Okay, on with the recap. It should be noted that this title is the same as a lame Steve Martin film. So, no, I don't get the motivation since the original had nothing to do with zombies. Anyway, lightening strikes in the dark skies and the camera pans to the wet ground of a cemetery. Clay James Thompson, who died in 2004suddenly punches his hand up out of the ground a la Dean Winchester in "Lazarus Rising." Except Dean's was way cooler. He pulls himself up.
Next we see some redneck drinking a beer and watching Animal Planet. If there was a dog, we'd have the redneck double date. Suddenly there's a noise at the door. He looks, nothing is there. Noises continue so he pauses the TV (about time they showed DVR technology on this show), gets up and opens the door. Aside from a gust of wind blowing in his face, nothing is there. He sits back down and goes back to his enthralling program about animals hunting one another. Oh, who am I kidding, I watch a lot of House Hunters. The door flies open, nothing is there, and suddenly there's a shot of this wild animal stalking his prey on the TV. Oh, get the parallel here?
Redneck closes the door and locks it and I just realized this dude is living in a trailer. Talk about your stereotypes. Suddenly behind him all covered in mud and rot is the guy that just climbed out of his grave. He's pissed! I'm guessing this is a revenge thing. Redneck is rightfully freaked out and backs away in fright. Mud zombie dude follows. Those mud zombies know how to intimidate. Redneck pulls out a gun, goes for the head but d'oh!, the gun has no bullets. Mud zombie goes in for the kill, and the TV program says the animal is going in for the kill. Zombie attacks and the TV shows one animal attack another. Yep, I get it. The nature of man is not unlike the nature of the beast. Or at least zombie man. Clever guys. I do love how the carnage is off camera and there's a rolling close-up on the poster "He who dies with the most toys wins." Interesting conventional wisdom coming from a redneck in a trailer.
Bloody title card. I guess that's appropriate for an episode about zombies.
It should be noted this is the first appearance of director John Showalter. He's done a number of shows, most notably "Without A Trace." He does give us something different in this episode. The writer is the always entertaining Jeremy Carver. It shows in this next scene too, which is why I adore the man. It's a plot exposition scene, but the amusing dialogue along with the quirky character introductions is one of those little touches he does best.
Sam and Dean in suits pull up to a diner in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. What do you know, its Bobby's hometown! Bobby doesn't know they're there, because Sam's on the cell phone griping to Bobby's voice mail that he needs to call. They walk into the diner and there's a picture of Mt. Rushmore on the wall. Is that all there is in South Dakota? There's...nope I guess that's it.
They see the guy they need to talk to and decide to do this themselves. Dean calls him Mr. Wells but he tells Dean to call him Digger. Dean is amused by this and asks who gave him that name. "I did," the man replies in confusion. "You gave yourself your own nickname?" Dean asks incredulously. "You can't do that." "Who died and made you Queen?" Digger answers back. Welcome to small town America Deano.
Sam jumps in, ready to move things along. What did Digger see? He saw Clay Thompson climb into Benny Sutton's trailer through the window. Minutes later Clay walked out and Benny's dead. Dean pulls out a photocopy of Clay's driver's license verifying that's who he saw. Yep, just all covered in mud. The problem is Clay Thompson has been dead for five years. Digger knows that. Dean asks if he's positive and Digger gets offended. This is what's so funny about this. All three guys at this table don't think Clay coming back from the dead and getting some payback is all that absurd. No one watching this is either. It's a fun world we've built for ourselves, huh?
This part reminds me of an old Saturday Night Live sketch when Buckwheat was assassinated. When the killer was identified, they asked everyone who knew him if he could kill Buckwheat. "Oh yes, that's all he ever talked about." So, when they ask Digger if he knows why Clay would want to kill Benny, the answer is obvious. Because Benny killed Clay in the first place. Zombie payback is a bitch!!!
The sheriff walks in on the cell phone, instructing her kid to eat better. Right, that works over a cell phone. Trust me, I've tried it. Kids have selective recall. "Put down the cupcake" translates over the airwaves as "Eat as many of them as you want." Weird, huh? Anyway, she spots Digger talking to these well dressed and gorgeous men and naturally has to investigate. Digger sees her. "Heads up, Fargo." Hee, good one! I love that movie.
She identifies herself as Sheriff Jody Mills, Dean introduces themselves as Agents Dorfman and Neidermeyer. I love the Animal House reference, but which one is the bloated overweight loser and which is the over the top asshole ROTC sergeant that gets killed by his own troops in Vietnam? Interesting choices for characters. She welcomes them to town and wonders what they're doing with Digger. "They're doing their job," Digger says, obviously resentful over no one believing his totally plausible zombie story. The sheriff wonders why the FBI would believe that a dead man committed a murder. They claim they don't and just asking a few questions. Yeah, but they totally do.
Case in point. Dean asks if the dead man didn't commit the murder who did? She asks what jurisdiction they have, and Dean says it's wherever the US govt. sends them. Oh Dean, don't piss the nice cop lady off. You'll lose. She wants to chat with their supervisor. Sam agrees and pulls out the number, a la "Sex and Violence." She dials and Bobby picks up the FBI line on the other side, calling himself Agent Willis. The sheriff talks and then catches on really quick. "Bobby?" Ha! This gag doesn't work if you live in the same small town. These yokels are pretty sharp. Bobby winces and then tries to go on, but she isn't buying it. "Is this Bobby Singer?"
Bobby denies and Sam and Dean have a "busted!" look on their faces. "Bullcrap," the sheriff says and hangs up. "So uh, you know Bobby Singer?" Sam says, realizing they aren't getting out of this one. Dean finds it a fun coincidence. Apparently the sheriff knows Bobby a little too well. "Here's what I know about Bobby Singer. He's a menace around here, ass full of drunk and disorderlies and mail fraud, understanding me?" They sheepishly do. Whatever the three of them are planning, it ends now. Sam and Dean completely understand while squirming in their seats. Ooh, I love it when the show brings on tough smart broads.
Sam and Dean are now at Bobby's house and wondering why he didn't answer their calls. "I've been playing Murderball." I look up the reference in Google and what do you know. It is a 2005 documentary film about a bunch of paraplegics in Australia that take up full contact Rugby. Oh, that makes sense now. I notice something immediately isn't right. Bobby's house is clean and straightened up! Seriously! Plus Bobby looks clean and well groomed. Dean asks if he cleaned and Bobby replies sharply, "What are you, my mother. Bite me!"
Sam wants to know seriously. Bobby claims he's been working, trying to find a way to stop the Devil. Dean asks if he did"¦of course not. Sam tries to explain there's a case less than five miles from his house, but I'm too distracted by the wide shot now of this ridiculously clean and straightened up house. Even Dean is looking around perplexed. I bet the set decorators giggled the entire time during set up.
Bobby is shocked they're talking about the Benny Sutton thing. Bobby checked into it already, it's nothing. Sam asks about the witness and Bobby can't believe they're buying the story from Digger Wells, the town drunk. Sam then asks about the lightning storms, but Bobby claims that's normal for South Dakota in February. It's storm season. It is? I thought it would be snow season. Then again, I'm not from THAT part of the Midwest. They ask who did kill Benny Sutton then and Bobby thinks anyone could have done it. He was a "grade A" son of a bitch. "There's a list of the living a year long that wouldn't mind putting a cap in his ass." Sam and Dean reluctantly take his word.
The Impala drives at night and passes by the cemetery. Dean pulls over and I can tell this is stock footage because there's no passenger. Suddenly, the shot does a close up inside and Sam is there. He wants to know that Dean is doing. Dean says the cemetery is there. Sam is still sticking to what Bobby said but Dean is trusting that good ole fashioned instinct. He knows Bobby has been wrong before. They'll a peek and hit the road.
They find Clay Thompson's grave site and the dirt is fresh. They brought shovels? How is that "taking a peek?" Next Sam is deep in the grave digging while Dean takes watch. It's been a while since we've seen that happen. I also notice the unique overhead shot which is cool, but keep in mind, Sam/Jared is 6'4". That hole is below waist high on him. So in South Dakota, graves are only 3 feet deep? Go figure. That makes it way easier on the boys. There's a hole in the top of the coffin and opening it up only confirms no body. They know now something's up.
Sam and Dean next break into a nice house and split up searching. During the suspenseful look around, Dean is attacked by a half dead dude with a baseball bat. He ducks and takes out the guy with one punch. Sam arrives and the guy begs them not to shoot. He tells them the money is in the safe. Sam takes the opportunity to confirm that he's Clay Thompson and then identifies themselves as FBI. Clay, not missing a beat, realizes this is about Benny. He uses the plea that Benny killed him, he's supposed to let him get away with that? Wow, how would that stand up in a court of law? Can you convict the undead? Clay will go with them quietly, just don't wake his kids. Sam and Dean aren't sure where he'll go with them. Why jail of course! NOW Dean has to point out the absurdity of this. "Wait a second, you're Clay Thompson and you died five years ago (yes) and three days ago you climbed out of your grave and killed Benny Sutton (yes). So, you are in fact a dead guy." He really doesn't know what he is. Oh yeah, when something bothers Dean, he's lost control of the situation.
Clay's wife comes in and says she called 911. Clay tells her it's okay, they're the FBI and are there about Benny. Time to go. They walk outside and Dean pulls out his gun ready to cap the dude, but Sam gives him the moral face of objection. "He's a monster," Dean defends. Sam was never one to go with the monster thing. "He's a soccer dad." Before they decide what to do, the sheriff and her deputy show up. They have their guns pointed at Sam and Dean though. Dean explains they've found the murderer. "And?" The sheriff asks. "And?" Dean is not understanding the sheriff's reaction. "And you're welcome, for catching the undead killer zombie."
The sheriff isn't pleased, lecturing that whatever he is, that doesn't give him the right to shoot him in the middle of the street. She and the deputy put the cuffs on Sam and Dean. She tells Mr. Thompson he's free to go and Dean can't believe it. Mr. Thompson is mad that Dean was going to kill him. "You're a zombie," Dean says. "I'm a taxpayer," Mr. Thompson defends before going inside. No, this is definitely not Dawn of The Dead. Although, it does resemble the offbeat humor of Shaun of The Dead.
Sam and Dean are in jail and I call me shallow (like I haven't been this way before), but there's something about Winchesters being behind parts that so"¦hot. Danger vibe maybe? I don't know, but here's some gratuitous shots for fun.
Ahh, excuse me? Oh, recap. Fine. Dean asks if the sheriff's on the take. "Yeah, the zombies are paying her off," Sam replies. The main door opens and they're shocked to see Bobby there having a casual conversation with the sheriff. They're shocked because Bobby and the sheriff don't like each another. They leave with Bobby, Sam taking the wheelchair pushing duties. It's because he's taller. Sam clarifies with Bobby that the sheriff hated him. "She did, until five days ago." Dean must know what happened five days ago. "The dead started rising all over town." Oh, that explains things.
Sam and Dean are exasperated that Bobby knew about this. Bobby says yes, so Dean clarifies. "I think what Sam meant to say is, "˜You lied to us?'" There's that disconnect between Sam and Dean again on lying. Bobby takes control of the wheelchair and pulls authority. He told them there was nothing there, not for them. Dean mentions there are zombies there. "There are zombies, and then there are zombies," Bobby says. "Come with me." He leaves and Sam and Dean band together for another confused stare. They've been doing a lot of that so far.
They enter Bobby's house and before they can get an answer, there's an undead looking lady setting the dinner table. In a sweet perky way she says she didn't realize he was bringing company. She rushes off the get more plates. More freaked out Sam and Dean looks. I swear, I never tire of those. Dean naturally asks who that is. Why it's Bobby's wife Karen of course! His new wife? No, that would be the dead wife. Dean takes this surprisingly well. Just wait!
Dean is having an orgasm over pie. He tells "Mrs. Singer" it's incredible. Coming from an aficionado like Dean, that's a huge complement. She thanks him. Sam gives him a bitchface, like pies made from zombies are evil or something. "What, it is," Dean says. Bobby asks Karen if she could give them a minute, so Sam and Dean give her a big smile as she disappears into the kitchen. Their faces drop, pies are pushed aside and now it's time for the berating. I noticed Sam pushes away an uneaten pie. I've already floated the theory out there that Sam is so miserable because all he eats is salads. Turning down excellent zombie pie isn't doing him any favors either.
Alright, back to the plot. Dean starts with "Are you crazy, what the Hell?" He's upset that Bobby lied to them and "girl zombie in there making cupcakes in your kitchen." Bobby gets offended, not appreciating the insult on his wife. Sam jumps in now, stating that whatever that thing is in there, it is not his wife. Bobby questions why Sam knows that, pointing out he's not an idiot. "My dead wife shows up at my doorstep I'm not going to test her every way I ever learned?" He doesn't know what she is. She's got no scars, no wounds, no reactions to salt, silver, or holy water. Dean asks how she just pulled herself out of her coffin and Bobby claims she didn't. He cremated her. Whoa, Death can do that? That changes things.
Sam says that's impossible. Hello, Sam, since when has anything in your world been "impossible?" Poor choice of words on your part. I would have used "implausible." He asks if he buried her ashes. Yep, at the cemetery. That's where everyone rose from. 15 or 20 to be precise. Bobby gives Sam the list. I'm assuming that's because Sam is the official list handler. Bobby lists some of the people that come back, including the sheriff's son. Oh, so that's why she was pro zombie. Sam clarifies there were no omens. Well, maybe the lightning storms. Dean throws his hands up in the air in disgust and Sam gives a bitchface. Don't get these boys angry Bobby. You might get that reaction twice.
Dean wants to know what else. Oh, this is a big deal he forgot to mention. Bobby pulls out the "little known translation" of Revelation. He reads a passage about Death. Oh what the hey, I'll transcribe, since Sam and Dean get all bothered by these words. "And through the fire stood before me a pale horse and he that sat a top him carried a scythe, and I saw how since he had risen they too shall rise. And from him and through him." One very irritated Dean confirms Death is behind this. Sam even goes for more clarification. "Death, death as in grim reaper death." Come on Sam, you were there when he was risen and actually conscious for it.
Dean puts his hand over his face. "Awesome. Another horseman. Must be Thursday." Ha! That joke alone is funny given the show, but I was told it was also a Buffy reference. So that makes it cooler. Sam asks the golden question of the hour. Why would Death raise fifteen people in a "Podunk" town like Sioux Falls? Gee Sam, think really hard about that one. Bobby doesn't know. Dean goes out on a limb and theorizes if Death is involved, it's not good. Sam reads the bible for more clues. Dean comes right out with it. "You know what we have to do here."
Poor Bobby is so heartbroken over the idea already and Sam is giving the puppy dog look of sympathy to prove it! Bobby says she doesn't remember anything, like being possessed or being dead. Dean tries to talk sense but Bobby doesn't like the condescending tone. This part chokes me up. "Just listen, okay? She hums when she cooks. She always used to hum when she cooked. Tone deaf as all hell but I never thought I would hear it again."
Sam and Dean share those looks of worry and Bobby pleads to Sam's common sense. Read Revelation. It doesn't say anything about the dead rising being bad. "Maybe it's the one good thing that comes out of this whole bloody mess." Dean pulls the "what would you do if you were us" card, but he's not you Dean! Your dead wife isn't in the kitchen. He knows what he'd do, but he begs them with the trademark Sam Winchester "please" to leave her be.
Sam and Dean must have agreed, for they're sitting in the local diner trying to decide what to do. Dean doesn't want to leave Bobby alone with "the bride of Frankenstein" but Sam mentions the head shot might not be wise in front of Bobby. Dean's going to watch Bobby, Sam gets to do the leg work. Dean leans against the Impala in the junk yard, watching Bobby's windowless house, and here's the shot of him doing so (for you Sablegreen!). This next shot is a fun trick from a new director. The camera closes in on Dean, then without stopping pans left and whoa! Karen is there. It freaks Dean out too.
She asks if she scared him and with a scared expression Dean says no. "There's nothing scary about you at all." Oh, I love Dean when he uses statements of double meaning. She tries to get him to come in for lunch. Dean is good. She goes for the more pie angle. Dean isn't sure Bobby wants him inside. "Guess it'll have to be our secret, huh?" She likes him. She leads, Dean follows. Back to Sam, who gets to spy on zombies. He goes to the sheriff's house, where she and her husband are reading a book to their dead son. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Oh wait"¦
Back to Dean whose eating some luscious looking cherry pie. Yum, I want some. Pies are everywhere. Bobby is sleeping in the other room, so Karen closes the kitchen doors. Dean guesses that she likes pies. Ever since she came back, she can't stop baking. Dean wonders when she has time to sleep. She doesn't, which gives credence to the saying, "I'll sleep when I'm dead." She cuts to the chase. She knows Dean doesn't trust him. That's why he's there. She knows who he is and that Bobby's not the same scrap dealer she married. He hunts things, and she's a thing. This chick is really sharp, especially for being undead. It's refreshing to see a zombie with a brain.
Dean assumes she knows that Sam and him would never let anything happen to Bobby. She knows he's like a father to him, but she won't let anything happen either. She confesses she remembers everything. How she died, the demon taking over her body, everything. She accepts Bobby had no choice but to do what he did. Dean wonders why she doesn't tell him. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you've never been in love. He's my husband, my job is to bring him peace, not pain. Dean kind of gets it, but still has that "funny feeling look."
Oh God, another really gross scene to recap. Did Jeremy Carver and Ben Edlund start wagering bets as to who could top the other? Fine, I'll do it, but anyone ever wonder why most gross scenes belong to Sam? Is it because Jared keeps asking for this type of punishment? One too many pranks I think. Before I get into the gory detail, the beginning of this scene shows the different style of our guest director. The shot is from the ground, looking up at one tall Sam reading the list with the house fully in the background. What's really great is the top of Jared's head is blocking the top of the house. So cool! A director that wants to use the height of his freakishly tall actor in an interesting way.
Sam goes to the front door and knocks. No answer. He sees a drop of blood and that's the only invitation he needs to walk right in. Don't do it Sam! Right, he never listens to me. He walks cautiously through this pig sty. I still wonder to this day how people live like that. It defies all logic. There he finds the woman he's looking for on a bed in the living room. She's coughing, has all sorts of open sores on her face, and looks as dead as she should be. Sam doesn't quite know what to say. "Ezra Jones?" He manages to say with apprehension. She coughs, chokes on something like a nice chunk of phlegm and waves him closer. Sam naturally is squirming now and his look of unease is hilarious. She coughs some more and Sam only takes a few steps before stopping. "What is it?" She motions him close harder this time. "You think maybe you can tell me from here?" She waves him over again. "Yeah, I'm going to regret this." You most certainly are!
Sam takes in a deep breath and moves closer. Ezra keeps coughing, and her eyes are pretty darned cloudy. Not to mention her face looks like a bunch of rats chewed it half off. She starts drooling white foam and Sam is really grossed out. That is when I would have ran in the other direction. "Catch you later, bye!" Sam only winces and moves closer. She waves, he moves. He gets really close so she coughs on him. His look is precious! This is a guy that can cut off heads with wire with his bare hands but can't take this?
Ezra tries to talk, then screams and pushes Sam across the room onto the floor. That's when Sam spots a dead man on the floor with his innards missing. Ezra jumps on top of Sam and oh yuck, how did he film this without barfing? This is worse than any blood spatter imaginable. Ezra's thick white drool starts drizzling all over Sam's face. I don't know but I'm ready to call the advantage to Carver here. Amidst all this, Sam has the faculties to pull out his gun from his back and blow Ezra's head off. Lucky for him, her wide open mouth made for the perfect clean shot. She falls on her dead husband and Sam wipes off that thick, milky white drool, completely disgusted. You aren't the only one Sam.
Back at Bobby's and no doubt Sam has shared his story with the others. They go into the library and Bobby is concerned about them waking Karen who is upstairs. Apparently Ezra was the first one to come out. Sam points out she's the first one to go bad. Bobby claims she's always been nutty. "Nutty how, like she ate her husband's stomach? Is that how nutty she was in real life?" Bobby stares Dean while answering no, not appreciating his sarcastic tone this time. Dean, who's still in pissed off mode, points out what Bobby probably already knows, he isn't exactly seeing this straight.
Bobby wheels away while Sam and Dean tag team that they're going to have to stop all of them. Bobby turns around to face them, pulls out his archaic colt, and I'm wondering how that gun will take out both of them quickly. Sam already knows Bobby won't shoot. Call his bluff! "Time to go," Bobby says. Dean asks "What?" in complete shock. Bobby clarifies, off his property. Sam kind of does call his bluff, asking if he'd actually shoot. Bobby sternly warns that if Karen turns, he'll take care of it, his way. You know guys, he's right. He's a grown hunter, he can take care of himself and his personal matters. Dean says it's dangerous. Duh, that's the occupational hazard. "I'm not telling you twice," Bobby says. Actually, you kind of are, but we won't split hairs here. Dean stares at the gun, Sam stares at Bobby, and they leave.
Outside the Impala pulls outside of the compound and stops. Sam defends it's his wife and Dean doesn't care. "We're his family Sam." Sam points out there's bigger fish, like a town that needs to be saved. Dean doesn't care, for Bobby is alone in the house with one of them. "So?" Sam asks. "I'm going to have to go back there and kill her," Dean says like he has no option. You aren't thinking clearly either Dean. What happened to defending the greater good? Sam obviously took Bobby's threat seriously, for he tells Dean that if Bobby sees him he's a dead man. Dean doesn't care since he has the Michael card going for him. Except he doesn't bring that up, going for another angle. He'll have to make sure Bobby doesn't see him. I like the "I can't be killed" argument better.
Sam nods in frustration, realizing he isn't getting anywhere. "Okay. I'll head to town and rescue everyone "“ should be easy." He points out the obvious, he's going to need some help. Dean suggests the sheriff. Sam knows that's she's still pro zombie so might not be much help. Dean tells him he'll have to convince her. Yeah Sam, use the puppy dog eyes. Those always work.
Actually, those might not be needed. The sheriff is at her house and she's nursing her sick undead son. He keeps saying he's hungry. Big fat warning sign there Jodie. I get that these people are blinded by having their loved ones back, but a sick and hungry zombie warrants some form of precaution. So dad calls the doctor? Talk about not thinking straight. Was he expecting the antibiotic that would help the undead get better? No wonder this guy ended up being zombie food. Dad takes in the soup and that's the last we see of him with a stomach. The sheriff continues the insane conversation with the doctor.
Dean stakes out Bobby's place outside, shotgun in hand. Back inside, Bobby knows better. "Karen, stay away from the windows." She is, because she's on the ground in the kitchen. Not good. She coughs and pulls herself up, claiming she's okay. She's having some trouble, saying she got dizzy. Bobby feels that she's burning up. "I'm okay, I just need something to eat." Babe, you are NOT okay. She coughs a la Ezra and Bobby is freaking out on the inside. Poor man!
The sheriff is still on the phone with the doctor, very delusional that she'll get somewhere. Her frustration is apparent, but wow, what is she expecting? She's better off talking with the local mortician or psychic. This is their sort of thing. Doctors can only help THE LIVING. Too late, for she hears a noise and drops the phone in panic. She runs to the other room and there's no sign of her husband or son, just blood all over the blanket. She cautiously steps forward, stunned over the trail of blood going behind the couch. Then the massive pool of blood. Yeah, I think she's getting it now. Then, the worse happens. She sees her son is eating the entrails of her husband, prompting an "Oh my God." Um, not really. Her son creepily looks up with his zombie stare and face covered in blood like Sam getting a demon blood fix. The kid shuffles toward her like a normal zombie and she steps back slowly, too stunned to get the flock out of there.
Never fear, for Sam arrives in the nick of time to get her out of there. Is she grateful? Not really. Sam pushes her out of there and she screams "No!" So you want to be eaten by your zombie son too? They get outside and she's screaming about her husband. Sam has to point out the obvious because in this really whacked out scenario, he's this week's voice of reason. "He's dead." The sheriff then says that was not her son. Sam agrees but tries to appeal to her sense of duty. People are in danger and they need her now. No, she's not quite with you yet Sam. She's got some more freaking out to do. I suppose that's permitted. Sam asks if she can focus and she shakes her head and loses it. This is where I really feel for this woman. For a person of authority and the great skeptic she proved to be earlier, all bets are off when family is involved. That's very normal.
Sam gives her a few more seconds and she comes around. "How do we put them down?" She asks still not quite together. "Head shot," Sam says. She comes up with the suggestion of weapons. Sam wants to round up everyone they can find and asks where there's a safe place. The jail. Um, okay. As Sam and Dean have learned in the past, jails are hardly safe. No place is safe. Sam now realizes he has some unfinished business, and looks toward the house. "Just um, give me a minute." He pulls out his gun and locks it into firing position. I think this is a very tactful way of handling the fact that a child must be killed. Sam is respectful and willing to do the unthinkable, sparing this poor mother from having to do it.
This next reaction kills me! The sheriff grabs Sam's arm in a total panic, realizing she's about to lose her son again. Just like Bobby, she can't let go. Sam sympathetically looks at her and she looks back, and oh the pain in her face. This is devastating. Sam gives her the puppy dog eyes of "I'm sorry" and goes in to handle the painful task. The camera stays on the sheriff the entire time and as the sound of a gun going off inside the house happens, she flinches in the most painful way. Wow, when I can get teary for a guest character, the storytelling is really working.
This tragic story isn't letting up either, for now Bobby is at Karen's bedside, holding her hand with complete worry. She's struggling and very hungry. Bobby will fix her something to eat, but she knows better. It's happening. Bobby tries to assure her it's going to be alright, but she realistically says it's not. She's turning. It's a shame she didn't live, for I think she would have been the perfect hunter's wife. She looks over at Bobby's gun on the table and with her pained eyes lets him know what he has to do. "It's okay, do it." Bobby refuses, even though she says please. Oh Bobby, you poor man.
Karen goes into dying confession mode and tells him she remembers. Everything. The demon inside her, him killing her everything. "Then you know why I can't do it again." Of course Bobby says this with tears in his eyes, something I didn't notice the first couple of times since there were tears in mine. Oh, but there's more. When she came back, there was a man at the grave thin as a skeleton. He told her to give him a message. Bobby is shocked the message is for him. Why didn't she tell him before? "You've seen so much. I just wanted to see you smile." Oh, this isn't fair. Bobby deserves a woman like this in his life. Bobby asks what the message is, but we don't hear it. That's for us to find out later.
Dean has decided that he's waited outside long enough and since there's no sign of Bobby, he picks the lock. You'd think that Bobby would have something a little harder to pick. Like a barricade. He does know who he's dealing with, right? Of course Dean could always call Cas to remove such a barricade. There I go wandering off tangent again. As Dean enters the house he hears the gun shot. He races into the room and finds Bobby there staring at Karen's body. They're still holding hands. In a shot that's been done a few times during the dramatic moments (a Kim Manners trick), a devastated Bobby is seen in a close up with Dean out of focus in the background, then Bobby looks over and the focus changes to Dean's somber stare. Yep, that trick still works every time. Then it goes back to Bobby, then Dean, then Bobby all while the sad music plays. The camera lingers on Bobby, who's teary now.
Sam and the sheriff are at the jail and the sheriff is pulling shotguns out of the closet. Sam is taking charge, giving the "if you a dead person kill it" speech. "I don't care if it's your friend, neighbor or your wife, shoot for the head." Way to be sympathetic there Samuel. One of the townsfolk asks a fair question, "Do you mind telling us who the Hell you are?" Sam proudly announces he's a friend of Bobby Singer. "The town drunk," the guy says. Ah, small towns and their labels. If I lived in a small town, I'd likely be"¦the town drunk. Sam is perplexed and points at Digger. "I thought he was the town drunk." "Who told you that?" The man asks incredulously. "Bobby Singer," Sam says uncomfortably. The man kind of laughs at him. Well that cements your credibility Sam. He goes back into commander mode, telling everyone to stay sharp.
Dean and Bobby are outside of Bobby's van, working the plan to go rescue the rest of the town. Dean offers Bobby the chance to sit this one out, but Bobby is ready to go. They hear rustling in the yard and naturally Dean gets a shotgun and a flashlight and goes to check it out, you know, being the able bodied hero and all. Back to the jail where they're holding guns and waiting, but nothing's happening. Hmm. Back to Dean searching the yard, and Bobby waiting outside the van with a shotgun. Something is there so he shoots, but he only hits a car. Go figure, since there are hundreds of them there. Dean gets tackled, shotgun goes flying, and Clay Thompson opens his mouth ready to take a bite. Time for a break! Oh noes! What shall happen to Dean?
Back to the action and Dean backhands the dude off of him and goes for the gun. Clay grabs Dean's leg. Bobby is shouting "Dean!" and a zombie charges at him. Bam! Perfect head shot, right down to the skull exploding and blood spattering. That's obviously for the zombie movie aficionados who are looking for a little authenticity in their zombie story. There's another one lurking in the shadows and Bobby fires but misses. Dean kicks Clay and scrambles for his gun, firing another perfect head shot. It's a little less gory this time. Bobby waits in the silence and calls out for Dean again, so out of the shadows comes another zombie. Another dead on shot (pardon the pun). Then a woman comes out. She gets a nice bullet to the brain. But the next one comes from behind and tackles Bobby to the ground.
Suddenly a gun appears and zombie gets his head blown off. Yep, Dean has arrived! Dean helps Bobby back into the chair after Bobby has to ask for it (yeah Dean!) and more zombies are climbing out of the Volkswagen, I mean coming out of the pile of cars. Dean hands Bobby his gun and they start wildly firing at moving targets. Ah, the thrill of the hunt. Bobby fires while Dean grabs the wheel chair. He stops to take a few more shots before they go inside. Just like Butch and Sundance, they figure out they're almost out of ammo at the wrong time. Dean wonders why the zombies are there and Bobby gets it, but has no time to explain. Zombies know how to break windows. They also know how to crash through one, which isn't too wise when the person on the other side has a shotgun and can blast heads off. Dean gets another one on the stairway and that's it, they're now out of bullets.
They head for the kitchen and another zombie crashes there, so Dean takes Bobby's gun and pummels the guy with the butt of the rifle. More zombies arrive so Dean takes him and Bobby into the closet and locks the door. Zombies all stack up outside the door and begin pounding. "Kind of a tight fit, don't you think?" Bobby asks, not too pleased with this plan. "It's alright, they're idiots. They can't pick a lock." Naturally, the pounding stops and they start picking the lock. This scene is definitely in the spirit of Shaun of The Dead, my favorite zombie movie. An irritated Bobby looks at Dean. "Don't you ever get tired of being wrong?" "I'm making this stuff up as I go, sue me." Yep, a modern day Butch and Sundance.
The door flings open and Dean starts whacking zombies with the butt of the rifle, but he's clearly outnumbered. Then that familiar voice of our other Winchester hero shouts "Get down!" Dean does and now Sam and the sheriff get their turns at the shooting gallery. They're perfect shots too. Zombies drop like flies, blood flies everywhere and when Sam blows away the last guy, blood spatters on the camera lens. Great shot! I've seen that done with other shows once in a while and I love when that works. Sam and the sheriff look at the bloody pile of bodies, just making sure they're all toast. Considering many are headless, I think their work is done. Dean gets up and looks out to see the sheriff and then Sam, who looks back at a shaken Bobby and Dean. "You okay?" Um, define okay Sam. If okay means rattled to the last raw nerve, then yes.
This next interesting shot starts at the trees and pans down to a cemetery, showing Dean and the sheriff walking from the Impala and Sam looking over a giant funeral pyre. Dean says if there are any zombies left out there they can't find them. Sam asks the sheriff how are the townspeople. Um, what do you think Sam? How are they possibly going to understand this one? The sheriff says they're freaked out and traumatized. Some have tried to call the papers but no one believes them. Yeah, some things should just stay between neighbors. Sam then asks the sheriff how's she holding up. She can't find words and her look says it all. She isn't. Sam knows that feeling and she gets puppy dog eyes again. Lucky woman.
Dean asks if that's everyone, meaning are all the zombies there burning. "All but one," Sam says. Back to Bobby's place and he's in front of his own raging fire. He's pretty distraught. Violins are playing in the score, which adds in volumes to this very sad scene. Sam and Dean join him, each taking a side. Once Bobby is aware of their presence, he says he should apologize for losing his head back there. Sam again points out the obvious, he doesn't owe them anything. Dean, going for the utterly clueless words of comfort, acknowledges he doesn't know anything about love but at least he got to spend five days with her.
"Right, which makes things about a thousand times worse," Bobby says. "She was the love of my life. How many times I gotta kill her?" His voice trails off on the last word. Crud, I've got to stop and go for the Kleenexes. I was holding up until that. Excuse me"¦deep breath"¦puppies and kittens"¦okay. So, Sam AGAIN asks the stupid question. "You going to be okay Bobby?" Enough asking Sam. He clearly is not. Sam and Dean share a big look of concern. Bobby then takes the opportunity to share the big reveal. There's a reason Death picked Sioux Falls. He came for him. "Death came for me. He brought Karen back to send me a message." Why? "Because I've been helping you, you sons of bitches. I'm one of the reasons you're still saying no the Lucifer, Sam."
Dean is stunned. He wonders if they wanted to take a hit on Bobby's life. "I don't know if they wanted to take my life or my spirit, either way they wanted me out of the way." I'd say that messing with the spirit is far more effective warfare than killing and its quite demon like. "But you're gonna be alright, right Bobby?" Sam says, trying to fix his own guilty conscience. Excuse me Sam, but I think you got the answer the first two times. NO! Bobby says nothing and gives Sam the look of a completely broken man. Sam's face falls, for he gets the message. His resistance is tearing apart those that matter. They continue to watch the fire in silence as the camera pulls away.
Wow, what a downer. I know it serves a purpose, it's a setup for Sam and Dean in episodes to come as the showdown draws near, but it breaks my heart to see Bobby suffer like this. I wonder how supportive he's going to be of the boys from now on. Seven more episodes to find out.
(FYI, the recap for "Dark Side of The Moon" will be out in a day or two. I've buried myself in power recapping mode).
Comments
I mentioned this before somewhere on this site, but I'm gonna do it again. The actress who plays Bobby's wife is NOT the same actress as Dream a Little Dream of Me, however, she was in a previous episode, namely, In My Time of Dying - she was the nurse, dying on the floor.
She also happened to attend MY high school. Not the same year as me, but I still think it's cool.
And, I know it was a long time ago, and it wasn't for very long, but Dean did in face fall in love with someone. He loved Cassie enough to tell her about his life. That's something. Right?
The episode where they broke Bobby. This was just so painful to watch, but wasn`t Jim just wonderful in it. I think he broke all our hearts, the scene with the humming in the kitchen, the totally shattered look when he killed his wife again,and then the end!!!
I just loved the scene in the scrap yard with the `zombie invasion` great use of background music there too I thought.
I have to agree with you, I too think that Mr.Edlund was out grossed here (never thought I would type that!) I have eaten through every episode, the maggots in the sandwich, I ate along with Dean through the description of Doc Bentons escapades, but I will never attempt it through our meeting with Ezra, know it`s not real but how they even filmed that God only knows,poor Jared!
I am there with Dany too,suprise suprise , in that I would like to thank you for providing my new screensaver!
Thanks for the screencap of Dean and the impala! Love it.
And poor, poor Bobby. It just killed me when he said that line about "how many times do I gotta kill her?" I really hope he can recover enough to provide support for the boys because I have a feeling they're going to need it before the end.
And I have to agree with Sablegreen: Dean does lounge very attractively. He must practice leaning up against things.
Looking forward to the Dark Side of the Moon recap!
And please don't cut out the gross. As suggested, just put them in with a warning and they don't have to be read if not wanted.
Also love the lounging Dean pic. He is a beautiful lounger indeed.
I will always remember it, though, as the one episode I watched live in L.A.. No one can spoil that for me.
THanks for this, love Jas
Oh, you can't ever cut out the gross, ever. That would be a crime punishable by forced watching of C-Span.
Down with salads! Up with burgers and fries!