Review

We head to Oasis Plains, Oklahoma, where a new construction project is under way. Basically, a whole new suburb is springing up, as that’s what the world needs – more kit homes on mass. A gas company dude is, for no apparent reason, checking out a tree (who knows – that’s what it appeared like) when the ground caves in under him. Cue attack of the beetles.

Seems a power station guy previously succumbed to bee stings, which is good enough to ensure the Winchester Bros check it out and discover something is rotten in the state of Oklahoma. Native American curses and creepy crawlies ensue, ready to slither into this one?

I’m stating right here, right now, that yours truly is developing some of that Sam Winchester ESPer ability. Last episode I was mentioning that it was about time we got some Native American goodness going down, and what happens, next episode we get that happening. Spooky or what! I’m calling alien abductions next; read the episode 09 review to see how I’m going on picking the symbol on the cards stuff, citizens.

Anywise, Supernatural threw out its worst episode thus far with Bugs. I simply could not believe they let this one get beyond the editing table, as its only claim to fame is a trite plot which covers three previous horror movies, woefully misguided pacing, and simply not enough in the final confrontation to make viewing worthwhile. Guess every series is going to have its low points, and Supernatural reaches its Waterloo with this one.

Let’s get the three horror movies out of the way first. Clearly, with the whole new housing project, we are talking Hooper’s Poltergeist. Cursed ground etc, was a central plot device of that movie. I’m not averse to the re-use of this concept, as it wasn’t original with Poltergeist and is one of those ideas that bubble to the surface of the horror swamp from time to time. I also picked up a faint nod to Kingdom of the Spiders, though that might just be me on a William Shatner binge of terror. The episode also references Hitchcock’s infamous The Birds with the attic scene… and by the way, whatever did happen to Tippi Hedren? [Editor’s Note: She went on to appear in a whole bucket-load of crap movies, including the ill fated sequel to The Birds. I Heart Huckabees is the most above the radar flick that Tippi has hit.]

Overly derivative episode that needed something in the gas tank besides low octane

The problem with this episode is that it’s a one trick pony. Have a slight phobia about creepy crawlies? Well, Bugs caters to that with spiders, cockroaches, and worms. Don’t have a problem, then this is daytime soap stuff going down. A subplot about Indian curses is tacked on to give the episode some sort of explanation, and introduces the biggest plot hole of the season so far.

I’m cool with Native American demons and curses, and those guys don’t muck around when it comes to dealing out the supernatural retribution. That land not looking so cheap now would be my call. However in this episode, the whole nature rising up to take whitey down over six days simply doesn’t work. Sam and Dean base their view on the six days from the death of beetle dude; guess we forgot about bee sting boy mentioned earlier in the episode. There’s plot holes, there’s using stuff to flesh out and explain what we are seeing, and then there’s this episode that jettisons internal logic at the drop of the hat. At best it’s lazy writing, and since this is mass-produced television I’m not overly cynical about things. Heck, Michael Bay has made whole movie remakes with worse lapses.

What really doesn’t work for Bugs is the pacing. We get the Winchester investigation, backed up by library happenings and Indian reservation revelations, a few cut-scenes to show people are still going down, then the big confrontation, before finally the episode cuts out quickly and the end credits roll. Bugs does not deliver on the build-up, and I for one was feeling ripped by how quickly things ended. The episode needed far more action, and the payoff simply didn’t happen, considering we sat through a lot of exposition to get there. If you have to overly explain the concepts in a horror outing, then you aren’t doing your job.

Another aspect I simply didn’t like was the plot foreshadowing (thanks for the concept of foreshadowing, Enzino). Super sales-chick Linda Bloom is doing the sales pitch on the housing to Sam, and creeping towards her is one massive tarantula. Okay I’m heavily arachnophobic and had to check under my desk just by writing that, but come on! Anyone doesn’t think Linda isn’t going to fall prey to the eight-legged beasties later in the show? And yeap, the shower scene goes down, all about that shower head and the dangers of not ensuring it’s been probably insulated. Actually, that scene is probably why I was thinking Kingdom of the Spiders. I was expecting something like that to happen, to be honest; I didn’t get a shock when we cut to Linda, and there’s no boobs happening. Talking cardinal sins in my book of sorrows.

Bugs further highlights the inherent conflict between the Winchester Bros, and I was banging my head on the desktop over it. We have Dean’s ultimate respect for Pa, and Sam’s wanting to break away from the family business and dissing good old Dad. Fine and dandy, the season needs this sort of conflict. However, the overly trite use of Sam’s relationship to John Winchester being reflected by Matt White’s relationship to his father was simply heavy-handed. And don’t even get me started on Matt’s reconciliation with his dad and the jettisoning of his bug-related hobbies. This aspect of the episode was mind-bogglingly inane.

Yo, music-wise. “Rock of Ages” by Def Leppard and “No One Like You” by The Scorpions. I’m talking underwhelmed, and the Def Leppard track has been used previously in the season. Hopefully we are not losing ground music-wise from here on in.

Nothing to report Supernatural mythology-wise, and no advancement of the various plot arcs from previous episodes.

I was not best pleased with Bugs, the episode has all the hallmarks of being a mid season filler, rather than maintaining what we have come to expect of this excellent series. Plot developments can be seen coming a mile off, the whole Native American curse thing felt tacked on to give some sort of explanation, and the Winchester family dynamics were handled badly.

Every series will have a low point during a season, and I’m really hoping this episode will be the nadir of Supernatural’s output in Season 1. Bugs simply does nothing and goes nowhere. They needed a weekly episode, and the result is a cobbled together effort with little in the redemption stakes.

No recommendation, not an episode worth spending any time with to be honest. If you have hired or purchased the season on DVD then let it flow, to get your money’s worth. If watching on TV then don’t set aside an evening to catch, as this one brings nothing to the table. Low point reached; let’s not sink any further into the malaise.