S07.E06: Slash Fiction

[Demented Daisy]

When murderous clones of Sam and Dean are created, the Winchester brothers become wanted men; Sam and Dean turn to a quirky surveillance expert for help.

 

 

A definite upturn.  Except for the loss of Baby.  :-(

[catrox14]

I cannot express how much I love this episode. It's definitely in my top 10 episodes. Leviathan!Sam and Leviathan!Dean are such assholes and they are so funny. I love Leviathan!Dean more than I should. He's such a dick! I love when he taunts regular!Sam right before Dean kills him.

 

The diner conversation about food and their respective personalities slays me every time.

L!Sam: I had a brother with this many issues.

L!Dean: Yeah?

L!Sam: You know what I did?

L!Dean: Mhhm?

L!Sam: I ate him

L!Dean: Of course you did!

 

 

And we get our first taste of Dick. #sorrynotsorry

[mertensia]

This is a fun episode what with the clones bitching about Sam and Dean's personality flaws, the sheriff's horror at the cellphone conversation between Dean and Bobby and a good fight sequence.

[Amerilla]

"I'm not your brother. But I am Dean adjacent." Too funny.

[AwesomO4000]

I love this episode.

 

Leviathan Sam and Dean are definitely amusing, and it's interesting how they use their Sam and Dean characteristics to their advantage - like leviathan Dean's flirting with the bank clerk. And I like how they establish right off that the leviathans are arrogant - not only over humans, but even over their fellow purgatory dwellers and demons. You could just tell that when Dick Roman rejected Crowley's hospitality that he had made a big mistake, because that wasn't something Crowley was going to easily forget.

 

Even the leviathan Chet is amusing. When I watched this episode recently with my niece, when we were watching the scenes with Chet and Bobby, she said "I can't help it, I like this guy." He relayed his arrogance so well: telling Bobby and Dean and Sam all of these things - like how they found them and how they were cloned -  because he figured that they were just so clueless it didn't matter. I was almost sad to see him go. And I agree with @mertensia about the sheriff and the cell phone conversation. Here Dean's just talking away about chopping off heads and dissolving bodies in front of this guy and then is like "What? This is a perfectly normal conversation." hee.

 

Jody was a little domestic in this one, but in general I liked her, and her nonchalant conversation with Bobby about having Chet in his basement - and then when he gave her the head - were also amusing.

 

All around solid episode I thought, and definitely one of my favorites of the series. It combined the right amount of fun that was just this side of wrong, action, and plot arc.

 

Edited to add: Oh, I forgot to mention the introduction of Frank! I enjoyed Frank here as well. With his exchange with Dean (paraphrase) "so a guy saves your life and what: then you owe him forever?" "yeah, that's pretty much how it works." *Sigh* "Okay, fine." Hee. And Sam's look and reaction when Frank smashes up his computer and gives him another one. "Umm, thanks?" Again hee.

Edited August 13, 2014 by AwesomO4000

[DittyDotDot]

Okay, I like this episode, but not as much as I do other episodes and I'll co-sign @AwesomO4000's comments. I loved Chet and I loved the outsider perspective with that Sheriff and I might be one of only a handful of people that actually adored Frank. The reason it's not higher on my list is that this might be the first time they went too far with the country-wide murder spree for me and I just couldn't believe that they could just walk up to crime scenes after that and flash their badges and not one law enforcement officer recognized them. I had to work really hard to accept that. I know they did a half-hearted mention in The Mentalists to cover their asses, but it wasn't enough for me. This is why I'm generally not too fond of Robbie Thompson's "cute" episodes, he never seems to know when it's too far. And I thought they way they handled them losing everything--including Baby--was poorly handled in the end, so I have a harder time watching it in retrospect. However, it is a lot of silly fun, and as a stand alone, it's pretty freakin' awesome.

[FlickChick]

Consider me part of that handful, @Awesom], I thought Frank was a fabulous off-kilter character and enjoyed all of his scenes. I also liked the back-story that the actor took the role because his daughter was such a big fan of the show..

 

I loved this episode for the same reasons as mentioned above. Always like seeing the boys in an alternate version of themselves, and they out did themselves in this episode. Also agree that the news coverage of the killing spree was a bit much and how would the real Sam and Dean now be able to pose as law enforcement agents. Oh well...

Edited August 14, 2014 by FlickChick

[DittyDotDot]

Oh, that's interesting @FlickChick, I didn't know that Kevin McNally took the role because his daughter was a fan. I've seen and enjoyed him in quite a few British shows, but this was something totally different than what he's done before so, I just assumed that was why he did it. I do remember seeing an interview with Robert Picardo, after his stint in Clap Your Hands If You Believe, he said something similar. It makes me wonder how many of the guest actors have done the show because someone they respected told them they were a fan instead of just taking it because they needed work.

 

Anyway, I forgot to mention the scene where Dean sings that Air Supply song will never not be funny to me. As I mentioned somewhere else, I have a silly nostalgia about that song, so that alone makes me giggle, but it just feels like something Dean would do. Also, on the DVD commentary with Jensen and Jared, Jensen says that it was in an early version of the script but they had taken it out and the director wanted to film it so they did and in the end kept it. It was also very endearing the way Jared started laughing when that scene started playing.

Edited August 15, 2014 by DittyDotDot

[DittyDotDot]

Okay, I laughed a lot re-watching it--A. Lot--but I now remember another reason why it doesn't make the top of my S7 list. There was some point where the show stopped being quirky and subtle homages and dipped into straight-up rip-off territory. This episode really highlights that for me. And, while I find the meta Pulp Fiction twists funny, I just think the gag isn't as funny on re-watch. This is also kinda how I feel about Monster Movie, too. What I find myself paying attention to the most anymore is the stuff with Bobby, Chet and Frank. However, it is a funny episode and I do enjoy it quite a bit.

 

In other news: I've been surprised at how interesting I find the Leviathans in the early part of the season. I kinda enjoy the mystery of figuring out what they were and how to kill them. They're actually good adversaries for the Winchesters, IMO. Too bad the show didn't heed Dick Roman's advice here though--less being more and all.

 

Whacky aside: I would've found it really funny if the sheriff had dropped a "Hey, I remember you guys. I thought we agreed you were gonna stay out of my town." Not at all important, just a little musing of mine.

[catrox14]

I think why I like SF so much and its my top 10 to 15 of ALL seasons is that it was so quirky and funny, yet affected so much of everything that came after. I love the blatant homages to Pulp Fiction. I loved learning about just how ruthless the Leviathans were and how much they must have secretly really feared the Winchesters to go the extreme of making clones of them.  I loved that the LeviaChesters were so fucking horrible and used their knowledge of the Winchesters minds and problems to use it against them like a demon would have. 

 

I wasn't that thrilled with Jodi's finding the solution through housework but I guess I can hand wave that part as minimal....I didn't like the break up scene at the end but it wasn't enough to ruin the episode and it was important to the boys relationship. 

 

I loved meeting Frank and Dick Roman.  The Rise of Dick, indeed.

 

So yes all my love for this episode.

Edited December 22, 2014 by catrox14

[DittyDotDot]

From the Survival game thread...

catrox14, on 31 Dec 2014 - 08:31 AM, said:

I liked Sam and Dean working together in Time after Time, but they also worked together in Slash Fiction" until Sam threw a fit about Amy, which to this day, I don't get why he did, or why he really cared that Dean lied to him about that one thing considering how often Sam has lied to Dean. I mean hello...Ruby and demon blood and keeping the hallucinations from him...and other stuff. Dean has lied to Sam before as well. So I just don't get why there was so much angst from Sam to Dean about Amy with whom he had NO current relationship and who was a monster and had killed humans.

 

I actually do understand why he was angry, even though I felt it was blown waaaaaay out of proportion.  When Sam couldn't tell what was real back in Hello, Cruel World, he put his trust in Dean to find reality. Then Dean told Sam he would trust him in The Girl Next Door, but he never had any intention of trusting Sam and lied to him instead. So, now Sam's thinking if he can't trust Dean about something as mundane as Amy, how can he trust Dean with something as big as his current issues with reality? What else had Dean been lying to him about? Has it all been a big con? Is it more of Lucifer fucking with him? I don't think it had anything whatsoever to do with Amy herself, IMO, but everything to do with how Dean told Sam to trust him--make that stone No. 1 and build on it--and now he's shown to be untrustworthy.

 

However, just because I understand it, doesn't make me like it any better or think that they needed to jack down on the angst level a bit, but it is Supernatural, after all, right? It's another one of those scenes that Jared and Jensen tinkered with, makes me wonder just how bad it was originally written.

Edited December 31, 2014 by DittyDotDot

[Demented Daisy]

"Don't roofie me and call it romance," Dick Roman says to Crowley.

 

Ooh, creepy foreshadowing there.

[Goldmoon]

It's another one of those scenes that Jared and Jensen tinkered with, makes me wonder just how bad it was originally written.

Just saw this for the first time.  If I listen to the commentary will I find out how J2 "tinkered" with it? 

 

I will never not love Crowley, she said before the fallout has hit the fan on the currently airing season ten.  The convo in the diner between NotSam and NotDean was priceless as was the "All Out of Love" song lip synch.  When they do funny, they certainly don't hold back.  But yeah, mood whiplash.  And I did like Dick.

[DittyDotDot]

Just saw this for the first time.  If I listen to the commentary will I find out how J2 "tinkered" with it? 

 

Um...I don't think Jared and Jensen talk about it on the commentary...I'm not sure now. It's been mentioned at a couple cons that Jared and Jensen thought the scene was written like a lovers breakup scene rather than an argument between two "dudes", so they got together in the makeup trailer and reworked some of the dialogue.

 

I'm trying to remember what Jared and Jensen said about it on the commentary, but for some reason, I'm drawing a blank. All I can remember from the commentary right now is how Jared cracked up at Dean singing All Out Of Love. Other than that, I can't seem to remember anything from the commentary right now.

Edited March 3, 2015 by DittyDotDot

[Goldmoon]

Jared and Jensen thought the scene was written like a lovers breakup scene rather than an argument between two "dudes"

But aren't they always?

[catrox14]

I don't think all of the boys breakup scenes are like a lover's breakup scene. 

 

But even here, the dialogue was pretty bad even with their rewrite. 

 

I cannot imagine Sam or Dean EVER saying to the other one "I can't even look at you right now" unless it was Dean trying to be snarky during the fight.  Most of there arguments have been like it was in Scarecrow  "I'll leave your ass here"  which is what siblings would say to each other.  Or they say things like "you're a monster" and I  can't trust you but that isn't solely something lovers breaking up would say to each other.

[DittyDotDot]

But aren't they always?

 

Well, I'd say they are as of late, but in the early seasons, I didn't think so. What's funny is this one is still rather mawkish and soapy, so just makes me wonder how bad it was before they adjusted it some.

[supposebly]

The mind boggles just wondering what could have been worse than "I can't even look at you right now." Straight out of a bad Romantic Comedy.

 

I wonder how much freedom they were given because it's still pretty bad. Or maybe there is a reason they are actors and not writers. Of course, that also begs the question why these writers are getting paid for such terrible work.

 

ETA: I love Chet. I saw the actor in something else the other day and I couldn't stop giggling. Overall, I think the Leviathans were awesome and funny and scary, especially Dick. He completely freaks me out the way he behaves with Charlie.

Edited March 3, 2015 by supposebly

[catrox14]

I tend to have confidence in Jensen and Jared rewriting a few lines but I would also imagine they were only allowed to take out certain things. spoilers for s9

Jensen suggested they lose everything but "I'm proud of us" in 9.23 which was a great choice. Methinks he has a pretty good handle on what works for Dean anyway.

[AwesomO4000]

The mind boggles just wondering what could have been worse than "I can't even look at you right now." Straight out of a bad Romantic Comedy.

 

It's weird, because I thought the writing for much of the rest of the episode was pretty clever - especially the leviathan brothers' dialogue, the Chet/Bobby stuff, and the stuff in the police station, but the end argument almost seemed to be from another episode it was such a change in tone and style.

[GirlyGeek]

Don't have much to add that wasn't already mentioned here, but finally an episode that I like! Dean lip syncing Air Supply is gold, the leviathans take on Sam and Dean is awesome and hilarious. I loved Chet and Bobbys scenes and seeing Jody is always nice.

I'm used to their hissy fit fights by now, so the one at the end doesn't bother me. I completely get why Sam is pissed, for all the reasons Ditty Dot Dot mentioned above. Do I think Dean was wrong... No. But lying to Sam was not cool either (and just cause Sam lied about other stuff doesn't make it ok... Just means they should both know how much it sucks being lied to!! Duh).

The leviathans are still ok at this point so no complaints.. Yet

[DittyDotDot]

The leviathans are still ok at this point so no complaints.. Yet

 

When I re-watched recently, I was really surprised how much I enjoyed the Levis in the first half. They were actually kinda scary and funny and I found them to be good adversaries. I had remembered them being really boring. This show can be so weird sometimes.

[Dobian]

There's a lot of love for this episode, so I'll go out on a limb a bit with some criticisms and distaste for it.  Sure, there are some really great moments, like Dean's lip syncing and Sam's expressions watching him, L!Sam and L!Dean's exchange at the diner, and learning that the Leviathans' Kryptonite is of all things, Borax.  I didn't care for this being the episode where Dean's murder of Amy is revealed to Sam.  I thought it should have been in Defending Your Life, with Amy herself telling the truth of what happened.  It would have been a more meaningful and dramatic moment than coming from L!Dean.  I also don't care that much for the Leviathans as villains because this show leans too heavily on arrogant all-powerful antagonists.  We got enough of that with Zachariah and Uriel, Raphael, and Lucifer and Michael, with all the hairless ape comments.  Yes, we puny humans, we get it already.

The ability of both Sam and Dean and L!Sam  and L!Dean to roam about freely in the middle of the biggest manhunt in the country (seriously, someone commits multiple mass murders for real and that's all you're going to see on the news for weeks; everyone in the country would recognize these guys on sight) without getting picked up was ridiculous.  Sam and Dean made it all the way by car from California to Iowa before getting nabbed.  Another conceit with the old cop and his daughter telling the Feds that they already sent the bodies to the funeral home and they were cremated, and the Feds saying no problem, case closed, was just stupid.  The Feds would have been all over that and taken over the whole crime scene before anything could have been done to those bodies, and they never would have accepted the cremation argument.  That was just bad writing to explain away a big plot hole.  But then, this show has never been very good at accurately portraying the FBI.

But what I really didn't care for in this episode was the mass slaughtering of people.  A lot of people die on this show, and when it's done in the context of someone getting killed by the monster of the week that's par for the course.  But when you start doing wholesale massacres as a cheap plot device to draw out the main characters without providing the narrative weight that such an atrocity should bring, that's just bad.  On a show like Walking Dead you see a lot of mass killings, but it is always treated with the gravitas it deserves.  On this show, and particularly this episode, it's treated with the severity of a cartoon, so it's very hard to take seriously without being offended by it.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Dobian

[catrox14]

8 hours ago, Dobian said:

But what I really didn't care for in this episode was the mass slaughtering of people.  A lot of people die on this show, and when it's done in the context of someone getting killed by the monster of the week that's par for the course.

I understand there was some unevenness with the comedy but I think the murder spree was showing us that the Leviathan were ruthless and they had no compunction with destroying Sam and Dean. I think since this was an homage to Pulp Fiction it was trying to have some gallows humor. 

The Amy breakup scene could have been far worse. Apparently Jensen & Jared rewrote it to make it less like a break up. 

I like to think Victor Henriksen has friends in the FBI that were willing to overlook the things Sam and Dean did. Like maybe he told someone higher up that these guys are actually saving the planet.

I do love the "Well if you're gonna be stupid, you might as well be smart about it". That makes me laugh. And I actually say this to myself more often than I should.

On a shallow note. I really dislike both Sam and Dean's hair this season.

Sam's mutton chops are the worst. I don't like Dean's hair at all. It's too long and poofy on the top with some weird flip in the front. Bleh.

Edited June 3, 2016 by catrox14

[Hanahope]

So yeah, I agree that all the killing was a bit too much, and yeah that Sam and Dean can continue along their "usual" way of doing things afterwards a bit unrealistic.  Maybe Dean could blend in a bit, but I don't think Sam ever really could (so tall and handsome), at least not without maybe some serious change to his hairstyle.

Bobbie's work with Chet, and then himself was very fun, and I lol over Borax being the killer of Leviathans.  These days, a good number of kids carry slime, made with borax, with them all the time, great defense!

I love Mark Sheppard.  He does such a great job as an antagonist to the leads, against them, but not really "evil" and also sometimes very helpful (like he did in Leverage).  I'm sure after his meet and greet with Dick that bombed, he'll now go and help out Sam and Dean because "no one insults the ruler of Hell."  Who knows, maybe he'll bring the boys back together, because yet again, they split up.  Its getting to be a plot device that seems to be used every couple of seasons.  Been there, done that.

I did wonder why Sam automatically believed the LDean.  How does he know LDean didn't lie to him?  But I know he has to believe it because Dean has been acting a bit wonky and the story needs the boys to be apart for a bit.

[bettername2come]

The opening scene is one of the most disturbing I've ever seen. I like that Chet's just yelling the evil plan from the basement when Dean and Sam discover they're wanted men. "Do you have a teleporter?" "No, sir, we don't." Chet the psycho leviathan is immensely entertaining, even if he wants to eat Bobby down to his hat. Frank's a great character. He's like if Ronald Reznick had lived and had access to technology. Are Bobby and Jody flirting? "All Out of Love" because he's missing his Baby. It's fair. The leviathans stalking through their past case towns is a good idea.

Spoiler

so good they recycle it for season 8. 

"How he's walking around in a jacket with detachable arms is beyond me." Oh, the jabs at Sam and Dean are good. They all play their leviathan doppelgangers well. And now I ship Jody/Bobby. Hey, it's Gerard from Teen Wolf! Well, he does have a history with black goo. The Amy reveal feels contrived. Poor Sheriff. I hate when Sam and Dean breakup.

I'm remembering one reason I remember this season un-fondly: They took Dean's Baby away! The mascot for the show and she's gone!

[RulerofallIsurvey]

First time I watched, the opening of this one left my mouth hanging open.  I thought maybe Sam and Dean had a plan to flush out leviathan - until the vault.  Then I didn't know what to think.  Damn.  Interesting how Sam and Dean with Bobby were wearing similar outfits to the Leviathan Winchesters.  

Hair out of the shower drain - I imagine Sam's was especially easy to get.  hee.  

If they were leaving the station without paying for the gas, Sam should have at least taken the snacks too.  I mean, they're already wanted for murder, what's a little petty theft?

Frank is hilarious.  "There is no such thing as a random series of robbery murders by your evil twins."  Truer words...

I like Jodi showing up to thank Bobby for saving her.  Plus I like Jodi, so it was nice to see her.  Did Bobby try setting Chet on fire?  If not, why not?  And if the witch last ep used a spell to freeze Chet, why not just redo the spell?

The All Out Of Love scene was great.  I also like that Sam (and I'm assuming Dean) remembers all their cases - in order - since he left Stanford.  I think that's impressive.  

Where the heck was Sam going at the end?  A long walk off a short pier? 

[Katy M]

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 8:49 PM, RulerofallIsurvey said:

If they were leaving the station without paying for the gas, Sam should have at least taken the snacks too.  I mean, they're already wanted for murder, what's a little petty theft?

And every time they use a credit card, they're stealing anyway.

 

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 8:49 PM, RulerofallIsurvey said:

Did Bobby try setting Chet on fire?  If not, why not?

He probably did.  We didn't see everything he did.

 

On ‎9‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 8:49 PM, RulerofallIsurvey said:

And if the witch last ep used a spell to freeze Chet, why not just redo the spell?

Probably above their pay grade.

[DittyDotDot]

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

Probably above their pay grade.

Not only above their pay grade, but I don't think the witch was one to "share" his witchy spells. Seemed he thought he did enough with the freezing, the rest wasn't his problem.

[RulerofallIsurvey]

On 9/25/2017 at 4:07 PM, DittyDotDot said:

Not only above their pay grade, but I don't think the witch was one to "share" his witchy spells. Seemed he thought he did enough with the freezing, the rest wasn't his problem.

True, but I was thinking with all of Bobby's books they maybe could have found a spell that would work.  

[Iju]

my FAVOURITE part of the episode is when there's the scene when dean talks about eating at a diner, and the second scene follows up with them eating but with completely different characteristics. jensen and jared's acting was so SPOT ON, i was totally confused! great directing as well. evil sam and dean selfie video was great as well, well done. i'm rather disappointed the fakers were cancelled in the end.

[catrox14]

This is, by far, my fave ep of s7. 

I only hate the final breakup scene. It was terrible. I swear I don't think Robbie Thompson wrote that scene at all. I think Sera tacked it on.

Some of my fave bits: 

Chet is fantastic. I'm kind of bummed he was killed off so quickly.

Bobby: "Well, if you're gonna be stupid at least be smart about it".  I think this is my favorite Bobby line of all time. 

Frank Devereaux is a fave from s7 for me. He's not enough like Bobby for me to think he's really Bobby's replacement. 

Dean throwing the squeeze toy into the back seat and it's sad little "cry" when it was tossed just makes guffaw. 

Dean lip synching to "All Out of Love".  I 100% believe he would do that because it's from his childhood at that point.

The entire diner scene between Levia!Dean and Levia!Sam was hilarious: 

Levia!Sam: 'You know what I did."

LeviaDean: "What"

Levia!Sam: " I ate him".

Levia!Dean: "Of course you did".  

GOLD. Absolute comic gold writing wise and acting wise from J2.

Colonel Tigh!!!! (BSG reference).  Weird to see him without an eye patch LOL. He was so disgusted with Sam and Dean. LOL

Leviathan!Dean is so great. "I am Dean-adjacent". LOLOL. He's such a smarmy asshole and so pleased with making Sam feel like shit when he told him about Dean killing Amy. 

I love this episode.

[catrox14]

3 hours ago, catrox14 said:

ETA: How could I forget meeting Dick Roman.  I love him as a villain. He's IMO one of the absolute best villains ever. 
The scene between him and Crowley cemented for me that he was not to be trifled with considering viewed Crowley as less than humans who he thinks are garbage. 

[FlickChick]

On 9/16/2018 at 2:37 PM, catrox14 said:

I only hate the final breakup scene. It was terrible. I swear I don't think Robbie Thompson wrote that scene at all. I think Sera tacked it on.

According to Jensen at Chi-con, it was Robbie's first episode and he was unsure of how to write that scene. Jensen and Jared changed some words/actions to give us what we see today. However, I'm sure that Sera had a hand in things - like instructing Robbie to include it in the episode. Naturally, Jensen wouldn't mention that. Maybe the reason Robbie had a problem with it is because he didn't like the scene in there at all. Who knows?

[The Companion]

I usually love the one off episodes. Otherwise, this show gets too serious and loses the sense of fun that makes it so watchable. However, given the last two episodes, it is a huge relief to get back to the main story on this one. I can only imagine how people felt when they couldn't binge watch these. 

I think most of what I enjoyed about this episode has been covered. The Leviathan interactions and discussions were great. I have really enjoyed the mystery of how to kill them. Every week they know the answer, even for the most obscure monsters. It has been fun to have an unknown. Plus I love that the usual suspects don't work. The weaknesses overlap so often, which I think we can ascribe to the same source (Eve). So, the Leviathans should be different.

My only minor quibbles are:

1. Guys, we all know you are gorgeous, but put on a freaking hat. Maybe some fake glasses. Some sort of disguise.

2. Show, we aren't toddlers. You don't have to do the teeth thing if the person has contextually been revealed to be a Leviathan.

3. That scene at the end. It has been covered ad nauseam above, but it didn't read correctly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one.

[MagnusHex]

Dean and Sam immediately not becoming wanted men anymore by the end of the episode was lame, and Dean's singing went too long and ended up making the scene kinda awkward.

Other than that though, this episode was pretty good, especially the reveal that not only is the Big Bad now part of the government, he cooly rejected Crowley's offer instead of teaming up against the good guys like I had expected him to.

3.5/5