while it’s here.
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