Review: Supernatural – Time After Time

Alert! Spoilers Ahead!

After realizing the children are our future and continuing on in the hunt for Dick, Sam and Dean are given a case by Sheriff Jody Mills involving mummified corpses, which turn out to be the work of a long lost God of Time getting the energy to work his mojo while he lives with the love of his life in 1944. Dean gets transported to the 40s, while Sam and Jody work together to find a way to bring him back safely. This episode features special guest stars Nicholas Lea of X-Files fame as Elliot Ness, the Untouchable himself, and Jason Dohring from Veronica Mars as Chronos, the hands of Fate God of Time.

“What’s the plan here exactly?”… “Don’t die.”

In keeping with the theme of last week’s episode, “Time After Time” also features time jumps, some more extreme than others. We open with Dean attacking a stranger in a fedora and both disappearing into a red flash of light. Then we flashback to two days prior, when Sheriff Mills interrupts Dean’s brooding attempts at Dick research. The boys take the case and head out to Canton, Ohio to investigate the mummifications.

The investigation is typical Sam and Dean: Interview the witnesses, Sam explains the previous victims via Google research, both take verbal jabs at the other, before heading out to catch the monster in the act. And that’s when things get interesting. Dean is now trapped in the world of World War II, and Sam is left behind in 2012 desperate to find a Delorean — or more likely a spell — to bring him back.

 ”Untouchables is like, one of my most favorite movies ever.”

The real entertainment of this episode (beyond Dean’s fanboy glee) is watching Sam and Dean investigate the same case, 68 years apart, with unexpected law enforcement sidekicks. Dean’s being the infamous Elliot Ness, Sam’s being Sheriff Mills. The reveal of Ness being a Hunter as well as an FBI agent actually sounds legit if you read the history on the man, so my kudos to the writer who thought of that plot twist. It’s nice to see the boys work with others for once, watching them interact with someone who doesn’t know their every thought and move and past experience. Though, it is heartbreaking watching Dean attempt to open up to his idol, only to be shot down and told to suck it up and deal. Again. Last week, Dean attempted to open up to Frank, this week Ness. It’s interesting that Dean is far more willing to open up to barely known strangers than his own family, but then again, it makes sense. We know it’s always been hard for Dean to express his doubts and feelings to Sam, more than likely due to the fact that Dean has spent more of his life being the responsible rock of a parental figure to Sam than as a brother or equal. Strangers do not expect anything of Dean, thus making them safe. Now, if only Dean can find someone who is actually willing to listen.

Sam, on the other hand, had much better luck unburdening with Jody, who is helpful, though new to the hunting life, and supportive, giving Sam the opportunity to mourn Bobby with her, though it’s not shown on screen.

The one really disappointing aspect of this otherwise entertaining and successful episode is the monster of the week. Chronos isn’t even provided the dignity of having a mythology of origin (Greek) mentioned, and barely has any onscreen time, beyond being a shadowy fedora’d figure. When you have a god, an honest-to-goodness one, that has been brought down to taking his own sacrifices, it would be nice to have more time (heh) dedicated to him and his backstory. Cursed to be flung through time, unless he absorbs the… life force or the remaining years of a person’s life à la  Doctor Who‘s Weeping Angels. It’s a shame he had to be killed; that kind of story would have made for a nice recurring villain arc.

“Do I have to use my Mom voice?”

Chronos’ dying words about black ooze were pretty anti-climatic. The future is full of ooze, it’s everywhere. It’s destroying the world. That’s nice. We’ve been hearing that for about 12 episodes now. Some new information would be preferable. When it comes to the Leviathan plotline, we seem to be stuck in a rut of two steps forward one step back. Hopefully, next week will be considered a forward step episode.

Likes:

• Nicholas Lea as Elliot Ness. I have always had a soft spot for Krycek.
• Dean’s never-ending Back to the Future references.
• Sam and Jody bonding over Bobby; it’s nice seeing them mourn, however briefly.
• Ezra, Ness’ haberdashery-running go-to woman. She is awesome, as in fills me with a sense of awe.

Dislikes:

• Sam, we love you. We really do. Can we please stop being shocked when Dean knows something you don’t?
• Everyone telling Dean to shut up about his feelings. For once can we allow the boy to open up? Get it all out?
• Not enough Chronos. Such wasted potential.

Next Episode: Dean gets frisky, an Amazon has baby. 36 hours later, Dean is confronted by his teenage daughter. Hijinks ensue.

Written by Aki Murphy (@blessedprime)

When not hosting her own segment for Pineapple Radio, a Psych fan podcast, or playing bass for a cowboy rock band A Life in Reverse, Aki spends most of her time doing a fantastic impression of a chicken with her head cut off. Her hobbies include catching up with her… More »