Everybody Loves a Clown

"Everybody Loves a Clown," the second episode of Supernatural's second season, created by Erik Kripke and directed by Philip Sgriccia, offers a compelling mix of horror and humor that explores deeper themes of grief and family dynamics. This episode stands out for its unique premise involving a malevolent clown, while also addressing the emotional aftermath of John Winchester's death.

The episode opens with a chilling scene at a carnival where a young girl encounters a sinister clown. The clown's unsettling demeanor foreshadows the chaos to come, as it later attacks and kills her father. Meanwhile, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) are dealing with the emotional fallout from their father's funeral, which adds layers of complexity to their characters. The brothers are called to investigate the string of mysterious deaths linked to the clown, leading them to confront their own fears and unresolved feelings about their father's legacy.

Philip Sgriccia's direction effectively balances the horror elements with moments of levity, particularly through Dean's sarcastic humor and Sam's discomfort with clowns. The cinematography enhances the eerie atmosphere, especially during scenes in the funhouse where the clown lurks. Notable moments include Dean's reaction to being forced to drive a minivan instead of the Impala, which adds a comedic touch amidst the tension. The pacing is well-executed, allowing for both suspenseful build-up and character development.

Jensen Ackles delivers a standout performance as Dean, showcasing his protective instincts while also revealing his vulnerability as he grapples with his father's death. Jared Padalecki effectively portrays Sam's struggle to process their loss, particularly as he tries to honor John's wishes while dealing with his own grief. The chemistry between the brothers remains a highlight, adding emotional depth to their interactions as they navigate the complexities of their family dynamics.

Thematically, "Everybody Loves a Clown" explores issues of fear, loss, and the impact of parental expectations. The episode raises questions about how individuals cope with grief and how unresolved issues can manifest in unexpected ways. The clown serves as a metaphor for childhood fears that linger into adulthood, highlighting Sam's phobia and Dean's attempts to maintain a facade of strength despite his inner turmoil. Additionally, the episode touches on themes of legacy and identity as the brothers confront what it means to be hunters in light of their father's choices.

"Everybody Loves a Clown" stands out as an engaging episode within Supernatural, effectively blending horror with meaningful character exploration and thematic depth. Its exploration of grief and family dynamics resonates throughout the narrative, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences with fear and loss. By intertwining these elements with suspenseful storytelling, "Everybody Loves a Clown" enriches the series' ongoing narrative while providing both scares and laughs. The episode's balance between humor and horror ensures that it remains memorable in the minds of viewers long after its conclusion.

While grieving the death of their father John Winchester, each in his own way, Sam shows to Dean a message in John's answering machine of a woman called Ellen offering her help. They seek Ellen and arrive in the Harvelle Bar, in Medford, Wisconsin, a place where hunters like to gather themselves. Ellen introduces her daughter Jo and the former MIT student and genius Ash that asks for fifty-one hours to give a hint of the demon. While waiting for Ash, they become aware of an evil clown in the nearby Cooper Circus that is slaughtering families and they decide to investigate, meeting the Hindu creature Rakshasa that takes the human form to feed with human flesh and uses children to be invited to their homes.

In this good episode, Sam and Dean grieve the death of their father in different ways: Sam expresses his pain while Dean hides it while trying to fix his car. There are new characters – Ellen, Jo and Ash – that probably will participate in the show, and the demoniac clown is really creepy. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Todos Amam o Palhaço" ("Everybody Loves the Clown")

This week's episode took place a week after John Winchester's death. Both Winchester boys are devastated, and both are handling it in different ways. Dean tries to hide his pain, but it's obvious he isn't 'okay' as he's telling everyone.

I didn't care much for this episode because the premise just seemed kind of odd and a little cheesy. However, the acting made it watchable. This is the first time we meet Ellen, Jo, and Ash. Ash is hilarious, I have to say. And it's sad that he's not in a lot of episodes because he is just off-the-wall funny.

I think that "Everybody Likes a Clown" focused more on Dean's character than anyone else's. It's so hard to see someone go through someone's death like this. It's hard and he's not handling it.

The episode ends with Dean taking a crowbar to his car. It's a deep moment as he finally expresses himself. Did anyone else want to just hold him after he did that? *Raises Hand* Excellent performance, Jensen Ackles, excellent.

Everybody Loves a Clown is the scariest episode of the entire series. Why? Because it involve a clown.

In all seriousness, the episode is not only scary because it is about a clown, but the writing, directing, and the cinematography are spectacularly frightening, especially in that opening scene. The episode is sure to raise a lot of hairs, and I say, bravo to the show for that. The episode is simple in that respect, but it also shows Dean and Sam unable to respond to their actual feelings following the event in the Season 2 premiere that will change their lives. Ackles especially shines in this episode, and the only flaw in his performance is in the last shot of the episode, which seems a bit too controlled and unsubtle. However, other than that, this episode is one of the strongest of the season and to date, after all 5 seasons of the show, is the scariest.

One of the aspects of the second season is how the world of hunters gets fleshed out. This is why Gordon, the roadhouse, Jo/Ellen etc. are introduced. Most of this material is compelling but a few aspects of it are awkward and not fully realized. I think most of the problem that plagues the season on this front are from how they are introduced. Two are of note. First, Jo as love interest never truly works. Ackles just doesn't have that sort of chemistry with Tal. More to the point given that this was the episode right after John's death Dean was not in the place to have a love interest set-up. The script both plants the seeds of a romance while honoring the timing of Dean's arch. Eventually the writer course correct and have Jo be like a younger sister but the intro of the character no longer fits. It is both bad and superfluous as written. Second, the roadhouse as a club house of hunters ends up feeling like a forced plot device to try to give the show a standing set. The issue dates to how the clown case is just there for Sam to see. Much of the rest of the season would have been down better if the concepts were given a smoother introduction.

Apart from that, the episode by itself features a lame, lame monster. It is basically just an It ripoff and not enough is done to make the clown actually scary. Oh noes clown! *yawn*