Supernatural: Inside Man Review

Supernatural brings Rowena and Dean together for a little fight over Crowley, while Sam enlists the help of our dearly departed Bobby to get Metatron back to Earth. Bromances, fights, and a little MacGyver action follow. 

The best scene between the King of Hell and Rowena occurs when he is embarrassed over her nudity. She makes up a story about dating a guy from Biggerson’s. Her description of his firm buttocks remained engraved in our brains for at least one commercial break. I love the fact that Crowley can be embarrassed, but this may be attributed to his transformation after all that human blood last year. My next favorite Crowley scene wasn’t when he kicks Mummy out (about time, kiddo) but when he sits down for a drink with Dean. His umbrella drink with the devil pitchfork skewer in hand, Crowley has a heart to heart with Dean on the subject of family. Dean schools him on not being taken advantage of. I’ve always liked the deliciously evil Crowley, but now that he’s got some moral ambiguity and the complications that ensue with that, he’s become a better character overall. Complications=interesting. 

Sam and his new wingman Cas go on a secret mission to sneak Metatron out of Heaven. Cas no longer has access, so they enlist Bobby. The communication between them on Earth and Bobby in Heaven through a radio is excellent. It’s sad that Sam doesn’t get to see Bobby in person, but the heartfelt letter he receives more than makes up for it, although it seems to point to an offscreen end for Bobby. I can only imagine Heaven’s tenants are met with some strict punishment when they mess with the established order of things. 

With a cutesy “Hello boys,” Rowena finds Dean at the bar and uses the guys he hustled to attack him. Whips pans and moving shots add energy to the bar fight scene. The camera doesn’t slow down while the vicious attacks continue, but when Dean gets the better of his attackers, the camera settles. With the frenzy of the fight over, Dean threatens Rowena. He and the camera are slower moving and more deliberate. He doesn’t want to end her too soon if he can get some answers first. 

Bobby says the classic gangster line, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” That’s probably what Jim Beaver himself thinks every time someone from Supernatural HQ calls him up. The fandom will always be thankful that his character went from the one episode wonder he was supposed to be to a beloved recurring character.

This episode was rife with great one-liners, but the one to top them all shall go down in history as the best announcement over a PA system. In the Hall of Bobby’s, in which every person named Bobby Singer is kept, our Bobby incites the others to fight the system. Over the announcements is the phrase: “The Bobby’s are fighting back. They’re surly. I repeat they’re surly!” Ain’t that the truth. Also love the inclusion of the random female Bobby Singer.

There is sparse production design in heaven. Metatron’s cell is lit with diffused white light, the apparent light source coming through a thin window. The Hall of Bobby’s is blank, sterile, and surprisingly modern with its alarms and flashing lights. Other times we’ve seen Heaven (outside of a human’s “personal Heaven” which is usually reminiscent of their home) it has retained a corporate, business look. 

Rowena remarks on Dean’s Mark, “The First Curse” and how it can be removed like any other. Maybe this is her acting superior, or it’s an indicator of what depths she will go to finish Dean and gain some power in Hell. Maybe there’s your cure, Dean. Just let Rowena try to kill you. Problem solved.

Good episode. Needs more cowbell. I mean, Bobby. Also needs less product placement. In case you were wondering, even demons in Hell utilize the Microsoft Surface tablet. 

Gotta wait till April 15^th for the next episode, in which Charlie returns with the Book of the Damned and we learn of its implications for our favorite marked man, Dean.

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