I think I would be more OK with pagan Gods being not so awesome, if they did not make God, and angels and demons so fucking powerful and migh-unstopabble. Pagan gods seem lower on the food change than demons a lot of the time, let alone angels. Not consistent. Kali was powerful enough it took Lucifer to take her down. But mostly - pagan gods are just MOTW. Angels and even demons a lot of the time are far more.

You go, Sam. With your fabulous hair and your healing and shit. Smooches.

That part was pretty keen. I mean, he spanked his inner moppet and is getting over some of it. Atone, amends, change how you'll do things from now on or whatever but you can't change the past. You can change your hair. And heal. Um, and see Lucifer. But no one is perfect in this 'verse.

Maybe Dean has had good hair for so long that he never realized.

Hee, hee, hee. ♥ Cass.

I thought the Dean/Jo scene was great, but the whole premise surrounding it was too hamfisted to me, too ASS.

Juliebird, what's ASS an acronym for? (And I agree, I was dreading a bit the Return of Jo as some sort of avenging figure, but I thought the scenes with her were actually pretty awesome. But the anvils were dropping fast and heavy throughout this episode. It was definitely a disappointment after the meatiness of the previous 3.)

After School Special. I'm sure I added an S, but it made me laugh.

I'd say I'd rewatch to see if I felt differently about it, but I'm not coughing up the money on a bad experience.

.

I watched today, finally, although I was sort of comatose.

I didn't dislike it at all. Not a top ten, or even a top twenty, episode but I didn't think it was garbage. I got a little misty, in fact, when Dean and Jo were alone in the apartment after Sam left.

I'm trying to remember where I've seen the actor who ran in front of their car. And I really enjoyed Osiris, at least in terms of charisma.

I'm glad the show introduced the notion that other gods and faiths exist, but I agree that using them as MotW fodder is weak. On the other hand, if you were to create an arc around one, it would be difficult not to just "Big Bad" it, which isn't ideal.

I wasn't surprised that Sam doesn't feel a lot of guilt anymore. Sam is a very different person than Dean, and always has been. He's much more cerebral -- he can appeal to his own logic, where Dean either can't or won't.

I sort of like the idea that he has atoned, and been cleansed in some sense. io9 pointed out that it's really a Yom Kippur episode, which is interesting.

My biggest nitpick is the rabbi. Don't have him come in if you're not going to show how Sam gets past him. Scene should have ended when he picked the thing up.

I'm done with God, gods, and angels. Love em, they just aren't as interesting to me at this point. I'd rather have more gods like the Christmas ones who said Fudge. I thought the episode was significant because although Sam got out of the Impala in the beginning pressing his hand, he really is making tremendous progress with his mental health. Did we know before this episode that he was in the cage being tortured for 1,000 years? Dang. Sam seemed sincere in his admission, so I don't think he's hiding anything. Dean, sigh, I don't know about Dean. But if he snaps and turns evil, there better be leather pants.

This probably doesn't help, but the thread is really lonely with you and Amy both gone.

Also, I meant to mention the above. One of the weirdest nice things anyone's said to me!

Believe me, I kept staring at the thread all weekend until I could watch. Not coming in was Not Right.

because although Sam got out of the Impala in the beginning pressing his hand, he really is making tremendous progress with his mental health.

I think even showing him pressing the wound shows mental health. He's choosing reality.