Quick Reaction: 7x12 Time After Time

[hells_half_acre]

(LJ was down last night when I got home - so I typed up the post and saved it. This way, you still get my slightly-tipsy ramblings...)

Well, I failed my dex roll on the way home  (D&D jokes? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?) and fell and skinned both my knees...but besides that little hiccup, the rest of the evening was great!

Let's talk about the episode...

I liked it.

I like how the teaser is actually Sam and Dean...and then we get the "two days" earlier, and we get to see how they ended up like that.

Sheriff Mills!! I love "Sheriff" (as Sam calls her - and I love the fact that Sam calls her that.) So, someone told the Jodie Mills that Bobby was dead at some point, because she already knows. She already knows and she's SAD about it...and she's also calling the "boys" with a possible Hunt, because Sheriff Mills is AWESOME. (I really like Sheriff Mills, you guys...I really don't want anything bad to ever happen to her.) 

Also, Sam's line "..or are you strictly into Dick now?" is pretty goddamn awesome. God bless Supernatural for finding ways to be tell dirty jokes and still get passed the censors.

So, Sam and Dean take off to Canton, Ohio...and haven't they hunted in Canton a lot? I'm pretty sure they've been there a good number of times now. I guess this is what happens after 7 seasons.

And they do rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to sleep in the bedroom, and DEAN CHOOSES ROCK!! WHAT IS THIS SORCERY?!? Not only does DEAN choose ROCK, but SAM CHOOSES PAPER! This is the way I picture it happening:

They both throw down rock - Dean's change-up takes Sam by surprise, but Sam is quick on his feet. He knows his brother. If Dean's chosen a new weapon, he'll likely choose it a second time as well...given his previous love of scissors. So, Sam takes the gamble, and on their second throw-down, Sam chooses paper. It's a gamble that pays off, as Dean does indeed, trust that rock will still do the trick.

Now that all being said, I don't know why both boys couldn't sleep in the bedroom - I mean, they're used to sharing hotel rooms...but whatever.

We finally see the teaser happen - and then Dean ends up in November 1944. Which, is just awesome.

You really have to hand it to the production crew - which changes both the sets, costumes, and lighting on a very limited budget - and gives us a 1940s cinema feel (only in colour).And you have gorgous old cars, and men dressed up like my grandfather. (Seriously, my grandfather was a dapper (grand)motherfucker.)

I did chuckle at the fact that the police station was like a brick basement...but it added to the feel, so who cares....and we meet Elliot Ness! (Now, FYI the only thing I know about Elliot Ness is that he brought down Al Capone). Ness gets the Supernatural-rewrite and we find out that like Samual Colt, Ness is secretly a Hunter.

I did get a laugh at the slang not matching up - Ness being confused by Dean's slang, and Dean (and myself) not understanding what the hell Ness was saying. 

Ezra seemed like the 1940s version of Bobby, only also a seamstress. I don't know who taught Dean to comb his hair like that (must have been either Ness or Ezra, because I don't see Dean taking that initiative himself), but the hairstyle actually reminded me a little of Jensen.

And he looked GOOD. I love a good suit and a nice long coat....and a fedora.

I have a picture of myself in a fedora somewhere...hmmm...

There we go.

Now that I fit in, let's get back to talking about the episode...

Meanwhile! Sam is TRAPPED IN THE PRESENT. No wait, that's not right...Sam is PROPERLY in the present, while Dean is TRAPPED IN THE PAST! (DUN DUN DUN!)

I liked the fact that Sheriff Mills comes to help, when she calls and realizes that the Dean's been trapped in the past and Sam's all alone. I also like the fact that Sam's like "it happens." Haha, oh boys.

And she goes and clears out one of Bobby's storage lockers - and, man, I wonder just how many storage lockers Dean and Sam have inherited now. John's, Rufus', Bobby's...their own...

Also, Sheriff Mills is a damn fine looking woman. I'm just saying. I was totally shipping her and Bobby, but now that Bobby's gone...I find myself shipping her and Sam. Hahaha...Jodie Mills/Everyone (I don't know what I'm talking about really, I don't even read het...this is obviously the booze talking.)

Dean talks about his problems with Elliot Ness - because, you know, sometimes it's easier to confide in a stranger than your partially insane brother. I liked the fact that we finally have a Hunter who isn't a Hunter because of personal tragedy, but rather because he discovered the truth and wanted to help other people. It's an interesting different angle. It's also interesting that Dean says that at first he did it because that's what he was raised to do - without mention of the whole mother-dying thing. Though, it's true that back in S1, Dean was probably in favour of continuing hunting even after they killed yellow-eyes. Though, that was before John died....so, yeah...anyway, what was my point? Oh yeah - Elliot Ness was interesting.

Also, favourite Dean line of the episode: "Sweet Merciful Awesome!" 

Dean realizes that if he kills Chronos, he'll be trapped in the past - and Sam realizes that he needs to know the exact time and date that Dean meets up with Chronos, so that he can save him.

I loved Dean's solution of "Back to the Future 3" (oh, I also loved him finding Chronos' race-track book and saying that the guy is "using the Biff-strategy"). The note to Sam was cute, because he called him Sammy not once, but TWICE! And Sam even let Sheriff Mills read it out loud. Haha...the carved "Sam" in the baseboard was funny though, especially because my friend's husband said "I would have sanded that." - communication FAILED due to handy-husband). 

I like Jason Dohring. I first saw him on Veronica Mars (though I only watched 2 seasons). We don't see much of him in this episode, but what we do see, he does really well. I felt SO BAD for Chronos...yes, he was killing people, because gods in Supernatural need human-sacrifices to live...but, man, he could give Sam a run for his money on the puppy-eyes. 

But I also like the idea of Chronos as a reluctant time-traveler....like the Time-Traveler in The Time Traveler's Wife, it seems he's sucked against his will through time, unless he has enough power to control it. That's gotta suck.

I really liked the way they did the red-energy. And the slow death, with the ominous words about the Winchester's future being covered in black goo was... well, ominous and horrible. 

All in all, a DAMN FINE episode...or should I say "dapper."

Comments

[katsheswims.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Dean's comb-over-part in his hair reminded me of Jensen. I think because his hair was like that in his wedding pictures that I saw.

I like that Dean keeps getting advice from people. I think 'at least he's making a difference' is one of the better parts of advice he's gotten-so go Ness!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

I like that Dean keeps getting advice from people. I think 'at least he's making a difference' is one of the better parts of advice he's gotten-so go Ness!

Yes, I agree. :) Now I want them to show us what's going on in Sam's head.

[cappy712.livejournal.com]

Loved the whole ep too, just loved the confusion with the words too and all the quips that were out there, 12 monkey'd and all the Back to the Future references.

Liked the idea of "Sheriff" with Sam, even just the fact that they were going through the things that Bobby left.

Dean's comment in the car and Ness saying are all you hunters pansy's - that was too much. Kind of knocking some sense into Dean - doing it to make a difference. Not Revenge, not Justice but to make a difference in the long run.

Would have been interesting to see Dean sending a note back to before the whole thing started, you know how Marty tried with Doc.

Even if not to prevent the whole thing but you know warnings like don't kill Lilthe cause he they were vessels and being tricked, you know that would have been interesting and yeah of course then it would have changed things, heck even just a note to becareful with the Levithans so Bobby didn't get shot in the head.

Oh and I liked Ezra Moore and he kissing Dean, man the face that he made was priceless...

Again, thank you for sharing.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Even if not to prevent the whole thing but you know warnings like don't kill Lilthe cause he they were vessels and being tricked, you know that would have been interesting and yeah of course then it would have changed things, heck even just a note to becareful with the Levithans so Bobby didn't get shot in the head.

Oh man, that thought didn't even cross my mind. I don't think it would have worked though. Because if the apocalypse doesn't happen, do they meet Jody Mills? If the apocalypse doesn't happen, are they on this hunt? If Bobby doesn't get killed, are they on this hunt? Dean still needs to be sent back in time...and Supernatural has always worked with closed time-loops. Dean goes back in time, because Dean always goes back in time. (The exception to this is when Dean goes to the "future" in The End). So, if Dean changes something that meant he never went back in time, then how is he able to change something if he never went back in time? I mean, this is me getting into time-paradoxes - but I think it makes more sense for Dean to just try to do something simple - like get a message to HIS Sam.

[cappy712.livejournal.com]

I know the whole time paradox just is messing with the head thing but could you imagine even if there was a note of the things to come and to warn them of what was to come, maybe this way they would be able to avoid somethings but again, just like in ep where Dean goes back in time and meets young Mary and John, he was trying to change the past but didn't in the long run. Or maybe because of going back that is what led Azazel to be drawn to Mary to begin with. Who knows, something like that can really mess with your mind and has for so many people.

Just the thought that if he mailed a letter to someone to warn them about the hunt that got Bobby shot, still think they would have been on the job because Jody Mills would have either called Bobby with the info or still called Sam / Dean about the strange dead body.

Like I said, since Dean saw the Biff references kind of thing it would have been interesting.

Oh remember in the ep The Song Remains the Same Where they were thinking they might get stuck there and said "We should buy some stock in Microsoft" it would be interesting if they forget they did something like that and find that they now have a lot of money to be able to do what they need, and they put it in a name that won't hurt them. I don't know I'm rambling now.

Just had a great time watching this ep - thanks for sharing.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

True. Good point. I guess Dean was too focused on the problem at hand to realize that he could try that? Or maybe he didn't bother to try because his previous attempts had failed?

I don't know, time paradoxes are a messy business. :P

Now without angels, and without the god of time, I don't know whether we'll ever see a time-travel episode again.

Interesting fact: we never did see Dean with a tommy-gun like in the promo!

[farfadine.livejournal.com]

I like sheriff Mills too!! I was so happy to see her and I really likes her 'I'll use my mom voice' line.
It was a great episode, funny and all, even the music changed when we were seeing Dean, and Sheriff Mills!!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

It was such a good episode. So many great moments between characters :)

[franztastisch]

I liked this episode too. And I saw some people who didn't, and I kind of get why, but I still enjoyed it. Mainly because JODIE. :D In fact, being British and not at all up on American history, the majority of the Eliot Ness thing passed me by. I had to pause it to look up who he was. Also meant that, apart from appreciating Dean in his nice suit, being in the 40s wasn't that of an intersting plot point to me.

I LOVED Jodie and her "mummy voice".. "Alright, you asked for it. Young Man..!" I also liked that Jodie was stuck with Sam, because most recurring female characters (at least, the positive ones rather than Ruby and Lilith) are more with Dean than Sam (Ellen, Jo, Anna, Lisa, Dr Vysek (sp?), Bela... though Pamela is a toss up between the two in my head). So my Sam!girl-ness was happy with that. :D I LOVE JODIE.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Jodie is a great character - and you make a good point about Sam not usually being the one that gets scenes with the positive recurring female characters. I'm really trying not to sound like a sam!girl complainer - but it IS nice to see Sam have some scenes with someone other than Dean. :P (I know that the end of the season is probably going to be Dean heavy, because Jared wants some time off when his son is born...so, I'm mentally preparing for that too).

But yeah, a lot of the recurring characters build up a rapport with Dean, and just talk to Sam by default - even if this is the ONLY time Jodie and Sam hang out. It was still nice that really it's SAM whose her first contact outside of Bobby (actually, even in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, it was Sam that Jodie went zombie-hunting with.)

Anyway, uh, yeah...that was all a big long way to say: YES! :)

(I'm not big on American history either - so I'm the same as you, I knew that Ness took down Capone (and Capone was a gangster of some sort), but really I just liked the episode because everyone looked really good. If they had been in 1940s Europe, I would have known a hell of a lot more...but that would have been a VERY different episode. :P)

[franztastisch]

I forgot it as Sam Jodie went hunting with in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid! Aww I love Jodie. I always feel bad for Sam when everyone (apart from Bobby) seemed to be around him by defaut. I guess, if I was him, I'd sort of like having Ruby around. At least she was someone who seemed to talk to him because he was him. And also because she was an evil manipulator. But still. I'm always sad at that bit (I forget wich ep.) where Ellen meets up with the boys and gets really angry with them for not keeping in touch and then gives Dean a hug. And just misses Sam out entirely. SAMMY NEEDS MORE HUGS.

1940s Europe = bucket loads more angst.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Indeed. It makes me feel bad for Sam too - and it DOES exclaim part of the reason he clung so tightly to Ruby. I mean, Sam went from having friends and a girlfriend at college - to having nobody but Dean, and then everyone they meet is more connected to Dean than to Sam...and yeah...sad times for Sammy.

[franztastisch]

And everyone Sam connects to is left behind or dies.

[cordelia-gray.livejournal.com]

Awesome episode! Dean in his suit was glorious. And IA on Chronos - the idea of time travel as something you can't control is kind of horrific.

Speaking of time :)I had a timeline question. They definitely said it was 2012 on the show, but is it November 2012? It was November 5th, 1944 when they summoned Chronos.

And I also agree about the hotness of Sheriff Mills. And you look pretty hot in a fedora yourself :)

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

And I also agree about the hotness of Sheriff Mills. And you look pretty hot in a fedora yourself :)

Why thank you!

Awesome episode! Dean in his suit was glorious. And IA on Chronos - the idea of time travel as something you can't control is kind of horrific.

Yeah, I kind of didn't want them to kill him...but then, he WAS killing people in order to control his movement through time, so really, they had no choice. And since if he stopped killing people, he'd be shooting through time uncontrollably, well, yeah...

Speaking of time :)I had a timeline question. They definitely said it was 2012 on the show, but is it November 2012? It was November 5th, 1944 when they summoned Chronos.

I haven't rewatched to confirm, but I'm pretty sure that it is never said what month they are in the present. They don't say how specific Chrono's time-jumping is. So, Dean could have been in March 2012 (which is where I currently have them) and then jumped back to November 1944.

[romanaone-fan.livejournal.com]

I loved this episode, but it suffered from Didn't Do Their Homework syndrome, which was glaringly obvious to me, as a mythology nut.

First of all, Chronos is spelt either Kronos or Cronus, and he wasn't actually a god, he was a titan who fathered the gods, this is a real pet peeve. It also mentioned that the stake was blessed by Vestal Virgins, but they were figures in Roman society, where Kronos was Greek.

I felt sad when Sam killed Logan Echolls. And I loved Sam's face after the Dick joke.

Jodie said that she was gonna use a mom voice on Sam, but he's never had a mom voice used on him before. *drowns in a sea of tears*

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

First of all, Chronos is spelt either Kronos or Cronus, and he wasn't actually a god, he was a titan who fathered the gods, this is a real pet peeve. It also mentioned that the stake was blessed by Vestal Virgins, but they were figures in Roman society, where Kronos was Greek.

The funny thing is that I didn't relate it to Kronos at all - which, is probably a mental glitch on my part. I was too hung up on the etymology of Chrono - so, I just linked him as being "a time god" not actually a specific god from mythology.

But yes, you're right, it was kind of a slap-dash episode details-wise.

I felt sad when Sam killed Logan Echolls.

LOL - now THAT would have been an episode. :P But yes, I felt really sad too.

Jodie said that she was gonna use a mom voice on Sam, but he's never had a mom voice used on him before. *drowns in a sea of tears*

Not only that, but the last time Jodie used her "mom voice" it was probably on her OWN son, who DIED and then CAME BACK TO LIFE AND ATE HER HUSBAND! *drowns in another sea of tears*

[cutestlilsock.livejournal.com]

Unless I'm wrong, which is possible. There is Cronus, the titan, and Chronos, the god.

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

That does sound familiar.

[romanaone-fan.livejournal.com]

Huh. I did that looking up thing that I probably should have done before I ran my big mouth, and there was a Chronos who is describe by Wikipedia as 'the Personification of Time', and is also from Greek Mythology.

But I am not a complete history fail, the Vestal Virgins are still Roman.

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

You gotta love Sheriff Mills/Everyone just for the novelty. Plus, she's pretty awesome, I wouldn't mind more fic with her even if it were smutty.

Also you not only have an awesome hat, you apparently can get away with wearing it and looking very cool. :::envy:::

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

You gotta love Sheriff Mills/Everyone just for the novelty.

So true - there are too many dicks on the dance floor.

Also you not only have an awesome hat, you apparently can get away with wearing it and looking very cool. :::envy:::

Don't be too envious! I don't actually own/have that hat. It belongs to my best friend and is thousands upon thousands of kilometers away from me. :(

But thank you for saying that I look cool ;)

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

>>So true - there are too many dicks on the dance floor.


Ahahahahaha. yes.

[missyjack.livejournal.com]

i ship Jodie Mills with everyone (altho mainly me - and damn i think i drunk tweeted Kim that she was hot - oh well!) I really want a Sam/Dean/Jodie coda!

I actually like the boys taking separate rooms - it somehow makes things feel more idk real? I mean who wouldn't want some me time when you're with yr brother 24/7.

and seriously i think the boys need some air mattress to sleep on. I winced when Sam hit the floor!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

I actually like the boys taking separate rooms - it somehow makes things feel more idk real? I mean who wouldn't want some me time when you're with yr brother 24/7.

Very true. I guess the only privacy they usually get is in the shower - or if one of them goes out for food. :P

i ship Jodie Mills with everyone (altho mainly me - and damn i think i drunk tweeted Kim that she was hot - oh well!)

I'm sure she appreciated it ;)

and seriously i think the boys need some air mattress to sleep on. I winced when Sam hit the floor!

Me too! Meanwhile, Sam is probably like "Woo-hoo! I don't have to sleep in a car!"

[morganlucas41.livejournal.com]

I liked the ep, too! The time travel worked well and 1940s!Dean was awesome.

You also pointed out why I liked Ness:
I liked the fact that we finally have a Hunter who isn't a Hunter because of personal tragedy, but rather because he discovered the truth and wanted to help other people. It's an interesting different angle.

This, basically. And I also think it was good for Dean to hear that, and to reevaluate why he's hunting too.

It's also interesting that Dean says that at first he did it because that's what he was raised to do - without mention of the whole mother-dying thing. Though, it's true that back in S1, Dean was probably in favour of continuing hunting even after they killed yellow-eyes.

Yeah - back in S1, Dean really saw hunting as "the family business," something he planned to always do. So very much has changed since then, including his perspectives on that, but - I really think/hope that meeting Ness will cause Dean to rethink all that. It was a new perspective, at least!

All in all the episode was good fun...I enjoyed it!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

I really think/hope that meeting Ness will cause Dean to rethink all that. It was a new perspective, at least!

I hope so too. I think Ness' advice was better than Franks. Hunting DOESN'T have to be about tragedy. I think Dean's lost sight of that aspect of it.

[marlowe78.livejournal.com]

Hey there.

I liked this one as well, and mostly for exactly the same reasons you did. Hee, I loved the moment where Dean was pretending to read anime-porn to hide the fact that he was researching... kinda heartbreaking, a little.

And the rock-thing? My guess is that Sam KNEW Dean wouldn't pick scissors. You saw that smirk in the beginning? I'm sure he just knew that Dean would change his strategy ;-)

But... what were they arguing about? I... didn't get it. Was it about the "toilet"? Because in my eyes, the house was big enough for both of them having a room without a hole in it. *scratches head*

Anyway, I liked this ep, and I really liked Ezra. And Dean in that sweet coat! Only thing I really, really, REALLY regret?

His awesome brown jacket is now stuck in the past *cries*

And did you notice, he had a NEW SHIRT!!!!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I have to do my second watch still - I didn't notice the new shirt!

I have a feeling Dean's awesome brown jacket will show up again - the show isn't THAT great with clothing continuity. So, I wouldn't despair too soon. :P

I'm not sure what they were arguing about with the bedrooms either - apparently there was only one of them that was livable or something? Again - I still have to rewatch this one.

[percysowner.livejournal.com]

The other suggestion I've seen is that Sam wanted Dean to get a win, so he through paper expecting Dean to throw scissors and then Dean switched up. Since I like the idea of Sam trying to take care of Dean, I'm leaning that way. Or this is a different universe and that was a tiny hint.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Oo, that's an interesting theory. I don't think they'd pull the whole "all these episodes have been in a different universe" trick...but I like the first theory.