Where are my birthday candles!?
Happy 100 episodes, Supernatural! And to celebrate, let's make the big 1-0-0 the heaviest episode of this incredibly tense season!
It's been a while since I've written about Supernatural, partly because of its hiatus and partly because of workload, but I've been immensely enjoying the season so far. But as the apocalypse looms, episodes have been going further and further into the blackness with the Brothers Winchester (especially Dean) preparing for what seems inevitable: they have to sacrifice themselves to keep humanity from being scorched in a halos-versus-cloven-feet battle royale.
"Point of No Return" was largely about Dean's struggle with giving himself up to the archangel Michael, who needs Dean's body to slay Lucifer. Because of this, there's a huge wedge driven between the two brothers, and that's never fun to watch. In a reversal of roles, Sam obviously wants Dean to look for other options than becoming an "angel condom" and Dean is content to live up to destiny or fate or whatever and basically give up. Wuss.
Family has always been first for the Winchesters, and writer Jeremy Carver brought back (technically for the first time since the last time we saw him in "Jump the Shark" he was a ghoul) Adam--Sam and Dean's jerky brother from another mother. I'm not sure it was always the plan to bring him into things, but it was a risky move. Let's face it, a new Winchester brother is scary stuff to Supernatural fans. When Adam was announced as the angels' plan-B replacement for Dean, I thought we were in for a disastrous plot point that would have undermined everything that was built up throughout the season, but I should have known better that all is not as it seems. This is Supernatural after all, and the writers would never do something as lame as that.
In the end, we were treated to a recurring event in Supernatural... a reuniting of mind and spirit of the Winchester Brothers. It's something that never gets old (though admittedly, it's slightly repetitive): at some point in the season Dean and Sam get in arguments, but later make up and get ready to kick ass. That's also the time I start blasting Kansas' "Carry on My Wayward Son."
We were teased weeks ago that "Point of No Return" would feature a major death, but I'm not sure last night's qualifies as "major" to most. I loved to hate Zachariah, the jerkiest of the jerky angels, and will miss him dearly. Kurt Fuller brought a lot to the role and accomplished his mission: to make us hate his guts in entertaining fashion. He's a scene stealer.
We have a handful of episodes left until the fifth season finale, and the Winchesters are on a collision course with not just the devil and his black-eyed demon followers, but also the stubborn angels, heaven-bent on doing things their way. It's that kind of twist that's made Supernatural one of television's most underrated shows. FOUR MORE EPISODES! ARE YOU READY!?!?!!?
A couple of notes:
--By including the little bit about Adam in the "previously on" intro and slapping the actor's name who plays him in the opening credits (before he appeared), it totally ruined the surprise of him being pulled out of the dirt by Castiel. Isn't there another way around that? Lost has that same problem.
--The intro was AWESOME. Angels talking from the heavens and liquifying humans' eyeballs with spouts of fire never gets old.
--You know what also never gets old? Angels dying. I love the burnt angel wings.
--The final three episodes were written by Ben Edlund, Sera Gamble, and Eric Kripke. It should be epic.
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
Yeah, I LOVE that scene from Buffy. One of the most amazing things ever to come out of that show. So unexpected and gratifying.
At the end of Buffy's season seven opener "Lessons". the First confronts Spike and morphs into all six of the show's previous Big Bads. From Warren, to Glory, to Adam, to the Mayor, to Dru, to the Master and finally into Buffy.They didn't have any of those actors listed as guest starring. But right after the closing jump they had a "Special Guest Stars" listing in the credits. Awesome.
LOVE THESE SHOW!!!
I can't wait for the final few episodes, at the same time, i hate that it's ending so soon! Damn.
lovd the episode. esp. when Castiel unleashed his fury on Dean. That was awesome & I think one hell of a wake up call for Dean!
AWESOME EP ...enough said :)
Chuck has that problem as well. They did the same thing when they brought back Jill. I hate spoiled shockers.
the 100th episode was awesome!!!!!
AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Man , you should mention somehing about the asswoopin that Cas delivers in this episode.
Favorite part was when Dean told Sam about how its just a matter off time until Lucifer...you know... and it makes Sam cry! Such a great scene!
I hated that they brought back the other WInchester, but I was glad that they "killed" him off by the end. For the 100th episode, I thought this one felt like a filler.
I actually liked Zachariah no matter how big of angel jerk he was. Kurt Fuller is awesome :)
I agree with you, mermayd. I need as much Jeffrey Dean Morgan as I can possibly get.
Completely agree with the intro being awesome. SPN is one of those shows that really knows how to settle a mood and get you excited for the episode in just the short scene at the beginning. I already knew Adam was going to come back but yeah it is a little anoying that you already know who's gonna be in it from the credits I remember Buffy handling this pretty good with just putting the credits at the end sometimes and when a chracter is gonna die still keeping their name in the credits. Makes me wonder why more shows don't do that
About time we got back on track! I wasn't liking the season much so far - even though I do get that they couldn't exactly kick the devil's "bum" right off the bat. They wouldn't have much of a story line for the rest of the season if they did that. And yes... they should bring Jeffrey Dean Morgan back!! Just about everyone else has come back to life so why not him?
bring back Jeffrey Dean Morgan!
horrible episode. especially for an 100th one. i mean other series have produced such better 100th episodes than this one. I mean nothing really happened. they decided to do it their way AGAIN. how many times does this happen. really over it. how many times can the brothers say 'screw you' to micheal. i truly believe that the writers do not know what they are doing or how this arch will end and are beating around the bush. 5/10 for me.
I hate how they made heaven just another dimension instead of some unreachable mysterious place. because of this, death doesn't mean anything in supernatural anymore. everyone keeps dying and coming back and even if they don't come back we know they're in heaven in similar sets : ) it should have remain as a mysterious place, just told by light or something. but the brothers even took a field trip there. lame.
When I watched Percy Jackson, I looked at one of the guys and said, "Hey that guy was on Supernatural", so I looked up his name, Then in this episode during the opening credits 'Jake Abel' was very prominently displayed. "But isn't he dead? Will he come back to life?". Hand comes up. It's him. Shocker.
This episode was awesome!!! No better way to celebrate 100 episodes!!! And YES! I'm READY!!!! :D Can't wait for the next episodes! (I'm missing Pellegrino's Lucifer!)
Oh! And Tim, you forgot just one thing in your review: How cool it was to see Castiel kick some serious @ss!!! Specially Dean's... he was deserving it!!! (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Dean, but I wasn't liking defeated attitude!)
Glad to hear the season-ending episodes were written by the best writers behind the show. Can't wait!
no way that castiel is dead...!
I so loved this episode, by far one of the best. I'm so ready for the remaining episodes this season! *straps self to a chair and sits in front of TV*
Fantastic episode. This show never cease to disappoint and the grand 100th episode was one of the bests yet! WELL DONE KIRPKE!
There is so much to cover in just 4 episodes! But yes... I AM READY!!! Strap me in and Blast me off! WOOHOO!
I'M READY!!!... =P
I don't think the major death hinted at was Zachariah but the sacrifice of Castiel during his fight with the 5 angels.
I don't think the major death hinted at was Zachariah but the sacrifice of Castiel during his fight with the 5 angels.
Finally you write about Supernatural!! I read all of your Lost reviews, but never comment... I was compelled to thank you for writing again for SPN!
This episode was GREAT. I was a little surprised to see Castiel go off on Dean like that, but I guess he needed to get that off his chest. Zachariah was a cheating, scheming angel, but Dean put a stop to him! It looks like Michael may be using Adam as his vessel now. Yikes. I am worried about Sam if that's the case, because Lucifer will really be after him now. I have loved this show since season 1, episode 1. So, I am really happy for them (and the fans) that they made it to 100 episodes, and were renewed for another season! I will certainly be watching.
I love supernatural especially dean and i liked the last scene in this episode also but i can't understand how the writer is talking about god and angels that way ?!! its not logical but after all i can't stop watching the show may be because its so complicated now and appear that there is no answer good luck to the writer and may god bless him
I feared the writers had brought in Jerk Brother Winchester because they had written themselves into a corner and concocted some contrived, unsatisfying way to get out of this story arc. I had visions of Bobby Ewing in the shower again! I should have known they wouldn't cheat us like that. Having watched the series from its debut, I think this may have been the most satisfying episode they've yet done.
Can't wait for the finale, Supernatural is one of my favorite shows. It keeps getting better with each passing season.
I LOVED that episode!!!!!!!!! It was AMAZING! Only 4 episodes?! AHHHHH!
OMG that Episode was freakin AWESOME!!!! Sam and Dean are SOOOO back baby!!! GO Team Free Well GO GO GO!!!!
Loved it!!! the last scene with the boys in the car made it feel like things were finally getting back to where they needed to be, the boys doing things there way, AND TOGETHER, no more letting their "fate" pull them in two directions. Congrats to the SN Cast and Crew for the milestone, and congrats on making it a great ep!
FAV LINES : "If it's any consolation you happen to be the illegitimate half brother of the guy we do care about, that's not bad is it?" AND "Word to the wise, don't piss off the nerd angels."
Ever since mid-third season, maybe the beginning of the fourth I have had a really weird love hate relationship with supernatural. I loved the show, it's been my favorite since i started watching it, but it infuriated me endlessly for a really really long time. I don't like Kripke screwing with my boys relationship. I liked it the way it was in the first two seasons, but I understood that there HAD to be some growth in the characters or else it would end up being boring. Still Kripke ended up on my "beat with a stick if you ever see them" list a couple of times. My point is that I'm hoping that the emotional rollercoster part of Supernatural, at least with the whole brother relationship, is on a way to being a little happier. Although if that doesn't happen it will probably still be my favorite show! :-)moreless