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Supernatural: Hell House

Dean: "Most of those websites wouldn't know a ghost if it bit them in the persqueeter."

Persqueeter?

I loved this episode. It somehow managed to be creepy and hilarious at the same time. The idea of a ghost created because people believed in it (along with getting oomph from symbols on the wall that weren't Blue Oyster Cult) was fun and interesting, and a little change of pace. The different incarnations of Mordecai were all scary and well done.

And the two ghostbuster nerds were perfect casting. Ed and Harry saw themselves as Dean and Sam, of course, and their perceptions of themselves didn't change even after they saw the real thing. Too funny.

Even with all this good stuff, my favorite part was the escalating practical joke war. Icing on the cake. It probably wouldn't have been appropriate in a more serious episode, but here, it just made it better. Not that this one didn't have its serious aspects. If a young woman hadn't died, it would have been pure comedy. But if a young woman hadn't died, Dean and Sam wouldn't have stayed in town.


Why would anyone go into a haunted house on a dare, ever? I know it's been said, but don't characters on television ever watch horror movies?

Bits and pieces:

— Wyeth's Western Inn actually had the Alamo painted on the wall, and cow head door knockers made me laugh out loud. I've lived in Texas and it's not like that. Well, it's not all like that.

— Sam in a towel. Hmmm.

— The Ghostfacers were named Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spengler. Two of the original Ghostbusters characters were Winston Zeddmore and Egon Spengler.


— This week, we went to Richardson, Texas. Dean and Sam pretended to be reporters with the Dallas Morning News. (Note from later: Jensen Ackles grew up in Richardson, Texas.)

— I'm not one to catalog bloopers, but there's a glaring one. On the DVD, wide screen, time index 34:54, you can plainly see a camera guy on the far right. Oops.

Quotes:

Sam: "That prank stuff. It's stupid, and it always escalates."
Dean: "What's the matter, Sammy? Afraid you're going to get a little Nair in your shampoo again?"

Guy 1: "Crosses and stars and..."
Guy 2: "Pentagons..."
Guy 1: "Pentacostals..."

Guy 1: "Kinda hot. You know, in a dead sort of way."

Dean: "So much for curb appeal."

Sam: "The reverse cross has been used by satanists for centuries, but the sigil of sulfur didn't show up in San Francisco until the sixties."
Dean: "I know exactly why you never get laid."

Harry: "Maybe we should just go."
Ed: "No. Would John Edward go?"

Ed: "Sweet lord..."
Harry: "...of the rings."

Ed: "This is our ticket to the big time. Fame, money, sex. With girls. Okay? Be brave, okay? WWBD. What would Buffy do?"

Dean: "Look at that. Action figures in their original packaging. What a shock."

Dean: "I barely have any skin left on my palm."
Sam: "I'm not touching that line with a ten foot pole."

You know a show is really good when it can parody itself this well, especially so early in its run. Four out of four stars,

Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

6 comments:

  1. LOVED Sam in a towel. Damn that kid looks good!

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  2. Awesome episode, really! It was scary but it was also pretty funny with the practical jokes and the two "paranormal investigators" who were clearly idiotic.
    Too funny.

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  3. "W.W.B.D?" definitely made me laugh out loud. Those two guys were hilarious.

    Also, I now want the Winchesters to meet Buffy.

    Mandy

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  4. It was hysterical as 34:54 time approached and the guy is full on in the frame. That beats all the boom fails in any show by landmarks. Great episode even with that.

    On a side note I want to thank you for saying stick withuntil the Scarecrow episode because it took me months of lazy watching to get that far. Never had I been so enthusiastic about something I thought I would like. It's definitely hitting its stride. Also thank you for being my favorite (and only) site for show reviews. I've come late to the game for x-files, Buffy, angel, fringe etc but after finally watching those series, douxreviwes is my first stop.

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  5. I...may have used the Sam towel scene to convince a colleague to give Supernatural a try. Hey - whatever gets them started, right?

    This episode was HILARIOUS! I actually had to abandon my customary drink during watching because otherwise my poor laptop would be drenched in snorted beverage. The prank war was priceless and it helped to humanise Sam and Dean (who are loveable but larger-than-life characters) as well as providing us with a lot of laughs.

    And I love Harry and Ed. I think I identify with them. "Sweet Lord...Of The Rings!" "What Would Buffy Do?" Those are tee-shirts that I own (The ones my mother affectionately calls my 'nerdshirts' whenever she drops by and they're on the line). Much as I would like to think that I'd be like Sam and Dean...if I were in this situation I would probably make the Hellhounds blokes look coordinated and suave!

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