#Writer Richard Hatem

[my-supernatural-rewatch]

Episode Four: Phantom Traveler

Dean Winchester in the Supernatural episode Phantom Traveler

This is not one of my favorite episodes and this post is going to be shorter than most because there isn't much to delve into with Dean. So to make up for that, enjoy multiple screenshots of Dean from the episode.

Beckoned by someone John and Dean once helped with a poltergeist, Sam and Dean investigate the cause of a plane crash that left only seven survivors and seems to have been caused by something...supernatural.

So for starters, this is the first demon episode (technically if we don't count a demon killing Mary in the pilot).

It's also Sam-centric. I guess we could call the pilot Sam-centric too which would mean at episode four we have two episodes that focus more on Dean and two that focus more on Sam. Fair enough.

We get a couple of nuggets about Dean in this one. The concerned big brother is there when he worries about Sam's lack of sleep and then the big brave brother is there when he tells Sam, who isn't sleeping because he's back hunting and all the shit is getting to him, that he's "Nerver afraid" "Not really."

Sam tries to dispel this by pointing out that Dean is sleeping in the motel with a machete under his pillow but Dean rebukes that by telling him that sleeping with a weapon isn't "fear," it's "precaution."

I believe Dean. I don't think Sam does.

So someone who John and Dean did a job for calls Dean about the crash and when they get there he tells Sam that John was always bragging about him being at college and he could tell that he was proud of Sam.

"He talked about you all the time," the dude says, much to Sam's surprise.

Dean is not surprised. Dean doesn't look bothered by it either but it made me wonder how many rides in the Impala Dean had to endure where John talked about how great Sam was doing while Dean sat there grinding his teeth.

We see Dean leaving a copy place having just created spotless fake IDs indicating he and Sam work for Homeland Security. Sam comments about how very illegal, even for them, that is and I really do wonder what planet Sam lives on sometimes.

Something I'm starting to notice about Sam that I hadn't before. I always fell into that "Oh Sam's actually the more sensitive one when it comes to talking to witnesses and survivors," mindset but, with this rewatch I'm noticing that he puts on a fake sympathetic voice, going all soft and gentle, when he talks to them. It almost sounds condescending. Dean doesn't do that. He just talks to them normally, like they're people not just victims.

Another neat Dean tidbit: He created his own EMF reader out of (using Sam's words) "a busted up Walkman." Sam sees this as something to ridicule. But me? We haven't yet learned that Dean only has a GED and a can-do attitude, but with this we learn that he's fucking smart enough to BUILD HIS OWN EMF READER FROM A FREAKING WALKMAN. So STFU, Sammy.

We get some insight from Dean into demons that stops being true after a few seasons:

"Demons, they don't want anything, just death and destruction for its own sake. This is big. And I wish Dad was here."

The "I wish Dad was here" kills me because he so wants his father around and this being a rewatch we know John's just being a dick right now and not actually missing which makes just about everything that happens before they meet up with him again that much worse.

Sam actually agrees about wishing John was there but I suspect it's more because of Jessica than it is wanting his dad around.

Then we get to a part of Dean's character that I can truly relate to. We learn he's afraid, like really afraid, of flying.

And guess what Sam does with that information? If you said reacts compassionately and tries to gently explain to Dean that while he understands getting on the plane is really the only way they can save everyone, you'd be wrong. He pretends to understand and guilts Dean with the old "I can do this myself" bullshit KNOWING Dean isn't going to let his brother get on a plane alone that is destined to crash.

So when Dean sucks it up and gets on the plane, guess what Sam does? Makes fun of him for being afraid.

I do like that we get this gem from dean when Sam expresses his incredulity about him being afraid to fly:

"Why do you think I drive everywhere, Sam?"

Great way to get that into the show's canon too so fans won't ask the question.

Another cute Dean quirk: He hums Metallica on the plane to calm himself down (Which, again, Sam makes fun of him for.)

They bring in some demon lore that doesn't really hold up for the following fourteen seasons. Apparently they go after people who have addictions or emotional distress. I mean, sometimes they do after season one, but they also just jump into any old meatsuit they can whenever they want.

Sam brings this up to tell Dean it's why he needs to calm the fuck down about flying - he's worried the demon will possess Dean. Still no reason to be giving him constant shit about it Sam. There were better ways.

Also, is this the only episode where they say "Christo" to check for a demon possession? (Also don't get me started on how Christo isn't really the right word there...)

So for the sake of the story, the demon tells Sam he knows what happened to his girlfriend. Sam exorcised the demon while Dean kind of freaks out quietly and then we get pissy/emo Sam because now he has even more reason for revenge.

The flight attendant they help mouths thank you to Dean but he doesn't get a kiss...and he really deserved at least a hug for this one.

Big reveal at the end of the episode is that John reactivated his phone and his outgoing message gives Dean's phone number for anyone looking for help. Which gives the brothers a new hope for finding him - while pissing them off that he isn't contacting them.

But before that happens, the kicker for me is the guy they helped telling them "Your dad's gonna be real proud" They're 26 and 22 and this should not mean as much to them as it does. (I mean, yeah, you want your parents to be proud of you, but these two NEED John to be proud of them because, presumably, he's never actually told them he's proud of them.)

Man, this show sometimes.

Some notes for posterity:

I love that Dean is so hell bent against wearing suit. This is the first episode we see them in suits (and actually see them go GET the suits) and Dean is not happy. "I look like one of the Blues Brothers."

First episode with a demon. Lots of lore that doesn't get brought through the rest of the series.

First time we see them use holy water (it hurts the hosts body in this episode, doesn't seem to do that going forward)

First time they use an exorcism (Sam has to read it)

Sam lets loose with a "get this."

We get our first scene of Dean sleeping (On his stomach in a t-shirt and shorts. I don't think we see Dean in shorts again until season four's After School Special.)

The significant music from this episode comes from Black Sabbath - Paranoid, and Rush - Working Man, and on the plane Dean hums Metallica - Some Kind of Monster.

The brothers pose as agents from Homeland Security but don't give out their names. When Dean calls Amanda the flight attendant to trick her into not getting on the plane, he tells her he's Dr. James Hettfield from St. Francis Memorial Hospital.

This hunt takes place pretty much in the sky but also they're on the East Coast...a place they don't seem to travel to very often.

Dean wears John’s jacket in this episode.

This one is rife with movie references. The already mentioned nod to The Blues Brothers, there is a Poltergeist reference (when they are talking about poltergeists, off screen someone says "I loved that movie," Dean specifically references The Exorcist, and for good measure, he also references The X-Files with a "...we just don't have time for the whole 'the truth is out there' speech right now.")

[castiellesbian]

Richard Hatem:

1x04 Phantom Traveler

1x10 Asylum

Davy Perez

12x04 American Nightmare

12x12 Stuck in the Middle (With You)

12x15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell

13x06 Tombstone

13x11 Breakdown

13x17 The Thing

14x04 Mint Condition

14x11 Damaged Goods

14x16 Don't Go in the Woods (with Nick Vaught)

15x04 Atomic Monsters

15x11 The Gamblers (with Meredith Glynn)

15x15 Gimme Shelter

[bending-sickle]

I was literally listening to a podcast discuss this very thing this morning and was going to summarize it in the tags but no, I had to spend an hour putting this together instead of going to bed.

From MonsterTalk, Season 03E49 Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf: pt. 2 (Explicit) - 4:11-9:48, emphasis added:

Blake: Like when I was in the Navy, I had so many friends who were gay and lesbian but they couldn’t say it and we hardly ever talked about it but y’know, they could lose their jobs, they could get kicked out of the Navy, they could be dishonorable discharged. There were serious consequences to being true to yourself. And that sucks. […]

Hatem: […] And we were growing up at a time when the sort of like most glaring example of that [not being able to be one’s authentic self in all situations] would have been, oh, gay people who are part of our culture, but keep this one aspect hidden. What's really cool about right now and the, you know, podcasts and the internet, is that a lot of people who feel outside the mainstream for all kinds of reasons are able to kind of find each other. […] Well, what it does though is in the best possible sense, it makes you go, oh, okay, but if I feel weird and marginal because of my interest in a particular subject, I can now understand and sympathize with other people who feel marginalized for other, maybe much more foundational reasons that are—that actually do impact their lives and the way they are allowed to even conduct their lives. And it's certainly what it's done for me. It's, it's almost like, yeah, please tell me how you're an outsider in whatever way. And we will then have something we share even if you're an outsider because you like some weird, you know, sport or stamp collecting or whatever. It's like, yeah, that's the thing. And I talk about it a lot next season, but it's kind of, it's the joy in the tragedy of never joining the group, you know, yeah. And you're never going to be the one in the stands waving a flag for your football team. […] Because I wasn't an athlete, you know, and I wasn't whatever. So it's like, oh, the things I care about, no one else does. And that's not, you know, and it's so funny because again in the 70s, it's like, no, you're special, free to be you and me. And whatever makes you different makes you special. […] [And] God bless them for saying that and for making the, the outsider kids try to feel okay, but the fact of the matter is for the majority of our lives, being different isn't helpful. And it doesn't make your life easier. It makes your life more difficult. It's actually far easier to just be, “I'm a straight white guy who loves the team.”

Blake: The Team, yeah, and I don't have the sports gene. […] I mean, no, I feel disconnected from most of society because most people do love sports.

Hatem: You know, okay. Yeah. So, so, okay, now you're me. Yeah. You know, you finally are working in Hollywood as a TV writer. All TV writers feel like outsiders, even within Hollywood. And now I'm sitting, I find myself throughout my career. I'll be sitting with a group of writers. And then one of them will start talking sports. And then the others suddenly are all talking sports. And so this, that's so weird. Just keeps getting smaller. I'm like, oh, my God, even among my people, I'm still ostracized because, and, you know, I don't have a lot of regrets in life. But one of them in a weird way is I almost wish I had been born with an interest in sports. Because if you have that as a guy, you can talk to anybody. […] You know, and I just never had that. And I'm like, yeah. And again, at a certain point, I just had to embrace all that stuff. And it's like, hey, you know what? I also don't like opera. And I also don't care. I mean, there's a lot of things that I'm not into. But the sports one is like, yeah, that's—that's—when you're a guy that—that cuts you out of so many—

Blake: It makes you an outsider. It absolutely does.

It’s crazy and fucked up that being yourself is actually the solution.

[spnepisodemasterlist]

Season 1, Episode 10: Asylum

While investigating a haunting in an abandoned asylum and rescuing two teenagers who ventured in, Sam and Dean become trapped with the spirits of those who had died in a riot decades ago, one of which was a doctor who causes extreme rage in his victims. (Directly from IMDB)

Director: Guy Norman Bee

Writers: Eric Kripke, Richard Hatem

Set In: Roosevelt Asylum, Rockford Illinois

I am super excited for this episode

Okay, since I am a nerd, here’s some information about what is called “Roosevelt Asylum” in Supernatural (maybe I’m going a bit too far, I haven’t even gotten past the title card yet)

Okay it seems like the episode was actually filmed in Riverview Hospital in BC which has been used in many other movies and tv shows such as Deadpool 2. 

Riverview seems to have beautiful grounds, and was operational as a hospital since the beginning of the 20th century until as recently as 2010. 

I can’t find any evidence for any actual asylum existing in Rockford Illinois or even a sanatorium. 

When you look up Roosevelt Asylum, the result tends to be Blackwell’s Asylum on Roosevelt Island in New York. 

It seems like Supernatural confused the internet

Okay- starting the episode now!

 They’re different things

“Let me know if you see any dead people, Haley Joel.” -Dean

I did not get that joke the first time around hahah

You know, this is some good Dean dialogue 

Also a really good ghost episode

So many Jack Nicholson references 

This was a phenomenal episode

[bustyasianbeautiespod]

BABPod S1 Recap: Misogyny Awards

Dean ended Supernatural S1 with 33 total misogyny points accumulated over 22 episodes.

Meanwhile, Sam only accumulated 5.5 points, from exactly 2 episodes.

A breakdown of misogynies per writer shows that David Ehrman won big in his one episode, while John Shiban and Eric Kripke also often wrote Dean and/or Sam as misogynistic.

[click image for quality]

[ID: A table with columns Writer, Awards, # Episodes Written, Dean Misogynies, Sam Misogynies, Total (combined between the brothers) Misogynies, DM/episode, SM/episode, and Total M/episode. The data goes

John Shiban: 5 episodes written. 6.5 DMs (1.3 per ep), 5 SMs (1 per ep), and 11.5 total Ms (2.3 per ep). Awards: #1 Total M, #1 SM/ep, #2 Total M/ep. Eric Kripke: 4 episodes written. 9 DMs (2.25 per ep), 0 SMs. Awards: #3 Total M, #2 DM/ep, #3 Total M/ep. Sera Gamble and Raelle Tucker: 4 episodes written. 3.5 DMs (0.875 per ep), 0 SMs. No awards. Ron Milbauer and Terri Hughes Burton: 2 episode written. 3 DMs (1.5 per ep), 0 SMs. Awards: #3 DM/ep. Richard Hatem: 2 episodes written. No misogynies. All writers below have only written one episode each. Rachel Nave and Bill Coakley: No misogynies. No awards. Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner: 0 DMs, 0.5 SMs. Awards: #2 SM/ep. Trey Callaway: 1 DM. No awards. Daniel Knauf: No misogynies. No awards. David Ehrman: 10 DMs, 0 SMs. Awards: #2 Total M, #1 DM/ep, #1 Total M/ep. Cathryn Humphris: 1 DM. No awards.

/end ID]

Thank you for coming to the first BABPod Misogyny Awards, and we’ll see you next time!

[dccomicsnews]

Review: TITANS 4x01 - "Lex Luthor"

Review: TITANS 4×01 – “Lex Luthor”

Review: TITANS 4×01 – “Lex Luthor” [Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers] Director: Nick Copus Writer: Richard Hatem Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Teagan Croft, Ryan Porter, Joshua Orpin, Anna Diop, Jay Lycurgo, Titus Welliver, Joseph Morgan, Franka Potente   Reviewed by: Joshua Raynor   Summary After Superman requests a meeting with Connor, the Titans travel to Metropolis for exclusive…

[according-to-the-laura]

StackedNatural Day 15: 1x04, 3x01

StackedNatural Masterpost: [x]

October 4, 2021

1x04: Phantom Traveler

Written by: Richard Hatem

Directed by: Robert Singer

Original air date: October 4, 2005

Plot Synopsis:

A friend of John's calls Sam and Dean for help about a strange recording on the black box of a crashed plane. They soon realize that the demon which caused the crash is picking off the crash's only seven survivors.

Features:

That Classic Dean Winchester Pan Up the Ass Shot™, Dean’s homemade EMF meter, demon final destination, Christo, more John Winchester breadcrumbs.

My Thoughts:

I have some beef with the physics in this episode and obviously later they change a bunch of the demon lore, but other than that and some iffy special effects (reasonable for 2005), this isn’t a bad monster of the week episode. I think it’s extremely funny that they’ve gotten as far as they have as hunters without already owning suits for impersonating the FBI. Dean is out here pretending to be homeland security while wearing his dad’s old leather jacket and people just believe him. The scene of them running away while the alarm goes off when they’ve been looking at the pieces from the crash is really funny too, as is Dean’s plane panic.

I can’t blame Richard Hatem for the lore issues since it’s every other writer who came after that made the choice to ignore what he set up in this episode. I do think the later style of demons is spookier with it being more smoky instead of grainy like sand.

The physics stuff that annoys me is consistent across pretty much all TV and film - explosive decompression is actually explosive, as in it happens basically all at once - it wouldn’t continue to suck people or loose objects out the hole in the fuselage beyond the initial decompression. Having that piece knocked off the tail wouldn’t immediately take the plane down either - it still has enough instruments and controls working to glide down to land even if the engine was out of commission (which it wasn’t). Source: I am a pilot - for gliders, not powered craft, and its too old to be valid now, but the physics hasn’t changed.

I like the little tiny hint at the end of the episode about demons knowing about Sam - it’s a nice lead up to the psychic and boy king arc.

Notable/Kickass Lines:

“This isn't our normal gig. I mean, demons, they don't want anything, just death and destruction for its own sake. This is big. And I wish Dad was here.”

“If she's possessed, she'll flinch at the name of God.”

“Christo.”

“I know what happened to your girlfriend! She must have died screaming! Even now, she's burning!”

Laura’s (completely subjective) Episode Rating: 7.5

IMdB rating: 8.2

3x01: The Magnificent Seven

Written by: Eric Kripke

Directed by: Kim Manners

Original air date: October 4, 2007

Plot Synopsis:

Seven demons, based on the Seven Deadly Sins, are released into the world and the brothers must combat them with the aid of a married Hunter couple.

Features:

Dean Winchester’s repression skills, Ruby 1.0, demon bars, the Seven Deadly Sins, the demon knife, looking for loopholes.

My Thoughts:

You can tell this is a Kripke episode because of the strong thread of misogyny and racism running right through it. With a little sprinkling of fatphobia on top for flavour!

Otherwise this is a fine episode. When I was prepping this post and reading the description I was like “how do I not remember any of this episode?” and then while I was rewatching it I was like oh it’s because it’s forgettable. Fair enough. I didn’t care much for the sex montage in the previously on or the first few minutes of the episode (not even in a feminist way, just in a “this is kind of gross and not even filmed well” way). Also, damn I forgot how bad the smoke effects were in the beginning. The dust in 1x04 looked better than the smoke in this episode.

On the other hand, Isaac and Tamara were cool and the sibling energy between Sam and Dean was great - which is something that later seasons tend to fall flat at.

The concept of an episode on the 7 Deadly Sins is good, but I really don’t feel like they used them to their full potential. I bet they were all kicking themselves when we got into seasons 4 and 5 and they couldn’t reuse plot.

Even at this early point in the show they don’t really give that much of a shit about the people who are being possessed.

The highlight of this episode is Ruby’s first appearance. Sam was right, if a girl showed up like that in my life I would also fall in love with her basically instantly. She is just extremely cool!

Dean is just fully in the denial stage, huh? I hope it doesn’t last too long, I like him better tortured and crying. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Notable/Kickass Lines:

“There ain't enough hunters in the world to handle something like this. You brought war down on us – on all of us.”

“What about you, Dean? You're practically a, a walking billboard of gluttony and lust.”

“ We're not sins, man. We are natural human instinct. And you can repress and deny us all you want, but the truth is, you are just animals. Horny... greedy... hungry... violent animals. And you know what? You'll be slaughtered like animals, too.”

“We've all heard of you. The prodigy. The boy king.”

“I'm the girl that just saved your ass.”

“ After everything I've done for this family, I think I'm entitled. Truth is, I'm tired, Sam. I don't know, it's like there's a, a light at the end of the tunnel.” (“It’s hellfire, Dean”)

Laura’s (completely subjective) Episode Rating: 7

IMdB rating: 8.6

In Conclusion: I had to turn off the Stacked calendar on my google because looking at October and November was making b\me so so stressed, please send help.

<< Previous Day | Next Day >>

[my-supernatural-rewatch]

Episode 10: Asylum

Dean Winchester in the Supernatural episode Asylum

Another episode where I kind of forgot that I had seen it until I got a good 15 minutes into it.

Dean and Sam investigate an abandoned insane asylum that might be causing people to go insane when a police officer who went inside kills his wife and then himself.

Two cops go into an abandoned insane asylum looking for whoever broke in and one of them says "Let's split up." Nothing good ever happens after someone says "Let's split up." (this will also come back to us later in the episode.) Ironically, the dude who says "Let's split up" isn't the dude who ends up dead.

So off-screen, some time between this and the last episode, Dean told Sam that he called John and that John never responded. So now Sam is worried that John could be dead (because that's what a normal person would think if their own fucking father didn't respond to a teary phone call from their brother) and Dean snaps, insisting he isn't dead. Which is when Sam drops a truth bomb on Dean, "What? He's hiding? He's busy?"

No shit, Sam...he's an asshole.

So John texts Dean coordinates...no hi. No how's Sam doing? Not a fucking thing but coordinates. And Deans' thrilled and Sam's annoyed.

It is not often I side with Sam but in this episode there is a big part of me siding with him about John.

Our currently ever optimistic Dean (when it comes to John, anyway) is hopeful that if they go to Rockford, Illinois (where the coordinates are) - John will be there. Sam knows this is most likely bullshit and really doesn't want to drag his ass to Illinois.

"If he wants us there, it's good enough for me!" I don't have to tell you who said that, right? Then when Sam pushes back, Dean comes up with:

"Dad's telling us to go somewhere; we're going!"

Sam is not happy but, you know, Dean has the car keys so what choice does he have?

And here we have another episode where Dean spends a bit of time making fun of Sam's newfound psychic abilities. This will never, ever make sense to me. They hunt the fucking supernatural. Dean should be excited about this new aspect of this brother's personality and be trying to use it to, you know, do their fucking job.

When they've been in Illinois long enough to realize that John isn't going to be there, Sam wants to discuss it. Predictably, Dean doesn't.

Dean's response to Sam's attitude about John made me laugh, even if I don't think it's true:

"That's why I always got the extra cookie."

For fuck's sake, Dean, we come to find out there wasn't even any extra cereal, let alone cookies. Get this man a psychologist please.

More sibling squabbling leading to Sam asking the question on all of our minds:

"So, what? We gotta always follow Dad's orders?"

Guess what Dean says? GUESS????

"Of course we do."

Oh Dean. OH Dean. You break my little heart.

Sam talks to a psychiatrist as a patient because he's the son of the psychiatrist who worked at the abandoned insane asylum and he's trying to get info out of him. He gives him pieces of the truth: his real name and the fact that he's on a 'road trip' with his brother. Leading the doctor to ask the question we'd all like to hear the answer to:

"This brother you're road tripping with. How do you feel about him?"

But guess what? They cut away from Sam's serious look just before he responds so we don't know what he said. But we do know he spent a LOT of time in the doctor's office because when he finally comes out the first thing Dean says is:

"Dude, you were in there forever. What the hell were you talking about?"

Yeah, Sam. What?

One note about earlier in the episode. Sam and Dean got to a bar to talk to the cop who uttered the "Let's split up" line before his partner went nuts. Dean pretends to be a reporter and Sam comes in and pushes him around for bothering the cop so Sam can gain the cop's trust and get info from him.

When it's all said and done, we get this interaction with the brothers:

Dean: Shoved me kinda hard in there, buddy boy. Sam: I had to sell it, didn't I? It's method acting. Dean: Huh? Sam: Never mind.

Now first off, no way does Dean NOT know what method acting is. He's too much of a pop culture fiend to not know. But let's forget them making Dean dumb AGAIN for a moment. Sam shoved Dean hard on purpose. Sam has a hate boner for Dean in this episode that I guess is due to Dean's loyalty to John...I don't know, this is Supernatural, nothing is ever that obvious...but the shove, and then him talking to the psychiatrist about Dean...and then what comes up very soon at the asylum...for the one that got away from the family and the abusive father, Sam has a complex about Dean as if Dean was the one who had it better and that annoys the shit out of me.

Back on track:

This is another episode that was shot very dark for a lot of scenes. Note to cinematographer's: I don't need to SEE the darkness to know the episode is dark.

Also, quite random, one of the two people in the asylum when Dean and Sam get there is named Gavin. I get that there are over 300 episodes of this show but there are so many more names to use - why does this show repurpose names so often? (The woman's name is Kat...which I can't remember off the top of my head, but I'm sure we got another Kat at some point too.)

When they figure out who the spirit is, Dean opens up with a little honesty:

"The only thing that makes me more nervous than a pissed off spirit, is the pissed off spirit of a psycho killer."

Word, Dean.

When it comes time to search the asylum, Dean says the dreaded words: "I guess we're gonna split up then." And, just like at the beginning of the episode, the one who decides to split up isn't the one the spirit goes after.

Dean takes Kat with him while Sam goes it alone. Unlike most of the previous eps where Dean figures out the big THING, Sam is the one who figures out that the ghosts that keep going after them aren't the violent spirit but are trying to tell them something. When Dean loses Kat to the ghost, Sam is the one to convince her to listen to the ghost. She does...and they figure out where they have to go.

More angry Sam: He tells Kat and Gavin that hunting ghosts is basically their job and when Kat asks if Dean is his boss he responds with an angry and curt, NO. No "We're brothers." Just NO. Sam is pissy today.

So they discover that basically the spirit of the psychiatrist was trying to work on aggressive behaviors and instead of helping the patients he made it much worse...and in death he was doing it to people like the cop at the beginning of the episode and now...Sam.

So Sam was angry all episode just so this could happen. Okay.

Without hesitation, when Dean figures out Sam isn't right, Sam shoots Dean right in the chest with the shotgun full of rock salt. Doesn't fucking hesitate.

Before he does, though, and before Dean figures out something isn't right, Dean tells him to put the shotgun down and when Sam asks if that's an order and Dean tells him it's a 'friendly request' Sam responds:

"’Cause I'm getting pretty tired of taking your orders."

And then after he shoots Dean, we get this scene:

Dean: We gotta burn Ellicott's bones and all this will be over, and you'll be back to normal.

Sam: I am normal. I'm just telling the truth for the first time. I mean, why are we even here? ’Cause you're following Dad's orders like a good little solider? Because you always do what he says without question? Are you that desperate for his approval?

Dean: This isn't you talking, Sam.

Sam: That's the difference between you and me. I have a mind of my own. I'm not pathetic, like you.

Dean: So what are you gonna do, huh? Are you gonna kill me?

Sam: You know what, I am sick of doing what you tell me to do. We're no closer to finding Dad today than we were six months ago.

Dean: Well, then here. Let me make it easier for you. (He holds a pistol out to Sam.) Come on. Take it. Real bullets are gonna work a hell of a lot better than rock salt. Take it!! (Sam takes it and points it at Dean) You hate me that much? You think you could kill your own brother? Then go ahead. Pull the trigger. Do it!

Sam pulls the freaking trigger but nothing happens. There are no bullets. He pulls the trigger two more time and Dean is finally done. He punches Sam dead in the face.

Dean: Man, I'm not going to give you a loaded pistol.

Now, point to Dean for knowing Sam isn't really Sam here and not just killing his ass. But don't tell me there isn't a lot of truth to what Sam said under this influence. I don't think he wanted to KILL Dean, that was definitely the psychiatrist/spirit but he was already exhibiting all that anger toward Dean before the spirit got to him and this was his opportunity to dump it all back on Dean.

So Dean finds the bones of the doctor because of course he does...and after the doctor's spirit makes it difficult, he still finds his Zippo and burns the bones...yay Dean!

When the bones are burned and Sam is back to being Sam, he apologizes to Dean for the things he said. Dean seems a little surprised that Sam remembers what he said (another clue to me that Dean thinks like I do and that Sam really meant what he said).

Sam tells him he didn't mean any of it...and Dean is obviously not buying it - but he doesn't want to talk about it:

"I'm not really in the sharing and caring kind of mood."

Now in a perfect world, that's how the episode ends. Dean pissed and Sam worried about how much he pissed Dean off. But no...we can't have nice things. Instead we get Sam and Dean sleeping in a motel room and Dean's phone ringing. For whatever reason, Dean sleeps through it and Sam answers it.

Guess who finally remembered he had sons?

Some notes for posterity:

Only one song in this ep. Is that right? Okay. Bachman Turner Overdrive's Hey You.

Dean tells the dead cop's partner that he's Nigel Tufnel from the Chicago Tribune. Sam tells the psychiatrist his real, full name.

Movie References: Dean brings up The Shining again and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest while doing a pretty decent Jack Nicholson impression. He mentions Yoda, Haley Joel Osment, Patricia Arquette and Jennifer Love Hewitt (the latter two both played psychics on television shows) and the Nigel Tufnel reference comes from This is Spinal Tap.

This hunt takes place in Rockford, Illinois.

Dean uses a lighter to burn the bones of the psychiatrist.

[emilywatchescursedshow]

Ep 10 - Asylum

Director: Guy Norman Bee (as Guy Bee) Writers: Eric Kripke (created by), Richard Hatem

I thought this was a good episode! First the funny things I noticed

- Sam's driving is in the previously on LMAO I still am headcanoning that he doesn’t have a license, but I guess it’s to show that he’s bought in to the monster hunting thing for now even with all the family tension - There was a “don't ask don't tell” joke about Sam's.. witch powers? Which I guess is the final nail in the coffin for Sam’s nightmare dreams about his dead girlfriend which as far as I recall were really only resolved by talking to Dean about it, not sure if there was that much else that happened to make them stop - Cool flashlight flip from Sam - Dean lectured the girl even though she didn't want to go in to the asylum in the first place - Very obvious Examination Room sign that the camera pulled out to show. I maintain that the set designers/costumers/makeup department are 10/10 we love to see it - We had a “pull the trigger piglet” moment from Dean after Sam was venting his anger - Also very solid costuming and effects coming form the doctor

As I said, I liked this episode!! I thought the creepy asylum set was VERY well put together, and I loved the dead person makeup they did for the evil doctor. I also like that at the end of the day the patients weren’t the villain, it was the doctor experimenting on them. That’s a bit more accurate to how asylums worked and less prejudiced against “evil psychopaths” .. and I’m not going to get into the history of the psychiatric community but um, there’s some very bad shit in it, particularly regarding race. Sort of like Bugs, this episode did a much less bad job than I was expecting handling the sensitive topic.

I like the trend also that if the blonde girl is too young for the brothers to hit on, they at least make her a bit of a badass. In this one the girl takes and fires the rifle (at Dean, we love to see it) when her boyfriend freaks out at the prospect.

I also liked the scene with Sam going to see the therapist. Imo he should have gone for multiple sessions, but if the guy’s dad was evil then maybe that particular therapist would not have been a good one to stick with. I also liked that they cut on that scene right after the therapists presents Sam a deal wherein Sam must talk about Dean before getting the answers. We as the audience pretty much know what Sam would say about Dean, and so all we need is the “you were in there for a while” from Dean when Sam comes out in the next shot.

I’m going to start tracking who wrote the episodes I think. Just like, for fun.

[mordellestories]

Best writing advice I ever got was from Richard Hatem (paraphrasing here):

“Most of the stuff you’ll write will be crap and that’s okay. Think of your favorite writers, do you like all of their work? Look at Stephen King...! But when you write that hit, that’s what you’ll be known for. So keep writing.” 

[castiellesbian]

SPN Writers Tournament: Bonus Round

To go alongside the final showdown (which probably won't be a tight race) I decided to give an extra round for the underdogs of the writers polls. So here's the ones who went up against some heavy hitters that had people in the tags going "nooo this isn't fair"

Raelle Tucker:

1.03 Dead in the Water (with Sera Gamble)

1.12 Faith (with Sera Gamble)

1.14 Nightmare (with Sera Gamble)

1.21 Salvation (with Sera Gamble)

2.04 Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

2.10 Hunted

2.16 Roadkill

2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be

Matt Witten:

2.06 No Exit

2.11 Playthings

Nancy Won:

11.05 Thin Lizzie

11.12 Don't You Forget About Me

11.19 The Chitters

Richard Hatem:

1.04 Phantom Traveler

1.10 Asylum

Julie Siege:

4.07 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester

4.12 Criss Angel Is a Douchebag

4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book

5.05 Fallen Idols

5.12 Swap Meat (with Harvey Fedor and Rebecca Dessertine)

5.17 99 Problems

Jeremy Adams:

13.16 Scoobynatural (with James Krieg)

15.07 Last Call

15.14 Last Holiday

[beharyonguriop]

Richard Hatem is the writer of episode 6 (Conner) and he liked my post I don’t know how to take this like but It’s funny 😈

[spnepisodemasterlist]

Season 1, Episode 4: Phantom Traveler

A friend of John's calls Sam and Dean for help about a strange recording on the black box of a crashed plane. They soon realize that the demon which caused the crash is picking off the crash's only seven survivors. (Directly from IMDB)

Director: Robert Singer

Writer: Eric Kripke, Richard Hatem 

Set in: Various locations across Pennsylvania

Oh Shit, this is the plane episode, I haven’t seen this in so long. 

First true Demon episode???

“Homeland security? That’s pretty illegal, even for us?” Oh Sam, just you wait. 

This is before they know all the tell tale times of demons, so when they heard black eyes, their first thoughts were not demon, this is a completely different show from even a few years from this episode. 

Dean made an EMF reader out of an old Walkman and he’s so proud of himself. 

“WHY DO YOU THINK I DRIVE EVERYWHERE SAM?”

“Are you humming Metallica?” “It calms me down.”

Interesting plot line, mediocre side characters, some character development with Sam and Dean

The John tags make sense in the last few minutes of the episodes

This is the episode that gives us this lovely gif: 

[dccomicsnews]

Review: Titans 1×08 – “Donna Troy”

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Director: David Frazee

Writers: Richard Hatem & Marish Mukerjee

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Teagan Croft, Anna Diop, Ryan Potter and Conor Leslie

  Summary

In Batman’s safe-house in Chicago, the team get to know Rachel’s mother. She tells them she has a house in Ohio that they can all stay in. They all agree and are excited about it until Grayson…