“Supernatural” Episode 10.6, “Ask Jeeves.” Starring Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki; written by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder; Directed by John MacCarthy.
What a wonderful follow up to the pure joy of that 200th episode. “Ask Jeeves” was, on the surface, just a fun little farce that showcased the show’s strengths and roots; a monster, a mystery, and the family business. No meta, no canonic theme, and no lofty religious tanglings – just a damn good story. But underneath that thin layer of formula-icing was a real treat that allowed the folks behind the camera to totally show off, and it was fantastic.
One afternoon while sipping gourmet coffee from Dixie cups, Dean tells Sam he’s found one of Bobby’s old cell phones. It’s full of messages, but only one of them merits the brothers’ attention: Bobby Singer, or his next of kin, has a waiting inheritance courtesy of a mystery woman. Baby is cleaned and the boys are ready for a case, but they’ll settle for the next best thing: mystery. And, you know, the possibility of vast amounts of cash.
They arrive at the estate of Bunny LaCroix and are advised by the butler to take their inheritance, a cheap piece of costume jewelry, and forget having ever been near the family. And what a family it is. Bunny’s siblings are judgmental, insincere, broke, greedy, horrible people. And also hilarious. The women of the family of course find Sam and Dean, uh, intriguing, despite their flannel and American made automobile.
They discover their trinket holds a key, and since Sam and Dean are unable to ignore their curiosity they return to the manor to find out just how Bobby Singer, he of the cheap whiskey and two shirts, managed to get involved with an heiress like Bunny LaCroix. They eventually get their answer, but not before they stumble upon a case. Two murders have gone down, and after ruling out an angry ghost Sam and Dean realize there’s a shifter in the ranks.
This episode was hilarious. The guest actors were perfect as the laughably pathetic socialites, all of them portraying these horrid characters without a hint of intentional irony. I’m generally an Ackles enthusiast when it comes to the funny on “Supernatural,” but the interactions between Sam and the, erm, mature women of the family made me guffaw. Gillian Vigman and Debra McCabe are two very funny women, and it’s not often I leave an episode of television wondering where I can see more of the guest stars.
Ackles and Padalecki had some moments as well, but the things that made this episode brilliant happened because of people we may never see. The script, and obvious and perfect nod to “Clue,” was tight, sharp, and smart. Viewers more intelligent than me probably fingered the culprit way before it dawned on me, but there were enough possibilities and subtle diversions to keep us guessing.
The camera work was inspired. Though only one shot could have been called “flashy” (that final shot of Sam through the window of the Impala – WOW, by the way), the angles and points of view added just enough texture to make the episode pop. The episode’s score was an absolute delight. It was so good! I can’t remember the last time I heard such wonderful incidental music on a weekly network show. I might be biased because of all the bassoon, but still. Yes. I play the bassoon. Shut up.
Can anyone do a beheading quite like “Supernatural”? In my head, there’s a team of two guys that look like Troy and Abed. They don’t really do much, hang out and play Xbox and like go to food trucks, but once or twice a season the producers are like “OK, you’re up.” And one’s the practical FX guy and one’s the CG and they just crank out this flawless beheading with minimal gore and seamless motion and then go back to Halo. I may have put a little too much thought into this.
The episode maintained its playful tone until the final act, when Dean emptied a clip into a shifter that went down on the first shot. When Sam confronted him during the B.M. (that’s what we’re calling it now, right? Like, that’s a thing now?), Dean brushed it off as merely being thorough. If we weren’t aware of how Dean had spent his summer, it might have been a plausible explanation. But as it stands, I’m left to wonder if the overzealous clip emptying had more serious implications.
Did Dean have a moment of rage after seeing his brother cornered? Was it residual demon juice? Was the Mark of Cain flaring up? I hope so. I mean, we’ve got like 18 more episodes.
What do you think, friends? Were you satisfied with the offering after that stellar celebration last week, or was this dashing little whodunit a bit of a let down for you? The season is definitely on an upward swing for me, so I look forward to what next week will bring.