Review

The Winchesters are in Hollywood for what Dean thinks is time off after the trauma of Heart, Sam has other ideas and is investigating deaths on the set of Hell Hazers II: The Reckoning, a new Studio horror flick. The Bros infiltrate shooting as PAs, Production Assistants, to get the lay of the land. Dean is initially not happy with their status but is won over by the catering, team aspects, and lead star Tara (actress Elizabeth Whitmere doesn’t appear in either FeardotCom (2002) or Ghost Ship).

As the body count continues to rise, the Bros determine it’s due to a whole bunch of revenants called from the grave in sort of life imitating art in terms of the movie being shot. Seems anyone associated with Hell Hazers II could be in jeopardy if the Winchesters can’t work out who’s placing a call to the beyond. An episode of Supernatural that doesn’t take itself seriously ensues. Ready to check out the Philly steak sandwiches?

After the emotional ride of Heart, Supernatural’s Producers clearly decided the franchise needed something a whole lot lighter and went with Hollywood Babylon, an episode that not only pokes some fun at the franchise but also has its sights set on the whole Hollywood horror production line. Director Philip Sgriccia with Hollywood Babylon is kicking ass and taking names. To a certain degree this episode has to be viewed as a departure from normal Supernatural fare and would work as an entry in a more mainstream series, if that series was prepared to trip the light fantastic in terms of supernatural content matter of course.

One of the highlights of Hollywood Babylon for mine was writer Ben Edlund’s ability to send up the franchise he is currently writing for. Approx mid way through Hollywood Babylon we have the excellent insertion of a fake trailer for Hell Hazers II, only slightly marred by a couple of shots that haven’t been included in the dailies up to that stage. This could of course be Ben Edlund further sending up Supernatural and Hollywood in general. The trailer asserts that the producers were also responsible for Cornfield Massacre and Monster Truck, clear references to season one episodes Scarecrow and Route 666 respectively. Aligning the Producers with Charlie’s Angels 1 and 2 was slightly below the belt I thought, but what the heck it brought a smile to my face. Supernatural regular producer McG is also mentioned in a clear wink to series regulars and no doubt to the smirks of the Supernatural crew members. A highlight in terms of dialogue early on is a reference to Canadian weather, Supernatural being of course lensed in Canada and not the appropriate locations in the United States.

Edlund doesn’t restrict himself to tongue-in-cheek comments about Supernatural, he also takes aim at, and hits, the entire Hollywood horror conveyor belt mentality that is currently all the vogue. The original script for the fictitious Hell Hazers II movie is referred to as being far superior to the cleavage-dominated drivel that is currently being filmed … though it must be said that there’s a disappointing lack of cleavage on display. Edlund further attacks the nature of studio executives, showing them to be shallow, back-stabbing, and venal. Not entirely sure what prompted the writer, and by association the Producers of Supernatural, to go on the warpath over studio movie making, but got to love someone in the industry pointing to the Emperor with no clothes. Full marks to Warner Bros. for allowing this one to get through studio censorship.

The humour is there, had Dean found his Nirvana, but there's some bitch slaps aimed at the Hollywood system

In a final attack on the studio system, Edlund points out the false advertising in terms of “a haunted set” that has been used to sell horror movies down the years. The Producers of Hell Hazers II have a fake death happen on set in order to get the rumour mill going over the set being cursed. The makers of The Amityville Horror (1979) amongst others also tried the old “haunted set” publicity stunt in order to raise awareness about their project. Apparently Meliisa George still believed them decades later in the ultimate blond moment.

Director Sgriccia picks up Edlund’s script and runs with it, some deft touches are shown around the whole “film within a film” context, and with the use of the obviously fake sets. Sgriccia opens his movie with a scene from Hell Hazers II being filmed; we the audience are unaware that this is a film set, and Sgriccia plays on this notion a few times to lessening effect each time. Nice use of the real “supernatural” happens intruding on the fictional ones as both the episode and the movie develop. The final cap is when Dean and Sam walk away, just prior to the final credits, and they are walking toward a fake horizon. The fake horizon is removed to reveal that the “supposed” real skyline looks just as fake. Might just be the Supernatural team’s final comment on the whole concept of “Hollywood”, or I could be reading way too much into the episode.

Jared Padalecki (Sam) and Jensen Ackles (Dean) play off each other wonderfully in Hollywood Babylon. Dean doesn’t like the idea of being a PA, but is seduced by the glamour, the seemingly endless supply of food, and of course Hell Hazers II’s leading lady Tara. Sam on the other hand is simply playing a role in order to further the hunt they are currently on. The interactions between Padalecki and Ackles really nailed things for mine, loved Padalecki’s increasingly incredulous look as Ackles’s Dean hoes into yet another plate of food. Surprising for someone who doesn’t know Jack about the internet, Dean has an encyclopaedia-like knowledge of “B” grade sci-fi and horror movies. I’m actually putting this down to all the motel and hotel rooms the dude has been in, and yet another touch of paint to the Supernatural Universe’s veneer of reality.

The concept of the haunted movie set brought about by someone who considers their work to have been ruined is pretty much a staple of the horror genre. Without being able to note a single movie off hand I have seen the same plot played out before. What I did note was a nod toward Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead movie, with the swing on the veranda of the movie house moving of its on accord and hitting the side of the house. Nice touch, subtle yet there to be picked out by the discerning fan.

Some weird choices on the music front, with mullet rock being completely off the agenda. We get Sinatra’s “I’ve Got the World On A String”, and “Green Peppers” by Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass.

I generally dug the humour parts of Hollywood Babylon, liked the special effects going down, and grooved along to the Winchester brothers interactions as the plot unfolded. The episode turned out to be a nice change of pace after the emotionally charged Heart and perhaps is the light episode before things move into deeper waters with the second season’s climax looming large in our windscreen. Not one of my favourite episodes but then not one of the worst either.

With four more episodes to go in season two we are on the home straight in terms of the episode guide. Which is just as well considering the third season must be at most three months away from landing on my desk, and the other guides that are currently gathering dust while I try and finish Supernatural version two. As usual it seems like an eternity since I started with the first episode of the season, not that it’s been a chore really. As you can probably tell by season end I’m running out of news and related stuff to report so there was a tad of padding involved in this paragraph.

Hollywood Babylon isn’t going to be for everyone; if you like your Supernatural with its darker mood in place then this might just be the episode to skip. Of course, if you don’t mind the odd left field inclusion then dig right in – with the sole exception of a possible musical episode this is about as left field as Supernatural is going to get. My suggestion would be to take the Hollywood tour and turn that frown upside down.