(11 votes)
Loading ...I usually do the whole recap/review thing for every episode, but I skipped a couple – the wild west one and the one where Eve dies 
somewhat anticlimactically after being a rather preeminent villain for the course of the season. They were both great episode in my opinion (except for the whole Eve thing – she died a bit like Crowley…oh, wait!) building up to the season finale.
Not having watched any spoilers I don’t really have any expectations one way or another about the episodes that will end the season, however I had huge expectations about the latest Supernatural installment. We were to find out the story of Castiel(Misha Collins), solve the mystery of Crowley’s(Mark Sheppard) survival and all that and yet I wasn’t satisfied with what I got.
First of all, lately Supernatural seems to have turned into a fanfiction of sorts. Each episode makes one part of the fandom or another happy. We get hints of slash between Dean and Castiel, hints of whatever pairing the fans are shipping at the moment, the story alters based on fans desires, which isn’t always a bad thing, but it’s not a good thing either. I feel proud, I have learned new things about fanfiction lately – mostly terms, but this isn’t what I want to see when I tune in to watch Supernatural.
But let’s stop with the rant and see what happened this week. Castiel is telling the story of how he ended up working with Crowley, apparently to God(who is as usual silent). We learn that he was instrumental in pretty much everything that happened lately – Sam being brought back soulless from hell, Dean being left alone and undisturbed by monsters/demons and angels alike, monsters being gathered up for Crowley’s search for Purgatory and so on and on, but it all felt like a completely emotionless story.
It was at times like Misha was reading the ingredients on a can of soup, very matter of fact and with absolutely none of the remorse and torment his words tried to convey.
I usually like Misha Collins centered episodes – The Rapture still ranks as one of my favourite episode ever – and yet last night I didn’t feel any effort from his part to make his struggle believable. I was wondering if it is because he was told to play the character like that for later use, just in case he is indeed thinking about taking his “rightful” place as new God since Hell already has a new king.
Back to the story. Castiel keeps recounting how he kept tabs on everything that was going on with the Winchester in order to “keep them safe” while he battled in Heaven with Rafael (who again is portrayed like a cruel angel with delusions of grandeur). We also learn how Crowley redecorated Hell and made it into a more tame hell, less physical torture and more psychological one. That was actually one of the highlights of the episodes, showing Crowley for the bastard he is and yet a cunning bastard who has managed to “turn” Castiel away from the good old angel ways. His screaming fit didn’t really fit with his character, but I suppose even I would get frustrated by a bipolar angel who just can’t make up his mind.
The thing that they failed to capture last night was just how low Castiel has stooped, I mean we have here a member of “team free will” who has done everything in his power to remove every trace of free will from the lives of his “friends”. The road to hell is paved with good intentions after all and his path seems to have been cleared by any impediments. Even his regrets seem mechanical
, mostly because he doesn’t seem to believe in them himself. The moment where the truth is revealed to the Winchesters is perhaps the only moment in the episode where I actually felt a twinge of emotion towards Misha’s Castiel. Mostly because I have experience the frustration of having to explain something to people when they know you did wrong, but you are still convinced you’re in the right.
Crowley has one of the best (yet incredibly predictable) lines of the evening, something along the lines of “I am not a hypocrite, I admit to what I am, you don’t.” Perfect portrait of Castiel, a man who has lost his compass and seems to be running on self-righteousness fumes from his former angel glory.
What I did love about the episode was how Dean was portrayed by Jensen Ackles. That man can sure act hurt and broken over being betrayed. I really wish they would find another way of keeping us entertained. I can only take so much angst from one character and Dean has turned into the punching bag after being the comic relief in the earlier seasons. Sam(Jared Padalecki) was less present in this episode, I can barely remember his lines, even his shock at being brought back soulless felt like it was being painted by numbers rather than having any real emotions behind it. 
Was Bobby(Jim Beaver) there too? I guess he was, I seem to remember his cap, yet I was more entertained by his demon counterpart, however brief his appearance has been. I guess they really wanted to show us this is about Castiel and no one else.
Perhaps I am too picky but I looked at this episode with a critical eye rather than with the fan goggles I usually use. At some episodes I get so giddy with joy at the way they hit every mark perfectly, but here I think they missed it by a huge berth.
I realise that a lot of fans will disagree with me based on the theory that if you are a fan of something you must love it constantly and blind yourself to the flaws it might have, but this is how I saw the episode. If it has made me weep it was because it could’ve been so much better and it failed to deliver in a meaningful way, going beyond puppy gazes between Misha and Jensen that will fuel fanart and fanfic for months(years?) to come.
Anyways, if you feel like leaving a comment, use the form below, please try to stay polite even if you disagree with our views.
This is what they have in store for us in the future, take a look.
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I appreciate your opinion and all, but you didn’t think misha put any effort in, it was like he was reading ingredients? I’m afraid I’m going to have to politely disagree: I was moved by misha’s performance 3 minutes into the episode, and the tears streamed down my face. I found his performance award winning. It is important to remember that the character of Castiel is not human, he is an angel and so, no matter how long he may have spent with humans, he is bound to be slightly wooden and detached- he has no soul, he shouldn’t have feelings. He is at war with himself and struggling to do the right thing. Moreover, I may be a fan of Dean slash Castiel and enjoyed the episode because of their ‘moments’, but I also enjoyed the episode as a whole; I think it was very well written and acted out by all. But hey, that’s just my opinion.
I see your point, but I think he showed a wider range of emotions in some of the scenes and in other episodes, so returning him to a detached individual with a completely different behaviour was bizarre. But just like with you, it’s my opinion. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the episode
totally disagree. this poor angel trying to be human, has no sense of humor, cannot tell a joke, feels compassion for dean & really wants to win the heavenly war!
if he sounds rote, it fits his character! i adored castiel here. agreed about poor dean as the spnl punching bag but boy does he do that well! “face that launched a thousand ships” a comes to mind!!
ben edlund is “awesome”, his directing was so on the spot! yea, yea… iadore spnl! i have a couple of not so liked eps but this show keeps me drooling… maybe i’m in a coma & don’t know it!
Interesting points Daniela.
Also, FYI, one of the pro-Cas sites put link to this review with: ‘defend Misha ASAP’. So.. you know what to expect.
Ranting people?
It’s a personal opinion of mine, starting a campaign to defend Castiel isn’t justified. I think this is the single review in which I ever criticized Misha, but oh, well. Bring it on. 
Interesting points Daniela.
Also, FYI, one of the pro-Cas sites put link to this review with: ‘defend Misha ASAP’. I have no idea why because I don’t see anything really negative about Misha (just the opposite…) but I just thought you should know. But that’s probably just 1 over-sensitive (meaning ‘fanatic’) fan…
Oh, I think I doubled the post
Sorry. The second one is longer 
Did I unleash some kind of kraken? Haha. Oops, well, sorry? You know I love you.
I think I can survive the flood of potential rants. But I have fate that the Supernatural fans will show they really are that wonderful fandom they claim to be and keep it polite and preferably rational if they do decide to raise some points
I think you are out of step with the fandom on this as the majority view on this ep is overwhelmingly positive. However I agree with a lot of what you said. The ‘revelations’ about what Cas had been up to were entirely predictable, or already known. And they just weren’t bad enough to justify the apparent angst they induced in Dean particularly, but Sam too. I felt the writers lacked the courage to make Cas do something really bad, so instead you end up feeling that the boys reaction was unfair.
I agree about the fan service comment too. Not in general, but specifically around the Dean/Cas relationship. The writers have shamelessly played on this all season just because there is a sub section (a small but vocal one) that is into that. Then in this ep suddenly Cas is ‘family’, ‘like a brother’ etc. Sorry I didn’t buy it. A friend – yes, but Dean has a brother. He doesn’t need another. All this ‘family is more than blood’ theme that has been running through this season is in my view detracting from what is the heart and soul of the show ie Dean and Sam’s relationship.
Finally Cas’s story did not adequately explain Sam’s resurrection. If Cas didn’t know Sam was soulless why did he hide what he had done? If he did know then why did he do it?
I disagree with you about the acting which I thought was excellent. 7/10 for me.
I disagree. I think Misha Collins did an amazing job last episode, that last scene where Cas was begging God for a sign broke my heart. Cas was a bit emotionless when he was telling his story but that’s part of his character, he’s never been an emotional guy plus he’s at war so he’s had to make hard choices meaning he has had to close off his emotions
I understand your opinion, but I think Misha did an absolutely amazing job with the episode, as with the other actors. I felt the emotions from Castiel even though, as an angel, he isn’t supposed to have/express emotions. Misha did a great job with the limitations he had; I doubt having to portray an emotionally distraught angel, who’s defining characteristic is his emotionless mannerisms, is an easy task, and I believe he did a wonderful job with this episode. I do, however, agree that these past few episodes have been very fandom indulging, and although its a great pleasure (being a HUGE fangirl myself) to see the writers doing these types of episodes, I am kind of missing the hard core action that went on in the first few seasons.