Ben Edlund MIA: SPN 7x14
So it’s been a millennium since I’ve written anything SPN-related, but this episode was such that I felt I had to comment on it. Let me first say that I was completely spoiled (because I have no self control when it comes to this show). The BTS pictures of the unicorns, the episode title, Bob Singer’s producer interview/promo where he basically said (paraphrasing here), “We take the joy and innocence of childhood and perverse it supernatural style,” had me cackling and stamping Ben Edlund’s name all over this episode. So when I saw D&L’s writing credits, I literally said, “WHAT?! Nooooooooo….” Yes, I’m prejudiced and still silently protesting “Yellow Fever” (4x06) and that episode I wish I could forget in which Harry Potter uses his magic for Bad Things (the antichrist episode).
So imagine my surprise when this episode wasn’t a complete ball of flaming wreckage plummeting from the sky. There were telltale hints of the frat boy humor they like to stick in Dean’s mouth (“Ball washer”), but somehow I found it enduring instead of obnoxious. Maybe it’s because the levity is a nice contrast to the dark places Dean has been most of this season, or maybe it’s because the humor was played in a way that lent to brotherly bonding instead of just awkwardly-plopped-in-the-middle-of-the-episode-for-its-own-sake absurdity. I can get behind almost anything that has some old-school Sam-n-Dean moments that include genuine happiness. And those boys laughing and good-naturedly ribbing each other (like deep belly a-la-prank-wars-“Hell House” laughing)? Yeah, give me my VIP ticket on the bandwagon of squee. :)
Anyway, I enjoyed it for what it was: a lighthearted case-file episode that seemed to pay homage to details from past episodes. Either D&L just like to take ideas and wrap them up in different packaging for re-gifting or they’ve done their homework and paid attention to Show’s canon and the minutiae only obsessive fangirls pick up.* So in the spirit of fangirling, here are some details that had me chuckling:
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I know that pink shirt was used in another episode between "Hollywood Babylon" and this one. It makes you wonder what if wardrobe blows its entire budget on multiple flannels and jeans for Sam and Dean such that they have to recycle pink shirts.
Remember Bela and her tiny gun and Siamese cat?
Then we get the rainbow-farting unicorns that were discussed way back in S2 in “HotH” (2x13). And the laser eyes line from Tyler regarding his giant killer robot drawing was reminiscent of Ron in “Nightshifter” (2x12). The delivery was even similar. Heh.
The Tiki-themed hotel room (besides me staring at the walls and thinking, “Those looks like the ground in an overused dog park.”) and the fact this episode took place in Kansas could’ve been tributes to Kripke, who ordered a Tiki bar to be made at SPN headquarters in LA and, as we all know, made Kansas as Sam and Dean’s birthplace. And to be completely frivolous and fan girly … John’s journal!!!! \o/
There were some structural and thematic similarities with “Yellow Fever” (4x06), D&L’s first episode. Both open with a flash-forward of Sam (“Plucky’s”) and Dean (“YF”) running freaked-out and full throttle away from something unseen. Then as a visual gag, we get a shot of a clown (“Plucky’s”) and a tiny Yorkie in a pink bow (“YF”). BTW the picture below of scaredypants!Dean is not a manip (Oh, Dean. *squishes his rubbery face*).
Both episodes took characters’ greatest fears to accomplish the MotW’s goals, both MotWs had walls of crazy i.e. hand drawn pictures of their obsessions which ultimately made them monsters, and both were destroyed using their own “weapons” against them (fear in “YF” and the-spell/fire-and-the-burning-of-significant-things procedure in “Plucky’s”). Finally (this may be a stretch), we get some CGI eye work at the end of each episode, a nod to one of the brothers’ greatest fears-Sam’s eyes flashing yellow in “YF” (Dean’s fear) and the toy clown winking at the end of “Plucky’s (Sam’s fear)”.
There were a couple of notable or not-so-notable details depending on your level of detail-orientedness (shh, it’s a word):
The fear wall of kids’ pictures changes from shot to shot, a continuity error most likely. And ... erm ... apparently there's a kid out there who is afraid of hungry basketballs.
The clown figurine Dean torches at the climax is one of three featured earlier in the episode as visual foreshadowing. They’re the focus of the opening shot when Dean’s first meets Howard, the big bad, which is a nice inconspicuous anvil (hmm, an oxymoron?).
RIGHT FRIGGIN’ NOW is in caps and written in a bigger font than the other time stamps in this episode. Heh, the only things missing are a string of exclamation points and some oh noes faces D: D8 O.O O_o.
So hurray! Show managed to deliver a fun episode with unicorns, rainbows, clowns, giant Slinkies, and pizza so gross Dean wouldn’t even eat it. What’s left? Dance fighting? A musical? Girl!chesters? Sam and Dean in space? ;)
Also, you have no idea how many years I've been waiting to use my "unicorn fart" icon in the appropriate context. I can now die in peace knowing that a picture of a laser-like rainbow shooting out of a fictitious animal's bum was perfectly applicable for something. Now I’ll go hide in the hole of RL for another year before I comment on another SPN episode….
*Poor D&L, they’ll never catch a break from me. Gamble writes an episode that references canon details and I’m all “ILU, SERA!!!! NEVERLEAVEWRITEMORE” *smashhug*. D&L do the same and I’m side-eying them, whispering, “Copycats.”
ETA: I've been getting some mileage out of my nerd hat and am posting at spnematography again. If anybody feels like getting their geek on about cinematography and Show, feel free to join me. This time I'm blabbing about the 180 degree rule and the awesome ball pit scene. *hurkie jump*