sdelmonte | Supernatural Thoughts

Supernatural the TV show, that is. This is two weeks in a row that Sam and Dean, while having a few moments of Samness and Deanness, were not the main players. Again, this was much like the Monster of the Week episodes of season one, only like week there was no monster or demon, just a person gone bad. Again, we get a good deal of focus on the people who need saving, so much so that we come to care a bit about them. And again, the people involved are not merely bystanders as the boys save the day. I wonder if there is some idea at work that we would get this two weeks running, or it's just Kripke and his crew felt like taking a couple of weeks off from the Big Story.

I liked this episode. I liked it because it had the show's trademark blend of humor and horror and melancholy. I liked it because it had the snarkiest title - I wonder if they cleared "Criss Angel is a Real Douchebag" with Criss Angel's people. And I liked it because of the guest stars. This is not a show that does much in the way of stunt casting. It can't afford to pay big names, and I suspect that actors are not lining up to be seen on a horror show with a cult following. But someone deserves a pat on the back for bringing together Barry Bostick, John Rubenstein and Richard Libertini. Each is an established character actor and the way they play off each other was very effective. We don't really learn much at all about the three old magicians (not even last names), but we feel the bond and feel the pain as things go wrong. Never mind that it's just good to see these actors work together.

All that said, though, I am ready to get back to the Big Story. Two weeks of small tales at this point in the show's run just gets me ready to get back to the angels and the demons.