Ugh. I remember after watching “Red Sky At Morning” in repeats I did a review claiming it was one of the worst episodes ever. There were only four others worse. Guess what made that exclusive list? Yep, “Hookman.” Granted number one on that list is tomorrow’s episode, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
This episode just stinks. Who knew the hookman legend on film is really boring? No, here, it’s worse than cheesy horror. As the German dude in “The Real Ghostbusters” said, “Sigh.” You won’t get a worse guest actress that the preacher’s daughter, Lori. Her and Sam? A pair of throw rugs have more chemistry than they do. This is easily one of Jared’s worst performances, probably because he had no idea who Sam was at this point. Likely because the writing thus far made him a different person every week. Sam took interest in this girl so soon after Jessica’s death? This piece of wood? Considering we learn in later seasons what a dirty boy Sam really is, chances are it’s a preacher’s daughter thing.
The dialogue is terrible and not fun at all. The only thing that even made me crack a smile was Dean’s half-caff comment after Sam tried to call dad. There were so many plot holes you could drive the Impala through them. The silver of the hook gets melted down into that puny silver pendant that people wear? What sort of sick religious types thought that was cool? Oh, right, sick religious types is why hookman is slicing people.
This was actually supposed to be episode 3, but the director f’ed it up so much Kim Manners had to be brought in to fix things and it was rescheduled. Then Kim Manners gets “Bugs?” Man, it’s a wonder he didn’t quit by then. I could see the conversations now. “Eric, this is really lame.” “No, it’s really cool. Wait until we get the dailies back. It’ll be amazing.” “Eric, this sucks.” “It’s the Hookman legend. Who wouldn’t go for that?” “Eric, this urban legend stuff is going nowhere.” “Nah, it’s- let me get back to you.” I really wonder if it was after this episode that Kripke holed up and wrote “Home” to save his show.
Okay, maybe I’m being rough. Surely there must be something good about this episode? I guess I do like Sam getting arrested and Dean coming up with the lame “pledge” excuse to get him out of it. That was especially cool because rock salt shotgun pellets was introduced as a weapon against ghosts. Dean setting up Sam to paint the pledge purple was amusing too. I also don’t think Jensen was half bad in this episode. He looked like he was having a good time. And there was”¦nah, I got nothing.
I can’t even come up with a full 500 word review for this. My overall grade, a D.
Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
This was the best mini-review (so far) 😀 I love your sarcastic tone, it’s so fitting ’cause this eppie? Sucked big time. I’ve watched it maybe 3 times (counting the actual first viewing when I was blissfully unaware) and even those times were ’cause I pledged to watch every single eppie in the correct order. It’s just bad, reeeeally bad. And I agree, Sam was waaaay-off, I couldn’t really get a handle on him, I usually get where he’s coming from but this was just huh-Sam? Dean I liked, he had his moments, my fave being the one where he imagines naked pillow fight with that lovely boyish grin *lovesigh* and the following exchange “Be quiet! Me be quiet? You be quiet” was the only snort I got. But the worst of the worst? The actual hookman. What.a.dissapointment. It wasn’t scary, hell it wasn’t anyway near scary, it was ridiculous and even humorous which I ‘think’ they weren’t going for (at the time). Man, I was more freaked in Bugs…
Yeah, they really botched this one and even Kim couldn’ fix it… Nobody could.
But thanks Alice, you really hit the nail on the head in this one and I snorted more here than in the actual ep, now that’s good storytelling 🙂
I haven’t seen this one in ages and the only thing I can remember about it was that I quite liked his hat, which is hardly a ringing endorsement …
Now there’s an idea for a list, worst one-offs. Lori was *abysmal*. Yes, Jared hadn’t come into his own yet (as you said, the material, yikes; Dean was a bit more fleshed out or at the very least Jensen was more comfortable with what he was given), but what an uninteresting, implausible foil for Sam.
Well, off to the local library to plow through 150-year old arrest records. I need a new pendant.
I have to agree with you Alice this definitely isn’t one of my favorites episodes either, maybe that’s way I only saw it once when it aired first time here (and my reaction was: not on my rewatch list), I didn’t even saw the reruns (I think there was about 3/4 of them) and on my season 1 dvds I skipped it. It’s tonight episode on Animax maybe I’ll see it. And then again… I’ll tell you tomorrow.
I’m in agreement with cathy1967. Compared to other TV shows this episode is far from really bad. I don’t dislike any episode until one from season 4, so I have to give this one a B. Good television indeed!
Loved the smile on Dean just before they climb into the sorority house. That alone makes this one a B for me. And on that shallow note don’t forget the grave digging Dean in his lovely short sleeved tshirt! Wooooooeeeeeee!! Nice!
Wasn’t the guy who played the Reverend the same actor who played Bulldog on Frasier? Always enjoyed his performance on Frasier.
I won’t ever be able to watch this episode without thinking of the pseudo-German convention-Hookman – which was a nice and naughty side blow at this episode that lacks a lot. It’s been already said, no need to repeat what you explained in this fine review…
There are some sweet moments, but overall, okay… watchable…
Thanks, Alice! Jas
😀 I can’t get enough of your imagined “conversation” between Kim and the Krip. I keep reading it over and over, and I crack up every time. Hookman. “Sigh.” ‘Nuff said.
Hookman is my #1 worst episode EVER!
I know Bugs has a sucky plot but the brother interaction between Sam and Dean saves it for me, it’s actually not on my least fav eps of SPN list.
I’m with Bevie and cathy1967 Any time I get t watch one bro fight for his life (and get a hook in the arm) and the other secue him is going to hold my attention.
The chemistry is starting to be highlighted, thank you Kim Manners! The seething look and jaw clench of Sam being forced to paint the frat boy and Dean’s smirk was very funny and very fast.
Dean’s face had a lot of expression while he was watching Sam and Lori say good bye. Sam seemed to be in pain getting in the car, Dean offers “We could stay.†Is it just because he wants Sam to get laid, or more? I’m not sure what is going on, perhaps because Dean as well as Jared has “no idea who Sam was at this pointâ€? Anyone have more insight into that scene?
Possible foreshadowing: Was that a stature of an angel that the hookman beheaded? Did Sam use telekinesis to slide Lori down the very long hallway?
Another BIG plot hole. How come melting the hook to make it into the “puny silver pendant†didn’t exorcise the ghost in the first place? (I suppose, maybe because the bones hadn’t been salted and burned yet, but … naw, it’s a plot hole.)
I wonder if some of the scenes were from the original filming and they are intermixed with Kim Manners.