… and now, for something completely different.
Supernatural’s episodes so far have all pretty much followed the same format: something supernatural is going on, the two brothers run into it, they research, and at the end is a serious conclusion that gives more depth to the supernatural thing in question than what it seemed at first sight. Not any more, though. This episode opts for the silly route.
This episode was obviously out of place, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing: it’s good to break up the pace like this. As long as there aren’t too many episodes like this, it’ll work pretty nicely to bring in some variety in this series. In any case this episode did its job of fleshing out Sam and Dean.
The problem with this episode was that it may have picked a bit of a dead horse to fool around with. Bad luck charms, oh dear. When was the last time we saw one of these? They were already overused ten years ago. The worst part of this episode however was that it just didn’t make any sense whatsoever: before, this series tried to be realistic and believable, but some of the things it pulls here are just downright impossible. At times it tried to get away a bit too easily by blaming everything on a god… The worst part was probably how, near the end of the episode, they just “happened” to end up this narrow ledge, right above the casino’s safe, just as people were trying to break into it. Where did that come from?
Nevertheless, it’s another good example of how an original scenario can make up for a cliched premise: something may be overdone, but if you bring it in the right way it can still be fresh. Dean was really funny in this episode, but what really saved this episode was the ending. That really made up for a lot by just how completely out of left field it was, breaking quite a few tropes around the “sexy dealer” in the process.
Rating: * (Good)
Unfortunately I did not manage to catch up with this anime but i am glad to hear that they did not forget about the silly episodes(as you called this one) that can also be found in the live action, actually those silly episodes, the episodes when they don’t take themselves seriously are some of the highest rated episodes with the fans. For example one of those silly episodes was when Dean and Sam were send by a trickster in tv land, it was a parody of different tv series. another such episode is when one of the brothers is infected with a disease that causes him general anxiety, he basically is afraid of everything. and ofc there are some others but no point in mentioning them all here.
ok, now while I love this kind of episodes in the live action I don’t know if this kind of episodes will work with the anime version but I kind of doubt it because the acting was very important in this funny episodes and the acting in the anime(at least in the episodes that I watched) is very stiff.
btw I would have avoided that realistic complaint, just saying 🙂
I really like the silly episodes in the liveaction series. Bad day at Black rock from the liveaction is probably the closest thing to this episode since it also features a “luck charm” but I must say that while I was totally sucked in and believed everything in “Bad day at black rock” this anime episode had me questioning the same things as you noted like the ledge above the safe. I did enjoy this episode though. Overall, I liked it.
I found the silly episode in the anime quite disappointing. I really love the live action silly episodes especially Monster Movie. Even though it was silly, it had some depth with it. I’ll try not to spoil too much but the monster was typical, but he was different from the usual.
I felt the anime didn’t portray that. I have to agree… the acting is very stiff. I feel Sam’s character is so monotone especially with the expression but Dean’s character was fun.
Anyway had to fast-forward this episode. Japanese trying to replicate SN comedy = no good. Not to mention that this was basically country-friendly bastardization of Rabbits Foot episode.
Anyone who hated this bs episode, please go watch the original rabbits foot episode of the tv show. NOW THAT was comedy
I hope anime authors do not try to replicate SN comedy antics EVER again as they fall flat on face trying to do that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iziwaYX3XFU
THis is example of sn comedy(same themes as this episode) done right,
Um, UnknownVoice: I watched that clip, and… I didn’t think it was that funny. I do think that you shouldn’t have skipped over this episode, because even though it had a lot of problems, the jokes did work well. For example, the hotel fire in the episode was much more dynamic than in the live action. Instead the TV catches fire, and before Dean (the one with the bad luck in this version) can put it out his car gets stolen. That’s great comedy, and that wasn’t even the funniest bit of tihs episode.
And besides, that clip also had the biggest problem I had with this episode of the anime: the way in which the creators try to explain way too much with just “bad luck”.