14x04 Mint Condition

“You’ve got to get over that. That’s…I mean… All right. This is what we’re gonna do. Next year, we’re doing Halloween right, okay? I’m thinking matching outfits like, uh, Batman and Robin. Bert and Ernie. Rocky and Bullwinkle. Shaggy and Scooby. Turner and Hooch. Ren and Stimpy. Thelma and Louise. We just put it in drive and go”.

I love Dean so damn much. So much I can’t even stand it. I love watching his sweet smile, and him being happy despite everything and making the most out of anything. I loved that after everything he’s been through, he still finds the time to make fun of Sam (“Smooth as a dolphin’s belly”). I just need more episodes in which this angel is smiling and being a nerd. He reminds me so much to me and my sister. I love that despite everything, he’s still doing well. I was in stitches with his list of matching costumes. Like, please writers, please, make his Halloween happen next year. And please, make them dress up as Thelma and Louise ‘cause that’d be just awesome. Yeah, the whole Rocky and Bullwinkle would be like the most obvious of choices (nice Crowley reference, btw [dammit, I miss Crowley]), but Thelma and Louise need to happen at some point.

It has been way too long since we had a Halloween-theme episode, so this one was a breath of fresh air. Yeah, I would’ve loved to know more about what’s happening to poor cinnamon roll Jack and if he’s doing okay, but hey, tonight it was Halloween and you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed. It had a bit of everything that makes Supernatural great: campiness all over the place, Dean being a bigger nerd that Sam, creepy Halloween story, fun all over the place, great one-liners, the closest to a Female Sam we’re probably going to get, more nerd references, gore (less than I would’ve expected) and touching Sam and Dean scene in the Impala. That is what makes a great Monster of the Week episode. I mean, is there anything better that a good old touching scene at the end of the episode where the boys are driving at night in the Impala and talking? I don’t think so. I live for those small talks at night. I wished there were more of them. They just make me feel nostalgic of the first couple of seasons.

I get why people might get angry with these kinds of episodes. In fact, I’m sure there are some angry people complaining right now. And I get it. I get that. But these Monster of the Week episodes are a nice change of pace for me. This episode was a fun ride to me. Simple and easy story to follow, but too pure at core. Episodes like these are the ones that I end up rewatching every once in a while. In fact, I finished it and I immediately watched it again.

The episode presented itself as a Halloween spooky movie, with the killer Hatchet-Man with amazing one-liners, nerdy stuff all over the place, Sam’s Halloween hatred, Dean being even a bigger nerd and scary-movie lover, those Dean socks (lol!), a fake trailer, reality resembling the movie exactly, Sam’s and Dean’s twins, all the callbacks to previous episodes with Young John Winchester in the garage (was that him?), and the lady in Southern Comfort. I especially enjoyed Dean’s reason behind his love of horror movies, “I like to watch movies where I know the bad guy’s gonna lose”. I love that beneath that mask and all that muscle he’s a sweetheart. Also, RIP bearded Sam. We’ll miss you.

One of the highlights of the episode was the whole “look, Sam, she’s like you” and then Sam’s “well, then he’s like you”. Such a brother thing to do, btw. I loved the scenes at the hospital between Dean and Dirk talking at the same time and sharing their common passion for Hatchet Man. It was cheesy but I enjoyed those little moments.

The security guards’ scene was pretty much hilarious. “Run. Run, girl. Are you kidding me? She’s so slow! You gotta run, girl. My grandmother runs faster than you. Press that button, Press that button. He would never catch me, tell you that much”.
That Stuart gamer sounded way too real. When he was screaming in the basement I swear that was reality. If there’s something this episode has taught us is: Being a nerd is completely okay, but don’t become a Stuart.

So that’s the reason why Sam doesn’t like Halloween? For some reason, I assumed that Sam didn’t like Halloween because he had two people getting killed close to Halloween. That’s why I felt a bit disappointed that his whole reason for hating it was an embarrassing moment in front of his crush at an early age. However, it was a sweet and tender reason and it makes perfect sense with who Sam is, especially as a kid. Having to live every day surrounded by evil and being so innocent, kept from that world with Dean helping him being a kid instead of maturing up as fast as he did. You know what, I prefer Sam’s reason rather than the ones I had in mind. That was so damn sweet, to be honest.

I love when Sam goes full on MacGyver and that look of pure joy and satisfaction that his plan worked. And the Scooby-Doo lunchbox to save the day! During that scene, Sam’s exchange with Samantha was absolutely hilarious:
“When did you learn to do this?”
“I had a messed-up childhood”

There’s only one thing I’m angry with. Why didn’t Dean just take the Hatchet Man mannequin with him? Dean was so goofy about having it, so why leave it behind? Not only for Dean, but for Dirk and Samantha. I mean, they didn’t even want to sell it because it was way too valuable, so why didn’t they take it back to the store with them? It can be argued that they might’ve been scared after all that happened, but why not letting Dean take it? I was sort of expecting it to come to life at the end.

The Hatchet Man, man. I know it was supposed to be scary, but at some parts, it was damn hilarious, especially when he waved the hatchets in the air. And the ghost pressing the button and the costume talking had me in tears. His one liners, though: “Time to slice and dice!” “Trick or treat” “I love it when they run” and my all-time favourite: “We all do bad things sometimes”. Every time he said that last one I had a good laugh. Maybe it was the delivery, but it sounded inspirational, to be honest. Like, “hey, we all make mistakes, but it’s okay as long as you accept them”. Gotta love Hatchet Man.

I’m dying to see Dean’s reaction when he sees Nick because, unless I’m told otherwise, I’m assuming he doesn’t know about Nick.

Overall, fun Halloween episode, full on comedy and great action scenes (thank Chuck!). I’m down for any episode that makes Dean smile. Now, I guess it’s “Time to Slice and Dice”