Supernatural – The Monster at the End of the Book
Larp Along With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be
by Sylvia Bond
Supernatural Episode Review – Season 4, Episode 18
“The Monster At the End of the Book”
This week’s ep was beyond clever and good and was the furthest thing away from craptastic that I have ever seen. I mean, except for all of Season One and all of Season Two, which set the bar pretty high for Show. Yes, even including Bugs, which was a pretty rockin’ ep especially in comparison with Malleus Maleficarum, Long Distance Call, and other eps of that ilk. Show brought it together in a big way in one of those self-referential eps that every TV show feels the need to do, playing it close to the edge in a way that could have gone horribly wrong at any moment. But it didn’t. It stayed true to itself all the way down the line, stayed in character, never jumped the shark, not even close. Plus, I got a laundry room scene, which made me feel like I was going to loose my mind with pleasure, but I’ll get to that later.
Here’s the basic premise. Sam and Dean discover that there’s this guy, Chuck, who has written a series of books that tell the story of Sam and Dean, and describes their lives as they lived it. Each book depicts an episode, starting from the Pilot and through the end of Season Three, where Dean goes to hell. The boys hook up with Chuck, there are many clever conversations where the boys discuss destiny and fate and try not to argue so much, and then the Soap Angel comes along and tells them that the writer is not so much a writer as he is a prophet. There’s a side story where Sam confronts Lilith, there is a stalemate, and Mr. Z enters the scene to tell the writer to keep on writing. Doesn’t that sound clever? It was.
Sam and Dean quickly learn that as Chuck writes, so shall it be. They learn to abide, or at least to attempt to abide, by his stories. They get hold of a story that’s never been published, and read parts aloud to each other. It’s clever, because as they’re reading, the story they’re reading unfolds before them. The story tells them not to argue, so they exchange glances agreeing to this and then end up arguing anyway. Dean isn’t supposed to order a bacon cheeseburger, which is especially difficult since it comes so highly recommended, so he orders a tofu veggie burger. Which is misdelivered to his table as the aforementioned bacon cheeseburger.
All of their attempts to avoid their destinies, be it a plastic sheet over the back window of Dean’s beloved Impala to the pink flower bandages all over Dean’s face, there’s nothing they can do. Watching Sam and Dean read their own story aloud was funny though uncomfortable, as Sam, in particular tended to read in an overly dramatic way, making phrases like “Dean’s beloved Impala,” come across as stilted and purple. This was probably done on purpose to mock, though most fan fiction, I assure you, is much, much more sophisticated than that. (And Dean does love the Impala, so don’t make fun of that, okay, or you’ll hurt his feelings.) There were so many clever, well-written and acted scenes, if I tried to cover them all, I’d be here all day and all next week. But I’ll talk about a few because I want to and because I can.
First up: Interior motel room, day. Dean is spread out artfully on the bed reading the books while Sam does research on his laptop. It’s a pretty basic scene, nothing we’ve not seen before, except Dean is complaining about being naked and having sex all the time in the books, and has anyone bothered to tell him how provocative it is when he poses like that? Then Sam shows Dean the fansite about the books, which, when Dean looks at, he remarks that fans sure do complain a lot. Hey! I resemble that remark and I’d like to lodge a complaint! Of course we complain, we wouldn’t complain if we didn’t care, you know? I also wanted to jump up and defend my status as a Samgirl, too, which is just silly, because why on earth would I need to defend my choices to a fictional character? Such is the power of an ep like this that comes very close to breaking through the fourth wall, and manages to make a running commentary about both itself and its devoted audience.
Then, oh, yeah. As Dean peruses the websites, he asks “What’s slash again?” As Sam explains that it is a story where Sam and Dean are together (as in sexually), the boys make disgusted faces. Then Dean asks, “They do know we’re brothers, right?” Sam answers, “That doesn’t seem to matter.” Dean finishes up with, “That’s disgusting!” as he slams Sam’s laptop closed. I was completely astonished and made somewhat giggly that Show would actually go there, however, the issue of slash has been raised, and it would be disingenuous of me not to take up the baton. Heretofore now, I have been very circumspect in not talking about it, seeing as there are fans of Show and indeed of Pink Raygun who were neither interested nor wanted their noses rubbed in it. Now, however, the doors have been opened, and in spite of any reticence on my part, I must, I must!
First, you have to know what slash fan fiction is all about. Fan fiction is a story that takes the characters from a TV show and uses the setting and the characters to tell a story, either in keeping with the original premise of the show, or that alters that universe in some way. There is plenty of fan fiction that doesn’t involve two same-sex characters having a sexual relationship, there’s gen, and het, and hurt/comfort, there are death fics, there are wingfics, and other subgenres I’m sure haven’t been invented yet. The second aspect, the slash aspect, is harder to understand at first, and I’ve heard lots of people ask why would someone write about two guys having sex? Well there are lots of good reasons, any fan fiction writer of slash can tell you hers (and we mostly are women), so these are my answers.
To begin with, fan fiction is like porn, but it’s not like regular Hugh Hefner porn. It’s more a type of writing that presses our buttons and rocks our world. It’s like saying cheese fries are porn, or some guys’ necks are like porn. There’s also feet porn and hair porn and nose porn. There’s freckle porn and dimple porn and forearm porn and eyelash porn. There’s mouth porn and whumpage porn and angst porn and emo porn and glower porn, and so on. You see? Via fan fiction, we get our pleasure where we want to, not where we are told to.
And then there’s slash, which is porn on top of porn, because in addition to having really good writing about what we want it to be about, we have guys boffing like rabbits, but in an emotionally satisfying way. There is PWP, which is Plot, What Plot, in that the whole of the story is geared to the porn. And then there are those long, drawn out stories, thousands and thousands of words long, full of satisfying emo and angst and hotty hot sex. The most important aspect is the emotional payoff. I won’t give you any links to said stories; the onus is on you to find them for yourself.
As far as Show goes, there are many fans of Show who write slash fan fiction about the boys, and it’s called wincest, which is a blend word of the words Winchester and incest. I know the concept is a little strange the first time you encounter it, but I assure you that Show is not unique in inspiring such a genre. For starters, slash fan fiction has been around since at least the mid-seventies, and perhaps even before, starting with stories that paired Kirk and Spock in a sexual relationship and quickly moving through every male-male (and some female-female) pairings that could be found. (Some fans will slash anything that moves, you know.) As each story was written, boundaries would appear between what had been done, what was accepted, and stuff that had never been tried before, the first boundary being getting two non-gay guys realistically into bed. After that? The subject matter was wide, wide open, with everything behind the boundary seeming tame in comparison to what lay beyond the pale.
When Show came around, rumor has it that Show decided to make the characters brothers so that they could be close and intimate and know each other’s history without sex being the issue. That was a boundary, because to put these characters together in a sexual relationship would require crossing a huge social taboo, not to mention several laws that aren’t going to change anytime soon. Fans blew through that like tissue paper. It didn’t even slow them down; they merely re-inked their pens and kept on going. As to why writers crossed the taboo, I don’t know. There are lots of theories, my pet one is that breaking this taboo allowed writers and readers to experience an even higher high. Like adrenaline junkies, fan fiction that just having two men going at it got to be a little tame, and no longer was a little bedroom drama enough. Hence, the incest. I’m neither condoning nor condemning here, my goal is merely to clarify for your viewing pleasure. (And because I feel like quite the daring thing doing it.)
But like I said, this isn’t an isolated phenomenon; Show is not unique. Several other shows that are on prime time right now have brother pairings that have inspired more than one ream of incest-slash fan fiction. I’ll name a few for you, shall I? There is Numb3rs, with Charlie and Don, which is called Eppescest; Heroes with Nathan and Peter, which is called Petrellicest; and Prison Break with Michael and Lincoln, which doesn’t have a snappy name that I know of. You think I’m kidding? Just google it; put Charlie/Don in any search engine and see what you come up with. It’s all over the place.
By bringing up slash, Show seems to be again administering the usual tsk tsk enjoinder to tell fans that Show does not approve of them putting Dean and Sam in a slash relationship. It also gives Sam and Dean (and thus Padalecki and Ackles) the opportunity to join in the chorus of disapproval and to speak outright against this practice. Frankly I can understand their perspective because if you don’t read or write slash, it’s difficult to understand the attraction, especially when it breaks the incest taboo on a regular basis without so much as a nod to the Westermarck effect, which proves time and again that most kids raised as siblings (whether related or not) develop an aversion to having carnal relations with each other. Go read the research for yourself. It proves that wincest flies in the face of so many well-established conventions it’s not even funny.
That’s not going to stop the fan fiction writers and indeed it shouldn’t; fan fiction is free of any and all constrictions and can do as it pleases. There’s no corporate suits the writers have to answer to, no publisher, no judge or jury, you can write backwards, forwards, you can write from any point of view, you can write in third or first person, you can place your action anywhere, anytime, you can have an alternate reality, you can give the boys wings if you so desire. Anything. Fan fiction is its own form of writing without walls or rules or guidance. And for every story there is an audience waiting.
The worst fan fiction is no worse than anything that’s being published right now. The best fan fiction will blow you away. It’s written for women by women, it tells the stories we want to tell, the way we want them told, without any nods to the male-dominated publishing industry, and flying directly in the face of the male dominated TV industry, which surely never predicted that their collection of cops, FBI agents, professors, astronauts, lawyers, doctors, soldiers, firemen, anthropologists, cowboys, and so on, manly men all, would be conscripted to be used as entertainment for a bunch of women.
Well, nuts to you! You’re all so busy entertaining yourselves and each other, you left us all unattended, and now look! We’re entertaining ourselves better than you ever could, using your characters, and in addition to which, we give it all away. For free! Can you stand it? Can you just hear all those ulcers burning? Oh never mind, you. Just go away and dream up another prime time scoop of pabulum; we’ll be sure to turn it into something more emotionally satisfying quicker than you can pick a corporate sponsor.
Alrighty then. Back to reviewing the ep, which has a totally fun scene where the boys confront the publisher of the books, which are a cult hit only, with not much mainstream interest. The publisher thinks Chuck is a genius, and Sam and Dean are hesitant to prove that they are fans in order to get Chuck’s private information, but they do. They prove it by answering fannish questions that the publisher rattles out like an ex-commando leader. Just sos you know, the questions she asked weren’t very hard, except for Sam’s LSAT scores, which I don’t believe were previously available. Birthdays of Sam and Dean, the year and make of the car? C’mon. Talk about a cakewalk. What about something hard? Like the military unit that The Dad belonged to? Or how old Sam was when he got his first 45 pistol? Or how Sam likes his coffee? The last thing The Mom ever said to Dean? Still too easy? Well, I guess they’re all easy questions when you’re a True Fan.
The scene is part acknowledgement and part shout out, as well as being part poking fun at the fact that fans are sometimes very intense, rabid, and get far, far too excited about things. The publisher represents all fans, those who love Show, and know the smallest detail, and I had to laugh, because, um, yeah. I recognized myself in there. Especially when she starts talking (and getting worked up about) how cool it is when Dean cries. (Except, you know, Sam cries a lot too!) I loved her remark where she says, “I don’t want any smartass article making fun of my boys.” Because, you know, fans are possessive as well as protective; you mock Sam and Dean at your peril. At your peril. The tattoo reveal was hysterically funny, too, especially Dean’s expression when Sam starts undoing his shirt to show the publisher just how serious a fan he and Dean are. But then, how could you not be a fan of yourself and your own story?
Then Sam and Dean go to visit Chuck. The scene was set with the usual detritus around the computer to show you how glamorous a writer’s life is. Then, as Chuck is confronted with what he thinks are rabid fans, he tells them to get a life. Fans do have lives, you know. They have the whole world to choose from, and they choose this; I could go into a deeper discussion here, but I think this was merely a play off of Shatner’s famous quip in the face of his rabid fans, realizing only afterwards that it was the fans that kept his fame alive. Anyway, the part I liked best here was the idea of characters coming to life. Of course in this universe Sam and Dean are real, but Chuck must have just about had a heart attack when they showed up, and what a cool moment for him! Also fun was watching Dean reveal his smarts (which I always knew he had) when he discusses which type of Vonnegut moment Chuck is talking about. (Also the point where Chuck imagines he’s a god, because sometimes, that’s what it feels like. And, as a god, you feel bad about putting your characters through hell. But then, that’s what makes writing fun.)
Next is the fantastic laundry room scene. Long have I read of the laundry room, long have I imagined it. I mean, yeah, I’ve read a truckload of fan fiction where the boys do laundry. Since fans are interested in the details, and there are charts and lists of the boys limited stash of apparel, naturally, laundry would come into the picture. Moreover, the laundry room, at least in fan fiction, is a place where you find Sam and/or Dean kicking back with a soda or a beer, sitting in the warm din, tracing the cracks in the walls with their eyes and the cracks in the linoleum with their toes. In other words, they take advantage of the opportunity that the laundry room affords, a chance to relax in a safe haven. (Except in some cases when a Shapeshifter or other opportunistic monster takes advantage of the boys having their shields down. Then all kinds of bad stuff happens.)
Unlike the First Aid scenes, which I beg for constantly, I never thought to ask for this. But like Santa Claus, who sometimes knew what I wanted without me ever having to tell him (thanks, Dad!), Show gave it to me. This scene was a salve to my heart; I felt a thumping thrill when I realized what I was seeing, and a deep, soul-satisfying squee erupted forth from my lungs. Laundry! The boys are doing laundry! Look!!! Sam is putting stuff in the washer!! It’s a load of darks!! What kind of soap are they using, oh, I can’t see, move, move! The scene was exactly as it should be and definitely not long enough. But my heart felt as warm and as cozy as a clean, well-lit, well run laundry room. Thank you Show, for this.
Another terrific scene was where, when Dean is out following his destiny, Sam invites Chuck over for a quiet chat. Sam, you see, is terribly, terribly worried that in Chuck’s stories he will get outed to Dean about his little habit of drinking demon blood. I could quickly tell how desperate Sam was to talk about this, just about as desperate as Samgirls have been to HEAR Sam talk about this. Chuck, for his part, is very understanding and, it turns out, left the whole demon blood thing out of the books because he didn’t want Sam to come across as unsympathetic. Was this also an attempt on Show’s part to explain their reticence in letting us inside of Sam’s head? We’ve not known what he’s been thinking for ages; this small tidbit will mollify me for a time, I think. As this wears off, I’m sure I will become more demanding.
And then there’s the Soap Angel. I have a habit of expressing my mocking dislike for this character, hence the name I call him by. But since the subject of slash has been introduced into the picture, I will follow where it leads. For a while now, fans who were resistant to slashing Dean and Sam for obvious reasons (and I totally respect their right to do so) totally jumped at the chance to slash Dean and the Soap Angel. (Or, sometimes, though less often, Sam and the Soap Angel.) I personally thought that this was a development of opportunity only, for in spite of being told over and over about the magical connection between these two characters, all the eye-sex and the chemistry, I never saw it. Like I said, some people will slash anything that moves; slash fans who wouldn’t write wincest were getting desperate. Along comes the Soap Angel and their prayers were answered. Why, just last week I was verbosely explaining my lack of getting it. Until, dare I say it, now. I hate eating crow.
Dean is getting a soft drink at the machine. He prays for help. Enter the Soap Angel, and the first thing I did was reach for the clicker, desperate to change the channel before sitting through YET ANOTHER exchange which would be squeed over by Soap Angel fans and that, YET AGAIN, I would find boring and unhelpful as hell. Can’t you just see me rolling my eyes in dismay at this? Dean demands assistance in Sam’s rescue from Lilith, saying that if the Soap Angel doesn’t help him, the next time he wants Dean’s help? He is SOL. Off Dean marches. The Soap Angel calls out his name. Dean turns. He is glowering.
The Soap Angel says he can’t interfere, which has been his lame excuse all along. Then he starts explaining about Chuck, who has an archangel attached to him, and if anything, anything at all, should impinge upon Chuck’s safety? Like say, a demon being in the same room? Then the archangel will come down and kick some demon ass. Then the Soap Angel says, with a little, wicked smile, “Just so you know.” And then, by golly, his eyes sparkle like those of a naughty ten-year-old boy with whom you cannot stay mad for long. And in that moment, for that one moment, I could see it, this thing between them. This fondness that the Soap Angel has for Dean, and, yes, the hotty hotness of one Misha Collins. For tonight, I dub thee Castiel. (But take a picture, it probably won’t last long.)
Then there’s the sidestory with Sam and Lilith. Chuck’s visions show Sam sleeping with the demon, and as it is written, so shall it be. Lilith comes by, and a deal is struck between she and Sam: she gets Sam and Dean’s heads on pikes, and she’ll end the apocalypse. Only trouble is, that to seal the deal, Sam must sleep with her. Shocked I was, shocked, shocked, and uncomfortably all lit up inside at the prospect. Yes, sure I should be dismayed at the prospect of Sam and Lilith rolling in the hay. But I wasn’t. If I had my hands over my eyes, I was peeking through my fingers the entire time. Maybe there would be more nekked nudity. Maybe Sam’s shirt would come off. Maybe there’d be a terrific close-up of a Samhair moment, where those dark locks would lay across his manly brow before he sweeps them aside with his fingers. Oh, hush. A fangirl can dream, can’t she?
Dean arrives with Chuck to save the day with Chuck announcing that he is CHUCK…the PROPHET! I about choked I laughed so hard, but was satisfied to see Dean protecting his Sammy. All is well, they are able to defeat Lilith, and Sam and Dean drive off in their beloved Impala, of all things, not arguing, but dithering! How right and how proper, even though again Sam lies to Dean; he says he never considered doing that deal with Lilith, which of course he was. Why not tell Dean? I don’t know.
And who cares, it was a terrific ep with Sam and Dean, stomping around in their world, which they discover has been spied upon lo these many years, beautiful and manly and worth of many, many reams of paper for fan fiction. Both boys have their moments and their scenes, and it’s just a lovely, lovely thing all the way around. I even got some meaning out of the last scene, where Mr. Z tells Chuck that he cannot reveal to Sam and Dean what their futures hold for them. That indeed, all he can do, is keep doing what he does, which is write. But as any writer, and Chuck, can tell you, writing is hard! Sometimes just living is hard, but it’s made much easier when there are fun eps like this one.
Sylvia Bond is a ten-year technical writing veteran with too many degrees under her belt to count. She lives in Colorado, but does not ski, preferring instead to spend her money and time at the annual Great American Beer Festival, taking road trips across the United States, and reading historical fiction from the comfort of her fluffy green arm chair. She has been involved in fandom since 1993 and been writing fanfic since approximately 1993. What she finds most amazing about fandom (besides the open heartedness of fans and the sheer amount of creativity) is how visible fandom has become. “In my day,” she says, “we had to hide behind P.O. boxes to get fanfic. But nowadays, people wear t-shirts that shout their affiliation and share their shiny toys on the internet.” It’s a wonderful world.
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Yay! Tuesday morning has become one of my favorites. I sit down at my desk, with a cup of coffee, and race off to PRG to read Sylvia's review! Another good job Sylvia!
Boy, this was a lot of episode for our money, so to speak. I thought all of the actors absolutely blew it out of the water, with the exception of the lady playing Lilith. The little girl, and Katie Cassidy, were much, much better at bringing out the uber creepy side of Lilith. This girl seemed like she could have been pretty much any run of the mill demon. She might have even made a decent Ruby. But I wasn't feeling her as Lilith. Other than that, everyone was great. Jared killed me with the scene with Chuck. The "Does it?…All rest on my shoulders?" line was so good it hurt. Ditto for the scene with Dean in the motel room, when Dean is trying to leave. The look on his face and the way he seemed to unconsciously hold his breath when Dean said he knew what Sam had done, and the way that he let it out and looked shaken and relieved when he realized that all Dean knew was about Alistair. Awesome. Also the scene you mentioned with Dean and Castiel, I loved all the expressions and tones that Misha Collins used during his "Why I can't help you speech". So much love. One more bit of praise for Jensen in the scene where Dean is trying to get Chuck to come with him. The turn from the dramatic music to "No friggin' way!" was awesome, and it was topped off by Dean's "Let's see who the quicker draw is" and the look on Chuck's face.
So, so much love for the laundry scene, though I have to admit to giving Dean the evil eye for not helping. "I'm sitting in a laundry room, reading about myself sitting in a laundry room, reading about myself. My head hurts!" That and Sam's brooding and pensive shoulders, it was just so much win. As were the scenes in the diner, and the entire Vonnegut exchange with Chuck. See Dean? We knew you were a smart one. And a thinky one apparently. And not one of those college age Vonnegut readers who reads the books solely so they can say they've read them and put them on their bookshelf in the hopes that it somehow makes them look edgier and more cerebral. Ahem.
On to part two
The meta left me cold though. Actually, scratch that. The meta left me steaming. From the use of an actual, longtime fan's screen name (though ironically, I don't think she posts a whole lot any more), to the less than affectionate way that Chuck told the boys to get a life when he thought they were fans, it all seemed like a snap at the hand that feeds you. As you said, fans complain because they care. If we didn't care, they wouldn't have a show. After the slightly obsessed way that the publisher responded to them, and the way she made them answer a quiz of trivia, it all just felt too much like mocking to me. I grew up in a very large extended family, and I have two older brothers. Believe me, I know how to dish it and I know how to take it, and I know the difference between mocking and teasing. And that, to me, was mocking, not teasing. YMMV, of course. The throwaway line about living bad writing was good (though I'm not sure Bugs was really bad writing; just a case of InstaDawn), as were Chuck's protestations that writing is hard (I totally agree with him).
Sam's LSAT score did come up once, way back in the Pilot. Jess mentioned it in the bar scene with their friend. Though if I scored a 174 out of 180 possible on a test, I don't think I'd forget it, that made me hurt for Sam that he had to think that hard to pull it up again. It hasn't been much, if any, use to him over the past few years, but it's still something to be proud of.
I wonder how much, if any, good all the fan complaining about never seeing into Sam's head factored into the scene with Chuck? I'm thinking not much, or we would have gotten something before the 18th episode. But, at least when we did get it, what we got was good. I thought Chuck made a wonderful sounding board for Sam, an impartial, unbiased listener, who needed none of the details explained to him. That was nice, for Sam to finally get to open up to someone other than Ruby. I like Chuck. I hope he comes back and doesn't die.
The scene with Lilith was meh to me. She wasn't threatening enough, and I never for a second believed Sam would go through with it, though watching him bristle under her touch was interesting. "I am the prophet, Chuck!" That cracked me up! I feel a compulsion to run into a room and shout it. Thus far I have suppressed that compulsion, but it definitely ranks as one of the best lines ever.
It's official. I neither like, nor trust, Zachariah. Poor Chuck. I hope he finds the nerve, and a way, to warn the guys about whatever it was he saw. And I really, really hope that Sam's all consuming desire to take Lilith out doesn't have bigger repercussions than he can see before he goes through with it. Pure speculation but, what if that's what Azazel was grooming his chief psychic kid for? To take Lilith out so Lucifer can rise? He was raising an army for something. I guess it could have been that. I can't say I don't like where this is going, but I would like it a whole lot better if I could trust Kripke to make it all better in the end.
Anyway, another great review Sylvia! And thank you for putting up with my verbosity again.
Terriffic review again Sylvia! Loved everything abot this ep ('cept one teeny thing). The whole "there are Samgirls and Deangirls" thing had me snorting Diet Pepsi (would have prefered seeing a shout-out to us Samazons, but what the heck.) The laundry room scene was killer, and Castiel's "I'm helping you but I'm not supposed to but I'm doing it anyway" scene was just SUBLIME. All hail Misha Collins, master of looking so dang awesome.
Now on complaint, and it's a small one I grant, but I'm shallow this way. When Chuck gives the bg reveal that Sam and Lilith are destined to do the nasty, we get a Sam Laugh. A loud, perfect Sam Laugh… off camera.
What the FUDGE?! That's just wrong, Show. That's totally teasing us.
I don't know if it will make you feel any better about the meta but the publisher fangirl's name was supposed to be Sera Siege – a combination of Sera Gamble's and Julie Siege's names just like Carver Edlund was a combination of Ben Edlund's and Jeremy Carver's names.
Sera has defined herself as fangirlish in past interviews. Jared has commented about how she likes to write them naked or crying or naked and crying in episodes. So if that was mockery it was self-mockery.
I had read that after viewing the episode, and had I known it at the time, it might have helped. Or, even better, if they had made that clear in the episode, it would have worked even better for me. It still seemed like they were poking more fun at the fans than they ever were at themselves. I've read that about Sera before too, and I've heard Jared comment to that effect. I got the overall effect that they were going for, it just fell flat for me. A few more obvious prods at themselves might have shifted the balance a little more.
the less than affectionate way that Chuck told the boys to get a life when he thought they were fans, it all seemed like a snap at the hand that feeds you.
It fascinates me how sometimes people interpret anything that comes out of a character's mouth as speaking for the mindset if the show, literally.
Personally, I think the reaction of 'get a life' from Chuck wasn't in there as a slap to fans. I think it was in there because it was a very believable reaction for a writer to have when some guys show up on his doorstep claiming to be the characters in his book.
I've been reading a lot of reviews of this episode and it's interesting how varied the reactions have been specifically to the fan-meta.
Sometimes it's like reading tea leaves: the shape that one sees comes out of one's own subconscious.
*tries to make you feel better about the "Get a life."*
It didn't bother me at all, because in the context it was said, from Chuck's point of view, it made perfect sense. The boys were standing on his doorstep, refusing to leave, and telling him they really were the two guys he writes about. Even if they had been fans, that's taking fandom a little too far. To him, they must have sounded creepy and stalkerish.
Did it work?
"By bringing up slash, Show seems to be again administering the usual tsk tsk enjoinder to tell fans that Show does not approve of them putting Dean and Sam in a slash relationship."
What seems to be is not always what is, however.
Show acknowledged, in a subtler way, slash in the fandom as far back as Season 2, "Playthings", by having multiple jokes about the hotel folks assuming that Sam & Dean were a gay couple out antiquing. It was a running gag through the episode, which also included Drunk!Sam and Dean, rolling on the bed!
Though the words "fan" and "slash" did not show up (it wouldn't have been appropriate for the story in the episode of course), it was pretty obvious to me that this was an example of fanservice. Kripke & Co. are up to date and savvy, they would know about the slash contingency of fandom from the getgo.
I don't for a moment think they have a problem with it, they, and a lot of shows including many of the ones you mention in your mini-meta on slash, aren't dumb. Fanservice moments show up everywhere, as a behind the hand wink and nod to fans. Slash fans are fans, and they buy merchandise, watch the show, and fuel the buzz. Entertainment folks are smart enough to appreciate, and even, when they can get away with it, encourage.
What was amazing and fun about this episode was the sheer balls the folks that make our Show exhibited it bringing it out into the open. That was for us.
They couldn't have anyone in show voicing approval, especially not Sam or Dean. That would only make the show a potential target for haters and right wing groups, which they already are by reason of their subject matter (or were until the angels showed up – now they have plausible deniability, also a genius move).
They were giving us, the fans, credit for being able to read between the lines and see the nod and wink for what it was, out from behind the concealing hand.
I for one was far from offended, I was waving back at my TV screen like an idiot, yelling, "I see you seeing me! Hi hi hi!!"
It was like the smart and funny, but never kissed, wallflower girl at the dance having a song dedicated to her by the band. For that, I'll dance happily by myself, or in groups with my galpals. ;D
[i]"It fascinates me how sometimes people interpret anything that comes out of a character's mouth as speaking for the mindset if the show, literally.[/i]
In any other episode, from any other character, I would totally agree with you. Coming from Chuck who was, as far as he knew up to that point, the creator of the Winchesters and their entire universe, in the midst of an episode chock full of meta, it seems, to me, that his view would be a little weightier than the average character. As I said in my original comment, your mileage may vary on that, and it obviously does. But yes, ordinarily I'd be with you one hundred percent.
"It fascinates me how sometimes people interpret anything that comes out of a character's mouth as speaking for the mindset if the show, literally."
In any other episode, from any other character, I would totally agree with you. Coming from Chuck who was, as far as he knew up to that point, the creator of the Winchesters and their entire universe, in the midst of an episode chock full of meta, it seems, to me, that his view would be a little weightier than the average character. As I said in my original comment, your mileage may vary on that, and it obviously does. But yes, ordinarily I'd be with you one hundred percent.
Awww! Well regardless if it does or not, it's very sweet of you to try. I think it does a little, and you're right, if they had been fans that would have been very over the top. And even though I am a fan myself, I would hate to be put in the position that Jared and Jensen, and Kripke, Gamble and co. are. It has to be hard to have that many people watching you and what you do. I can understand any of them, especially the guys, getting frustrated by all the attention and too often, judging, that fans do. But they do have to remember that without fans, their choice of career would be less than successful.
So in answer to your question; it did. Not all better, but some is way better than none. Thanks.
"It fascinates me how sometimes people interpret anything that comes out of a character's mouth as speaking for the mindset if the show, literally."
In any other episode, from any other character, I would totally agree with you. Coming from Chuck who was, as far as he knew up to that point, the creator of the Winchesters and their entire universe (at which stage his position would rival Kripke's in terms of the show), in the midst of an episode chock full of meta, it seems, to me, that his view would be a little weightier than the average character. As I said in my original comment, your mileage may vary on that, and it obviously does. But yes, ordinarily I'd be with you one hundred percent.
Enjoyed your review, Sylvia, as always. I think I'm deeply puzzled by show continuously having Dean make remarks about classic or thinky books such as vonnagut adn then Sam looking surprised by it. It's not telling me Sam thinks his brother is stupid or shows Dean is smart despite demons saying Sam is the smarter one. Somehow I keep getting the image of Dean saying he's going to a bar to drink and have a one night stand but instead parks the Impala somewhere secluded adn reads these books by flashlight. What i would adore is Dean openly reading these books and the boys having a discussion or verbal nod. You know…kind of liek Sam saying "you think its like slaughterhous 5?" And dean goes "no the situation is more ….." And they both know what the other is talking about and they are both smart and intellegent.
As to Sam…you really think he was considering Lilith's deal? Even though he had the hidden devil's trap…which I might point out DEAN did successfully in Crossroads Blues and almost successfully in Sin City. I think Sam was fully intending to Kill Lilith…though I think he would have sacrificed himself in the deal willingly but once Lilith included Dean's life he went with his back up plan to kill her. I don't think Sam beleived Lilith one bit about standing down but Sam could have gone out fighting and he wouldn't have to reveal his blood drinking to Dean. His secret would have died with him.
lol I'm with you about Castiel. I haven't had much use for Castiel… worthless in a fight adn wants others to make decisions for him. But today he earned a little respect from me.
Amy
yes, i would agree with kaz 100%. i felt like it was more a shout-out to the fans than mockery; acknowledgement that we exist and a big wink at us.
and 100% agree with the laundry scene; the "i can't see your face, but those are definitely your brooding and pensive shoulders" line had me cracking up, along with, "you just thought i'm a dick" and sammy's expression was frickin' PRICELESS. this episode was everything a fangirl could ask for, and yeah..soap angel finally made himself worthy!!!
(also, the diner scene with the bacon cheeseburger dean thought was the veggie burger was so cute. sigh. i'm a dean fan through and through, but what i love the most are the scenes when dean and sammy are bickering. the heated tension between the two of them reminded me of the first trickster episode. LOVE IT!)
As for the Sam- Lilith scene, Sam did grab the knife with intent to kill her once they were on the bed, so I don't believe he intended to take the deal. He may have CONSIDERED it for a moment, but Sam would never include Dean's life in a deal (if she had only asked for Sam's life, that's another story – those Winchesters are a self-sacrificing lot, ya know), but his plan was clearly to make her think he was accepting, get her on the bed to do the deed and then whip out the hidden knife to kill her. They were interrupted by Chuck and the mini-earthquake, etc.
So, I will take my tiny dribbles of Saminfo and hope for much more please 
So, when Sam tells Dean later that he never considered it? Well, that may be a white lie – he may have considered it for a second until she included both of their heads on a plate, then he went with Plan B, which he had already set up the traps for – devil's trap, knife, etc.
For me, the scenes where we finally hear what Sam thinks about his lot in life and the blood, etc, were like tiny drops of water to someone dying of thirst – very welcome, but oh so 'not enough' and 'more please'! They would have to devote almost all of fifth season to getting directly into Sam's head to even catch up with what we know about Dean's psyche and I know that ain't gonna happen
I really enjoyed this episode and enjoyed your review.
First off, I would just like to say that you were certainly not alone in the Laundromat department. I LOVED that scene, just because they have never before been filmed in that sort of environment.
Second, the part where "Soap Angel" and Dean are talking by the drink machine, there's a specific part, just after SA said "Just so you know, why I can't help." he turns his head and moves his eyes to the side and it is just the most wicked (sexy) I've ever seen him!
Third, I've seen videos of actors, etc. addressing the whole fanfiction debacle and from what I've seen, I don't think they have any problems with it. It would obviously be very awkward for Jared and Jensen, but, Jared in particular, said that he thought FF was great and that it's an excellent way to express one's creativity and feelings.
Dear Sylvia
OMG! I absolutely adored this episode. In fact, I still giggle when I think about some of the scenes and some of the dialogue.
Let’s revel in all of the goodness, shall we!
1). The interaction between Castiel and Dean, by the drink machine. That was a great scene.
2). Sam Girls
3). Dean Girls
4) Slash Fan Fiction *Snort
5). The boys, in a Laundromat (Finally!) Yet another great scene
6). “Don’t they know were brothers?” Double *snort* I almost died! That was so freaking hilarious
7). The cover of the Supernatural book
8). Dean and Sam – showing skin and tattoos. Sigh!
9). Sam in flannel
10). “For fans, they sure do complain a lot”
11). LARPING!
12). Sam’s reaction when he thought Dean knew everything
13). Band-aids on Dean’s face
14). Sam and Dean’s reactions to their life being a series of books
15). The Winchester Gospels
16). The pen name of the author
17). Prophet
18) Arch Angel
19) The boys dithering about the Supernatural Fandom
20). The scene when the boys meet Chuck
21). The scene in the comic book store
22). The scene with Sam and Lilith
23). The scene with Z. and Chuck
24. The scene when the boys are talking to the publisher! Yes, I saw myself in that scene as well.
I could have been her. And, I certainly wouldn’t have complained if I had been that actress! LOL
You know my list could go on for days, but I decided to stop there.
I LOVED this episode. I don’t think any other show, on TV today, makes me feel the way I do about Supernatural. I want to inhabit this show. I want to pick it apart.
I want to celebrate it. I want to revel in the pure joy that this show brings me. I never know what to expect and only a handful of times has SHOW disappointed me. I wish more people knew about this gem. My family likes the show but they don’t understand the depth of my obsession. I am glad I can come here and share with you Sylvia because you understand where I am coming from.
As always, your review is spot-on and awesome. My Tuesday’s aren’t complete without your fabulous reviews and my coffee. They kind of go together, you know. Now, we are back to yet another hiatus. Just when things were getting good and picking up steam again….
Anyway, I wanted to let you know this particular episode garnered its best Adults 18-34 Ratings in 2 ½ Years and matched its best men 18-34 ratings EVER on The CW. The overall number of viewers but about average for our show but I was so excited to see how high our show’s ratings were for the 18-34 range.
I need to run but I wanted to post my brief comments. LOL
Take care, Joan
I absolutely loved this episode!
And for all the reasons you mention in you review.
I want to add that your description of fanfic and its' authors is probably the best I've ever read.
I just might print that out and frame it!
Thanks again for your review!
Hey, thank you so much! I've been working it out in my mind for some time now as to how to explain fan fiction and slash without the other person getting freaked on me; I wanted people to be able to understand…and most of them do, after a fashion.
I really, really wanted to link to good stories for more examples for readers, but didn't have time to get permission. Besides, it's all out there for the curious, they just have to google it.
This was one daring ep! And fun as heck to watch.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Thank you, my dear! I don't make this stuff up, I just talk about it. : D
So what about it did you not like, I mean, they did mention both Samgirls and Deangirls…at least there's that. And watching Ackles say it out loud was pretty hysterical too!
Mr. Collins was a first place for the win this time around, really. I've never enjoyed a scene with him so much.
And…yeah, the laugh was offscreen, what's up with that! Are they trying to deny us YET another Sammish moment??
Ah well. We almost got some nekked nudity there, I'm sure of it.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
The laundromat scene just about did me in – I never for a moment thought that they would grace us with something so mundane and practical and yet so fun. FUN, damnit! Sam doing laundry, c'mon. What could be better? Okay, the scene could have been longer….
Not complaining! Not me!
I even thought that the Soap Angel winked at Dean, but it turned out my stupid channel whatever the hell was having technical difficulties, so it was a pause in the film. But for a long while there, I thought it was a wink. And yeah, he was a cute, wicked boy at that moment, definitely insubordinate and skirting the issue of being a rogue angel by only "that" much.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
You know, you're right, I completely missed it, I think I was going with the obvious part of that scene that Sam never considered it, but at the same time, he doesn't let Dean into what his whole plan was…or maybe it was my knee jerk reaction where I expected him to lie. And maybe Dean does too, at this point.
As for Sam's confession, I loved the fact that he finally had someone to talk to about how he was feeling, someone who knew everything anyway…and I loved how Chuck was sympathetic, but then, he figures Sam is his character, and he created him and tortured him, how could he not care. But yes, definitely not enough of Sam in that scene!!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I think what Show is doing with Dean…is that when you have a sibling you kind of get an image of them in your head, and for some reason, that image, the idea you have of them never changes. Never ever ever. It's really strange, I think I would have the same reaction that Sam does to Dean if one of my sisters came up and told me they'd read Gone with the Wind and liked it – I'd be shocked out of my mind, even though it's perfectly reasonable that a sister of mine could change. You see? So I think, that in addition to the very fine comedic double take scenes like this allow Padalecki to make, it's more about Sam's inability to see any changes in Dean. He's very focused on Dean coming back from hell different (in all kinds of ways) but he's obviously never thought of Dean as the reading type. And Dean, as well, never tries to pass himself off as one, perhaps even pretends to be non-bookish most of the time so he can shock Sam like this. I personally think that Dean, while waiting for whomever to come home, or while alone on a gig and waiting and watching, had a book in his hand. But I like your idea about the conversation they might have, that would be fun too.
I have been convinced that Sam was not considering Lilith's deal – I was so shocked by the sight of him getting on the bed with her, shocked and anticipating, that I lost my mind. That's all I can tell you.
The Soap Angel had his moment for this ep, and I was very impressed also!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Huh. Well, this is a completely different point of view, and I'm going to have to think about it, I'll be honest. I know the eps whereof you speak, where people thought Sam and Dean were lovers, and how the boys played it up or down…but I never thought that was a nod to the fans.
Lately, this season, the tension between the brothers, and the ep with the siren was bringing the issue more to the fore, but never, I thought, with approval. It always seemed to come across as a bad thing. Which is because, you say, that if they didn't, there would be hate groups and such. I can see that…but I just can't see that the "slash" shoutout was all positive. Maybe it wasn't as negative as I'm thinking, but do you really think they're all okay with this?
This is totally new for me, this idea that they're ALL okay with it. Certainly they are aware and have never not been, not since Kim Manners first trundled out the box of fan fiction he'd printed up for Ackles and Padalecki so they could understand what was going on. But accepting? *mumbles to self*
I like your argument, I can follow it and it is sound, but I'm really going to have to sleep on this!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
The one thing I didn't like was that Sam's laugh was off-camera. I LOVED the whole "Samgirl/Deangirl" bit.
I realize I didn't word my first post very well… Mea Cupla, which as we all know id Latin for "I'm an idiot".
I imagine if they know anything about slash first time stories they realize it is often some event like the scene in this episode that leads to the characters becoming lovers. A suggestion or presumption is made (reading it on the internet in this episode) causing the character to begin examining their feelings for the other. Voila, you have a first time slash story.
If they know this and I'm sure they do. Then they also know there will be a multitude of Wincest first time tags written based on that scene. If that isn't a positive shoutout to the slashers, I don't know what is.
And they also get another plus with the non-slash fans. The anti-Wincest fangirl can now say it's canon that Wincest doesn't exist. A win-win situation where both the Wincest slash fan and the anti-slash or perhaps only anti-Wincest fan can each take the scene the way they want.
Sleep on it and dream of Winchesters.
I hope you don't mind if I offer a little more on the subject.
Yes, I do think the SPN crowd are okay with it, or at least not condemning of it. Slash has been around for a long time, and it has to be an open secret in the entertainment industry, and not even confined to genre shows. With the Net, they know it's out there. If they disapproved, they would ignore it, but they don't. They play to it.
Maybe it's more obvious to me because I spent years in anime fandom. That's where the term "fanservice" originated, but nothing stays confined to one genre, there is cross pollination and cultural and media "incest" throughout the industry. Creative people borrow from each other.
From Wiktionary.org: "The inclusion in a work of fiction of any material, especially racy or sexual material, which has no relevance to the storyline, but is designed merely to excite the viewer."
Using Playthings as the example, what purpose does it serve in the story for Sam & Dean to wrestle around on the bed, besides making slash fans happy?
Using Death Takes a Holiday as the example, what purpose does it serve in the story to have Dean put his hand in Sam's stomach while they are ghosts?
And then have Sam say "Get out of me." And call Sam a prude?
Fanservice.
The show is riddled with it.
The laundry scene in The Monster at the End of This Book was fanservice.
The discussion about slash, and fans pairing the brothers, was fanservice! It serves no purpose in the context of the plot. It was a shout out.
There's fanservice in all kinds of shows, and genre shows are particularly likely to have it because they know the fans are more likely to recognize and appreciate it.
Not all of the fanservice in the show is for slash fans, not all of it is even for female fans. But SPN has definitely acknowledged us. If they were disapproving or ashamed of us, those moments would never have been included.
haha the laundry scene was amazing! the 'brooding and pensive shoulder'….ahhh the shoulders! Thats why i love this site/your reviews, syliva…..we can call come here and talk about how much we loved a scene where the characters were doing laundry and it doesnt seem weird at all
! I also loved the part when Sam and Dean were attempting not to fight in the diner and Dean has to stop himself from getting angry and says 'it frustrate me, when…' haha it was great. And poor Sam talking about his demon blood addiction… i want to give that boy a hug. I was pretty much on the edge of my seat begging him to tell Dean…..and he came so close. The character of chuck was like a breath of fresh air for show…the actor pulled it off amazingly. Chuck reminded me a bit of Andy from season 2 in regards to the humour.
Thanks so much for the review. They're always so great to read, especially after a great ep like this one! Hopefully the rest of the season will be as genious!
The laundry room was the best part of this ep, it really brought to life something I've been reading and thinking about for years. Yes, thinking about – generating an odd obsession to go into one of those rinky dink little places with the yellowed walls and aging machines, just for the opportunity to think of the boys sitting in a place like that, doing their laundry and dithering about pretty much nothing. Oh, the bliss.
I really didn't write enough about how good Padalecki and Ackles were in this ep, I think my time got taken up defending fan fiction, which probably could stand on its own, right. But they were good, and made scenes like the non-argument scene hysterical and totally fun. they really got into it there!
The scene where Sam is talking about his blood addiction took me totally by surprise; I could hardly believe Sam got that kind of opportunity to talk and fans to get to understand what was going on. The scene didn't feel tacked on to me, though, like some of Dean's have been in the past, the whole thing felt true and real.
You are more than welcome for the review!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Hey, thank you. Thanks for coming by to post. : D
You weren't feeling Lilith? Was she in this ep? Oh yea…she was. I guess I dismissed her as a whole, she's a secondary character and I don't care what happens to her. She won't survive the apocalypse, so…I was concentrating on Sam and my fannish hopes that clothes would soon be coming off. Oh, the weight of being such a shallow fangirl!!!
I think Dean wasn't helping in the laundry room because it wasn't his turn. I feel pretty comfortable saying that if anything wasn't fair, Sam would have spoken up about it. Maybe Dean had already done his part, and now Sam was doing his part while Dean nattered on about fan fiction. Such a strange little twisty thought that brings to my head: while Dean nattered on about Fan Fiction!!! Since when does Dean ever know about something like that? Why only recently he thought MySpace was a porn site. I'm going to write this off as an anomaly because there's no way that Show is going to be able to pick up this story thread and do anything with it. Like my hair on a Monday morning, it will sit there, an untractable mess with no potential for development. Show won't ever mention it again, either the books or the slash or Deangirls or Samgirls. We've had enough, Show will decide, and the Prophet Chuck will linger in obscurity. Or, if he does come back (which would be fun), the books will be a side reference only. The Book of Winchester. C'mon, it's too huge, and besides, the apocalypse will be averted and so the books won't matter.
I personally think that Dean reads a lot more than he lets on, especially on boring stakeouts…and I think that for a while, he got left alone a lot, when Sam went off to Stanford and The Dad went off hunting alone, leaving Dean to hunt on HIS own, hence the reading.
Heheheh, we've been talking about Wincest a *lot* in our roundtable reviews at Tart, and while not all Tarts are Wincesters, I would say those of us who actually participate in those reviews are. *G* Yeah, we pretty much saw it as loving teasing/shoutouts and adored this ep. You certainly wouldn't turn me off with discussions of it, but even if you did, it's your column! I certainly didn't pull any punches talking about McShep on SGA! *G*
As soon as the laundry room scene got going I thought to myself: I bet Sylvia is loving this.