Supernatural ‘Finale’ SN11 EP23 – ‘Alpha And Omega’

SN11 EP23:  Alpha and Omega

Written By:  Andrew Dabb

Directed By:  Phillip Sgriccia

*A special thanks to the creator of the gifs used in this article:  tumblr user –  It’s Okay, Sammy (Michael)

Wednesday, before The Show aired, I was contemplating things I might say in this review.  I considered the fact that it might have to be an obituary posted here in place of an actual review, because I was absolutely sure that The Show was going to kill me.  I’m still alive… but only hanging on by a thread.  Once again, I’ve done some reading on social media (because I like to get other opinions… even if they’re wrong), and I know that a lot of people are b!tching and whining about this episode.  I guess they didn’t watch  the same Show I watched.  The whiners are all up in arms because their favorite character wasn’t featured enough, or their “ship” didn’t sail… or was sunk all together.  I guess I will never understand why these people continue to  watch a show that they dislike so much.

But, all of that aside… This was an awesome finale!  Once again, I watched with my daughter and Lucy.  Before Showtime, I had a detailed phone conversation with another fan who is a great friend of mine (and bt-dubbs a famous author….hi Taryn Elliot!).  We discussed the new character that was supposed to show up and what we thought she might do and be.  Of course, I’m talking about Lady Toni Bevell (played by Elizabeth Blackmore)… we were sure she was either a hunter or a Woman of Letters (nailed it), and I said it would be great if when she met The Boys, she ran down a laundry list of all their worst screw ups … i.e. The Apocolypse, letting Lucifer out of his cage… etc.  (nailed that too!)  But, I’m not sure I like Lady Toni.

At ALL.

There were a lot of things that I liked about this episode.  I liked that Love (specifically familial love) saved the day instead of a big fight.  I loved Dean playing the role of psychoanalyst and family counselor for Amara and Chuck…and the list goes on and on.  But, most of all, I loved that the biggest hero of the whole episode was a little old lady feeding pigeons in the park.

Oh we got our tear inducing brotherly hugs and good byes…

And, ya know what… it wasn’t the hug or the “chick flick moments” comment or the tears in both their eyes that made me reach for a tissue.  It was when Dean looked at the keys in his hand then went to give Sam the keys to Baby.  That’s the trigger for me every single time.  Dean giving up Baby’s keys just makes it all so …. final.

Dean mended Amara’s and Chuck’s sibling bond, and Amara gave him a little parting gift in return.  I have to admit… I screamed at least 5 times (only pausing to breathe) and I’m pretty sure my neighbors are never going to speak to me again.  But, c’mon… Mary Winchester as a parting gift?  That’s worth the  awkward moments at the mailbox from now on.  Don’t worry about Sam.  No really.  Come on fellow addicts… uh… fans… we all know that Sam’s okay.  Because, if he’s not, Chuck help Lady Toni when Dean gets a hold of her.  But, realistically… there’s a Season 12 coming, and Jared Padalecki signed on for it, just like Jensen Ackles did.  So, we know that Sammy’s okey dokey.  Let those words comfort you throughout Hellatus.  And, if you’re a Trenchcoat Angel kind of girl, don’t worry about Cas either… Lady Toni only sent him “away”… she didn’t kill him.  He’ll be back in Season 12 too. (Misha Collins signed up too, ya know)

Speaking of Season 12… there’s some questions that will still need some answers come October.  First… where is Lucifer?  Is he going to be a thorn in The Boys’ sides?  Second… what about Rowena and The Book of the Damned?  Is she going to get away with that…again?  Thirdly (is that a word?)… what about Mama Winchester?  Does she have all her marbles?  Does she just magically recognize Dean?  And how long will she be sticking around?  Because, I really wouldn’t wanna be in Lady Toni’s shoes with Mary and Dean on her @$$… seriously.  Mama Winchester was a bad@$$ in her day… and nobody wants to come between a mother and her child.

Well, I could go on and on and wax poetic about The Show all day…. but I have a Hellatus Survival Kit to put together.

Supernatural SN11 E22 – ‘We Happy Few’

SN11 E22:  We Happy Few

Written By:  Robert Berens

Directed By:  John Badham

OK, so my daughter is home from college for the summer, and she joined Lucy and I to watch The Show on Wednesday night.  The three of us were huddled up on the couch ready for The Battle Royal that was scheduled for the night.  It was a championship bout, winner takes all.  First, in the red corner was the upstart challenger, The Darkness… Sister of God… Amara!  In the blue corner was … well… everyone else.  Let’s get reaaaaaady to RRRRRUUUUUUMMMMMBLE!

They didn’t immediately throw everyone into the ring and let ’em duke it out.  There was a little bit of story stuff beforehand.  I particularly liked the scenes with Lucifer being all Emo teenager hiding in Sam’s room playing his music too loud until his Dad (Chuck/God) was willing to give him the apology he’s been waiting for ….well…. ever.  And, Sam and Dean playing “Dr. Phil” trying to work out the problem.  That’s right… use your “I feel” statements.  ‘I feel’ like this was probably the best thing all season.  I loved watching The Boys and Casifer going around and rounding up all of their ‘help’ for the bare-knuckle brawl for the Championship Title.

But, then they got down to the business at hand.  Chuck said that he was going to transfer The Mark to Sam; that’s when Lucy and my daughter sucked in enough air to bend the sides of the house inward.  I was just like… Really?  Ya’ll didn’t see this coming?  Somebody had to take The Mark to lock her up.  And let’s be real, it IS Sam’s turn for the sacrificing crap.  (Yeah, I’m aware that I just pissed off all the Sam girls out there.  Now, ask me if I care.)

So, back to the Championship Bout…. It didn’t exactly go as planned.  Amara kicked major ass once she realized they weren’t going to kill her, they were going to lock her up again.  She even knocked Chuck for a loop.  It was Dean that finally slowed her down when he pleaded with her “don’t do this”.

Now, I have a theory, and I’m gonna share it with all of you.  I think that Chuck/God left the “Chuck” vessel and went into Rowena to make good his escape from Amara so that he could come back and fight another day.  We’ll see if I’m right next week.

What do you think?  Tell me in the comments below!

Supernatural Mass Exodus

In the last few days, there has been several important members of the SPN Family that have left The Show to move on to other projects.

Most recently, Jenny Klein tweeted about leaving The Show to work as a writer for Jessica Jones.  Jenny worked on 105 episodes as an assistant, assistant to the writers, and story editor.  She was the story editor on some of my favorite episodes like Fan Fiction and About a Boy.

We’ve also lost Robbie Thompson.  This loss actually made me cry.  Robbie wore many hats in the SPN Family; he was not only a producer and co-executive producer, but also a writer.  In fact, Robbie was one of my favorite writers on The Show… of my Top Ten favorite shows, he wrote FOUR on the list.  FOUR.  That’s almost half of the list!  He was the genius behind Baby and Fan Fiction… and The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo.  He was the one that introduced us to Charlie (Felicia Day)!  He will be sorely missed and he leaves very BIG shoes to fill.

Also leaving the show is show runner Jeremy Carver.  He joined the show back in Season 3 as a writer (he was the genius who wrote the classic Mystery Spot episode).  Chuck Shurley’s  (God, and the writer of the Supernatural books in the show… who represents The Show creator Eric Kripke) pen name was Carver Edlund.  Named after Jeremy and another writer on the show Ben Edlund.  Jeremy took over as Show Runner in Season 8.  He brought us out of Purgatory and helped us get over the loss of Bobby.  He gave us the Mark of Cain and Deanmon…. and The Darkness.  He will be moving on to head up his new project, a show called Frequency (a reboot of the movie starring Dennis Quaid) on The CW.

Stepping up to fill Carver’s shoes will be Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb.  Neither are new to The Show.  Singer has worked with The Show since Season 1 as a writer, director and producer.  The beloved character Bobby Singer was named after him.  Dabb joined the family in Season 4 as a writer and has moved up through the ranks to executive producer and now co-Show Runner.

I hate change, but I’m hoping for the best here.  I’m sure that Singer and Dabb will take us on new and just as exciting adventures with The Boys as Kripke, Gamble and Carver did before them.

Supernatural SN11 EP 21 – ‘All In The Family’

SN11 EP21:  All In The Family

Written By:  Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming

Directed By:  Thomas J. Wright

I’ve done a little reading on social media, and I’m fully aware that there are some fans that didn’t like this episode.  Now, I can’t help but wonder what in the hell is wrong with all of you?  I mean, I understand that it’s impossible to please all the people all the time… but if anyone or thing could, it would’ve been this episode.

It had it all…. even a guest appearance by fan favorite Osric Chau (aka the Advanced Placement Prophet Kevin) and the (sort of) Redemption of Metatron.  Seriously, I would’ve never thought that I would like him (he DID kill Dean at the end of SN9).  Several of my fellow fan friends, Lucy and I have called him Metadouche since his stunning betrayal (the murder of Dean) and attempt at God -dom.  Now?  Well, he did come through for the good guys this time…and I won’t give you the details and ruin it for you.  If you’re not up to this episode yet in your watching, just know that he eventually becomes a (sort of) decent .. uh… what was he exactly at the end? …. let’s just say soul.  He was a decent soul, even if he did murder Dean… and he DID… murder Dean that is.

The moments in the first half of the episode where Chuck is trying to convince The Boys that he is, in fact, God is classic stuff.  Sam is “fanboying” and Dean is skeptical.  Sam babbling and Dean’s Single Man Tear (which actually turned out to be two tears this time… I mean, I didn’t think Jensen was capable of two tears at once).  There were moments where I said “ouch” because Chuck is good with the zingers…. “Don’t confuse me with your father” and “I never lost faith in you, even if you didn’t return the favor”… those are some hard core zingers right there.  But, I’m going to be completely honest here, Readers.  I’m a Christian, and The Boys were asking the same sort of questions that I would want to be asking God… when I meet him.

I have to admit a moment of “What the Hell?” when Dean went to meet Amara in the woods (which looked a lot like Purgatory bt-dubbs, but in color) and then we saw Sam and the Posse in Baby going on the rescue mission to beat all rescue missions.  I was lost for a second, wondering why Dean hadn’t driven Baby to the meeting.  But, then I realized… if you’re going to go all Mission Impossible then you need the best vehicle for the job.  And no doubt, Baby is the best vehicle for ANY job.

The best line of the whole thing was hard to choose.  It was a total toss up between the whole “most porn I’ve ever seen in one sitting” convo between Chuck and Dean (talking about Dean’s computer) and the first meeting between The Boys and the new prophet, Donatello.  He says his name and says “I’m named after him.”  And, of course Dean said “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?”…. that was funny even though I saw it coming.

This is one of those episodes that had so much happening that I just know it’s gonna take watching it at least half a dozen times to catch it all.  You know what I mean, right?  Because, Jensen is so very great with the facial expressions that you can read every single one of Dean’s emotions if you watch close enough.  Sometimes, there’s even … let’s call them ‘tells’ … that will hit ya hard in the feels, ya know, if you aren’t distracted by a big rescue plan.

I have to go now… I need to watch it a few more times.  Just to make sure I caught everything.  Ya know, for science and all.

Supernatural SN11 EP20 – ‘ Don’t Call Me Shurley ‘

SN11 EP 20: Don’t Call Me Shurley

Written By:  Robbie Thompson

Directed By:  Robert Singer

OH.  MY. CHUCK!

Speechless.  Try to manage…. I just don’t have an even to can’t.

Cheers!

Chuck’s “World’s Greatest Dad” coffee mug!

Metatron?  Good?  Chuckdamn!

The Fog …. ooooh scary.

SA-UM!!

*SQUEEEE* The Samulet

Rob…uh God….singing!

Chuck saves everybody!

“We should talk”

You can always tell when we get a greater than great… totally awesome… episode of The Show.  It’s still trending on twitter more than two hours after the East Coast airing.

I’m not going to apologize for the review I gave last week’s episode.  But, I will say that this week they totally knocked my socks off and made up for it.  I’m still squee’ing.  And, holy crap monkeys, Batman, how are we going to wait until next week?!

 

Supernatural SN11 EP19 -‘ The Chitters ‘

SN11 E19:  The Chitters

Written By: Nancy Won

Directed By:  Eduardo Sanchez

Okay peeps, let me start off by saying… I’m sorry.

I’m late with this review because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say.  I really didn’t want to write something terrible about The Show that I love so much.  But, I’m going to.  Yep.  All I ask is please hold off on the stone throwing until I finish saying what I have to say and have time to duck and cover.

This was what The Famdom calls a MotW (Monster of the Week) episode, but I’m calling it a “place holder” episode.  Why?  Because all it did was hold the place on Wednesday nights on The CW for The Show.  Maybe they’ve spoiled me this season and made me expect more.  But seriously, this season has been so incredibly awesome that the bar has been set a little high, and this episode slid under that bar with room to spare.

First, I was a little surprised that we were getting a MotW episode this late in the season, but then it wasn’t even a “hurt me real good” episode like … say… Red Meat was.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, I got the whole “finish line” symbolism they were going for, and I did flinch a little at that one… but did it make me hurt?  No.

I also totally got the whole dual brothers sitch too.  I did wince a little at that one.  But it didn’t make my feels beg for mercy… it didn’t even make my eyes glisten a little.  And, I guess that was the biggest problem.

I want them to emotionally compromise me.  And, this week they didn’t even come close.  I want them to make me feel like this….

(source unknown)

And this week, I just wasn’t feeling it.  At. All.

But, next week…. next week, we get The Return of Chuck.  I’m sure I’ve made my opinion on this completely obvious, but just in case you’ve missed it…. God is coming next week!  So. Can’t. Wait.

Supernatural SN11 EP18 – ‘ Hell’s Angel ‘

 

SN11 EP18: Hell’s Angel

Written By: Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming

Directed By: Phillip Sgriccia

I’ll be honest with you, dear readers, I don’t even know where to start with this one.  I mean, I know it’s my job to break all this down for you, but this one was… well, how does the word “OhmyChuckthey’retryingtokillus” sound to you?  Yeah, you’re right, it’s probably too hard for non-fans to pronounce.

Okay, let me try again.

I have to admit, that at first I was like “Where are they going with this?”  I mean, I love Crowley as much as you can actually love The King of Hell… but I was shaking my head wondering what he was up to. BUT, please take note that is a very big ‘but’, once he had The Horn of Joshua, The Show was off and running.

Last night we saw the return of a few famdom favorites… Mark Pellegrino (as Lucifer), Ruthie Connell (as Rowena, who was presumed dead after Lucifer broke her neck. But as we’ve learned over and over again…nobody stays dead on Supernatural), and more importantly we saw the return of Sam’s ‘bitch face’.  I was so very glad to see Ruthie…uh… I mean, Rowena back.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I had a bit of a fangasm right there on my couch.  Yep, sure did.  So anyway, Rowena was helping Amara (Emily Swallow) heal after that “dreadful smiting” from the Angels.  Then, once Amara aka The Darkness showed off the depth of her power, Rowena was more than a little  … hmm…. frightened beyond belief doesn’t seem to cover it.  Anyway, she changed her mind and decided to try Team Winchester again.  That’s right, she went running to The Boys and their temporary team mate Crowley.

The best line of the night was in fact a line and then a reaction.  Sam is telling Dean that Cas wanted to say “yes” to Lucifer.  And, Dean responds, “Yeah, well there’s times I want to be slapped during sex by a girl wearing a Zorro mask, but that doesn’t make it a good idea.”  Then there’s Crowley’s reaction.  I actually had to rewind and watch that one a few times.  Okay, so many times that Lucy (my BFF that watches The Show with me every week) got a little peeved with me.  It was priceless.  Go watch it; I’ll wait.

Waiting…

See!  Told ya!

There were a lot of tense moments that kept me on the edge of my seat during this episode.  The fight inside Cas’ head was … well… things got broken.  Mark Pellegrino is just the best Lucifer EVER!  But, that ending?  Man, I can’t believe I willingly let them do this to me every damn week.  Seriously.

Source Unknown

Anyway, next week is the first of two weeks off then when The Show comes back on the 27th it’s another MotW episode.  See ya’ll in two weeks!

Supernatural S11 EP17 – Hit Us Hard With ‘Red Meat’

S11E17 -Red Meat

Written By: Robert Berens & Andrew Dabb

Directed By:  Nina Lopez-Corrado

Well, we got our first female directed episode last night…. and, Chuck help me, it hurt like Hell.  Now, I need therapy.  I was late with this review because I’ve been hiding in my closet in the fetal position since The Show ended last night.

I am so not joking.

If you haven’t seen the episode yet, be sure to have a box of tissue and a therapist on speed dial when you do.

I mean, I knew it was going to be rough from the moment (a few weeks ago) when I read the spoiler that Sammy got shot in the episode.  Because, as addicts… uh, I mean, FANS of The Show will tell you, when Sammy gets hurt … Dean will kill your feels.  And, this Dean girl hurt FOR him.  There’s a moment when Dean is pleading with The Reaper Billie (played by Lisa Berry) to “Bring him back, and take me instead”.  You can see the tears welling up in his eyes and you’re wondering how he’s holding them back because you’ve already flooded your living room.  I wasn’t crying that hard.  Really.  I’m just using metaphors and stuff, cause, you know, I’m a writer.  Then there’s that moment when Billie tells him that the kicker is that Sammy’s not even dead.  You can see every muscle in Dean’s body just relax in relief.  And, you let out the breath that you didn’t even notice you were holding until then.  You did.  Not me.  Because again, I’m just using metaphors and stuff.

Really.

I do have to say that it was a real treat to see BAMF Sammy in this episode.  We see BAMF Dean a LOT.  But, even after being shot and smothered, while bleeding profusely, Sam managed to take out two werewolves and make it back to Dean in time to take out another and save his brother.  Now that’s a BAMF right there…. but it’s just another day of the week for a Winchester.

The best part of the episode wasn’t a line this week.  It was that moment when Sam made it back to Baby.  He fell against her rear quarter panel and sort of patted her trunk, before digging in his pocket for his phone to call Dean.  When he made it to Baby, did you fist pump the air and yell out “Yes!” loud enough to make the neighbors think you were having a romantic encounter in the bedroom?  No?  So, it was just me then?  That’s cool…maybe next time.

Can’t wait ’til next week when they emotionally compromise me again.

Supernatural: The Hellatus is Over! SN11 EP 16 – Safe House’

S11E16  Safe House

Written by:  Robbie Thompson

Directed by:  Stefan Pleszczynski

 

I’m so happy to be able to report that The Hellatus is over!  And, the cast and crew really knocked it out of the park this time with two of my favorite characters returning, Bobby (played by Jim Beaver) and Rufus (played by Steven Williams).  They’re not just my favorite; they’re two of the Famdom’s favorite too.

This was another MotW episode that will make you never want to do home improvement projects again.  The best line of the show happened even before “Then” appeared on my screen.

Knock, knock, knock.  Bobby flings open the door and there stands Rufus.  “Oh, good.  You’re home.  Listen, you gotta help me bury a body.”  Now, that’s #FriendshipGoals right there.  Of course, that scene is actually a flashback from S6E4 Weekend at Bobby’s…. but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still the best line in the episode.

Sam and Dean investigate an attack on a child that left the little girl in a coma in the hospital and soon learn that Bobby and Rufus handled the same case a “handful of years ago” back when The Boys were trying to stave off The Apocalypse.  The entire episode is filled with scenes from both investigations as The Boys’ hunt mirrors that of the “Elder Statesmen”.

There are so many great moments that bring on cases of The Feels.  Once we learn that the MotW makes you see things that will keep you sad and heartbroken to make your soul weak and easy prey, Bobby is shown his boys (Our Boys) dead at the bottom of the stairs.  His response of “Oh, God” is full of pain and hit the whole Famdom hard… right in The Feels.  But, the one that hit me the hardest, was when Dean sees Bobby coming down the stairs.  *Smack* Right upside the feels… no no… I didn’t need those, I’ve got plenty more.  Thanks a lot Robbie Thompson (liberal use of the sarcasm font right there).

Oh Chuck, how I’ve missed Bobby, and even Rufus.  Thanks so much CW for the little visit with them… and showing us once again that just because you die on Supernatural, doesn’t mean you’re dead.

Speaking of Chuck, I made a small error in an earlier article.  In my defense, it was in the middle of Spring Hellatus and I was suffering severely from Winchester Withdrawals.  But, I said that the episode with the return of Chuck (played by Rob Benedict) was due to air on March 30th.  Actually, the episode S11E20 is due to air on MAY 4th.  Sorry about that… just another symptom of Winchester Withdrawals.

Next week, it’s the episode entitled Red Meat.  How could I forget it’s the one where Sam gets SHOT!  We’ll also see the return of Billie the Reaper (played by Lisa Berry).  Can’t wait to get smacked in The Feels again.

T’s Supernatural Spring Hellatus Journal

Entry #4   current countdown 6 days 21 hours 54 minutes

Dear Journal,

I just can’t take it any more.

Wait.  Let me start over….

Hello Journal, how are you?  What?  Oh, the #HellaRewatch party went fine….

now… I JUST CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE!

I am so very relieved that next week The Boys Are Back in Town (cue Thin Lizzy).  I’ve missed Sam and Dean so very much.  I’m so excited about a new episode.

But, more than that, I’m excited about episode 20 (due to air on March 30th).  Why?  Because… OH MY CHUCK… IT’S….CHUCK!  That’s right, it’s the return of the Famdom’s favorite deity… Chuck (Rob Benedict).  I know you’ll be there, Journal.

I’d like to thank all the Rewatchers that came along for the party… thanks so much my fellow addicts.

Also, while we’re waiting on next Wednesday to hurry up and get here, I have a little something I’d like to talk to the Famdom about.  One of our own needs our help.  Our Dr. Badass, Chad Lindberg, has a Go Fund Me account set up to help his sister with legal fees to fight for custody of her son Ivan.  I feel like I know Ivan from all of Chad’s periscopes that he’s been on and because of how much Chad talks about his nephew.  If you can help, please go here and donate.  Chad tells it better than me in the video at the site, so please go have a look.

Thanks for joining me for another week in Hellatus… Thank Chuck it’s over next week!