Four weeks of polls: The racist truck

[caranfindel]

It doesn't feel like I can call myself a true rabid dedicated Supernatural fan unless I've watched every episode (Bloodlines doesn't count, because it's not really an episode of Supernatural, it's an episode of an entirely different show with guest appearances from Sam and Dean). I had avoided The Real Ghostbusters until some commenters encouraged me to give it a try, and I did, and I'll admit it has certain charms.

On the other hand, there's Route 666. Not really considered a good episode by anyone, right? So when my daughter watched it while I was doing other things, I skipped it and watched the next episode with her, and just never went back.

So, what do you think? Should I sit through it?

[Poll #1983052]

Comments

[septembers-coda.livejournal.com]

I was caught between "really not that bad" and "so you can make fun of it"-- it's definitely got excellent mockability, but there are a few "not that bad" moments. In fact, most of the first half of the episode is OK. It's not until the awkward sex scene and the "case" plot come in that it gets really terrible. And that stuff is... really terrible. :-) But there are some good brother moments before that, of the kind I miss, so, you know... you'll probably enjoy some scenes. Or some lines. Or... looking at J2. THERE YA GO. That's always reliable. ;-)

[fannishliss.livejournal.com]

I really feel like Route 666 has been unfairly scapegoated. It's not that bad!!!

If we have to learn about Dean's old girlfriend, I think Cassie is a cool one. She is smart and independent, and I'm glad that's the kind of girl Dean falls for. Plus, Dean in bed!!! :D Second only to Lisa, Cassie is a great ex-girlfriend. (In my headcanon, Dean meets Lisa first, loves and leaves, and then goes for Cassie after Sam is gone, trying to come clean with Cassie the way he didn't with Lisa, but it didn't work.)

The Bees ep is a lot worse, with the way the sun rises at four minutes past midnight. :P

The one scene I don't like is the one where the mom tearily tells the backstory. It's a little maudlin. The rest of it is fine. At least Sam and Dean don't kill the racist truck by dragging someone to death. D:

I'd say sit through it at least once. :)

[brightly-lit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the maudlin telling-not-showing--definitely the worst part, except ARGH, as you mention, sun rising just after midnight. Also, how does lighting bug spray on fire make it more lethal? More likely, you're burning up the poison and only singing a few bugs instead of poisoning dozens at once.

[mdlaw.livejournal.com]

Yes, because you get to see Dean's "Oh my god, I'm going to have sex!" face. m :)

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

I don't get all the hate for this episode. It's not Shakespeare, but is far from being the worst episode. ("Bugs," "Ghost Ship," "Taxi Driver," I'm looking at you.) I adore Cassie -- any woman who can stand up to Dean and give as good as she gets is my kind of character. Besides, we get some nice brotherly scenes, a bit of Dean backstory, and a Dean sex scene.

[kalliel]

I missed it the first time around, too! I had it on while I was doing laundry, which was mostly doing laundry. But in my most recent re-watch of it, it's actually not that bad. And this is coming from someone who finds most of Dean's sex scenes too vanilla for my tastes (though paradoxically him lying in bed next to Lisa, sans sex, is easily one of the sexiest things the guy has ever done)! This is the episode that inspired my subsequent rewatch of The Love Bug, because I dug the anthropomorphic (and yes also racist) ghost!truck. This episode is worth it purely for the Impala driving scenes at the end, imho. Unf unf unf. <333 On the other hand, I think it's the one episode so far where I was like, okay Sam, get over it, unamused. XP But maybe I was just in a ~mood at the time, because my usual relationship with Sam is "umoderated hagiographic zealotry" and it's fairly difficult to persuade me away from that. XD

[brightly-lit.livejournal.com]

Sit through it! With far worse episodes under our belts now ("Out with the Old," "Torn and Frayed," and ahem, "Man's Best Friend ..."), this episode sits pretty well; it only stuck out as terrible in the context of far better episodes that season. The sex scene is pretty cringe-inducing (Jensen looks not just like he ain't feelin' it but like he's actively exhausted and so over it even as it begins), but there are some excellent brother moments. Actually, the part I found funniest upon rewatching it was some of the bizarre shots of the anthropomorphized truck speeding by; something about the speed and the angle makes the truck look more jaunty than sinister--just a strange choice in direction and editing, yet hilarious for the viewer. Let us know what you think if/when you see it!

[tabaqui]

Heeee.
Yes, you should watch just so you can see Dean and Cassie in bed, and Dean talking about the first girl he really opened up to, and Sam seeing him a wee bit differently....

The racist truck crap is horrible, yes, but the boys are awesome no matter what, so - go for it!

[frozen_delight]

I'm all for watching all of the episodes, simply because they exist, but I can't really think of any other reason to put on this one. Apart from the racist truck, Dean's characterisation is really off the mark and the love interest they introduce for him simply awful. Definitely not one of the memorable female characters on the show.

[chomaisky.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry my hand slipped and I clicked the wrong button on the poll :(((((
I don't think it's that bad. But you don't have to force yourself to sit through it if you don't want to :)