Never give up, never surrender! Such a great line from GQ and certainly a motto that the Winchester boys live by, especially when it relates to saving each other. I read your "pick of the week" review and although I recognize some of the creeping doubts, since I have felt them myself, I really have found myself closer to the ideas expressed in the first comment to that review, by Serenada. It took repeated watching of the episode and lots of processing, but that is where I am. As Season 7 progresses, I may find myself thinking that I have an issue with the arc, or lack thereof, but then after re-watching and processing, find that it is actually quite clear and beautifully, although very subtly, told. It still depends on how this season ends mind you, cliff-hanger or not. But even though it may be hard to define, it does feel like I "get it" so to speak. I do have to confess that what sometimes gives me a stomach full of regrets and ache, is the endless analyzing angst and some of the downright fandom wank (esp. before an episode even airs!) I find that I enjoy the show much more when I stay away from all the hand wringing. But here I am doing just that, ha! Welcome to the SPN fandom I guess! :)

I've read some of the reviews and, actually, was quite surprised about how positive they were. While I did not dislike this episode, I was left with too many WTF moments to think it was excellent to the point of , 'Oh, SPN, you've done it again.'

I read the Annalee Newitz at i09 review just now and, man, I think she is right on. Mostly, my WTF moments are those she mentions, plus a couple of others. I do share her main concern -- the worry that the show will not satisfy the ton of arcs and sub-text it has introduced and never given answers to.

One she didn't mention is that all season they have beat us over the head with clues and sub-text that something is uo or wrong with Dean and that is somehow connected to the mytharc. I want a payoff to all that build-up; first because Dean is a lead in the show and, second, because it has been in just about every episode so far, starting with LeviCas telling Dean he would be back for "him." Guy Bee said he was specifically told to put that in there.

I'm not sure yet that this will be one of the dropped plots/sub-plots . What I feel sure is that there are going to be dropped ones, because the plotting has not gone smoothly and there's too much left. Perhaps they will try to cover that up with the 'big' cliffhanger, but I don't think poor plotting is disguised that easily.

And the caveat, of course, is that I do not hate S7. I've still found it good TV -- thank you JA and JP.

Thank you for this. The engagement with this show is wonderful and good critical reviews only draw me to think more about the story. Indeed, I loved every minute of this episode...but that is not to say from a critical point of view the ending might have been done differently. I think finally though that I put that down to the fact the time constraints of television and the desire to tell the story in full do not always mix well. I also think that is where my own imagination and engagement needs to kick in with the story. And the story and the characters and the actors are superb.

Yes, Innsmouth Free Press is a Sam Hater Zone. They should not be promoted anywhere.

Couldn't agree more Kid. It is a Sam bashing thread, not a SPN review. Hope you get that cleared up before advising us to go there again. Once was enough!

Alice, I wasn't going to say anything. I think I just wanted to say something to those inclined to hear me more than to you.

If I see a link, I click and I either read or something makes me not care and I come back. Done deal. I move on. I can't understand people asking you to do the extra work of saying if a site is pro/con Sam or Dean. Strikes me as lazy, actually, but with the family vibe so many of these fans are diggin' on, I suppose they feel comfortable asking for such indulgences and my guess is you want people to feel that way. But being in a family doesn't mean you get your way about everything, right? (Somebody channel Bobby now.) It also means sometimes you gotta be self-sufficient and not ask so much of each other.

If you are willing to take the time to post the links, Alice, and you already know it's not going to please everyone, I say do whatever is most convenient for you.

And now I bow out since I haven't been around here all that long and I'm not interested in arguments over this kind of triviality.

Thanks Alice for all the work you do! Some choices are just too difficult and I am grateful for your caring and thought and amazing critical eyes and ears. I love this site. I also like to draw my own conclusions and to read what I want to read. I love Supernatural and this is why I am here. I ask for kindness and respect for different views. And hope I can give the same back. I am very very new to making comments, graduating from lurking but I believe this site is welcoming of the whole loving volatile fandom. Thank you!

Whimsical Dragon, I really don’t know why you’re going on the offensive for comments that other people have posted. Alice doesn’t have any control over those (though I dare say her life would be a lot easier if she had).

Secondly, I’m with the boss in asking for proof that this site is biased or is opposed to differing opinions. THE IFP link was posted so Alice opened the door for fans to read it if they so wish. For anyone who enjoyed reading it they now know it’s there so they can hit the favourites button at the top of the screen and read the IFP reviews any time they want. Surely Alice has done all she can in relation to bringing a variety of reviews to her posters. Her link on this site will surely generate more traffic for that article and that writer, showing a distinct lack of bias.

In relation to warnings being posted for each review, I’d say definitely not. It would put Alice in a very precarious position and it’s not exactly fair to ask her to decide what is, and what is not, suitable for us to read. Not only does she have enough to do but, with all due respect, Alice ain’t our mammy.

All a reader has to do is to read a paragraph or two of any article and then decide for themselves whether the writing is for them or not. In the first few paragraphs of the IFB review there were remarks such as ‘Please let this be the last Sam Hellpain recap, ever. Please’ and ‘I start to wish Dean had left Sam’s whiny-ass soul in the Cage and shot Sambot in the head‘ or ‘Since Fauxifer is Sam’s Inner Jerk, does this mean Sam thinks he has Narcissistic Personality Disorder? ‘Cause I can get behind that self-diagnosisâ €™ so it wouldn’t take much to make out it’s a (fiercely) anti-Sam writer. It’s then up to the reader to decide whether or not to continue reading.

This writer has obviously found a niche in the market and if some don’t agree with it, all they can do is ignore it, not give the writer and her review some sort of importance by asking that her writings come with a warning.

I read the article and now I know that review is not my cup of tea (I prefer my tea a little less bitter) so I’ve no intention of returning to the site or reading any more of that reviewers writings. All that knowledge cost me to find that out was about 3 minutes and a few eye rolls. No harm, no foul. I’ve actually come to a stage where I read comments and articles like that as almost a mark of commendation for Sam. It takes one hell of a character to provoke such a reaction so fair play to Jared Padalecki and the writers for creating one.

Alice, you’re a star for doing your utmost to ensure we can read as much SPN writings as possible. I think you deserve some homemade (well, it was homemade by someone) cake.

This one has a berry on it so you can eat as much of it as you like and it will be good for you! Yay for berries.