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Just before IMDB shut down someone posted that Jared and Jensen were contracted for 97 days this season which is half the filming schedule. So if they filmed for 5 days one ep, they have to have another ep where they only film 3 days. One day of filming equals approximately five minutes of screen time, so if the brothers have to be attached at the hip and we only see them for 20 minutes. or half an episode, it explains why we're getting so much focus on Lucifer and Cas and Crowley. Take with a grain of salt because there was no source but given the way this season is playing out that sounds accurate.

It's possible that its another Magda situation, and they don't know the Brits killed Claire. They might have given the Winchesters a fake cure and then "cleaned up" after they left.

Reading that tweet from Kim, the first thing that comes to my mind is that Claire dies and this episode will be a repeat of The Prisoner with Jody going after the British Men of Letters.

I can see Dean telling himself that because we know he doesn't like to deal with his issues. He likes to bury them. So I can see Dean telling himself that as a way to avoid dealing with his feelings about Mary.

I think this was debunked in Devil's Trap when Dean was able to identify his father because he said he was proud of him. That speaks volumes about how Dean was treated. Not to mention Something Wicked and Bad Boys. Just because Dean doesn't refute it doesn't mean he believes it. It reminds me of the end of Nightmare when Sam says they were lucky they had John, all things considered. Dean gives a vague, all things considered that left me wondering if Dean was abused physically at times by John. Also at that time, Dean was still very much in good solider mode, and its possible he wouldn't have gone into details at the time, and say negative things about their dad. I took it as Dean not bothering to set the record straight not that he actually believed he was John's favorite. I've always believed that each brother grew up thinking the other was the favorite. I think Sam heard a lot of "Why can't you be more like your brother and follow orders." I think Dean saw Sam getting a lot of attention, both good and bad. I believe that the YED wasn't lying when he said this to Dean, so it contradicts Bugs and shows that Dean did not really believe he was the favorite.

I disagree here. I actually thought this line was a good addition to the script and showed where Dean was at emotionally. In the early seasons we that Mary's death is still a sore spot for him, and he gets angry when she's mentioned, so I can see Dean wanting to avoid going back to the place where she died. We see it again in 2.06 when Dean refuses visit Mary's grave. It also gave us another brillant moment from Jensen when they walk into the nursey and Dean glances up at the ceiling. As for Dean letting his walls down, I think its easier for him when he doesn't have an audience. That's why he walks away because he didn't want to make the call in front of Sam. I remember an interview from Kripke where he debunked this. His original idea wasn't even about brothers, it was about a reporter drove around the country investing the Supernatural. (Night Stalker 2.0). Then it got changed somehow to being about the brothers. When he pitched it to the network, he was asked if the story would have enough material for five seasons and Kripke said yes. Then like a game of telephone this got twisted into Kripke having a five year plan. He never had one. IIRC there was even mention that Kripke at one point even imagined the show ending with Dean killing Sam.

Not to mention the first thing she says to him is that he's a goofy looking kid, while proceeding to fawn all over Sam. If Missouri was any good she should have picked up on the fact that Dean was struggling with being back in town. Even after treating him like crap all ep he was still a gentleman to her and helped her down the stairs Go Dean

This episode always feels like it was written by two different people The first half was good, but then in fell apart after Missouri entered the picture. I also disliked the way Dean's issues being back in Lawrence were dropped. Missouri was a terrible psychic, Dean's instincts are better than her abilities. There was one small, blink and you'll miss it moment I liked. It was when Dean was putting the purifying pouches (or whatever they were called) together. You see him taste one of the ingredients and make a "ew gross" face. I laughed at that because it was just so Dean. I'm guessing it was adlibbed by Jensen.

I liked the ep too for the same reason. Same with Bugs. I thought the plot was bad but I liked the insight we got into the brothers.

I'm hoping they don't go down that road either, TBH. And that they are actually able to surprise us.

I think it stems from Carver. When Sam not looking for Dean didn't go over well, I find he overcompensated. Dean was never as clingy as he was to Sam during the back half of that season. I get where Carver was coming from and I agree with the principle of him trying to show character growth for Sam. The problem, for me was never that Sam moved on, it was that he didn't even try. There is a large gap between researching and asking questions and making a deal. The problem was Carver took it too far in the other direction. IMO, Dean wasn't OOC in the first two eps of this season. He immediately started looking for Sam, but in addition to just having almost died himself he had his mother back. He had more to think of then just Sam. We saw him get upset at Lady Tony and break the phone, it showed Dean awake all night monitoring cameras. Just because Dean wasn't making a deal or threatening to take his own life didn't mean he didn't want to go all out. As for the reunion, when Dean walks into the cellar and sees Sam you can see the relief written all over his face.

http://www.tvequals.com/2017/03/21/supernatural-so-heres-the-thing-about-mary/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer5afd5 I wasn't sure where the best place to put this was but since it covers the season, I thought I'd put it here. IMO, This is an excellent article that sums up my issues with this season. Some highlights. This paragraph in particular, sums up my entire issue with the end of the last episode. The only thing I didn't agree with is that the authors being happy Mark was back as Lucifer. I think he needs to go.

This is my favorite scene of s11.

I'm less concerned with Claire's fate than I am of Dean being made to apologize to the British Men of Letters for not trusting them. I saw a tweet from the actor that plays Ketch that he would be lurking in the shadows. I can see them "curing" Claire to get Dean on board, and then Ketch coming in to clean up since it wasn't a real cure. I don't want Dean to lose his instincts. As for my speculation on the rest of the season, they named 4 yellow eyed demons. Two are dead, we know Dagon is with Kelly Kline, so that leaves Asmodeus (sp?) I think we're going to find he's one of the Old Men running the brits and he wants Sam for some reason. (I think this is the shocker we'll get in ep 21). Then the last two eps will be about Sam trying to get out of his predicament, and he ends up killing the last two yellow eyed demons and is left in some kind of peril for the cliffhanger. Kelly has her baby, and Lucifer Jr, rapidly ages over the hiatus and grows up to look exactly like Mark Pellegrino. Then next season is just a combination of s5 and 11 with Sam and Lucifer Jr having some kind of connection, ala Dean/Amara. Dean locks himself in a bathroom stall (Kidding but not really)

I'll address your other points later but it was never confirmed whether Amara didn't take Dean's soul because she couldn't or decided not too. I remember Carver was specifically asked this question. His answer was disappointing in that he said he would leave it up to viewers to decide and interpret it in their own way." That basically tells me TPTB had no idea and didn't consider it an important plot point. Its another reason why I don't think there was any real interest in the storyline. Because not taking Dean's soul was big, and why she didn't should have been addressed.

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I'm not saying we needed a season long cold shoulder, but I would have at least liked a scene where it was at least addressed. The bolded part is really where my main issue lies because its usually Dean letting it go where as the show allows Sam to hold on to his anger. But that's an issue better left for the bitch/jerk thread. It happened at the end of We Happy Few. It was only brief but the length doesn't matter. I didn't like that they went there in the first place. It was completely unnecessary.

I had the opposite view of s11. It's my least favorite season. (although 12 is giving it a run for its money) I found it dull, uninspired, to many dropped plot points and to many leaps in logic to make certain story lines work, and it contains the worst episode of the entire series. I thought the season got off to a good start right up until episode 5. I found it fell over the rails in ep 6 when they made Amara God's sister. It was a story was that was too big and really left the writers no options other than to bring in God. Something they clearly struggled with, as evidenced by the last 3 episodes. (My wishful thinking is that they would have been better off just making Amara the living embodiment of all the negative energy stored in the mark, then the whole Chuck mess could been avoided) I personally believe that Carver checked out pretty much after he wrote the premier and Dabb was unofficially in charge the majority of the season. I think the last 3rd of season fell apart because Dabb had zero interest in the Amara story line. I think that showed right from comic con. The premier focused heavily on Dean and Amara having a connection yet there was zero mention of this from anyone except Jensen, who gave one vague remark about how there might be but he hadn't seen anything in the four eps. -The Dean and Amara connection was never given proper focus or developed. It was basically the same scene over and over again. To this day I still have no idea exactly why they had a connection or what it meant or what Amara wanted from Dean. It kept changing. I think if you asked the writers they really didn't either. If it was just because of the mark then why wasn't Amara drawn to Lucifer the way she was Dean. -In the Premier, Amara said that they would never let anything bad happen to each other? What happened to this. It was like no writer knew this line existed. -No consequences for killing death. What should have been a big plot point turned out to be no more than just killing a monster of the week. -Sam and Dean's relationship was stronger because the writers just ignored everything that happened between them. They just swept it under the rug and pretended it didn't happen. Sam using the book behind Dean's back should have been addressed, especially since Sam spent an entire half season raking Dean over the coals for doing the same thing. I'd have liked some acknowledgement of that. - Bringing back Lucifer. His story ended in s5. There was zero reason for Sam to suddenly decide that God reached out to him personally. God hasn't intervened in centuries, so why would Sam suddenly think its God? Why would he tell him to go Lucifer? Lucifer hates humanity and wants to destroy it. Why would God tell anyone to ask him for help? Why would Lucifer even want to? This didn't occur to anyone? Chuck had to point it out to them. -Amara spends all season searching for God, and when God shows up she wards herself. That makes about as much sense as Sam going into the cage. -Ignoring Michael and coming up with the worst possible reason why he couldn't be involved. God's most powerful archangel is really just a weakling. -I won't even go into the massive problems I had with 11.17 as its my hot button issue. -They had no idea how to deal with the whole Amara/Chuck thing, and it showed. I think this season is a good example of writers not talking to each other and just ignoring things they didn't want to deal with. - Giving Sam the mark. I don't care if it was only for a hot minute. Apparently being worthy to carry it just means you didn't have it before. It just felt like te writers wanted an excuse to give it to Sam. It completely retconned all the stuff with Cain. -I disliked that once again Dean making very valid points in confronting someone was just again reduced to Dean having issues. I dont' think he was confusing God with this dad. There were a few good moment- Baby, Beyond The Mat (I love when Dean lets his guard down and just lets loose and has some fun), The Vessel, The Premier, The Bad Seed, Thin Lizzie, Dean interactions with Mildred, and Dean's talk with God in episode 21. But overall I felt the season was pretty weak.

If I thought it was going somewhere then the opening scene of ep 15 wouldn't bother me so much. Because if Dean was in a downward spiral throwing himself into hunting, in a manner that is almost manic would make sense. But I think it was no more than a joke that Perez thought was funny. Same with the end of this episode. I think I was supposed to see as Dean doing what he always does is supposed to be character growth.

I saw a post on Tumblr that said the Witch Twins will be back for episode 20. I wonder if we'll get press release for episode 17 today. I figure despite, the Claire stuff the boys won't stop working for the BMOL's because its too early in the season for things to come to head. I figure episode 16 will be used to get Dean on board. I can see Mick using an argument on Dean, that Claire wouldn't be in danger if she didn't have to hunt. One thing that really bothers me about it is that the boys think their working for the Brits on their terms but whether they realize it or not they are furthering the Brits agenda. Because Sam and Dean are the premier hunters in the US that other hunters look up to. The Brits are having trouble getting decent hunters on board. So I'm guessing Mick's pitch now includes, All three Winchesters are working with us. He woudn't be lying. There is no way he'd bring up terms and conditions I wonder if The British Invasion isn't about them taking over the Bunker, but is about their influence spreading and more and more hunters getting on board. This is why I wish they would have let Dean stick to his guns and refuse.

Yeah, I think this is my biggest source of frustration this season. The writers really seem to think Dean's main problem with Mary is the lack of lullabyes and soup. I'm not sure now if I'm supposed to see all those other moments are Dean standing up for himself or more just Dean not treating Mary like an adult. Since, I feel like Dean caved in this last two eps, I'm not sure it will be bough up again.

I thought this was more about John's wish for his children should they be able to stop hunting, and the way John saw his kids in the moment. That Sam wanted an education and Dean just wanted his family. Because hunter Dean wasn't interested in school or college but hunters Sam was. I didn't think John implied this was how he always saw his sons or why he started their savings accounts. Had Dean grown up with in without hunting, I can see him still drifting toward a profession that helps people as we've seen he's always been a caretaker. I can see Dean as a fireman, cop, EMT, teacher or even a doctor. I do believe he's smart enough. I have head canon about Dean's "Dreams of my own" That there was a time at Sonny's when Dean thought of college and wanted to go to MIT and become an Engineer since he seems to have an affinity for it.

I can see this if we go by what we know about pre-season Sam and Dean. They didn't have the relationship they do now. From Sam's POV he wanted normal and that meant cutting off himself off from everyone and everything related to his old life. When Dean was with Lisa we saw that Dean still salted things and kept weapons nearby. Sam made a a clean break even to the point he wanted nothing to do with anything related to the Supernatural, even halloween. He wanted normal, Dean showing up would only serve as a reminder that he wasn't. Not wanting anything to do with his old life would have included Dean. Plus, Sam is stubborn and if he felt that Dean sided with their father during the fight he might have also left with the impression Dean wanted nothing to do with him either. Asylum and Skin showed that these two harboured a lot of resentment towards one another. As we know Sam was not happy to see Dean when he showed up. He didn't go back on the road to rebuild his relationship with Dean, it was too avenge Jessica. His orginial plan was to return to school once that was done. Time and circumstance allowed him to re-connect with Dean. It was not a primary goal. From, Dean's POV we've seen he had mixed feelings. There was a part of him that was proud that Sam went his own way, but he had to be hurt too that Sam could just walk away from him. Plus, Dean is stubborn too. Add in Dean's abandonment issues and he may have felt he wouldn't be welcome and employed a 'reject him so he can't reject me' mindset. We know that Dean was a good solider back then and when Sam left Dean may have doubled down on trying to be the perfect son and stayed away from Sam for fear John would reject him too. I think based on their personality traits and sheer stubbornness make this perfectly in character for both. FWIW, I do have a head canon. In the original script Sam was only supposed to be about 20 and at college for 2 years. But Kripke later changed this to Sam being a little older and in college for about 3 1/2 year. But forgot to change the line in the script where Dean says "in two years, I never bothered you, never asked you for a thing." So IMO, after John started ditching Dean, Dean decided to go see his brother since he didn't have to worry about playing the good son anymore. Both Sam and Dean agreed to meet and for whatever reason you (general you) want to add it didn't go well and they sent their sperate ways until John went missing.

This would make an interesting question at a con. While not canon there was a con where Jensen implied that Dean might have sold himself. I tried to find the clip but couldn't. Not to change topics but there is one part of their childhood I'd have liked to see a flashback episode about. Hunting is a rough gig and I'm sure the boys had bumps and bruises. They were in a hotel for days at a time with no adult supervision. Now, I know that it was probably out of the way no-tell motel but someone at some point must have noticed, or a teacher notice the bruises. It makes me wonder if Dean ever had to deal with social services.

My opinion on this comes from Metamorphsis, where they are discussing the whether they should kill the Rugaru I don't think John left them to starve, but the above suggests there was times when the food did run out, because John got delayed. I always wondered if the reason Dean gambled the food money was because he needed more and what he had wasn't enough. Not canon, but not out of the realm of possibility.