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The thing is I could buy Dean being upset about Mary not being the Mary of his memories. I thought that might be the direction the show was taking when we saw Dean sitting on the kitchen floor drinking. But he seemed to shake that off pretty quick. The next episode, he got something he wanted, a family hunting trip. Even if part of him knew that Mary was struggling and he didn't want to admit it, he tried to make her feel accepted. It seemed like he was trying to adjust his expectations. When Mary walked away, Dean was hurt, but he didn't fall back into his pattern of self-destructive behaviors. He didn't mope around, or drink heavily or get reckless on hunts. In fact he was almost the opposite, and early season Dean was far closer to pre-hell Dean than I've ever seen him. He had confidence and took charge, was smart and capable on hunts. It was the one aspect of the season I was really enjoying. I saw no signs of depression in Dean. If I am supposed to be seeing a Dean whose on the verge of a break down the writers are failing because there are no signs. Other than The Raid, the only time there was heavy drinking was a over a night of bonding with Mick. Repo Man was on a local channel the other day, and there was a scene in that ep that really got to me. Dean has just woken up and is staring at nothing. I can almost see the thoughts in this head of him wondering if there was any point in getting out of bed. When Dean is being held captive in Captives and Thin Man its almost disturbing to watch just how dead inside he looks. He didn't even flinch in that scene in Thin Man where they almost cut his throat. I knew what the writers were aiming for. I don't here. I want to believe there is something going on with Dean, but even if they're is, its gone on too long with no hints. Its not entertaining to watch. In s7 at least Dean got some kills and some nice emotional beats to balance things out. He's not even getting that. Sam has the majority of the emotional moments, speeches, kills, and interactions with guest stars. He's not even in the "big brother" role this season since Sam seems to be able to take care of everything and everyone by himself. Even if Dean was upset, I see him becoming a better hunter, not worse because I feel like he'd throw himself wholeheartedly into it to distract him from the problems with Mary and Cas. I'm not seeing a reckless Dean, or even a sloppy Dean. What I'm seeing is an incompetent Dean. One who seems to have lost all this skills. I'm not even sure I'd describe Dean as a side kick. He's filler. To take up the extra time needed to fill an episode. Even if Dean does blow, I would side-eye it and wonder when he's going to get shamed into apologizing. As for Ketch, I don't see a confrontation happening. Ketch isn't interested in Dean. There is no relationship there. They shared one glass of scotch and now Ketch seems to be their boss/handler. Dean is an assignment along with every other hunter in America. So Dean isn't special in that regard. Ketch taking the photo seems to be more about his feelings toward Mary than anything related to Dean. I see Mary ultimately, being the one to confront and kill him. I see Sam and Cas teaming up on the Dagon/Lucifer/nephilm front. I'm not really sure where that leaves Dean as he has no direction connection to any story this season. Half the time this ep, I wasn't sure if I was watching a disengaged Dean or a disengaged Jensen. TL:DR version- if I'm supposed to be seeing Dean in a downward spiral the writers aren't selling it.

I can agree with this. Although, I think I need to add Cas Ketch Mick Hess Jody Claire the other guy.

Because of how lopesided its becoming. The last time it felt like Dean mattered in the an episode was 11.

Dabb's hierarchy seems to be The British Men of Letters Sam Mary Lucifer Cas Crowley The Impala MOTW Person in Peril and that other guy.

This episode answered my question. Those little touches were added by Jensen since he has nothing else to do. I don't think its leading anywhere. Dean's role this season is just to take up space.

Dean didn't appear to care that the colt just appeared out of thin air. I can't see them allowing him to notice his picture is missing

That was predictable. Dean getting knocked out, dropping the colt, Sam picking it up and getting the kill. Remember when Dean survived a year in purgatory and took out entire vampire nests. Maybe Dean should just retire. Sam can do everything.

Probably. I can imagine the first draft of the script. Mary- "Ketch, why do you have files on my boys." Ketch- Mrs. Delores Umb...I mean Miss Hess wants us to kill all American Hunters," Mary- "But my boys...I can't let anything happen to those two my two sons. I haven' gotten to know them yet." Ketch- "Sorry Mary, the boss has spoken. Its the code." Mary- "Okay, Ketch, I'll give you one more chance but if hurt my boys we're through..." Since Dean likes to give nicknames, I have this weird desire to hear him starting calling Ketch, Artie.

Maybe she comes across Dean and Sam's files.

I guess Mary has to learn the hard way that when Dean speaks you listen. I wonder why Sam has Mary's phone. Maybe she finally decided to pay a visit. Or Dean has completely cut her off.

I'm surprised we haven't gotten an inside the episode sneak peek.

Its just a picture. I think the actor trailer drops tomorrow.

Maniac could refer to Ketch

Maybe I'll appreciate the season more when it ends. I wasn't' thrilled with s9 at first, but after watching it through with interruptions I could really see the tole the lies were taking on the Dean, the guilt at lying to Sam and Cas eating away at him. You could really see Dean's downward spiral. JA did such a great job conveying that. I know its an unpopular opinion but I really liked s9 for that reason. Its my favorite overall performance for Jensen. If there is something planned, and Dean feels like he's losing his family then him being disengaged makes a kind of sense. Even though I wasn't a big fan of either storyline (Lucifer or Men of Letters) I was actually enjoying the season in my own way (up to ep 12) because I really liked how Jensen was playing Dean. I liked his renewed sense of purpose, his increased confidence in himself and having a backbone. Then I was let feeling really confused by the end of episode 14 and 15. The show gave me the impression that Dean just wanted Mary around, and to have him apologize for wanting soup and hey Jude, came out of left field. So I honestly don't know if i was supposed to see Dean standing up for himself in the earlier eps as character growth or just the writers thinking Dean was being petulant. I can't read Dean's POV lately. With reguards to family stuff he's kind of lost his voice since then The end of episode 15 is one of those rare occasions I felt let down by Jensen's acting. I can't tell if I was watching a Dean who open to giving them a shot, a Dean who was resigned and went along to keep the peace or JA not agreeing with the writing and breaking character. If something is going on with Dean, the last two episodes have lacked the usual red flags. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm completely lost as to what's happening with Dean this season.

To further your scenario based on what we learned about the final sacrifice needed to be able to join, the BMoLs task Mary with killing one her sons. She gets to pick, giving her a Sophies Choice storyline. She looks into her sons and realizes that everything the Brits told her was a lie and comes to see the good they do, realizes the Brits played her and then in the end learns the truth and Sam, Dean and Mary team up and send them packing. This would have made more sense. I still don't understand the reasoning behind the Brits logic at the start of the season. Lady Mother of the year decides to leave her child and go overseas on the orders of "the old men.". Apparently they felt the situation had gotten out of hand and they needed to stop in and take over. They want to rid the US of monsters and recruit American Hunters. Okay, that I could understand but they apparently decided the best time do this when the world was hours away from ending. Then Lady nothing I do makes sense, wants Sam to give up the name of name of American hunters, and the best way to do this is by kidnap and torture. I thought when Lady Tony showed up that maybe they wanted Sam and Dean dead because they felt they were dangerous. The recruitment drive/we want to work with you seemed to come out of left field and didn't fit the scenario set up at the end of s10 at all. The biggest disappointment of s11. No follow up to killing Death. Dean as death would have been a cool story line, or if they didn't want an alt Dean, I also would have liked a Final Destination story where Death (character and in general) was stalking Dean.

This reminds me of that episode Repo Man where Dean mentions going from the drunk tank, to a 72 hour hold, to a nice long stay of a mental hospital of your choice. He seems very familiar with the process and I wonder why. It would make a good ep

If the pattern holds we should get the Producer preview tomorrow. That should tell us more if this weeks ep.

I hope your right @catrox14. There has been some interesting shots, first in the The Raid where we see Sam and Mary standing side by side with Dean in the background and then again in Ladies Drink Free, with the triangle light, framing Mick and Sam and Dean on the outside. I'd like to think that is foreshadowing something, but not getting my hopes up. All of Dean's inner circle, Mary, Sam, Cas and even Crowley have all lied to him. It would be disappointed if its all just dropped or swept under the rug again. We don't know yet if Sam has come clean about the colt. As I mentioned, there are times over the last 4 episodes that Dean just looks so done and just plain worn out. I want to believe this all means something and isn't just Jensen putting his own touches in the scripts or just Jensen being tired.

If we don't get a conversation I'm going to head canon that Dean put two and two together and figured out what Mary was up too and didn't ask because he doesn't want to be lied to again. We do know that Jody is in ep 22. I just hope she isn't there to lecture Dean about his confrontation with Mary and him ending up taking back what he said.

I found this interesting too, because it seemed kind of random and out of left field. I don't recall Jensen ever expressing interest in playing Lucifer before.

Me too. I'm hoping part of the reason why the tag line of secrets and lies is about more than just the town.

I also think his reasoning for liking the s1 finale was interesting. He mentioned all four characters we loved were in peril. Foreshadowing?

It almost looks like Dean stopped by to help with the twins