Review of Episode 8×09: Citizen Fang
by castiello

Overall: Holy $#!$%^. That was intense. I was very nervous watching the whole thing. I never knew what was going to happen…and lots of bad stuff did. It was a powerful episode in many ways, but not an enjoyable one.

Dean: I second his opinion of Martin’s return to hunting: How was that a good idea in any way, shape or form? The dude was a total basket case, but more on that when I get to his section. For Dean’s part, he continued to give Benny the benefit of the doubt – so far, Benny has not betrayed his trust. We haven’t seen anything but glimpses of their time in Purgatory, so it’s hard to know everything these two went through together, but it must have been some serious crap for Dean to take Benny’s word that there was another vamp in town. And yet, it was true – Benny was innocent. His only crime, it seems, was not slaying the other vamp at first meeting.

Dean’s only crime, in this episode, was using Amelia to lure Sam away from the hunt. It was a low, sneaky blow. The only reason I can forgive it is that Sam and Martin left Dean bloody, knocked out cold and chained to a radiator. If someone was about to kill my friend, I’d probably resort to sneaky, less-than-honest means, too. And, as horrible of a thing as it was to do to Sam, I did hear a touch of brotherly affection in Dean’s voice when he asked Sam, “Did you see her?” I think in some slightly twisted way, Dean thought it would be good for Sam to see Amelia again. Almost like doing him a favor.

As far as the end of the ep, I assumed Dean allowed Benny to leave after Benny killed Martin, but I’m not sure. Sam asked, “Is it done?” Dean said, “Yes.” If “it” meant killing Benny, then why would Dean be trying to justify Benny’s behavior to Sam? Wouldn’t Dean just say, “Benny ended up killing Martin, so I took him out.” And Sam would say, “I know that must have hurt like hell, but you did the right thing.” Thus, I assume Benny is still alive and Dean is still protecting him, hence Sam’s furious reaction. But we never did see exactly what happened, did we?

Sam: I’m sorry, but it does feel like a personal grudge, sending a hunter specifically to keep tabs on Benny. Sam is jealous of Dean and Benny’s relationship, and looking for an excuse to take Benny out. Sam wanted Benny to screw up. Otherwise, why not send a hunter to track down that werewolf girl they let go? She could just as easily have a “slip-up,” too. But whatever Sam’s true motives for keeping tabs on Benny, at least both boys seemed to handle it rationally at first. Dean was a little upset, but agreed to go investigate. Sam, in return, gave Dean a few hours to get Benny’s side of the story. So far, so good. Only one problem in the equation: Martin.

The choice to put a tail on Benny was questionable, but to put Martin of all people on Benny was a recipe for epic disaster…My thoughts on this matter perfectly mirrored Dean’s: Sammy, what were you thinking? However, Sam had talked to Martin since Martin’s release. Maybe Sam had good reasons to believe that Martin was okay and up to the task of hunting. I can get on board with that. But as soon as Martin knocked Dean senseless, that should have been a clue that all was not well in Funky Town (aka, Martin’s brain). Understandably, Sam decided to take the lead at that point. Unfortunately, we’ll never know whether Sam would have fully investigated and found the other vamp, or simply killed Benny and left it at that. Because “Amelia” texted and Sam dropped everything – including Martin (?????) – to run to her side.

That is the one thing I thought Sam really wouldn’t do: just leave Martin out in the woods by himself with one, possibly two, bloodthirsty vampires on the loose. Just left him in the lurch, no explanation, no car, no backup. That, I felt, was writer manipulation to get the characters separated, in order for the final events of the episode to occur. Realistically speaking, Sam would have shouted to Martin, “Hey, my friend’s in trouble – get in the car, quick!” Sam would not leave this fragile, just-released-from-a-mental ward guy alone in vampire territory (it looked like Benny had left the area, but that doesn’t mean he actually had).

So, leaving Dean chained up “for his own good”? Sam might do this, especially considering Dean’s done it to Sam before. Going after Benny despite Dean’s assurances that Benny deserved to live? Yeah, Sam might do this, too – in his eyes, it’s the situation with Amy, just reversed. But leaving Martin alone out there? No way. That just isn’t Sam, and I can’t blame him for something he would never do.

Martin: Hmmmm. It’s hard to know what to say, here. I loved him in “Sam, Interrupted” – this gentle, shaky man who had been on one hunt too many. I could only imagine what horrors had landed him in an institution. He was sweet with Sam and Dean, and I hoped we would see him again. Only, when he came back to the show in this episode, he was like a different person. He seemed crazier than he was in the mental hospital. He bashed Dean in the head, and talked about taking the boys “out back” and physically punishing them, like when they were kids. Yikes. And then, at the end – pushing the situation with Benny to that point…It was hard to watch. So unnecessary. So very much like “Metamorphosis.” My heart broke a little, just like it did back then. I don’t blame Benny. He did what he had to do. I just wish he’d never been put in that position in the first place.

Benny: In this episode, they showed him fighting against his instincts: he was hungry at the sight of Dean’s blood, and Lizzie’s, but pushed down the impulse to feed both times. I believe he would have continued to do this, had Martin not forced his hand. Taking an innocent girl hostage? Cutting her open? That is something not even Gordon would have done – not back when he was human, anyway. I forgive Benny for killing Martin, because I see it as self defense – not to mention defense of another person. I forgive Dean for letting Benny go (if that is, in fact, what happened). And I can completely understand Sam not forgiving either of them. Sad situation, all around.

Don/Amelia: I had just gotten aboard the “Amelia and Don aren’t real” train over at SFO, so it was kind of disappointing to have that derailed so fast. However, it was nice to finally meet Don. I liked him. He was straightforward. Sort of Dean-ish, in a way. Don wanted Amelia to make the decision for herself. Sam seemed to agree…but then he made the decision for her by choosing to leave. We still don’t know the whole story, though – because Sam didn’t leave that day. He left at night. Did something else happen in between there? Also should mention: it was cool to see Amelia in real time for once. Finally, her story – and Sam’s – is pushing forward into the future. Could not be happier about that. 🙂

Final Thoughts: A strong episode that really twisted the emotions. It reminded me of “Metamorphosis” a lot, but didn’t quite have the full power of that episode, because in that ep, the situation – Is it in this guy’s nature to go bad? – was so closely tied to Sam’s own demonic power storyline. Nonetheless, “Citizen Fang” was a heartbreaker, and definitely one worth watching. I came out of this episode with no real blame for any of the characters involved – except Martin – and hoping, as always, for reconciliation between my two favorite brothers.

Review of Episode 8×08: Hunteri Heroici
by castiello

Overall: A nice, light episode. Lots of laughs, which is usually the case when Cass tries to do anything requiring normal human interaction. We also got to see some closure on Sam’s storyline, plus some forward momentum on Cass’ new arc. All three leading men got plenty of screen time (making for a well-balanced episode), plus the case felt fresh and original, so all in all I was a happy fan.

Sam: So, we finally have the answer to why he and Amelia broke up. Her husband, Don, who had reportedly been killed in action in Afghanistan, was apparently not as dead as everyone thought. How awkward. Now I look back on the scene of Sam leaving in the night and feel pity for Sam. What a way for things to end. Then again, the door’s not completely slammed and locked when it comes to Sam and Amelia’s relationship – she could always choose to leave her husband. He could leave her. Don enlisted without even telling his wife beforehand, so you can’t tell me there weren’t marital problems.

Anyway, I’m just glad Dean – and his earthly arrival – weren’t the reason for the split. When Sam was talking about how the thing you’re running from will one day catch up with you and destroy your life, I was horrified. I was like, “No! Don’t say that! You weren’t running from Dean!” But I guess Don was the thing that “caught up” with Sam and Amelia and took away the life they had together. Not exactly a nice way of looking at it – usually someone not being dead is a good thing. But Sam’s the one who got left out in the cold, so it was (understandably) a negative thing for him.

I felt bad for Sam, having to deal with Amelia’s dad. The guy was uncomfortably rude to Sam for most of their interactions. I guess the dude was supposed to be a “protective dad” type, but I don’t know. The way I see it, you can be that way without being openly insulting to someone you’ve just met. I did like when the guy finally made an effort with Sam. And seeing Sam laugh like that was a beautiful thing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him laugh like that before. So in the end, Amelia’s dad turned out to be okay (he even has good taste in cars.) 🙂

The one thing I’d like from Sam’s storyline now is some tie-in to the mythology. As it stands, it’s almost too domestic, too normal, to even belong on the show. There hasn’t been a hint of anything supernaturalish in any of those scenes, aside from Don’s mysterious reappearance. So, I’m hoping that there will be something soon that brings Sam’s story into the present and into the realm of the paranormal. Amelia could call and say her husband is back but he doesn’t seem quite right. He is starting to scare her and she’s decided to leave him – can Sam come pick her up? And then we dive into a new story that (ideally) relates to the season-long arc of locking up the demons forever!

Cass: This guy sucks…

…In all the most wonderful ways.

Those fabulous, deadpan deliveries are back! Dean: Let’s go hunt some wabbits. Cass: I don’t think you pronounced that correctly… ROFL. In this ep, Cass did everything from sniffing out a urinary tract infection, to imitating Columbo, to finding divine meaning in a Roadrunner cartoon. As a Cass fan, you really can’t ask for more.

He also had some serious moments with Dean and Fred. It broke my heart to hear Cass say he might kill himself if he saw what he’d done to heaven. However, I’m assuming –  based on his later conversation with Naomi – that he’s been ordered not to come back to heaven. But because he doesn’t remember his conversations with her (right???) he’s simply left with a strong urge not to go to heaven, and his brain interprets the feeling as not being able to face what he’s done. If he does remember the meetings with Naomi, then that’s an entirely different situation (and one I do not like at all). That means Cass lied to Dean and actually is voluntarily spying on the boys for Naomi, which I don’t think he would do. Cass as the bad guy doesn’t work. We already made that mistake back in season six, and I feel confident (?) the writers aren’t going to repeat it. So, it’s gotta be option A. Definitely.

I loved Castiel’s moment of peace, sitting there listening to the music with Fred (I love to see Cass happy). Lifting that anvil was pretty impressive, too. Also, note the awesome power Cass used to actually transport himself (and Sam) into someone’s mind. I did wonder what happened to Fred’s power, though – how did Cass remove it? He shifted Sam’s madness into his own mind, and I kind of wondered if he took Fred’s power out the same way. Would that mean that Cass now has major TK powers? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Dean: Wow, he was actually pretty sweet and sensitive to Cass in this one. I liked this, especially since it is not always the case. In season six, I felt like Dean was particularly callous when it came to listening to Cass’ problems and what he was going through with the angel war. Made Dean seem kind of prick-ish, which sucked because I am a Dean fan. In this episode, though, Dean sat down with Cass and tried to talk to him. It’s nice to see Dean being a good friend.

Also nice to see Dean enjoying himself – that black hole scene was fun. In fact, all of the cartoon stuff was a blast (sometimes literally). I never thought I’d see the impression of Dean’s face smashed into a frying pan, Han Solo-in-carbonite style. I bet they could auction that prop off for a lot of money. I would bid on it!

Dean got some great lines in this one, too: “What’s up, doc?” and “Best wife ever!” and let’s not forget “You were being bad everything.” Have to back him up on not letting Cass ride in the front right off the bat – you gotta earn that spot. And by the end, Cass did.

Final thoughts: I had fun. I laughed – a lot – and that’s always a good thing. Many kudos to the special effects team for knowing their limits – everything looked great, and I loved the “cartoony” feeling of it all. Having Cass present seems to take the focus off any supposed tension between the brothers, which is nice because that storyline sucks like a Hoover isn’t very good. I’m actually sad that Cass didn’t go with Sam and Dean at the end of the episode. I do wonder what Cass is going to do now, though, since he doesn’t seem to want to hunt with Sam and Dean anymore. Naomi asked Cass what he wanted to do, and he was listening to sirens in the distance, so I thought maybe healing people? It’s what he did when he had amnesia, so maybe it’s like his calling. Whatever he and Sam and Dean are doing, I’ll always show up to watch – especially if the episodes are as much fun as this one was. So until next time, in the words of Dean Winchester,

“That’s all folks!”

Review of Episode 8×07: A Little Slice of Kevin
by castiello

Overall: Top Ten Signs That You Just Watched a Kick-@$$ Episode of Supernatural:

10.) Exploding Prophet

9.) Sam speaks Latin

8.) Dean opens up about what’s bothering him

7.) Cass busts out his wings

6.) A sign in the background reads: “Caution: Sharp Edges. Keep Fingers Clear.”

5.) Kevin checks out a witch’s butt

4.) Tiger Mommy is back

3.) Cass is back, too!

2.) The brothers act like brothers who actually care about each other

And the number one Sign You Just Watched a Kick-@$$ Episode of Supernatural:

Holy Water Super-Soaker.

‘Nuff said.

Dean: He was actually honest about seeing Cass on the road and in the window. Dean opened up to Sam and told him what was going on. How impressive is that? We finally got to see how Cass got left behind – in Dean’s version of events, Cass gave up and let go, and Dean was already inside the closing portal, unable to go back for his friend. Seems Dean’s been torturing himself over whether there was any opportunity to reach back through and grab Cass a second time before the portal closed for good. Dean thought he failed Cass by not holding on tighter or finding a way to reach back through. Dean also felt like Cass gave up without a fight.

The moment when Cass revealed the true sequence of events was the absolute highlight of the episode for me. The conversation between Cass and Dean, seeing that weight of guilt and self-doubt floating up off of Dean’s shoulders, almost moved me to tears. It was that beautiful. I could easily believe how differently Dean had interpreted things – it was probably roaring-loud inside the portal, difficult to see, and Dean is already pre-programmed to blame himself for basically everything, so it made sense how he could see not being able to hold onto Cass as a personal failure. I’m so glad this was not the case.

Frankly, I’m also ridiculously glad to have some scenes that make me remember why I fell so hard for this show in the first place. Having that moment between Dean and Cass, and some earlier “brother moments” between Sam and Dean, it just reminded me how rare these scenes have become. We used to get something like this virtually every episode.

Sam: Very little evidence of the previous episode’s fight, which is a good thing – the sooner they drop that “You didn’t look for me!”/“I met a girl!” storyline, the better. Here, Sam and Dean seemed a bit subdued in the beginning, like the calm after the storm, quietly saying “hey” to one another and getting on with business. But there was no coldness between them, no evidence of lingering hostile feelings. Sam, in fact, was remarkably attentive to and compassionate towards Dean. In other words, Sam was Sam. He noticed something was bothering Dean and asked about it. He listened kindly to what Dean was going through, and offered words of support, plus a brotherly shoulder-pat. When Dean spoke about Purgatory, you could see in Sam’s face the beginnings of true understanding – and possibly a little bit of guilt at knowing what his brother went through.

Seeing Sam in his natural, compassionate state only emphasizes how out-of-character it would be for him not to look for Dean. Sam is a loving, sensitive, devoted brother, and his fans deserve a moment like the one we got for Dean in this episode: a moment when all is revealed, and nothing is as bad as we were led to believe. Dean really did do everything possible to get Cass out, and Sam really did do everything possible to find his bro.

Other Sammy goodness: Cute trick with the phone, muttering an exorcism to see if the demon reacted. First the reverse exorcism, and now this. Sam always has the coolest ideas. His delight at Cass’ return was also wonderful to see – these two have had some really nice moments, particularly in the past two seasons, and I think their bond has grown tremendously. At times Sam has had faith in Cass when even Dean didn’t.

Cass: HE’S BACK! He showed his wings! He helped Dean let go of some guilt and kicked demon butt (Crowley butt, no less!) and did an entire body (clothing included) shave/cleanse in about five seconds. To say that I love Cass is a drastic understatement.

He seems to be re-marbled, too. Right before Purgatory, he was kind of crazy – an utterly adorable kind of crazy, but still crazy. Now his screws seem tighter (not too tight) and he seems more like who he was before taking on Sam’s madness. I guess all the constant killing in Purgatory wiped away his notions of a peaceful, bee-keeping existence. Wanting to stay in Purgatory to atone for his sins was so very Cass-like. His line: “I wasn’t weak – I was stronger than you” gave me a big old throat-lump. He called Dean his friend, and all the history just flooded between them. This fan was happily swept away.

Crowley: A pleasure, as always. His reactions to the batch of future prophets were priceless. Just the expression on his face when that lady started “reading” the tablet: “We hold these truths to be self-evident…” ROFL!

Also, we learned some interesting things about prophets – how there is only one at a time, and how all angels know the names of those who’ve been born – and the fact that there are numerous tablets, possibly one for locking away all dark creatures, and possibly one for angels as well. Oh no, suddenly I just got real worried for Cass… **shakes thought away**

And speaking of angels:

Naomi: Who the heck is she? What does she want? It’s obviously not anything good if she’s using Cass against his will and wiping his memory afterwards. She is spying on Sam and Dean, which means she’s probably keen on getting insight into the tablets. For what purpose I don’t know, but Cass is the only member of his “species” that I trust. I liked the moment when Naomi took him – it was so jarring, I thought something was wrong with my TV. A great bit of writing/editing that put me right in Castiel’s shoes, how he felt when she just yanked him away from Sam and Dean.

So, we now know how Cass got out of Purgatory (a bunch of angels busted him out on Naomi’s orders) and why he doesn’t remember it. We just don’t know what the agenda is.

I have to say, I’m glad the angels have a part in the storyline this season. Ever since they were introduced in season four, they’ve given the show a certain weight – a certain power – that it never quite had before they came aboard. Angels elevated the mythology. And when they’re not involved, or only minimally involved, the show feels weaker. So, bring on those winged warriors and their sneaky, dirty, sometimes-as-bad-as-the-devil-himself plans. I’ll be loving every minute of it.

Kevin: At least he was smart enough to know the witch was a bad idea. Still too much of a teenager not to ogle the girl, though. 🙂 I don’t blame the poor kid for spilling info after having his own finger sliced off (hope Cass really can fix it) and watching Crowley pop another prophet like a water balloon. I actually don’t think Kevin told the King anything too damaging – just piqued his interest, which is never a good thing. I’m glad Cass and Dean and Sam got there in time, and we only lost a little slice of Kevin.

Tiger Mommy: After the initial trauma of being possessed, she’s back to her old ferocious self and I could not be happier. She douses her own son with holy water every time he walks in the door. She blasted a demon with a Holy Water Super-Soaker and took him hostage in the trunk of her car. And she explained her decision to contact the witch by stating the obvious: “To make demon bombs!” Duh! Factor in her reactions to Kevin’s witch-ogling and an uncomfortable misunderstanding about some of Craigslist’s “services,” and this Momma was in top form. Love her.

Final thoughts: This was one of the best episodes of Supernatural in a long time. This is the kind of episode that makes me want to plant a big, wet smooch on the show’s cheek. This is the kind of episode that makes me want to bust out my old DVDs and watch them again (something I haven’t done in so long). This is what I want to see every week – not just once in a cerulean blue moon. This is Supernatural.

Review of Episode 8×06: Southern Comfort
by castiello

Overall: Honestly, it’s hard to know what to say about this one. There was so much in it that I loved: the main storyline, the performances, heck, even the dead soldier (he looked great!). I loved how this episode dealt with Bobby’s memory, and I loved the flashback showing how the old penny changed (<-unintentional pun) hands. There was just one piece that didn’t fit – one element that ruined an otherwise excellent episode, and it’s the same thing I (and numerous other fans) have been complaining about all along:

After weeks of holding out hope that there was something more to the story, that the writers wouldn’t treat a beloved character so badly, that surely, any episode now, we would see the one flashback we’ve all been waiting for: Sam, scouring the Internet for clues to Dean’s whereabouts, calling up random people in Bobby’s journal who might be able to supply a lead…after all that, it looks like the show is going with the version it gave way back in 8×01. AKA, the ludicrous, completely unbelievable version: Sam really, truly did not look for Dean.

My response: ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?

**sigh**

Dean: I thought he was pretty straightforward in answering Sam’s questions about Benny. I could understand Dean being annoyed when Garth kept saying all those Bobby quotes (and even wore one of Bobby’s hats!), but Garth did not deserve Dean’s too-harsh, emotionally-charged reactions. I felt for poor Garth when Dean finally pushed him to tears. He was absolutely right that Bobby belonged not just to Sam and Dean, but to an entire community of hunters, who relied on him for everything from Wendigo advice to FBI credentials. That was something Dean needed to hear, and Garth (in all his Bobby-ishness) was the perfect person to knock Dean back into line. The ending, with Garth saying “idjit” and “balls” in proper Bobby fashion, and Dean placing the hat on Garth’s head, was a perfect conclusion to this little storyline between the two of them.

As far as the “main” storyline, it made perfect sense that the spectre was attracted to Dean: the soldier’s feud was with his own brother, and Dean has brother issues to the moon and back. I didn’t really have too much of a problem with what possessed!Dean said, except for the parts where he blamed Sam for soulless-Sam’s actions. I don’t know why he’d still be holding a grudge after he found out it wasn’t really Sam who did those things. I guess grudges don’t necessarily have to make logical sense all of the time. Dean spent a year thinking Sam was dead (and yes, Dean did try to bring Sam back during that time), settled into a life with Lisa, and then had everything ripped away when Sam popped back in to say “hey,” so I guess that would be a hard series of events to get over. Still, not Sam’s fault.

Of course, it was difficult to hear Dean say, “Benny’s been more of a brother to me than you’ve ever been” – a line no doubt designed to provoke outcry from the fans – but knowing all that these brothers have been through together, the sentiment just doesn’t ring true. This whole storyline of “Sam didn’t look for Dean. Now, Dean is back and he’s pissed. Cue: Brother VS. Brother” – has the same contrived feeling that much of season four did. Back then, I felt like the writers were forcing the characters in an unnatural direction, rather than letting Sam and Dean lead the way, and that was the first time I ever distanced myself from the show. The performances in that season were excellent. Even the episodes, on an individual basis, were pretty darn awesome. But the growing rift between the brothers, leading to an eventual knock-down-drag-out-Sam-half-choking-Dean fight, just didn’t quite have the level of emotional believability that had made the show one of my favorites. I remember watching the fallout between the bros and thinking, “I don’t completely buy it.” At least I was close to buying it, though. It was almost purchasable. What the writers seem to be selling now, with regards to Sam’s character, isn’t something I would pick up out of a “FREE” bin at a garage sale – but more on that when we get to Sam.

As for Dean, I think we were all wishing that he would overpower the spectre and save Sam himself, without Garth having to intervene, but it wasn’t to be. The spectre was too strong, or Dean has too many issues. Assuming all of those things he mentioned are things he still holds grudges about, then Dean does, indeed, need to “own up to his crap” and sort things out, just to avoid another dangerous incident like this in the future.

Sam: His anger over Benny – understandable. Comparing Benny to Amy – also understandable. Saying he might just be the hunter to chop Benny’s head off – a little on the cold side, but he was mad. The very notion that he would do jack squat to find his missing brother – not remotely plausible.

The writers have done this character (and his fans) such a disservice with this storyline. In 8×06, Sam said to Dean, “I told you why I didn’t look for you.” Actually, Sam, you didn’t: you said you panicked after Dean disappeared (okay), drove away (okay), hit a dog (not okay, but it happens), and then…settled in at a motel with the dog, eventually accepted that Dean was truly and forever gone (based on no evidence that we’ve heard so far), and proceeded to enter into a relationship with a girl named Amelia (?????). I’ve already repeatedly stated that this in no way fits Sam’s character, so I’m not going to say it again. Instead, for the very first time ever, I will be rewriting canon:

From now on, in my head, Sam spent his time at the motel doing research while he watched over the recovering dog. He called Joshua and a bunch of other people, and they did their own research. Eventually, one by one, all of the contacts called him back with the same conclusion – the powerful God weapon that destroyed Dick, also destroyed Dean and Cass. Their earthly bodies had been incinerated away to nothing by the blast, and there would be no bringing them back. Ever. Sam cried as the overwhelming evidence began to sink in. The dog limped over and licked his hand. Sam made the decision to give up hunting, and tried to figure out what to do next. He got a job as a repair man, and crossed paths with Amelia again. Their losses gave them a common bond, and they hooked up.

This way, when Sam tells her that his whole world shattered at the loss of Dean, I can believe him. He tried, he failed, he had to move on. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

Garth: This actor did such a great job in the episode. I wasn’t a huge Garth fan before this, but I am now. His emotion when talking about Bobby, his sensitivity when speaking to possessed!Dean (“You don’t want to hurt Sam…You’ve been protecting him your whole life – don’t stop now.”) were just so right on the mark. He was far and away the best thing about the episode, and I look forward to seeing him (and hearing him say “Balls!”) again in future episodes. The decision to give this actor some serious, emotional material to chew on was excellent. Five stars and a round of applause.

Amelia: I still like her – she was fine in this one. (It’s not her fault Sam got a stupid storyline). I even thought she was pretty funny, with the line “Now I pity you.” I’d still like to know about whatever break-up/parting-of-ways thing happened between her and Sam. I’m sure they’ll show it eventually, unlike the Sam-looking-for-Dean flashback, which now seems like a long-shot. My only issue with Amelia’s story in this ep was her husband enlisting out of the blue without telling her. Who does that? Is there something more to that story, something possibly related to the current story? I’d like to think so, but I don’t have a ton of confidence right now.

Looking ahead: I hope the writers surprise me and make me eat my words with regards to Sam’s storyline. I would grin like a fool. I’m still excited about Benny, and the possibility for future run-ins with the brothers. After the last ep, Benny was awfully sympathetic. Methinks he has probably either done something bad that Dean doesn’t know about, or is about to. I’m looking forward to learning more about what happened to Cass, and I’m eager to have the Sam storyline either corrected, or left in the dust. Amelia is welcome to come join the current timeline and stir things up a bit (the actress is probably sick of shooting flashbacks by now) and Garth is MORE than welcome to come back anytime, every time, and talk some sense into our two favorite idjits.