Sofia’s Review: “Supernatural” 8.04 “Bitten”
I came in to this episode with average expectations. From what I saw in the preview it seemed like it would be a fun, filler episode in the typical monster of the week format. Someone dies, Sam and Dean take the case, find the monster and kill it. I like this format a lot. In fact, some of these episodes are among my favorites.
But what I was expecting is not what I got. What I got was an intriguing, well-constructed, awesomely entertaining monster origin story. “Bitten” completely broke form and I loved it. “Supernatural” does this kind of thing every now and then and it always catches me off guard but it’s always a refreshing change of pace. We’ve seen it before with episodes like “Weekend at Bobby’s”, “Ghostfacers” and “The Man Who Would Be King”. All of which I loved. And “Bitten” is no different.
I understand that this episode probably isn’t for everyone. If there was one flaw with the episode it was that there wasn’t nearly enough Winchester. But personally, I’m ok with that for one week if it means we get something as fun as “Bitten”. Watching the transformation of these three characters provided such an interesting and unusual perspective. Not only did they physically transform which, by the way, looked awesome; but they also went through a lot of emotional changes which was interesting to watch. Was I the only one shocked by how selfish Brian was? It was easy to see his insecurities from the beginning of the episode. He was jealous of Michael’s relationship with Kate and jealous of his new “superpowers” but I did not expect him to kill for them. What a character transformation!
In the past we’ve seen episodes where the story had us empathizing with the monsters Sam and Dean were hunting. Season two’s “Bloodlust” had us feeling sympathetic toward vampires who resisted human blood. Season four’s “Metamorphosis” had us rooting for a man destined to transform into a rugaru. But none of these episodes took us through the transformation process as intimately as “Bitten”.
When the episode started we knew it would end bloody but we didn’t know much more than that. We got to know these three friends before we figured out who would become the monster in the story. So by the time Michael was bitten I was already invested in his friendship with Brian and his relationship with Kate. I was able to feel real sympathy for him in his ignorance of what he was becoming. And I was surprised to find that while Michael was bitten, the real monster in the story was Brian who chose this life for himself.
What I really enjoyed about the structure of this episode was that Sam and Dean went through the same discovery process that we did. Granted, they already knew that they were dealing with a werewolf situation. But they learned the origin story alongside the audience. They got to know the people behind the monsters the same way that we did. So when they ultimately decided to let Kate go, I understood why and I didn’t question the decision. I was rooting for her too. I wonder if there’s anyone out there who thinks Sam and Dean made a bad call? Should they have tracked Kate down and killed her just in case?
It’s been a while since we’ve seen an episode about werewolves so I was a little rusty on werewolf lore. But from what I remembered they are wild and unable to control their urges when they transform. So the idea that being up to four generations removed from the alpha can give the werewolf the ability to control itself was very interesting. It also meant that the werewolves could transform regardless of the lunar cycle. In a way, it felt more like they were hulking out as a response to being provoked. It was a very interesting change to the typical werewolf lore and I liked it. But I’m not necessarily a purist when it comes to werewolves so I’m wondering if any of you were unhappy with the lore change-up?
Ok, I think I’m done gushing about this awesome episode now. You get it, I loved it. Now I want to hear what you think. Sound off below! I don’t know about you, but I think I’m ready to get back into the main story arc stuff now. These last two episodes were the breather I needed. Now I’m looking forward to getting to know a little more about our new vampire friend.
There were some really funny quotes in this episode but let me know if I forgot any!
* “This should have never happened this way.” Any Chuck fans out there? Was I the only one who thought Sam and Dean were about to become intersects?
* Starsky and Hutch
* Rizzoli and Isles.
* “Is it just me or are you getting a workplace romance vibe from those two?”
* Michael transforming in front of the mirror was way too cool.
* Katie: “I’m pretty sure FBI agents don’t say awesome that much.”
* Brian: “You were probably right about that whole office romance thing.”
* Dean: “Hey Sam? Do I really say awesome a lot?”
* This is just a thought but I found myself wondering if Dean was willing to give Kate a chance because of his friendship with Benny. He’s been quick to kill as a precaution in the past but not in this case. Is it just because of the different perspective he got on this case or do you think his friendship with a Benny has anything to do with his change of heart?
I completely agree! I think the episode was amazing, and it had that Chronicle vibe which is a film I love. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, and I just think we should commend the Supernatural team because they have delivered something amazingly different once again 🙂
I haven’t seen Chronicle but I agree that the Supernatural team continues to bring a fresh perspective and I love it!
*ADMIN EDIT*
The writing in this episode was about on par with a fifteen year old’s. The acting was worse. And the departure from reality in terms of camera was so unbelievable that one actor carried a video camera into the bathroom with him, and held it steady and in focus whilst changing into a werewolf.
How could you “get to know the characters” when they had no character? Cardboard cutouts would have been just as entertaining to watch. More so, since there would be no expectations of actually seeing an expression that might match a line being delivered.
Did it bother no one that suddenly a new type of werewolf popped up out of the blue, and yet Dean manages to find an old book referencing it while in Podunk, Nowhere after spends months and months whinging about having no expert to call on since Bobby died? What? Oh yeah, sure, it’s just a tv show, right? We don’t need no explanations, justifications or plot … *ADMIN EDIT*
[b]TheMorrigu, your comment has been edited. While you are allowed to offer a dissenting opinion, you are NOT allowed to attack other viewers in the process. Please choose your words more carefully in future comments or they will be edited, as well. ~Ardeospina[/b]
Nope, I’m not joking. As I said, I’m sure this episode won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But I enjoyed it very much and don’t consider myself “one of the living dead”. We’re all entitled to our opinions but let’s try and keep this conversation civil.
Here’s how I feel about this episode and the storytelling in these first four episodes.
I feel that as a fan, I have supported this show in every way that I can. I’ve never missed an episode since the Pilot and I’ve bought a hell of a lot of merchandise in my small effort to keep the show financially viable so that it would stay on the air.
I’ve voted in stupid on-line polls in an effort to get recognition for the show on a network that spent no money to promote it and had a president that openly detested it. Even up until today, I was nominating it for the People’s Choice Awards in every category that it fit. This comes from a person who DOES NOT normally waste time participating in that kind of nonsense.
I’ve done my share to get this show numerous fan awards and even magazine covers in return for the talented work the J2s do on this show, thinking that it would help their careers in the future.
I faithfully watched on the Friday night death-slot and cheered when it got moved back onto a good night with a good lead-in.
I even endured the two miserable Gamble years, as faithful as a sheep dog, and all I asked for in return was one damned story for Dean that was not dropped like a poisonous spider.
And the show gives me an episode like this in return? An episode like this week’s and last week’s where the intriquing set-up and the two leads are abruptly pushed to the back burner and I get to watch three stupid teenagers trip through the angst of a teenage love triangle story to the tune of a jumpy camera and pretty mediocre acting.
Thanks for that, Show…and you’re welcome.
Wow. Just. Wow.
I really, [i]really [/i] don’t want to sound antagonistic or dismissive of your opinions (and this is certainly not my intention), but from my viewpoint, if that’s the stance you take as far as fandom goes then you are most certainly going to be disappointed. Yes, we watch the show loyally every week, we go to conventions, we buy the DVD’s and the books and a whole lot of other things that we really don’t need (actually I really do need my Supernatural-themed coffee cup, for, um…, OK, maybe I [i]don’t [/i] need it) , and we do like to think we are contributing in our own ways to helping the show as a whole but I just don’t think (and I apologise if this is not what you meant. I’ll consider it my misunderstanding and you have my blessing to ignore everything that follows) that means that Show or the writers or Jared or Jensen owe us anything. Do they appreciate it? Hell yes. I’ve seen and read it numerous times. But this is [i]their [/i] show, not ours. They’re fully entitled to show whatever they want, or see fit, to show. We won’t always like or agree with what they do, but that’s just a fact of life. Not everyone likes everything and everyone likes something different. Pleasing everyone is a lofty goal that no mortal can possibly achieve. And you know, it’s not like they ask us to do these things either, or at least, there’s no obligation to. It’s our choice. (I mean, it’s not like they’ve threatened to sic demons on us or anything…They haven’t, right? 😉 )
I understand that it’s sometimes difficult in that we all love this show so much, so when we feel it goes off track it does hurt and upset us. But it’s because we love the show, that we waste time voting for them. It’s why people like me have gone out, faithfully, every single freaking year for half a decade to buy the DVDs and companion guides. It’s why fans travel miles and miles to go to conventions. We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t, and we shouldn’t if we don’t.
My take on this is while I love discussing the show with you all I don’t really want the writers to listen to me too much. This has been tried before and when you listen to the internet the movie you get is ‘Snakes on a Plane’.
I totally need a Supernatural coffee cup!!! It would annoy my office-mate sooo much 😀
Look I’m not asking them to change the story. If they want Sam to not have looked, that is where they want to go. I’m simply asking for more than reliance on a promise that didn’t exist until they suddenly needed it as a plot point and a complete about face for Sam, who has always loved and looked for Dean. I just want to see what Sam was like after Dean disappeared. If they can give me more than Sam didn’t even bother to call hospitals and see if Dean was live and then moved on, I will be happier. I don’t need them to change the story to fit what I think Sam would have done. I just need more than we’ve decided to put Sam in this position on the chess board and never give us insight as to how this happened.
From all indications we are going to be getting Benny development and Cas development and returning characters who will remain nameless for spoiler reasons development. I just want some Sam development to go along with development for characters that are by definition NOT REGULARS.
I’m not asking for Snakes On A Plane. I’m asking for a gosh darn explanation for how the heck Sam got to where he is.
Percysowner, Completely understandable, reasonable, and I agree totally.
I agree. Demanding that the writers tell a particular story is absurd; expecting them to tell a fairly balanced story, and to have the story they are telling make sense on its own terms, is reasonable.
Of course, reasonable expectation is just as powerless as entitled demand! But I am thoroughly saddened by what seems to be developing this season. Before late s7, I’ve felt that there was merit both to complaints of lack of Dean mytharc and complaints of lack of Sam POV, but I never felt that the show as a whole wasn’t honestly serving both its main characters. The lack of main character development and focus in late s7 I attributed to an absence of direction in between two creative eras. But the direction of s8 is clearly fully intentional, and, unless it develops quite differently from what canon so far and spoilers of the future suggest, I will be extremely disappointed at the direction they have chosen, for the lack of focus on Sam and Dean’s relationship and for the heavy tilt towards Dean-related material rather than Sam-related material.
I don’t give a fig if Sam has an emotional plot rather than a mytharc plot, but I expect the emotional plot to have the same kind of weight, thought, networking and, yes, simple screentime as the plottier Dean storyline. Backburnering Sam to develop secondary characters, and exclusively Dean-focused secondary characters at that (note that we have heard no shadow of a suggestion that there might be an episode devoted to developing Amelia, to balance the two for Benny and two for Cas) frankly feels like a slap in the face to me. And I am hardly alone; more than half of my fandom friends have already drifted away, and more are hanging on currently in desperate hopes of a major reveal that I believe is unlikely to be forthcoming.
[quote]
I don’t give a fig if Sam has an emotional plot rather than a mytharc plot, but I expect the emotional plot to have the same kind of weight, thought, networking and, yes, simple screentime as the plottier Dean storyline. Backburnering Sam to develop secondary characters, and exclusively Dean-focused secondary characters at that (note that we have heard no shadow of a suggestion that there might be an episode devoted to developing Amelia, to balance the two for Benny and two for Cas) frankly feels like a slap in the face to me. And I am hardly alone; more than half of my fandom friends have already drifted away, and more are hanging on currently in desperate hopes of a major reveal that I believe is unlikely to be forthcoming.[/quote]
100% agree with this, etheldred. Thank you.
[quote] more than half of my fandom friends have already drifted away, and more are hanging on currently in desperate hopes of a major reveal that I believe is unlikely to be forthcoming.[/quote]
That pretty much describes me. I’m waiting for something to balance the Dean story and the Sam story. I’m not expecting it either, and I don’t really know why. I have seen some fans actually blame Jared for this claiming he is demanding time off because of the baby, but with Jensen telling the fans to ask the writers to write for Sam that seems unlikely. Every guest star says what a great set Supernatural is, so it seems unlikely that Jared has done something to tick off the writers. I don’t know if they just don’t have a handle on Sam anymore or if they don’t care or if they think the majority of the fans don’t care. Whatever is going on, I hope they can course correct and bring Sam back into focus.
I agree with you totally percysowner. And actually I think you agree with me 😀 I also want to see Sam have a reason for what he did and is doing and I think that as fans we are entitled to expect that. And I completely have faith that that is what the writers have planned. However the solution may not be to either my or your liking and we might have to reassess how we feel about the show if it is too far from what we want to see.
My comment though was actually how I feel about any piece of art. I don’t want to see a small (or even a large) group of people, who aren’t the creator,having the power to make an artist do what the group wants. Where is the unique vision if you have just what everyone wants instead of a grand plan?
Let me put that forward as my point and not make it about Supernatural at all because having reworded this several times I am still stuck with it sounding like I might think that people aren’t entitled to have strong opinions and be unhappy and I absolutely don’t think that.
I do however think that if an artist has a WELL DEVELOPED vision for something they should stick to it 😀
EDIT: I changed this because it had some rather emotive language I decided to change – apologies.
Oh, I agree with your basic point as far as works of art go. I have seen shows that move toward what a rabid fan base wants and it often changes the show in not good ways.
As of now I just want to see Sam’s reasons for his actions. If I really hate his reasons then I may reassess my decision to watch. I have loved this show for many years, but I didn’t sign a blood oath to follow it until it ends, no matter what. Right now, anything other than Sam just didn’t care if Dean was alive or dead is preferable to the current state of affairs.
Good post PaintedWolf.
I didn’t like the episode any more than Ginger, but an episode any of us dislike shouldn’t be taken as a personal insult. It’s just because we see things with different eyes and isn’t that the way it should be? I don’t blame the writer or crew for trying something different. It didn’t appeal to me, but that is my problem, not theirs.
I’m loving season 8, so far, with the exception of “Bitten” and seem to be exactly opposite to some opinion on this site that sees things the other way round.
Perhaps I’ll even try to find something interesting in the episode. There must be something as so many fans and reviewers sing it’s praises. :-*
Anyway, I’m here ’til the end and won’t be moved, and am jonesing for the next episode with Benny and Sammy, haha!
Lookout! 😮
Ha. I do have a couple of SPN coffee cups. My favorite is the one designed by a cast member. Everyone is under a penalty of death if they touch it.
Miles vary, of course, and I really don’t have a problem with how other people feel, or even the how or where the writers, producers, and network want to take this show. I’m pretty forgiving in that regard. My point is personal.
For me the show has reached the point to where I want a return on my investment in it, and that return isn’t unreasonable to expect.
I am quite willing to give Carver this season to give me a Dean story that is not dropped, to present an overall coherent story that is well-plotted and evenly paced, and to show something that gives Sam and Dean a little character development. To me, those three things are not unreasonable requests from any show that I choose to watch. This little experiment of an episode did none of that, and the series has done little of that for several years now.
This season we have gone from an interesting set-up with lots of mysteries, with Dean suffering a severe case of PSTD to Dean perfectly normal and happy as a lark to be hunting. We’ve gone from Sam taking a year off, not looking for his brother, having a girl and then no girl, to…nothing, really. Just normal Stanford Sam who wants to wrap up this last case and get out again. In the meantime, we’ve got teen Kevin finding his mommy and running away with her, and we’ve seen a teenage love story play out. The difference in the first two episodes and the last two episodes are positively jarring and without explanation. That is no coherent storytelling and that is not evenly paced storytelling. What it is is focusing on Sam and Dean for two episodes, then turning to focusing to minor support characters.
I also am quite cognizant of the fact that I hold the cards in this relationship. If, at the end of the season, these three things have not been delivered on, I have reached my point of no return. I’ll miss Jensen’s performances, but I’ll feel like I gave the show and Carver more than a yoeman’s effort to get this thing back on track. What other fans choose to do is their business.
That said, I think everyone is going to get something they like in the upcoming three episodes because November sweeps start with next week’s episode.
[quote]I think everyone is going to get something they like in the upcoming three episodes because November sweeps start with next week’s episode.[/quote]
Boy I hope you are right, but from what I know about shooting schedules and predicted storylines I suspect that those of us who are unhappy with the handling of Sam’s story will NOT be getting anything to appease us.
This lack of insight into Sam is truly making me not want to watch the show but for sweeps we have these
SPOILERS!SPOILERS!SPOILERS!
An episode about Benny, which means Dean and Purgatory centered, and episode about Garth, two episodes about Castiel again Purgatory centered this takes us through 8.08 I have heard rumors that 9 and 10 are Benny centered again. Yes, the Benny episodes can have Sam being concerned about the relationship or being a hypocrite about Dean trusting a monster or Sam commiserating with Castiel about Dean’s relationship with Benny, but NONE of them tell us about what SAM went through during the past year. All indications that I have seen AT THIS TIME is that Sam is simply irrelevant to the storyline except in relation to how he feels about Benny and Cas. That is NOT satisfying to me.
At this point, I’d be happy even knowing why Sam is no longer shaving.
As long as those sideburns don’t take over his face again…actually I quite like him with a beard but those giant sideburns from last season!
Oh, God, the sideburns. I’m glad those distracting things are gone. Now he’s reminding me of Tarzan, though he may be going for a Grizzly Adams full beard.
Since I find scruff to be quite sexy, Sam can keep not shaving.
Aw, he was so cute in the hospital episode, all scruff.
I’ve been perusing the articles this weekend, waiting for someone else to mention the fact that Sam has scruff now – real, noticeable scruff! It’s very intriguing, because I know that in past seasons TPTB would have JP get a close shave before filming so that he would look “younger”, and have JA get a not-so-close shave to look “older.” Now they’re both kind of scruffy? lol
[quote] Was I the only one shocked by how selfish Brian was?[/quote]
Sadly for me, as soon as Brian was getting all pouty about Kate being in love with Michael, I felt like they put a big neon sign over his head saying “He’s going to turn evil”, so no the change didn’t surprise me. I also didn’t think it was very well established as to why he went bad. Just one minute he was a guy wanting to be a film maker and the next he wanted to be a creature that he knew would tear hearts out.
I also didn’t like the switch up in the werewolf lore. Heart was pretty moving and they went through all sorts of things to find out if they could save Madison and it NEVER came up that if she was a forth generation werewolf she could turn when she wanted to and keep in control. I mean if they found out about these special werewolves couldn’t they have given her a few months to see if maybe she could learn how to manage the transition and NOT shoot her? Plus I got a little lost in exactly what a fourth generation werewolf was. This is partly because the format meant the sound wasn’t that great and I missed some of the dialog, but what is a fourth generation werewolf? Is it a werewolf with werewolf parents, grandparents and great grandparents as in a biological fourth generation. Or is it a werewolf bitten by a third generation werewolf, bitten by a second generation werewolf bitten by the alpha? It seemed like the Professor was the fourth generation werewolf because he had been in control for years. So wouldn’t that make Michael and Brian fifth generation werewolves, and Kate a sixth generation werewolf and so Kate wouldn’t be able to control herself and she would be just like Madison? Which brings us back to if Kate can control it did they kill Madison because they had crap research skills back in the day? I’m confused. I wish they had been something related to a werewolf but not a real werewolf.
I really did kind of like this episode. I went in expecting little to no Winchesters, so I was not disappointed by that. Most of the story was good and I felt sorry for Michael. I felt less sorry for Kate who was willing to run off with the guy who eats hearts and I felt almost no sympathy for Brian once he decided to wolf up just to feel strong. I did like the end where Kate reminds us that they started out as kids with dreams and got pulled into the supernatural unwillingly, except for Brian.
Edited because I forgot for a moment that Professor Werewolf turned both Michael and Brian.
That part of the lore was confusing to me too. I believe it was 4th generation from the alpha. So alpha bites person #1 who bites person #2 and so on. The farther from the alpha the more control you have over your animal instincts. And you have the ability to transform even if the lunar cycle isn’t right.
Madison didn’t seem to have any control at all so it’s quite possible that knowing this information may not have helped in her case. But I do see your point. Long running shows often have these issues with continuity…
I think the point was also that, like a vampire drinking blood, once a werewolf has eaten a human heart it is incredibly difficult to stop. Sofia’s take is what I understood the lore to mean.
I think you got it turned around Sofia.
What it’s meant about the up to four generation from the pureblood is the farther from the pureblooded werewolf the harder to control the animal instincts.
See, the teacher is considered pureblood here or at least bitten by the pureblood. So that makes him generation 2. Michael and Brian is generation 3 and Kate is generation 4. Up to four generation removed from the pureblood, they can control their urges and can shift at will.
Remember the Alpha shifter who can shift in a blink of an eye?
If Kate bit a person and turned them into a werewolf then this person will be generation 5, thus, they will not have the control that Kate still has. Bloodline is important in every lore, I think.
As for Madison, I think in ‘Heart’ Sam and Dean heard a rumor that if the werewolf who bit Madison is killed then the circle stops. But it didn’t work. Perhaps because Madison already killed human, (her boss). They had not introduced to Alphas in season 1. Like when it turned out that there is a kind of Vampire cure?
But like I said in Alice’s review, this episode has a feel of fanfiction vibe to me. This plot felt like something a fanfiction writer often thought up. But of course if this is fanfiction then Dean will get bitten by Alpha Vamp and Sam bitten by Alpha Werewolf and they both be super monsters who can control their animal instincts and able shift at will and not kill any human. Then they will create a pack of hunters and lead the hunter world under their supreme power.
I think Madison might have been 2nd or even 3rd generation just in her locality yes? She could have been a long way from the Alpha.
Apologies I misunderstood what Sofia (and, I realize now, what percysowner) wrote about the generations of werewolves.
EDIT: No, wait, there’s two Sofias! I agree with Sofia who wrote the article!
“So the idea that being up to four generations removed from the alpha can give the werewolf the ability to control itself was very interesting”
I don’t understand why so many people disliked this so much. I know there wasn’t much Sam & Dean; but come on people- it’s ONE EPISODE! Also, Jared & Jensen have been telling people about this for months! So everyone should have known what to expect before it ever aired.
This is the only epi, out of 153, that was from the victim/monster’s perspective. From start to finish-human to werewolf. I wish the fans would try to be more open minded about it. It was cutting edge, like they do so well on this show. And isn’t that why we all love it?? It would be really boring if they did the same thing over, and over again every week.
Oh, you missed the clogged arteries line.
[quote]I don’t understand why so many people disliked this so much. I know there wasn’t much Sam & Dean; but come on people- it’s ONE EPISODE! Also, Jared & Jensen have been telling people about this for months! So everyone should have known what to expect before it ever aired.
This is the only epi, out of 153, that was from the victim/monster’s perspective. From start to finish-human to werewolf. I wish the fans would try to be more open minded about it. It was cutting edge, like they do so well on this show. And isn’t that why we all love it?? It would be really boring if they did the same thing over, and over again every week.
Oh, you missed the clogged arteries line.[/quote]
I totally agree! I love it when they try something new. That’s why I love this show and after all, it was only one episode out of how many? Come on everyone! Take a chill pill and calm down. Sam and Dean will be back next week and that episode looks so good! I have a feeling that the next episode is going to be on my re-watch list just like all of Edlunds are in my household. 🙂
BTW- Don’t forget to watch Supernatural this Saturday on TNT. The network is going to have a marathon for 24 hours and if you’re like me…24 hours of Sam and Dean is perfect for these fall days and nights!
Absolutely PennyJane and Rmoats, I agree with you on this. It’s one episode out of 153. That’s a pretty good average in my book. I think it takes guts to put out an episode like this. I loved seeing the monster’s side of things.
[quote]I don’t understand why so many people disliked this so much. I know there wasn’t much Sam & Dean; but come on people- it’s ONE EPISODE! Also, Jared & Jensen have been telling people about this for months! So everyone should have known what to expect before it ever aired.
This is the only epi, out of 153, that was from the victim/monster’s perspective. From start to finish-human to werewolf. I wish the fans would try to be more open minded about it. It was cutting edge, like they do so well on this show. And isn’t that why we all love it?? It would be really boring if they did the same thing over, and over again every week.
[/quote]
Penny Jaime,
Yes, it’s one episode. That’s what we’re talking about. This one episode. This one episode, that I didn’t like.
It’s ok if you don’t understand why. That’s fine. You’re entitled to like something, just as I am entitled to not.
Again, I state, it has nothing to do with airtime for S&D, it has nothing to do with not seeing what I expected to see (yes, I’ve heard the Js talk about it). Yes, it was ‘cutting edge’, and I’ve truly enjoyed other episodes where they do the unexpected. But this is a personal choice, and it has nothing to do with whether or not I have an open mind.
I’d appreciate if you didn’t suggest that I am in the wrong for not liking it.
[quote]I don’t understand why so many people disliked this so much. I know there wasn’t much Sam & Dean; but come on people- it’s ONE EPISODE!
[/quote]
My contempt for this episode has nothing to do with it being Sam and Dean lite.
It was badly written. Horribly edited. The three main characters didn’t generate once ounce of my sympathy.
Out of the ordinary SPN episodes are usually among the best. This was NOT the best, or any where near it.
The constant assumption we hated it because there wasn’t much Sam and Dean is getting annoying.
This was a fabulous episode! I hated Ghostfacers, so expected to dislike this, but it pulled me in, was well written, entertaining, and had just enough parallels to Sam nd Den that it made e think. My thoughts on Dean letting Kate go – partly Benny, but more important, he has always given the benefit of the doubt if they don’t kill. He helped Sam let Lenore go, for instance. He would not let Amy go because she killed. Kate had not killed. I was also fine with the additional info about the werewolf. I see nothing wrong with that. Look at all the new info that came out during the last couple seasons on alphas, etc. all good. Finally I have to say – the clip for the next episode looks incredible – I cannot wait!
I enjoy when the Spn team mix things up, it’s what they do.
I am wondering if Dean’s pondering over Kate’s fate was because now he has actually experienced where monsters end up, and its bloody, messy and 31 flavours of bottom dwelling nasties. This is where young Kate would have wound up if S and D killed her, is Dean developing empathy? This could be a dangerous trait for a hunter.
Hi Sofia, I loved your review. This was a really good episode. I felt sympathy towards Michael & Kate, and I wasn’t surprised when Brian decided he wanted to become a warewolf. He had a major chip on his shoulder about always being in Michael’s shadow. Here’s a clue dude, get out of the shadow! But Percysowner is right about the whole werewolf lore. That was quite confusing.
On a whole different tack, please Dean, never stop saying awesome, because it always is.
Oh I just remembered, in Time after Time the people in the 1940’s made fun of him for saying it too didn’t they? I think that was the same writer?
That’s right, it was the same author. They all thought it was a religious thing! 😀
Speaking of religious things (and not in any seriousness). Here’s the thing, if belief requires faith and you know for an actual fact that God exists, because you met him, doesn’t that complicate your belief system somewhat?
I love the fact that Dean’s method of contacting Castiel is to pray to him.
A lot has been written so I’ll just say I liked the episode and it worked for me. It was rather intriguing though to see Sam and Dean as minor characters in their own story. The J’s also got a vacation from work. Now, back to work guys!