Recap – “99 Problems”
A young woman comes forward and says it’s okay. He calls her out by her name, Leah, and she announces dreamily it’s Sam and Dean Winchester. A fan girl! She knows all about them. Dean is interested how with a flirty glare, until she mentions the word “angels.” Suddenly he isn’t impressed. She knows they can’t see them there, the marks on their ribs hide them. Sam decides to clarify what they’re hearing, just in case anyone is confused. “So you know all about us because the angels told you?” Yep. The angels told her the spell and where the demons are going to be before it happens. She’s never been wrong and Daddy is proud.
Dean verifies that before she sees something, she gets a really bad migraine and sees flashing lights. Shouldn’t Sam be asking that question since he’s like, I don’t know, HAD THESE VISIONS BEFORE? I guess Dean did have that one that Andy sent him. She wants to know how he knows. “You’re not the first prophet we’ve met.” Then he adds right in front of her preacher Dad, “but you are the cutest.” Speak for yourself, I actually find Chuck kind of adorable. I like the geeky types though. Dad gives Dean the evil eye and he covers, saying he means that with respect. It doesn’t work.
Next they’re in a bar, and Sam among all that noise is trying to use a cell phone. Okay. The phone has gone to voice mail, and lady on the other end says “You have reached the voice mail of”¦ (beep)” and then Castiel is heard saying, “I don’t understand, why do you want me to say my name?” Sam’s contorted facial expressions while listening to all this is funny, and it’s here too I notice his hair is running pretty long. Time to break out Dean’s machete again. Better yet, I have some good updates for the Enigma of Sam Winchester’s hair article. Interesting how Sam is doing the angel calling now. There are a bunch of beeps like numbers are being pressed and then the beep for the message goes off. Technically challenged angels. I love it.
Sam leaves a message they are in Blue Earth, Minnesota and need some help. Isn’t that were Pastor Jim from season one was? Isn’t that were Meg ganked him? Interesting. I wonder why there wasn’t a few lines where someone remember him. This is a small town by the looks of it, someone has to remember. Sam gets the beers and the bartender, who is part of the militia, confesses that since The End started, it’s been one long last call. Their actions at least earned a round on him. How neighborly.
Sam delivers the beers to Dean and tells him he left a message for Cas, he thinks. Dean has slipped into complacent jerk mode as they discuss theories as to why the demons are in town. Dean figures it’s they’re after the prophet. Sam is disgusted by the whole thing because these angels are sending the people to do their dirty work. Ah, you gotta feel the Winchester love for angels. Dean agrees but doesn’t really care. “We’re all gonna die Sam, in like a month, maybe two. I mean it. This is the end of the world. But these people aren’t freaking out. In fact they’re running to the exits in orderly fashion. I don’t know that that’s such a bad thing.” Sam is not impressed and still remembers the saving people, hunting things motto. “Who says they’re all gonna die. Whatever happened to us saving them?”
Dean kind of listens, but then the town bells ring so we don’t get to hear his response. This is a shortfall of this episode. A lot of quick conversations in between some action that really never get off the ground. Everyone leaves and Sam asks Paul (I guess that’s the bartender’s name) what’s going on. Leah has had another vision. Cue dramatic pause here. “Wanna go to church?” Sam asks. “You know me, I’m downright pious,” Dean says finishing his beer. It’s kind of interesting how that works out to be somewhat true later. Sort of, in a twisted Supernatural sort of way.
Pastor Gideon addresses the crowd, there are demons three miles, no five miles away. Is that a shout out to Monty Python and The Holy Grail? Probably not, but who knows. The demons are there and there are many. So break out the fire hose, what’s the worry? He asks who’s going to join him and what do you know, it’s the militia and Sam and Dean. He offers a prayer and Sam and Dean do what most do in church, pretend to pray and then people watch. He says “Our father in Heaven,” and Dean accurately says in a low voice, “Not so much.” You’ve got the inside info there Dean! Paul does one better, pulls out a flask and drinks instead. Now that’s my kind of church service.
Yeah, the Sacrament Lutheran Militia… that alone should make everyone cringe… religious fanatics at work. They just don’t know yet what they will become, soon. How I hate it when fundamentalism does that to people. This show deals with that in a unique manner.
I loved Dean’s line whether to go screaming or buy a condo! Even after all they’ve been through he can still throw a line like that. Loved it. Also Castiel’s voicemail message ‘why do you want me to say my name?’ Priceless! I should put that on my answering machine…
Loved your fight-scene sequence! The best delivery of a knife, ever – throw it into the demon’s back, it falls forward and Dean can pull it right out and kill the other sucker. Great job, Sammy!
And drunken and kinda-already-depressed Castiel… ah, we all know where this is going… Unfortunately it’s not Monty Python… Dean’s last scene proves this again. That was heartbreaking, and it’s clear that we’re not going to have much of a breather before the end, right? Only a few more episodes to go…. Gabriel will appear again, in Trickster mode?, maybe there’ll be a few laughs, but otherwise… I’ll be dead at the end, too, Alice – wanna set up a crypt together? I’ll bring the booze.
Loved this, loved your screencaps – thanks for this, again. It may sound like a broken record, but that’s just how it is.
Cheers, Jas
Great recap as always, Alice. Loved the holy water shot out of a fire hose bit. Way back in season 1 Jensen said in an interview that he’d love to see just that on the show. Nice to see they took him up on his suggestion!
The recap for “Point of No Return” will likely be out by tomorrow. I’ve been working on that too but its WAY harder than this one. So, if you haven’t seen me around lately, it’s because I’m turning my brain to mush in recapping catch up mode!
Evil shrink from hell might provide you with some new brain, coming straight from DocBenton Incorp. Just say the word. 😆
Okay, we got booze, food, new brain tissue… what else could we possibly wish for?! Ah, I know… anyone know how to clone the Winchesters?
Forgive me, I’m just naughty today. 😉 Jas
I’d love to join you all in that crypt. I think it was the clone suggestion that cinched it. Yowza!
Alice, for some reason your recap amused me mightily. Could be because of the religious sarcasm, but you had me giggling through a lot of it. Wasn’t Jane delightful? 😯
Love that Dean could gank the Whore. Maybe Dean has lost his faith but I believe the Big Guy who matters has all the faith in the world in Dean.
Always liked Lisa and I believe that Dean has a shred of doubt that Ben is not his son. Lisa could possibly have lied about that. I read that Kripke denies that Ben is Dean’s son, but he also said there would never be angels and God on his show. If Dean has even a bit of a belief that Ben could possibly be his, is it any wonder that he would want to protect him and his mom? I love him even more for that.
I would like to think that after this show comes to an end I could imagine Dean and Lisa and Ben happily together for ever after. With Sammy and Sara next door of course! They both so deserve it.
Even so, I NEVER want him to say yes to Michael! 🙁 😉
Great recap Alice. Loved the screencaps for the fight scene. Just can’t get that knife action without a video though. Never caught the 99 in the title for the 99th episode either! Whenever I hear the title though, I can’t stop thinking of that song “99 bottles of beer on the wall…..†Silly what things come to mind.
Loved the holy water fire hose, and Dean killing Leah. Good shots of the boys and the wedding too. Glad the ‘whore’ is down for the count!
Your recaps are always so much fun!
I always watch it live, but of course DVR it too to watch multiple times later, & those CW promos have gotten more & more annoying.
I noticed the shirt toss too, & wondered why that was shown. And yes, they really need some new shirts! Although if they are anything like the men in my family, they’ll only wear what they want, no matter what recommendation we ladies make or might buy them.
I adore Michael Shanks & was hoping he’d have more to do this episode. His character rocked the intro scenes, but then just sort of wilted away by the end, only doing the bidding of his shrew of a wife & the Whore & then getting pummeled by Sam. I’m hoping he got his senses back & let those poor people out of the closet.
I do often wonder what becomes of some of the poor bystanders & bewildered “innocents” the guys saved (or the family members of those they couldn’t save)who are left in limbo as the episode ends. Like Pastor Gideon, how did he deal with his daughter’s death. And do the guys tell those who have survived demon possession how not to be possessed again?
(And I still want to know how Bobby ended up getting possessed?!)
Great recap, as usual, Alice!
I like the screencap action sequence there. That was a really good way of showing it because you’re right: how do you write up an action sequence, really? Just let the action speak for itself!
I loved the holy water fire truck. Man, that thing was cool! And useful. I’d love to see Rufus driving that thing around. Man, that would be badass.
And speaking of badass, loved your idea for the CW Thursday night promotion. Some intrepid video-maker out there has to be able to do something like that, right? Please?
Ans lastly, Jas, I know how to clone the Winchesters due to my amazing alchemy skills! But you know that already. I guess this means I’m invited to the crypt, huh? Sweet! It’s going to be quite the party in there.
Hope there is room for me in The Crypt! I would not mind a visit from a cloned Bobby….or John….or..OH! Back to reality!! Just save me a place! Diane (great review by the way!)
Once again , Thank You Alice — yes we are like broken records!!
Really enjoyed this episode and your recap of it.
One of the best action sequences ever and the series of screencaps demonstrated this so well.
I too hated Jane! How dare she blame Dean for the kids death ,just what he needs a little more guilt piling on there.
I loved Drunk Cas and his ongoing battle with phones , I figure at the moment we need to cling to any funny moments like this as I have a feeling they are going to be few of these in the next couple of weeks ( heaven help us )
If there`s room in that crypt , I`ll bring chocolate! Ju
Hi Alice.
Lovely recap, funny as hell. I snorted my way through it respectively 😛
I especially like that you said Michael Shanks alot, hiya there Daniel Jackson! He looked so weird, not nerdy at all 😉 Weird. *snortysnort*
So, this is the only ep that I have watched only once. For some reason it just broke me, and I just can’t rewatch it… for a while anyways… I guess when I get my S5 DVD’s (next year prob.) then I’ll give it a go (or multiple ones) but the way I felt after this one was just… bad. They broke the boys! They broke me! Stupid Kripke *mumbles*
But truly enjoyed your recap, it was hilarious but sad, and very pretty. Thanks! 😀
A wedding with guns? In the south, those are called Saturdays. Thank you, thank you.
I wondered about the Blue Earth thing, too. One doesn’t pick the same very small town twice without a continuity shout out. Of course, why Pastor Jim didn’t have a devil’s trap sitting at the entrance to his secret stash remains a writerly mystery to this very day.
African swallow or European?
Uncle Sam, heh heh. Man, I’m sick of those damn promos, too. Enough with the coy crap, everyone just sleep with everyone and be done with it. Fucking sheesh.
As for Jane blaming Dean, given the context of rampant lunacy, it’s not all that shocking. Most folks don’t think straight on a good day, let alone when the world’s ending. Your kid gets ganked, odds are you might lose a bit of rationale.