Supernatural - 1.04 - Phantom Traveler - Short Take

Brief synopsis (including the ending): When a former client calls Dean, the Winchesters head to investigate a plane crash in Pennsylvania. EVP on the cockpit voice recorder and sulfur on the plane indicate demon involvement. These demons are now after the 7 crash survivors. To protect Amanda, the flight attendant, the brothers board the plane, much to Dean's consternation since he's afraid to fly. Using an EMF reader, they realize the co-pilot is possessed and with Amanda's help, lure him to the back to perform an exorcism. After a struggle, Sam finishes the exorcism and the plane safely lands. Jerry tells them John left Dean's new cell phone number on his phone. Sam gets upset when he realizes John is avoiding them.

Favorite scene: On the plane when Sam tries to calm Dean down and Dean gets snarky.

It's in the details:

First appearance of black smoke and the black-eyed demons

The camera man slow pans a sleeping Dean

Dean says he's not scared but Sam pulls a knife out from under Dean's pillow and calls it on him.

Back story on what John and Dean did while Sam was at college. Love the random guy commenting on the Poltergeist movie. Always makes me laugh for some reason.

Dean's smirk when Jerry says John and Dean saved his life. Sam's surprise when Jerry says John talked about him.

Dean checking out the girl at the Copy Jack.

Sam plays the patient investigator while Dean pushes. They silently agree that Sam will take over the interview.

George's wife answers "acid reflux" when asked if anything was strange about him. Love the brothers' reaction.

The brothers impersonate Homeland Security.

Dean created an EMF out of an old Walkman. He wipes sulfur on Sam's jacket.

Jumping over the fence to escape Homeland Security.

When getting Amanda to not fly doesn't work, Sam says they have to board the flight. Dean's reaction is priceless.

Sam's reaction to Dean freaking out.

Amanda's whole "not giving into fear" speech rocks.

Sam soft talks Dean to get him to calm down. Dean's yoga breathing afterwards.

Dean's reaction to the woman with the tattoos and piercings.

The power of the "please trust us" puppy dog eyes convinces a flight attendant to lure the co-pilot out of the cockpit post-9/11 and watch as they pour something on him that causes his skin to burn.

Tie in to the pilot when the demon says he knew about Jessica

Sam completing the exorcism even though the plane was going down.

Jerry tells Dean that he got his cell phone number from John's voice message.

Sam's reaction to hearing John's message. Aw, I felt so bad for him.

The Impala peeling out and roaring down the highway.


Top 5 lines:

5. Dean: "Does that look like a creature's lair to you?"
4. Sam: "Just try to relax." Dean: "Just try to shut up."
3. Dean: "Yeah, a middle aged dentist with an ulcer is not exactly evil personified."
2. Dean: "Man, I look like one of the Blues Brothers." Sam: "No you don't. You look more like a seventh grader at his first dance."
1. Dean: "Dude, stow the touchy-feely self-help yoga cr**. It's not helping."


Other Lines:

Sam: "Morning sunshine." Dean: "What time is it?" Sam: "Oh it's about 5:45." Dean: "In the morning." Sam: "Yep." Dean: "Where does the day go?"
Dean: "Liar. See I was up at 3 and you were watching the George Foreman infomercial." Sam: "Hey, what can I say? It's riveting TV."
Sam: "Yeah, but it's not just her. It's everything. I just forgot you know. This job, it gets to you."
Dean: "That's not fear. That's precaution."
Random Guy: "Poltergeist? Man, I love that movie."
Sam: "Homeland Security. That's pretty illegal even for us."
Sam: "This man did he seem to appear and disappear rapidly. It would look something like a mirage." Jaffee: "What? Are you nuts? He was a passenger. He was sitting right on front of me."
Dean: "Wow, these monkey suits do come in handy."
Jerry: "If you fellows will excuse me, I have an idiot to fire."
Dean: "Yeah but this goes way beyond floating over a bed and barfing pea soup."
Dean: "C'mon…Really?...Man."
Sam: "You're humming Metallica." Dean: "It calms me down."
Dean: "Alright, well she's got to be the most well-adjusted person on the planet….there's no demon in her. There's no demon getting in her.
Sam: "Maybe we missed somebody." Dean: "Maybe the thing's just not on the plane." Sam: "You believe that?" Dean: "Well I will if you will."
Sam: "She's not going to believe this." Dean: "12 minutes dude."
Dean: "Alright this is going to sound nuts but we just don't have time for the whole the truth is out there speech."
Sam: "Dean, it knew about Jessica."

Episode Score = 3 (knocked down 1 notch because the plot is so unbelievable)

Scorecard - Here's how the rankings break down in my scorecard.

1 = One of the best episodes in all of Supernatural, or in all of TV for that matter.
2 = A great episode when judged against other Supernatural episodes.
3 = A good Supernatural episode, which means it's better than almost anything else on TV
4 = A poor episode when judged against other SPN episodes, meaning still better than most TV.
5 = A bad episode, meaning only better than some TV.

Screencaps by Home of the Nutty and Screencap Paradise

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