
Episode Review: “Simon Said”
–Robin’s Rambles by Robin Vogel
Andy Gallagher is another of the “special kids,” like Sam, but his power is a lot more fun than Sam’s headache-inducing visions. He can tell a girl to sleep with him and she will, tell a guy carrying a cup of coffee to hand it over, and he will, or ask Dean Winchester to merely give him his beloved Impala,and he WILL! Oddly, Sam is immune to Andy’s persuasive power, but not Dean, which leads to some funny moments.
At the Roadhouse, Jo wins money off a hunter who challenges her to a video game in which she has all the high scores. Sam and Dean consult a naked Ash re: the demon in Blue Ridge, OK,no demon there, but he does dig up intel on a kid named Guthrie, whose mother died above his mother’s crib on the child’s six month birthday. Jo plays REO Speedwagon’s “I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore” on the jukebox, indicating to Dean how she feels, and he tells her he doesn’t dare run away with her because he IS scared of Ellen. Ash comes up with information on one Andy Gallagher for the Winchesters; he might be a kid who lost his mother to the ceiling demon, too.
When Dean sings “I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore” in the Impala as they’re driving away from the Roadhouse, Sam says, “You’re kidding, right?” Is he reacting to Dean singing the song, or his possible hook-up with Jo? Who knows? Dean sang it damn well!
At a diner in Andy’s town, the brothers get nothing but positive info about Andy,he got one guy backstage at a concert, he staves off debt collectors and they never come back, a girl, Tracy, working there has only kind things to say. He appears to be a very nice guy who doesn’t need a luxurious life even though his talent could easily give him one.
Sam is sure Andy is mind-controlling people into doing terrible things that fuel his visions, but the Winchester brothers are never in time to stop them from happening. When Sam envisions a man buying a gun, shooting the store owner with it, then shooting himself, Sam is able to prevent the murder-suicide by racing into the store and pulling the fire alarm bell, preventing the man from ever entering the store, but that same man walks in front of a bus not long after getting a cell phone call Sam is sure is from Andy. The question is, why?
After the doctor dies, Sam is very upset, sure Andy is a psychic killer. Dean disagrees, especially after they check the inside of his van, Andy’s a lover, not a killer! He owns a van with a Barbarian Queen painted on the side, a Moby Dick bong and disco balls inside. He reads erudite books. Why would he waste the doctor, anyway, what’s his motive? After Sam and Dean retrieve the Impala following Andy’s joy ride, the latter demands to know why they’re following him. Sam lies, unaffected by Andy’s mind control, but Dean reveals everything about them, including that they’re hunters of the supernatural.
Andy orders Sam to leave him alone, but Sam talks to Andy, asking if his ability started a year ago, like his did. Apparently so. Andy steadfastly denies killing the doctor. Sam has another vision,the woman burning herself alive at the gas station. While Dean goes to check, Sam keeps Andy with him, but it’s too late to do anything about this one.
Ash’s digging turns up interesting information,Holly Beckett, Andy’s mother, had twin boys in 1983, and Dr. Jennings was her doctor. She gave each boy to different families, yet they were raised in the same state. Anson Weems is the name of the other twin, apparently fraternal, and he came to town eight months ago to work in the diner under false pretenses, giving a fake name. Sam has another agonizing premonition,of Anson sending Tracy over the dam!
Anson has taken Tracy, crying, to the dam. Andy is a genius, says Anson, MY FAMILY, after tonight, you will be gone.
Sam orders Dean to stay back so he won’t be influenced by either brother. Andy wants to come with Sam to save Tracy. Anson is about to force Tracy to have sex in the car before killing her; she’s going to think she can fly, that all is OK. Sam breaks the window on the driver’s side of Anson’s car, orders him out, then gags him with duct tape. Seeing Tracy standing out on ledge, Andy intervenes, bringing her back to safety, giving his brother time to remove the tape from his mouth and speak. Anson says Tracy is just garbage trying to come between them; the yellow eyed man said he’s special, has big plans for him. He HAD to kill their mother and the doctor; they split the two of them up!
Realizing Dean is aiming at him from the bushes, Anson forces him to put the gun under his own chin. Before he can force him to pull the trigger, however, Andy shoots and kills his brother.
Andy tells the cops Anson killed himself; they believe it, of course. Sadly, because Andy never before used his mind control on Tracy and had to do it this evening, she’s afraid of him now, so their romance is over. Because the place is swarming with police, the Winchesters tell Andy they have to go, but promise to come back if he doesn’t behave. Driving back to the Roadhouse, Sam insists he was right about Andy,he IS a killer. He isn’t a psycho, insists Dean, he killed to save me. As far as letting Andy take the Impala, Dean wants a do-over! Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances, says Dean.
At the Roadhouse, Ellen sends Jo for a case of beer and badgers the brother to spill all. They explain about the demon being after the Gallagher’s’, Sam’s ability, his premonitions, that the demon has plans for kids like him Not all the six month old special kids had house fires, and there’s no way to know how many are out there. The demon holds all the cards, realizes Ellen, and asks Jo for the whiskey instead.
Andy was a wonderful character, friendly, dorky, just wanting to live in his little world and enjoy himself. A slacker is the right word, I guess. This whole thing really got Sam, who suffered with excruciating pain from vivid visions that had Dean hovering over him like a mom over a sick baby. The brotherly moments in this episode are many and wonderful.
We will see Andy again, but only once, and not until the end of the special kid’s storyline, “All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 1.” His fate is not a happy one.
The brotherly moments were delicious in this episode and all so sweet and innocent.
Was i the only one who thought Anson’s possessive behavior over Andy bordered very closely on on actual incestuous symptoms. I mean, he was jealous of Andy’s potential romantic interest and was posed to kill any and everyone who got between his plan. Compared to that, Sam and Dean seem pretty normal(codependency aside.)
Easily in my top ten. I love this episode. anene, I think one could certainly read that into it. Anson’s simply a Grade A loon, and a thorough evaluation would likely garner him his own chapter in the DSM-IV.
I also loved this episode. The brotherly moments….especially with Dean being protective over Sam. LOVE IT!
Also loved the scenes where Andy mind controls Dean. First when he gets him to give him the Impala and the second where Dean spills the truth. Too funny!
Agree with the assessment of Anson. His obsession over Andy is indeed straight jacket worthy. Most likely YED’s influence? I wonder, if not for YED, if Anson found out about his brother, would he have been the same way?
I love Simon said. Everything about it is near perfection. Andy is adorable, Anson is a wacko and Tracy is a sweet girl. Ofcourse the bro-moments are the best. I love visions!Sam and worried!Dean. I feel so nostalgic wathching these eps ’cause so much has happened since then. S2, those were the good ol’ days even though S1 was A LOT easier on the boys 🙂 What can I say, I love me some serious rip-your-heart-out -angst, and boy, did this season deliver it in spades! *smirk*
I agree with everybody here so far. I loved this episode.
Andy was adorable and such a shame he was killed off later. A sweet guy who lived happily on not very much and had no world dominating inclinations.
Loved Dean telling the truth and giving up his beloved car.
Loved Dean so protective of and worried for vision/Sam.
Wish the brothers could be like that right now. :cry::