Season Eight Episode Nineteen “Taxi Driver” TV REVIEW

Episode 8.19
Writers: Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner
Director: Guy Norman Bee

THE ONE WHERE Sam has t🥂o bust an innocent out of hell to pass the second trial.

VERDICT Bobby! Over the years we’ve had our fair share of moans about how spoiler-packed Supernatural ’s opening re-caps and “guest starring” credits cast list can be, but props to whoever kept 𝓡any whiff of Bobby away ༒from both of these because his return came as a genuine surprise to me. A thrilling one at that.

It’s got its problems (more on those later) but “Taxi Driver” packs so much into 42 minutes you can’t help but be swept along. From Kevin’s graphic opening hallucination to the brothers’ confrontation with the king of hell in the 100 mile wilderness🍷, it’s a breathless episode.

With just four episodes left the arc plot is the order of the week, and all the major players are on the field (minus Cas). Predictably Crowley is the man of the match, cutting down minions left, right and centre with his acid tongue. Jim Beaver’s return performance as Bobby is admirably restrained. He's a tired, but not quite broken man and he tones down Bobby’s caustic manner accordingly. Kevin puts in an enjoyably kooky turn as the genuinely broken prophet too… heck, everyone is superb. We challenge anyone who’s watched Supernatural for this long to make it to the end without misty eyes making an appearance, particularly after a trio of heartbreaking man-hugs (Sam/Bobby, Dean/Benn🤪y, Sam/Dean).

There are also two significant character deaths this week. Well, maybe. This is Supernatural after all, but as far as we’re aware Benny and Kevin’s mum are toast. Both are gutting in different ways. Benny’s because Sam sees he finally been doing right 🌠by Dean all along (*sniff*) thanks tౠo his noble sacrifice, and Kevin’s mum’s because of the heartbreaking way he finds out. It's clear the loose ends from the first half of the season are being tied up in the home stretch.

It’s an episode that’s full of niggling plot holes and problems though. For starters, cramming so much in is all well and good, but it feels WAY too rushed. In year’s past a storyline which involved Sam infiltrating hell might have been given time to breathe over two episod𝓀es – not anymore.

Speaking of hell, is that it? There are two delightfully grisly victims that stick in the memory (see above), but one kinda grimy corridor? Every glimpse of hell we’ve had so far has been unfathomably large, how come Sam was able to find Bobby so easily? And getting into hell seemed far too easy in the first place. If Crossroads Demons know a way into hell (ဣvia purgatory) how come Crowley didn’t use the same door before he spent all that time torturing monsters in season six?

But despite a♛ll these problems I enjoyed this episode immensely because I can overlook the odd plot hole/inconsistency when it resonates emotionally, and “Taxi Driver” did that throughout. Bobby doesn’t have a scratch on him after a year in hell🐻? And his cage is unlocked? Seems unlikely, but who cares! My heart was too busy doing backflips.

SPECULATION It’s more than likely that Crowley does have Kevin, but even ifဣ Crowley knew where he was, isn't the ship warded against him entering? And if Naomi knows where Kevin is (the boat isn't warded against angels after all) why didn't she come to his rescue? My longshot theory: Crowley was Naomi in disguise. Or ꦑCrowley is an angel.

DID YOU SPOT? The crossroads where the brothers trap the crossroads demon is t🌸he same one featurꦺed in the .

DEAN WISECRACKING
Crossroads Demon: “ I can't, its a secret.”
Dean: “We promise not to tell anyone.”

SAM’S EXPRESSION OF THE WEEK

TITLE TATTTLE This episode takes its 𒈔name from the classic '76 Scorsese film. If you haven't seen it get t𓂃hyself to a DVD player forthwith!

AMERICANISM’S EXPLAINED Sam and Dean desꦐcribe Ajay as “Coyote”. A Coyote is someone who smuggles people over borders.

BEHIND THE SCENES The bumper sticker on the back of Ajay’s cab reads: “How's ܫmy driving? Call 1-555-GO2-HELL”, as co-executive producer/"The French Mistake" guest star Jim Michaels points out on Twitter.

BEST LINE
Crowley : “Patience isn’t one oᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚf my virtues. Well, I don’t have any virtues꧂, but if I did I’m certain that patience wouldn’t be one.”