Diary of a Supernatural virgin – Demon Sam, shape-shifters, tricksters and misguided priests

(Season 2, Episodes 12 – 15)

Just when I thought Supernatural couldn’t get any better… wow. In this batch of episodes, I was treated to crazy story arc stuff including more “murders” on Dean’s long rap sheet and Demon Sam. Bobby’s back, being amazing, and a couple of one-off episodes delivered deep and funny stuff.

If I haven’t said it before, I’m really beginning to resent current television for interfering with my Supernatural viewing schedule. Bring on the summer hiatus, please!

“Nightshifter”
Sam and Dean follow a shapeshifter to a bank, where a well-meaning wanna-be creates a hostage situation. Dean ends up being wanted — again — for murder.

I really enjoyed this episode, although it was tense! Just when they get us to love Ronald, the crazy conspiracy theorist, the sniper takes him out. We’ve never seen anything like this on Supernatural before: this is an instance where the comic relief guy is taken out — murdered — in a very human way, no demon or spirit involved. It brings me back to season one’s “The Benders,” where the murdering humans were scarier than any supernatural being could have been.

Every time I think Supernatural is going to deliver me a throwaway episode, they bring back the story arc somehow. Lo and behold, here’s the federal agent who’s been after Dean. Nice. It was also a nifty tie-in to the episode in season one, “Skin,” where Shapeshifter Dean commits murder, and now we have all of Dean’s baggage with this new shapeshifter.

This episode delivered lots of mentionables:

• Dean’s reaction to being wanted for multiple murders: “We are so screwed.”
• The murder was particularly gooey in this episode.
• Neat trick, with the shapeshifter hiding in the “corpse” of Sherri.
• Sam’s reaction to Ronald and his “Juan Doll” and “Mandroid” theories was priceless; I love Sam’s WTF face.

“Houses of the Holy”
The misguided spirit of a priest prompts people to commit murders to rid the world of evil.

This episode was chock-full of everything that makes Supernatural great: humor, Sam and Dean banter, but also Sam and Dean philosophy, the different ways they approach life and spirituality.

Sam and Dean were both effected by the happenings in this episode, and both came out changed. Sam, who admitted he prayed every day because he needed to believe that a power higher than Dean was watching out for him, becomes jaded when he realizes that it was just the spirit of Father Gregory and not an angel. What confused me, though, is why Sam wouldn’t feel more inspired that there is a higher power. He saw the results when Father Gregory’s last rites were finally administered for him; why wouldn’t this solidify his beliefs?

Dean, on the other hand, believes a bit more that a higher power is at work. The man Father Gregory told Sam to take care of was disposed of by “fate” — a lovely impaling to behold. Dean believes he saw God’s will, which was for earth to be rid of this no-good man.

Definitely worth mentioning:

• I agree with Sam: Dean was enjoying that vibrating bed a little too much….
• I’d love to see Dean’s complete “Bullcrap List,” to see what was on there with angels and unicorns.
• Cynical Dean is full of the one-liners:
  – The Touched by an Angel shout-outs: “Roma Downey made him do it.”
  – When Sam sees the “angel”: “OK, Ecstasy Boy, maybe we’ll get you some glow sticks and a nice Dr. Seuss hat.”
• Should I be worried about Dean’s apparent new drinking problem? I don’t remember him carrying a flask before….

“Born Under a Bad Sign”
Sam gets possessed by the demon that possessed Meg in season one, hurts Jo’s feelings, plays with Dean, murders a hunter and doesn’t fool Bobby.

I was just a little bit nervous that evil Sam had finally come out to play in this episode; thank goodness he was only possessed. But how mean was he? It was uncomfortable to watch sweet Sam taunting Jo and Dean, and, you know, murdering and stuff.

Glad to see Bobby back; I’ve heard from many that he’s one of the greatest supporting characters to ever grace a TV show, and I’m starting to understand why. He didn’t fall for Demon Sam for one second, and spiking beer with holy water is just inspired.

Then, he figures out, under great duress, how to break the binding spell and release the demon from Sam’s body and sends his two young friends off to fight the great fight with charms to ward off demon possession. Don’t worry, Sammy, it won’t happen again.

Speaking of inspired, Sam checked into the hotel as Richard Sambora, heh.

“Tall Tales”
A Trickster wreaks havoc on a college campus while pitting Sam and Dean against each other in a comical bicker-fest.

I loved, loved, loved this episode; this was some serious laugh-out-loud stuff. Sam and Dean bickering like a married couple — or brothers who spend too much time together! — was hilarious, and Bobby as the voice of reason was perfect.

The device of different characters telling their own versions of a story has been used again and again throughout TV history, but Sam’s and Dean’s versions were the most clever I’ve seen:

• Dean’s bar slut throwing up in her mouth… ewwww.
• Sam’s whining of the classic “blah, blah, blah…”
• Dean stuffing his face with candy… how’d he get that much in there? Really, how?
• Sam’s computer frozen on www.bustyasianchicks.com
• Sam hugging Curtis’ frat brother and saying “pansy things.”

And how about the tricks the Trickster played on the “dicks” of the college campus? Yeah, there was a little murder involved, but guess what? Still funny:

• Dead ghost romancing a cheating professor.
• Frat guy getting abducted by aliens, and probed, probed and probed again (loved Sam’s and Dean’s looks to each other as Curtis is telling his story).
• Just when it couldn’t get any worse than multiple probing sessions, the alien makes Curtis slow-dance with him to “Lady in Red.”
• Animal testing guy getting mauled by an alligator in the sewer.

In the end, though, Sam and Dean thought they tricked the Trickster… think again, Winchester boys. Very, very clever and fun episode. Keith and I even looked up the original air date, thinking it had to have been April 1, but it seems it was their Valentine special… even funnier.

I’m looking forward to finishing up season two and getting back to some of the story arc, but one thing’s for certain with Supernatural: even the one-off episodes are very much welcome, which is not something I can say for many shows.

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Apr 05, 2009 @ 14:00 EST5EDT