Summary: A fun distraction doesn’t provide much more than fluff and fur, but it’s nothing short of entertaining.
If you have not seen this episode yet and don’t wish to be spoiled, do not keep reading.
Recap
The brothers investigate the brutal death of a taxidermist, clues which point to some sort of snake monster. Another death, this time at the pound, occurs that doesn’t fit in with any snake-themed monster, and they realize that a witness of both crimes is a dog, The Colonel. They use a spell to allow Dean to communicate with the The Colonel, and while it works, Dean also starts taking on the attributes of a dog. They eventually learn that the killer is a chef, and he’s using Shaman incantations while ingesting animal parts to imbue him with the powers of that animal. Chef Leo attacks Sam and nearly kills him, but Zeke arises and heals Sam’s body. Chef Leo wants Sam’s healing factor and kidnaps him, and it’s up to Dean and The Colonel to rescue him. After a chase, Dean calls on his other dog friends to kill Chef Leo. Afterwards, Sam and Dean give The Colonel to a vegan couple they initially thought were suspects, knowing they’d take care of him. The spell eventually wears off.
Review
Ah, the comedy episode. Ever since X-Files threw out some of its best mixes of humor and horror, it’s become a must for successful genre shows from Fringe to So Weird to even Smallville to follow in its footsteps. Supernatural is arguably the best example of this type of dark comedy in recent years, though, beginning with season 2’s “Tall Tales” and its progressively more meta departures since. No comedy episode has ever outright failed, as this episode’s affectionately self-indulgent comedic recap showcases. But “Dog Dean Afternoon”, while an impeccably entertaining hour, misses the mark of classics like “Mystery Spot” nailed in.
There’s a couple of reasons for that. An easy distinction between the best and least best comedic episodes are the well-integrated pathos. It’s safe to say that comedic episodes like “Mystery Spot” and “Changing Channels” succeeded as some of the best in the series because, in spite of the ridiculousness, they have profound effects on the characters and/or the plot of the season, and work as one-off adventures. Episodes like “Wishful Thinking” or “Monster Movie”, on the other hand, are married to the concept and don’t provide much more depth than that concept or gimmick allows. “Dog Dean Afternoon” is in the same vein as the latter, though it’s still in good company at that. Supernatural is simply very good at being funny, and this particular episode doesn’t shy away at attacking the worst of the “talking to animals” tropes in the most affectionate way.
It also helps that Jensen Ackles attacks the material just as well. Even with the worst writing, there really wasn’t any way this episode would fail just because of Ackles. And boy does he make the most of it; it seemed like he was having lots fun this week, and even has good chemistry with The Colonel (if it’s possible to have “chemistry” with a German Shepard.) Ackles nails the ticks–the ear scratching, the head tipping, etc.–which hilariously makes Dean a whole lot more likeable. The subtle fetch gag that first hints at his transformation is very well-done, especially for those who might not have caught the episode’s description.
However, despite the brilliant showcase of Ackles’ comedic ability, the episode still falters a bit with the awkward shoehorning in of the main plot. There’s merit to trying to stay away from pure filler–and, again, the best comedy episodes managed to incorporate the season’s main storylines. But the Zeke stuff is more akin to season 7’s awkward shoehorning in of the Leviathan story in some episodes, feeling less important and more aimless. It’s integrated into this week’s story about as well as it could be, and there’s admittedly some cleverless in letting Chef Leo’s interest in Sam’s healing propel the final battle. But it prompts a groan whenever Angel Sam pops on screen, and only succeeds at making Sam look stupider every week by shrugging off his constant blackouts.
Al Rodrigo has a fun stint as the voice of The Colonel, a dog that seemed like a perfect match for Dean if there ever was one. All of the animals were fun, actually, but The Colonel worked as a temporary honorary Winchester. It’s a bit disappointing that the brothers didn’t adopt the dog–a life on the road is totally okay for a German Shepard, as evidenced by the ending of The Terminator, and even if it wasn’t they could have given Kevin some company in the Men of Letters HQ. In any case, Status Quo is Chuck/God this season, it seems. Steve Valentine does some decent work as Chef Leo, too, one of the talkiest villains the show’s ever had. We clearly aren’t meant to think much about what’s going on, with a quick “he has cancer and wants to break bad” backstory thrown in for good measure. The animal powers are a cool concept that’s only barely touched on, but at this stage in the show an episode focusing solely on that would have failed anyway.
The show doesn’t delve too heavily into the workings of the animal world, either, instead choosing the easy Dr. Doolittle route of just giving them all human personalities, but keeping things simple worked in the episode’s favor. This is an incredibly fluffy episode, possibly the fluffiest episode of the show since its early days. And at that, there isn’t too much to talk about. It’s funny, Ackles is funny, The Colonel is fun, and the villain is pretty okay (even if not very memorable.) “Dog Dean Afternoon” is a distraction, and while it’s certainly not the best episode of the show, it’s nothing if not enjoyable.
Odds & Ends
- So now the reason Kevin is MIA at the beginning is because he’s hungover. Why not?
- There’s something profoundly upsetting about Dean sicking a bunch of dogs on the villain to eat him alive.
- I’m glad the Winchesters recognized the animal rights activist couple as decent people, even if obnoxious. There’s a difference between making fun of a lifestyle and actively hating on people.
- “Why are you arguing with the dog about Styx?”
- “Are those bleeding hearts actually witches, or just hippies?”
“What’s the difference?” - “You know who wears sunglasses inside? Blind people. And douchebags.”
- “It worked?”
“No.”
“…But he wrote a book about it?” - “Screw the sharktopus.”
