Lower Decks

Supernatural
“The Monster at the End of This Book”
Originally Broadcast Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

At first blush this was both an amusing episode and a disturbing episode, with a slew of references that only hardcore fans of the series would understand, plus the introduction of an intriguing character. The more I think about “The Monster at the End of This Book,” however, the less I like it. I don’t really know anything more about the ongoing story line than I did before watching the episode. And while the amusing parts were and still are amusing they didn’t make up for the lack of forward momentum.

As for the “shout-outs,” I didn’t like them all that much watching the episode because they pulled me out of the show and I don’t much like them now as I write this review. Then again, I’m not really a hardcore fan. I only just got the references to a pair of past episodes; I’ve never actually seen the episode with the bugs (“Bugs,” originally broadcast November 8th, 2005) and I had to look up the episode with the ghost ship (“Red Sky at Morning,” originally broadcast November 8th, 2007).

The exchange about slash was totally unnecessary. Although I was already unfortunately aware of the phenomenon I think it was totally inappropriate to broadcast knowledge of its existence to unsuspecting viewers. Cruel, even. But enough about that. “The Monster at the End of This Book” finds the Brothers Winchester learn of the existence of a series of books chronicling their lives. When they find the author they discover that he is apparently psychic and has flashes of the future.

After convincing the author, Chuck Edlund, that they’re not a couple of overzealous fans, Sam and Dean are told that apparently Sam is going to sleep with Lilith very soon. While Sam isn’t quite sold on Chuck’s abilities and certainly doesn’t think he’d ever sleep with Lilith, Dean wants to head out of town. But they can’t fight Chuck’s words. They can’t fight his prophecies. And he is a prophet, according to Castiel, who shows up to inform Dean that Chuck is under heavenly protection.

Castiel also tells Dean that should Chuck be threatened an archangel will descend to destroy whatever is threatening him. It’s Castiel’s way of helping Dean protect Sam. If Dean brings Chuck to the motel room where Sam and Lilith are facing off, an archangel will show up to kill Lilith. Actually, Lilith flies the coop when the room starts shaking and the archangel never appears. Still, the plan worked. Sam is safe.

Before Dean and “the prophet Chuck” show up, however, Lilith offers to call off the coming apocalypse in return for the heads of Sam and Dean on a spike (or was it a pike?) and Sam agrees. To seal the deal they apparently would have to get it on. He later tells Dean that he didn’t believe Lilith would stick to the offer. But at the time it seemed that he was willing to go through with it. Or maybe he just agreed so he could get close to Lilith and try to kill her. I’m not sure.

In fact, I’m not really sure what the point of this episode was at all. Chuck has a brief sit down with Sam and tells him that, duh, drinking demon blood is a bad thing and that he’ll probably be the one responsible for saving the world. Dean lets Sam know that he knows about Sam’s increasing abilities, although he doesn’t seem to know about the drinking of the blood. So, basically, they both are dealing with some issues just as they have all season.

As for Chuck, aside from providing some comic relief, he doesn’t do all that much. At the end of the episode, Zachariah shows up to keep Chuck from running off to warn Sam and Dean about the latest flash/dream/prophecy he had. That was odd. Wouldn’t it be helpful for Sam and Dean to know what was going to happen next? On the other hand, if prophecies can’t be changed or averted, what good would it do to tell them?

Like last week’s episode (“It’s a Terrible Life”), “The Monster at the End of the Book” felt like filler. It was good filler, I guess, fun and amusing, but filler nonetheless. At this rate, by the time the ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny between Sam and Dean and Lilith and/or Lucifer takes place, I’ll be so stuffed with filler that I won’t have room for it.  Will anyone?