Another Supernatural with an old school feel but definitely enjoyable. This is, of course, because of snarky, grumpy old man Dean and Bobby combining forces to give Jack Lemon and Walter Matthau a run for their money. I won’t pretend that I was not slightly annoyed that Sam, the least experienced poker player, is the one to save the day, but that’s a minor bitch that I can get over.
Sam & Dean go to a town that has a 25 year old man die of old age. Turns out there’s a poker game where you bet years of your life and that guy lost. Dean calls Bobby to discuss the happenings and Bobby, clearly unhappy with life, hits town himself and loses 25 years. Dean takes on Patrick, the manwitch as Dean calls him (hee) and loses 50, 25 that he gives to Bobby to return him to normal and then 25 for himself that he loses, making him 80 years old.
We don’t get to see the loss, we just get to see Sam come back from his burger run and encounter an old man that he is about to shoot before Dean tells him to relax, it’s him. Sam tells him he looks like Emperor Palpatine, Bobby calls him John McCain and Dean refers to himself as the old chick in Titanic. Awesome. Kudos to the actor playing Old Dean because he had the tone and mannerisms down.
Hilariously, Dean’s bacon cheeseburger gave him acid reflux, thus he had to give up his beloved food. Dean wants to be Benjamin Buttoned back into burger shape and then he hits on this woman at the hotel who tells him he’s just like her grandfather. Bobby and Sam are quite amused, as was I. Silly girl, if she only knew what she was really laughing at.
Patrick the witch fakes getting hit by a car and then steals it, much to Dean’s amusement. He admits to rather liking him. They follow him to his place to try to steal back the chips. The elevator isn’t working so Bobby can’t go up and they have to use the stairs and poor Dean is about ready to die at the second floor. The chip plan fails, as it’s not the chips it’s the chanting and Patrick and his wife catch them in the act. He lets slip that Dean’s heart isn’t very good since he ate like crap all those years, then claps at Sam a few times and gives him an STD. He starts walking funny and Dean tells him he got the clap and laughs. Hee.
All fun aside, the meat of this episode really came when Bobby railed at the boys about wishing that he had the strength to kill himself. He wants to play again because he has nothing to live for. He hates watching others fight while he’s stuck in the chair doing nothing. Jim Beaver was great in this scene. I didn’t like that Dean only said his name and didn’t do anything else but it led up to what I wanted in the end so I won’t bitch about it.
Female witch woman met the guys back at their hotel room teaching them how to reverse the spells. It turns out she lost her child and she’s lived a long time and is just tired and wants to go. We get to see that Patrick does have a heart, willingly giving 13 years to an old man even though he could have beaten him. Sam goes to play Patrick while Dean & Bobby work on getting the items needed to reverse the spell.
Dean keeps whining and complaining about sore elbows and a hurt back. He and Bobby just trade insults back and forth. After Bobby tells Dean to stop bitching, he informs him that killing him is on his bucket list. Meanwhile Patrick is taunting Sam about being at the kiddie table, not being respected by Dean to handle things himself. Sam keeps eying a toothpick that Patrick is sucking on, he steals it and gives it to Dean to use in the spell. It turns out that Dean trusted him enough to let him provide the distraction while they gathered their items. Unfortunately, Patrick was on to him and made sure he got the wrong toothpick. The spell failed and Dean was not yet pretty again, much to his consternation.
Patrick is pissed about Sam cheating and nearly magics him to death but wifey steps in and admits that she’s the one that told the boys how to kill them. He orders Sam to keep playing while Dean and Bobby try to get some more DNA at the witches apartment. Patrick taunts Sam about being a cautious player but turns out that Sam had nothing in his hand, bluffed him cold. Patrick tells him that if they had time he could make a player out of him; Sam says he has plenty of time and Patrick tells him he has minutes. He won’t let Sam go, so Sam has to play on as Dean collapses.
I did like that Sam’s immediate instinct was to go after Dean and he played recklessly once he knew he was in danger. That felt like old times with the brothers, putting each other first. He was in full on panic mode and just threw his chips in without even looking at his cards. He wanted the game to be over so he could get to Dean. Patrick had a full house, fours and aces, and thought he’d won but Sam had four fours to take the pot and save his brother. Patrick tells him there’s more to him than meets the eye. We knew that already.
Bobby’s panicking because Dean wasn’t answering him and out comes Pretty Dean, dancing and clicking his heals. Bobby calls him an idiot in that special Bobby way, relief in his tone. Patrick plays cards with his wife and she loses so she can die and go be with their daughter.
Dean comes in with his beloved cheeseburger while Sam runs out to get his booster shot to clear up his clap. hehe Dean apologizes to Bobby for giving him shit and calling him an idiot. Then he informs Bobby that he’s not useless and makes Bobby stay and listen to him. I’ll quote again. “You don’t stop being a soldier because you got wounded in battle. No matter what shape you’re in, bottom line is you’re family. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but me and Sam, we don’t have much left. I can’t do this without you. I can’t. So don’t you dare think about checking out. I don’t wanna hear that again.” Bobby looks teary and says okay. Dean tells him good and Bobby thanks him and asks if they’re done feeling their feelings so they can get out of the room before they start growing lady parts. Dean throws his cheeseburger away and then calls him Ironsides again, Bobby’s a little perturbed that he seems to have acquired a nickname. He looks up and sighs, was it a sigh of acceptance?
I loved the conversation. I was so surprised that Dean didn’t say much of anything when Bobby talked about eating his gun but he just kept it and dealt with it when he was back to normal. He needed to let Bobby know just how important he was to them. I was hoping for him to say something about him being more of a father than his own was but he didn’t go that far. Still, the family aspect was heavily addressed. It made me fear for Bobby’s future, honestly, but he’s okay for now and that’s what matters. Really good scene for Jensen and Jim. All the emotion was there and I felt like I’d been punched in the gut I was so into it.
I like episodes like this, that have something so very important to say without being over the top about it. I truly hope Bobby has more coming up that allows him to feel useful. I think Dean will make sure of it. So, there you have it, next week we get the TV one, with the return of Chuck it appears. Yay for Chuck! We’ll see on the episode, it’s a few too many humorous ones in a row for my taste but I’m keeping an open mind. Oh, and I forgot to say it, but yeah. I totally found Old Man Dean attractive. What can I say? I like his attitude and find it sexy, that didn’t change even though he was wrinkly. Don’t worry, I’m calling the psychiatrist next week. Instead of talking, I’ll just have them read this blog and a few of my other ones mentioning my weird attractions. hehe
I have to agree. Chad Everett did great job as old Dean and I loved the mischievous glint in his eyes, and even the slight desperation when the maid called old Dean adorable. Perfect casting again… but then again, he’s a male and playing the part of a Winchester from another time frame.
They probably decided to save all the meat for Jensen to act and let the old Dean concentrate on the humour. As good as Everett (can’t bring myself to call him just Chad, even if he was adorably attractive for an old man) was with his reaction shots to Bobby’s, Jim Beaver’s, brilliant moment, it would have been a cop out written in any other way. Jensen has shaped and carried this character for years now, it’s his portrayal that makes us love Dean the way we do, and to hand out the best scenes to a guest star is simply out of the question.
Additionally to the scenes you mentioned, Bobby’s confessional and Bobby-Dean family love and bonding, Jensen and Jim had moment in the beginning in the back alley before Dean played to save Bobby and lost. Dean was more than little annoyed with Bobby for risking his life but at that time I don’t think he fully realised the depths of his despair. Then came the admission and the realisation and in the end came the fix, or the band aid. Bobby needed a reminder and Dean was just returning the favour he’s received many times over in the past.
I found it hilarious that out of the two brothers, it’s Sam that finally caught an STD. If you think about it, how many women has Sam slept with compared to his brother? Granted, he did fiddle around with Ruby and the walking corpses but still.
Sam winning the poker game didn’t bother me too much because I just rationalised that Bobby and Dean had coached him. Told him exactly what to do additionally to the stealing the hewitch DNA part. Because how else would have they known that Sam could keep the man occupied long enough?
I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but I’m about to read the last chapter of LolaShoes’s My Yes, My No sans epilogue. So you’ll forgive me and let me add later?
P.S. I can’t remember why, but I just loved the moment when Bobby and old Dean snapped at Sammy at the exact same fraction of a second.
Very good point on giving Jensen the speech. That makes sense completely and I agree with it. It’s just not like Dean to sit on emotions in that situation. hehe But he had a lot on his plate at the moment so it worked just fine.
It was hilarious that Sam got an STD. The irony was not lost on me considering he’s had very little action compared to big brother. hehe I loved Dean telling him what he had and his amusement.
And yeah, the poker win didn’t irritate me that much, just made Sam look like more of a shining star again which I’m a little tired of. But like you said, mainly that was coaching and luck so I’m not too upset. And I really liked his reaction when he learned Dean was dying, that made the scene definitely work.
Old Dean and Bobby together were just fabulous and I loved that moment as well. And I do hope that Ironsides stays.
Not only did Dean have a lot to deal with at that moment, but considering how much he has changed lately, it’s only logical. Remember when the Horseman was wrecking havoc in that town? Dean found out that Sam had been captured and his first instinct was to rush off to save him, but he stopped himself and strategized. And that wasn’t the only time. Dean has learnt to think before he acts and it now shows in everything. Sure he still has his goofy moments, but when it’s a matter of life and death, he’s all business.
After second viewing, I was more irritated with Sam than the first time. This time him chalking his win to luck was more like him trying downplay of his own merits. I didn’t like it. In fact it just made me realise how desperate they are making us like Sam again and making him the hero of the show. It was more subtle than it has been so far this year, but still not a good thing.
Why is it that every time they cast a female that’s actually likeable she ends up dying or forgotten? I liked the witch just as I liked the hewitch and it was a really good sideplot to the episode. Little predictable but good thanks to the actors.
Lately, every time they’ve brought a new character with any kind of power to the show, I’ve ended up wondering whether or not he (or occasionally she) will return later. Maybe it’s because of the apocalypse but I just can’t see them investing so much time in fleshing out these minor characters without a further purpose. All this just makes me think that the final battle will be huge and we’ll end up seeing glimpses of characters from the past. I really need to start rewatching the old episodes again to remind myself of everyone who we might see again, just in case I’m right.
…Maybe I’m just wishing that Madison will cross paths with the boys and have very Winchestery three-year-old in tow.
Aha, see! The Sam thing can/does rub you the wrong way if you look at it as another way to show Sammy’s redemption. I’d far prefer him to fall off the wagon or fuck up in some way rather than keep saving the day. Make him “real”.
Hee, you’re not giving up that Winchester child are you? I’d love to see a mini-Dean that is not Dean but his kid out there for sure. Dare to dream!
I liked the witch pair as well. I don’t understand why they can’t keep a good female around and instead stick us with the Ruby’s of the world. So wrong. So moronic. They kill off all the good ones. I’d like to see a bunch of the characters again and you do never know. Tessa showed up again, we’ve got the Trickster coming back…maybe.
Yes, Dean has changed a little bit and I like that. They really can’t afford to go rushing willy nilly into situations anymore, not with the world on the line so it makes perfect sense. Love Dean, always!
You are absolutely right, making Sam first fall then pick himself up again and move on would have endeared him to me a lot faster than this parade of Sam-centric or let’s make-Sam-the-hero-of-all episodes. But apparently we aren’t getting that. Unless Kripke is a genius and that episode is coming only to make Sam’s failure more prominent for reasons unknown… perhaps to justify his Yes to Lucifer? It doesn’t look that way though.
No, I’m not giving up on the Winchester child. Mini-Dean would be lovely but at this point I just want to see Jensen interact with children. My ovaries need the workout.
Who knows, the way the casting department works, in fifteen to twenty years, we might actually have a likeable female Winchester on the show… No, I haven’t given up on that dream either. If anything, this year has shown that the writers need more practise to hone their skills.
Do they have a contract with the network that allows them only to cast great actresses to likeable female roles on the show if they’ll end up dead or forgotten? Aside from Ellen has there been a recurring female that you’ve actually liked? I’d say Tessa but she being the reaper kind of negates the point I’m trying to make. Mary? She’s dead and haunting the boys. I need that rewatch, no, I need more time.
Yeah, my rewatch failed a couple of episodes into the 2nd season. I think, not coincidentally, that that is when I delved into fanfic and got lost to the world. hehe Now, of course, too much TV to watch, too much to write…like you said, not enough time. I’ll get back to it though, I think revisiting season 2 and 3 would be a good thing.
Chicks I liked? I liked Meg but of course she was another demon and the original Meg is dead and gone. Ellen you mentioned…ummm drawing a blank. hehe Like you said, they nail the one timers but not the regulars. I really liked Pamela the psychic but of course she only got two epis and then death. Sigh.
Yeah, if they were setting Sam up for a fall and then redemption I’d be happy, doesn’t feel that way though. I feel more and more like that blog I wrote a couple weeks ago, wherein I thought Dean offering Sam the chance to drive the Impala meant all was forgiven was indeed correct. Which I don’t want it to be. Sigh.
I totally found old man Dean attractive as well. I mentioned on my blog that he reminded me of Clint Eastwood.
I didn’t go too far in depth on my blog — but I’m glad you touched on Dean and Bobby’s conversations. I meant to talk about Bobby’s sigh at the very end, but it slipped my mind when writing.
I couldn’t tell what kind of sigh it was, but I know it made me sad for some reason. I feel bad for Bobby and I can only imagine how he feels. I hope he spends more time with the boys because I don’t want him to be so lonely.
And again, I think I’m the only Sam fan, haha. Just Kidding. Having him win in the end didn’t bother me. If you think about it this way — if it really was just luck, then Sam didn’t do diddly squat. He just was there to turn the cards over, lol.
I do wish we had more Dean saving the day episodes though. And it’d be fun to see old man Sam or Sam confronting himself in the apocalyptic future.
I couldn’t really tell either. I wasn’t sure if he was resigned or if he felt any better…Bobby’s an enigma. I actually have my doubt that he’ll make it through the season unscathed. I don’t know that they have the balls to kill off Sam or Dean but I think they will kill off Bobby. That will make me, and them, very sad.
Old Man Dean was rather attractive and yeah, the Eastwood comparison works, even though I don’t like Eastwood. But the voice and such, very fitting.
It’s not so much about Sam winning the card game while Bobby and Dean didn’t; I rather liked how panicked he got when he knew about Dean and don’t think it was a stone cold bluff. I still just feel that Sam really is being painted as a shining star now and everything from last season is supposed to be forgotten or at least forgiven. And I can’t do that, not without him actually looking at his brother and telling him that he was a complete ass last year, thinking that he was weak when in reality he is the strongest man that Sam knows. If he uttered those words? Sam and I would be copacetic again and forever probably.