I don't remember when birthdays have ever been touched at all especially when it came the Winchesters. Refresh my memory. I would be content if they celebrated the brother's birthday at least once. i don't care which as long as it is heartfelt, angsty, and full of brotherly goodness. I'm still waiting.

I'm in no condition to say anything because right now I'm very busy looking for my jaw that dropped to the floor.

This had to have been one of the goriest episodes ever! My skin was crawling throughout the kitchen scene. I thought everything worked with this episode, but I was sorry that Dean's reaction was to put Sam into detox, beacause that worked so well the last time. Still, his plea to heaven was great! Hopefully the long MIA amulet will be glowing hot.

WOW!!! Good episode. I really wasn’t impressed until Sammy got his powers back! Really expected more from Cupid. Sammy’s powers made up for it all. And he didn’t misuse them, did exactly what was right. So glad he took out a horseman. YEA!!!!! Sammy’s powers are back!!!!!!!!!!! Loved it!!! Really he needs to drop the blood smeared mouth though.

Seems Famine hit Dean too. Seems they both need to get something out of their systems. Were they back at the panic room? Looked like it. Have to watch it again. If they were, boy that was a quick trip! Hopefully now we'll see them get back on track! Dean really had to know about Sam. At least he wasn’t as angry at Sam as I thought he would be, Famine really cushioned that. Boy, where is Bobby when you need him! Course, all that’s needed is Dean to TALK to Sam! That’s where the help will come from. Really hope we see that on camera. But I’m guessing not for a while….

Really HATE no new episodes till end of March. Geezz, that’s what 6 weeks? What happened…seems like we just HAD a hiatus! That’s the pits!!!!

I loved this episode. Although I have yet to find an episode written my Ben Edlund that I didn't like. It had it's really gross moments, funny moments & the ending made me want to cry. Poor poor Dean.
I am in awe of how hot Cas can still be even while shoving burgers down his throat. lol
Can't wait for the next episode. Zombies & Bobby?! If Cas is involved I think I may explode.

BTW, that's Edlund's trademark. The slow build up to the smack you in the face ending. I bow to the master.

Famine was amazing. I loved the look. He's uber creepy. I can't wait to see the remaining Horseman.

I'm sure it was Sam that insisted they go back to Bobby's panic room. After all, he demanded to be locked down when he knew he was in trouble. I love Castiel's words. "That isn't Sam in there."

So it was the panic room. Haven't had a rewatch yet. I really like that Sam came to Dean's aid this time! So Cool! And I really wish they would drop the drug addition. Sam's powers are GOOD, and I wish they would use them more. But maybe I should be careful what I wish for......

Famine was amazing-- the whole episode was amazing. Hilarious, visceral, frightening, heartbreaking--Ben Edlund owns me. Again. The episode definitely seemed to imply that Sam killed Famine with his wicked demonic skills, but didn't War say you can't kill a Horseman? I'd love to see both Horsemen again...

I'd actually been wondering if we were going to see that ring again. Apparently Dean's been carrying it around! So much for a pit stop on Mount Doom. Now it would seem they've added Famine's to their collection. I'm guessing they might come into play later, but we'll have to see...

John + Mary-- arranged?? That's not disturbing at all...

Nice to know Sam'll survive withdrawal... Been pondering the role of the demon blood, me and the rest of the fandom I guess, ever since Ruby said he didn't really need it... I thought of it as a kind of psychological dependence, Sam needs it because he thinks he needs it, or a kind of -- I don't know, not a metaphor, but the idea that the act of drinking blood represents Sam choice to embrace his powers somehow, so that unlocks them...

I like Alice's take on it, actually, that the blood removes his inhibitions... Is it just me or does volume seem to be an issue? All that talk about how the amount of blood Sam was consuming to kill Lilith would change him forever... and his eyes did go black, but maybe they realized it wasn't enough, that the transformation was incomplete? And then he was auto-detoxed when he was zapped up to the plane. Now we have Famine, trying to get him to drink up again, because Lucifer wants him to.

Hmmm. I think I'd better just quit pondering and just sit back and watch how it all plays out. Happy Hellatus, everybody--again!

This show keeps finding new ways to take my heart and crush it.

Sam, Dean....

I cannot believe that Dean is dead inside. I just can't.

Good episode. Good brother interaction, great one-liners. Famine is a disturbing dude. Yes, he is worse than war and really creepy (what's with those teeth!).

My thoughts and feelings are all still a jumbled mess. Need time to process this one. All I know is that the ending.......well.......this episode just broke me. It literally broke me. Aw, Dean. My heart is breaking for you. Hang in there! We luv ya!

So my choc cake was a disaster, but the episode totally WASN'T!!! The Edlund is either a super-genius, or just plain insane. I'm going to imagine it's a combination of the two, I mean..people eating each other?? WTF??? THAT IS WAY AWESOME! Well, gross, but still awesome.

Sigh, I want to list down everything that I love about this ep, but it might take me a whole day. Or two. Basically I love everything

1. Did anyone notice that the coroner guy was the librarian from Provenance?

2. The sheer quantity of Limp!Sam in this episode was heavenly...starting with his craving for that which shall not be said, and then the way he admitted it to Dean, subsequently followed by handcuffs..Sadist!Narcissus is very happy (don't get me wrong, I'm bi-bro ). And then he had to get all hopped up on the demon blood and be all HOT super-power-charged-up Sam.. *fans self* And of course, the "wait your turn line"..wow.

3. Deano! Poor, wibbling, damaged as hell, dead-inside Dean...you made Sadist!Narcissus very happy too. If Sam's screaming from the panic room didn't entirely destroy my fangirl soul, Dean's call for help at the end finished the job. Of course he had to out to the Metallicar just to be able to say it too.. *sigh*

4. Cupid got socked one...I don't blame Dean, I might have done it myself, the dude was way too..happy..for my taste. I totally love the show's interpretation of cupid. And the red napkin instead of the arrow..hah!

5. The humanisation of Cas is progressing at a faster rate. He's so adorable!

6. Horseman Famine. Wow. Whoever played him was amazing. But I don't really get it..did Sam kill him by killing the souls he had eaten, or did it just weaken him and then they cut off his ring?

These points are just random thoughts and squees off the top of my head. Basically I think every single moment of this episode was magic. Oooh I just thought of something...maybe the Horsemen's rings will play a part in stopping Lucifer? Some sort of collect-them-all and claim your prize deal, heh.

Btw there's really another hellatus? How long this time? *grumble grumble*

I definitely cannot wait that long to see Bobby's dead wife. =[ Stupid unnecessary hellatuses.

So I totally called (really loud, to my entire household) that Sam was hungry for demon blood after he first walked by that creepy guy with the briefcase. I was so so so glad he told Dean right off the bat and didn't try to hide it.

The "Wait your turn" line was really creepy, but my favorite of the night was something along the lines of "Oh, Sammy, no" when Dean saw him with the blood and the crazy. Jared is so good making faces and doing that hand twisty thing. I really want him to have his powers without the demon blood. Hmph.

Deeeean! Nooo! That's so tragic that he has a big fat box of nothing where his soul should be. He was praying to God, right? Not his mom or anything? I wonder if God will help him out even without a soul. I wonder how/if he'll get it back, too, I feel like either he'll be too ashamed to tell anyone or he'll ask Cas and/or Bobby for help. Definitely not going to tell Sam. And Sam came right out with his demon thing. I know Dean will just be trying to protect him (or is too ashamed, either one) but pretty much that was Sam's reasoning with the demon blood too.

Oh how the tables have turned. =[

It occurred to me that this was the very first time Dean has seen uber powerful hopped up Sammy in action. Cas already saw it in "On The Head of A Pin". Sure, Dean saw Sam in "It's The Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester" but that was nothing. The boy has some serious mojo now. That along with Famine's words pushed Dean off that cliff he's been teetering on for a while. I noticed in the rewatch how horrified Dean was over seeing Sam like that. Chilling!

Heh, Alice that makes sense. I guess I've fallen into that trap of expecting too much from Dean and Sam. These guys do things sometimes that should be impossible for regular folks. I mean Sam was able to say "no" to Famine when Famine offered him the demons, when supposedly being in Famine's presence makes the temptations impossible to resist. But everyone has their breaking point. I'm sure Dean knows what Sam can do but actually seeing it must have been pretty horrifying.

Valentine’s day completely ruined. Check! My heart shredded into tiny little pieces. Check!

What an awesome episode!
That first couple eating each other, gross and awesome at the same time (you know what I mean).

Sam and Dean in the autopsy room was fun, and Dean calling Cas and he instantly appeared, fun again.

The cupid was also fun until he started talking about John and Mary, that they hated each other until the cupid did his thing and... a match made in heaven (there they go screwing free will again!), if I were Dean I would punch him too! To bad it had no effect at all.

So, Sam can spot demons? What was that? Spider sense?

Cas eating (hilarious by the way!) and saying that he was hunger and that lead him to the obvious, they were dealing with Famine! Another horseman! Freaking great! (I hear you Dean)

Famine, the guy was creepy as hell! *shivers*

Sam saying to Dean that he couldn’t go with them because he already been affected by Famine power and he was hunger for demon blood (no Sam, no!), Dean locking Sam.....

Dean is dead inside? NO! I guess we all should be expecting this, afterall we all heard Alistair saying that Dean had left part of himself in hell, that he didn’t return complete. But, but..... NO!

Damn demons, why couldn’t they just leave Sam alone? “Wait your turn” *shivers*

PoweredUpSam arriving (that was fast!) at the dinner and telling to leave Dean alone *shivers again*, not taking Famine offer (he so gets points for that!) and then using his powers to get rid of the demons and then Famine (like everyone I’m not sure if he killed him or just send him somewhere like what happen with War), the look on Dean’s face during all this *starts sobbing*

Sam’s in Bobby’s panic room, again! Hearing him screaming for help and Cas saying that it was not Sam that was inside *where’s my kleenexes?*

Dean plea to heaven....... This final scene was brutal! *incontrollable crying* Thank you show for killing me! Ben Edlung you’re an evil genius!

MBV it’s definitely a A++. Kudos to the awesome actors, we’re the luckiest fans on Earth for having you in this show!

(and now the evil 6 weeks hellatus! Damn Olympics! But we'll survive, right?)

Oh Dean! Oh Sam! Oh Cas! Please, someone give my pretty, pretty boys some hope.

That said, I loved poor silly Cupid. Dean shouldn't have hit him. I hope he comes back someday.

Oh boys! Will we ever have the pleasure of seeing you both happy together again? I really hope so.

Famine - the fug ugliest MOTW ever! I hope that face was mostly make-up.LOL.

I don't believe that Famine is dead. Wasn't it established that the Horsemen can't be killed?

My heart breaks for Sam in de-tox again and Dean's pleas to an unresponding God. (We are so lucky to have these two great actors at the top of their game).

Lovers eating each other and exploding stomachs aside, what really bothers me a heck of a lot more is--------Where are Dean's silver ring and his bracelet? Bad enough he had to give up his amulet to Cas in his search, but why did the ring and bracelet disappear also? They've been a part of Dean's persona for more than four years and I miss them. I know that is a piddling complaint in the face of the fracking apocalypse, but I can't help it. I miss them. Could it have anything to do with Dean being dead inside as Famine stated? Perhaps he no longer cares to be himself any more, as Sam pointed out at the beginning. He knew something was amiss with Dean.

God, I would really like an episode with a happy ending. This one was such a downer to contemplate during the six week wait. I'm just feeling so sad for them. I hope the season ends with triumphant Winchesters! GO TEAM FREE WILL!!!

When I saw the preview clips and that it was a Valentine's episode by Ben Edlund, I immediately drew conclusions as to what type of episode it would be. Boy, was I wrong!! That was the most disgusting and one of the most emotional episodes I have seen. Ben keeps surprising me (in a good way)! Jensen, Jared and Misha continue to be wonderful. Dean is my hero and my heart is breaking for him - so much for Happy Valentine's Day! Poor Dean! Another episode that made me cry I am crazy about Sam, too, and maybe it's his turn to look out for Dean for once? Where is Dean's ring?

What happened to Dean's ring between The Curious Case...and Changing Channels???

No way Dean is dead inside. Yes, he is depressed and tired and sad. But he still gets up in the morning. He still feels he has to save people. He still loves. He still fights. He still sees the little good things in the world. He still cries. And he still is determined to create his own future. These things don't come out of a dead soul.

Petranda, my thoughts exactly: isn't Dean hungry for family, love, roots? I was thinking about that, and yes, it would have been not very easy to show that. But then what Dean said: When I wanna eat I eat, when I wanna drink I drink. Maybe he really has adjusted to the way his family, love, roots are, and doesn't expect anything more. And again, that doesn't mean he is dead inside.

I know, that my thoughts about this don't match with what this epi told us, but I can just feel it in my guts, that what Famine stated has to mean something else. What did Dean leave in Hell, as Alistair said, and what is it that died? I'm sure it's not his soul, his empathy, his humanity. Otherwise Dean couldn't be the hero he is.

AndreaW, interesting thought, Dean being a horseman. Hmmm, ... I don't know, but despite all that is going on with him, I just can't see him being anything else than human.

I think I love this man Dean is human through and through, he is what you see is what you get (eventually), his love is true, his feelings genuine. He is funny and caring. And, last but not least, he is hot (I'm a woman, had to count that in ). Does this look like a zombie? NO.

So, am really curious how Famine's statement will play out, writers

Someone on BuddyTV just posted something that perhaps should have been obvious (and wasn't cause those darned writers are so good).

Dean sold his soul to save Sam. Nobody said he got it back when Castiel raised him from perdition.

So this actually ties in very much with Alistar taunting him about part of him being left behind (and who knows, maybe this will also tie in to the two encounters with Tessa - Dean says he's got a hole inside).

I really can't wait to see how this whole thing plays out. GRIN

Was this not a near perfect episode as it had everything, it was possibly one of the grossest ever, need I say what I`m refering to here! It was really scary, famine really creeped me out. It had all three of our boys working together. It had wonderful funny moments, the phonecall and cupids `handshake`, and then the end when once again our hearts were ripped out and we were left in a soggy mess on the floor, bad enough that every time Dean cries I melt, now Sam is starting to get to me too, last week twice , when he saw his parents and then the `chat` with Dad. But how can someone get so much emotion in one word--`Please` --Jensen, you get better and better, God help us during Season 6!
No way is Dean dead inside ,the love for his family and friends still shine through and I think he is now finally on the road to repair, he has admitted what we have all known for a while, he has problems, isn`t asking for help the best indication of this and the first step in recovery.
My one gripe, where was Bobby? He could have helped so much as no one puts our boys back together like he can, but I loved the way Cas tried to support Dean with the " That`s not really him" speech
Ben Edlund is one sick puppy but an absolute genius, I always love his episodes even if I feel like I have been put through a wringer afterwards--OTHOAP anyone?
Now just got to find some way of getting through the next 6 weeks, the thought of leaving them like that!!
DAMN YOU ERIC KRIPKE!

I've notice with this epi and others that there is a lack of classic rock. Is this because the series is reflecting how dean feels? The music is just very dark and moody.

As for being broken, I think Dean still feels love, and the demons/famine, couldn't possibly know what that is, so said Dean had nothing inside.

Phen. Omenal.

Ben Edlund rocks.

And Jensen Freakin' Ackles? Ridiculously, stupidly good. Whole episode…from 'Remarkably patronising concern' to 'Please...'. Holy hell. Even though that last scene could have been emotionally manipulative, it instead came across as raw and painfully honest. Pure class.

And Sam's 'Wait your turn'? Pitch perfect. *Shiver* Jared has come so far as an actor.

Am fascinated by Dean. One season ago he said 'How I feel? This…inside me? I wish I couldn’t feel anything Sammy. I wish I couldn’t feel a damn thing'. One season later he is saying 'I guess I am not feeling it'… he 'feels' no hunger and Famine tells him he is dead inside…

I think Famine is wrong. Or lying.

Maybe Jas can perhaps correct me, but I think Dean’s PTSD after hell morphed into numbness… he came to the decision he could not feel any more and continue to function…Sam becoming an addict, the burden of hearing he broke the First Seal and the gorwing list of expectations that he would stop the Apocalypse/kill Lucifer/become Michael’s Vessel/fight his and Sam’s destiny…he did not have the luxury of curling up into a ball. So as always, he did what he needed to. This time it was shut down the connection to his soul …

But underneath he is alive - and Dean Winchester.

'And the bad guys know it too'…

I actually gagged the first time i saw that teaser ... i can't believe that got past the censors.

A fantastic episode ... But I have to agree with others who have commented I don't believe that Dean is dead inside, he still has enough to ask for help. He didn't say I can't do this anymore, your mess you clean up, he asked for help. He maybe beaten, broken, tired, reaching his limit but he still has enough to make one last cry for help for his brother. It may not seem like much to him, but he's still there, still standing supporting his brother ... lesser men would have given in long before.

Also I was proud of Sammy for resisting the Demons in the diner, he recognised that he had an addiction, after the initial frenzy pulled himself enough to control his desires and himself did what needed to be done then put himself in the panic room to get help.

A magnificent episode from Ben Edlund.

There's no need to correct you, magichappening, as Deans reaction perfectly makes sense within clinical standards, if you like.
Only I don't think he got to any decision to not feel anything, some degree of numbness just came along. I believe, by now, Dean is depressed. He doesn't eat, no libido, repressed, cynical humour, hopelessness.. classic major depression.
But as long as he does feel anything (and he does, fear, love) it's not too far gone, and the tears he shed are very much a sign of being alive, albeit utterly, pit-deep sad... Jas