SUPERNATURAL — (9:00–10:00 p.m. ET)
“Pac-Man Fever” (Content Rating TBD) (HDTV)
DEAN INTRODUCES CHARLIE TO CHEAP PANTSUITS — Concerned about the physical toll the second trial took on Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles) benches his brother from hunting until he heals up. So, when geektastic hacker Charlie (guest star Felicia Day) stumbles upon a case and finds the boys, Dean decides it’s time to teach Charlie how to be a hunter-in-training. While happy to see “her highness,” the boys suspect Charlie is hiding something; a secret that could get her killed. Robert Singer directed the episode written by Robbie Thompson (#820).
“Pac-Man Fever” (Content Rating TBD) (HDTV)
DEAN INTRODUCES CHARLIE TO CHEAP PANTSUITS — Concerned about the physical toll the second trial took on Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles) benches his brother from hunting until he heals up. So, when geektastic hacker Charlie (guest star Felicia Day) stumbles upon a case and finds the boys, Dean decides it’s time to teach Charlie how to be a hunter-in-training. While happy to see “her highness,” the boys suspect Charlie is hiding something; a secret that could get her killed. Robert Singer directed the episode written by Robbie Thompson (#820).
I want Robbie Thompson to write mytharc episodes, rather than wasting all his much-needed talent on MoTW episodes.
ReplyDeleteIt is normal of just plain psycho to say that I am so damn curious of how sick they're gonna make Sam before he semi-dies again? Can't wait to see how the trail story line pans out! Just too bad we're gonna have to wrestle ourselves through another MoTW first...
ReplyDeleteI really like Robbie Thompson as a writer, but he usually writes episodes that revolve around guest stars, usually ones he created. He has written Slash Fiction, (more about Levi Sam and Dean than real Sam and Dean), Time After Time, (I'll give him that one although Chronos and Elliot Ness got a lot of focus), Girl With The Dungeon and Dragon Tattoo (Charlie), Bitten (boys barely in it), Larp and the Real Girl (Charlie again), Goodby Stranger (Cas, Meg although the boys also got focus.) I honestly don't know how much of a handle he has on Dean and especially Sam, so I don't know if he would do well with a mytharc episode or not.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like fun!!!Can't wait :D But why do we have to wait for so long...:(
ReplyDeleteI take it Sam will be at the Batcave doing all the research?
ReplyDeleteHe knows the mytharc and shows it in his writing. The conversation between Meg and Sam as an example.
ReplyDeleteseems a bit pointless since we know that he cant actually be killed off, so he either dies and is brought back or gets another magic fix. Either way its been a pretty convenient way for the writers to get rid of Sam when they cant think of anything to do with him.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what they do with Sam next season if Dean does end up taking on the Angel tablet trials as many have speculated, Dean already has all the POV and all the interaction with the guest stars so other than research that doesn't leave much need for Sam especially since Castiel will likely be Dean's main go to guy/support through the angel trials?
Episode 20 now with 50% less Sam dialog! Next year we're thinking of making him mute!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to see how much more Sam is fucked up after the second trial, ngl. (LOL, oops, I like Hurt!Sam and Overprotective Big Brother!Dean, I don't care).
ReplyDeleteYay for Charlie again!
I think he has one of the best grasps on Dean's character of any of the writers - I'll point to _All_ of LARP and the Real Girl.... And Levi!Sam&Dean were a clever way of letting us into both Dean and Sam's minds - I'm thinking the diner scene. Love his writing... sorry.
ReplyDeleteLOL at the intro. So that's how women hunters have to suit up? But scary to think about what Charlie's hiding. Is she still seeing that fairy on the sly? I'd love it if her secret had to do with the season arc... but that might be a bit too coincidental. Hope she comes out of this one alive! Considering she's basically the only female character on the show who's universally loved, I have high hopes she will....
ReplyDeleteAgreed. He should have written last night's episode. It would have been a whole different ballgame.
ReplyDeletePerhaps this is the episode Charlie gets killed?...
ReplyDeleteBack to the usual. Dean and the guest star. It was nice to enjoy some Sam time in "Taxi Driver" though.
ReplyDeleteWe don't know that Sam will be completely absent.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes me think: if situation were reverse, Dean would be left out as well? We know he would not.
ReplyDeleteI see where you are coming from, but truthfully this "Sam has less screentime and is less important" stuff is getting kind of boring. Sam is the one doing the freaking trials, so what if he converses a little less with the guest stars. I for one could care less. Sam is still my fave and I'm happy the way he is portrait in the series. He's the little brother, the one we all root for.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course they can't actually be killed, we all know that, but isn't the fun of watching a series to ignore that knowledge and submerge yourself into the characters situation? Doesn't that go for all series, you always know the main characters are going to be fine.
And as for next season, how about taking it one step at the time and worry about that next season?
oh another back door pilot but this time starring Felicia Day, so maybe a webseries with Charlie the geeky hunter.
ReplyDeleteWe have a few to go why another filler???
Its like Jared's gone from being the star of the show from Season 1 to the support and poster boy role now!!! Well done the SPN writers and show runners!!! *Sarcastic applause*
ReplyDeleteI hope the angel tablet doesn't consist of trials. The Leviathan tablet didn't consist of trials, so I hope the show can continue to give us original ideas instead of recycling too many old ones.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least he's keeping his "lead" salary. If they want to pay him the big bucks to excuse himself from scenes or be conveniently absent, that's on them!
ReplyDeleteDean is never left out of anything. Even in "Sam centric" episodes, Dean plays a big role whereas in "Dean-centric" episodes, Jared may not even be in the episode or is only in for a few minutes or excuses himself from scenes for no reason!
ReplyDeleteThose are his episodes, huh? Out of those episodes, I only halfway liked "Goodbye Stranger." Haha! Guess I'm not a fan.
ReplyDeleteargh, I do not like writer Robbie Thompson. He relies on pop culture references too much. and in other news....Jared's got a baby!???
ReplyDeletewow you guys are all debby-downer about this ep to well me to. god why don't let jared go so he can do movies it be better then this shit there doing to him.
ReplyDeleteI hope Sam will be better!.
ReplyDeleteSounds kinda fun Dean teaching hunter-style, I wonder what Charlie could be hiding?. Sounds interesting.
Same here. I am all for Hurt!Sam and Protective Big Brother Dean. Sam is getting worse from doing these trials. I for one can't wait to see how bad Sam is by the time the 3rd trial comes along.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your post. Your thoughts were very well written. I love Dean but Sam is also my absolute favorite. i am excited for the rest of this Season and can't wait to see what lies ahead for Sam and Dean in Season 9.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you on this. I would rather see Sam and Dean next season out hunting monsters like the old day. Not sure I want them to go and write trials for the angel tablet. In the end, I don't think either the gates of Heaven or Hell will be closed.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened with Ellen and Jo was tragic, but at least we got a good few years out of them first. Hope for the same for Charlie. Also hope Jodie will be back in the mix at some point :)
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I find most interesting about this comment is that you could've said the same thing about Carver back in the day, except for the fact that he didn't necessarily create the characters he worked with (with the notable exception of Sheriff Mills). But he was always guest-star friendly and had a knack--in Kripke's own estimation--for smart dialogue and clever pop culture references, which are all traits that I feel like Robbie shares.
ReplyDeleteOff the show, Yes he has got a baby with Ruby ;) In other words Genevieve.
ReplyDeleteI think a light-hearted episode will be good and there's a secret so it doesn't sound wacky as some of you may think.
Got some positivity :)
ReplyDeleteTHANKS!!!Totally agree with you :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Good one, Percy!
ReplyDeleteJared & Genevieve's son Thomas is just over 1 year old as of March 19; Thomas is no longer an infant .I'm saying this because several other posters have given the idea that Thomas is much younger than he is :). Jensen and Daneel are also "expecting" (a girl) who is to be born sometime in summer.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm not "pleased" with the episode description or the distinct possibility of another "Sam -lite" episode at least 8.19 Taxi Driver set up of a really valid reason this time for Protective!Dean to insist on Sam taking some "down time" and Sam (evidently) realizes this too as part of his promise to Dean. Being seriously weakened from completing the second trial is a hell of lot better explanation for sidelining Sam than the spurious non-reasoning that Adam Glass has typically used.
ReplyDeleteSo glad I am not the only one who feels that way! Yeeey fandom!
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you and I love Dean, too, so I'm not Dean Bashing. If so many fans are willing to jump on the "Jared has a baby son now and appreciates the time off" (which I'm sure he does) rationale to explain "Sam -lite" episodes, will the show allow Jensen to have at least several "Dean-lite" episodes in S9 as particularly early in next season (say 9.01-9.04-ish) because he will have a newborn at home? Jensen and Danneel's baby girl will be born in the summer not in early spring (during filming) like Thomas P. More to the point will JA's "normal" fans accept some Dean-lighter episodes. I would think so. Thus far the only thing I've read about JA having a reduced workload in S9 is he asked not to direct an early episode if he directs at all next season.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings on Robbie Thompson - he knows how to pace an episode, and I think he does a good job with Dean, but Goodbye Stranger was a bit of a mess in terms of characterization for everyone else. I won't blame the rush of material in that episode on him because they do that with all the myth arc episodes.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy Charlie will be back, and Dean will have another friend. I hope they'll still be friendly.
Jared had a rib injury so this may be why he's been low-key in this episode and in the Krissy episode. If so it's better to not overtax him.
There have been too many episodes where he is.
ReplyDeleteRemember "Sam, Interrupted"? Yeah, thought they'd fool me by putting Sam's name in the title! NEVER AGAIN, WRITERS.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Yes, they fooled me too. I thought that was supposed to be an episode about Sam, but other than his sudden rage and anger, the episode was mostly about Dean. I loved how Sam was suddenly so full of rage in that episode, and he never displayed that rage again!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, other than SS and a few other episodes, Season 5 was not a favorite of mine.
Yeah, I doubt this show would ever allow a "Dean-lite" episode. We can only get "Sam-lite" episodes.
ReplyDeleteMind you, I'm a fan of both characters. I actually don't prefer one over the other though I complain more about Sam b/c I'm usually more upset w/what the writers are doing to that character . . . . that said, I think both brothers should be equally featured in episodes. However, if they insist on excluding Sam from episodes, then I think it's only fair that there be some "Dean-lite" episodes too.
Ah, sadly you are right... but Felicia Day brings some serious name
ReplyDeletepower, so if they can convince her to stay on, I bet they'll be jumping
at the chance. I do hope someday they remember Jody Mills exists....
My big fear, Amelia, baby Sam changing diapers for an entire year. Season 10 can have him introducing solid food.
ReplyDeleteI hope she survives too, but being almost universally loved doesn't buy you much. Ellen was almost universally loved and they killed her off. Sheriff Jodie is fairly well liked and she fell off the face of the earth. I do have hope that Charlie will survive.
ReplyDelete