SN: 3-10 "Dream a Little Dream of Me" Review

 

This was a very creepy episode. Being trapped in a nightmare unable to ever wake up is a terrifying prospect. Jensen was fantastic in this episode!

Dark House: Bobby holds a flashlight and walks warily around the house. He looks like he’s expecting trouble. He opens the sliding doors to an old fashion kitchen and walks inside. Suddenly there’s a piercing scream. Flash to a struggle on the steps then to Bobby sleeping. A maid walks in, sees Bobby and apologizes. When Bobby doesn’t stir, the maid tries to wake him up. Flash to fight between Bobby and someone else in Bobby’s dream. Unable to wake Bobby up, the maid calls for help.

Drinks are being served at a bar. Sam sits alone mulling his drink like it has the answers to the universe. Dean steps into the bar. He looks around and spots Sam. He asks Sam what he’s doing. Sam says the obvious – that he’s having a drink. Dean reminds him that it’s two in the afternoon and asks if Sam is drinking whiskey. Sam says that he drinks whiskey all the time and, besides, Dean goes to bars and hits on chicks all the time, why can’t he. Dean wants to know what’s going on. Sam says that he’s tried to save Dean. Dean, resigned to having this conversation, asks the bartender for a double whiskey neat. Sam continues. He says that where Dean is going, he can’t stop it and he’s not sure Ruby can stop it either. Sam says no one can save Dean because Dean doesn’t want to be saved. Go, Sammy! Dean definitely needs a reality check. Sam asks how Dean can care so little about himself and wonders what’s wrong with him (Dean). Dean’s cell rings; he acknowledges that he’s Mr. Sniderson and asks where. They head out in the Impala.

 

At the hospital, Sam and Dean look over an unconscious Bobby. Sam asks the doctor for the diagnosis. The doctor replies that Bobby seems pretty healthy. Deans adds except for Bobby being comatose. The doctor wants to know if Mr. Sniderson, as Bobby’s emergency contact, has any info that can help. Dean replies in the negative. Sam asks if the doctor can do anything. The doctor apologizes. He says that without figuring out what’s wrong, they can’t treat Bobby. Bobby just went to sleep and didn’t wake up.

As Sam and Dean walk into Bobby’s hotel room, Sam wonders what Bobby is doing in Pittsburg. Dean says that if Bobby’s on a job there would be a sign of something – news clippings, research in his room. The place is immaculate. Sam opens the closet door and moves Bobby’s clothes out of the way to reveal a board with Bobby’s current research. Dean says something about Bobby always covering up his tracks. Er, I can think of better places to hide research than behind some shirts in a closet. Dean looks at one of the clippings. It tells him nothing. Sam takes an obituary – Walter Gregg, 64, university neurologist who went to sleep and didn’t wake up. A clue! Sam and Dean deduce that Bobby was looking into the doctor’s death; started hunting something; then it started hunting him. Dean tells Sam to go through Bobby’s research while he looks into the doctor’s death.

At the university, Dean meets Dr. Gregg’s lab assistant – a pretty brunette. He asks her if Dr. Gregg studied sleeping disorders, dreams. She answers that she’s already told this to another detective. Dean says he wants to hear it again. She says she’s busy and asks to postpone the interview. Undeterred, Dean says that they can do this later at the precinct. The woman replies that she wasn’t aware of the doctor’s experiments until she cleaned out his files. Dean tries to bluff his way to get more info. She says that she spoke to her lawyer and she can’t be held liable. Dean replies that that was before the new evidence came to light. Ooh, quick thinking, Dean. The woman asks what new evidence. Dean, still thinking on his feet, replies that he’s not at liberty to say. The woman says that she’s just a grad student. Dean, pushing his luck, says that this could go on her permanent record. He asks her to hand over all of the doctor’s research.

 

Dean shows his "detective" badge to a guy who claims to only be growing ferns. Dean assures him that that’s not why he there. Dean says that he wants to talk about Dr. Gregg’s sleep study. The guy admits that he was one of the doctor’s test subjects. He asks if Dean wants a beer. Dean accepts and takes a swig. Dean asks about Charcot-Wilbrand syndrome. The guy answers that he can’t dream. When he was a kid he had a bike accident; banged his head and hasn’t had a dream since. He says the study helped him. The doctor gave him a yellow tea that smelled awful and tasted worse; he passed out and had a dream... like a bad acid trip. Dean can relate, then thinks better of it. The guy says that he dropped out of the study after that. It scared him.

At the hospital, Dean is sitting with Bobby when Sam walks in. Dean asks what Sam found out. Sam says that the plant African dream root was used by shaman and medicine men for centuries. Sam says that legends claim that African dream root was used for dream walking – entering another person’s dreams and poking around their heads. Sam adds that the African dream root is potent. If a person takes enough of it, they can become a regular Freddy Kreuger; turning bad dreams good and good dreams bad... and killing people in their sleep. They deduce that the doctor was killed after someone got mad at him. They wonder why Bobby is still alive, if the killer came after him. Inside Bobby’s head, Bobby is fighting whatever’s after him and screaming for help.

Sam and Dean discuss who could have it in for the doctor. The test subjects are a possibility but they don’t know who they were. Sam says that they would have talked to Bobby about the case by now. Dean says why not. Sam quips that the conversation might be one-sided. Dean suggests using the dream root. Sam’s not convinced at first but relents. Sam asks how they are going to get a hold of dream root. Dean says Bella.

 

 

Sam is sitting at this laptop when there is a knock at the hotel room door. It’s Bella. Sam quips that he didn’t think there was chance she’d show up. She walks toward Sam as Sam backs up. Bella says that she’s there because of Sam. She removes her coat; she’s wearing a black negligee. She says she can’t stop thinking of Sam. They make out until Dean yells for Sam to wake up. Dean, amused, wants to know what Sam was dreaming about. Sam quickly replies that he was dreaming of nothing. Dean guesses Angelina Jolie; then Brad Pitt – hee. Dean says that he called Bella. Sam, not too smoothly, asks what Bella said. Dean asks Sam to help him to decipher the doc’s notes. Sam looks down at his lap. Hee hee.

There’s a knock at the door. Sam looks like he’s holding his breath. It’s Bella. She gives Dean the African dream root. Dean wants to know why she’s being helpful. Bella says that she’s helping Bobby not Dean. She claims that Bobby saved her life once. Hey, Sam and Dean saved her life too! She asks where she’s supposed to go at 2 a.m. Dean suggests she find a room. She storms off. Sam calls out that it’s nice to see her. Dean looks confused.

Sam prepares the dream root tea. He adds a bit of Bobby’s hair into each of their cups. Eww! They drink the tea. Nothing happens. Sam notices that it’s started to rain. Dean checks outside – it raining upside down. They realize they’re in Bobby’s head. They look around and realize they are in Bobby’s house. Sam decides to look outside (in the upside-down rain?). He goes out; it’s a perfectly gorgeous day. The door slams shut behind him. He can’t get back in the house.

Meanwhile, Dean walks cautiously around the house quietly calling for Bobby. Someone behind a door asks who’s out there. It’s Bobby. He comes out when he realizes that Dean found him. Dean explains about the dream root and the experiments. Bobby looks freaked out. He doesn’t believe Dean. A woman, with blood on her chest, comes toward them. It’s Bobby’s wife. Er, why is that scary?

Sam wanders around outside. Is real!Bobby aware of Sam or just Dean?

Inside, Bobby says that he didn’t mean to hurt his wife. His wife answers that he did hurt her. He shoved the knife into her over and over again. Dean tells Bobby that his wife is not real. The wife asks how Bobby could do that to her. Bobby ignores Dean; he tells his wife that she was possessed and he didn’t know what he knows now. He didn’t know how to save her. She replies that he’s lying and he wanted her dead. Dean grabs Bobby and they run into the kitchen and close the door.

Outside Sam is still wandering around when the guy Dean spoke to comes out of nowhere wielding a bat. He hits Sam and Sam falls to the ground. The guy says that Sam doesn’t belong. Sam replies that he’s in his friend’s head. The guy says that Sam has poor choice in friends. He says that what he’s doing to Bobby is in self-defense. Bobby came after him. Sam replies that maybe it’s because he’s a killer. Sam, he’s holding a bat.

 

Inside, Dean is desperately trying to convince Bobby that he’s having a nightmare while Bobby’s wife screams and bangs on the door. Bobby doesn’t believe him. He says that he should let her kill him. Dean grabs him and yells that he’s not going to let Bobby die. Bobby is like a father to him. He gets through to Bobby and the screaming stops. Oh, thank goodness. That was seriously annoying. Dean tells Bobby to wake up. Bobby sits up in bed at the same time that Sam and Dean wake up.

 

 

At the hospital Bobby looks over his research. Dean asks about Bobby’s wife. Bobby says that everyone gets into hunting somehow. Dean apologizes. Bobby replies that if it weren’t for Dean, he’d be lost in the nightmare or dead. Sam walks in. It appears that the stoner guy is long gone. Bobby says the guy’s name is Jeremy Frost, a genius with a 160 IQ whose dad took a baseball bat to his head. Bobby shows them a picture of Henry David Frost, Jeremy’s dad. He died when Jeremy was 10 but the injury from the bat gave Jeremy Charcot-Wilbrand syndrome. Dean asks how Jeremy knew to dig up Bobby’s worse nightmare. Bobby answers that Jeremy was rooting around; he doesn’t know what he saw there. So Bobby is not aware that Sam and Dean were in his dream/head. Sam asks how Jeremy was able to get into Bobby’s head. Bobby answers that before he realized that Jeremy killed the doc, Jeremy offered him a beer and he drank it. Uh oh. Bobby adds that it was the dumbest thing. Dean sheepishly says that it wasn’t that dumb. Sam angrily says that now Jeremy can come after either one of them (Bobby or Dean). Dean says not if they find him first. Bobby adds that they can’t fall asleep.

Impala, two days later, Dean looks like he hasn’t slept in days – ha. He’s tense and jumpy and angry and rattled. Sam softly asks if he should take the wheel. Dean bites his head off. Dean’s cell rings. It’s Bobby. He’s got nothing. Dean loses it. Bobby tells him to calm down and Dean apologizes. Bella is behind Bobby trying to contact the spirits but they are not in a chatty mood. Dean yells that he’s going to go blow his brains out and hangs up. Bobby is pretty calm for someone who hasn’t slept in two days. He asks Bella why she’s helping them. Bella replies that she’s surprised that Bobby doesn’t remember. Bobby looks confused. Bella says Flagstaff. Bobby still looks confused.

Dean pulls the car over and stops. He says that he’s taking a long overdue nap. Sam notes that Jeremy will come after him. Dean says that that’s the idea. If they can’t find him, let him find them. Sam reminds Dean that Jeremy will be on his own turf. Dean claims he can handle it. Sam says he can’t handle it alone and pulls some hair off Dean’s head. Hee. Dean doesn’t want Sam digging around in his head. Sam says it’s too bad. Are those two brothers? They really act like brothers.

Dean and Sam are asleep in the Impala. Sam wakes up and smacks Dean awake. They get out to investigate. Pretty music starts playing. In a clearing, Lisa (The Kids are Alright) has a picnic laid out. She asks Dean to join her. She says that they only have an hour till they have to pick Ben up from baseball. Dean looks at Sam. He says he’s never had this dream before. I don't know that I believe him. Lisa tells Dean she loves him. Aww. Lisa suddenly disappears.

Sam spots Jeremy. They chase him into the woods. Dean comes to a very long corridor. He walks down the corridor and goes through a door. Inside is a man sitting at a desk turning the desk light on and off. He turns around. It’s Dean. Dream-Dean says they need to talk.

Dean smiles knowingly. He guesses that he’s his own worst nightmare. He cracks a couple of jokes. Dream-Dean counters that Dean can joke all he wants but he can’t lie to him. He says that he knows that Dean is dead inside and feels worthless; he knows that Dean looks in the mirror and hates what he sees. Dean smiles. He says that it’s not going to work because dream-him is not real. Dean says that all he needs to do is snap his fingers and dream-Dean will disappear. He snaps his fingers a few times as dream-Dean looks on. Dream-Dean is now holding a shot gun. He repeats that they need to talk as the door is locked shut.

In the Impala, Sam jerks awake. He looks over at his sleeping brother. He tries to wake him up. It’s actually Jeremy. Jeremy hits him with the bat and Sam tumbles out of the car. He’s lying on the grass and Jeremy comes up to him. Sam calls Jeremy a psycho and mentions Dr. Gregg. Jeremy explains that the doc is the one that got him hooked on the dream root and then took it away. Jeremy says that he needs it. He can dream again. He says that being unable to dream is like being awake for 15 years. Jeremy says that he just wants to be able to dream. Sam says that he can’t do that. Jeremy replies it’s the wrong answer and Sam finds himself tied to stakes in the ground. Jeremy says that he’s getting stronger all the time and Sam and Dean aren’t ever waking up.

 

Back in the room, dream-Dean says that Dean’s going to Hell and he won’t do anything to prevent it. Dream-Dean taunts Dean. He says that Dean’s got low self-esteem and he’s got nothing outside of Sam. Dean is trying to wake himself up. Dream-Dean says that Dean is mindless and obedient as an attack dog. Dean says that’s not true. Dream-Dean asks what Dean wants, what he dreams about. He says the Impala, Dean’s favorite leather jacket and music are all John’s. Dream-Dean says that all there is Sammy. He says that Dean can still hear John’s voice in his head. “Look out for your baby brother, boy”. Dream-Dean says that John only trained and bossed Dean around; but he doted on Sam, he loved Sam. That’s just so sad (and true). Dean warns him that he’s getting angry. Dream-Dean says that his own father didn’t care if he lived or died; why should Dean care. Dean pushes Dream-Dean into the wall. Dean screams that his father was an obsessed bastard. He continues to hit dream-Dean. He yells that John was the one who couldn’t protect his family; who let his (Dean’s) mother die and who wasn’t there for Sam while he always was. He yells that he didn’t deserve what John put on him and he doesn’t deserve to go to hell. He shoots dream-Dean.

 

Dean approaches dream-Dean. Dream-Dean looks dead. Suddenly dream-Dean opens his eyes – they’re demon eyes. He says that Dean can’t escape him. He will die and this is what he’ll become.

In the meantime, as Jeremy hits Sam with the bat, he says that Sam can’t stop him. Sam asks if it’s because of the dream root. Jeremy says yes. Sam says that he took the dream root too. Jeremy’s dad comes up behind them. He’s yelling for Jeremy. Jeremy just stares at his dad. Sam punches Jeremy. Jeremy wakes up. Sam and Dean wake up in the Impala.

Bobby asks Sam if he did a little dream weaving of his own in Dean’s head. Sam replies that he concentrated and it happened. Bobby asks if it had anything to do with Sam’s psychic abilities. Sam’s says that he doesn’t think so.

They walk into the room. Dean asks if they’ve seen Bella. Sam thinks she probably took off. Dean thinks that’s weird. Bobby notes that what’s weird is that she helped them at all. Dean reminds Bobby that he (Bobby) saved Bella’s life in Flagstaff. Bobby says that in Flagstaff he gave her a good deal on an amulet. Uh oh. They all look confused. Bobby suggests they check their pockets. When Sam and Dean do just that he says not literally. Dean runs to the hotel room safe. The Colt is gone. Dean tells Sam to pack up. They’re going to hunt the bitch down.

 

As they’re packing the car, Dean asks what Sam saw when he was in his head. Sam replies that Jeremy kept him busy. He asks what Dean saw. Dean says that he was looking for Sam the whole time. Once in the car, Dean tells Sam that he’s been doing some thinking and... He doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t want to go to hell. Sam replies that they’ll find a way. Demon dream-Dean reminds Dean that he can’t escape him. This is what he’ll become!
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