‘Supernatural’ Recap: ‘Last Call’

12/12/2019

Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

Revisit episode 15.06, ‘Golden Time’, right here.

Each week, as I enjoy my Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester fix, I try to see themes emerging within each episode. Thus far, some of my predictions have been wrong, but no matter. Guessing is half the fun. The other half? Well, it’s how these wonderful writers continue to catch me off guard even while showing me some of the same lessons. This week our beloved boys experience different revelations – each in their own ways. While Sam and Eileen (Shoshannah Stern) hold down the fort, Dean heads to Texoma, Texas and considering both Jared and Jensen live in the Lonestar State, I’ll take this as a nod. But the tributes don’t stop there! Before it’s all said and done, we have more cameos, which I’ve now begun to look for in every episode. As well solid references to a classic movie and TV show, gun law jokes and finally, a fantastic guest star and duet!! We also get a surprise return of a formidable foe! So, before you can express your shock at Dean turning down real bacon, let’s get into it shall we…

Opening with a couple ladies leaving a bar, ‘Last Call’ starts like any other monster of the week episode. One girl, Sally Anderson (Georgia Bradner), turns her back to hurl up her evening (LOL) and the other, Angela Sullivan (Madelyn Grace) violently disappears. Roll title card. Which by the way, is just super (get it?!? – *wink*), every season!! Madelyn Grace is our first cameo as she’s credited for Lady #2 - Maddy Hillis in 9.17: ‘Mother’s Little Helper’ which revealed Abaddon’s (Alaina Huffman) back story. Man, I loved that episode!! You??

Next, we see Dean in his room searching for cases. Frustrated and needing something, he finally stumbles across our missing girl. Bam, he’s ready to hit the road. He’s itching to hunt which is a welcomed surprise since he’s been sort of discombobulated trying to wrap his head around the whole Chuck (Rob Benedict) and his “stories” madness. Can you blame him?? He joins Sam and Eileen, who are cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Hungover to boot. Margaritas!! I love it. And what’s this? Dean pokes fun at Sam and Eileen’s chemistry before he leaves reminding Sam to leave a sock on the door… HA! I’m dying!! I can honestly say that this wasn’t the girl I expected Sam to end up with, but it’s a happy adjustment! Carry on!! (*wink*) Not to mention that later, as the story pushes towards Sam and Eileen getting together, my heart melts just as they’re about to kiss. Too bad Castiel (Misha Collins) interrupts them. But hey, Cas is back… yay!! And he’s got what initially seems like a good idea – a probing of Sam’s wound to search for a connection with Chuck.

Meanwhile, Dean rolls up to a Texas police station and has a weirdly uncomfortable, yet hilarious, encounter with Sheriff Dillon (Emy Aneke). Another cameo, Emy played Sampson way back in 2.02: ‘Nightshifter’ (R.I.P. Ronald Reznick (Chris Gauthier), am I right??). We also get our first classic television nod since Dean’s FBI Agent’s last name is Dukes, though the oddball Sheriff (the next Denzel, mind you… HA!) makes a sillier reference to “put up your dukes,” LOL!! My first thought was Bo and Luke Duke (The Dukes of Hazzard; CBS) which is later confirmed when Dean sings the theme song with his old buddy and now retired hunter, Lee Webb. Played by the lovely and real-life friend of Jensen’s, Christian Kane. NICE!! Angel (WB) and The Librarians (TNT) memories flood my content wittle mind! Lee owns the bar that Sherriff Dillon refers Dean to. Named Swayze’s Bar, we see our first of a few references to the fan favorite late 80’s movie, Road House (Silver Pictures).

Dean seems completely at ease in this down-home bar. His chemistry with Lee’s employee Lorna (Aliya O’Brien) is on point and I love it!! She’s our third cameo, since she played Gloria Jane in 7.22: ‘There Will Be Blood’. NICE! But by far, the best moment in the entire episode is seeing Jensen sing with Christian as his character Lee says to Dean, “You can’t just sit around lip syncing ‘Eye of the Tiger’ when no one’s watching.” YESSSS!!! I’m genuinely ecstatic for this second tip of the hat to 4.06: ‘Yellow Fever’. Aren’t you?? The first when a scene picks up at the end of Dean’s Ghost Sickness story as I say, “No way!! I would’ve never thought Dean would discuss that case ever again!” (LOL!!) Who doesn’t have a clip of Dean screaming in fear over a cat saved somewhere!? And now, to see Jensen as Dean portray being nervous on stage only to have him fall into sheer happiness by the end is just pure joy to watch!! Probably for the first time in a long time, Dean is genuinely happy. He NEEDED this! We did too!!! Apparently, the Dukes of Hazzard theme song is something that John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) would play for them stating, “Listen up boys, this is real music.” Aww, so fitting for John as they raise a glass to his memory. Next, the two use “Road House Rules,” in making short work of some bar vagrants. Awesome! We also get our fourth cameo – Brad Kelly, credited as Bar Brawler #2, plays a bouncer in 10.02: ‘Reichenbach’, when Dean and Crowley (Mark Sheppard) are BFFs (LOL).

It’s not all fun and games though, as the writers effortlessly reveal early on that Lee isn’t the hunter Dean remembers. To up the stakes, seeing a bit of himself in Lee, Dean appears to overlook the obvious hints, and doesn’t realize things are this bad until he wakes up tied to a chair in Lee’s basement. Yikes!! After Lee’s villainous confession, he leaves Dean to die at the hands of a Marid. One who grants its captor good health and wealth as long as they feed it human blood. Regardless, this is Dean we’re talking about. He breaks free and later tosses the head of the beast at Lee’s feet before their epic fight. Dean ends Lee with a broken pool cue. WOW! I took this as the final Road House nod because who doesn’t remember that epic pool cue fight scene? Overall, this trip produces Dean’s revelation that saving people and hunting things is EXACTLY what he should be doing, and I couldn’t agree more! Screw Chuck and his stories, real people matter more!!

Back at the bunker, Castiel’s plan takes a turn for the worse as the probe of Sam’s gunshot wound causes severe pain, throws Sam against the wall and knocks him unconscious. Holy crap!! But wait! Sam has visions during this, and we see clips of Chuck’s actual thoughts and memories. Including his sister Amara (Emily Swallow) noting that he’s not at full strength. OMG!! This is big! The viewers know this, but now the Winchesters’ will too. Wake up Sam! WAKE UP!!! And Castiel, who as I mentioned in my recap of 15.06: ‘Golden Time’, is angry and all out of F$@%S to give, calls and threatens an old foe into helping them. Sergei, played by Dimitri Vantis, is forced to come to the bunker, but he has ulterior motives. Of course, he does!! I mean… this is the guy who responded quite indifferent to the fact that HIS idea to help Jack (Alexander Calvert) fails in 14.07: ‘Unhuman Nature’. Seriously Cas, you let this jerk know where the Men of Letters bunker is?!? Couldn’t they have taken Sam to Sergei? Thanks to this asshat, Sam’s condition worsens. Kudos to Eileen for choking a big guy like Sergei and threatening to kill him if he doesn’t fix it, NOW! But Cas, the Angel mind you, is equally impressive, and just a bit scary, as he reveals that Bobby (Jim Beaver) is watching Sergei’s niece. She won’t live to see another day if Sergei doesn’t undo what he’s done to Sam. WOW! Cas is at his wits end with dear old Dad and I love it!! Heck, even Sergei, before leaving states, “I like this you Castiel. It’s very Russian.” So, basically ruthless then?? LOL, yep!! By the end, our group is together again, though tension still exists between Cas and Dean. Aww come on guys, just hug it out already!! Sam shares his revelation – that God isn’t as strong as they once believed. He says, “Dean, Chuck is weak… I think we can beat God.” End scene. NICE!!

A few other things I noticed include Cas mentioning that Angel Radio has been silent for months (weird, right?) and Sergei describing Sam’s soul being stretching so far that it will pop like a rubber band. Whoa! I predict that this will come up again. And what about the Key to Death, Sergei originally demands? This Black Key opens Death’s Library! Hmm, that could be important (LOL). And the Mark of Cain? We’ve seen several hints to it this season. Intriguing, no? Also, they barely identify the monster which seems to be a bit of a trend now. The monster of the week ceases to be the focus of ANY episode at this point. The cases seem easy in a way, but actually, the writers appear to be clearing things up quicker to focus on the real Big Bad – God. Previous seasons would use these fillers throughout a season. No more! There’s much bigger fish to fry!! The writers are wasting no time giving us the deets and I am soooo here for it!! Oh, and finally, the Texas gun references… just, insert an eyeroll right here, am I right? That’s my only negative, however, and it gets a pass simply because overall the final season has dazzled thus far and ‘Last Call’ is definitely one of my favorite episodes to date. What about you? What did you think? Let me know if the comments below or reach out to me @obi_juanita on Twitter. Until next time… Go Team Free Will!

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