Shane3182's Reviews

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

8/10

5 February 2016

This honestly surprised me.

It goes without saying I was not expecting much from this movie. I have seen various Pride and Prejudice movies before today and did not enjoy any of them out of sheer boredom. Nothing against those movies or their quality but it just wasn't my kind of movie. I assumed that this would be no different and that it would just be the same exact story with a few zombies sprinkled in.

And to an extent, it was exactly that, but there was much more depth to the zombie plot than I anticipated. The zombies were a very large part of the story and even when there was romantic drama there was still a close focus on the zombie aspect. There is always that underlying tension that zombies will strike.

The visuals were not the best but were still very well done. The make-up and effects for the zombies were much higher quality than I thought they would be. And the atmosphere kept a good mix of an old Pride and Prejudice feel while also adding a new element of dark zombie-apocalypse tension that I loved seeing.

There were a few parts that I rolled my eyes at, especially when things got a bit too dramatic between the lead characters Darcy and Elizabeth, but all in all it was a good movie that I enjoyed.

Very surprised to say I give this movie an 8/10.

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Jessica Jones (2015–2019)

7/10

Very Enjoyable

20 November 2015

Having enjoyed Daredevil very much I thought I would give this show a chance as well. And it does have a very similar feel to it that Daredevil had.

This show takes place in the Marvel universe but it much grittier and darker than what we saw in movies such as the Avengers.

It focuses on the character Jessica Jones who is a Private Investigator and has super-human strength. But Jessica has a dark past with the man known as Kilgrave who has a very strong interest in Jessica though she tries very hard to keep her distance from him. Unfortunately, a missing person case that she is involved in leads her straight back to Kilgrave and she is now dealing with the damage he is causing to her and her loved ones.

This show is a joy from start to finish. Around episode 6 is when things really pick up, with many twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. There is enough mystery and character development mixed in with some action-packed fights to really pull you in.

The only downside, in my opinion, was that there were times it just felt like an extended chase sequence. Where they go to one location, pick up a small clue and then run to another location to pick up another clue and so on. It dragged on for a bit but was not in any way boring, but also didn't feel as fulfilling as it should have.

I enjoyed the exploration of minor characters in the series as well. People who seem to just be background noise end up taking more time than I would have expected and I thought it was brilliantly done. I began to feel bad for characters I never thought I would.

All the actors did a brilliant job. The writing was amazing.

Definitely a show worth watching.

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Supernatural: Dark Dynasty (2015)

Season 10, Episode 21

2/10

A truly horrible episode

6 May 2015

Warning: Spoilers

As this season is wrapping up, it seems like it would be smart and even clever of the writers to begin grabbing the loose ends and weaving it into a reasonable and interesting plot. However, as we near the end it becomes more apparent that this isn't happening. And this episode is an example of that.

Rather than fix problems that have been dragging on since the start of the season, the writers feel that it is more important to dig deeper holes for the brothers to find themselves stuck in.

More enemies arise, more conflicts come to light before any previous plot points are resolved. Whether or not the writers were going for exciting or dramatic or something similar, all I can gather from this is that the writers have no clue what they are doing and are just throwing more and more "twists" into the mix in a desperate attempt to keep the audience on their toes.

This episode is, surprise surprise, all about Sam lying to Dean and working behind his back to save him. Sound familiar? Ah yes, it's the same plot we've been dragging out for a few months now, and is also identical to the plot we had in season nine when their positions were reversed and Dean was lying to Sam in an attempt to save him. After countless attempts of bringing the brothers together, it is apparent that the brothers truly can not be honest with each other and that the writers will take one step forward only to fall four steps back.

This episode was a mess. Definitely a contender for worst Buckner and Leming episode of all time.

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Supernatural: The Executioner's Song (2015)

Season 10, Episode 14

10/10

Best episode this season!

17 February 2015

There have been some good episodes this season, definitely a step up from season 9. However it has been a while since we've had an episode like this.

In summary, as we know from the promo clips, Cain is on a killing spree, and the brothers plus Cas are trying to track him down before he takes more lives.

Robert Berens is the genius behind this episodes writing, and I have praised his writing in the past for being so brilliant. Not one line in this episode felt forced or unnecessary or awkward, everything that was spoken felt like it was adding to the episode and adding to the build up.

We had a bit of everything as well. Not only was Dean's story unraveling, but Crowley and Rowena's story also added to the episode very nicely, I was thoroughly interested in both sides which is not something that happens often. I have always felt that Rowena's character was interesting but not game-changing, however this episode leads me to believe otherwise. It seems like there were some developments that could lead to more intriguing things in the future.

All of the actors were phenomenal in this episode. In particular Timothy Omundson and Jensen Ackles did a spectacular job since their characters essentially stole the show, both of them acted their hearts out. Another shout out to the director Philip Scriccia. Beautiful work on his part, I have absolutely no complaints about his way of directing this episode. The action felt very real and tense.

This is one episode everybody should take the time to watch because it is hands down one of, if not THE best episode of this season. Give Robert Berens more episodes, he has proved that he can write these characters and plots better than many others while keeping everything flowing and in character. Round of applause for this guy.

I don't give this rating often, but The Executioner's Song is definitely a 10/10.

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Supernatural: Hibbing 911 (2014)

Season 10, Episode 8

Great Episode

2 December 2014

Sheriff Jody Mills is forced to attend a sheriff's retreat, and rather reluctantly pairs up with Sheriff Donna Hanscum (who you might remember from The Purge back in season 9) when the two of them catch wind of a suspicious murder. Sam and Dean, of course, arrive on scene to aid them in their hunt.

Seeing as how this episode was (partially) made by Jenny Klein, I feared the worst. This isn't to say that Jenny Klein is a bad writer, however, as of late, I have not been too impressed with her episodes, such as the trainwreck known as Rock and a Hard Place back in season 9. However, Klein was not alone in creating this episode, the story was written by both her and Phil Sgriccia. Odd, since - to my knowledge - Sgriccia has been solely a director in Supernatural up until this point. It's unclear how much of a hand he had in the creation of the script, but whatever did happen between the two of them, it worked. Putting "Rock and a Hard Place" back to back with this episode and I wouldn't for a moment believe that it was by the same person, because this episode was actually really good.

If you wanted an episode about the brothers, you aren't going to get a whole lot of that here. The majority of the plot is focused on Jody and Donna, and I actually found myself invested in their stories and entertained by their screen time together, much more than I ever thought I would.

Donna is an absolute joy to watch. Last season, the Purge was not my favourite, but I do distinctly remember loving Donna's character in that episode. She had an energy and light to her that is extremely rare to see in a show about brooding men. Not only did she bring that same energy into this episode, but it was even better and more enjoyable than before. With more time on screen, we were able to see her character more in depth and expand upon some of the ideas that were introduced with her back in season 9.

Jody Mills returns this episode and, as always, she was wonderful. Both Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster were phenomenal. Their chemistry on screen felt very natural; those two bounced off each other perfectly. Anytime they were on screen together at the same time, it held my attention.

This episode, in sum, was a Monster of the Week episode, but focused a great deal on the characters and development rather than fighting a creature, which does eventually happen. And this is where I feel the episode took a bit of a dip. The characters are great, the actors are great, the setting and pacing were all great, but the monster aspect of the episode is where things went downhill. The build up toward the 'big bad' was much stronger and greater than the actual reveal. I don't want to give anything away, but I'll just say that I was not too impressed with the monster.

Even so, my disinterest in the actual case did not take over the other great parts of the episode. It was lighthearted for the most part, it was funny and enjoyable, and gave spotlight to some minor characters that are probably the most unique and interesting female characters we've ever had in Supernatural. All in all, the episode was well written and definitely worth watching.

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Supernatural: Soul Survivor (2014)

Season 10, Episode 3

Unfortunately, not impressive...

21 October 2014

Warning: Spoilers

If I'm being brutally honest, I was not looking forward to this episode simply because of the writers. I have, in the past, openly criticized Buckner & Leming on their writing style and choices; and they are responsible for several of what I consider to be the worst Supernatural episodes. That isn't to say that all of their episodes are dreadful, they have had some good moments in the past, but I have not been too impressed with their work.

With that being said, Soul Survivor is the third episode of season 10, and a rather crucial episode for the Demon Dean arc. It was announced months ago by the writers and through PR that Dean's demon arc would only last 3 episodes, therefore making this the final of the three part "Deanmon" story. And how did it hold up? Well, I'm not going to lie, I was bored out of my skull.

The final act of Dean's 'dark' story should be a thrill ride from start to finish; like what we saw with the last episode 'Reichenbach', it is very possible to keep the tension and excitement building even without characters holding knives or guns up to each other. It is possible to have an episode hold your attention from start to end; and I regret to say that this episode did neither of the two.

Soul Survivor consists almost entirely of talking. Yes. Just talking, and talking, and more talking. And when they weren't having idle chit chat, the characters would often fill the time with exposition to explain plot holes or events that we weren't even concerned about.

We all saw the promo, we saw Dean tied to a chair with Sam attempting to heal him and then of course we saw Dean chasing Sam around the bunker with a hammer. Odd how the one thing they promoted took up so little of the episode. Instead of exciting, hair-raising action, I sat through about an hour of car rides, talking, random flashbacks (to episodes that just aired a week ago) and of course more talking.

Because, truly, when I am watching an episode about Dean being cured of his demon, The last thing I want to see is Sam mindlessly walking around the bunker and sulking over pictures of his brother.

The last thing I want to see is scenes filling up time that could be better spent on excitement and, dare I say, even a bit of horror.

The LAST thing I want to see is time wasted on more implications of an incestuous relationship between Castiel and his sister, Hannah.

On the plus side, there were some events - that I will refrain from talking about for spoilers sake - that happened in the episode which could potentially lead to interesting stories later on. If done right, the writers could keep the season rolling in a good direction.

Was this episode bad? No. Was it good? Also no. I was bored for about 90% of the episode. I wanted to watch an exciting climax to this extremely well built story arc. And I, for one, was not very impressed with what was delivered.

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Supernatural: Reichenbach (2014)

Season 10, Episode 2

8/10

Better than the premiere

14 October 2014

While the premiere of season 10 had it's good moments and overall it was likable, it was nowhere near the best season premiere of Supernatural. I wasn't sure what to expect from the second episode, but I have to say, it surprised me.

A continuation from the episode "Black," this episode, "Reichenbach," starts with Sam as Cole's captive, who wants more information about Dean and his whereabouts. While this is happening, we also have Dean and Crowley's struggling partnership, and also have Castiel dealing with his own issues.

This episode starts exciting and stays exciting. The action and fighting was extremely well done, big props to the director Thomas J Wright for his work. He has only done 7 directing episodes for Supernatural before, but it was this one specifically that caught my attention. In particular, there is a fight scene at the end of 'Reichenbach' that reminded me of John Badham's directing in 'First Born' back in season 9, which (in my review at the time) I praised his work and attention to detail that made the scene look flawless. This episode was no different. It didn't matter what the scene was or where it took place, I could not find one problem with the directing; very well done.

All of the actors did a phenomenal job. There is a new actor that was introduced last episode that is also in this one, Travis Aaron Wade, as the character Cole. Absolutely amazing job on his part, he really brought intensity and emotion to the screen, creating a very believable character. I, surprisingly, found myself drawn to his story and am interested in seeing where these new developments might lead him. It's also necessary to tip a hat toward Erica Carroll for her work as Hannah. Whether or not you enjoy the character herself, Erica clearly puts the effort into her role as this new, slightly off-beat angel that has really started to grow on me.

The "Deanmon" (who picked that name?) in episode 1 didn't sit too well with me. It, in my honest opinion, was written more as a sleazy drunk you might fight at a bar rather than any sort of demon we would hope or expect to see. Episode 1 Dean reminded me too much of Soulless Sam from season 6 (hiding from his brother and sleeping with women and not caring. Ring any bells?), this episode, on the other hand, tapped more into the idea that there is, in fact, more to Dean than just bar hopping. Whether this is a good or bad thing, I can't be too sure. But it /is/ something different; and it's my hope they will take this idea and explore it.

The problems I had with this episode were very minor. All in all, it was a well written, well directed, and well acted episode. I hope to see more episodes like this as the season continues.

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Supernatural: Do You Believe in Miracles (2014)

Season 9, Episode 23

8/10

Great season finale to a not-so-great season...

20 May 2014

Season 8 of Supernatural left us off on a high note, leaving a world of opportunities for the season to follow, and it all lead to one of the most underwhelming seasons we've ever had in the series. While looking back at the episodes, I realized that only about 11 of the total 23 episodes were necessary for the plot. Even in previous seasons, such as season 5 with Lucifer as the main enemy, while the brothers weren't on a 24/7 hunt for the devil, they were still progressing forward while also focusing on other aspects. This season, however, had the plot practically take a seat on sidelines while we were expected to be invested in one-episode plots that not only didn't progress the overall plot, but were also the cause of many inconsistencies and continuity errors.

To summarize, season 9 begins from where season 8 left off: Castiel was tricked by Metatron and all of the angels in heaven fell to earth, and as this is happening Abaddon is trying to take over Hell. Sam is dying and Dean makes the decision to have him possessed by the angel Ezekiel (who we now know is actually Gadreel) in order to heal him, and Castiel is now a human trying to run from the angels who want to kill him. It had a strong start, but by episode 3, we were met with a facefull of plot developments that didn't make sense, and then the episodes proceeded to have several unnecessary mini-plots that were not related to any of the things that the season started with. We had endless situations of Sam being healed by Gadreel, and it was cool the first few times, but at a point it was just tedious. Cas disappeared for the majority of the episodes for no reason, and even our beloved prophet Kevin was written as some sideline character, when he truly could have had a much larger role to play, because, you know, he's a prophet! Midway through the season, the writers threw in the Mark of Cain so that we could have some new material. And after this development, we were still watching week after week of episodes that did not have anything to do with it! - So, where am I going with this? Well, practically nothing note-worthy or necessary happened for the majority of the season, and then the writers decided to get back on track in the last few episodes to salvage what was left of the plot.

Now that I've complained enough about the season in general, let's talk about this episode.

Do You Believe in Miracles?

After Dean slashes Gadreel across the chest in "Stairway to Heaven," we continue where we left off in this episode with Sam and Cas trying to hold Dean back from killing Gadreel. They lock Dean up, where Sam claims that there is something wrong with Dean, and leave him like that so that they can go try to help Gadreel. Since all of them have the same goal, it was obvious that they would work together to try and defeat Metatron.

Dean is still dealing with the effects of the Mark of Cain, and those effects are turning out to be even stronger than before. The Mark was one of the best decisions the writers made for Dean, because it ended up being the most exciting aspect of the season. Gadreel teaming up with them was also a very memorable part of the episode. In previous episodes, he has clearly shown that he is looking to redeem himself to them, since he was the one who killed Kevin Tran, and in this episode he had some of the best parts, in my opinion.

Jensen Ackles (as Dean) worked very hard to make the struggle seem real in his acting, and it came across very well on screen. All of the actors worked hard in this episode, and I can't think of even one complaint about any of their acting, they all did a spectacular job and put effort into bringing the emotions and characters to life.

This episode was very exciting and engaging in so many ways. And like all Supernatural season finales, it had a gripping cliff-hanger with some new developments that could potentially lead to some amazing stories.

So, what I'm saying is that this season itself did not impress me, but this episode was definitely worth watching. The writers once again have the opportunity to make an amazing season ahead of us, and I sincerely hope they manage to impress me with season 10. But, then again, I had thought that season 9 would be the goldmine of seasons, and I was proved wrong with that. I hope I won't be let down.

Very exciting season finale. Definitely worth watching. 8/10

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Supernatural: Alex Annie Alexis Ann (2014)

Season 9, Episode 19

8/10

Berens needs to write more!

22 April 2014

Robert Berens has written a total of 3 episodes for Supernatural, and those three are some of the ones I've enjoyed the most this season. Berens is a very talented writer, and if it were up to me, I'd have him write a lot more.

Remember the old Supernatural days when the monsters actually felt like a threat? Well, I for one had almost forgotten what that was like. This season, the "monster-of-the-week" episodes have not been to my liking, because it seems like many of the writers don't know how to have a single-episode story (that also includes pieces of the overall plot) without making it a mess of rehashed dialogue that just reiterates everything that happened the previous week. This is where Robert Berens really excels at his writing. He does not do that. He doesn't treat the season's plot and his episode as two different stories. You can see the places where the plot peeks through without making Sam or Dean just blurt out a summary of the season's conflicts.

"Alex Annie Alexis Ann" is a single-story episode that involves a nest of vampires and Sheriff Jody Mills. I love Jody, and she is one of the few strong female characters that is still alive and doesn't come across as baggage or a damsel needing to be saved. What I was worried about was whether the plot involving vampires would hold my interest. Back in season 1, vampires were first introduced to the show and were written as menacing, soulless monsters that cared about their meal more than the life of the person they were drinking from. Since then, several different writers have tried to take the idea of vampires one step further, trying to create more of a story by making a more complex plot, such as trying to make the vampires seem more human or misunderstood. And, with the exception of Benny from season 8, I haven't really been all that interested in the vampire episodes since season 1. Robert Berens, being the great writer that he is, made me actually excited about a vampire episode.

It's a very simple plot, and that's what makes it work so well. We don't need to bring in "bigger and better" enemies every week, because eventually the mega-strong villains just stop being much of a threat. When Supernatural brought in a whole group of Greek gods back in season 8, was that cool? Yes. Was I worried about Sam or Dean? Nope. And why is that? Because at a point, it feels like the writers try too hard to one- up the last villain, when in all honesty, some of the most thought- provoking and creative stories come from the most simple plots. These vampires weren't some uber-vampires from the darkest pits of hell or anything spectacular like that, they were just a group of normal Supernatural vampires... and they were fantastic!

I actually cared about the characters that were introduced, I cared about what I was watching, and at a point I was actually concerned for several peoples' wellbeing. These vampires didn't have some ulterior motive, they were, for the most part, just a blood-thirsty and crafty group of monsters that sort of reminded me of a mix between season 1 vampires and the Benders family(you all remember them!). It was nice and refreshing to see Sam and Dean actually hunt like they used to.

Sam and Dean were great to watch. Yes, they've had some issues this season, and at no point did they seem to have forgiven each other, but it was subtle enough that it didn't interfere with the plot at hand. I didn't have them screaming "we have brotherly issues!" in my face, and I also didn't have them reminding me for the millionth time that "Metatron and the angels are the purpose of this season!" Not everything has to be about angels and the war.

Jody was probably the highlight of this episode. Kim Rhodes did an amazing job! Also a very big round of applause to all of the side- characters who brought so much to the episode.

Robert Berens knows how to make the characters seem real. The dialogue traded between people never feels forced or fake, and their actions never seem unrealistic. I loved this episode, and I can say without a doubt that it was one of the best (if not THE best) single-episode plot we've had all season. I sincerely hope that Berens writes more episodes in the future.

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Supernatural: Mother's Little Helper (2014)

Season 9, Episode 17

Very good episode

25 March 2014

I was actually fairly impressed with this episode.

I was unclear what the episode would even be about, but I knew that Henry Winchester (played by Gil McKinney) was making an appearance along with Abaddon (Alaina Huffman) this episode; I also knew that Dean and Crowley were 'hanging out' again, which sort of spells trouble all around. There was a lot of hype leading up to this episode because it was Misha Collins' first time directing an episode on Supernatural, and I didn't doubt his directing skills, but the question was whether the episode (written by Adam Glass) would be good for his first directing.

Adam Glass has written episodes I enjoyed, but so far in season 9, the episodes he penned were not ones that I particularly loved, so I was worried that I would not enjoy this episode. However, I was pleasantly surprised from beginning to end, because my attention was held and at no point did I get bored.

We start off this episode with our typical Supernatural murder, and Sam approaches Dean about the case. Dean refuses to go with him, saying that he needs to keep researching, and so the brothers split up for the time being. Sam goes to investigate the murder, while Dean stays at the bunker to read. Right off the bat, I was a little peeved that the brothers were separated /again/ because we haven't had /that/ drama enough all season. To my surprise, Sam and Dean being apart did not play out like I expected. I was waiting for the brotherly angst to ensue, and have them cry over their problems again, but instead they actually communicated fairly well. The phone calls between them were enough to keep them 'together' and talking for the majority of the episode, and them being apart didn't end up being a bad thing. They both had important things to do, and /both/ sides were equally relevant to the plot.

Yes, I was shocked as well. I expected this to be a one-shot episode that was not at all important to the plot, but in fact it was. While Sam is off facing a new threat, a new piece of information regarding Abaddon arises. This information will most likely be crucial for whatever is in store next.

The actors all did a great job, and the dialogue they were given was well written. The pacing and tone of the episode were also something I really enjoyed, there were several 'dark' moments that I've missed seeing in the show. Supernatural used to be quite a blood-fest, but as of lately it's like they're allergic to the mere mention of more than a few drops of blood. This episode wasn't like that, and in fact did have some of that older-Supernatural style of blood and a few gruesome deaths. So this episode appealed to me in more way than one.

All in all, a very good episode.

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Supernatural: Blade Runners (2014)

Season 9, Episode 16

Cut-and-Paste

18 March 2014

Warning: Spoilers

Sam and Dean find Crowley, who is currently addicted to blood, and have him help them continue the search for the First Blade.

This episode had some things I enjoyed, but also some things I disliked. I'm not quite sure what it is, but the majority of the episode didn't quite keep me on the edge of my seat or even hold my interest entirely. The first half of the episode consisted of Crowley, played by the brilliant Mark Sheppard, injecting himself with blood, and then just a lot of Sam, Dean and Crowley traveling from point A to B to C with no transitioning or memorable scenes between. They'd be at one location, then have some revelation as to where to go next, and then suddenly be at the next necessary point. It felt a bit like a huge cut-and-paste episode. The last ten minutes of the episode were honestly the best part, and I wish the writers had managed to build up the excitement leading to this moment.

Once again, the writers seem to be treating Castiel as some ghost of a character, who is only mentioned once in the entire episode. The brothers don't seem to give a damn where he even is or what he's doing, which seems a bit odd because after the whole incident with Metatron, you'd think they'd want to know what their friend is up to and whether he is safe or not. So, I guess it isn't fair to say that is isn't the brothers who don't care about Cas, it's that the writers themselves didn't care about him enough to make him part of this crucial plot development. So that was unfortunate. (And was it just me, or was the odd sexual tension between Dean and the woman, Dr McElroy, a bit strange and/or unnecessary?)

Now, as I said, there were some parts I enjoyed. I liked the majority of Crowley's scenes, though his parts at the beginning when he's moping around felt like they were dragging on. I liked that Sam and Dean, for the first time in a LONG time, actually worked together as a team and somehow managed to stow their crap temporarily. I also enjoyed several of the scenes between Sam and Crowley, who have a sort of odd 'friendship', or at least Crowley likes to think so. And there is definitely some important development for Dean in the last bit of the episode.

I enjoyed the, albeit short, cameo by Nicole Polizzi, also known as Snooki. It was meant to just be a short comedic addition to the episode, and I felt that it worked well. There was also a new character introduced in this episode: Magnus, played by Kavan Smith, and he did a wonderful job. When he was on screen, my attention was definitely on him, and I was impressed with his performance.

All in all? It wasn't the greatest episode of the season, but it was important to the story and there were definitely some enjoyable parts.

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Supernatural: #thinman (2014)

Season 9, Episode 15

6/10

Could have been better...

4 March 2014

That was not quite what I was expecting out of this episode. When I hear "Ghostfacers" I think of hilarity and hijinks that follow closely behind them. We've seen the Ghostfacers, Ed and Harry, in the show before in the episodes "Hell House" and "Ghostfacers" and I was excited to see them return because I was sure it would be an amusing episode, which is something we haven't had in a very long time. I was wrong about several things. One, there was little to no hilarity in this episode other than Ed and Harry being a bit quirky, and two, Ed and Harry are not like the ghostfacers we've watched in the past.

This episode starts off with a young teenage girl at home alone, taking photos of herself in her room, when suddenly a faceless monster appears in her room and kills her. As the title suggests, and because it is revealed shortly after, this monster could be the so-called "Thinman," and it is not difficult to made the connection between this tall, suited, faceless monster and the popular internet-born monster known as Slenderman. Honestly, I think the case was the best thing this episode had going for it. I was drawn in pretty quickly by the creepy monster and was really hoping for the rest of the episode to be frightening. Unfortunately, there were only a couple scenes that I would consider to be scary, but despite that I was still intrigued by the case for a while.

This episode, however, seemed to focus less on Thinman and more on Ed and Harry, as well as Sam and Dean. Should be fun, right? Hilarious ghostfacers paired up with the Winchesters again! Not so much. This is where I personally think the episode was failing, and that was trying to make Ed and Harry's struggling friendship believable. Yes, Ed and Harry are going through some tough times, and while that would probably be fine for the episode, the blatant use of parallels between the ghostfacers struggles and Sam and Dean become almost obnoxious.

We know that Sam and Dean are having some problems, and they haven't been communicating very well, so the writer of this episode (Jenny Klein) was clearly trying to have Sam and Dean's problems transfer right over to Ed and Harry. So instead of the ghostfacers being comical idiots, we have Ed and Harry lying to each other, fighting with each other and unwilling to come to a compromise. Who does this sound like? Obviously Sam and Dean. Who does this NOT sound like? The Ghostfacers. I've already watched an entire season of Sam and Dean arguing and lying to each other, I didn't watch this episode wanting to see it happen all over again with the two (arguably) funniest duo in the show.

In terms of the case itself, I'd say the episode was decent and worth watching. When it came to the characters though, I was not impressed with how they were written. They could have done so much with the Ghostfacers' return, and I'm a bit disappointed that this is what they chose to do with them. All in all though, it was an okay episode.

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Supernatural: Captives (2014)

Season 9, Episode 14

8/10

Great episode!

25 February 2014

Captives was written by Robert Berens, the same person who wrote the episode Heaven Can't Wait, and since I thoroughly enjoyed Heaven Can't Wait, I had high expectations for this episode, and it did not disappoint.

This episode has a lot going on. In the very beginning of the episode, we have Sam and Dean in the Men of Letters bunker; the lights begin to flicker and cups start exploding, so the boys quickly come to the conclusion that it is haunted. The remainder of their time in the episode is dealing with this ghost. On the other hand, we have Castiel on his own in this episode, who, while confronting an angel, is then approached by a set of new angels that work for Bartholomew.

Thank god we are finally progressing! I have spent the last several episodes frustrated by the lack of development going on both with the story and the characters. We finally have Bartholomew, an angel who is in charge of leading a large faction of angels, appear and confront Castiel. I wasn't sure what to expect of their meeting, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out.

Captives ended up being quite an emotional roller-coaster, with some very touching scenes for the brothers and some cool fighting for Castiel. The pacing was very good, nothing felt rushed or horribly drawn out; it was very well written. I definitely think Robert Berens should write more episodes in the future.

8/10

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Supernatural: The Purge (2014)

Season 9, Episode 13

7/10

Pretty good

4 February 2014

I was unsure what to expect going into this episode. Going by the promos, it seemed that they were advertising it as a funny one-shot episode that involved Dean and Sam (and no Castiel) going undercover to a resort in search of a person or monster who is killing people after taking away all of the fat in their body.

First off, they shouldn't have advertised this as a funny episode because I can think of probably 3 funny moments in the whole episode, and all 3 of those were scenes included in the promos. All together, it was not meant for laughs, it was a fairly serious episode.

I still hold to what I said with my last week's review; we're at a point where I think the characters need to focus on the actual story a bit more. Like always, the real story was written off in the first few scenes with the brothers, saying something along the lines of "well, I've been doing research regarding the important plot points in the story, but since I can't find anything, let's do a case instead." This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think the writers could be a little more subtle about avoiding the actual conflict.

The case itself was decent and enjoyable for the most part. And for people who enjoy the episodic cases of Supernatural, this might be the perfect episode for them because it's a simple enough conflict that can be resolved by the end of the hour. The supporting characters were good and given a bit of back-story that made them more relatable, which is really all I can ask of new supporting characters. If they're only going to be there for one episode, the least the writers can do is make them memorable in some way, and I think the writers accomplished that here.

One small gripe I have is that Castiel is, once again, not even mentioned. For a character who is now living with them, we really don't see him at all. It's not that Cas needed to be in this episode, in fact, it might have been better to leave him out because a lot of this was focused on the brothers and their relationship. However, I would have liked them to at least acknowledge Cas' existence.

I have no doubt that the deep, emotional scenes between the brothers will be the thing that viewers take away from this episode. Those scenes are more focused on discussing Gadreel and the angels. Whether these discussions will help the brothers or pull them further apart, I have no idea.

All in all, I liked the episode. It certainly wasn't my favourite episode this season, but for what it was, it was good.

7/10

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Supernatural: Sharp Teeth (2014)

Season 9, Episode 12

5/10

Not exactly what I was hoping for...

28 January 2014

Warning: Spoilers

As the promo already spoiled to the audience, Garth (aka the new Bobby) is a werewolf. Sam and Dean (reluctantly) start working together to figure out what is really going on.

There were a handful of things I enjoyed about this episode. I did enjoy having Garth back, since he did vanish out of the blue last season, leaving Kevin to fend for himself. It was good to have some answers. I enjoyed some of the Sam and Dean moments where they talk about what happened and "deal" with their issues (the Winchester way). As for the case itself, well, it definitely felt like a filler. At no point in this episode, besides the Dean and Sam moments, did I think "wow this is important".

The idea of "friendly monsters" has been a bit of a theme the last few seasons, with the occasional monster being nice to humans. And while I am all for friendly monsters and side-characters, this episode did nothing to pull me in and make me care about the people (or rather, werewolves) in this episode. There have been times in the past where single-episode characters tugged at my heartstrings and left me feeling emotionally attached to them by the end. I'm not sure what it was about the characters in this, but I didn't care much for them. I couldn't bring myself to care about who was the bad guy, who was the good guy, or even who died in the crossfire.

Something else that bothered me was the really bad teeth and eyes of the werewolves. We've had werewolves in previous Supernatural seasons, and even though it was often clear that they had fangs just put on top of their teeth, they never looked awful. The teeth and eyes of this episode reminded me of something I might see a child wearing on Halloween. Which was especially strange because at one point we see a CGI version of werewolf fangs and eyes, which looked really good. The only thing I can conclude is that they used up their whole budget on that one scene and were forced to use plastic fangs for the rest of the episode.

After an episode where Dean gets the Mark of Cain, how can the writers expect me to honestly care about a few werewolves sitting around a piano singing songs? I would much rather see them tracking down a character like, say, Abaddon? Or Bartholomew? When was the last time he was even mentioned? Has he become a forgotten villain already?

On top of that, Castiel was not even mentioned /once/ in this episode. I understand that this was supposed to be an episode about the brothers, but Sam honestly just left Cas at the bunker for no reason. The least they could do is say "Cas is at the bunker" or just confirm that Sam didn't just ditch him to go run after a few werewolves.

So, it's not that I hated this episode, but I was really hoping for something more, especially following a massive plot turn like we had last episode. So far this season, only about half of the episodes have actually been related to the plot. And when you have not one, but THREE villains running loose, it's probably a good idea to focus on that instead of a group of religious wolves.

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Supernatural: First Born (2014)

Season 9, Episode 11

9/10

Where has THIS been all season long?!

21 January 2014

It's no secret that some fans have been disappointed by several episodes in the first half of season 9. We've had some let-downs and unfortunate character "progression" that ultimately ended up upsetting people. I know that the Supernatural writers are capable of writing great stories and holding my interest, but I haven't really had that happen a whole lot this season...until this episode.

Honestly, where the heck was this story all season? It was fantastic!

To summarize: last week we saw Dean say goodbye to Sam and Castiel and take off on his own, not wanting to be around them because he believed himself to be a curse, and that anyone near him would be killed or hurt. This week, we have Sam and Castiel at the bunker healing Sam, and Dean is (a bit reluctantly) working with Crowley to find a way to kill Abaddon.

I didn't have high hopes for this episode simply because this season hasn't impressed me much so far.

In all honesty though, I loved this episode. There were no weak characters in this. We have Timothy Omundson guest starring as Cain, and wow he does a great job! I truly enjoyed watching him on screen. I was actually expecting him to be a throw-away character, but I think he really brought a lot to the story, and hopefully the writers will use this opportunity to further the plot.

Crowley and Dean working together was amusing and much more than I could have asked for. Dean is clearly still not trusting Crowley (with good reason of course) and their 'teamwork' or lack thereof was a highlight for me. Same goes for Sam and Castiel at the bunker. They shared some good moments; though if I could choose, I would have wanted to see a bit more of them together. Sam and Cas rarely have any bonding moments, and it's unfortunate we couldn't see more of that.

Whoever directed this episode (John Badham) needs to come back. He did an excellent job of directing it to near flawlessness. There was a sequence where Dean is fighting demons, and it was probably one of the best fighting scenes I've had the privilege of watching this season. Very intense and exciting.

Without giving away any spoilers, I'll just say that I am SO glad Dean is getting to play a part in the story now. All season it has been a never-ending loop of Sam possessed and taken over by Gadreel, with Dean just running around spewing lies every which way. Dean is now being given an opportunity to really play a part this season, and the writers would be insane to not go through with it.

All together, outstanding job by the actors and certainly a round of applause to the writers for keeping me interested from start to finish!

9/10

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Supernatural: Heaven Can't Wait (2013)

Season 9, Episode 6

8/10

Heaven Can't Wait

13 January 2014

After being kicked out of the bunker, Castiel has started working at a Gas-n-Sip just to get by, while Dean and Sam are with Kevin at the bunker working to translate the tablet. Then Dean gets a call from Castiel about a possible case in his area, and thus we have our episode.

This episode didn't have a while lot to do with Bartholomew or Metatron, it was more of just a case episode with Dean and Castiel, and honestly I think it's one of the best episodes we've had so far this season.

One of the things I was truly worried about was that Castiel would be portrayed as this bumbling idiot with no clue how humanity works, and in a way that is true, but Castiel is not an idiot, and I'm very glad he was not portrayed as one. Sure, he fumbles with certain things in the store that he is not well acquainted with, and has some trouble communicating like a normal human would, but that is fairly consistent with Castiel's character.

In my personal opinion, after the horrifically portrayed love-interest and characters of "I'm No Angel" earlier in the season, it was refreshing to have Castiel back to his usual self. I think Robert Berens, the writer of this episode, did a good job of writing Castiel.

Dean and Castiel are not the only focus in this episode. There is a large part of it that focuses on Sam, Kevin, and Crowley back at the bunker. This is where things start to connect with the story line, regarding angels and Metatron.

A lot of the joy of this episode comes with not knowing what will happen next. There were a few times I ended up laughing, and there were a few touching moments as well. Also the pacing was very well done. After episodes like Dog Dean Afternoon and Slumber Party, which had pacing all over the place, it was great to watch an episode that was simple but also kept my attention from start to finish. The fact that they were able to have an entire case episode, as well as being able to focus on everyone at the bunker and move that plot along, all while not rushing or jumping all over the place, impressed me very much.

Great episode! I'd give it a 8/10.

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Supernatural: I'm No Angel (2013)

Season 9, Episode 3

3/10

"I'm No Angel"

24 October 2013

Castiel is missing. Dean and Sam (plus Ezekiel) go searching for him, fearing that he might be in trouble.

This episode is difficult to review. I am a huge fan of Castiel and was very excited to watch this episode because it was supposed to be all about Castiel learning to adjust and struggle with his new humanity while also running from all the angels that want his head on a platter. At supernatural convention panels prior to this, the actors made mention of things they enjoyed or thought was interesting, such as 'Castiel's bathroom scene' or 'Castiel living under a bridge with the homeless', or 'Castiel having trouble sleeping'. These were things many people were eager to see play out. – However, what did this episode consist of? Well, the parts we expected to see, such as Castiel's difficulties with eating, sleeping, and temporary living arrangements took up so little of the episode that it might as well have not been mentioned.

What we did get, however, was a new "love interest" for Castiel. I use the term 'love interest' very, very loosely. When the promo for the episode came out, we all saw footage of Castiel meeting a woman and then a brief clip of them kissing. There was some uproar about this particular footage, some positive and some negative. But the one thing I heard constantly from the fans was "don't f*ck this up" and I too was sincerely hoping that the writers would create a scenario that was believable as well as interesting.

How did it play out? Well, I won't say anything for spoilers sake...but take a gander at the picture right next to the title on IMDb or take one glance at the promotional pictures shown before the episode even aired. How did this 'love interest' play out or help the plot? In my completely honest opinion: it did /not/ help at all. When things turn sour, as things normally do on SPN, it wasn't even a "wow, what a crazy twist!" it was more along the lines of "are you kidding me?" and "was that necessary?" because there are so many times when the writing felt forced, fast, or just unnecessary.

I would have been much more interested in seeing Castiel battling his hunger, or trying to find shelter on the streets instead of this forced "relationship" between Castiel and a strange woman. There are so many ways this could have been written differently and more effectively in terms of Castiel's development.

Castiel felt out of character. I'm just going to say that now. And I know that many other people felt the same way. Castiel said some things in 9.01 that I felt were very powerful, only to have it all take a complete flip in this episode. His line in 9.01 that I loved the most was "I'm one of you (angels), I will never stop being one of you." And...well, this episode's title is "I'm No Angel," not only is this the title, it is something Castiel says. Did he truly lose all of his certainty in a matter of days?

There is Supernatural lore that is thrown out the window for the sake of making the episode 'fit', which either means the writers did not care to follow up on their own rules or they simply thought we wouldn't notice.

This all sounds very harsh and negative. I'm aware. However, it's very hard to shake off these negative feelings when we're dealing with a main character that is adored by so many. When the writers brush off years of character consistency for the sake of one episode, people will be disappointed or even angry.

There were certainly some scenes that were enjoyable and left me excited for future episodes. Jared Padalecki does an amazing job flipping between Sam and Ezekiel (Zeke), and this part of the plot is still very interesting. Many fans are still unsure whether to trust Zeke. He has been and still is very helpful and offers his assistance in the search for Castiel, but Dean is having issues with Zeke just 'showing up' whenever he feels like it. And with Sam still in the dark about being possessed by an angel, Dean is constantly having to lie or dodge questions in order to avoid telling Sam the truth.

At one point in the episode, Dean is forced to choose between two things, both of which are unpleasant; I hope the decision Dean made will be further explored and questioned.

Episode 1 and 2 of season 9 were fantastic. As I said, I am a huge Castiel fan and was holding so much hope for this episode, only to be left disappointed. I hope things are redeemed later on and that any inconsistencies or plot holes are fixed. For now, though, I think we can still look forward to great episodes ahead. Despite this little bump in the road, season 9 is still looking very promising.

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Supernatural: Sacrifice (2013)

Season 8, Episode 23

10/10

And everything was going so well...

15 May 2013

Here we are! The end of season 8! A season which has raised the number of viewers for Supernatural by more than any of us expected; We've met new characters, reintroduced old ones, brought in new plot devices that have been welcomed with open arms by so many of the SPN Family. Now we are unfortunately at the end of it.

There is really not much anyone can say without giving things away, so it is our duty to tell you about the episode without really saying anything. Here goes:

As seen in the promo, Dean and Sam corner the King of Hell, Crowley, and tell him that he is the "third trial", which we learned from the previous episode (Clip Show) that this means they must 'cure' him.

Now, we already know this isn't the only thing that is going on. We are aware that the Winchester brothers are doing everything they can to close the gates of Hell, and at the same time Castiel is working with Metatron to close the gates of Heaven, which will trap all the angels inside. This part of the story between Cas and Metatron continues in this episode and before too long it jumps forward and grabs our attention, becoming the spotlight of something much different than we planned for. We'll leave it at that since I can't say anymore without giving away crucial details.

Several of our other characters play a part in Sacrifice. Our prophet, Kevin Tran, has a small part in this episode. Naomi, Crowley and Abaddon all have their stories advance as well. But which characters' stories are concluded? I'll tell you this much – not all of the plots or conflicts have been resolved / finished. So we will be seeing more of certain characters in season 9.

If you're watching the season finale of Supernatural season 8, I will assume that you have watched Supernatural before, which includes previous season finales. Let me refresh your memory on a few: Ending with a car crash (S1), going to hell (S3 + 5), purgatory (S7), and Lucifer breaking out of Hell (S4). Those are a few of the many conclusions we've had for season finales. All of them have something in common. They break your heart and/or leave you on the biggest cliffhanger. Did you really think season 8 would be ANY different? There is definitely a cliffhanger. A big one.

The characters were amazing, the pacing and build up was perfect, and the intensity and suspense had me on the edge of my seat during the last 20 minutes. If you're like me, you will keep glancing at the clock saying "there is only 5 minutes left!" and as the minutes inch closer to the conclusion you panic, and curse the writers for having this all happen NOW. Then as the credits appear, you will throw your hands up as you realise you have to wait several months in order to see what will happen next.

I have loved season 8. And I absolutely loved the conclusion. If you had asked me yesterday, I would have said my favourite conclusion was Swan Song from season 5. Now, however, I think my answer may be different. Sacrifice is, to me, one of the best conclusions we've seen in a long time.

I cannot begin to express how much I am looking forward to seeing what they will do with these new developments. I think we can look forward to a great season ahead of us.

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Supernatural: Taxi Driver (2013)

Season 8, Episode 19

7/10

Second trial, here we come!

3 April 2013

Warning: Spoilers

Sam and Dean receive word from Kevin saying that he knows what the second trial is: they must rescue an innocent soul from hell. Now, we know that Sam is the one who has to do the trials, so Dean isn't able to go with him or help him on his journey to hell and back. Seems like an impossible task!

While Sam is off to hell, we have just as many conflicts occurring back on earth. Kevin being one of them; who is going a bit off the rails and claiming to be hearing /things/. Then we have the whole situation with Naomi, which is also an issue brought up in this episode, but ultimately leaves us with more questions than answers.

There is so much to love and a bit to dislike about this episode. Though I feel the good outweighs the bad.

As seen in the promo, our friend Benny is reintroduced, but the circumstances for his return is not known unless you watch the episode. I feel that saying why he returns would be giving away some major spoilers for this episode, so really I can't say much about Benny. However, there is one particular scene between Benny and Dean that I think was the greatest part of the entire episode, and held my interest even more than Sam visiting hell. Benny was one of the greatest parts of Taxi Driver, I honestly love his character much more after watching it.

And of course this episode wouldn't be complete without our wonderful angel. No, I'm not talking about Cas. I'm talking about the cruel angel who has been manipulating Castiel ever since he was pulled out of Purgatory, and has the actions and personality that is fit for a demon. THAT wonderful angel. I thought I had Naomi all figured out for the most part. This episode twists her character in a clever way that makes me questioning her true intentions, and certainly twists the way our main characters might see her. Could we have misunderstood her, or is this just an act? The first scene where this takes place is not as heavy or intense as I would have liked, but it is the main thing I am concerned about for all future episodes. I know this talk about Noami is incredibly vague, but just like Benny, I can't say much without spoiling the episode. Essentially, Naomi's time in this episode can be summed up as: What the hell is she doing? And why?

Naomi, Crowley, Kevin, and Benny were all positives in this episode. All of them contributed to the progression in plot, either directly or indirectly.

Now looking at some of the negatives: The beginning felt a little rushed. Acquiring the information about the second trial and how to even accomplish it was done in less than ten minutes, which felt like not enough. However, if they had extended those beginning scenes, I would probably be saying that the intro was dragged out and the actual doing of the second task was much too short. So, there is nothing to be done about that, since we do have a time frame to fit into.

The other negatives, in my opinion, were unfortunate because this entire episode really revolved around it. Hell. Yes, hell was honestly the biggest disappointment for me. A small portion is seen in the promo: a short clip of Sam walking down a hallway toward a cell where /somebody/ is being kept. This is honestly not how I imagined hell whatsoever. It did not seem evil or cruel enough. Perhaps there's different levels of hell, and what we saw in this episode was a lesser version of what we might expect. That's the only way I'll be able to convince myself that hell is truly supposed to be the worst place imaginable. Back in season 3 - when Dean is sent to hell - we see a very short glimpse of him in an endless void of near darkness full of chains. And in the middle of those chains we see Dean being held by hooks that were driven through his skin. Then in season 4, when Dean dreams of or remembers hell, we never actually see what happened. I loved that. Because what we are lead to believe is that in hell they experience pain and suffering beyond description. And not only could they obviously not show that on TV, but it also gives the impression that we CAN'T imagine what goes on down there. So, when Sam visits hell, let's just say I was a little disappointed. I expected the trial to be more difficult. Not for Sam to stroll down a hallway of cages.

I suppose it's a bit harsh to expect MY idea of Supernatural's hell to fit into the show nicely. It's a lose–lose situation. If we don't show Sam going into hell for the second trial, that would end up being very boring. But by showing a TV-appropriate version of hell ends up shattering some of the horrors and fears that we expected to be held within it.

Altogether, despite any negatives I mention, this episode was enjoyable and I still carry high hopes for this season. Next episode seems to be an episodic and hopefully fun episode, but soon after that I imagine we will start addressing the real issues here, and get some more work done! We still have a third trial AND Naomi and Crowley to deal with... hopefully. Crossing fingers for an exciting and well thought-out conclusion to season 8.

Taxi Driver could have been better, but was still good! 7 / 10

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Supernatural: Goodbye Stranger (2013)

Season 8, Episode 17

Absolutely Intense!

20 March 2013

This season so far, I would say some of the best episodes we've had were the episodic / single-episode stories. Like what might be seen a lot in season 1 of Supernatural; we would be introduced to a new enemy or conflict at the start, and at the end of the episode everything had to be wrapped up and solved. The reason, I think, that these types of episodes can be great is that nothing feels as though it is dragging on for too long. We all remember the Leviathans and Dick Roman, who (to many fans) overstayed his welcome because he was in the show for an entire season and then killed off in all of 30 seconds. I bring this up because this season the writers have done a much better job at giving us variety. In the last episode we were reintroduced to the idea of other gods and goddesses, who have all but been forgotten in this show. It is wonderful to see other creatures and ideas brought in, so we don't always know what to expect. And to have everything wrapped up at the end of an episode is often relaxing. Good guys kill the bad guys and we all go home happy.

Goodbye Stranger is NOT episodic, and it is certainly not relaxing in any way, shape, or form. This episodes ties in to the overarching story that has been occurring throughout season 8. We have the demon tablet which is needed in order to close the gates of Hell, and we have an angel tablet which is still a mystery to us and the characters. The main villain this season has of course been Crowley (the king of Hell), and I'd say Naomi stands in line for being an important if not main antagonist.

It varies with each person, but I think that neither Crowley nor Naomi have 'overstayed their welcome' since, as I mentioned, we are given some breathing space in between the episodes that involve these two. It gives us a chance to wonder "where the hell are they? What are they doing?" rather than "greeeeat. Them again." Both Crowley and Naomi make an appearance, as does our lovely angel Castiel...who is not so lovely, actually.

As seen in previous episodes, Castiel has been manipulated by Naomi into doing horrible things, and he never seemed to be entirely aware of what he was doing or why. It seemed to be more of a situation he acted upon, but didn't really want to. From the get-go in Goodbye Stranger, we see that the manipulation Naomi has upon Cas is a bit stronger than it ever was before.

The Winchesters are investigating a case involving demons when they end up crossing paths with Castiel and "work together" with him in an attempt to solve this problem faster. With Naomi and Crowley both involved, this simple demon case could prove to be more than either expected.

One of the potentially great things about episodes like this is that we don't need to introduce new characters like we would in a single-story episode. Introducing and developing characters can really eat away at the 45 minutes we have per episode, giving us a rushed and unfulfilled ending. In Goodbye Stranger, we are RE-introduced to several characters, and because we already know them it saves us that time needed to give all of the background info on them and use that time for the actual plot. For those of you who watched the promo, you'll know that Meg is back. The last time we saw Meg was the end of season 7 when our group of heroes faced Dick Roman. Meg had a wonderful part in this episode. I truly enjoyed having her in season 7 to take care of Castiel while he was a bit...insane. Her character really grew on me, so I was thrilled to have her back this episode.

All of the characters had equally important parts. And unless my mind is trying to make connections that don't exist, it seems that we're getting to the end of the season where they are starting to explain all of the random and unsolved events that have taken place throughout season 8. This is the time when we will discover whether the writers are brilliant planners that have woven their mysteries within these random plots to then have everything tie together at the end...or we will discover that the writers are just making random plots with unresolved conclusions. It seemed that some of the statements and questions brought up in Goodbye Stranger were too big to be coincidence, and they certainly didn't go unnoticed. This leads me to believe that many of the 'unimportant' or forgotten mini-plots that take place at random times in season 8 are actually crucial events. Because of this, there are so many questions we are dying to know the answer to, but will have to wait and find out.

I hold to my statement from before: SOME of the best episodes have been the episodic plots; but I think Goodbye Stranger is definitely a runner- up for best episode this season. I don't think I've ever been more tense or worried for our beloved characters as much as I have this entire episode. It was nicely paced from start to end and the progression of plot was enough to get me excited for the remaining episodes of season 8 as well as season 9. Loved it! 9 / 10

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Supernatural: As Time Goes By (2013)

Season 8, Episode 12

9/10

Beautiful

30 January 2013

After a fun, light-hearted episode last Wednesday, I think we all knew this was coming.

Sam and Dean have a very surprising visit from a man who says he's from the past. As the promo already announced, this man is Henry Winchester, Sam and Dean's grandfather (John's father) who is being chased down by a demon called Abaddon, and the three Winchesters have to work together to find out why, and most of all how to defeat it.

I will say this now, in my honest opinion, As Time Goes By is one of the greatest episodes we've had this season. There have been some great episodes so far and I have enjoyed this season immensely, but this episode was different. This, to me, felt like an episode we might have seen from season 4 or 5, before the whole issue with the Leviathans and Crowley. This is not a case of "Winchesters, the angels need your assistance right now", they are not asked to do this by the angels; and Crowley (for once) is NOT the man behind this. There is no Castiel, no Crowley, and no Naomi at all. It seems like this entire season has been revolving around those three. So, for anyone who dislikes the course season 8 has taken, you might enjoy this!

The setting itself is darker at times. It appears as though the directors / editors of season 8 want to make this season brighter. Literally brighter. Many of the scenes have taken place during the day, bringing out the colours really vividly, and it has struck me as odd. Since, in previous seasons, the makers of Supernatural have favoured darker settings, where even during the day the lights are harsh and cold, giving us a sense of how 'dark' the situation was. So, As Time Goes By does not only seem like an older Supernatural episode, it also at times has the same dark settings that previous Supernatural seasons had.

We never knew much about John Winchester's father, in fact we knew next to nothing, and even if he's only brought in for this one episode, we learn just what type of man he was; and whether that is a good or bad revelation is up to you. I feel that I can't say much about him without giving anything away, so I shall leave it at that.

The brothers, after a long time of fighting, finally came to a sort of conclusion in last week's episode where they decided it was time to stop arguing. I was worried that the writers wouldn't keep true to this, and would still bring up the conflicts involving Amelia and Benny. I'm not saying those two will never be brought up again, but for now, those issues are in the past; Sam and Dean hunker down and work together as brothers again, like how it was prior to season 4, before the whole situation with Ruby, Lucifer, or any of the angels. In this episode the brothers cooperate with each other, help and support each other, and most of all care about each other. I sincerely hope this keeps up. It has pained me to see Sam and Dean become like enemies when they once were so close.

Absolutely one of the most emotional episodes we've had in a long time. We've had characters get hurt and die this season and those are sad. But when it comes to the Winchester family, I think that is a bit stronger than what we've been faced with lately. We know Sam and Dean (as well as their father, John) from the very beginning, it all started with them. It progressed into something much greater, but everything in this show started with the Winchesters, and this episode showed another piece of the missing story that lead John, Sam and Dean to where they are now. It is beautiful, painful and tragic, but altogether amazing.

9 / 10

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Supernatural: Torn and Frayed (2013)

Season 8, Episode 10

8/10

Exciting and fulfilling!

16 January 2013

Castiel, after receiving orders from the angel Naomi, asks Dean for help with rescuing Samandriel, another angel who is being tortured by Crowley for information.

Torn and Frayed starts off exciting, and ends with just as much (if not more) excitement; there were a few parts in the middle that I couldn't help but dislike, specifically the parts that included Amelia. Those scenes with Sam and Amelia thankfully did not bring down the rest of the episode. Sam is a great character, but he doesn't seem to have any 'shining moments' when he's in the same room with her, which is what makes these scenes feel a bit dull.

While the episode did have its ups and downs, I believe the writers did a wonderful job wrapping up certain things which will, hopefully, be good news for the Winchester brothers. There have been certain conflicts getting between the brothers this entire season, and both have been doing their best to avoid bringing up the issues (or rather, do their best to hide that it's an issue), which has slowly but surely been tearing the brothers apart. These issues are addressed in Torn and Frayed, and the results might surprise you.

I feel that there was a lack of Castiel and Crowley in this episode, and that was one of the only letdowns. Since this IS a battle between heaven and hell, it seems only fitting to have periodical showings of both angels and demons. However, having less angels vs demons action gives us a chance to focus on the brothers and, like I said, allows them to bring up the issues between them. It's about time, too!

Great episode! I'm already looking forward to finding out what will happen following these events. I suspect we'll be seeing more of Naomi and Crowley in the future. I would give this a 7, however, the end really threw me for a loop and for that I say this episode deserves a solid 8 / 10.

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Supernatural: Hunteri Heroici (2012)

Season 8, Episode 8

9/10

Bringing back the comedy!

28 November 2012

Warning: Spoilers

We've had strange deaths in Supernatural before, but none quite like this! People around the town are being killed Looney Toon style. Sam and Dean take the case, and strangely enough, so does Cas. Claiming he wants to become a hunter, Castiel joins the Winchester brothers to hunt down this cartoon mimicking monster!

This episode was certainly different from ones we've had this season, this one did have quite a few comical scenes, most of them involving Cas since he tends to have an obvious lack of 'people skills' or 'human skills' in general. I think it was a great episode to relieve some of the stress that has been building up this season, especially between Dean and Sam. This whole season we have seen them bickering and arguing; it was nice to have a fairly fun and happy episode where the brothers work together on a case and not have to bring up past conflicts.

One of my biggest questions this entire season has been related to Sam's time while Dean was away, we know he met a girl and things were serious between them, but there are still a few mysteries about their relationship that have not been revealed. I personally was not enjoying the previous flashbacks involving Sam and Amelia, since I felt as though they were just included as a way to fill up space and not help the story progress whatsoever. Surprisingly, this episodes flashbacks did hold my interest for whatever reason, and there was an interesting twist revealed at the very end that I didn't see coming. I never thought I'd say it, but I'm interested in seeing how that played out.

Great episode. Very entertaining! I thought it was funny and interesting and thankfully wasn't overloaded with unnecessary drama. I, for one, am hoping we get more episodes like this in the future.

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Supernatural: A Little Slice of Kevin (2012)

Season 8, Episode 7

8/10

Castiel and Crowley return!

14 November 2012

Several random people are being snatched away with supposedly nothing that connects them; Sam and Dean suspect that demons are involved and investigate the case. While this is happening, Dean still feels guilty about Castiel not escaping from Purgatory with him (as seen in flashbacks)...until Cas randomly shows up with no memory of how he escaped.

Many fans rejoiced because of Castiel's appearance, it's great to see him back to normal and fighting alongside the Winchesters again. The question is quickly brought up by Dean: How did he escape? To my surprise, the question was answered in this episode rather than leave it hanging, but I will not spoil the surprise for you. However, the answer to the question did also bring up some new questions which will, I suspect, be answered in later episodes.

Not only did Cas make a big reappearance, we also see Crowley in this episode. It has been a few episodes since we last saw him, and he has been the main villain of this season, or at least is the one who stands in our protagonists way the most. Something I particularly loved about this episode was Crowley's character. In previous seasons Crowley has helped out the Winchesters (when it benefits him) and has become a likable character that makes jokes and witty comments, this episode really showed the dark side of his character that we don't always see. Yes, in the past we've seen Crowley torture and kill others, but generally it was to people who we didn't know well or care that much about (minor characters). Then we have this episode where Crowley is fighting against the good guys that we know and (arguably) care about. As much as I enjoy witty Crowley, I think having him as a cruel villain was a good reminder to the audience that he is in fact the "king of hell".

A very enjoyable episode! The past several episodes have felt episodic, or rather weren't really part of the main storyline (that doesn't make them bad at all, but at the same time it doesn't seem to really push the story along), but this one did have some interesting developments and I am looking forward to seeing what happens from them. I would give this episode a solid 8 / 10.

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