Another Idol Bites the Dust

Episode Commentary: “Fallen Idols”

Sam and Dean are back to what they do best – hunting down the supernatural. It seems that cursed collectibles are out to kill, literally. The episode starts with a “dude who has a head on collision with a parked car” – a death car with a James Dean legend. As Sam is concerned about the colt (a gun that was created to kill any supernatural being that’s out there), Dean decides that as a team they need “training wheels” and this case is it. This fresh start gives us a break from the apocalypse and brings us back to the light-hearted, quick-witted banter without the heavy gloom that has been a looming shadow over the Winchester boys since the season began.

With Armageddon on the back burner, cursed objects continue to run amuck. It seems that these objects are bringing out some angry famous ghosts to Canton Ohio. Actually these “ghosts” are in reality wax figures wearing Abraham Lincoln’s stove top hat, Roosevelt’s iron lung and Gandhi’s glasses. After their encounter with a “squirrely” Gandhi the boys will be careful who they call a Smurf. They do take care of these haunting figures; still there is something amiss.

The casting of Paris Hilton as the real menace in this episode is bordering on jumping the shark and is not necessary for a show whose guest stars have more talent than some shows’ regular cast members. Barring Hilton’s poor acting, the episode is successful as it again reveals simple truths about the Winchesters.

Through it all Dean and Sam are still working out their trust issues. How is their partnership supposed to last if Sam’s always on “double-secret probation?” In order for them to survive the end of the world they must do this together and that means that Dean has to reconcile the fact that Sam while still his younger brother is no longer the child his father made him responsible for.

Next week is sure to be one of the scariest ever as the Winchester boys deal with the most frightening of all beings – a child. Stay tuned to see how Sam and Dean get out of this one.