S03.E14: Long Distance Call

[DittyDotDot]

A series of people receive phone calls from dead loved ones, who urge them to commit suicide. Sam and Dean take time out from deal-breaking to investigate.

 

I'm always surprised how much this episode grabs me, I seem to forget how much I like it.  This is one of those episodes they used the two-sides of the same coin thing really well, IMO, and in true Supernatural fashion we get the boys flipping their perspectives and then flipping them back again. I also love the repeating of lines that helps keep the episode held together. The concept of a monster using our over-connected lives to find and kill is interesting and it holds up fairly well considering how much more we've become technologically connected. I wish I understood how the monster fed on some of those people though, since he wasn't in their presence when they killed themselves. And I wish I knew how a kid's toy phone, that wasn't connected to anything, could be used by the crocatta...I know, I'm getting caught up on the stupid shit again.

 

So, I like Stewie and thought the actor was funny. I'm always amused by that quotty-fingered tour guide and the spirit phone thing was a good gag too. Mostly though, I think the fight scene at the end is one of their best (although, there's really a lot of them, so that's hard to judge today). I'm rather fond of how they cut the two fight scenes together to keep the pace up.

 

And the scene at the end where Dean admits he's really, really scared is some really nice bro stuff. Not that I didn't know Dean was scared, but I liked the dialogue with Sam asking if he wanted a poem and the moment Dean pulls out the two beers never fails to tug at my heartstrings.

 

So, yeah, I think this is a good one, overall.

[Demented Daisy]

This is on my "Worst Episodes of the Season" list.  Probably irrational, but the phone call from "John" felt like emotional manipulation to me.  Dean is barely holding it together as it is and they throw that in there?  Grrr.

 

Oh, and that nasty work station.  *shudder*

[catrox14]

This episode has a great idea with Dean desperately hoping his Dad is calling him but they mucked up the episode with the computer guy.  That said, I kind of love this episode for the scene with Dean arguing with Sam about whether it was John or not and this moment. This just breaks my heart. It's again Jensen's perfect Ackting where he plays a moment so unexpectedly and perfectly.  The way his voice breaks but the look.  Ugh. 

 

t

[rue721]

Probably irrational, but the phone call from "John" felt like emotional manipulation to me.  Dean is barely holding it together as it is and they throw that in there?  Grrr.

 

I think that's true, it's completely emotional manipulation. But I think that part of the point is about people *wanting* to be emotionally manipulated? Maybe not so much on a meta/audience level (though, that, too), but Dean apparently really did want to be given some hope of rescue, for a while there, even if it was (pretty obviously) false hope. Also, actually on a more meta level, watching A Very Supernatural Christmas just now put me in a terrible mood, so I'll admit that I decided to watch this episode right after it and before going to bed specifically because of the phone call(s) from "John." The phone calls are something for Dean to cling to and feel reassurance from even if they're fake. And even from the perspective of just watching it TV, I feel like the phone calls and Dean's 100% "they're real!" reaction are reassuring, too, which is why I wanted to watch the episode. Idk, someone very strong/certain saying that things will be OK is kind of wonderful even if they're lying through their teeth and everyone knows it -- and, apparently, even if they're a made up character talking about a made up situation in which they're being horribly manipulated, too! Even though lies and fiction might only give a second of relief and you might have to twist your mind into a pretzel to get it, at least there is *some* relief to be had that way. If reality sucks, maybe it's better to just go with the lie, or at least to play along with it for a while. So I guess my point is that I'm not sure that emotional manipulation is a bad thing in this context? Because maybe a fake version of something is better than not having any version of that thing at all? Which imo is part of the point of fiction in the first place, imo -- at least fiction gives us (fake) stories that have order and meaning, which might be the only (albeit fake) version of order and meaning that we can get in a reality that's chaotic and meaningless.

 

In SPN, I think the issues of:  Do you want a fake version of what you're missing? Will a fake version be good enough? What's the difference between the real and the fake versions, anyway? all come up with Bobby a lot. I probably wouldn't have thought of the connection except that I watched Dream a Little Dream of Me tonight, too, and in that episode, Dean shouts in dreaming!Bobby's face that Bobby's like a father to him and he won't let Bobby die. Even though the show arguably retconed the relationship later, at this point in the show, it hadn't, and I just don't see any way to read that aside from Dean *really wanting* at least a fake father or somebody to fill that hole in his life, and chucking Bobby into the role of surrogate dad -- there wasn't actually an emotional foundation for that kind of relationship. And John had only been dead maybe a year?

 

And in general, I guess those questions come up with Dean a lot. Imo, What is and What Should Never Be is all about that, and even though in that case Dean decides to go with reality rather than fiction, I think he second-guesses that decision in other contexts pretty often, and decides to go with the fiction rather than the reality pretty often, too. Like in this episode, I think that (until reality becomes completely unavoidable, when he's in a fight to the death with this other poor schmuck), he decides that he prefers the lie that his father can contact him and look out for him and maybe even help rescue him, than the truth that his father's gone and nobody's going to rescue him, and he's not likely to be able to rescue himself, either.

 

I think the issue of having to choose between fiction and reality and finding fiction very tempting, comes up with him very often, it's baked into his DNA as a character. He's always the one who's putting everything in the context of some movie or music reference, and he always likes having all the trappings of however he wishes things were (like wearing his dad's jacket back at this point, or wanting a real Last Christmas, or trying to keep up a ruse for Sam about -- well, thinking about it more, about almost anything concerning himself even in the present day (which is why him being honest at the end of this episode about being scared about going to hell is even a "thing"). But originally, I was just thinking specifically of the Christmas flashbacks, when he tries to keep up the ruse that monsters aren't real, their dad came back for Xmas and left presents, their mother isn't dead (which is why I assume he doesn't want Sam to talk openly about her and acknowledge that she is)). Anyway, I guess my point is that imo Dean in general feels a strong temptation to pretend or even force himself to believe (and force Sam to at least somewhat humor his ostensible belief) that things are how he wishes they were, rather than acknowledging the truth of how they are. I guess because he's actually got a pretty grim, ugly view of the truth of how things are? Idk. Anyway, I actually really like that about the character, and I really like about Sam that he's *not* like that (maybe because he actually has a relatively sanguine, pragmatic view of how things are, so fantasies/wishes don't tempt him so much?).

Edited December 24, 2014 by rue721

[DittyDotDot]

I think the issue of having to choose between fiction and reality and finding fiction very tempting, comes up with him very often, it's baked into his DNA as a character.

 

That's an interesting observation. I always think Dean's sense of reality was somewhat warped as a kid with all the sitting around in motel rooms watching endless hours of '80s television. Imagine spending most of your formative years locked in a room with your younger brother, a shot gun and the only thing to pass the time being The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Different Strokes, The Dukes Of Hazzard, Night Rider, The A-Team and countless Saturday morning superhero cartoons. Not to mention his knowledge of what was hiding out there in the dark. I think it'd be pretty hard to always know what was fiction or fantasy.

[catrox14]

Upon re - watching this episode has gained more favor with me because we see once more how complicated Dean's feelings are about John.

I enjoyed your post, Rue, even as I don't necessarily agree that Dean cannot face reality . I think Dean has always had a peculiar blend of cynicism and hope. I think his bravado is born of his wanting Sammy to believe that there is hope and convince himself. IMO It comes from protect and Save Sammy and IMO that is why lies to him about the Christmas presents in VSC and why he didn't tell him about what John told him in s2 right away and why he lied about his deal until he couldn't. I don't think it's because he can't face his reality. IMO lying is hope for Dean. It's not denial IMO it's more like fake it til you make it. Is it particularly healthy? Probably not but it is a coping mechanism and IMO without his bravado he'd be dead.

I think Dean's pop culture references are his tether to the real world. I don't think that is a sign of him not facing reality but more that he's connecting to the rest of the world in what for him is a normal way because his life his so abnormal.

I don't think him hoping it was John was a sign of him wanting to believe in a lie because he can't face his own truth. It was clear as far back as Sin City that he was terrified of his pending fate. But IMO his bravado is always two fold because he didn't want Sam to lose hope or be frightened and to quell his own doomed emotions.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but by the time this episode came round Sam had seen Dean die 100 times but IIRC Sam never told Dean he saw him die that many times and had resigned himself to Deans death but he still wanted to find a way to save Dean. And Dean wants to get out of the deal but Sam will drop dead if that happens cue the bravado.

And it kind of worked until he heard Johns voice and the wall cracked. Because it was Dad. And dad was offering an answer. Dad was going to help him. Finally. Dad was proactively going to save Dean.

As far back as Sin City, Dean's terror was written all over his face even as his words lied. He wanted to believe he could find a way for him and for Sammy. And now here Dad was offering a chance...."it is a pleasant fiction"**, but not one born of Deans inability face reality in a general sense because I don't think that applies to Dean. Ymmv

**Gladiator

[rue721]

IMO lying is hope for Dean. It's not denial IMO it's more like fake it til you make it. Is it particularly healthy? Probably not but it is a coping mechanism and IMO without his bravado he'd be dead.

I think Dean's pop culture references are his tether to the real world. I don't think that is a sign of him not facing reality but more that he's connecting to the rest of the world in what for him is a normal way because his life his so abnormal.

 

I actually agree, by and large, with all of that (the whole post). Imo it's not that Dean is *unable* to face reality. He must be able to, because he always ends up doing it. The man apparently can not catch a break in terms of his illusions going untested for really any length of time. Even in this episode, when the chips were down, and if he kept "not knowing" that it wasn't really John calling him, he'd have ended up beating an innocent man to death (!), he dropped the pretense immediately, and then didn't try to slip back into it afterward with Sam. That's generally how he does imo. He maybe likes keeping up certain pretenses or an act for his own sake, but he'll drop it if/when someone else needs him to. The only person I remember him even getting pissed at for making him drop the act or for not humoring him is Sam, and he usually doesn't get pissed at him, either.

 

Actually, it's a running joke/theme of the series as a whole, imo, that there's no story/fantasy/illusion that's too harmless or too frivolous or too close to the heart -- or really "too" anything -- that it can't or won't be shattered at some point with grim and/or banal reality. Frontierland or "evil Santa" are light/funny versions of that, imo. The gap between the "mythology" that Dean created around John and all the actual evidence that comes out about the man is a not-so-light/not-so-funny version of that, imo.

 

Anyway, I don't think he gets into those fantasies because he's weak or delusional or something. He's usually going whole-hog into some fantasy that's more than socially acceptable, it's practically socially required, like the ~White Picket Fence~ thing or the ~Man's Man~ thing or the ~My Father, My Hero~ thing. Or it's a fantasy that's literally scripted and sold, a movie or a song or something. I think a big part of what he likes about that stuff actually is that it's *fake.* Imo he uses those things like how lots of people use those them in real life (by "those things," I means social convention/ideals, pop culture, art, etc) -- as sort of scripts/guides for how people/things are *supposed* to work.

 

So, how I see it is, when he's joking around and making references, part of what he's doing is riffing on ways reality is/isn't following the script (sometimes just for fun, it's not all srs bsns imo). And when he's arguing with Sam over whether he's putting on an "act" or if something's "real" or when he's bluffing or bullshitting or whatever, he's sussing out what script he/everyone is working from at that moment. That's what I think he was doing in this episode, when Sam started trying to talk him out of believing the phone call, and he pretty much told Sam how he needed Sam to play things (i.e., he needed to play along with the phone call for at least a while in order to keep himself together and he needed Sam to humor him in that). I saw that as him basically giving Sam his sides, lol. Anyway, in general, then when things start getting especially out of control/frightening/shitty, imo he tends to double down on following a script, I think as a way of trying to impose order and make sense of things. Imo it's something that the character does, and on a more meta level, that's also something that fiction/narrative is for in general. To make (narrative) order out of (real life) chaos, and to take (narrative) control when threatened with (real life) powerlessness.

 

I think that Dean is 100% aware that the fantasies *are* fantasies (or ideals or conventions or stories, etc), though. I actually think that's a big issue for him, that he's extremely aware of the gap between how things are supposed to be (the "script" things are supposed to follow) and how they actually are (the terrifying, overwhelming, chaotic reality!). It's not that he's childish or delusional imo, it's that the difference between the "script" and the reality is the difference between order/comprehension/safety and chaos/horror/danger, and he obviously finds the latter threatening. (And that's also why I think that Dean having an exceptionally *dark* view of the world is why he finds fantasies/lies/stories/etc exceptionally tempting -- if he didn't find reality threatening, then he also wouldn't have any reason to care so much about that gap between the "script" and the reality).

 

Anyway, I don't think that he actually *expects* life to follow the script, and tbh I think it freaks him out when it seems like it's hewing too closely to it because he knows that reality doesn't work that way

(this is why I like Exile on Main Street, I think that's what was happening in that episode)

. On the other hand, I think he does like to feel tethered to a script because it makes things more orderly, comprehensible, and safe.

 

On a micro level, I think that's why when he gets cornered or is in trouble, he'll start throwing out silly jokes and references to things. I love that, I love that things will turn serious, and he'll start making up puns and stuff. Part of why I interpret him doing that in that way is probably because of how JA plays things, though -- in those scenes, it always sounds to me like Dean is basically just talking to himself. Lots of times it doesn't sound like what he's saying is really directed at anyone or like even he's finding most of his jokes especially funny or anything, it's more like he's just thinking out loud and calming himself down/getting his head straight. On a more macro level, I think that all the mythology that he built up around John was partly a way to reassure himself that John would be safe, etc (i.e., John was the hero of "the story," so he couldn't just be killed or disappear or something, he *had* to prevail, that's how the stories always go). Though of course, that's his father, so I think he also did it partly as a way to feel connected to him.

 

Anyway, so I guess what I'm saying is, I don't think that he is always making reference to things or putting on an "act" or trying to keep up pretenses in order to tie himself to the real world, but I do think that he's doing that in order to insert himself (and his loved ones, things that are important to him, etc) into narratives that he knows, that make sense, that he understands, that he can predict. So I agree in the sense that he's trying to tether himself to something outside of his "reality" as a way of making sense of things and protecting himself. (And imo, choosing which narrative to try and insert himself into is a way of feeling empowered, too). Dean's not the only one who does that on this show, I think that John and Gordon both do that a lot as well. (That's actually something I like about all three of them).

 

And on a meta level, watching Dean connect the chaos of his reality into something resembling a narrative or a convention or some other comprehensible, orderly thing is also reassuring and pleasant to me as an audience member, because I'm using the show/TV/stories/etc *to do the same thing* with my reality. Imo that's the purpose that fiction/narrative serves -- and it's cool imo that it serves that purpose within the show as well as outside of it.

 

Though how that connects with the show's obsession with narrative and all the Chuck/Metatron/Fan Fiction stuff, Idk.

 

UGH sorry to babble. Hopefully that makes sense, because I'm too tired and bleary eyed to make it more coherent right now.

[bettername2come]

I think I've only seen this episode once before. Dean sitting up with coffee waiting for John to call is so sad. I like hearing from Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Even if it's not the real John, just hearing his voice telling Dean he loves him and doesn't want his boy to go to hell is beautiful. I hate that his last two appearances are voice or body. 

"That's what happens when you mess with the phone company, dillweed!" Poor guy. He was good. And what is up with Sam being tied up and helpless while watching a tied up, helpless civilian get stabbed for two episodes in a row? You're gonna give the guy a complex. He has enough of those.

The poor guy with the murdered daughter. He put up a good fight, though.

"Do you want a poem?" "Moment's gone." 

[Iju]

On 31/08/2014 at 3:42 PM, catrox14 said:

This episode has a great idea with Dean desperately hoping his Dad is calling him but they mucked up the episode with the computer guy.  That said, I kind of love this episode for the scene with Dean arguing with Sam about whether it was John or not and this moment. This just breaks my heart. It's again Jensen's perfect Ackting where he plays a moment so unexpectedly and perfectly.  The way his voice breaks but the look.  Ugh. 

 

t

ugh why did you have to put thay gif there?!? my heart ;_;

-------

okay so my mother was watching it with me and when sam begged dean to stay in the motel she wanted him to stay too. but i told her that how could she say that? we saw just a few episodes ago how dean really is terrified of going to hell. he's scared out of his mind. and what do people do when they aren't in their right mind? they are reckless. i could completely understand why dean left, but i was also i dunno, proud(?) a little bit that he at least tried to stay, when sam left and he grumpily sat in the corner chair.

this episode was just too much for my heart, like really. i was feeling heavy the whole time. the ghostfacers episode was such a saving grace because of the grueling and looming shadow of dean's dying, but right afterwards we get this episode. now it has jumped from 2 months to 3 weeks. so again, it makes total sense why dean would be getting more and more desprate and reckless. thus why when he was clearly hurt by sam's lackluster attempts at listening to their dad i felt so bad for him. it's doubly as easy to feel so badly for him because i can switch sam with myself and see dean as my own brother. this episode was so heavy for me i sort of dragged my feet on looking at the next episode.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Iju

[Zipper]

As we march inexorably toward the expiration of Dean's year, and as we lose characters that have formed some kind of base for the boys, I start to get really nervous. First, poor Gordon, who I liked as a character and whose ultimate demise bugged me in many ways (his being forcibly turned into what he hates, and the conduct he engages in as a result). Then Hendrickson, who I loved, both because his performance was so good as competent law enforcement guy, and whose revealing details after he learned the truth made me want him to live a long life pitching aid to the good fight. Now the show uses John to throw Dean a potential life line, and even though I doubted the reality of the solution John might offer from the jump, I wanted it so badly. I may have wanted it more than Dean. So when it turns to sh*t, I nearly cry. 

Sorry, that's not necessarily episode specific, but for me this episode represents  a moment in time for them that seems to draw some very specific lines. Sam's been through 100 of Dean's deaths, hunted on his own, was prepared to sacrifice a virgin, had to kill Gordon in a gruesome way, but he's helpless to show Dean the lack of integrity in John's sudden appearance. He's running all over town trying to save those kids, while Dean frantically searches for some out. It's heartbreaking for both characters. The final scene nails it for me, the fear absent any real hope. For both boys.

Sometimes when the MotW fails to really grab my attention, I'm grateful that the show embeds such solid development for the boys. This was one of those episodes for me. 

Thanks rue721 and catrox14. Your analyses about Dean is really cool. 

[The Companion]

I don't have anything to add except that the extra's reaction to the redefining the definition of necrophilia comment made me laugh so hard. 

[pixelcat]

On 8/31/2014 at 10:19 AM, DittyDotDot said:

The concept of a monster using our over-connected lives to find and kill is interesting and it holds up fairly well considering how much more we've become technologically connected. I wish I understood how the monster fed on some of those people though, since he wasn't in their presence when they killed themselves.

I rewatched this episode recently for a story I was working on that involved a crocotta.  As I got to the part where one character is explaining about the monster to another, I hit this same inconsistency: how could the crocotta feed on souls if he wasn't in the room with them when they died?  (I also don't know how I didn't think about it when watching the episode previously, many many times)

I came up with three options:

1) the crocotta was making the calls on a cell phone, standing outside while watching the person kill themselves, then entered and ate the soul (this was the option I decided to go with, although I also chose not to bother explaining that part in my story)

2) the crocotta is able to "mark" the soul just by talking to them, so if that person should die/take their own life, the soul will find the crocotta no matter where it is (meaning a reaper wouldn't be able to find the soul to take it anywhere)

3) the crocotta is somehow able to make the corpse hold on to the soul after death, and then it just goes to the morgue to eat it

As for the rest of the story, I always forget how close to the end for Dean this episode is.  rue721 and catrox14 said everything far better than I could.

[Katy M]

On 6/30/2020 at 10:17 AM, pixelcat said:

) the crocotta is somehow able to make the corpse hold on to the soul after death, and then it just goes to the morgue to eat it

I would say this is most likely because

Spoiler

In My Bloody Valentine, Dean and Cas go to check out a corpse in the morgue and Cas says his soul is still there.

 

[ahrtee]

A looong time ago, but I just came across this description of a Twilight Zone episode from 1961:

75. Long Distance Call

- IMDb score: 7.7
- Air date: March 31, 1961
- Season 2, episode 22

When a boy's grandmother dies right after giving him a toy phone as a present, he is able to communicate with her in the afterlife. She decides she doesn't want to be dead alone, and tries to get the boy to join her. He attempts to kill himself.

This is Billy Mumy's first of three appearances during the show's original run.

 

I actually love the way SPN recycles/repurposes and updates old stories to fit the SPN universe.  I just wish (sometimes) they'd acknowledge the originals (even as "homage").