User Reviews

I just didn't care much for the characters. Spn does usually do a good job at that, something that is pretty hard to do. The mystery is fine but it feels kinda clear who is behind it. The lore is just weird, the witches we have met have been great and powerful and interesting, they didn't have these whatever half animal things, so weird, i can't see why such a creature would exist.

I work in the film industry and write for TV and film myself. I'm an award-winning scriptwriter, a director, and jack-of-all-trades in the film industry. I also watch a LOT of great TV. This is what I wrote about this episode:

Just finished watching one of the best TV episodes I've ever seen. Supernatural, season 8, episode 15. Brilliantly done. Incredibly intelligent writing. Excellent dialogue full of rich subtext, sometimes as much as two layers deep. Great story that works well as a standalone package, fits the series episode format, doesn't give too much away, has surprising twists, and some plot events that leave you on a cliffhanger with two equally possible scenarios of what's actually happening, then comes back later, advances them both further and yet still keeps you hanging. Same level of complexity with subplots. Showed solid development in the main plot arc and the main season arc. Introduced a solid advance on a major shift in the character dynamic between the brothers over the last couple of episodes, and shows their relationship go through a very strong arc within the episode and come out much deeper and better for it. Shows the brothers working at cross purposes, so that they are competing rather than cooperating, and that creates a whole lot of plot and character and relationship impact through the conflict in scenes through the entire episode. Referenced the critical events in the characters story arcs, kept the characters completely in character, introduced some very clever new ones, brought out superb performances from all the main cast. Even the guest stars had a relationship arc that worked well, full of depth, a picture of two people in love but beset not only by events, but also by internal conflict in themselves and also internal conflict in their relationship. Lots of excellent, truly funny and intelligent humour that references in-jokes running through the series. Plenty of reward for fans who have been watching the series, because there's so much depth. Strong conflict, nail-biting climax that really hits hard with the characters being forced to face deepest fears. Surprising story twists that are fully explained and never demand suspension of disbelief. Some extremely clever devices that work within the context of the episode plot to resolve the main story arc.

Boom. Pretty much as close to a perfect piece of TV writing as I've ever seen. Truly a superb script.

My favorite episode of season 8

While Sam was trying to explain the dog in the room by telling his older brother to listen before getting angry, Dean's reaction when he saw a beautiful lady instead of a dog was very funny.

The Winchester brothers are doing an interesting astral travel with the male witch. Even though some characters are given too much space within the plot, there are still enjoyable dialogues.

In this episode, Dean is worried that his brother will not pass the difficult exams. Sam, on the other hand, thinks that his older brother does not trust him. They realize that the only way to be successful is to face challenges together.

...because it was a truly awful one of Supernatural. If I didn't know the writers credited for this episode have credits on episodes dating all the way back to the first season (including some I really liked), I'd accuse them of never having watched the show before. The "witch community" featured in the episode a) comes out of nowhere, and b) isn't consistent with what we've seen of witches on Supernatural at any point in the preceding 7.5 seasons... was this a script for a different show where witches do hang out in an underground bar and sling lightning bolts around?

And even if that were the case, putting it back into its "native habitat" wouldn't erase some highly troubling things pertaining to the character Portia.

If I were advising a friend who was starting the show from the beginning, I'd probably point out a few other episodes that fell a little flat and could probably be skipped. This is the one I'd tell them outright not to waste 40 minutes on. It gets a 3 based on "production wasn't too bad", but I kind of want my time back.

This episode contains the only Ackles performance that I don't think is any good. He seemed bored, stiff in this episode and without his usual sense of comedic timing. "Wiccan from Detroit" was labored line and overused. And the fake sneezing was terrible. (Also since when is Dean allergic to cats?!?) It is not just Ackles however. You could tell no one was really feeling the script and all of the performances are either stiff or overcooked. It may be the worst acted episode in the show's run.

I cannot really blame them. This is a very silly script that is without much merit on the page. The Winchesters are sidelined and the witch grudge story is just forced. I especially hated the Philippe character

Just saw this episode again on a TNT repeat. I forgot about it, frankly. I remember disliking it because as others have mentioned, it wasn't a Winchester story. In fact, it felt like one of those Supernatural episodes that you find out was supposed to be a back door pilot. I don't think that is the case here, but I think I might have liked it if this had become its own show. The detective is intriguing and well cast. Almost perfectly Gothic noir. Reminded me a LOT of Mike Carey's LUCIFER comic (that happens to me a lot watching Supernatural).

But the problem is that it feels so OFF as a Supernatural episode. We're told these characters have history with the boys, and that right there for us die hards is frustrating. Because we're sitting there trying to remember and it turns out it is a one and done situation, not a call back.

We're also asked to care about characters to a level I think is unrealistic since we don't know them. We're not invested. It's as if we're supposed to be just because we are TOLD the Winchesters are invested (at least Sam is).

Without getting all rambling, I'll just say it felt like a half baked premise that could have been so much more. Last few seasons we keep hearing how CW is trying to get a Supernatural spin off going and I'm thinking, hell, this would have been a good candidate. Just give us a couple more episodes with these people and then let them go on their merry way.

That ship sailed, I suppose.