My schedule careening towards the breaking point, not sure when I will get a chance to watch tonight’s episode. Hopefully tomorrow, but more likely Thursday. Will catch up with you all then!
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My schedule careening towards the breaking point, not sure when I will get a chance to watch tonight’s episode. Hopefully tomorrow, but more likely Thursday. Will catch up with you all then!
Tonights episode is officially on my list of watch it over and over again. I felt like this episode lasted all of ten minutes. It flew by and I was just enthralled. I admit I didn’t think they would be able to pull off Dylan Everett playing an even younger Dean than last season but it was perfect. If anything he was better.
I am going to go rewatch it now on cw because I can and I want to.
Dean is going to be the death of me. I cried at the end.
This episode harked back to the MOTW episodes of a decade ago. There was a monster, a henchman, a victim, and the Winchesters. You don’t get much better than that.
(Even though I would have paid good money for Castiel to meet Teen Dean and not exactly know what to do with the situation. I imagine Cas would offer to text Teen Dean a few new emoticons.)
Dylan Everett is a treasure. He really does nail the complexities of Being Dean Winchester. I loved him last season in “Bad Boys” and was really looking forward to seeing him again this year. He did not disappoint. His mannerisms, his voice, the way he moved; Not only was he Dean, he was Jensen. I dearly hope they find a way to bring him back again in season 11.
I liked this episode – the adventures of teen Squirrel and Moose had me laughing a lot. I figured this episode would look good due to the director Serge Ladoceur. The shot that stands out is the awesome tunnel that the Impala drove through.
This episode rocked. But my favorite thing is the eyeball showdown between Sam and Dean over the song. When Dean finally decides, “you know what? I like this song. I’m am not going to be embarrassed about it or angry that I do like it. Let’s rock out to Taylor Swift.” Boom! Dean is always struggling to keep up the “John Winchester approved manly facade” that I love when he gets to do things that really make him happy. Things like LARP’ing, and Taylor Swift. It’s so healthy to not only be who you are, but to like it as well.
I laughed in delight at the Taylor Swift scene. Jensen is a fan and I thought it was a perfect light hearted ending to the episode.
The lyrics to the song playing when Dean is in the bar (right before he talks to Tina):
You feel that separation
Will put a stop to all you’ve seen to
The same old situation
Though you struggle through life
In the end it defeats you
Setting a pretty heavy tone for what is essentially a pretty comedic episode. So perfect for Dean’s mindset.
This may have been my favorite episode of the season so far besides Fan Fiction. Aside from the fact that the episode title is also the title of one of my favorite books, there were so many things to love about it. Sam believing in the Easter bunny until he was 12. (Dean must have felt pretty guilty about ruining Santa for him.) A teenage Dean saying he prefers to be called a functional alcoholic. Sam’s reaction to being told, “Your son is so polite.” Sam’s reaction to teen Dean in general. Dean’s lack of control over . . . Stuff. Tina (in both her adult and adolescent incarnations) was fantastic. Taylor Swift. I can’t stand Taylor Swift, but I love that Dean kind of likes her. There were so many laugh out loud moments in this episode!
Also, did anyone else think of this when they met Hansel? http://youtu.be/TVYT2OJyhBw
Pendleton Oregon (“Working Every Day To Be The Premier City In Eastern Oregon”) – home of plaids! And Taylor! Haters gonna hate! Okay, Pendleton the clothing company is in Portland Oregon.
What a great episode! Was Dean reading the Key of Solomon? Sure looked like it. One of the editors from the latin – Samuel Liddel MacGregor Mathers – was related to Alice Liddell, at least according to Witchcraft Today: An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and Neopagan Traditions. I can’t find any other sources confirming a relationship, so let’s take the reference from Witchcraft Today with a grain of salt, some lighter fluid, and a road flare.
I found from looking at the Key of Solomon that the propitious times to deal with knifes, swords, and quills(!) is on the day of Mercury during the hour of Mercury when Mars is in the ram or the scorpion. It doesn’t appear that Mars is in Scorpio this year, but he (it?) is in Aries from Feb. 20 to March 31. The day of Mercury is Wednesday, and the hours of Mercury are 8AM, 3PM, 10PM. I’m not sure if this means Dean will be able to deal with the First Blade during this time or not. The show isn’t broadcast then and I don’t want to miss it. Maybe those are the times when they’ll shoot the episode. In terms of dealing with the Mark of Cain, if it’s made of pen, ink, and colors, then the Key says (during the usual Day/Hour of Mercury) “engrave upon a mound of earth these names:—Yod, He, Vau, He, Metatron(!), Iah Iah Iah, Qadosch, Elohim Tzabaoth and say ‘I exorcise thee, O creature of ink.'” Will this be how Dean is freed of the MoC? Probably not.
It makes me so excited when an episode has this silliness in it.
Dean compares himself to Hannibal Lector in the first scene, “I got three hots and a cot.” So he still was not okay. And we get a hint that there might be some cannibalism in the episode.
But Dean also let himself be talked into coming along, he’s in a place where he can trust Sam’s judgement about what he needs.
“I prefer ‘functional alcoholic.'”
“Your son is so polite.” Sam having to endure praise of Dean, always fun.
“It’s called puberty.”
“You pulled a Dean Winchester.” Doing whatever it takes to save Sam.
A fun monster (burn, witch, burn), some good BM scenes, bringing the Grand Coven into play, an excellent episode. And I second all the Dylan Everett love. The young man was awesome!
Thought of Sheila the minute Dean rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand while reading lore books in the bunker. Amazing JA carries that one gesture through so consistently. So beautifully vulnerable.
So many glorious quote in this episode including “no grass in the infield” and “I’m too big for that”.
Oh yeah, badass Sam slamming the bartender’s head on the bar. That’s the Sam I love. Calm and caring to I will kick your ass in 60 seconds.
Although think I was expecting more visually from a Serge directed episode.
Paula – ha! Yes, the eye-rub !! So toddler-ish, little kid needs a nap-ish, absolutely love it.
Natalie –
//Also, did anyone else think of this when they met Hansel?//
No, you aren’t the only one.
But I can’t think of Witch Hazel without this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfZxWqPShJE
Well, this episode was pretty great.
Amy, I agree. This did feel like an old MOTW episode. I miss those.
So many great lines. I love the actor for teen!Dean. (He, and the actor who played kid!Sam are/were both great at capturing the characters.) And I loved Dean’s little reaction to Sam’s “You pulled a Dean Winchester.”
Natalie — //Also, did anyone else think of this when they met Hansel?//
YES. Internet-twins high-five!
mutecypher — //But I can’t think of Witch Hazel without this one.//
For me it’s “Your mother rides a vacuum cleaner!”
//“Your son is so polite.” Sam having to endure praise of Dean, always fun.//
Agreed. It will never not be funny to me.
May –
//For me it’s “Your mother rides a vacuum cleaner!”//
Also a good one.
Speaking of teeth, that dumpster diver witness (alien abduction victim) had teeth so orange he must have been eating cheetos dipped in velveeta. Oy.
Oh, and Dean making mac and cheese for Sam – with fluffer marshmallow mix? Makes me think of Yoda’s line to Luke, “How did you get so big eating food of this kind?” And we can understand Sam’s ability to tolerate hotdogs and spaghetti.
mutecypher, I think that tagline was edited out of the version I watched. Otherwise I would have remembered it, because it would have resulted in a child-friendly lecture on misogyny. I was raised by a feminist mother.
May –
//For me it’s “Your mother rides a vacuum cleaner!”//
Okay, now that’s just getting spooky. You stole my response! We’ve got some internet twins telepathy going on!
Natalie –
Yes, I’ve read that the “aren’t they all witches” ending has been removed in recent showings. I realize that one’s mileage may vary, but I’ve always taken it to mean “aren’t women enchanting/maddening?” Not substantially different from some comments made here about men.
That’s the spirit I posted it in, I hope no offense was caused.
mutecypher — //And we can understand Sam’s ability to tolerate hotdogs and spaghetti.//
LOL. Though, he is pretty gassy.
Dean talking about making mac and cheese also made me realize that, of course Sam would love Dean’s cooking. He grew up eating it. (adds another piece of evidence to the Dean=mom crackpot theory.)
mutecypher – no offense at all! Just a flashback to the lecture my early childhood best friend and I got from my mother when she overheard him telling me that girls can’t be doctors. (We were maybe 4 years old at the time.) I watched 1001 Rabbit Tales over and over as a kid. I take your post in the spirit it was intended :-)
mutecypher – no offense at all! Just a flashback to the lecture my early childhood best friend and I got from my mother when she overheard him telling me that girls can’t be doctors. (We were maybe 4 years old at the time.) I watched 1001 Rabbit Tales over and over as a kid. I take your post in the spirit it was intended :-)
Oh hurrah, this was great. From angst to witches. Loved it.
Agree with everyone’s comments above. Full of pleasures large and small: handwriting, leather-bound tomes, a montage of someone reading books, drinking in bars with women, fairy tales, lots of BM, the whole Freaky Friday deal, Mr Cheeseteeth getting probed. Dean holed up in his messy bedroom getting all sore-eyed (watch out, dude, or you’ll need reading glasses soon. ) A bathroom like looking up the Devil’s butt. For all the high concept plot there was something about the episode that felt loose and hilarious. The dirty joke quotient was also very high, and I support that.
Paula – ‘Eyeball’ showdown, I’m going to try and say that to someone today.
mutecypher, I have no adverse plaidfeelings about this episode – just baseballcap, stripeytshirt, orangehoody, asinglesize13shoe, Sam-batting-barkeeps’-forehead-against-the-bar feelings.
Just seeing teeny!Dean (welcome back, Dylan Everett!) and JP together in the same frame made me fall off the couch laughing. All the dialogue between Dean and Sam was a treasure, especially Dean’s running commentary on puberty and Sam’s reactions throughout. Some great Sam moments eg from discombobulation to jubilation at seeing his big brother as a shrimpy teen with spots and willy-control issues.
Loved the hazy yellow light in the outdoor scenes, and that night time shot of the tunnel that looked like the Impala was going to get spat out at the other side of the universe.
Agree, the Tinas both young and old was great, very sympathetic and believable. The idea of her staying young could have been utterly creepy, but wasn’t. Instead she got the best of both worlds – the benefit of experience and a chance to start over.
I’m always reduced to a quivering mess by that idea of taking a character back in time from washed-up mess to fresh-faced, hopeful youngster with all their life in front of them.
The witch’s ending was appropriately Grimm. (She really did eat poor old JP – ew, and … yuk.) It was good to have a MOTW without an exposition scene that dragged on forever. Just as well the witch didn’t give young Dean pie, though, he would taken a lot longer to think about escaping.
I’m hoping more European witches will turn up. (That witch looked so familiar it was driving me nuts. Turns out she’s a British actress who’s been on just about every British tv show since forever, including Downton Abbey. Or did everybody else get that straight away?)
I must admit to a little disappointment when the newly oldified Dean didn’t appear in a poof of light *beside* his kid sized hoodie and jeans, but seeing his wrists hanging out of the sleeves did give me a giggle.
I liked that when teenDean showed up at the hotel, it only took Sam a moment to accept that the gangly teen was his brother. I guess when you live the kind of life where you’ve seen your brother age to 80, plus swapped bodies with a teen yourself, you have a pretty short getting-up-to-speed curve.
So many kudos to Dylan Everett. He had Dean’s mannerisms, both spoken and body language, DOWN. I was worried that I would ever see him as anything other than Indira’s best friend Marlon from the YTV kids’ show ‘How To Be Indie’ that my daughters loved. He owned the part. I hope he comes back.
There seems to be a small army of teen girls released into the wild through Team Free Will, and hunting in general: Krissy Chambers, Claire, Tasha the werewolf, and now Tina. Can you see them all hooking up via a Facebook page?
I am loving this season so much.
// There seems to be a small army of teen girls released into the wild through Team Free Will, and hunting in general: Krissy Chambers, Claire, Tasha the werewolf, and now Tina. Can you see them all hooking up via a Facebook page? //
hahaha So true !!
Sorry, Kate the werewolf. Tasha was the sister.
//plus swapped bodies with a teen yourself,//
I really enjoyed that episode, too. Sam dressed in the fast food restaurant uniform like a giant, ambulant American flag.
//I really enjoyed that episode, too. //
So many good lines from that episode.
“Gary, you satanic little bastard.”
“I would love to have the sex with you”
“Barkeep, I’d like to purchase an alcohol please.”
” I have a gun, I’m getting drunk, and I look like this.”
God, Jared was so good in Swap Meat. I’m giggling just thinking about it.
Oh yes, a very gigglesome episode. A banana daiquiri, my good man!
Helena –
//plaidfeelings //
Like.
Natalie — //Okay, now that’s just getting spooky. You stole my response! We’ve got some internet twins telepathy going on!//
We must promise to only use this power for good.
hello. haven’t you notice the pounding sound of the MoC ? it reminders me of the Jumanji’s vault?
Mirror moments, two of them!
People reading big books: sexy. Dean Winchester reading huge books in the bunker: irresistible.
The end of the witch reminded me of No Exit.
Don’t say it.
Aliens.
He said it.
Yeah, he did.
« You pulled a Dean Winchester. » This is such a great way to put it. Oh, Sammy.
It felt GOOD. I’m loving this season so far.
Yes – mirrors everywhere ! I love this consistency, this focus on the inner dialogue.
That scene in the tunnel. Gorgeous.
Sorry, just catching up on all comments now !!
“I should go … before you fall in love with me.” That was some Howard Hawks Woman shit right there.
Loved the episode. Love that young actor – he blew me away. Perfect. Sam dealing with him … so satisfying not sure what to do with myself.
Season 10 feels very very strong.
Was the Witch the kitchen maid from Downton Abbey with a German accent?
//Was the Witch the kitchen maid from Downton Abbey with a German accent?//
Yes. Hence the ‘big reveal’ as she first turns around, I guess. Not being a DA watcher that was a bit baffling. Is DA superpopular in the States?
DA is totally popular here. It’s insane. You would think that 1776 never happened. :)
I didn’t watch last season – but definitely watched the first three – and she is one of my favorite secondary characters. Absolutely adore her.
She looked so different, with a different accent, I just couldn’t be sure. And, of course, now that I know this – there is the joke of her still being in the kitchen – sort of a nod to her role on DA. Got it!!
//You would think that 1776 never happened. :)//
Hahaha! And god, only in its fourth season – feels like it started in 1913 already.
I know, right? It really does feel like it’s been on forever.
I stopped watching when Dan Stevens left the show – and I judged him for leaving the show at the time. I thought he was stupid, pulling a David Caruso move (who left NYPD Blue after its first season and really never found his stride after that). But then I saw The Guest – which Stevens stars in – and it’s SO good, a really fun horror film, and he’s so good and so totally different in it – I understood why he was like, “Look. Thanks, Downton for all you’ve done for me, but it’s time for me to move on.”
//and she is one of my favorite secondary characters. Absolutely adore her.//
The actress has been in everything over the years. One of those regulars who turns up and nails it, whether it’s a baddie or a saint. Kinda glad she’s going down a storm in DA. I loved her accent – super precise and detailed in how she delivered those lines. And those teeth were something else.
I wonder what her real accent is. Do you know? Like, where she actually hails from? (All of the different English accents on DA is part of the real fun and fascination of the show for me.)
She has one moment in DA that made me laugh so hard that I laugh out loud just thinking about it. It’s a line reading of “Oh my GOD”. A moment where she loses her head, where she forgets herself and exclaims that out loud … tears of laughter. She creates such a good, such a real character.
// I understood why he was like, “Look. Thanks, Downton for all you’ve done for me, but it’s time for me to move on.”//
Sure, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, and he had a few clunkers in his filmography before The Guest came along. I should see it pronto!
It’s kind of glorious, actually. Very self-conscious in a way: “Look at all the horror movie stuff we’re throwing at you. Halloween decorations! Scary camera moves! There’s even a stand-off in a local fun-house !”
I reviewed it for Ebert – I never would have seen it otherwise, and really enjoyed it.
And I’m picky about British people doing American accents. As I’m sure the same is true from the opposite side of the pond, with Madonna swanning around doing a faux British accent or whatever.
But Dan Stevens’ Kentucky accent was spot ON. If I had never seen Downton Abbey, I totally would have thought he was not only American but from Kentucky. I was strangely …. proud of him, as ridiculous as that sounds.
I realized that yes, Downton Abbey was a great gig for him, but it hemmed him in to a certain style and mood, and good for him for taking that risk on leaving.
and in regards to Downton Abbey: Maggie Smith’s line-readings along are worth the price of admission.
//I wonder what her real accent is. Do you know?//
Kind of standard English but with a northern burr – she grew up in Derbyshire. Like most British actresses she can do a variety of regional accents, and talk posh as well. From IMDB it looks like she began her career in theatre and TV and film came a lot later.
Half of her lines in DA are ordering her staff around to get the meals ready – but she puts such character into all of it. Like, she’s saying, “Please put the tarts in the oven” but what she’s really saying is, “Honest to God, the things I have to put up with, with these nitwits who get jobs here, why can’t they do it without being asked?” or “Put those plates on the tray” actually means “If you would stop having crushes on every butler who visits here for a day, maybe you’d remember how to do your job, you little ninny.”
It’s all subtext.
//“Put those plates on the tray” actually means “If you would stop having crushes on every butler who visits here for a day, maybe you’d remember how to do your job, you little ninny.”/
Hahaha! She’s the cook on DA, isn’t she? – all that crazy work with the cleaver and whatever she was doing with that clove of garlic in the ep was funny and kind of riveting.
Yes!! Total nod to DA and I love that!! Chop chop chop chop, staring into the fire, etc. She had so much fun as the Witch. Love it.
Found my review of The Guest. And it actually makes me want to see it again. Very stylish horror movie. A lot of fun.
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-guest-2014
I love it when they not only remind us that these two guys are brothers, but make us feel it. I loved the scene in Dean’s room. Padalecki’s reactions to the Easter Bunny story was beautiful. Their relationship is really going someplace new, and it’s beautiful to see. The trust! God, I love this season so much. (and it’s so much better without angels, or even Crowley around.)
Yes. I love those moments! The reminders that they know everything about each other, good and bad, and that they will use it against them. My favorite brother moment is in Heart, when they play rock, paper, scissors over who gets to stay with the hot chick. “Dean, always with the scissors. Bundle up outside and stay warm.”
I almost forgot: Dean holding a skull! DEAN HOLDING A SKULL!
Just like in Bugs – that shot in Bugs is in my Top 5 shots of Dean in the whole series.
Hamlet, to the end!
Lyrie –
I loved the Sam and Dean exchange when they were getting back into the witches house:
Sam: Dean, I’m way too big to fit in that.
Dean: First time you’ve ever had to say that, huh?
Sam: (steam coming out his ears): Big talk coming from the dude wearing underoos.
Dean: Okay, good one.
Because Dean would stop in the middle of a rescue to rag on Sam, and then acknowledge when Sam had a better comeback. And continue with the rescue.
Hey, wasn’t Hansel wearing a henley? But buttoned all the way up. Maybe that should have been a hint he was a bad guy.
//Hey, wasn’t Hansel wearing a henley?//
no, it was some kind of vastly inferior imitation product, definitely not a henley.
I think this is an episode I will come back to again (and maybe, again) for all of the reasons everyone has given. There’s so much to enjoy about it!
Aside from Dylan Everett, Dean and Sam throughout–“seat! seat–Maybe I should drive”, followed up later by Dean’s “Gimme the keys” was maybe my favorite, a great bit of physical comedy–I really enjoyed the interactions between Dean and Tina, first in the bar and then the cells. More reflections of the past were coming up in this episode, with their memories of staying at the same crappy motel (Makes me start to miss the crappy hotel rooms!). The past influencing the present has always been a theme of the show, but it seems to be more prevalent than usual this year. Maybe?
Quick note: my husband and I watch Downton Abbey together, and if anything he is a bigger fan than I am. So, while I had seen online that Mrs. Padmore was going to be the witch, I didn’t tell him–didn’t want to spoil the surprise. When he heard her voice over the shots of the chopping and the stirring, he started laughing out loud (with delight.) That whole scene was a tightrope of potentially going too far over the top, but it was played and staged beautifully, and her witch was funny and creepy as hell at the same time.
I love this episode! I laughed hysterically when Sam and Dean got into the car and Dean pulled the seat up. As a short woman, I see Sam’s look from my husband if I don’t put the seat back when I get out of the car.
I loved Dean wanted to take his virgin liver for a test drive and Sam reminded him that he wouldn’t be legal for another seven years.
There were other things that I loved that have already been discussed but I wanted to add myself to the “Dylan Everett as TeenDean” fan club. I thought he did an excellent job.
Mutecypher:
// Because Dean would stop in the middle of a rescue to rag on Sam, and then acknowledge when Sam had a better comeback. And continue with the rescue. //
I know! And I really appreciated Dylan Everett emulating JA’s interior dialog. It could have been a bust, but I though it was really good.
Mutecypher, don’t mess with the henley, Helena will beat you up!
Sheila : // Just like in Bugs – that shot in Bugs is in my Top 5 shots of Dean in the whole series.
Hamlet, to the end! //
Right?! I loved that detail.
I squealed when I saw Mrs. Padmore was the witch! Dylan Everett is really amazing capturing the looks and mannerisms of Dean, it was so impressive. As others said, I loved Dean stopping to acknowledge Dean’s underroos comment-with “good one”. So something Dean would do. Which is weird because it is Dean, and now I am caught in a time loop.
People were talking about DA, and I wanted to throw my couple cents in…I’m not an actor, but from what I understand, English actors don’t sign on for series for more than 3 yrs. Dan Stevens fulfilled his contract and wanted to leave. As much as I hated to see him go, I really admire actors that leave a huge series, to explore other avenues. I think he went on the stage right after, but I could be wrong. Artists should fulfill their visions, not ours.
Since I am spouting, what I love about shows made in England-they are so far away from casting actors that are traditionally pretty-I find it so refreshing. Why I think English actors are so good, is that they can’t count on their looks. You actually have to know how to act, because a short, balding, great actor will be cast in a lead role, because he has the acting chops. I think they are much more open to that than American shows.
I will admit to being an Anglophile-but I think the best actors working are from the UK or Australia. Russell Crowe-I will love you forever :)
Did anyone else worry about what the young Tina would do? Does she show up in a new town and say her parent’s are gone? Go into a foster home?
Ha! That last part of my comment should have been further up-with the Supernatural stuff. Not sure what happened there!
I worried about young Tina too. And Claire. The show seems to be giving the impression that young women can hop on a bus or hitchhike with a few dollars in their pocket and they’ll be just fine. I was particularly concerned about Claire, whose ability to find really dodgy people to help her has already been established.