Here's how I know the episode got me -- I got a little misty reading the bit of the recap you quoted (not because it's mine or anything, but because it took me back to the scene). I can see their looks and oof!
The earlier scene between Mary and Dean though -- that killed me dead. Where did the casting people find that girl? She's perfection.
Yes, your description brought it all back to me. It was great. Jensen brought game. That scene with Dean and Mary was representing so much that was happening at that moment as well as had happened for the last twenty odd years. The actress that played Mary took on a nearly impossible task. How do you play a character that the fans already know and love? She really was perfection.
And Yay to Jeremy Carver for another of my fav episodes. The boy is chalking them up.
Today is Thursday, right Amy? I mean, I can let myself get excited now?