Who needs a motel room when you have Baby?
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
The Impala is so much more than a car. It’s a star of Supernatural, a character, and a member of the Winchester family. It’s been through hell and back with Dean and Sam, and whenever the car has been roughed up, Dean has repaired the car again and again. Think about the few possessions the Winchesters have that aren’t weapons. The Impala is special. Tonight’s episode, “Baby,” put us inside the car alongside Dean and Sam, and it was an unexpectedly wonderful way to see the brothers in action.
Let’s talk logistics first. We saw all sorts of odd angles from various points in the car, and that had to be incredibly tricky to rig. Director Thomas J. Wright had a challenging job, but he and the crew aced it. Seeing the story from the perspective of the car doesn’t seem like a concept that should work, but they sold it. Some shots were straightforward into the front of the car, but many involved cutaway pieces so we could look down from the top or up through the floor. The framing really forged a connection — especially during the scene with Dean and Sam having a heart to heart at night.
It makes sense that the brothers wouldn’t stop at a questionable/fabulous motel every evening. Finding a place to stay along the way isn’t always practical, and it’s probably nice to save money. Even though we’ve spent hours and hours with the Winchesters and their car, this is one of the first times we really got an idea of what life on the road is like. None of the traveling to the job part was boring.
Supernatural: “Baby” Photo Gallery:
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
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Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
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Supernatural: “Baby” Photos
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In fact, this in between time opened the door to witnessing so many brotherly moments. Dean and Sam sang Bob Seger together, they talked about their dreams and their parents, and they had hilarious conversations with Cas. This was a return to form of sorts for Cas, and his dry humor hit all the right notes. Laughs were sprinkled throughout the episode (the valet bit!), and it’s so refreshing to see happy Winchesters. In many ways, the episode felt like Supernatural pulled us all in for a group hug.
The presence of John Winchester helped with that. Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s great in the role, but it was cool to see Matt Cohen back just for the unexpected factor. His appearance and message tied the episode into the bigger plot of the Darkness and introduced questions. Was he a manifestation of god or Lucifer? I believe it’s connected to Sam’s prayer in some way, and whatever it is, taking the form of Papa Winchester certainly had an impact upon Sam. I’m relieved Sam talked it over with Dean and finally admitted to being briefly infected by the Darkness.
The ghoulpires were connected to the Darkness, too. Learning they’re staffing up to prepare for the Darkness was one more clue about how dangerous the entity is. Everyone’s on edge, and even monsters we’ve never heard of before are risking exposure in order to strengthen their numbers. It’s all very interesting — as was the very idea of the ghoulpires. That was some creative lore. And bonus: it was plain fun what with the head in the cooler (I hope they sanitize the heck out of it before putting more beer in).
Supernatural’s gone and done it. They’ve made one of their best episodes ever in Season 11. So far, this season has been quite good, but “Baby” surpassed all expectations. The concept was fresh and really added a new personal layer to how we see the Winchesters. The Impala is such a part of the family that it was weirdly comforting and emotional to know how it views the boys’ adventures.
