Supernatural Revisited: A Three-fer

Episodes discussed here:  Hello, Cruel World (702); Adventures in Babysitting (711); As Time Goes By (812)

Over at SciFi Chicks, I had begun reviewing three Supernatural episodes per week: the current season’s episode which airs on the CW, and two (of at least 15) episodes which air on TNT per week.  The goal was to have fans rank the episodes, but it wasn’t much of a success.   I’ve gotten into the habit of watching, so why not continue to review and rate the shows?  Especially since one of next week’s shows is “Dead in the Water,” a favorite.

Hello Cruel World (702)

The second episode of the fairly lackluster 7th season begins with the demise of the angel Castiel, which is fine with me.  I’m not a big fan of Castiel, primarily because so many fans prefer Dean and Castiel to Dean and Sam.  For me, the show is about two brothers, and that’s where the show’s charm and drama lie.  What’s more dramatic, and more satisfying, than family?  Well, maybe chocolate.

Throughout season 6 Castiel had become more untrustworthy and egomaniacal, eventually proclaiming himself the new God.  In his attempt to absorb all the souls from purgatory (why this was a good thing?), Castiel absorbed a bunch of Leviathans, ancient and extremely nasty creatures that ooze black goo.  The Leviathans consume Castiel and he  ultimately explodes in the Souix Falls, SD, municipal water system.  Yeah, that’s not good.

Long ago, at the end of season 6, Castiel destroyed the wall in Sam’s head, which had separated Sam’s soul from his memories of hell.  Now Sam is seeing Lucifer, who says Sam is still in hell, and everything else (meaning Dean and Bobby) is imaginary.  Fortunately, Dean saves Sam by showing him how to determine what’s real by pressing his right thumb into the stitched-up palm of his left hand.   See?  Family is all.

Thus, the main arcs for the  season 7 are set.

I probably would have given “Hello, Cruel World” 3 stars, but the drama of Sam’s hallucinations, Dean’s brotherly talk to Sam, and the presence of Sheriff Jody Mills elevate it to it to 4 stars.

– Written by Ben Edlund; directed by Guy Norman Bee
– TV Fanatic fan rating 4.6 (out of 5); IMDB rating 8.6 (out of 10); TV.com rating 8.6 (out of 10)

Adventures in Baby Sitting (711)

At this point in the series, the beloved Impala has been abandoned (curse you, Sera Gamble!), at the recommendation of paranoid genius/whack job Frank Devereaux (Kevin R. McNally).  Dean and Sam are mourning the loss of surrogate dad Bobby Singer.  (Double curse you, Sera Gamble!)  Dean is seeking revenge on Dick Roman, chief Leviathan, for killing Bobby Singer.  Sam tries to help a young teenager named Krissy, and gets himself kidnapped by the same monster that kidnapped Krissy’s dad.  So Dean has to save everyone’s ass.  But it’s actually Krissy who saves the day.

Truthfully, the  casting is far more interesting than the story.   Kevin McNally was in I, Claudius, which I rewatched on WETA UK this past winter.  (“Rewatched,” because I actually watched when it originally aired.  Yes, I am that old.)  Whoa!  I see on IMDB he was also in Poldark.  Man, I loved that series!  (Yes, I am that old!)  Holy cow!  He was also in Downton Abby. Pretty impressive!

Also?  Megan Ory!  She played opposite Jensen Ackles in a terrific episode of Dark Angel.  She now plays Ruby/Little Red Riding Hood/werewolf on Once Upon a Time.  And she’s gorgeous.

– Written by Adam Glass; directed by Jennot Szwarc
– TV Fanatic fan rating 4.5; IMDB rating 8.2; TV.com rating 8.7

As Time Goes By (812)

Henry Winchester, father of John Winchester, grandfather to Dean and Sam Winchester, time travels from 1958 to 2013. “The Mayans got it wrong” he notes.  Read all about it.  (The episode, not the Mayans.)  Why the hell did I give it only 4 stars?   It was one of the best episodes in a great season.  It deserves 5 stars.  So there.  I’ve rectified that wrong.  Because family is all.   Plus, it sets up the very cool Men of Letters man cave.

– Written by Adam Glass; directed by Serge Ladouceur Supernatural‘s super awesome Director of Photography)
– TV Fanatic fan rating 4.8; IMDB rating 8.3 (Seriously?  This was so much better than 8.3!); TV.com rating 8.8

[Photos credit the CW]