'Serenity'
[NAFDA]. This is where we talk about the CW series Supernatural! Anything that's aired in the US on TV (including promos) is fair game. No spoilers though — if you post one by accident, an admin will delete it.
Sam/Dean wincest comes out of every episode.
True! But usually, Dean's not causing him physical pain out of love to drive the devil away. So I'm expecting more pain play. Damn it. (And I'm not even a Wincest reader. I just will be MASSIVELY disappointed in fandom if they don't run with it.)
I have way too many Feelings about this episode. I have to watch it again.
I agree that the first two episodes of this season were much better than I expected. I had no specific reasons for low expectations, just at assumption that at this point the writers would be coasting. But so far (early days) it looks like a first rate season.
I didn't actually like this episode as a whole, but I liked lots of little parts. The trenchcoat, the Dean and Sam pain conversation, Dean's desperation in the phone call, and seeing Sheriff Mills again.
Um, I would also be very willing to read Sam and Dean pain fic that comes along.
Oh! and Bobby's conversation with Dean about not being okay and then calling him "idjit". Maybe I will have to watch again.
Really did like this episode as a whole.
Incidentally one thing I should have considered when anticipating staleness: Sera Gamble. Not old hat to her - a new toy to play with. So whatever goes right or wrong it won't be staleness and "I've been doing this too long" syndrome.
That's not really true, though -- she's been writing for the show since the first season, and has been a producer since S3.
But only a showrunner for two seasons. Very different because she has final say over arc.
I guess. But my take is that she's been there so long, she's not going to take the show in some entirely weird or unexpected direction. She knows the characters, and she also knows the fans.
Sure, but at the same time she hasn't had to deal with every episode the way Kripke did until now. I'd think that there is a bit, "now I can do this". And since she is a fan as well as a long term writer and producer stuff won't come out of left field. But it won't be the same thing Kripke would have to fight if he was still doing it. I mean he might have been able to fight it off, and keep things fresh. But I suspect that with her, staleness is a non-issue.