My opinion may be in the minority, but I truly believe that season 3 of Supernatural is shaping up to be the best year of the series. Fans can complain about the brighter lighting, the lack of rock music, or the existence of Ruby (Katie Cassidy) and Bela (Lauren Cohan) all they like, but none of these things have really affected my love of the show. In my eyes, Supernatural season 3 has maintained a perfect balance of epic storytelling, emotional character moments, hilarious standalone episodes, and heavy drama. Last night’s installment, “Ghostfacers,” was another example of creator Eric Kripke and his writers firing on all cylinders. It’s impossible not to love an episode that contains the immortal line, “All this time you were teaching us about heart, about dedication, and about how gay love can pierce through the veil of death and save the day.”
I can understand why some fans may not have been able to embrace “Ghostfacers.” It didn’t address the overall mythology of the season, it was humorous more than it was dramatic, and Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean weren’t the main stars. That may have bothered me if Harry, Ed, Corbett, and the rest of the gang weren’t such fun company, but thankfully they kept the laughs coming. Sam and Dean (Jensen Ackles) were also allowed some hilarious moments, especially in their sudden tendency to swear up a storm. Where are all the bleeped out F-bombs during the normal episodes?
It may have been easy to write “Ghostfacers” off as a lark if it did nothing but provide laughs, but it was the episode’s balance between the funny and the dramatic that made it brilliant. I didn’t expect to be so affected by Corbett’s death, but Ed’s genuine emotion over his demise, coupled with the intern’s final on-camera prediction that his dreams would come true, really moved me. I’ve rarely seen such a successful mixture of hilarity and pathos outside of the best episodes of The Office, though “Mystery Spot” also accomplished a similar balancing act earlier in the season.
I love Supernatural for the brotherly bonding, great music, thrilling story arcs, and creative monsters. However, it’s episodes like “Ghostfacers” that prove the cast and crew are able to step outside of their comfort zones and deliver something different. It’s episodes like this that make the show special.
– Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of the CW)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
