Episode Title: “#THINMAN”
Writer: Jenny Klein
Director: Jeannot Szwarc
Previously on “Supernatural”
After falling into a portal that brought me to Hawaii, I am back. A big thanks goes out to Crystal Lewis for covering for me last week. And now, back to your regularly scheduled programing… or reviewer.
In many ways, this season of “Supernatural” has almost been a complete change up of the way things have been done in the past. Sera Gamble had her way with the series, and she completely messed it up with dull new monsters and misused characters. “Supernatural” was dive bombed in a way that wasn’t far off from the condition that Andrew Johnson left the country in before Lincoln took office. Since Jeremy Carver has taken over, the nose of the plane has turned up.
Season nine, however, has stalled a bit. The show abandoned their initial story line after the angels fell and seemingly disappeared to form factions that apparently just sit around and do nothing. Character development between the brothers is a slightly different rehash from what we’ve seen during the Kripke years. Even the titles of many of this seasons episodes have lost their Winchester ways: “Bay Boys,” “Blade Runners,” “The Purge.” Where did all the classic rock go?
The greatest stride in Carver’s time will come in episode twenty, entitled “Tribes,” which serves as a backdoor pilot for a possible spin-off series in the fall called “Supernatural: Tribes.” The CW has been putting together a cast for the Chicago based series, including Sean Faris (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Pretty Little Liars”), Nathaniel Buzolic (“The Vampire Diaries”), and Lucien Laviscount (“Episodes”). Could Jeremy Carver’s greatest contribution to “Supernatural” be its own longevity?
Aside from obsessively naming episodes after largely crappy movies this season, “Supernatural” has loose ends on its mind too. Last week’s episode, “Captives,” put a bow on Linda Tran (Lauren Tom) who hadn’t been seen since the latter half of season eight. We’ve seen others, like Charlie Bradbury (Felicia Day) and Garth (DJ Qualls) ride off into the sunset for a while if not permanently. “Thinman” sees the reemergence of the Ghostfacers: “Supernatural’s” Ghostbusters inspired paranormal team run by Harry Spangler (Travis Wester) and Ed Zeddmore (A.J. Buckley), neither of whom have been on the show since season three.
The brothers and the ‘facers are drawn to Washington where a girl was killed inside her home with the usual M.O. to accompany it: locked room, no signs of forced entry. Unfortunately for the brothers, the ‘facers have one up on them… with a new creature to add to the cannon. THE THINMAN! Or, should I say, #THINMAN! Son of a… Haven’t we been over this? Okay, I’m calming down. Fortunately, this is a homemade monster, which is a relief to say the least. But it touches on a big pet peeve of mine.
In the pilot episode of the series, “Supernatural” established itself as the next step in the evolutionary line of shows that deal with unexplained phenomena. It started with “Twin Peaks;” a show that was weird for weirdness sake, but laid the groundwork for cannon and lore in television, and how it could be used to drive compelling stories. It continued with “The X-Files” which streamlined the idea, though it ran a bit short when Chris Carter couldn’t keep the magic going. “Supernatural” has since learned from the other two, but it exposes the one weakness that heavy mythology based episodes can exploit: the loose end. In stand alone episodes, it’s easy to introduce something new, resolve the case, and walk away. It’s also difficult to return to these monsters without the audience’s patience being tested. Fortunately, it’s not that kind of monster here.
“#THINMAN” finds the Ghostfacers back to being the dynamic duo. This time they are veteran authors about the Thinman, which turns out to be a creature that Ed created, similar to the tulpa they were involved with in the first season. Ed got the team back together to create a legacy and to save Harry from leading the “apple pie life” with a girlfriend and a 9-5 job. Jenny Klein does a great job this episode juxtaposing the way that Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) feel about the business, and the way Ed does. Ed clearly wants the fame. The brothers wear it as a badge of honor, but they would get out if they could.
Whenever the ‘facers appear in an episode they’re used to dissect Sam and Dean’s relationship. The big lesson learned today: secrets can kill, and they literally do in this episode. In a strange turn of events, “#THINMAN” and the Ghostfacers prove how versatile stand alone episodes can be when leading to character development. It’s rehashed for sure, but the development is authentic and exposed to different stimuli.
For the first time since season one, the big bad turned out to be human, perpetrated by a local cop and the busboy of a local diner. The freshness of the villain is spoiled by the last act which is predictable by “Supernatural” standards. It’s almost like the writers wear it as a badge of honor; that the brothers be captured and tied up, aided by a distraction, get out, and defeat the evil at hand. After 187 episodes, it doesn’t wear thin, there’s just no pad left on those brakes at all.
There are redemptive factors though. There’s a line that Harry delivers, with such comedy and such earnest that it catches the viewer off guard: “I just got punched in the feels.” That’s how the audience is left after the episode is over, and Harry and Ed’s relationship comes to an end. Klein uses the deep emotional richness of the episode and gives it to Ed and Harry instead of the brothers. It’s a bold decision, and it pays off. Through the Ghostfacers we see what could have happened to Sam and Dean’s relationship, and how it could have disintegrated the moment Dean revealed Sam’s possession by Gadreel. It’s also a nod to A.J Buckley and Travis Wester’s chemistry together on screen to make a scene, that while having a subtle comedic vibe, mean something inherently more.
It was sad to see a staple of “Supernatural’s” fandom and history come to an end, but it was utilized in a wonderful way. Sam and Dean have a long way to go before their relationship is fully mended, and I for one hope it’s not realized in an episodic way where the brothers learn a new lesson each week. Save that crap for Dr. Phil.
At the end of the episode though, “Supernatural” is still where it left off last episode, with a boat load of stuff still to accomplish, hopefully without wasting time in the last eight episodes of the season. If anything is to be learned from this episode, and the season as a whole, it’s that the show has the stand-alone blues. Let’s hope they can get them off their mind soon.
