I watched this episode with my hubby , been a while since he watched Supernatural, And to us it was one of the funniest episodes . The Recap/Review is via KstieTv Supernatural #9.5 “Dog Dean Afternoon” Recap & Review Dog Dean Afternoon Summary: A fun distraction doesnt provide much more than fluff and fur, but its nothing short of entertaining. If you have not seen this episode yet and dont wish to be spoiled, do not keep reading. Recap The brothers investigate the brutal death of a taxidermist, clues which point to some sort of snake monster. Another death, this time at the pound, occurs that doesnt fit in with any snake-themed monster, and they realize that a witness of both crimes is a dog, The Colonel. They use a spell to allow Dean to communicate with the The Colonel, and while it works, Dean also starts taking on the attributes of a dog. They eventually learn that the killer is a chef, and hes using Shaman incantations while ingesting animal parts to imbue him with the powers of that animal. Chef Leo attacks Sam and nearly kills him, but Zeke arises and heals Sams body. Chef Leo wants Sams healing factor and kidnaps him, and its up to Dean and The Colonel to rescue him. After a chase, Dean calls on his other dog friends to kill Chef Leo. Afterwards, Sam and Dean give The Colonel to a vegan couple they initially thought were suspects, knowing theyd take care of him. The spell eventually wears off. Review Ah, the comedy episode. Ever since X-Files threw out some of its best mixes of humor and horror, its become a must for successful genre shows from Fringe to So Weird to even Smallville to follow in its footsteps. Supernatural is arguably the best example of this type of dark comedy in recent years, though, beginning with season 2s Tall Tales and its progressively more meta departures since. No comedy episode has ever outright failed, as this episodes affectionately self-indulgent comedic recap showcases. But Dog Dean Afternoon, while an impeccably entertaining hour, misses the mark of classics like Mystery Spot nailed in. Theres a couple of reasons for that. An easy distinction between the best and least best comedic episodes are the well-integrated pathos. Its safe to say that comedic episodes like Mystery Spot and Changing Channels succeeded as some of the best in the series because, in spite of the ridiculousness, they have profound effects on the characters and/or the plot of the season, and work as one-off adventures. Episodes like Wishful Thinking or Monster Movie, on the other hand, are married to the concept and dont provide much more depth than that concept or gimmick allows. Dog Dean Afternoon is in the same vein as the latter, though its still in good company at that. Supernatural is simply very good at being funny, and this particular episode doesnt shy away at attacking the worst of the talking to animals tropes in the most affectionate way. It also helps that Jensen Ackles attacks the material just as well. Even with the worst writing, there really wasnt any way this episode would fail just because of Ackles. And boy does he make the most of it; it seemed like he was having lots fun this week, and even has good chemistry with The Colonel (if its possible to have chemistry with a German Shepard.) Ackles nails the ticks--the ear scratching, the head tipping, etc.--which hilariously makes Dean a whole lot more likeable. The subtle fetch gag that first hints at his transformation is very well-done, especially for those who might not have caught the episodes description. However, despite the brilliant showcase of Ackles comedic ability, the episode still falters a bit with the awkward shoehorning in of the main plot. Theres merit to trying to stay away from pure filler--and, again, the best comedy episodes managed to incorporate the seasons main storylines. But the Zeke stuff is more akin to season 7s awkward shoehorning in of the Leviathan story in some episodes, feeling less important and more aimless. Its integrated into this weeks story about as well as it could be, and theres admittedly some cleverless in letting Chef Leos interest in Sams healing propel the final battle. But it prompts a groan whenever Angel Sam pops on screen, and only succeeds at making Sam look stupider every week by shrugging off his constant blackouts. Al Rodrigo has a fun stint as the voice of The Colonel, a dog that seemed like a perfect match for Dean if there ever was one. All of the animals were fun, actually, but The Colonel worked as a temporary honorary Winchester. Its a bit disappointing that the brothers didnt adopt the dog--a life on the road is totally okay for a German Shepard, as evidenced by the ending of The Terminator, and even if it wasnt they could have given Kevin some company in the Men of Letters HQ. In any case, Status Quo is Chuck/God this season, it seems. Steve Valentine does some decent work as Chef Leo, too, one of the talkiest villains the shows ever had. We clearly arent meant to think much about whats going on, with a quick he has cancer and wants to break bad backstory thrown in for good measure. The animal powers are a cool concept thats only barely touched on, but at this stage in the show an episode focusing solely on that would have failed anyway. Dog Dean Afternoon The show doesnt delve too heavily into the workings of the animal world, either, instead choosing the easy Dr. Doolittle route of just giving them all human personalities, but keeping things simple worked in the episodes favor. This is an incredibly fluffy episode, possibly the fluffiest episode of the show since its early days. And at that, there isnt too much to talk about. Its funny, Ackles is funny, The Colonel is fun, and the villain is pretty okay (even if not very memorable.) Dog Dean Afternoon is a distraction, and while its certainly not the best episode of the show, its nothing if not enjoyable. Odds & Ends So now the reason Kevin is MIA at the beginning is because hes hungover. Why not? Theres something profoundly upsetting about Dean sicking a bunch of dogs on the villain to eat him alive. Im glad the Winchesters recognized the animal rights activist couple as decent people, even if obnoxious. Theres a difference between making fun of a lifestyle and actively hating on people. Why are you arguing with the dog about Styx? Are those bleeding hearts actually witches, or just hippies? Whats the difference? You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people. And douchebags. It worked? No. ...But he wrote a book about it? Screw the sharktopus.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 17:01:44 +0000
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