As I see it Dean has often been in this position with Sam, where Sam is the one who wants to do something or who feels something needs to be done and he doesn’t walk away from Sam, shaking his head. If the situation had been reversed, Dean wouldn’t have left Sam in that state. In Mystery Spot, the most recent example, Dean had even less to go on than Sam here, because he literally couldn’t even remember these previous repeated days. Yet we saw Dean, on each day, not knowing what to make of it, experiencing a Sam who got more and more desperate as time went on yet having no background except Sam’s own word to base it on and Dean didn’t go off to deal with it some other way. He stayed with Sam, no matter how crazy he was acting and did his best to mitigate the circumstances. Dean was as close to begging in LDC as he’s been since back in Hunted(when he asked Sam to just give him some time to get his head together so they could face this thing together). At least this time Sam didn’t pretend to go along with Dean’s request and then sneak out in the middle of the night. He looked a desperate Dean straight in the eye, turned his back on him and walked out.

As for Dean keeping things from Sam, Sam’s got a longer record of that than Dean does. Right now Sam is keeping multiple secrets from Dean, things which are most likely more important than the fact that Sam’s hoped for “ace in the hole” probably isn’t such an ace after all, which Sam himself was acknowledging as far back as Malleus Maleficarum(he said he didn’t know if he believed Ruby could help before Ruby came out and said she can’t to Dean). In Season 2, it seemed to me that keeping that secret from Sam was as responsible for Dean’s state of mind as the content of the secret. He clearly hated lying to Sam, immediately told Sam he had every right to be angry at him for doing so after it came out(and he himself told Sam), and apologized. Sam is keeping some big secrets, has been for months and doesn’t appear to be the least bit bothered by doing so. Both here and in Jus In Bello he acted insulted that Dean isn’t quietly accepting of being lied to. At least Dean didn’t let it cause a huge row, he just let Sam know he’s knows Sam is keeping secrets beyond the one Ruby revealed in Jus in Bello, even though he doesn’t know about what, with which Sam could not argue.

The coffee was great! Thanks for asking.
I do enjoy a cup of tea, in the evening, in the winter.

Yes, I think spill-proof mugs are in order.

I hadn’t thought about the date so that does make sense.

I am really scared for Dean. And I am scared for Sammy.

This Show means so much to me that the Winchester’s feel like family.

Anyway, even when the show disappoints me, which I must add is not very often, I still find things which make me happy.

Tonight is Thursday so let’s get ready!

Right back at you, dude!

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Thank you! Hopefully the next two eps this season will live up to the quality that Show has taught us to expect.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Thank you for reading and posting! I have no doubt that you are right, that the writer’s strike hit Show hard. And it is tempting to give Show a pass because we love it so! Besides, the boys were as adorable as ever so that helps.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Thank you for your insightful comments! I could go with your explanation if Show had given me the slightest inkling that that’s what they were trying to accomplish. I’d like to think that you are right and even allow that Show’s sophisticated staging went right over my poor country girl’s head. However, if I have to dig that deeply to find the hidden meaning, then Show failed to do what it set out to do. I tend to give Show the benefit of the doubt, for the same reasons you do, but this time I just couldn’t. I expect that this week’s ep will be an improvement.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Your comments are marvelous, truly, and I appreciate your posting them.
I think a lot of things went into my review this week, and maybe I missed the boat and maybe this ep was a lot better than I was giving it credit for. It IS Supernatural after all, and yes, that counts for a lot in my book. I can put a lot off to the writer’s strike and the trouble that caused. Indeed, I can make a lot of excuses, but the fact remains that this ep wasn’t pumping on all cylinders, it just wasn’t. If Show
wanted to demonstrate the disconnect between the boys, there were other better ways to do it. There was much I loved, like Sam’s jacket, and Dean talking to The Dad (which was VERY effective), but there was more I didn’t like, and I’m just going to stick by my guns. (And our offline conversation was lovely, as well.)

You did change my mind on the set dressing for the motel, in that the lack of stuff in the room demonstrated the lack of hope in their lives. Nice one!

Best Regards,

Sylvia

I’m counting on them too, to an unprecidented degree. They’ve created
some masterpeices this season, and some not-so-much efforts that had fans complaining long and loud. At the same time, I think Show is listening, so fingers crossed that we get more like Mystery Spot and none like MM.

I didn’t think it was same old, same old because neither of them was acting remotely like their old selves. Put it down to stress yes, but when stressed people revert to their most basic selves, and the real them comes out. Is the real Sam someone who lounges sexily on the bed while his brother Dean tries to save his own life? Not hardly.

Best Regards,

Sylvia

Oh, you’re funny! I had no idea that Dean has been annoying you! I hope he shapes up by the end of the season for you – he’s a handful that one. As to Sam, yeah he can look after himself alright, problem is, the
brothers are keeping secrets from each other, so he doesn’t typically have enough information to make the right decisions. I will say that finding out about Ruby probably sent him over the edge in being pissed at
Dean. Maybe that’s why he wants to sit this one out?

Best Regards,

Sylvia

How’s the coffee? I’m taking tea this morning, just so’s you know.

About Show, yes, some great successes so far this season and some great disappointments. I can see that the boys are disconnected right about this time. Some clever soul pointed out to me that the date for this ep was April 28th, which means that there’s less than a week till Dean’s contract is due and the devil and his hellhounds comes for him. I was surprised that Sam wasn’t more clingy and sentimental, but maybe it’s just too much for him and he has to walk away or go stark raving mad.

All we can do is hang in there, keep watching, let our opinions be known, and strap in for the ride. That’s what I’m going to do. Maybe we could get those coffees in some no-spill travel mugs?

Best Regards,

Sylvia

I enjoyed this episode, more than ‘Ghostfacers’ because it had a little bit of everything which makes this show what it is….brotherly banter…intense fight scenes…JDM…and most importantly Sam and Dean.

However, something felt ‘off’. You are right. I felt like I was transported back to Season 1 again. Some of the boy’s reactions just didn’t seem right and were so out of character for them.

I felt like they were together but they truly weren’t together. They seem disconnected somehow and it just made me so sad. The thing that keeps this show together…the glue that keeps this show together is the connection and the chemistry of Jensen and Jared.

I haven’t felt that connection since the show returned with new episodes and it truly saddens me. I don’t know what happened but I want Sam and Dean to act like the Sam and Dean we all know and love!

There were certainly moments of brilliance in this episode but there weren’t enough scenes of brilliance.

This show and Kripke still own my soul but I am spoiled!

Before the long hiatus Supernatural was firing on all cylinders and was hitting its stride. ‘Jus in Bello’ was so great and I am still waiting for the show to return to that level of greatness.

I have faith in Kripke, Jensen and Jared. The show has never failed to deliver in the past three seasons with the finales and I know we won’t be disappointed in this season’s finale.

I feel certain the Show will find it’s heart again and we will be rewarded with something fantastic.

My love for this show holds no bounds.

We need to get ready for the ride of our lives.

I think we are in for a bumpy ride.

I know this show will ‘gel’ again and Sam and Dean will come out with guns blazing. There is no way either one of them will back down when they are fighting for something they believe in.

Dean’s soul is worth saving and I am so looking forward to the journey.

And, I still want that hug!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. i think the hands-in-pockets thing is becuz they want to punch something. to me it showed tension and angst and omg wtf amigonnadonao? punching didn't actually make sense, and also – if they started hitting something the tension was so high they might not stop.

in conclusion: hands-in-pockets worked for me. i'm just sayin'.

2. Dean does research on the laptop while Sam lounges… umm, yeah. this episode was all about role reversal. also, Sam is pretty sure this is NOT the gig he wants to be investigating, and he's resentful and recalcitrant. ok, he's pouty. but it looks good on him, so yeah.

3. The room does not contain the usual disarray that I’m used to seeing. Budget cuts for props, maybe? I believe metaphorically this is supposed to show at this point, they're running out of time, running on empty, living stripped down lives. I know when I am in a hurry and thinking about everything except the necessities, I'm just as likely to leave my purse, current projects, and even my shoes in the car and go out and get them later when I need them, IF I even have time to attend to them. It would not be unlikely, since the boys have so little anyway, I can see them leaving everything except maybe a change of underwear in the car. Also, maybe do not need to prep or clean guns or equipment from the last hunt (already done? didn't use?). Anyway, it didn't appear off to me until you mentioned it, but I re-watched a few scenes and this is the impression I got: stripped down, desperate, at a loss for what to do, running on empty, running out of time.

4. Maybe Sam’s reticence to believe comes out of the fact that he’s all out of hope and can barely breathe in and out. At any rate, he can’t take it and goes off to help the chick. Dean is furious. And hurt. The woefully sad piano chords build while Dean goes and sits in a chair to try and push the hurt back inside.

My, my. You really DIDN'T like this episode, did you? LOL. But consider: Don't you think Sam is hurting, too? It is apparent that he has no idea how to help Dean, and he's nursing the fact that yet again, Dean has kept something significant from him: Ruby ain't helping, she lied, and he doesn't have a back-up plan. He's devastated. The fact that he goes off to help Lainie instead to me is analogous to what some of us do every day: nose to the grindstone, we go to work and do what little good we know how to do, in spite of the fact that we know the world is going to hell in a hand-basket. But we shoulder on, and sometimes we eventually look up and the answer is there. Sam is hoping for something to drop into his brain, or out of the sky, and otherwise, is marking time doing what he believes he CAN do: help a civilian.

5. Sam would never never, never, EVER leave Dean. He did, though, in 3.09. Remember? It was to go do what he thought he knew how to do, what he believed would work in that instance. He's lost. He believes he can do his brother absolutely no good. Has no idea what use he is to his brother anymore. People who feel that way DO tend to slink off & angst or bury themselves in something that can make them forget for awhile: for Sam, it's work and drink. For Dean, it's sex, work, and drink. Dean's done it. Sam's doing it now. See? Complete role reversal. Show is telling us this in a MAJOR way. Stay tuned….

6. Sam figures out what the MOW is from a single phrase (and all the other little details stacked up behind it). Well, either this is a plot hole, which I’d hate to think, or it’s just Sam. He must have a catalog of monsters in his head, and the catchphrase “come to me” triggers something off and the file drawer opens and bing, out comes the information.

Jared fangirled Sam all to pieces at EyeCon for remembering this snippet of information that supposedly was in John's journal. Jared said, "The thing I love most about Sam is his analytical mind. He can put together pieces of information from months, even years back." And then he named that as one example of an instance where Sam does that, and he also referenced Sam's ability to memorize extensive passages in Latin. We saw that in Jus in Bello. Therefore, I assume we're only going to see more of Sam's Extremely Ginormous Brain Wowing Us All With It's Encyclopedia of Weirdness. The End.

7. [Sam is] watching and adding what he’s learning to the database in his head. See? You noticed it too (see #7).

And now I'm outa time & not finished but work calls. I'll come back & see what you think of all this silliness I've just spouted.