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.

Review of Episode 8×05: “Blood Brother”
by castiello

Overall: Very solid, I liked it a lot. I know last week’s ep wasn’t great, and that almost anything would’ve been an improvement, but I think I would have enjoyed this one even without that comparison. It was evenly split between the two brothers (always a smart move), we got more info about both Benny and Amelia, a bunch of monsters got decapitated, and Dean said the word “vampirates.” How can you complain about an episode like that?

Dean: Annoyed at Kevin continually outsmarting them (understandable), and taking it out a bit on Sammy (not nice, but realistic – we all know brothers get that way with each other). Dean defends his attack on Tiger Mommy, which is disheartening – it would be better to see him admit that it was a mistake. I got the feeling he maybe knows that it was, and is just too proud to admit it. If not, then he’s got some soul-searching to do. Dean, remember when you begged Sam not to kill old Yellow Eyes, when the demon was in John’s body? That’s how Kevin felt when you were about to kill his mom…

Where friends are concerned, Dean is still every bit as loyal as he ever was, leaving immediately to go to Benny’s aid. Flashbacks to Purgatory reveal Dean’s continued insistence that Cass come with them through the portal. The “friend thing,” as Benny calls it, seems to define Dean’s actions in Purgatory, as well as on Earth, so what went wrong? Why did Cass get left behind? The not knowing is torturing me…

Nice to see that Dean and comedy are still on great terms: Vampire…Pirates… Vampirates! (“Seriously? It’s like the third thing you say.” LOL). Also thought it was quite funny when he was trying to shush Sammy on the phone, and the off-screen decapitations were a riot—thud, pause, head goes flying.

The little non-verbal communication at the end there with Sammy was probably my favorite scene. The intensity as Sam realizes (I assume via Benny’s body temperature) that Benny is a vamp and begins to reach for a blade, only to have Dean give that tiny little head-shake. Powerful stuff.

Sam: Glad he stuck up for Kevin (and Tiger Mommy)! Hope he continues to try to pound some sense into Dean on that front. I actually thought, when we first heard that knocking sound, that Kevin was going to be there, just waiting for a moment alone with Sam. I can see why Kevin doesn’t want anything to do with Dean anymore, but Sam hasn’t really done anything wrong – if Dean were out of the picture, maybe Kevin would approach Sam for help?

But, alas, the knocking was a defective fan, which segued into Sam’s series of flashbacks. Turns out he was a maintenance man while Dean was gone! Interesting. I see that as more like something Dean would do – fixing things, tinkering with nuts and bolts. I’m sure Sam has a lot of experience at this, though  – he may not know his way around cars, but his family has been staying in crappy motels since before he can remember. He and Dean probably had to repair all kinds of appliances while John was out hunting. I do like that both Sam and Dean, during their “time off,” chose to do constructive things – Dean was a construction worker, building new houses, etc, and Sam was fixing broken appliances so they would work again. It’s like both boys had had enough of killing, so they both selected jobs that would involve creation, rather than destruction.

I liked Sam’s conversation with Amelia – how they were both kind of drifting and alone. Love that he was calling the dog “dog,” and how he said, “No, Dog – don’t bother the angry lady!” That was cute. Also liked his surprise that Amelia didn’t know the name of the manager’s son – to Sam, it is just natural to make this connection with other people, whether he is staying in town for one night, or a month. My main hang-up with his flashbacks and his storyline is that I still don’t buy him not looking for Dean. The more time that goes by without any form of explanation for this, the crazier I get. But, I think that is the writers’ goal this season – to really draw it out and make us wait for the answers we’re craving. As long as it is addressed in the end–in a satisfying, believable way–then I’m cool. But if it’s not addressed…cue rioting fans, complete with torch and pitchfork accessories.

Sam’s reaction to Dean alone in the vamp nest was great – clearly, Sam never stopped loving his brother. Coupled with the flashback about being alone in the world, Sam racing to Dean’s side seemed like Sam was very much afraid of losing Dean yet again…A stark contrast to the indifferent, independent Sam that Dean returned to in season four. And yet, season four Sam had tried desperately to bring Dean back before finally giving up and going after payback. This season’s Sam, as far as we know, did no such thing. Hmmm.

Sam’s reaction to Benny was fascinating – Sam was ready to kill, but stood down at Dean’s head-shake. Dean had already told Sam he was with a friend, and Dean and Benny arrived together on the boat, which would imply that Benny was “the friend.” So, did Sam think Dean didn’t know this guy was a vamp?

Lastly: Sam says all their friends are dead. So, then, what does that make Sheriff Mills – chopped liver with a sprinkling of onions? And what about the lady who helped them in Lawrence back in season one? Has Missouri been erased from the boys’ minds? Yes, most of their friends are dead, but there are still a few people on Earth who would come running to help the Winchester Boys at the first phone call. Let’s not forget about them.

Benny: We learned so much about him in this ep! I actually like him a lot more, now. I see him as different than Ruby because her agenda was so ultra-secret. Benny made his agenda pretty clear from the first meeting with Dean: “I want to ride you out of this place.” Benny’s unhappiness about partnering with Cass was also very clear, yet Benny respected Dean’s wishes, and even helped save Castiel’s life when he had every motive not to.

Turns out Benny lived a lot like Lenore and her nest – he made the switch to donated blood (her vamps lived off of animals), which meant he lived in peace with his girl, Andrea. This is the type of vampire Sam (and maybe even Dean) would have let live, even back in the old days. That makes Dean bringing him back to Earth more reasonable. Dean did not believe Benny would hurt anyone (though there were clearly a few lingering doubts–when Benny said “I messed up” you could tell from Dean’s reaction that he thought Benny just ate someone…). Benny’s plan for vengeance against the vamps that killed him (and killed/turned his girl) was completely justified, and I was glad Dean chose to support him. I could feel Benny’s heartbreak about what had happened to Andrea, and how there was no way to change her from the monster she’d become. Rough stuff.

We got some interesting new factoids on vampires – apparently they can be injured by other vamps, to the point of needing assistance. I thought only dead man’s blood was capable of weakening a vampire that way. We also found out that vampires feel a certain reverence for the one who turned them. I don’t think we saw this when Dean got turned in season six, though maybe it only takes effect after the first feeding. I still expected Dean to mention his own experience as a vampire. Interesting that he didn’t – maybe this is something they already spoke of in Purgatory? Whether Benny knows it or not, I think one tiny part of the reason Dean was able to accept his friendship is because Dean knows what being a vampire is like. He’s been there, and he hasn’t forgotten.

Benny’s best moment in this ep, by far, was the flashback where he saved Cass. Though he had every reason to let the angel die, and could’ve easily made it look like he just couldn’t get there in time to help, Benny chose to kill the Leviathan (awesome special effects on those black, gooey fellas, btw) that was attacking Castiel. This earns Benny some major points with me (even though, as we saw with Ruby, actions are not always what they seem).

Castiel: How great is it to see this guy? Even if it’s only in brief flashbacks, I’ll take what I can get. In this ep he seemed resigned, depressed even – but he was still remaining with Dean and Benny, and there was no indication of them splitting up any time soon. By the end, even Benny seemed on board with the plan. So, how did Dean get from “All three of us are going through the portal, or we’ll die trying” to leaving his winged buddy behind? Inquiring minds want to know.

Amelia: I liked her better in this one. She seemed softer, more relatable. I’m curious to know how she ended up all alone. Her lines about Sam being creepy and army surplus-y were funny, and I thought she and Sam had good chemistry together. I can get behind Sam’s relationship with her, as long as we learn that he did try to find Dean first. That’s a must. I’d also like to know, whenever the show gets around to it, why Sam and Amelia are no longer together – some fans think Dean called Sam after re-entering the world from Purgatory, and that’s what made Sam leave her. Definitely a possibility, but there’s also a chance that it had nothing to do with Dean’s arrival. What else would prompt Sam to leave the life (and the girl) he loved so much?

Overall: Heads flew, the dog continued to be adorable, Sam found out about Benny, we found out more about Amelia and Benny, and the brothers shared some intense, emotional moments. Supernatural, it looks like you’re back on track. (Just keep the flashbacks coming, okay?)

Review of Episode 8×04: Bitten
by castiello

It’s always hard to evaluate an episode that doesn’t focus on either Sam or Dean. Supernatural is so much about these two characters and their journey, that most of the people in my family don’t even call the show by name: my dad (who has only seen a handful of episodes) refers to it as “The Two Brothers,” while my mom simply calls it “The Boys.” (“Let’s go watch ‘the boys!’”) So, when Sam and Dean are minimally featured in an episode, it’s almost like watching an entirely different show. Could be a great show, or a terrible one, all depending on the strength of the storyline and the performances. Here, I think it fell somewhere in the mediocre middle ground.

While watching “Bitten,” I found myself comparing it a lot to the episode “Ghostfacers,” mainly because of the hand-held cameras, and the general lack of brotherly goodness. I know a lot of people were disappointed with “Ghostfacers.” I myself was less than thrilled when it first aired, but mostly because we had a major storyline that year (Dean going to Hell, Sam trying to save him) – plus a writer’s strike that drastically shortened the season – and the episode “Ghostfacers” didn’t seem like a great use of one of the last four eps of the season. That said, when I watched it again a year or so later, I did have a better appreciation for it. There was a bucketful of humor in that one, plus a few genuine scares (watch it alone, in the dark, and you’ll see what I mean) and some heartfelt emotion.

“Bitten” seemed to lack many of the elements that made “Ghostfacers” work. There wasn’t much humor – just a few lukewarm one-liners about Sam and Dean’s “office romance,” and one pretty funny quip that real FBI agents would not say “awesome” that many times. (And yes, Dean, you do say it that often, but please don’t stop – it’s adorkable!) The scares were kinda lacking, too (there should have at least been a “jump” moment here or there). But I think what this episode needed, more than anything, was some emotional resonance. Supernatural has had episodes with low Sam/Dean involvement in the past – stories that were more about a different character than either of the brothers: “Ghostfacers,” “Weekend at Bobby’s,” “The Rapture,” and probably a few more I’m forgetting. The difference is that we had at least met the Ghostfacers prior to having an episode focused on them, and we already cared about both Bobby and Castiel well before either of them stepped front and center for their episodes.

In contrast, we had never met the three students in “Bitten” before. And, while it is possible to introduce new characters and have the audience quickly begin to care for them (look at Ronald in “Nightshifter,” or Molly in “Roadkill”), it’s a difficult thing to pull off, dependant on both excellent writing and some serious acting skills, and in this case, at least for me, the connection didn’t happen. I didn’t feel like we got to know any of these kids very well. The relationship between Michael and his girlfriend seemed rushed – we saw them meet and flirt, then in the next scene they were sleeping together! I know it was a documentary, and not every single moment was shown, but still…if you’re going to show them meet, then show them fall in love. Otherwise, just have the relationship already established and don’t waste time on the meeting scene.

Another quibble: As with most hand-held camera “movies,” I have a hard time believing that people would still be holding onto the camera – much less pointing it in the right direction – during some of these events. I know some of the cameras were planted/stationary, and that helped, but not enough.

There was some cool stuff about werewolves introduced in this ep. If I understand correctly, anyone within four generations of the Alpha Werewolf is considered a “pureblood” werewolf. A pureblood can change into a wolf at will, is not controlled by moon phases, and does not black out or completely lose control during the shift. That is an interesting tidbit that could be put to good use in fanfiction.

More werewolf notes: This is the only time the show has done werewolves since season two’s “Heart.” Our lycan friends were mentioned–but never shown–in season six, and personally I was kind of glad. Werewolves are my absolute favorite supernatural creatures, and, fittingly, “Heart” is one of my favorite episodes of the show. Through wonderful writing and acting, the audience made a connection with Madison right along with Sam, and when the ending inevitably came, I found myself crying right along with Sam and Dean. That was actually the first (though definitely not the last) episode that made me cry. The storyline in “Heart” so beautifully mirrored the boys’ arc for that season: Sam’s fear of turning evil, Dean’s promise to kill him if he did…

“Heart” was Supernatural at its best. “Bitten,” unfortunately, was not.

I was a little more emotionally engaged by the werewolf teacher – more experienced actor, giving a stronger performance – but he was hardly in it. I wanted to know more about his story, how he kept himself in control for so long (and what eventually made him snap) but we didn’t get that story. Instead, we got a story about three college students making a (sometimes boring) documentary. I appreciate what the writers and actors tried to do – third-wheel jealousy as a motive for extreme actions, love as a motive for protecting a murderer – but it just didn’t quite land.

As far as Sam and Dean’s limited appearances: enjoyed every single one of them! The final scene between the brothers, for me, was the real “money” scene. Sam, as usual, wants to let the girl werewolf go – she can control the change, she hasn’t hurt anyone, and she plans to survive off of animal hearts. Sam then looks to Dean, fully expecting an argument – but Dean doesn’t give one. Instead, much to Sam’s surprise (but not the audience’s), Dean agrees: “Let’s give her a chance.”

John raised his boys to hate all things supernatural, and Dean soaked up that lesson like a brand-new mop. But now, Dean has a bond – maybe even a true friendship – with a vampire, and it seems to be changing his view on monsters in general. Dean, maybe for the first time, is thinking more like Sam always has: in shades of grey. Is this the end of “Shoot first, ask questions later”? And what will Sam have to say when he learns about the reason behind Dean’s post-Purgatory change of heart?

That, I’m looking forward to. More episodes with low Sam/Dean involvement? Not so much. This episode was a semi-intriguing experiment with some cool moments, but not one I’d be particularly interested in viewing again. I’d much rather watch “The Boys.” They’re what I tune in for.

Review of Episode 8×03: Heartache
by castiello

Overall: Our first stand-alone of the season – yay! I actually liked the storyline of this one—the whole organ donor/Mayan warrior/heart-eating stuff. It fit together nicely, and I like that they mentioned the professor guy who helped with the Amazon women last year (Nice subtle flicker of emotion from Dean, at the mention of the case that involved his monster-daughter). I also liked the Betsy character in this ep—her story was touching (in a weird way) and her performance was emotional. Good stuff. There was gore and humor and one Sam flashback (I need way more of these), plus the boys talked about their futures, just like the old days. Once again, it felt like a genuine episode of Supernatural, and I think it was Jensen’s best directing job so far (he’s getting better with experience). That said, however, I do have a few bones (already salted and burned, I swear) to pick with this episode, and the season thus far.

Dean: Dean is still on a warrior high from Purgatory. He is in love with the hunt, happy to be doing it, and happy to have Sam by his side. It’s nice to see Dean this way—very reminiscent of season one. (Both boys, actually, seem to have come full circle, but more on that when we get to Sam.)

What I’m not so thrilled about is the continuing hypocrisy Dean exhibits towards his little brother—I’m still not seeing how Sam choosing a normal life with Amelia is any different than Dean choosing a normal life with Ben and Lisa. There were still monsters out there, killing people and committing all sorts of atrocities, while Dean was playing house for a year in Cicero, Indiana. Why is it acceptable for Dean to take a break, but not for Sam? I kept expecting Sam to bring this up (and defend himself a little!), but then I remembered that Dean said he’d break Sam’s nose if Sam ever mentioned Ben and Lisa again. So, I guess Sam is just respecting Dean’s wishes (and trying to keep an intact face) by not bringing Dean’s “other family” into the argument. Still, Dean could have some self-awareness. Dean shouldn’t be mad that Sam settled down – Dean should be mad that Sam (apparently) settled down without even trying to find out what happened to Dean and Castiel! That’s a legitimate issue I would have no trouble backing Dean up on, and maybe that’s what the underlying issue is – he’s just expressing it as annoyance that Sam temporarily gave up hunting (and wants to do so permanently).

Sam: Lots of interesting things going on with him in this one. The progression of his character is fascinating to track. It seems as though, like his brother, Sam is returning to familiar, “season one” territory. Sam wants to have a chance at “normal.” He wants to give up hunting and go back to school, like he wanted to do for most of his life. He is willing to do this one last mission (find Kevin and banish the demons), but then he’s done. This is so much like the first season, it’s almost identical: Sam was willing to go along with Dean to find their dad (and take care of the demon that killed Mom and Jess), but after that, he planned to be done with hunting.

After John died, of course, Sam went through some changes—partly out of guilt, he re-evaluated his life and decided maybe he did want to hunt. The brothers were so wounded and grief-stricken in season two, they relied on one another more than ever, and there wasn’t much talk about separating in the future. Then Dean sold his soul, and Sam’s main focus for the next year was saving his brother. We also saw Sam begin to harden as he braced himself for Dean’s death. By this point, Sam seemed entrenched in hunting—there were no thoughts of giving it up, just of how he would continue to hunt (and survive) without his brother. And then the worst happened: Dean died, and Sam became the cold-blooded hunter we glimpsed in Mystery Spot. The sweet, sensitive Sammy we all knew and loved was gone, replaced by a demon-blood- and power-addicted hunter whose superiority (and derogatory attitude towards his brother) were hard to watch.

Redemption came in season five, when Sam showed remorse for his behavior in season four, and the brothers (after a brief separation) worked together as a team to stop the apocalypse. In this season, Sam got a taste of “normal” in the episode Swap Meat, and declared that he wanted nothing to do with it. “That kid’s life sucked,” Sam said, indicating that he would much rather be hunting than living some boring, ordinary existence. However, Sam’s version of Heaven said otherwise: As the afterlife experience revealed, Sam’s happiest moments are the snatches of normal he got in his lifetime—Thanksgiving dinner at a girlfriend’s house, and the time he ran away and adopted a dog. There is no Dean – or John – in Sam’s Heaven. So, to me this indicates that deep down he still wanted normal, but given the circumstances – the world was ending, and Sam (whose fate was tied to Lucifer’s) likely wouldn’t survive the final battle – Sam chose to bury these feelings and embrace the life he had, since it was all he would ever live to know.

But, Sam did survive, after all. His soulless self chose to hunt solo (no surprise there – soulless Sam would have no interest in a family, normal or otherwise), and then his re-souled self chose to continue hunting with Dean. Though Sam may have been longing for normalcy again at this point, there was no real indication of it—he seemed mostly focused on redeeming himself for his soulless actions, plus helping Dean deal with an ongoing monster/angel/demon crisis. Then season seven came, with a new crisis: Leviathan. That, and Sam had mental stability issues, courtesy of the devil. Both of these things likely put normal off the table for the foreseeable future.

Now, though, the Leviathan seem to be under control. Sam’s mentally stable, and normal is—quite possibly—within reach. But not for the first time–Sam keeps saying that with Amelia, he experienced something he never had before. This bothers me because he had a life at college, with Jess, that I would consider pretty close to normal. For four years, he turned his back on hunting and studied pre-law. He had a live-in girlfriend and college buddies.

If, in last night’s ep, Sam had said, “I found something I haven’t felt since Jess,” then I would have no problem with it, but it feels like the writers are kind of ignoring that part of his history. I know for Sam it’s been a very long time since college (seven years of show, plus two year-long time-jumps, plus a couple hundred Tuesdays in the Mystery Spot (and another sixth months following the Wednesday when Dean died), plus about eighteen months (or about 180 years, Hell-time) of his soul being in Lucifer’s cage)—okay a REALLY, REALLY long time…But still, I think Sam would have to have some memory of his time with Jess.

My only other issue with Sam (and his current desire to stop hunting) is that we still don’t know why he didn’t look for Dean. I need for the progression of events to be believable, in order for the emotions to ring true. I can believe that Sam drove off in a panic after Dean disappeared. However, at some point not too long after that, the Sam I know would have pulled himself together. He’s a bookworm, so he would’ve started doing research on God weapons to figure out what happened to Dean and Cass. Sam would’ve called Sheriff Mills and gotten her help checking for unconscious John Does who might’ve turned up at nearby hospitals right after the blast. Sam would have contacted angels and even demons, trying to gain information on what had happened to his brother and Castiel. Then, if and only if Sam’s research determined that Dean and Cass were either dead or irretrievable, Sam might have believably given up the search and settled down with Amelia and Riot (cute name).

So far, the show is not portraying the events this way, and it’s a disservice to Sam’s character. I still have hope that flashbacks will reveal that there’s more to the story than Sam’s told Dean so far, but the hope is starting to fray a little. I did like the flashback in this ep, with Sam’s panic at not knowing where Amelia was, and the sweet little moment with the birthday cake (though I don’t believe for a second that it’s his first cake–surely either Dean or Jess (who baked cookies to welcome him home after only two days away) would have celebrated Sam’s b-day with some form of cake–even if it was just a hostess cupcake with a match stuck in it).

In all honesty, I like the idea of show coming full circle—of Dean wanting to hunt and be with Sam, and Sam wanting to go to school. I think this could be a great arc for the final season (if that’s what this is), finishing with Dean accepting Sam’s decision and letting him go his own way, and Sam finally getting the life he always longed for. I just can’t get past the Sam-not-looking-for-Dean thing, and until they explain it in some reasonable way that’s true to Sam’s character, I can’t quite embrace where his character is now. And I want to! I really, really want to feel the show like I did in the old days, when the bad moments hurt like they were real…

I hope we can get there again. In the meantime, I’ll hold out hope for more flashbacks, more explanation, and more brother-moments (because those are the heart of the show).