NuWho Review: Series 6 Episode 3 "The Curse of the Black Spot"

By: Steven Thompson

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! And all that jazz...

       This episode is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine. When it comes to the story, it's not very strong. There's lots of issues with pacing and all that, but it's pirates! HOW CAN WE GO WRONG WITH THAT?! Answer: we can't. There's nothing wrong with this episode if you just accept the shaky technobabble and hang on for the ride. We've got pirates, we've got sirens, we've got alternate dimensions, we've got The Doctor walking the plank, we've got Amy fencing, we've got alien snot, we've got just about everything that you could possibly want from a Doctor Who pirate-themed episode. It's definitely one that I watch again and again and it just becomes more fun with each repeated viewing.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- This episode has one of the best openings ever with the pirates certain their shipmate was doomed for death that very night because of a small scratch on the hand. At first this seems very absurd and ridiculous (even the pirates from PoC weren't that cowardly) but then the titular curse is revealed and we hear the song of the siren for the first time. Then we know that we're going to be in for a wild ride.

- "Yo ho ho! ...Or does nobody actually say that?"

- It's Rory and Roman and Pond the Pirate! Implausible as Amy actually holding off a bunch of pirates with her fencing skills is, I do really enjoy this scene a lot. Especially since all of the pirates are so terrified of the smallest scratch. It's both funny and chilling.

- "If someone's going to kill you, it's nice when they drop a note to remind you." Man, The Doctor is so comforting to Rory.

- I really love the effect of the Siren leaping up out of the water. Lily Cole really gives a serene, ethereal performance as the seductive spirit. Is that really her singing? Because it's beautiful.

- "Look at these brilliant pirates. Look at their brilliant BEARDS! I'd like a beard. Amy, I'm going to grow a beard!" Why didn't Rory get enchanted on this show more? He's a riot!

- The Doctor equating the siren to a shark (and then the later revelation that she was a medical program) was a cool twist. What was so sinister makes an equal amount of sense as a helpful thing.

- Amy and The Doctor getting taken by the siren was quite a tense scene. It is, unfortunately, also the place where the episode starts to break down a bit logic-wise.

- The med bay was quite interesting. I do find it hilarious that the siren went all red-evil-eyes whenever The Doctor sneezed, though. She really did not like that he was leaving snotty handkerchiefs around.

- One of my issues with the ending to this episode is the question of WOULD the captain REALLY be able to pilot a futuristic spaceship? Really? There's quite a difference between a sailing rig and a rocket, just sayin'.

- Oh, and Rory died again...

- Rory's continued Kennyfication is starting to become a big problem, especially when it is used to force a climax like this. We don't believe that Rory is really in danger. Not really. We know that he's going to come back to life with little to no consequence, so why would we care if Amy saves him or not? It's not like he's going to be gone for good. 

- The scene where Amy saves him is either sad or annoyingly hilarious, depending on your level of attachment to the Ponds.

        This episode was a lot of fun. I do take issue with the ending, but it's harmless enough. I really, really enjoy all of the banter and jokes when they're on the pirate ship and (with the exception of the alien snot joke) all of the humor is very on point and funny. The Curse of the Black Spot is a 3/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Merlin Review: Series 2 Episode 10 "Sweet Dreams"

By: Lucy Watkins

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         Well, at least now we know what happened to Jenny after she flew off at the end of The Doctor's Daughter; she went to Albion, got amnesia, and became a princess. A very beautiful, spoiled princess, no less.

         This was one of Merlin's more comedy-oriented episodes and it involves a very Puckish love potion. A very Puckish love potion that is given to Prince Arthur, no less, pulling his gaze away from Guinevere and onto the Lady Vivian. This would be all well and good, except Vivian's father is, quote, "...the most overprotective buffoon I've ever met" and is sure to skewer Arthur if he even gets wind that the Prince of Camelot is LOOKING at his daughter. Cue hijinks and humor...and thankfully no fart jokes.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- There are few characters I have felt a stronger urge to kick than Trickler, King Alined's servant/magician. He is the most irritating little whiner of a man. Ugh.

- Though this is a story about Arthur being enchanted to fall in love with Lady Vivian, actually the episode has a lot of great Arthur/Gwen moments. I especially like the scene at the beginning with the two of them laughing over how ridiculous Vivian is.

- "Anyone insulting Gwen should do so at extreme peril." Arthur has his own vat of hot oil, you know...

- Merlin ribbing Arthur about his (very obvious) feelings for Gwen is always quite funny. And pretty cute, since he's so obviously over the moon happy for them.

- Okay, so HOW was Uther not suspicious whenever Trickler created butterflies out of nowhere? Live, flapping butterflies, no less! Did he think that Trickler had them in a pocket before or something? Because that looked like magic to me.

- The scene where Arthur wakes up under the power of the love potion and proclaims that his purpose is "To woo." leaves me cringing every time. Because Merlin thinks Arthur is thinking about Gwen. And it's just such an awkward, hurtful situation.

- "It is destiny, my love! Destiny and chicken!"

- Though, I must say, sulky!Arthur is almost adorable. Poor Merlin, though, having to deal with him. Merlin really deserves a day off and a pat on the back for the things he does for that clotpole.

- Okay, so question, did Merlin erase Vivian's memory or something? Because he hit her right between the eyes with that spell. There's no way she (silly though she is) could miss the fact that Merlin has magic. For a moment there I thought we were going to get a magic reveal and I'm still confused as to why and how exactly we avoided it.

- "I am in love! With a man more courageous than a lion, stronger than an ox, and so perfectly formed it is as if he has been sculpted by the gods themselves." Stop building up Arthur's ego, Lady Vivian!

- It is hilarious that Merlin stuffed her into Arthur's wardrobe, though, and Arthur was none the wiser.

- Bradley James makes some of the most hilarious faces.

- Georgia Moffet is an absolute charm to watch, as always. She just really strikes the perfect balance between bratty hilarity that makes her character fun to dislike and a joy to watch.

- "Every woman in the land is attracted to this boy! I'm almost attracted to him myself." Now, now...let's not build up Arthur's ego, my lord. It's big enough as it is.

- Even if Merlin hadn't found Vivian's hair under Arthur's pillow, the fact that Arthur fights so incredibly badly in the arena (he's too busy showing off to 'his love' to parry) would have been a clue.

- I love the scene where Merlin has to go and find Gwen and convince her to save Arthur. It's the combination of terribly sad and incredibly funny that this show does so very well and both Colin and Angel just sell it.

- Let's hope that Arthur apologized PROFUSELY for the downright prattish way that he treated Gwen all throughout his enchantment. That was just cruel.

-  I guess it really was a case of "...with true love's kiss the spell will break." Did Maleficent cook up this love spell?

- And the episode ends with Arthur threatening bodily harm on Merlin if he ever speaks of the these events again. Typical. Status quo is restored and Arthur gratefully waves goodbye to the still-enchanted Lady Vivian. Shame she never came back to the show...

        This episode is a lot of fun, if a bit awkward in places. There's some really great characters, but the story can be painfully awkward in places and it doesn't really contribute anything to the overall season arc or the story of Camelot in general. Trickler is also a grating annoyance that takes away some of my enjoyment due to his involvement. Sweet Dreams is a 3/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Merlin Review: Series 1 Episode 6 "A Remedy To Cure All Ills"

By: Julian Jones

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        Am I the only one who finds the scenes with Edwin and Morgana to be incredibly creepy? Like, not just because of the bug in the ear, but unintentionally stranger danger type of creepy. Maybe it's the way he looms over her bed like that...

        If you have a phobia about bugs, I would advise you to enter this episode with caution. Because there's a LOT of nasty creepy crawlies going into people's ears and chewing on their brains. Disgusting!


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I love how, when Gwen says that the flowers may be from Arthur, Morgana makes a face and says that would be quite disappointing.

- The scene where Merlin and Arthur are pacing in Arthur's chambers is supposed to be serious (I think) and to make us worried for Morgana, but I can't help cracking up every time I see it.

- "You seem too bright to be just a servant." "Oh, don't be fooled, I'm not that bright."

- Soooo, using a poultice to heal one's father is VERBOTEN and will land you a reserved place at the stake, but Uther is just fine and peachy with alchemy? Huh. Somehow that smells fishy...

- The scene where Edwin is tending to Morgana will never not be creepy to me. Just, ugh.

- Though I will say that the scarring make-up on Edwin's face is quite well done. It gives him a distinct, almost grotesque look like all of the hatred and evil inside of his heart (guess Yoda was right about fear being the path to anger and the dark side) was coming out on the outside.

- "A gift like yours should be nurtured, practiced, enjoyed. You need someone to help you, to encourage you." Y'know, it's really uncomfortable when you realize that you've been saying the same thing that the villain of the week does.

- I love the talk Gaius has with the dragon. But the overgrown lizard is as cryptic and unhelpful as ever.

- Uther gives indication that there was something fishy going on at Arthur's birth and that Gaius helped. Hmmm...

- So, um, did Edwin cast a spell over Arthur and the rest to make them so quickly believe his word about Gaius' work being riddled with errors? Or is it just another case of plot convenience swaying the characters this way and that?

- "My Lord. My Lord. It seems the drugs I gave you have taken hold. Your body is now paralyzed. Now, open your eyes, My Lord. I want my face to be the last face you ever see. You took my childhood from me. And now finally, I take my parents' revenge. Within a few hours, the beetle will eat into your brain. And you will suffer, as they suffered. And I long to hear you scream, as they screamed the night you gave the order for the fires to be lit. With your death, magic will return to Camelot. Bebeode þe arisan ealdu." Whoa...Edwin got a monologue. Syndrome would be proud...

- I absolutely love the climax of this episode where Merlin has to use MAGIC to save Uther. It's very tense and risky and pushes the characters in a new direction. Great stuff!

         This is a pretty standard Merlin episode; villain comes to Camelot, villain gets in good with royals, villain starts evil scheme, Merlin finds out, Merlin stops evil scheme, they all live happily ever after until next week. There's nothing particularly special about it (aside from the fact that this scheme involves super gross bugs) and I don't think it's very memorable. But it's not boring and there's some good stuff in there. A Remedy To Cure All Ills is a 3/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 14 "The Executioner's Song"

By: Robert Berens

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

            I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IT! And I'm not happy about being right.

        We are back to our season arc this week with the return of Cain as he picks off his descendants one-by-one as they're on death row, solely to get the attention of his two most famous descendants, Sam and Dean Winchester.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Are we ever going to get an explanation for the salmon-colored light that Cain uses to smite demons? Huh? Are we? Because, despite myself, I am quite curious.

- That guy in the prison looks very much like Sir Gwaine from Merlin. Please tell me I'm not the only one to see it.

- Love the visuals of Cain slowly stalking down the hall and turning the lights out as he goes. Whatever grievances I may have with the MoC story, I do honestly like Cain as a character. Maybe it's the charm of Timothy Omundson.

- Hmmm. Sam and Dean are breaking into a prison with fake badges? Risky, risky. I cringe every time they come in contact with law officials of this kind, even though they look little like the mugshots that are on file. Maybe it's a good thing that Sam has turned into Rapunzel over the course of this show...

- They had better be thanking their lucky stars that they evaded capture, seeing how death row of SuperMax would have been their destination at one point in their lives. Just sayin'

- "Bass fishing, needlepoint, that's a hobby. Collecting serial killer stats? That is an illness."

- Omundson still has the flowing locks and beard from Gallavant. I confess I kind of chortled whenever they zoomed in on his profile. It looked like it belonged on a medieval coin. About Billy Shakespeare.

- It's so good to see Castiel being a badass again with interrogating demons. He's been conspicuously absent thus far for much of the season, and it's really a delight to see him again, doing what he does best. I am a little bit miffed that Cain was able to fling him around like a ragdoll, though. C'mon! ABADDON, another totally awesome Knight, was scared to death at the thought that an angel might be hanging around with the Winchesters. What is this madness?!

- Crowley being bored to death by the political and business side of Hell will never not be funny to me. Neither will Rowena being a total helicopter smother mother (in the worst possible way) and attempting to manipulate Crowley. At least we now know that Crowley, sort of, knows that she is not at all on his side. I was getting worried for a bit there.

- Have I mentioned that I really love the relationship between Crowley and Rowena? I could watch these two all day. Give them a spin-off already, darn it!

- I'm pretty sure Rowena was making a reference to King Solomen with her 'split the baby' talk. "I'd cut this pulling, pathetic, greed-grubbing git in two." Charming, Rowena, charming. And somehow I think you missed the principle of catching more flies with honey than with vinegar. Darling, calling your son a 'chunky child' and 'a bit of a bloater' in front of his court isn't exactly a way to get in his good books.

- On a side note, why hasn't Crowley been assassinated yet? Are there really no demons powerful enough left after all the wars? Because, fun as he is, he's not exactly Azazel or Lilith. He's kind of a wimp now, actually. Is everybody really that afraid of him?

- I got chills whenever Castiel showed us the graveyard that Cain has been making. That looked like ash on the ground. It called back shades of Cas resurrecting Dean or the field where Adam was brought back to life. Only, instead of being a site of resurrection, it was a site of death.

- "This is a massacre!" "Yes. And soon it will be a genocide."

- Okay, so whenever Cain revealed that he was culling his descendants, I had a horrible thought (just about the same time that Cas expressed it). Cain is the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first two humans. That means that almost all of the people on earth are descended from him. Think about it! Abel was murdered. That means that Cain was the one to pass down the bloodline for many years. Adam and Eve did have a third son (Seth) but he was much younger and so wouldn't have started having children for years after Cain did.

- We at last know what Rowena is after. She wants Crowley to take out the head of the Grand Coven. Interesting...

- Is it wrong that I really WANT to see Rowena and Crowley go on a rampage together? They'd make a great team and be a lot of fun to watch. The only problem is, I'm pretty sure such an action would end with one or both of them dead. And I don't want that.

- Dean's wearing the red shirt that he favored as a demon again. This is not a good sign, methinks.

- I love how every time Dean calls Crowley the name on Crowley's phone is 'Not Moose'.

- "What the matter, Crowley? Suddenly grow a conscience? Don't want to put a minor in danger?"

- We got a few lovely (but heartbreaking...typical) broments in this episode. It seems like the writers are really making up for the abysmal lack of them in Season 9. This can't be anything but a good thing.

- I am still miffed that Cain (a demon) wasn't the slightest bit affected by Castiel's mojo.

- "I need you three out here to take out anything that comes out of there. I'm serious. Whatever. Comes. Out." Oh Dean...

- We really need to give a shout-out to Jensen Ackles. I don't like the MoC story line very much, but he just sells it...even to me. I'm always amazed by what these guys can do with the roles they are given. Wow. Just wow. Especially the scenes where Dean is using the Blade. It's Jensen Ackles' face...but it's not his eyes. And it's not Dean's eyes either.

- So after a frankly thrilling Darth Vader-esque execution scene (telling us that the title of this episode SHOULD have been 'The Executioner's Death Song') Dean walks out of the barn room again and coldly hands the Blade to Castiel. I have to say that this was an extremely electrified climax to the episode. It was exciting to see Cain back again and it was great to see he and Dean face off against each other. What made it so scary, though, was Jensen Ackles' performance. I'm telling you, he's been just amazing. He alternated between frenzied slashing and a cold, calm, controlled persona that was just eerie. You could SEE Dean fighting the effects of battle with the Blade.

         THIS episode should have been the mid-season finale. I liked the episode we got (though Claire is a bit grating on repeated views) but this just has the epic, end-all feel that I think they were trying to strike. Cain was a great addition to the episode and I love the way he kept goading Dean while they were fighting. We also ended this episode with the reveal that I have been dreading ever since Cain was introduced. In order for Dean to master control over the Mark and the Blade, he is going to have to kill Sam. I knew it, I KNEW IT! WHY COULDN'T I BE WRONG THIS TIME?! I have a bad feeling about the season finale. The Executioner's Song is a 5/5.

He sits there with you

All concern and love

When you look at him

You feel it should be enough

But still there's a thread

Of unrest in your heart

When you think of how

It all could fall apart

"We'll fix this." He says

And he means every word

Yet the love that he shows

Is a two-edged sword

"Cain found a way!"

But you wonder if he knows

What the price really was

For Cain's final blow

Cain killed his brother

He spilled Abel's blood

And with that one act

Managed to stem the Mark's flood

At the thought, your heart breaks

Your mouth's dry as a bone

You feel sick, your hands shake

You turn into stone

Your brother, your soulmate

For him you'd go to Hell

And you'll not drag him down

With you just 'cause you fell

"Like Cain did." He still says

And you bite your tongue

For when you think of that story

You want to scream at him to run

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Merlin Review: Series 3 Episode 6 "The Changeling"

By: Lucy Watkins

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        

          Well HELLO there, Professor Sprout, fancy seeing you here! This episode is definitely one of the ones geared towards the more childish and comedic side of Merlin and it pits Merlin against the king of the Sidhe. Not to mention a pixie who tries to seduce Gaius...but the less said about that the better.

         Princess Elena is a precious treasure and I will hear no words against her. The actress (Bradley James' girlfriend at the time, I believe) is clearly very comfortable with all kinds of comedy and just plays this awkward, lovable princess with a good deal of gusto. Far from being irritating or evil, Elena is someone who - in the end - you're almost rooting for her and Arthur to get together. I think that, at the least, they might have become good friends and it's really a shame that she never returned to the show. 

        There was a minimal amount of Morgana McSmirk-ing this episode (thank God) as the relationship between Arthur and Gwen really was given a big boost forward. Gwen's speech to Arthur about how she would support him, even if he had to marry Elena, was just beautiful and the acting of James and Coulby was spot on.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Love the scene where the Sidhe King is is imprinting the fairy into baby Elena. Very creepy.

- - Uther is hugging someone? Wow...we HAVE dropped down the rabbit hole! Arthur's reaction when his father drops the bombshell on him that he is to court and marry Elena is just priceless. He's so flummoxed he actually goes to Merlin in front of everyone and splutters in his ear.


- We need more princesses like Elena. She's kind and sweet but also unpolished and klutzy.

- Merlin's attempts to cheer Arthur up about the impending match to Elena couldn't be funnier. "Perhaps you've more in common than you think. Bad breath for example..." "Excuse me?" "...appalling table manners..." "Now hang on a minute!" 

- The effects in the scenes with Grunhilda treating Elena with pixiedust and revealing the fae inside of her are actually quite interesting.

- I also find it highly disturbing that Grunhilda has a thing for Gaius and actively seeks to seduce him. Ugh.

- Merlin finds it hilarious, though, and...okay...it is kind of funny to see Gaius desperately trying to avoid her advances. Not to mention the scene where Gaius has to 'reciprocate' them, in order to trap the pixie in Camelot's crypt. (He tells Merlin never to mention it again.)

- I love Merlin's fight with the King of the Sidhe. Poor Gaius...his chambers will never be the same again!

- "Nobody likes a clever clogs, Merlin."

- Of course any of Arthur's interactions with either of his two love interests (either Elena or Gwen) are the highlight of the episode. Bradley James really had a lot of heavy lifting to do with this story. He had to be a comic foil while working with Georgia King and also had to carry quite a bit of drama and emotion while doing the scenes with Angel Coulby. And, of course, he comes through wonderfully. The scene where Arthur and Guinevere talk about how Arthur is going to have to marry Elena stands out above pretty much everything else in this episode, of course, but all of the scenes Arthur is in are just perfect. Thank you, Bradley James!

- I love that Arthur and Elena do actually bond a bit. Like I said, I think they could have become very good friends.

- "I've been riding since I was a child. I don't get to do it as much as I'd like, princesses don't, but apparently my mother was an excellent horsewoman. I never met her." "I never met mine either. I...often wonder if I'm like her.."

- Destinies, destinies, destinies...of course Merlin knows nothing about how it feel to be under one. Right?

       In case you haven't noticed, I really enjoyed this episode. It was a little bit goofy, but also managed to hit the feels in places too. There were also a lot of great characters. We didn't see as much of Elena's father as we did of her, but I really like him. He didn't feel as flat as some of the other kings we have met in the past and certainly he's not as sleazy as Cenred. This was just a lot of fun and it is an episode that I will watch over and over. The Changeling is a 5/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 1 Episode 13 "Route 666"

By: Eugenie Ross-Leming & Brad Buckner

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         Sammy is a brat. As all younger siblings tend to be whenever they feel they can get away with embarrassing the elders. And he had plenty of ammunition this week as we are taken to meet an old flame of Dean's, Cassie Robinson. 

         Turns out, while Sam was off at college with Jessica, Dean too met a girl and fell in love. He actually dated her for longer than a weekend too. In fact, he was so in love that he told her the family secret. She promptly dumped him, thinking that he was just crazy or that he was trying to end the relationship with this wild story. But, whenever her father is killed in a strange accident, she gives her old boyfriend a call, begging for his help. And Dean, being the knight Templar that he is, immediately takes Sam and hightails it to Cassie's side. Sam, after getting over his annoyance that Dean broke Winchester Family Rule #1, finds Dean's interactions with his former girlfriend to be a great source of mirth. It's okay, Sammy. I think it's hilarious too. The most fun out of any Winchester Romance is watching the reactions of the brother not involved. Always funny. In this case, this is probably the most awkwardly we've ever seen Dean behave. And Cassie's a pretty nice girl too. I like her. Shame it didn't work out between them.

           I really feel like the sensitive race issues were treated very well in this episode as well. It's good that they didn't go with the cliched 'evil white mayor' and that both sides of each argument were presented well. In the end of the day, the real villain was prejudice and hatred...very human emotions that we all have to struggle with at some point in our lives.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

        

- "By old friend you mean...?" "A friend that's not new." Gotta love Winchester Logic!

- Sam spent a year and a half lying to Jessica?! Whoa...NOT a good foundation for a relationship there. I know why he did it (she'd probably take him to see the campus shrink if he started telling her about wendigos) but still. The Winchesters really aren't cut out for long term relationships, are they?

- I absolutely love the visuals of the ghost truck with the bright headlights cutting through the mist. It really gives an ethereal, otherworldly quality to everything.

- The chase scenes involving this truck are very tense and full of action too. Great stuff. 

- It's also suitably spooky whenever they talk about how this truck is leaving no tire tracks behind at the sites of its kills.

- "What's interesting is you guys never really look at each other at the same time. You look at her when she's not looking, she checks you out when you look away. (Grinning) It's just a...just an interesting observation in a....you know...observationally interesting way." Sam just has WAY too much fun with this 'relationship' his brother keeps dancing around.

- I really find it interesting that a lot of emphasis is put in this episode about how all of the problems have come from hatred on both sides. How racism drove someone to do terrible things and then those who were being hurt finally had the upper hand and so struck out in anger and ended up doing something just as terrible.

- "I have heard of a truck like that....not where. When. Back in the '60s there was a string of deaths. Black men. Story goes, they disappeared in a big, nasty, black truck." 

- I really appreciate that they didn't go with stereotypical racist mayor. He was actually trying to protect Cassie and her mother and the memory of her father. 

- Cassie's mother's speech is just heartbreaking. It's such a tragic story of human evil to begin with, but the actress just sells it with so much raw grief and regret that it really is the high point of the episode. You can feel her pain and you can't help but empathize with her. What a terrible, terrible past.

- The scene where Sam and Dean dig Cyrus' corpse (mummy, actually) and truck out of the swamp is all manner of gross.

- Sam's method of getting rid of Cyrus' spirit is all manner of cool, though...

- This is a really great climax to the episode. By this point, we've seen the truck kill several people. We know that, no matter how skilled a driver Dean is, he's pretty much resigning himself to the same fate because the truck...so far...has always won. And now Dean is racing away to buy Sam some time to figure out how to lay the spirit to rest. It really gets your adrenaline pumping.

- Before he leaves, Dean tells Cassie that he'll call and come back and visit her. She sadly tells him that she knows he won't and they share one last kiss as Sam awkwardly coughs in the background.

            Route 666 is a lot of fun. It's hilarious to see Sam teasing Dean about actually dating someone and it's nice to get a bit of a look into Dean's past. But behind this lighthearted façade is a sad, tragic story of human prejudice and hatred that drove men to savagery. It's gritty, it's dark, and it handles some very sensitive ideas and issues with realistic, well-played characters and great storytelling. 4/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 13 "Halt & Catch Fire"

Eric Charmello & Nicole Snyder

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.


       So we had an honest-to-Chuck ghost hunt this week and it started out with a pre-credits scene that reminded me very much of the opening to The Sontaran Stratagem. Except instead of ATMOS going rogue, it was apparently a ghost-influenced GPS system.

       This isn't the first truck they've had to burn, though. This episode called back shades of Route 666 in my mind...and a little bit of Mean Girls in places. Mean Girls: The College Years. Or maybe that new social media horror film that is coming out. Unfriended? I definitely felt a bit of the trailers for that whenever that one girl was on her computer and the unfriendly friend requests started popping up.

      Though technically this episode is a standalone adventure, Sam and Dean and the MoC was never far from our minds. And Dean, at the end, had a frankly beautiful speech about how he's going to deal with this curse he brought on himself. They're working together, come what may, and it's wonderful. I love the dynamic they're striking this season.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I love how Dean just found out how to poke on Facebook.

- "So are you saying that if you died and I drove your car, you'd kill me?" "If you stunk her up with taquitos, yes. Probably." Lies, Dean. We know that's all lies.You didn't even kill Sam when he put an iPod jack in Baby.

- I have to say that the scene where that girl's computer turned against her and then strangled her with the cord was incredibly creepy.

- Dean going gaga over the menu at the college cafeteria (and teasing Sam over his fondness for lattes) will never not be funny. But it is interesting that Dean has been eating a lot recently, going between health food binges and pizza. Is this one of his ways to help 'sate' the Mark?

- "Nothing ever really gets deleted from the Internet. You knew that, right?" *Dean looks uncomfortable* Okay, Dean. Cough up. What did you do?

- One of the clues to the mystery is 810 and, about the time that the third victim is killed (by an over-loud stereo, no less), we've figured out that SOMETHING happened at 8:10 that is seriously upsetting the ghost.

- I do think the stereo death scene was drawn out a bit too long, though.

- The bloody eyeballs reminded me of the corpse's from Bloody Mary. In fact, there are a LOT of Season 1-ish parallels in this episode. Hmmmm...

- Delilah (the red-headed girl) knows something, which takes us into the flashback of the episode. There's a lot of (mostly good-natured) ribbing of the selfie culture going on here. I really feel like this entire episode was a jab at the social media age a la Long Distance Call or #THINMAN. It was a lot of fun, though.

- I suspected that maybe the teens had something to do with the death of that young husband as soon as I heard the wife's story. But I didn't realize that they had ALL been in the wreck together!

- Haha! Dean took out an iron crowbar and then nonchalantly handed a tissue to Delilah. His talk with her was really sweet too. And sad. It's almost like we've got the old Dean back...all self-denial, junk food, and snarkiness.

- Okay...so the ghost was surfing through the wi-fi? You know, as soon as Sam said that, I cringed because he and Dean were talking on smart phones. Phones connected to wi-fi. Didn't they consider that possibly the ghost might be overhearing them?

- The burn make-up on Andrew's ghosts looked appropriately gross and painful.

- Moral of the story, boys and girls...Don't Text & Drive.

           If Supernatural has a stock episode, this would be it. We've got a complicated ghost story with unexpected twists and turns, a terrific climax, a sad story about humanity and grief, and a broment tying up the end of the episode. Ghosts on this show are fascinating spirits. Some of them (like the mother from Bad Boys or Bobby) stay behind because they honestly can't bear to leave their loved ones alone. They have unfinished business. They have people to protect and answers to seek out. So they run from their Reaper and they stay on earth as a spirit. But eventually this state of half-way living is too much for the ghosts and they're consumed by the need for revenge or to continue living out their lives again and again. It's really a tragic story and I like how this one was solved in the end by Andrew's wife convincing him that she still loved him but that it was time for him to move on. Halt & Catch Fire is a 4/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 12 "About A Boy"

By: Adam Glass

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         So it looks like Rowena and her ilk are officially part of the Big Bad for this season. I'm so glad we're going with witches instead of JUST angels and demons this time. Makes things more interesting.

         And 'interesting' is definitely a good way to describe this episode. Dean got turned into a teenager (which meant we saw the wonderful return of Dylan Everett) and we learned that the Grand Coven of witches is after Rowena for something. Oh...and we met Hansel from the Hansel and Gretel stories. Pity he wasn't played by Jeremy Renner, but I guess we can't have everything.



Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- WHAT happened to that guy in the pre-credits scene?!

- Loved, loved the fact that we are now getting more of the mythology concerning Cain. I wasn't a huge fan of the way they dealt with that last season because of the fact that messed with a story that didn't need to be changed, but I think another part of the problem was the lack of info we were given. It just felt like it was stapled in there.

- Sammy finally has a tablet. Did Charlie buy that for him or did Dean?

- "You smelled flowers? What kind of flowers?" "FLOWERY flowers!" 

- Their expressions whenever the homeless guy started going off about alien abductions! Haha! (Wonder if he was just crazy or if Gabriel had payed a visit to this place...)

- It's so great to see Dean getting back in the saddle, trying to believe in himself, and flirting with girls again. Sam gives good pep talks.

- "My dad was always working so I came up with about a hundred and fifty different ways of making macaroni and cheese. Add ketchup for spice. Tuna, hotdogs, fluff marshmallow mix. My brother thought it was exotic." Awwwww...

- I like that woman Dean meets in the bar. Tina, her name was, and I think that the partnership she strikes up with Dean is just too perfect. Wish she had stuck around at the end of the episode, to be honest.

- "...and, quote, the guy's bathroom was like staring into the Devil's butt." "Wow. That's vivid." "And accurate. I saw it." "Saw what, the bathroom or...?" "Don't start."

- Tina and Dean bonding over drinks and childhood stories is actually quite cute. I like her.

- Now I'm going to take a moment or two to squee over Dylan Everett, the kid they found to play young!Dean (hereafter referred to Deano because it's easier to type). THIS IS KID AWESOME! He impressed me quite a bit in Season 9's Bad Boys and he's only gotten better with time. Perfectly mimicking the mannerisms of Jensen Ackles and yet making the performance his own, it's almost like we're back with Season 1 Dean again. Wow. Just wow. Can we have him and Colin Ford in an episode together?

- I also love how Dean's reaction to being de-aged is just to roll his eyes and utter an incredulous "Seriously?!"

- Tween Tina called Deano a 1 Direction reject...

- Oooo...Sammy's getting all protective and angry in his search for Dean. Stuff is going to hit the fan. Sam's on the warpath.

- Still can't believe Deano was pigging out on that cake. Dude, don't you know that if there's nice cake like that in a cell, maybe you shouldn't be eating it? Or touching it? Or interacting with it in any way???

- "You know, before I thought you were just another drunk." "I prefer functioning alcoholic." No, Dean. Bad Dean!

- Have I mentioned that I love Tina? She really worked well with the brothers and I really hope she comes back at some point.

- For a moment I thought that SAM would get caught by the weird witch-y guy and I got rather excited because seeing Colin Ford as young!Sam is always a treat. Regrettably, this did not happen.

- Or not so regrettably, seeing how we saw Sam get to be the big brother for once...or the father figure, seeing how everybody assumed that Deano was his kid. He just looked SO nonplussed whenever Deano walked in through the door and started demanding whether or not they had any grenades left.

- "...I wake up looking like Bieber." "...this is bizarre, even for us, Dean!"

- I probably laughed harder than I should have whenever Dean jacked the seat forward so he could drive and Sam was immediately folded into an accordion.

- It was also hilarious that Dean accidentally started jamming to a Taylor Swift song. I wonder which one...?

- Yarrow is a flower that is used in a ton of spells and folklore. Witchy. So Sam and Dean are going to 'gank' Sabrina...does this mean they've been carrying chicken's feet around in the trunk of Baby all this time?

- I also love the way that Deano doesn't have the Mark and now they have to deal with the question of whether or not to risk changing him back.

- Sam doesn't waste the opportunity to have a field day at Deano's expense, though.

- Was it really Hansel and Gretel? Really? Interesting! (On a side note, I think my one complaint with this episode is that Hansel cracked and started telling his story far too early. It just felt off...even though he was lying.)

- The witch of this episode was a delightfully stereotypical, cackling, nasty witch. No Desperate Housewives just dabbling in witchcraft for personal gain here. This witch is the full-on, child-eating, bodily-fluid-spewing type that you read about in Grimm's Fairytales. Great stuff!

- Even thought her teeth are absolutely foul.

- I never knew how much I needed a witch ragging on about Amber Alerts and Milk Cartons until now. !

- So Dean burnt the witch to death, just like in the story. She had quite the over-the-top death scene, did she not?

- "This is my second chance. Everyone wants a second chance, right?" We'll miss you, Tina.

- Love how Dean thinks that The Grand Coven sounds like an 80's Hair Metal band with enough eye shadow and hairspray to be flammable.

           This episode was just a riot. I almost died whenever, at the end, Dean drove away jamming to 'Shake It Off'. Hahaha! It's also always great whenever we get a look back into the younger days of our two heroes, whether it be by flashback or - today - deaging and reminiscing. This episode was a fun romp that beautifully progressed both of the arcs for this season. I really, really enjoyed it. It was funny, it was touching, it has some great action...pretty much everything about it was great. Maybe the pacing was a little bit off in a place or two, but for the most part it flowed beautifully. About A Boy is a 4/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 11 "There's No Place Like Home"

By: Robbie Thompson

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         CHAAAAAAAARLIE!

      She's got a nice little Smeagol-Gollum thing going in this episode. Or an The Enemy Within Kirk-trip. I wasn't sure how I would feel about dark!Charlie (sometimes taking beloved characters in angles like this doesn't pay off) but really I needn't have worried. Not only is the evil twin/good twin trope a staple of genre shows, but Charlie is back and more fun than ever. She's really developing into a delightful, three-dimensional character and I'm excited to see what they do with her in the future.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Dean made egg white omelets. His obsession with cooking will never not be endearing to me. I can just see him sitting with Sam's laptop, watching Julia Child and taking copious amounts of notes.

- "This is crap. As soon as we get rid of this demon tramp stamp, I'm back on the booze, burgers, and more booze." I just love that Dean is on a health-food kick. Did he make seaweed shakes for the two of them?!

- I really feel like they're handling Dean and the MoC better this season. It feels like more of a threat and Dean just feels more like Dean in that he's desperate to get rid of it and to fix his mistakes.

- I still don't understand why suddenly weapons other than the Blade are triggering the Mark, though. Explain, writers! EXPLAIN!

- "You mean our Charlie tortured someone? Yea high, wouldn't hurt a hobbit, practically sparkles?"

- Celeste Middleton. Well...looks like we know Charlie's real name now.

- Dean being grossed out over his kale sandwich just made me laugh, but that was quickly dampened by Sam reading Charlie's file. It just sort of drove home the idea that, while we may look at the Winchesters and even at Charlie and laugh at the bad glamour of their lives, it isn't all that glamorous. It's not all noble suffering or heroics. It seriously messes a person up.

- Felicia Day plays a deliciously bad dark!Charlie, though. I appreciate the fact that they're pushing her character in a whole new direction, what with her going Black Widow on Dean for a while there. It keeps things interesting. She still had the presence of mind to call Sam and Dean "Rocket and Groot" though and I'm not sure if Dean being taken down by dark!Charlie was a good choice, character-wise. Still...I guess we could make the argument that he was trying not to hurt her.

- evil!Charlie slashed Baby's tires. Dean is going to KILL her! On a side note, Baby is taking a lot of abuse this season, isn't she?

- So Charlie made a Deal with the Wizard of Oz. Charlie, Charlie, Charlie...you should know better than that. Deals NEVER turn out the way you want them to. I do find it interesting that the Deal resulted in a type of Extreme Jekyll and Hyde thing.

- At least Charlie is taking responsibility for her actions.

- And we get some Charlie & Sam bonding this episode. YAY! This has been sorely lacking for a while, but it's just too cute. Sam's already a pretty decent hacker, but Charlie giving him a lesson in the type of extreme hacking that she specializes in is just too adorable for words.

- Unfortunately, Dean's still trying to fight off both an alcohol addiction and the effects of the Mark. I was hoping to God that he wouldn't relapse whenever they were in that bar and, for once, my prayers were heard.

- "Hey, dudes? Secrets are bad..." Thank you, Charlie! It's about time somebody on this show started to come clean!

- Sam's incredibly understanding about dark!Charlie. I wonder if that is because he spent about a year without a soul and so he understands better about being separated from a part of yourself.

- I love Dean on a health food kick. Seriously. It's just too funny; probably the most fun I've had with Dean's character since the turned-into-a-dog episode. (It also reminds me of It's A Terrible Life where Dean Smith was a connoisseur of salads.) The scene where he's eating almonds and listening to a self-help relaxation tape was a nice touch too.

- Dean used the alias of 'Mr. Presley'. Hahahahaha!

- "You Winchester boys and your talk. Blah blah blah repressed feelings, blah blah blah passive aggression..."

- I knew. I KNEW whenever Dean agreed to let dark!Charlie talk to the man who killed her parents that it was a bad choice. This is the dark, bad side of Charlie. They've literally been split into a tangible dual personality. light!Charlie can't do anything bad without rationalizing it away and dark!Charlie can't do anything good that lasts.

- It's interesting that Sam was hanging out with light!Charlie while Dean was having talks with dark!Charlie. Intentional parallel to something or just a coincidence?

- "The six keys from Oz were forged from Oz steel. They can only be fixed in that magical realm." Oh...so we're getting a one ring to rule them all type of deal, are we? Okay. I can totally live with that.

- Sooo...the Wizard came through a portal and tied Sam up with glow-stick bracelets. Huh.

- This episode had a tremendous climax. The fight between Dean and dark!Charlie was electrified and the tension was really amped up by the fact that every blow Dean lands on her is also felt by her other half. Not to mention the fact that Sam is bound hand and foot and he and the other Charlie are being menaced by the Not-So-Wonderful Wizard of Oz who is trying to choke Sam using an Emperor Palpatine move.

- Though, I have to say, Emperor Palpatine was a better actor...

- And why is Sam always being strangled?!

- I was guessing that, maybe to put herself back together again, Charlie would have to pull an anti-horcrux type thing where both sides of her felt genuine remorse. I was wrong, but whatever. It was still pretty cool to see the two sides of Charlie's psyche talk face to face and then meld back together. I'm not entirely sure what caused it, but I'm pretty sure they're saying that because Charlie killed the Wizard, all of his spellwork was undone.

- And Charlie had her arm broken. Again.

         I'll admit that this episode made me cry a bit at the ending. I really have grown attached to Charlie and the relationship she shares with the Winchesters. It just breaks my heart to see the guilt that floods Dean every time he looks at her broken arm, though. Because this time, it really was his fault. He popped off that season and made a deal with a demon that now is making him hurt everybody that he loves. But now he's remorseful and he's working to fix it. And he's got Sam Winchester, expert hacker Charlie, AND Castiel the Angel of the Lord to help him if only he'll let them. This episode was great. It had fantasy elements and really delved into the psyche of Charlie while also showcasing both Sam and Dean. There was no angel melodrama, the story was feelsy and great, and the dialogue snapped with wit and emotion. There's No Place Like Home is a 5/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 1 Episode 14 "Nightmare"

By: Sera Gamble & Raelle Tucker

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         I feel like there were some definite Carrie parallels drawn with this one with its abused, telekinetic adolescent murderer. I'm not going to call Max the villain of the episode, because he was every bit as much a victim as anybody. It's just a dark, tragic story that focuses more on the tragedy of fallen mankind rather than the spooks.

        I like this episode. It's kind of an uncomfortable one to watch because of some of the themes, but I think that is good because it gets us thinking. Who was in the right here? Who was in the wrong? Who was really to blame? Did anybody really win in the end? Complex and deep and it really makes you think all while continuing the story line of Sam's psychic powers and giving us Sam and Dean dressed up as priests. This episode is awesome!



Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- So Sam's visions have moved from just being dreams to being visions that, quite frankly, look agonising to experience while awake.

Brothers...

- "I guess you never know what's going on behind closed doors." No. Nobody did. Poor Max...

- Dean just has a little bit TOO much fun playing priest. It's funny how he always teases Sam about being a dork but then he's the one who gets really into the cosplaying they do for reconnaissance.

- Why didn't we ever see them dress up as priests or use that cool little device (infra-red scanner) Dean had again?!

- "No grave yards, battle fields, tribal lands or any other kind of atrocity on or near the property."

- The scene where Max's uncle gets decapitated by the window frame STILL makes me kind of sick. But, seriously, if you stick your head out whenever the window keeps unlatching and opening itself...you're kind of asking for it. That's the sort of thing idiots in horror movies do.

- I absolutely love the scene where Sam is freaking out about his visions and Dean keeps trying to calm him down by being rational. They face the supernatural and weird every day...this is no different...they will get through this. Even though you can see Dean is scared and worried too, he's still trying to cheer Sam up. Good for him.

- Y'know...I really miss watching Sam and Dean climb up fire-escapes and slip through windows rather than trying to break down the same door forever. Going back and re-watching the first season is the best decision I ever made with this show.

- Dean was also smart and had them wipe down their fingerprints so that the cops wouldn't find them at the crime scene.

- "Our family isn't cursed!" Dean...Dean...you should have knocked on wood.

- Max's face and the slight sneer in his voice whenever he parroted the lines that they were normal and happy are downright chilling on a second watch.

- Every time we go into one of Sam's visions, it's almost like we're experiencing a bit of vertigo. I like the way we sort of get his POV in that way. We get to see through his eyes.

- Sam's vision of Max killing his stepmother is hard to watch if you have any kind of eye scream sensibilities at all. Just...ewwww. It's also very intense because of the subject matter. Max is angry and hurting because his step-mother never stopped his uncle and father from beating him. It's hard because, on the one hand, it's horrible that Max is going about murdering these people. He's gone from victim to perpetrator. But you can't help but feel sorry for him and to see it from his point of view.

- "I'm sorry!" "No you're not. You just don't want to die."

- I find Sam's whole talk with Max just fascinating. It really seemed for a moment there that Sam might be getting through. That he might be able to convince Max not to kill again. He may have gotten through if he hadn't admitted to Max that John never hurt him and Dean in the same way. Max just shut down after that, like he felt Sam could never understand him and therefore he didn't have to listen to anything Sam said or did.

- Sam. Moved. A. Cabinet. With. His. Mind.

- Another fascinating element in this all is the question of what good Sam's visions are. Can he actually change what he sees? Or are some things set in stone? Somebody did die, shot through the head. It was just Max instead of Dean.

- By the way, this episode has one of the best climaxes ever. Sam locked in the closet while Dean faces off against Max? TENSION OVERLOAD!

- "Well I'll tell you one thing. We're lucky we had Dad. It coulda gone a whole other way after Mom. I little more tequila and a little less demon hunting and we woulda had Max's childhood. All things considered, we turned out okay. Thanks to him." 

             This episode is one of the Supernatural greats. There is no clear villain or monster and it's really more about the atrocities of human nature with lots of complex twists and turns along the way. The special effects are pretty good and certainly the sheer mental tension of it stands out all on its own without any need for super flashy visuals. It's gritty and tragic and is just a reminder that sometimes the monsters are all too human. Nightmare is a 5/5.




What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 10 "The Hunter Games"

By: Eugenie Ross-Leming & Brad Buckner

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         Sooo...does Dean not need the Blade to trigger the Mark these days? Because I swear last season it was only set off whenever he actually touched the Blade. Is it different now because he was a demon? Are they ever going to explain? (Hint: probably not...)

               But that doesn't mean I didn't thoroughly enjoy this episode. Sam and Dean were wonderful, as always, and Crowley and Rowena are just the best. I hope Rowena stays around for a long, LONG time. Even Castiel, for all that his scenes were sort of dragged down by the re-appearance of Claire, was pretty much a lot of fun. I really did enjoy this episode and I happily boo'd at the return of Metatron. He's one of those characters that you really love to hate.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Loved the montage of Deanmon in 'The Road So Far'.

- This episode felt very much like a continuation of The Things We Left Behind. I'm not sure how to feel about that...

- Rowena gives a new meaning to the term 'helicopter mother'. I was SO confused whenever the episode started out with Crowley biting the dust. Fortunately, 'twas all a dream. A dream brought on by one of Rowena's hex bags. I like this dynamic. Certainly it's more interesting than Dean's over-hyped angst or Castiel's attempts at being a family man.

- "She's like a wounded animal, just watching me." Gee, Castiel, I wonder why. It couldn't be because you're still walking around wearing the face of the father that you stole away from her, could it? Or that you traumatized her at a young age? Or that you told her to her face that you heard and ignored her prayers? Nah...of course not.

- I also take issue with the fact that Cas says Claire has known so little love in her life. ROT! When Castiel came to Jimmy Novak, Claire was clearly around the age eleven. So that means for the first eleven years of her life she lived in a strong Christian family with parents devoted to each other and who obviously loved her. Look at those flashbacks in The Rapture! They were happy! And she felt that Randy loved her, so there's that too. Stop being over-dramatic just for the sake of trying to make me like a character that only becomes worse the longer I think about her.

- I still don't see how Dean killing those scumbags was any different from the meatsuits that he and Sam hack through on nearly a weekly basis. Are we doing a Merlin 'let's talk up the situation because if we say it's dire enough, somebody might actually believe us' type thing? 

- While I will forever be miffed that they have decided to actually SHOW us Hell, I have to admit that Rowena is fast becoming my favorite character ever. She's certainly the most interesting baddie since Meg. 

- And her squabbling with Crowley is a thing of beauty.

- I'm going to punch somebody for freeing Metatron. WHY didn't Castiel just go to Heaven to interrogate him? They should KNOW by now that irritating little snake of a librarian will find some way to muck things up.

- The scene where Sam interrogates Metatron was just wonderful. You could FEEL the hatred and the tension radiating off of Sam (kudos to Jared) and it's a wonder he didn't just stab Metatron through the face. I rather think that the old Sam may have. But Sam's older and wiser now. Let's just hope that somebody is wise enough to extract the info from Metatron and THEN stab him. Before he can cause any more trouble!

- At least they acknowledged that Castiel is still wearing Jimmy and how hard it must be for Claire to see his face. Shame they decided to have her go vengeful on Dean instead of Castiel like it would MAKE SENSE for her to do. I really don't like the way they've developed her character.

- Sam and Dean interrogating Metatron may just have been the best scene of the entire episode.

- "I would be tickled to help you pop this Biblical zit." I still can't believe this is actual dialogue.

- Ten seasons ago, Dean felt that demons weren't their gig. Now he has the King of Hell on speed-dial. Excuse me while I go laugh over that.

- Okay. So the scene where Rowena scrys on Crowley and the Winchesters is pretty cool. If having Rowena hang around means that we get to see some more magic, I am totally on board. 

- This episode would have been PERFECT if Claire did not exist. Her story only serves to divert attention away from the main focus (Dean and the MoC) and is neither interesting nor funny, like the saga of Crowley and his dear old Mum. I liked her in the last episode okay. She is, unfortunately, one of the characters who only gets worse the longer I think about her. Maybe she'll redeem herself one day...we can only hope.

- Metatron needs to die.

- The scene where Dean starts carving Metatron up...can we give Jensen Ackles an award of some kind? Because when I looked at him, I was reminded of some of the shots where Sam was high on demon blood. You look at his eyes and it's not Dean, but it sure as heck isn't Jensen either. 

- Gotta love how Sam figured out that Dean was snapping due to the unfinished sandwich in the kitchen.

- Metatron calling Dean out on his concept of the 'greater good' was something that needed to be done. I'm still kind of upset with him over the whole Gadreel Fiasco.

- I'm starting to think that Crowley calling the Blade Dean's 'precious' was all too apt of a comparison. Seems like a lot of the dialogue and descriptions of the effects of the Mark/Blade sound very much like the way the One Ring effects its bearers.

- The whole Metatron and Dean torture scene was very intense and really showcased both of the actors through Dean's calculated, desperate rage and Metatron's slippery tongue. It calls to mind the quieter but no less potent scenes between Sam and Crowley in Sacrifice. See, writers? Whenever you give these actors a chance to just go at it, they create some of the best drama in the world WITHOUT needed to have melodrama in the dialogue!

- I still don't know why the Mark was triggered by a weapon that wasn't the First Blade. Are we ever going to get an explanation for that?

- What...but...what...WHY IN THE NAME OF CHUCK DID THEY TAKE METATRON BACK TO HEAVEN?! Was this entire venture POINTLESS?!

- I do like that we actually got a broment at the end of this episode. (Now hug!)

        Basically, this episode just felt like more glorified filler. Entertaining filler, for the most part (minus the bits with Claire) but still filler. Reminds me of Reichenbach, actually. I guess we'll have to wait until next week to see if it's actually building up to something good or not. Rowena is officially the best thing since sliced bread. I love the way she's manipulating Crowley and I'm anxious to see where this goes. Sam and Dean were awesome, as usual. Though I do feel like Sam was a bit under-used in this episode. Hopefully that will get better. All-in-all, The Hunter Games is a 3/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?