JA as always was top level performing tonight. JP continues to reach places that surprise me. I should just accept that he is good, but he keeps reaching just a little bit higher. Good job from everyone tonight!

Traditional Winchester Methods

Sammy will wrinkle his manly brow as he looks up The Lore on his computer, Dean will be stubborn and make inappropriate wisecracks and hit people/celestial beings while he tries to do the right thing and keep as many people safe as possible, Bobby will choke on dust while he researches, and hopefully Castiel will still be around and retaining his awesome fight mojo.

But... that's more or less the same speech from how many episodes ago?

YES. I said the same exact thing to Beau.

One thing that bugs is that whenever they say stuff like "we're taking the fight to them" there is a slew of just more MOTW eps that have nothing to do with the apocalypse/demons being released from hell.

You all are in my head. I said this as well after looking at the preview for next week. I almost feel like these are being aired out of order.

But now Dean knows he can hold the ring and resist the temptation. He passed the test. He will diminish and go into the West and remain Galadriel.

I giggled at this. Just giggled like a giggling fool.

But... that's more or less the same speech from how many episodes ago?

I disagree. I think it's a lot different when you actually believe what you're saying.

One thing that bugs is that whenever they say stuff like "we're taking the fight to them" there is a slew of just more MOTW eps that have nothing to do with the apocalypse/demons being released from hell.

Shows always do this, not just SPN. Think about Earshot with Buffy. They need to take a breather because four more episodes at that level of intensity isn't possible, not in terms of story-telling.

I disagree. I think it's a lot different when you actually believe what you're saying.

Yes. This.

I wouldn't say it's the level of story-telling post-kick-ass-declaration, intensity-wise, but what story that they are in fact telling. There's no active forward movement but a minute of lip-service here and there. I don't care if it's hum-drum low-key, I'd just like them to stay on task more than they do, rather than "well, we had good intentions, but we in fact have no leads, so let's go check out this weird thing in Poughkeepsie to pass the time. And we might accidentally and randomly stumble across something key to our primary objective."

But if you keep them on task completely, only two things happen: they either find something or they don't. There are only so many near-miss apocalypses you can write before serving up the real thing, and if they *don't* find something in a plot where that's the goal, then you don't have much of an episode.

So they get sidetracked by another little hunt in the meantime, just like Buffy did when she got demon-goop ESP.

I get that, but over the seasons if feels like there's a big "WE HAVE A MISSION!" and then a whole whole lot of nothing. And the meantime stretches on. And it's lot of bluster. I'm not asking or wishing for non-stop on-course action, but more of a balance between the Purpose and the In Between, and less of a feeling that the writer's have no idea how to handle the monster they created.

I've been enjoying the heck out of it. Whatever they are doing, it works for me.

Me too, Theresa.

I don't think it's a matter of not knowing how to handle the monster. I think there's a lot of meta that has to be considered in terms of budgets and casting and sets and all that, too, that factors in.

I also don't mind a breather before the big ending bang, so.