Supernatural – It’s not jumping the shark if you never come down

Clearly, I have to stop referring to these episodes that don’t deal with the apocalypse as stand-alone. There was nothing stand-alone about “The Real Ghostbusters.” While it did continue our little mid-season break from the goings on with Lucifer, it did so while managing to tie back into the delight that is the Supernatural books, and their nutty fans. Even better, the Supernatural team managed to weave a little spooky adventure, something of a touching moment, and an interesting nugget for the future into all the absurdity. And best of all, it also meant the return of Becky!

Starting with the first annual Supernatural convention … how can you not love that? The writers poked a little fun at the fandom when the books were first introduced, and the convention just upped the ante. But it did so in a very clever way. Supernatural, and the Supernatural fans, open themselves up to a certain level of mockery. If you’re not on the inside, it can appear to be a rather silly affair. But what can anyone say about the show, or the fans, that this episode didn’t?

The writers get it, and they trust that the fans get it. Much of the episode was very tongue-in-cheek. But the end result came with a very nice hat-tip to show the fans just how important they have been to the success of the show. Success up against — let’s be honest — some pretty tough odds. It’s no mistake that the heroes of the day, Barnes and Damien, are huge Supernatural fans. And if that’s not enough, the biggest break Sam and Dean have had in weeks came from Becky, the prototypical obsessive fan. From Kripke, to all of us watching at home, “We couldn’t have done it without you.” Awwwwww.

Becky was also the highlight of the episode for me. It was great that she “borrowed” Chuck’s phone to get the boys there. And it only got better when she resumed the semi-creepy fawning over Sam. But the absolute best part of it all was watching her let Sam down easy. “We had undeniable chemistry. But like a monkey on the sun, it was too hot to live. Will you be alright?” So good. And I do hope this leads to some more TV work for Emily Perkins. She’s a treat.

Even the choice for monster-of-the-week was open for taking a shot at. “How original. Supernatural bringing more creepy children.” While it’s not a shot without merit, you can’t deny that these were, in fact, awfully creepy kids. And the tension when Sam and Dean were fending them off was very good. I also really enjoyed the foiled plan of having the fake Latecia lay down the law with the boys: “I work at Hooter’s in Toledo!”

In the midst of all that, there was a lesson to be learned. Being confronted with everything that is the Supernatural fandom got Dean a little sideways, but Damien brought him back. “To get up every morning and save the world. Have a brother who would die for you. Who wouldn’t want that?” Sam and Dean still have an awfully tough path ahead of them, but you had to like seeing that smile as Dean waited for Sam at the car. It felt like a lot of the work had been done, and the two of them are finally healing some of those wounds and getting back to where they’re best.

And now we move forward, on the trail of the Colt … eventually. Ya know, I really do want to hear more of the story that involves Lucifer, and Castiel, and Anna…. But when the episodes that knock that story to the backburner are this well done, it’s really hard to complain.

Clacked by Brett Love
on Nov 13, 2009 @ 09:00 EST5EDT