Review: Supernatural 11x17 "Red Meat" - The Agony and the Ecstasy of Loving Sam and Dean

-by sweetondean

Warning...below be a lot of feels and a bit of swearing!

There was a point during “Red Meat” where, through the whimpering, and sobbing, and rocking back and forth I mumbled, “I don’t like this. I’m not enjoying this. I don’t like this episode.” Of course, that was the shock and the emotion speaking. Intellectually, if I could have mustered the brainpower, I would have seen that what I was watching was one of the great episodes of Supernatural. But emotionally? Nope. No. JUST MAKE IT STOP! It was too much. I was right on the edge of what my Winchester pain threshold must be…right on it, and at risk of toppling over! “Red Meat” was harsh! Way harsh. 

I can’t even with how much this episode affected me. I mean I knew neither of the Winchesters was actually going to die…season 12 and all that jazz, and I’ve seen Sam and Dean “die” before. I sobbed through All Hell Breaks Loose and Swan Song and No Rest for the Wicked, I screamed when they were both shot in Dark Side of the Moon, I was damn well practically catatonic for months after Dean was stabbed by Metatron, but the unrelenting pace of “Red Meat”, one horror unfolding after another, the realism to everything that happened to both the boys; it never gave me a second to collect my wits, catch my breath, have a drink of water, gather my feels. I. WAS. A. WRECK. If there was ever any doubt in my mind that the way I feel for these two fictional characters is as profoundly real as my feelings for nonfictional people, this episode dispelled it. Everything about the agony felt real…and I really didn’t like it all! 

I knew Sam got shot. I’d seen the promo. I’d seen the preview clip. I knew…but that’s all I knew. That was it. So even though I thought I was prepared…I WAS NOT PREPARED! 

From the very first moments of “Red Meat” my stomach went into a knot. I knew if we were starting there, things were going to go pear shaped super quick! I was steeling myself for the bullet, thinking that Sam getting shot was going to be the worst part…and something I could cope with…oh silly, silly me! When that bullet went in, and Sam crumpled, and Dean saw it all in slomo… from that moment, that moment a few minutes in to the episode, I pretty much stopped breathing. 

And then it goes…...  48 HOURS EARLIER. 

Are you fucking shitting me? I swore so hard! If Dabb and Berens were sitting next to me, I would have punched them both in the face! HOW DARE THEY! Bastard writers! Evil geniuses. I hate/love them. 

What was happening to Sam? What was happening to Dean? What was happening in the cabin? I could barely even hear what Sam and Dean were talking about in the bunker, for the blood pounding in my ears! 

And then whoosh, we’re back into the present…and there was Sam in a heap on the floor and Dean running to him. Oh God…it’s all too real. The emotional whiplash was horrific! 

I started weird whining noises around the point Dean dropped to his knees, first aid kit in hand. His panic was tangible as he tried to calm his brother and himself, as Sam screamed into a roll of bandage, as Dean desperately dug around for the bullet; trying to control his own escalating terror, making a joke to try to make his brother, and himself, feel okay, feel normal. In that moment everything blacked out around me into some weird tunnel vision, just me and my TV, and my heart beat ratcheted up…way up, way, way too fast, as I watched the Winchesters in the exact situation they don't want to be in, that we don't want them to be in…with one of them dying on the floor. No.

Everything looked and felt so real. It was visceral. The blood gushing out of Sam’s belly. The way Sam moaned and gasped and winced. The way Dean dug around in that wound. The fear spreading across Dean’s beautiful face as he tried to remain calm. Sam struggling to dress the wound himself. The sounds he was making! Christ, I could almost smell the fear and blood and sweat. 

This was really, really bad…but oh my God…it got worse! 

Every painful step Sam took through the forest, I felt. Every jangling nerve of Dean’s, I felt...as he tried to hold everyone and everything together...saving the victims, while desperately trying not to freak out over his bleeding out brother! Really, this episode is actually hard to write up because it’s making me relive it! When they stumbled into the second cabin, I thought…oh thank God, maybe now they can really patch up Sam and then get help…


BUT IT GOT WORSE! IT GOT SO MUCH WORSE!

I never thought I could hate someone as much as I hate Gordon Walker. I can barely watch his episodes because my fury for that man burns so hot in my gut. I even dislike Metatron less than I dislike Gordon Walker, and Metatron killed my boy! But hello Corbin, you big, pathetic ASS! 

From the minute he was like – “Hey, forget about your brother bleeding out on the floor, a little help here?” he was dead to me. Every time he bullied Dean into feeling guilty for not dropping everything to help him and his wife BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO SAVE HIS OWN BROTHER, I thought, “Man up you pathetic wuss!” My God. For the amount of time he spent bellyaching he could have taken his wife and made a break for it….but oh no diddums all 6ft of him (I looked up the actor’s IMDB)… He made me furious. When you’re used to the bloody great big heroes in the Winchester’s lives, who come in all shapes and sizes…a character like that… UGH. He was the worst! I didn’t like him, instantly! Corbin was horrible. AND THEN…. HE KILLED SAM. (Sorta.) 

This was about when the feeling like I was gunna puke kicked in. 

As soon as Dean stepped out of the cabin to get the wood to build something to transport Sammy on, my impending doom levels skyrocketed. I knew that bastard was going to try something! But to actually smother Sam? Sam, who was trying to tell them to go get Dean and get out of there. Sam who was thinking about them, over his own dying self! He looked Sam in the eyes, as Sam flailed and struggled below him…he looked Sam right in the eyes as he murdered him. Pretty sure Corbin is the worst monster that has ever appeared on Supernatural. I don’t care if he was bitten by a werewolf or not, my knotted up gut says, he would have done that anyway. 

The expletives that shot out of my mouth during that scene shocked even me. Every bad word came out in a vitriolic string…even the ones you’re not supposed to say (truthfully, I say all the words). I was screaming for Dean…screaming like there might be a chance he could hear me! I couldn’t believe what was happening. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I couldn’t even think straight. I started to kind of hyperventilate. Then Dean came back, and I lost it… 

Seeing Dean see Sam like that…no no no no to infinity and beyond. The way he gently shook him, the way he said “Sammy?”, all small and frightened. I was dying a little with every second that ticked by…as Dean looked down on his dead brother. 

When my dad died a few years back, he died suddenly, out of the blue. He died at home while my mum was out walking the dog. She came back and found him on the floor. When I arrived at my mum’s all shocked and freaked and not exactly knowing what was happening because, what and no and what, mum suggested I go and see him. I remember her saying to me, “He just looks like he’s asleep”, and I remember there were police and ambulance people there around me, and I was just backing away going “NO NO NO!” I knew, in that moment, through all the confusion, I did not want to look down at the lifeless body of my dad, I didn’t want that to be my last memory, and I’m forever thankful it wasn’t. 

Maybe that’s why this scene killed me. The utter disbelief on Dean’s face at what he was seeing. Through all his panic, you could see he never expected this outcome. Ever. Sam and Dean don’t die. Sam doesn’t die. Yet there was his little brother, lifeless on the floor, as Dean desperately tried to find a pulse. The look on his face is forever burnt into my memory...thanks for that!

And then he was defiant, as he is; with nothing left to live for let them come he’ll fight them to the death, who cares…until the hero in him rises up again and takes over, he's still got a job to do…and he leans in close and whispers to his brother that he’ll be back, a small, gentle, smile on his lips to reassure the person he loves more than anything…who can no longer hear him. And then that last look back, as he walked out the door…the grief and disbelief. I thought… FUCK YOU SHOW...I'M OUT! 

BUT IT GOT WORSE! (And of course I stayed….) 

I wanted to join Dean in punching that sheriff in the face! (This episode made me hyper violent!) What an ass that sheriff was. He didn’t even listen to Dean when he said he needed to get back to his brother. That was important information! There was another person needing help! The sheriff should have taken a breath and listened instead of just yelling at everyone. What an idiot. AND THEN HE TASERS DEAN. Seriously, this might have to go down as Dean’s worst day ever! I hollered like some animal! If I could have crawled through my TV to free Dean, or get to that cabin to Sam, OR BOTH, I would have. Now Sam’s all alone dead(ish) on the floor…and Dean is trapped! NO NO NO NO! CURSE YOU BERENS AND DABB *shakes fist*

*whispers* but…it got worse. 

I assumed from the promo that it was Sam that Billie the Reaper came after…I think we all did, but we got well and truly duped. 

When Dean wakes up in hospital and you see the devastation all over his face as he talks to Michelle, I just wanted to throw up...the agony seeped out of every one of his pores. Oh Dean. I still wasn't sure what was going to happen or where we were going, I was waiting for Billie to appear at the cabin! Then that light bulb went on over Dean's head…and I groaned. So Billie was coming for Dean. Which means... Fuck.

Then as we pan up Sam’s prone body…as Dean is about to swallow a handful of pills…Sam comes back to life…and I gasped out a tortured, “Romeo and Juliet”! It was Romeo and Juliet. Oh. My. God. I always say that Supernatural is the epic love story of Sam and Dean… 

Meanwhile…Sam is up staggering around, and still bleeding out as he fights off a TWO WEREWOLVES, and yeah...Dean is convulsing and frothing on the floor. The frothing and convulsing was too real. Too real. TOO REAL AND TOO MUCH! Really, that was too much. I never needed to see Dean like that...EVER! I couldn't draw a breath through my shock....then...

Cue Billie the Reaper. 

You know…I used to like Billie! Not so much now. She's vindictive and scary! I wasn’t mad at her coming for Dean, I wasn’t even mad at her for not wanting to do a deal, fair enough, that's her job and she did warn them, no more second chances – but saying she’s going to throw Dean into the empty? Sure, he killed her boss (we all assume), but how about all the lives he’s saved, the world he’s saved, over and over. He doesn’t deserve to be tossed into some void to suffer for eternity just because she’s got the shits with him! She probably shouldn’t have told him Sam was alive if she truly wanted to reap him…because, defiant Dean arced up again and zoomed straight back into his body - his brother was alive...no need to stay dead! Dealing time was done! Gotta get back to Sam! Thanks Doc for the jab to his heart at exactly the right moment! Suck it Billie! (I am suss of Billie and her true intent, there's more to her I'm sure...check the comments for a few of my thoughts.)

Meanwhile…Sam is free and still stumbling and still bleeding and trying to get to his brother because he knows that Corbin-the-douche is a werewolf and he has to warn Dean! Let’s all just say this together shall we?

SAM FUCKING WINCHESTER!

The moment Sam reached the Impala, I said in a gurggly voice, "He’s home.” The relief I felt seeing Sam at that car was nearly overwhelming. Even though I knew he was far from out of the woods (both figuratively and literally), she’d get him to where he needed to go I had no doubt of that. Then he rang Dean as Dean rang him…and I was starting to feel a tiny bit better…until Dean heard Sammy’s voice and bent over and breathed out, “Oh God”. OH. GOD. Well stick a fork in me, I’m done! The tears started up again and didn’t really stop. 

When Sam actually saved Dean(!!)…who had crash tackled a werewolf only minutes after ODing and being dead(!!)...for the first time in around 40 minutes, I stopped internally screaming and exhaled. Because Dean made a silly bro joke, and the brothers were together, and now I knew it would be okay (even though intellectually of course, I always knew it was always going to be okay). And once again Sam showed Dean in no uncertain terms, he is there for him, always...no matter what, he has his brother's back *happy sigh*

As they stumbled to the car, Dean’s hand on his Sam’s back, I thought…pretty sure Sam shouldn’t be going home yet, or Dean come to think of it! Oh well! Let’s just get these two back to the bunker STAT! Dean didn’t tell Sam about the Billie incident, I don’t blame him, they'd been through enough trauma that day, and maybe that’s a truth for another time...right now just get them the hell out of there and roll the damn credits for God’s sake because seriously I can’t take a minute more of this emotion! I need a little lie down! 

I sat on my bed in silence for about an hour and a half, faffing online. Usually, I’d probably watch the episode again pretty quickly after the first viewing, but I was spent. I was shaken by “Red Meat”. I couldn’t help but wonder what I'll do if they kill one or both of the Winchesters for real at the end of the series? How would I cope with that? I don’t think I would. I don't think I could! I was seriously freaked out and totally, and utterly exhausted. 

Then, because I’m a glutton for punishment, I watched it again. 


Knowing what was going to happen took the edge right off it, thank God, and I could now enjoy what was truly a fantastic episode. 

I was shocked to see I missed chunks of the ep out of sheer stress! The jokey camping/freezing nuts scene…I didn’t even remember seeing that…and I hadn’t moved so I must have! I didn’t remember seeing the werewolves finding the dead werewolves either…and like I said, I hadn’t moved so I must have! That was the level of distress I was in I guess. I just couldn’t absorb everything that was happening because I was just too overwhelmed by feels for my boys. 

The actors who played Michelle and Corbin were wonderful…you can’t make me hate you so hard if you’re not doing your job! The final scene between Michelle and Dean was heart wrenching and absolutely true…she was speaking about herself, but of course she might as well have been speaking about Dean, seeing the man he loves dead on the floor.... Had Sam not been only mostly dead (Princess Bride reference FTW), Dean would never find normal again *whimpers at the thought*. 

Jensen and Jared were particularly mind blowing. These two a such great actors. Seriously, can someone give them all the awards? I never for one second did not believe and feel in every part of my being, their pain, both physical and emotional. Their performances were raw and honest and real and powerful. I bet you anything, that moment Dean got tangled in the tree and yelled at it was Jensen being Dean. After hearing him talk about moments like that in his meet and greet at Vegascon, I’m pretty sure that’s where Dean just took over. It was such a truthful moment…when in frustration you yell at an inanimate object! And the episode was full of that kind of truth. Both boys did an amazing job at conveying the trauma their characters were going through. Stunning, stunning work. We're so lucky to have them.

Big ups to the director, Nina Lopez-Corrado whose fabulous direction of the fight scenes, as well as the emotionally impactful scenes, and the generally unforgiving pace of everything that was happening, really added to my pain! So great work, come back…but be gentler with us next time! 

And yes…even though I don’t think they should be allowed to play in the same sandbox every again, I love both Andrew Dabb and Bob Berens, both are exceptional writers, and the writing on this episode was fantastic. It was a great story and they nailed every feeling those boys felt for each other, and every word that was said…broken record time, season 11 Sam and Dean are THE BEST. 

And then to finish off the night…I went and watched Jensen and Jared’s Facebook videos…which managed to make my heart race in a completely different way. Jensen not being able to figure out how to turn off his video feed was the best thing ever. Crap. Bless his heart. 

“Red Meat” reinforced to me how invested I am in Supernatural, and how thoroughly invested I am in Sam and Dean Winchester and their wild and beautiful journey. It can be horribly painful sometimes, but I’m so thankful that I have this show and these characters and the two men who play them, in my life…and the fandom, who understands my sweary feels. I'm in deep...and I couldn't be happier about it.

So yeah…”Red Meat” was amazing. I loved it (later). I honestly don’t believe I have ever been so traumatised by an hour of television in my life…from the beginning to the end, I was on edge and wildly uncomfortable! Another brilliant episode in a brilliant season. Just, let’s not do anything like that again, ‘k Show? Thanking you in advance for my emotional sanity. 

-sweetondean


Here's a little something from Bob Berens about that tree grabbing Dean scene :)

The Light on Spoilers, Heavy on the BACK AWAY FROM SAMMY Preview of Supernatural 11x17 "Red Meat"

-by sweetondean

Here we are at episode 17 of the season! Eeeeeep! It's getting horribly close to the finale! OH MY GOSH! Why does the back end of the season always seem to fly by! All of a sudden it feels like it's nearly over! Thank goodness for season 12! Whew!

Okay...so where are we?

THEN

Sam and Dean worked a case with a soul sucking out thing - that was not Amara - and Dean was shown Sam dead, which was a huge relief! Because this is Supernatural! And because that means... Sammy is Dean's number one concern and number one worry and number one EVERYTHING! And that was awesomeness. AWESOMENESS!

And then Sam held Dean in his arms....

Let's just relive this for one moment shall we? 

Because we're gunna need it....for reasons of later...

NOW

DO NOT EVEN GO NEAR SAM AND DO NOT DARE TO REAP HIM!

Um. *whelp* Let's look at the synopsis!


“Red Meat” 

Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) battle a pair of werewolves who have captured two victims. Just as the brothers are about to win, one of the werewolves shoots Sam. Dean gets his brother and the victims out of the house but learns a pack of werewolves are hot on their tail, hoping to kill them all. Nina Lopez-Corrado directed the episode written by Robert Berens & Andrew Dabb (#1117). 

Written by Dabb and Berens! This should be interesting! Two great writers! And it's exciting to see they both contributed to this one! And this is Nina Lopez-Corrado very first episode as director. One of the few women directors that have helmed this show!

Here she is with Billie the Reaper...who I USED TO LIKE!

via @_LisaBerry 

Okie dokie....let's look at the promo.... eeeeeeep!

I've always liked Billie the Reaper...but no so much now! NOT SO MUCH! Not going after Sam! 

I mean obviously she doesn't take him...so he either survives, or Sam or Dean do a deal, or Billie changes her mind for some reason...like maybe Dean makes her realise they all need Sam to defeat The Darkness or Sam does a deal, and she gets it...and says she'll leave him alone FOR NOW...BUT WILL TAKE HIM ONCE THE DARKNESS IS GONE...OH MY GOD I JUST KILLED MYSELF WITH A SEASON 11 CLIFFHANGER IDEA!!!! 

Whatever it is....I don't like a Reaper going after Sammy, and I don't like Sammy being shot, and I don't like Dean thinking he's going to lose Sam...I don't like it.

And now for the sneak peek.... BE WARNED AND HOLD ON TO YOUR FEELS!

LIKE, WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU PLAYING AT, SUPERNATURAL??? DO WE NOT GIVE YOU ENOUGH OF OUR TEARS? DO WE NOT!? 

OMG though, that scene is way harsh. WAY WAY WAY HARSH. And, yes, we know Sam doesn't die. Yes, we know for reasons of next week's episode and season 12 and probably 13 and yada yada yada.... BUT THAT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE SHOT, better than the heart or head I guess, BUT NOT GOOD. NOT GOOD. He's alllllll bleedy. How do they turn this around? Does Dean do some amazing field surgery? I can not wait to find out!

Sammy.... this is for you in case you need it....

Okay. Just everyone take a deep breath (especially me, apparently) and remember SAM WILL BE FINE...though fine in the Winchester's world might not be the same as our fine! Seriously though...I'm mighty interested to see how this plays out! And I'm going to admit this right here...because I'm amongst friends....and you won't judge me....because you probably secretly/not secretly feel the same...seeing Dean trying to save Sam and being all defiant, and panicked and scared and strong and angry and sad and all those millions of feels Dean is going to have when his Sammy gets shot right in front of him, is going to be kind of exquisite. Right? RIGHT? DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING HERE WITH MY BAD FEELS! 

I leave you with these tweets from the evil yet talented Andrew Dabb and Bob Berens....

You gotta love them.. EVEN IF THEY DID SHOOT SAM!

-sweetondean

SUPERNATURAL THINK TANK - Thinky Thoughts on 11x16 "Safe House"

-by Anna

I  really did enjoy this episode.  I love to watch Bobby and Rufus go at it.  I think the boys had it right when they referred to Bobby and Rufus as Grumpier Old Men of Letters, now that's a spin off I would absolutely watch. I thought Robbie did a masterful job with this episode tying the past and present together so beautifully.  Robbie is much like the fandom, he remembers everything, and whatever he might forget, he goes back and researches.   He really does his due diligence and it shows in his brilliant and sometimes complex scripts.  I must admit that I had to give it two watches before I fully understood what was really going on, but wow, once the lightbulb turned on, I was awed at ,how cool a story it really was. 

Firstly of course I'd love to give praise where it's due.  Jared and Jensen were amazing as always and I'm still smiling two days later from their hug...and yes it was most definitely a hug.  Love the boys banter and love that Sam won at RPS, (I actually find that comforting).  I loved the back and forth from past to present.  It was done so fluently.  The ep made me laugh and I love eps like that, the ones where I can put aside any worry and just enjoy the funny.   It managed to be creepy as well, which I always love.  Steven Williams and Jim Beaver have an awesome chemistry and Rufus and Bobby were such a delight to watch.  I find it quite humorous that Bobby, who has seen the boys dig graves, has never mentioned using a mini excavator to do the job for them.  Watching Bobby dig with no effort and then switching to the boys digging with shovels was priceless.  I do so hope we get to see those two again in some form or another in the future. 

I will say that this ep had me thinking.  I know, that's a scary thought....😂  There they were, these random thoughts swimming in my brain, so of course I had to share them with you.  

I thought Sam's comment about feeling comfort at what Dean saw in the Nest was quite telling.  It seemed to me that one saw their worst fears in the nest.  One of the victims saw her husband dead and Bobby saw the boys.  I found it comforting as well knowing that Dean's greatest fear isn't Amara or her control over him, but it's what it's always been.....losing his brother.   Regardless of what Amara or the Banshee or the Qareen might have told Dean,  Sam still comes first and foremost in his brother's thoughts.  Sam's hold on Dean is stronger than anything else, including God's maniacal sister. That is a comfort.

Speaking of Amara, did anyone else see the parallel between Amara and the Soul Eater?  They both eat souls.  The Soul Eater lived in the Nest.  Do we know where Amara has been banished to before the removal of the MOC released her?  She wasn't in Hell.  She wasn't in Heaven.  Was she in the Nest?  Is the Soul Eater Amara's creation?  Why did the Soul Eater know of Amara and what Dean supposedly wants?  Did it read Dean's thoughts when it entered him?  Was the Soul Eater channelling Amara?  Could there be a connection with Amara and the Soul Eater much like the connection between Eve and her children?   When the Soul Eater was killed all the souls were free.  If Amara is killed, do the souls she consumed become free?   What about the Nest?  Billie had mentioned the Empty to Sam when they first met.  She told him that no one comes back from the Empty.  Is the Nest a parallel to the Empty?  Will the boys' knowledge of the Nest be a reminder that the Empty is out there and it may just be the solution to trapping the Darkness forever?  

Yep this is the kind of stuff that runs through my head.  LOL.   Anybody have any thoughts on the subject?  I would so love to hear what you all think. 

I'm totally psyched for this upcoming ep.   I'm interested to see what Billie is really up to.  I'm not worried about her taking Sam, but I do wonder what it will be that will stop it....or who?

That's it for this one.

I hope everyone has a very Happy Holiday....hope there's lots of chocolate....

Til next time...

-Anna

Check out sweetondean's review of Safe House here

Review: Supernatural 11x16 "Safe House" - Finding Comfort in the Dead...

-by sweetondean

What an excellent comeback from hiatus. “Safe House” may not have thrown us headfirst back into the season’s mythology, but it did give us an episode that is reflective of season eleven as a whole. An episode that looked to the show’s past, happily bringing back much loved, dead characters as only Supernatural can; referencing storylines from seasons ago to connect to and parallel the present. The way this show embraces and uses its history so affectively is a rare treat. TV shows just don’t do that…but Supernatural is not scared to look to its own past to keep the show consistent and fresh in the present. Supernatural understands that the show’s history is important and season eleven has embraced this in a way that has made the season feel new and nostalgic all in one. Every episode captures an old school vibe, without ever feeling stale or rehashed. Bravo, Show – this season is an absolute treat!

“Safe House” was genuinely creepy. The idea of having your soul sucked out and trapped in an alternative universe outside time and space is hideous! The sad people were horrifying. Damn creepy and damn sad! But it was also a genuinely funny episode! A bright and sassy script from the brilliant Robbie Thompson balanced the horror, pathos and humour so beautifully it was a perfect reflection of what makes this show particularly great. Lovely moments like Dean going for another rock-paper-scissors win, only to see him declare they’re never solving anything that way again - as his winning streak of one came to an end! Hearing Dean bemoan that there must be an easier way to dig graves, only to cut to Bobby and Rufus in the past with an earth excavator! Dean saying, "Come and get me, you son of a bitch" while Bobby said "Stay away from me, you son of a bitch" was beyond perfect. The humour gave what was a dark episode, nice warmth, and the characters we love gave it a powerful heart. For all of Bobby and Rufus’ cantankerous back and forth, it’s still obvious how much they genuinely care about each other. Thrown together through circumstance, they became colleagues and friends – even though they both may be loathe to admit it!

The episode was also incredibly clever with how it tied the two timelines together. The seamless transitions between Bobby and Rufus, and Sam and Dean in the same space, a handful of years apart, were amazing. The direction and editing, of what must have been an incredibly challenging episode, was first rate. I also thought it must have been a nightmare to schedule, and to design. Each set would have to be used for both sets of hunters – scheduling the locations and the actors at the locations must have been particularly tricky – knowing that each set had to be used twice. And each set had to be the same but different. The hospital for example, was totally redressed for the present, but it had to look enough the same to make the concept of the two time periods work smoothly. It was so damn clever. The sharing a hotel room - the looking up the lore at the same table - the cars driving off at the end - even the fact that the first victim served tea to both sets of hunters – a handful of years apart - was a lovely little addition. The mirroring of the scenes was just so good! It was another episode where the creative team pushed the boundaries in all areas of the production. It’s lovely that this show is not content to rest of its laurels.

In Bobby’s time period we were in the midst of season four, in the midst of the Apocalypse looming, of Lilith and the 66 seals. Bobby was worried about “his boys” (heart clench! I literally grabbed my chest and whimpered when he said that), worried about them facing down the end of days. Of course where his boys are now is in exactly the same place! And that was another nice thing about “Safe House”, it didn’t just parallel the case at hand, but rather the season arcs of the two time periods the episode straddled. Once again the boys are facing the end of the world, once again a biblical evil is threatening to destroy everything, once again Lucifer is in play, and once again, one of Bobby’s boys is up to his neck in it! The more things change, the more they stay the same....you will always end up here.... Eeep! Bobby was worried for his boys back then – but that worry is just as relevant now. He’d be worried sick for them, and probably so damn frustrated with how they got themselves into another fine mess! Those boys need Bobby to fill out their world and give them a different perspective. They need his gruff love. It makes me so sad that they don’t have him in their lives anymore…

It was a delight to have Bobby and Rufus back revelling in their particular kind of relationship. We never got enough of them back in the day, because Rufus was taken from us too soon, and then of course, we lost Bobby. It was a joy to see them working the case, bickering back and forth; Rufus using the Sabbath to eschew any heavy lifting in the hunt, the obvious bond these two gentlemen had, the way they worked as a team, while fighting that at every turn! But all those wonderful moments also brought so much sadness, because we know what their futures hold in the not too distance future, we know the sacrifice they would ultimately make in the fight against evil, in Sam and Dean’s fight… And that sadness is compounded by the loss of what we could have had…and what the boys could have had. Wouldn’t it be nice for Sam and Dean to still have these elder statesmen of hunting in their lives? The isolation of the brothers seemed even more profound knowing that the two men, whose hunt they were following, and who meant so much to them, were gone…memories and over exaggerated journal entries all that was left behind to hold on to. Epic sadness. I never realise how much I miss Bobby, and how much I miss him in Sam and Dean’s life, until we get him back for a bitter sweet, brief moment. But thank Chuck we have a show where the much loved dead can return in an effective way that doesn’t minimise their sacrifice or demise.

I couldn’t help but feel nervous about the continued use of the term “oldest rule”, that rule being that you can’t save everyone. With what the boys have in front of them, with Cas currently inhabited by Lucifer, with Dean tied to the Darkness, with Sam the only thing in the way of the Darkness claiming his brother, the “oldest rule” felt like horrible, terrifying, stomach churning foreshadowing! The boys have sacrificed themselves before. Both have died for the cause. Who is it this time that they won’t be able to save…is it Cas, or is it each other? Or was Rufus’ final words, “Forget the oldest rule, Bobby”, another show of defiance that goes hand in hand with the, “We’re going to win this” attitude that kicked into gear at the end of the last episode; that the brothers will not let anyone die in this fight, for the greater good or otherwise – that they will save Cas and they will save each other… It’s on the table, they will both do anything, over and over for each other…is it going to come to that…again? When something is said so many times that you start to break out into a flop sweat of worry….that usually means something on this show. This show does that stuff for a reason. So consider me officially panicked!

There was something weirdly comforting about Sam being comforted by Dean seeing him dead! They’re right…their lives are ridiculously screwed up! But Dean seeing Sam means that Sam is still his number one priority – that the Soul Eater showed Dean the most important person to him, dead, and it was Sam, is comforting all around! God forbid that it was Amara! I’m pretty sure that’s where Sam was coming from (internally) when he was comforted by Dean’s vision…and also coming from the fact that he’s still Dean’s number one concern. That’s gotta feel nice, even if you get there in the weirdest of ways! Personally I loved it and I loved that Sam got it! The brother’s relationship this season is a thing of magnificence – that they can even have a conversation so strange, yet so filled with an undercurrent of love and acknowledgement, is a wondrous thing. 

The way Sam held his big brother and told him he had him at the end of the episode, made me make involuntary squeaky noises of pure unadulterated joy! Dean needs that, he needs to feel that his brother has his back…after everything, through all the lies and hurt that came before, Sam is still and will always be, there for Dean. This is why Dean can be so open and vulnerable with Sam, because Sam is openly and honestly showing his love and support for his brother at every turn. This is why they can be who they are this season, because those doubts and fears have been put to rest – through words and actions, they have both recommitted themselves to their brother, leaving no doubt where either of them stand. Man I loved Sam holding Dean like that. I loved it with a powerful Winchester kind of love! I’m so thankful for where the brothers are, it’s my favourite thing about the season…the brothers’ obvious love, the brothers being stronger together than ever before; and I’m totally thankful I got to discuss with Jensen Dean’s openness and the brothers' relationship, in the couple of meet and greets I’ve just done! That was an unbelievable treat. Talking to Jensen about Dean is my favourite thing to do. Ever. 

I always say this – but it’s worth repeating - Robbie Thompson gets us. No one writes a broment like he does. No one taps into the show’s history like he does – the addition of the bottle of Johnny Walker, with the note from Rufus…that’s the bottle Sam and Jody drank in Bobby’s honour, when Dean was in the past with Eliot Ness. That touch alone made this episode soar to the heights of one of the best of the season. And Dean and Bobby seeing each other in the nest, that moment where they locked eyes – my God Robbie, you kill us with moments like that. I’m super glad they saw each other, even if they weren’t sure what was happening…it was a moment Dean at least, can hold on to…as can we…

“Safe House” was a snatched instant in time with lost loved ones, alongside another beautiful expression of this new and improved Winchester bond. It’s an instant favourite in a season of favourites. I absolutely loved it. "Safe House" felt like a warm hug.

-sweetondean