History Recap / SupernaturalS02E07TheUsualSuspects

* DirtyCop[=/=]KillerCop: Detective Pete Sheridan.

* {{Flashback}}s[=/=]HowWeGotHere: While the brothers are answering questions in the interrogation rooms, the audience sees flashbacks to the actual events to get us caught up on what's happened so far (and so we know how much they're lying).

* StockEpisodeTitles: At least eleven other series have episodes with the same title, which originates from a line in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' where Renault says to "round up the usual suspects".

* YourCheatingHeart: Detective Sheridan gave Claire Becker the same specially-designed necklace he gave to Detective Ballard.

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<<|Recap/{{Supernatural}}|>>

Sam is picked up by the police as well. While talking to his lawyer, Dean realizes that the repeated phrase is not a person's name, but the name of a nearby street, Ashland. He manages to pass this information and a signal to escape to Sam in a note through their lawyer. Dean then agrees to confess and starts telling [[{{Masquerade}} the truth]] about how he believes the murders were committed by a vengeful spirit. This angers the lead detective, Peter Sheridan, but his partner, Detective Diana Ballard, has reason to believe Dean when the ghost appears to her. Dean advises Detective Ballard that if she doesn't want to die like the other victims, she needs to find Sam, and tells her how.

!Non-trope items:
* [[Fridge/SupernaturalS02E07TheUsualSuspects Fridge Items.]]
* [[Trivia/SupernaturalS02E07TheUsualSuspects Trivia Items.]]
* [[YMMV/SupernaturalS02E07TheUsualSuspects YMMV Items.]]

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* DeadpanSnarker: Dean. It's mentioned that all Detective Sheridan can get out of him during the interrogation are "smart-ass remarks".

** When Detective Ballard asks Dean about ghosts, he refers her to ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysteries_of_the_Unknown Mysteries of the Unknown]]''.

* HeyItsThatGuy:
** Keegan Connor Tracy, who plays Karen Giles, also plays the Blue Fairy and Mother Superior in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' and Jeanne in ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]''.
** Jason Gedrick, who plays Detective Pete Sheridan, also plays George Novikov in ''Series/{{Dexter}}''.
** Linda Blair, who plays Detective Diana Ballard, also portrays Regan [=MacNeil=] in ''Film/TheExorcist''.

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: ''Film/TheUsualSuspects'', a [[FilmNoir neo-noir]] film directed by Creator/BryanSinger.

* ActorAllusion: Linda Blair plays Detective Diana Ballard, and there is an exchange between the brothers at the end of the episode recalling her infamous vomiting scene from ''Film/TheExorcist''.
-->'''Dean:''' [[HeyItsThatGuy Does she look familiar to you]]?
-->'''Sam:''' No, why?
-->'''Dean:''' I don't know. Are you hungry? For some reason I could really go for some pea soup.
** Jason Gedrick was on the other side of the table in ''MurderOne''.

* DeadpanSnarker: Dean.

* FakingTheDead: The police suspect Dean of faking his own death because the shapeshifter died in the form of Dean in [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E06Skin "Skin" (S01, Ep6)]].

* GoingByTheMatchbook: The police find the brothers' motel because of a branded matchbook cover in Dean's pocket.

** Sam had printed out color photos of every girl who died or was arrested on Ashland Street, even though he had no idea he would be talking with someone who had seen the ghost.

** Dean addresses his note to "Hilt" and signs it "[=McQueen=]". Captain Hilts, the main character in ''Film/TheGreatEscape'', is played by Creator/SteveMcQueen.

For this episode = 2 humans. The ghost's fate is uncertain, as we don't see her burst into flame.

Dean and Sam investigate the suspicious death of a lawyer Tony Giles who was found with a slit throat in Baltimore, Maryland. The security footage failed to capture footage of an assailant, and the brothers find the phrase "DANASHULPS" written again and again at the murder scene. When Dean goes to the victim's home, he finds the lawyer's wife, Karen Giles, dead with rope bruises around her wrists and the same phrase repeated again and again on sheets of paper in the room where she died. The police arrive as Dean is examining the body, and he is arrested for her murder.

Sam is picked up by the police as well. While talking to his lawyer, Dean realizes that the repeated phrase is not a person's name, but the name of a nearby street Ashland. He manages to pass this information and a signal to escape to Sam in a note through their lawyer. Dean then agrees to confess and starts telling [[{{Masquerade}} the truth]] about how he believes the murders were committed by a vengeful spirit. This angers the lead detective, Peter Sheridan, but his partner Detective Diana Ballard has reason to believe Dean when the ghost appears to her. Dean advises Detective Ballard that if she does not want to die like the other victims, she needs to find Sam.

Detective Ballard finds Sam, and is able to identify the ghost as [[Characters/SupernaturalGhosts Claire Becker]], a young woman with two arrests for dealing heroin. Detective Becker and Sam search the building where Claire disappeared, and find her body. Around Claire's neck is a specially designed necklace, which is identical to one that Detective Sheridan also gave to his partner and lover, Detective Ballard.

* AbsenceOfEvidence: One of the concerns Detective Ballard has about convicting Dean is the absence of the murder weapon.

* TheBookCipher: If split up, the brothers check into the first motel listed in the yellow pages. Detective Ballard finds Sam at The Aardvark Motel.

** Despite having no way of knowing they would be taken into custody, the brothers were able to give the same cover story.

** Sam had printed out color photos of every girl who died on Ashland Street, even though he had no idea he would be talking with someone who had seen the ghost.

* GoingByTheMatchbook: The police find Sam's motel because of a branded matchbook cover in Dean's pocket.

* HollywoodHacking: Sam says he should be able to crack Tony Giles' password in 30 minutes.

* JustBetweenYouAndMe: Detective Sheridan has to explain himself instead of [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just shooting]].
* PortentOfDoom: Claire Becker is a Death Omen, who appears to people before they are murdered by the same person who murdered her. The same markings from ropes that she has also appear on the person who is going to be murdered.

** Dean addresses his note to Hilt and signs it [=McQueen=]. Captain Hilts, the main character in ''Film/TheGreatEscape'', is played by Creator/SteveMcQueen.
** Sam and Dean refer to their lawyer as Series/{{Matlock}}.
** When Detective Ballard asks him about ghosts, he refers her to ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysteries_of_the_Unknown Mysteries of the Unknown]]''.

* TheSpeechless: Claire Becker, who is unable to speak due to her slashed throat. When she tries to speak, more blood wells out of her throat.

* StockEpisodeTitles: At least eleven other series have episodes with the same title, which originate from a line in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' where Renault says to "round up the usual suspects".

'''Season 2, Episode 7''':

For this episode = 2 humans. The ghost's fate is somewhat uncertain, as we don't see her burst into flame.

For the series so far = At least 158 humans; 11 ghosts; 5 vampires; 1 demon; 1 god; 1 rakshasa; 1 rawhead; 1 shapeshifter; 1 shtriga; 1 wendigo; and 1 zombie.

!Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV) items:

* [[YMMV/SupernaturalS02E07TheUsualSuspects Other YMMV Items.]]

-->'''Dean:''' [[HeyItsThatGuy Does she look familiar to you?]]

** Sam had printed out color photos of every girl who died on Ashland street, even though he had no idea he would be talking with someone who had seen the ghost.

-->'''Dean:''' Pee break? So soon? You might want to get your prostate checked.

* GhostlyGoals: Claire Becker's are Type A with the UnfinishedBusiness of revealing a murderer.

** Keegan Connor Tracy who plays Karen Giles, also plays the Blue Fairy and Mother Superior in ''Series/OnceUponATime'', and Jeanne in ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]''.
** Jason Gedrick who plays Detective Pete Sheridan, also plays George Novikov in ''Series/{{Dexter}}''.
** Linda Blair who plays Detective Diana Ballard, also portrays Regan [=MacNeil=] in ''Film/TheExorcist''.

* InMediasRes: The story starts with Dean being interrogated by the police, and the first part of the story is told in [[{{flashback}} flashbacks]] as the brothers answer questions.

* KillerCop / DirtyCop: Detective Pete Sheridan.

* SarcasticConfession: Dean's video taped confession for the police.

* SharedFamilyQuirks: Both of the brothers refer to their lawyer as {{Matlock}}.

** Sam says they saw the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggest_ball_of_twine second largest ball of twine in the continental US.]]
** Dean makes [[RunningGag another]] reference to Series/TheXFiles.

** Dean refers to Detective Pete Sheridan as Ponch, pointing out a resemblance to Eric Estrada in Series/{{CHiPs}}.
** Dean addresses his note to Hilt and signs it [=McQueen=]. Captain Hilts, the main character in ''Film/TheGreatEscape'', is played by SteveMcQueen.
** Sam and Dean refer to their lawyer as {{Matlock}}.
** When Detective Ballard asks him about ghosts, he refers her to ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysteries_of_the_Unknown Mysteries of the Unknown.]]''
** The brothers check in to the first motel listed in the yellow pages as [[TheRockfordFiles Jim Rockford]] when split up.

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: ''Film/TheUsualSuspects'' a [[FilmNoir neo-noir]] film directed by BryanSinger.

* StockEpisodeTitles: At least 11 other series have episodes with the same title, which originate from a line in Film/{{Casablanca}} where Renault says to "round up the usual suspects".
* TooDumbToLive: Detective Sheridan left the rare specially designed necklace he gave to Claire Becker on her body.
* YourCheatingHeart: Detective Sheridan gave Claire Becker the same specially designed necklace he gave to Detective Ballard.

* DeggansRule: Failed.

* TheBechdelTest: Failed.

For this episode = [[spoiler: 2 humans. The ghost's fate is somewhat uncertain, as we don't see her burst into flame]].

* [[spoiler: KillerCop / DirtyCop: Detective Pete Sheridan.]]

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: A most likely unintentional version, the scene where Sam says it would take "30 minutes maybe" to cracking Glies' password takes place 11 minutes into the episode. ''30 minutes before the end.''