"I think we found the Batcave."
Oh, my. I loved this episode. Not so much for the episode itself (even though it was good), but for all the great stuff they just introduced.
Like a "home" for the Winchesters, finally. And what a home it is, with a research library, nonfunctioning switchboard, scimitars, club chairs and piped in music. Dean was enjoying the water pressure in the shower and the cold beer (and I assume, a comfortable place to sleep. Will we get to see the bedrooms?) but it was obvious that the Men of Letters bunker and all of its contents were meant for Sam. Dean may never be a Man of Letters, but Sam already is.
I looked up Lebanon, Kansas and discovered something cool: it's considered to be the center point of the contiguous United States. Isn't that wonderful? Talk about centrally located. The perfect home base for the constantly traveling Winchesters.
And an evil society of Nazi necromancers? Way cooler than Leviathans. I also liked Aaron Bass, the sole descendant of the monster-hunting rabbis of the Judah Initiative, and his oddly endearing and extremely large golem. (Wouldn't it be like having your very own Terminator?) Reanimating the dead fits well into the Supernaturalverse, too. Hey, Dean and Sam have returned from the dead a time or two, and practically every character we've loved is gone. Too bad it doesn't work if the body's been cremated (yes, I'm thinking about Bobby) although maybe that's a good thing, since at least they can kill the members of the Thule Society. Eckhart may be ashes now, but they kept showing close-ups of his ring so we'll know when the next Thule (or Tool) shows up.
I liked that a lot of this episode took place in a library, too, so I will not bitch about library things that they got wrong, or complain that Rabbi Bass was stealing special collections materials. At least Sam knew what a Library of Congress call number was. And hey, typical Winchester division of labor: Sam goes to the library and does research while Dean goes to a bar and interviews pretty girls. Although it was out of character for Dean to freak out when a guy came on to him. I can't quite believe that Dean has never been hit on by a man before.
As Sam said, they needed a break. Maybe they finally just got one. At least the actors just did. Standing set!
Bits and pieces:
— Aaron Bass may have literally smoked his golem owner's manual, but he was cool about his bequest. He may not have wanted it, but he took the responsibility seriously. Although it was a good thing his grandfather didn't die while Aaron was in high school.
— Rabbi Bass, Aaron's grandfather who went up in a puff of Nazi smoke, was played by Hal Linden, star of the 1970s series Barney Miller.
— The exotic key in the box reminded me of the one in Grimm. And Doctor Who did a hilarious episode called "Let's Kill Hitler."
— The golem was taller than Sam! Nobody is taller than Sam!
— This week: Vitsyebsk, Belarus in 1944; Lebanon, Kansas; and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. (I've lived in Pennsylvania and have been in Wilkes-Barre; it's pronounced "Wilkes-Berry.") Dean was special agent... was it Bollen?
— So seriously, what is that building above the bunker? It looked fascinating.
— Dean got tossed across a parking lot by the golem and didn't break a single bone?
Quotes:
Sam: "I still can't figure out how we have water. Or electricity."
Dean: "Yeah, well, I'm putting that under the 'ain't broke' column."
Is it mystical electricity, perhaps? Does the bunker have wi-fi?
Dean: "I don't think that they knew some big secrets that we don't know."
Sam: "Dean, they were a secret society."
Dean: "Which means that they made crap up, and wore fezzes and sashes and swung around scimitars they probably didn't even sharp... it's very sharp."
And fezzes are cool.
Library clerk: "Eight minutes before all materials must be returned to the main desk."
Rabbi Bass (in Yiddish) "I hope they pay you good to keep that bug up your ass."
Sam: "So that's a golem?"
Aaron: "Yes. Shaped from clay and brought to life by rabbis to protect the Jewish people in times of, I don't know, general crappiness."
Bad Guy: "Long live the Thule." (dies)
Dean: "Or not."
Sam: "So, Thule Society of necromancers aside, what's our contingency plan?"
Dean: "You mean, how do we 'oh no Mister Bill' over there?"
I loved that Dean called the golem 'Oh no Mister Bill.'
Dean: "One badass Hummel figurine."
Sam: "That we have no idea how to put back in the box."
And it actually came in a box.
Dean: "So now we know. Paper beats golem, fire beats undead Nazi zombie freaks."
Very cool. Maybe not a four star episode, but the introduction of so much cool stuff in the middle of season eight? Awesome.
Billie
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Billie Doux has been reviewing Supernatural for so long that Dean and Sam Winchester feel like old friends. Courageous, adventurous, gorgeous old friends.
I'm kinda shocked that you didn't recognize that Aaron was played by Adam Rose, who played Max in S3 of Veronica Mars!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this episode. I kept thinking there were hidden Lost jokes, with the episode title ("Everybody Loves/Hates Hugo") and the hidden bunker and stuff.
ReplyDeleteMy first introduction to golems was in Michael Chabon's Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, which is a wonderful novel. If anyone wants a comic-book friendly spin on golems, I recommend it.
I loved this episode too. It had a different feel to it. One thing I like about Supernatural is how seamlessly they transition through moods, and how different their episodes are. Really cool.
ReplyDeleteDean's agent name was Bolan, for the T-Rex singer/guitar player Marc Bolan.
Oh, and usually I hate Jewish holocaust related stuff, but I like it when it portrays they were fighting back. Love Inglourious Basterds.
ReplyDeleteGregzilla, I think I've blocked out season three of Veronica Mars. Although I thought he looked familiar.
ReplyDeleteLoved Sam warming his hands over the burning remains of the first dead "Nazi Necromancer Dick" while Aaron looked on in shock. :)
ReplyDeleteI've NEVER given up on a show in my life but sometime last year, I stopped watching Supernatural and I feel HORRIBLE about it as I was really enjoying the Leviathan arc. However, something with my emotional attachment to the show just dissipated. I just skimmed through this review and I really feel like watching THIS episode, particularly with the mention of the Lebanon found in the US (I after all live in the actual Lebanon in the Middle East).
ReplyDeleteWould I enjoy this eppy if I haven't watched anything from this season? Are things quite complicated at the moment with a bunch of long-term story arcs?
I really miss the show but I watch TOO many series that I have to review on a daily basis to continue where I left off last season. Watching one episode however, I can do. Advice people?
Nadim, since you're familiar with the series, you could probably follow what's going on if you watch "As Time Goes By" first. It's the episode before this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm finally all caught up and I have to say that so far season eight has been a massive improvement over season 7. I love that the angels and demons are finally back in play after taking a year off, and I'm also liking all the new additions to the mythology.
ReplyDeleteNormally when a shows starts adding new stuff this late in the game it gets on my nerves. Thankfully this is not the case here. I am happy that Sam and Dean now have a Batcave to call home. But I also remember that that was what the Road House was meant to be and we all remember what happened to that.
Nadim
ReplyDeleteHere's my advice : Community.
LMAO and tongue in cheek.
Great review, Billie. I am very happy that the boys have a base now. I loved the final shot of them at the table, one reading and one watching, both drinking. It felt very domestic to me. Not something we have often seen in this show.
ReplyDeleteI'm really pleased that they are running with this Men of Letters thing. And like Chris, that final scene just cemented for me how happy I am about it. I know it is a new thing the writers have made up, but it just fits so perfectly with everything that has come before, and Sam being drawn to this side of the wider hunting world feels so right. Seeing Dean put his feet up on the table and saying that definitive, "Good," about Sam's interest in the Men of Letters side of their legacy struck a happy little chord deep down inside. Add that to a fairly humorous and yet wonderfully poignant golem story, and I'm feeling very, very good about Supernatural these days. It's nice to have my love for the series restoked a bit. Let's hope they can maintain that feeling!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this episode for many of the same reasons as everyone else. The boys have a place to be, we have some interesting new evil ones and maybe some new allies. I'm not sure how the beginning of the season is going to mesh with all this new stuff but I don't really care. They could scrap the god rocks and I'd be fine. I would miss Kevin though.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this episode and I laughed out loud with how Dean was embarassed that a guy was hitting on him.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm a month late, but I've finally started to catch up again on Supernatural. And I LOVED this episode. Too bad about Rabbi Bass; his snarky parting shot at the librarian won me over instantly. Although I ended up liking Aaron as well.
ReplyDeleteI was a bit shocked that they'd never heard of the Thule Society, though. I've heard of the Thule Society. Wasn't it brought up at least once in Indiana Jones (one and/or three)? There's no way Dean hasn't seen those movies.
Since everyone else seems too polite to mention it, I have to ask, WHEN DID HAL LINDEN GET SO OLD!? I didn't even recognize him.
ReplyDeleteSunbunny: I'm with you on Hal Linden! I kept thinking his eyes looked familiar (along with that voice). I loved Barney Miller. Watched it from start to end and cried like a baby when it ended. Great spisode.
ReplyDeleteHaha yay. They answered my silent prayers. They have a base of operations now! And Dean gets to enjoy a taste of the rich life! Sam gets to see a less lonely side of the hunter life and a society more fit for him, without having to leave. I would love to think someone on the writing staff shared my misgivings... The future is our friend again.
ReplyDelete