Supernatural S13E16 Review: Scoobynatural

Supernatural became animated in this week’s episode when the boys got sucked into a possessed television. They met up with The Scooby Gang to solve the mystery of a vengeful spirit.

This week probably the most anticipated episode of Supernatural aired. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve been looking forward to “Scoobynatural” since it was announced over the summer. My four year old son has been in a Scooby Doo phase for the last couple months. Scooby Doo has been on in our house non-stop. Growing up, Scooby Doo was always my favorite cartoon. So, when I watched last night’s episode, I felt a bit like Dean. Two of my favorite shows combining? It can’t get better than that! And I was not let down. So let’s pull out the Scooby Snacks and a sandwich too big for our heads, and talk about last night’s episode!

“Be like Elsa.”

The show doesn’t waste any time in setting up the plot. We open on the boys in the middle of fighting a giant stuffed dinosaur. They blow up the dinosaur and the pawn shop owner is pleased.  The shop owner’s neighbor comes over to see what is wrong, and is suspicious of all the stuffing on the floor. The pawn shop owner tells Sam and Dean to pick out whatever they want. Dean, in complete Dean fashion, picks out the large, flat screen TV.

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Back in the bunker, Sam is still trying to figure out why the dinosaur became possessed. Dean has been spending his time in a much different way. He built up one of the rooms in the bunker to be his Dean Cave. He tells Sam to just let the whole possessed dinosaur thing go and watch TV with him. And in true Supernatural fashion, as soon as Dean turns on the television, there are purple sparkles and they are sucked into the TV.

“We’re in Scooby-Doo!”

And then, Dean’s dream came true. After the boys realized they were cartoons, and saw that Baby made it, they drove to a Malt Shop, where they ran into the Scooby Gang. That is when Dean completely loses his cool. He tells Sam that when they were growing up, Scooby-Doo was a constant in his life and that the Scooby Gang were basically their role models because they drive around in a car and hunt spooky things. Sam points out that they hunt real spooky things, but Dean doesn’t care. He’s too busy infiltrating the gang. And hitting on Daphne.

Once Dean and Sam join the gang, Dean is able to figure out which episode of the show they are in, which doesn’t quell his excitement any.

Sam just wants to go home and do anything he can to achieve that goal.  Dean wants to enjoy the experience. Dean reminds Sam of the last time they were in a show. They just had to play along, and then they were able to go home. So, The Winchesters team up with The Scooby Gang and head to a spooky mansion.

“Take a bullet for that dog.”

Not long after getting to the mansion, things start to take a turn for our friends. While everything starts off like a normal episode of Scooby-Doo, things take a turn after everyone goes to bed. The ghost is actually killing the victims. While the Scooby Gang is still blissfully unaware that the ghost is real, Sam and Dean know the seriousness of the situation.

This is when Castiel makes his appearance. He came to the bunker looking for the boys and here is where an important plot point happens stealthily. Castiel found some fruit from the tree of life. And as he was looking for Sam and Dean, he was sucked into the TV as well.

While they play along with the group and split up, Sam, Dean and Cas vow to keep their eyes open. Sam, while paired with Velma, decides to try and explain that ghosts are real to Velma. She’s still a skeptic, and doesn’t believe him. But she makes her crush on him super obvious. What follows is a sequence of all the groups meeting up with the ghost, and then a classic hallway chase scene set to the theme song of Scooby Doo. Tell me you didn’t have a huge grin on your face as you were watching it.

“The Scooby Gang doesn’t have nervous breakdowns.”

After the epic chase scene ends in Fred getting a bloody nose and Shaggy getting a broken arm, our Supernatural gang decides to let the Scooby Gang in on the truth. When they tell the gang about real ghosts, it’s like their reality has been shattered. They almost can’t handle it. So, Sam and Dean try their best to calm them. By arming them with tools out of the trunk of Baby. Armed with salt and iron, Fred and the gang set a trap for the ghost, which ultimately fails.

So, with Plan B, they are able to trap the spirit in a circle of salt. Where Sam, Dean and Cas learn it’s the spirit of a little boy who the neighbor of the pawn shop owner is using to drive people out of the area. They vow to help set the kid free if he gets them out of the cartoon.

In order to calm the Scooby Gang down, they have the kid pose as Cosgood, the man who wanted them to stay in the mansion. They let Velma unmask the ghost, and things go back to normal for the Scooby Gang. As they say their goodbyes, Velma kisses Sam, and then The Winchesters, and Cas are brought out of the TV.

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“Those meddling kids.”

Back in the real world, Sam and Dean make good on their promise and burn the pocket knife the kid’s spirit is tied to. They then go to the pawn shop to take care of the man, Jay,  who has been using the kid. And of course, Dean is wearing an ascot. Because he can.

They get Jay on not paying his taxes, and the police arrest him. As the police load him into the back of their car, he says the famous “meddling kids” line and Dean just loses it. He’s giddy. So, he does his best Scooby-Doo impression, because that’s how all the episodes end. And thus ends probably one of the best episodes of the show, ever.

Performer of the week

I feel like a broken record, but I’m naming Jensen Ackles as performer of the week. It was a little difficult to choose, since the episode is animated, but Jensen’s performance still showed through. Dean is on cloud nine throughout the episode. His dream has come true. He’s meeting his childhood heroes. And Jensen is able to make that known, just through his voice acting.

You can hear the giddiness in his voice. I don’t think there is a point in this episode where Dean isn’t happy. He’s with the Scooby Gang. He gets to hit on Daphne and antagonize Fred. Jensen’s voice acting is top notch. Even in the live action parts, Jensen’s acting is at the top of his game.

That Scooby Doo impression at the end? Top notch. Jensen has had an amazing season, acting wise. I don’t think this will be the last time I name him POW before the season ends.

Next: Scoobynatural recap: The crossover you’ve all been waiting for

What did you think of this week’s episode? Was it as nostalgic for you as for me? What was your favorite part? Please let us know in the comments below. 

Supernatural airs on Thursdays  at 8/7c on The CW.