“Time After Time” is a note perfect example of Supernatural at its best. In the skilled hands of writer Robbie Thompson, we get an episode which is smart, funny, moving and involves Dean Winchester in a fedora.
Supernatural is no stranger to time travel episodes and the premise of the show allows the writers to play with such concepts with more latitude than most shows which are not Dr. Who. Supernatural’s last visit to the past was season six’s “Frontierland,” in which Sam and Dean visited the old West. That episode was good, but I would argue “Time After Time” raises the bar even higher.
There is so much to love in new writer Robbie Thompson’s script. I’ll start with the intricate structure. The central premise is the Winchesters hunting Chronos, god of time, through time. Thompson uses the structure of his story to reinforce his theme by playing with our timeline as well as Sam’s and Dean’s.
The story opens in the middle of some very important action. Sam and Dean are tracking a nattily dressed man in a fedora down an alleyway. The boys split up to trap the guy, but as Dean catches up with his quarry, the mysterious man is using red light to age a homeless man to death. Dean kicks into hero gear immediately and runs to grab the man. Sam enters the scene only to see his brother and the man, bathed in red light, disappear. It’s a great opening—but who is this guy and why are the boys chasing him?
To find out, we have to turn the clock back two days. The time shift finds Sam and Dean at Rufus’s cabin. Dean is hunkered over Sam’s computer, unsurprisingly researching Dick Roman. Sam is sleeping. A phone call from Sheriff Jodie jolts him awake. She’s spotted a potential case in Ohio and wonders if the boys are interested.
They are and soon are squatting in a decrepit house in Canton, Ohio. A talk with a delightfully loopy witness to the odd killing (the man aged into a mummy in minutes) gives the Winchesters a clue. The perpetrator sports a fedora and an old fashioned suit. As a clue, it seems slim pickens, but Sam and Dean search through time via the computer, coming up with several similar murders in Canton, one of which was in 1974. Dean’s new computer hacking skillz (courtesy of Frank Devereaux) show a man at the current murder site matching one in a 1974 newspaper photo. Evidently, this guy finds time no restriction.
Article comments
1 - Laurie
Kudos for making the review about Robbie Thompson! They need this man to write more, desperately. I think he nails Dean and Sam better than any of the other writers this season, even the vets.
Of course, he had me the moment he had Dean singing Air Supply in "Slash Fiction."
2 - Gerry
Oh, Robbie Thompson is such a keeper! From Air Supply to Eliot Ness, the man has pop culture range.
I think he has an excellent voice for Sam and Dean, too. I think he has a good handle that he needs to write Sam's personal journey, Dean's personal journey and their shared journey as brothers. He doesn't neglect any angle. Being able to keep a good plot funny sure doesn't hurt, either.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting! I love to hear from readers.
3 - MWK
Wonderful review, unlike the show itself, it makes me want to follow the characters. I loved this episode because Nick Lea was in it and he was wonderful. It was my first time watching the show, perhaps because it was the first time, I could get the humor, but not the pathos of the main characters. I am not sure they sold me on this show. But I loved your review!
4 - Gerry
Hi MWK! Thanks so much for commenting. Supernatural is a serialized show, so it isn't the easiest one to just drop in on and get all the stories. But if you are intrigued, I highly recommend trying it out. The writing is excellent and so is the acting.
If you want to try out another one just to see, I'd recommend Death's Door, as it explains why Sam and Dean are struggling with grief right now.
I totally agree with your Nick Lea assessment! He was excellent.