I can't wait to rewatch this one, actually. It's definitely my favourite of the recent eps--good brother interaction, with the communication and the lack of communication and the concern and the horror and the despair, good Castiel time, and just plain nastiness.

I guess there's a hierarchy to the tastiness of what Famine consumes? Having driven those people right over the edge of insanity made their souls extra-primo? But, yeah, he did do it to the diner. And then eating demons was at the other end of desirability.

Crossroads Blues was this morning, which is extra super painful now, knowing what Dean did when Sammy died.

It also gives me a stupid little happy that Dean knew all about Robert Johnson, music as well as legend -- he's not all mullet rock all the time!

he's not all mullet rock all the time!

Plus Cliff and Marley psueds last night, which made me giggle.

I only got halfway through Crossroads Blues, but the hellhounds are so painful to watch, with Dean and Jo's deaths.

I did a lot of friendsfriends trawling last night for episode response, and damn if people don't seem to be talking a lot about it. Between it and last week, even people who'd kinda fallen away from the show seem to be paying a little more attention. I wonder if they can sustain that in the back run of episodes after the hiatus.

It's all about the pain and the mytharc, man. And from looking at the promo for the next ep, there will at least be pain.

I'm seeing discussion that it's supposed to be that he has no soul, but that's very literal. I'll have to rewatch, but it wasn't my takeaway. Mine was that he was hollowed out by everything he was going through, and he wanted nothing. A whole lot of nothing.

My take, too.

Mine too. It never occurred to me that he didn't have a soul, until I saw other people mention it, and I thought I was going to have to go rewatch in case I missed that.

I actually got up and walked away from the first scene, and I don't plan on ever watching it, even though I will be rewatching this one. The rest of it didn't bother me too much.

I'm not sure I understand why Famine was so looking forward to the soul that Sam ended up stealing (in the brief case), when he had just "eaten" everyone in the restaurant.

He's Famine, so he's always hungry? And didn't they say they were trying to strengthen him so that he could go eat the world?

He's Famine, so he's always hungry?

I think she meant how was the soul in the briefcase different. That's what I wondered -- if he can just suck them down on the spot, why were some "harvested" and delivered via demon?

I'm not sure I understand why Famine was so looking forward to the soul that Sam ended up stealing (in the brief case), when he had just "eaten" everyone in the restaurant.

He said something about the doughnut-eater's soul, so maybe it was dessert?

Plus Cliff and Marley psueds last night, which made me giggle.

Oh yeah. And after the dream root episode, I can totally see Dean rocking a little "No Woman No Cry" from time to time.

Mine was that he was hollowed out by everything he was going through, and he wanted nothing. A whole lot of nothing.

Yes, this. Dean is most definitely running on empty emotionally and physically, and he's never considered a spiritual solution. He knows Castiel has some limitations, and with Sam's relapse (not of his own making), Dean's hit bottom. Seems that God is Dean's last card to play - one he's never played before.

Dean can't do this by himself, even with Sam being there and fighting right alongside him and committed to following his lead. For Dean to finally recognize his own humanity, and the necessity to off-load some of his burden to a Higher Power that is not Michael, is a good thing. I hope it will pay off.

There's no doubt in my mind both Dean and Sam have souls.