S09.E20: Bloodlines

[Guest]

Sam and Dean investigate a case in Chicago, where they discover that various mafia-esque monster families are, unknown to humans, running the underbelly of Chicago. One is a family of shapeshifters run by Margo Lassiter, whose leadership is thrown into question when her brother David returns home. The other reigning family in town is made up of werewolves, lead by Julian Duval. While in Chicago, Sam and Dean meet Ennis, a man with a personal vendetta against the monsters. The Winchesters warn Ennis about heading into the hunter lifestyle, but Ennis refuses to listen and starts down a dangerous path.

 

 

[BellaLugosi]

This is the spinoff episode, correct? It sounds interesting! 

[redcaper]

This has to be the worst episode of #Supernatural I have ever seen.

[omelas]

If he is a shapeshifter - why doesn't he shift into someone who can get out of the ropes or is strong enough to fight him off?

This needed lots more Winchesters and a lot less everyone else.

[Jediknight]

I have seen 2 shows on the CW this season that had episodes bringing about spin-offs.  One was awesome, fun, and got me pumped for the new show.  The other didn't have superheroes, a reference to Professor Zoom, had about 10 minutes of screen time for the main characters, and was this steaming pile.

 

Horrible way to try to get people into this new show.  The only thing I kind of liked was the fact they used a Freddy Krueger glove.

[lumibutterfly]

Fridging? Check. Family secrets? Check. 

 

I kind of liked the star-crossed lovers and the new hero is a likable enough actor. Back-door pilots are usually not that good anyway, because of all the necessary exposition. Has this been picked up for a season? I'm willing to give it a try.

[2Old2BAFangirl]

I thought it was okay.  I knew it was the backdoor pilot so I wasn't expecting to see much of the Winchesters, last year was the same with the TVD spin off.  I would've liked another hour of Supernatural with Dean and Sam to follow this show!

 

I'd give it another watch, I pretty much watch all the other CW shows and this one fits right in. 

[Prospero]

I would probably be excited about this spin-off had it not been so heavily focused on romantic relationships. I know it's the CW, but Supernatural and Arrow manage to avoid being too soapy just fine. Forbidden love between two members of rival families? Now that's something we haven't seen a million times before.

[lumibutterfly]

While I'm interested at least partially because it involves romance, unlike Supernatural. Different strokes, etc.

[catrox14]

Well that was quite a waste of time.  That said, I did like Ennis, but I would much prefer they bring him into Supernatural and leave all the rest of it with all the other monsters in a different show without the franchise name of Supernatural. 

 

And really Dean is just gonna be all hunky dory with shapeshifters? HE HATES shapeshifters as much as witches. 

 

At least Cas has a lead on Metatron...oh right remember that HUGE STORYLINE in the late part of the season.

 

Color me out of the spinoff and pissed off about this episode. 

 

ETA:  Since when do shapeshifters not shed their skin?  I feel like they just destroyed that entire SKIN episode where they showed shapeshifter!Dean peeling off his skin.  The more I think about this episode the more I hate it and I really resent the blatant destruction of the monster canon. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by catrox14

[mertensia]

Oh dear. *Thinks.* Yes, that pretty much sums up my reaction to this episode.

I wish the CW would grow up and get away from the idea that everyone in their prime demographics only wants soap operas and love triangles.

[elzin]

I knew it wasn't going to be good, but I was hoping it wouldn't be as bad as it was.  It could not hold my attention at all. I hate backdoor pilots in general, and this did nothing but cement that opinion. I won't be watching in the fall. 

[Morrigan2575]

Meh. It was decent for a pilot, had one character that hooked me (David) but it sucked as a Supernatural spin-off. Not sure if it'll get picked up, if it does I'll give it another try just to see if they made any tweaks that could improve the show.

[Guest]

ETA:  Since when do shapeshifters not shed their skin?  I feel like they just destroyed that entire SKIN episode where they showed shapeshifter!Dean peeling off his skin.  The more I think about this episode the more I hate it and I really resent the blatant destruction of the monster canon. 

 

That's what I was wondering too.  I was trying to convince myself that I was mixing up monsters.  I didn't like the episode or the acting of the new crowd.  It may have been my imagination, but it did seem that when the newbies where on screen with Sam & Dean the newbie's acting was better.  All the newbies playing off each other though - bad.

[SueB]

Apparently my litmus test for whether or not I like an episode is how many times I rewatch within the first 12 hrs.  This one only got once.  But it needed it because I was pretty distracted by the "is this a good potential spinoff or not" question to really pay attention to the episode the first time. 

 

My verdict:

- As an episode -- nope.  It didn't advance Sam and Dean's line AT ALL.  Mild interest in seeing them in Chicago but not enough to warrant the time.  But my expectations were non-existence for Sam & Dean so that's okay.

- As a pilot: two good leads with chemistry but serious re-tooling needed.  They need to de-CW the thing. My loyalty is to the SPN universe, not the CW model of society being made up of pretty people with power.

 

What they did right:

- As mentioned, the two leads.  Nate B. was stronger by far but Lucien L. showed promise IMO.  Lucien was burdened with the heavy drama and the silly fridge fiancé. His performance benefited from a second viewing.

- Tie in the police, avoided vampires being one of the five families.

 

What they could have fixed (i.e. NOT the network's fault):

- Less would have been more.  The last 7 mins were 5 mins too much of pilot set-up.  Drop the Violet/David wrap up. Drop the visit to David's dad. Have Ennis be David's inspiration for going back to straighten out his sister.  Shorten that scene to the glove drop and "I'm coming back" announcement. 

- Drop everything after the boys left EXCEPT put in Ennis saying (as the car drives away) "no I won't be dropping this, this is MY home."

- Add in the boys talking about the hunter life and a little shit from them about killing a human (silence was not good, no matter what is happening with MoC).

- They completely dropped the ball on Ennis being a cop-in-training.  It was in the premise write-up but we were left with NO idea how Ennis earned his income.  They needed that to explain how he knew to hold a gun and moved a little like a pro.

- They shouldn't have fridged the fiancé.

- Have the boys comment on David's lack of shedding and have David say "Country Mouse, City Mouse -- you guys are not as smart as you think. We come in different flavors."  That's enough confusion to say there 's backstory to explain the canon changes.

 

What the Network should do:

- Let them add older power players. The poor actress who was given Margo got a terrible character. Sam with Julian guy (although he had a few better lines).

- Shove Romeo/Juliet to backstory for a full year

- Risk a 13 episode run and try to wok out the kinks.

 

Bottom line:  I think they ought to retool a bit and try for 13 to see if they can make a better product with better characterizations and less CW-ness. 

 

BTW, Tippi B from TWOP has an EXCELLENT weecap: http://tippitv.tumblr.com/post/84315567402/tippitv-supernatural-recap-bloodlines

Edited April 30, 2014 by SueB

[catrox14]

At this point, it's a Supernatural spinoff in name only.  If SPN is smart they would dissociate themselves from this show unless they are getting a piece of the pie and that piece feeds the 10th season with lots of money for our boys to go out in style.  I feel like this has sullied the Supernatural legacy a bit. :(

 

Even beyond the shapeshifter thing, I don't believe for one minute that no hunter in the history of hunting came across these families. Not with the likes of Bobby Singer, the Winchester family, Ash, the Harvelles, Gordon, the Men of Letters over the years with all their research.   One line of dialogue saying that maybe a couple of hunters tried to do something but were killed, or families threatened or they were corrupted.  But to expect the current SPN audience to believe that not one hunter knew about them in that big network of hunters? That stretches the suspension of disbelief too far for me.  It's kind of insulting to the lore of the hunters.

[bluebonnet]

I'm a bit confused about how to think about this.  As an episode of Supernatural, it was really terrible.  It was a pretty poor backdoor pilot.  I keep comparing it to The Originals when I think about it, which makes sense because it followed The Originals in time slot and has so many similarities to The Originals.  The backdoor pilot with TO worked because we were already quite familiar with the characters.  We weren't meeting Klaus for the first time like we were with Ennis.  We had a chance to become invested in Klaus and his family during their run on The Vampire Diaries.  This might have worked if the boys had encountered Ennis and/or the Chicago monsters a while back.  But to give a cold intro while also having random monster rules and claiming that it's a Supernatural spin off....just terrible.  

 

After nine seasons, we should have been given at least an idea that Chicago had mafia-esque monster families.  There is simply no way for the audience to believe that every single hunter and the MoL were unaware of this.  Considering how quickly David told Ennis about the families, one would think it would have become a fairly open secret over time.  Then, did I catch it right, was it implied there is also a similar set up in NYC?  I thought I caught one of them mentioning the girl being betrothed to the NY wolves or something.  Then the random monster rules.  They basically made new shit up and didn't even have the boys comment on it.  Like, shapeshifters shed their skin.  The only time we've seen one not shed was the Alpha and is was pretty shocking for the boys.  They didn't even bother to give some dialogue for this difference which makes me wonder if they simply forgot.  I'm sort of wondering how Ennis is supposed to become a hunter in a city.  Won't half the monsters have his scent forever, especially the vamps?  I guess he could get a set up like Bobby with weaponry all around the house, but Bobby spent years -decades!- building that up.  

 

There's just this huge disconnect with this pilot and Supernatural.  I'm not sure why they are insisting on connecting it to the Supernatural universe.  I think I would be interested in watching this show if it were it's own thing.  It seems more promising than a couple of the other new CW shows this year.  However, there's no way I could watch it with the understanding that this is part of the Supernatural universe because it just isn't.  And, um, Supernatural is the only show I'm willing to forgive for constantly calling women bitches and whores.  It's not funny, CW.  

Edited April 30, 2014 by SystemRemote

[Guest]

SueB, I really, really need to go back and watch the episode again.  I watched it this morning around 5 am.  I don't remember 1/2 the stuff you mentioned.  Maybe, I'll see more potential on a second viewing.

 

Even beyond the shapeshifter thing, I don't believe for one minute that no hunter in the history of hunting came across these families. Not with the likes of Bobby Singer, the Winchester family, Ash, the Harvelles, Gordon, the Men of Letters over the years with all their research.   One line of dialogue saying that maybe a couple of hunters tried to do something but were killed, or families threatened or they were corrupted.  But to expect the current SPN audience to believe that not one hunter knew about them in that big network of hunters? That stretches the suspension of disbelief too far for me.  It's kind of insulting to the lore of the hunters.

 

This had not even crossed my mind; but you are 100% correct. 

 

SPN has not been the same since the end of Season 5.  I keep hanging in there because I love the show; but, we are drifting farther and farther apart. 

[bluebonnet]

I doubt this show will be picked up but I hope somewhere along the way we learn what monster fam Ennis' dad is associated with.  I mean, I figured the mystery call at the end indicated that he's now a monster or something.  

[SueB]

I don't remember 1/2 the stuff you mentioned

 

. Much of what I said was how they should have done it better.  I hope i didn't confuse you. 

Edited April 30, 2014 by SueB

[Guest]

No, I got ya SueB.  You were just mentioning things they could have dropped from the ep in such detail & you even remembered all the new names.  It's my fault for watching so early this morning. :)

[Zanne]

What the Network should do:

- Let them add older power players.

 

 

So much yes to this. This made me recall Kindred: The Embraced since it had similar structure and storylines - cop protagonist (or baby cop, whatever), monster families running a large city, and the Romeo/Juliet cross species/group love story. But on Kindred, they had characters of different ages. This show seemed entirely populated by twenty-somethings. You can't tell me every shifter, djinn, werewolf and vampire in town is in their 20s.

[Slovenly Muse]

Finally got around to watching it today. Wow. What a mess. They packed way too much into it and it was still boring as hell. I totally agree that it is so completely separate from the SPN universe that trying to call it a spin-off is just dumb. There are enough shows out there involving vampires, werewolves, shifters and assorted elements of the supernatural world that it makes way more sense to just jump start a whole new series without using SPN as a platform, when it's so obviously unsuited.

 

I'm not really a fan of SPN, or at least I haven't been since the end of season 5 when I think the show should have ended (although I have enjoyed some of what has happened since then), but what I appreciate about the show and what sets it apart in my mind from many other supernatural dramas is how gritty and grungy it is. These characters drive around the country, living out of cheap motel rooms on fake credit cards. They have nothing and no one but each other. They have watched the most important people in their lives die (or had to kill them themselves), and it has made them shitty human beings. Their lives could not be more miserable or less glamorous. But they go on, doing what they do best and trying to be a force for good in the world despite never getting to really be a part of it. There's something compelling about that. For me, that is the life of a hunter, and that is the soul of the SPN universe. I saw absolutely none of that in this episode. Here, the main characters are wealthy, powerful people with supernatural abilities (which they are completely in control of, apparently, and are not "monsters") who live glamorous lives in large families. And one token human. I've never seen the Vampire Diaries, or The Originals, but this reminded me of a much shinier True Blood without all the sex. About the only thing it had in common with SPN was its horrendous treatment of women.

 

Also, any time anyone called Margo's name, I automatically replied "Polo!", which was very distracting.

 

I think as a pilot on its own, it could have worked, if it had been, you know, good. It was poorly written, with terrible cringe-inducing dialogue, and packed with the worst, flattest, one-liners I have ever heard. The only moment that got so much as a chuckle out of me was the bag of meat labelled "Susan." (Heh. "Susan.")

 

The exposition was clumsy, the characters one-note, the tropes were a-flowin' (fridging the fiance before the credits? Ugh.), and there was nothing charming or appealing about it to grab my interest. And Sam and Dean being a part of the story actually probably made it WORSE because they were so out of place in that universe. Plus they couldn't actually  DO anything, since all the new characters had to establish themselves by taking action, leaving no room for the Winchesters in the story.

 

Both conceptually and in the execution, I found it severely lacking.

 

But on the other hand... "Susan."   ~chortle~

[Sexy Sadie]

I won't be following the new show. 

[EdnasEdibles]

Watched it tonight and laughed out loud with the phrase, "there are five monster families that rule Chicago."

And then the end with this:

Voice on phone: if you keep this up, the monsters will kill you!

Dad?

[Jediknight]

Watched it tonight and laughed out loud with the phrase, "there are five monster families that rule Chicago."

They rule Chicago, but apparently didn't care when Death was going to destroy the city.  The only reason they and Chicago is still around, is because Death likes the pizza.

[SueB]

I'm guessing 'Susan' is a good vintage.

[DittyDotDot]

Well, that was just horrible. Oh well, my expectations were low, so I wasn't actually disappointed. 

 

When did these guys got from making a quirky, unique little show to making the same boring crap this is every other show on the CW? I'll never understand people's desire to make more of the same rather than taking the opportunity to try something different.  

[catrox14]

The only moment that got so much as a chuckle out of me was the bag of meat labelled "Susan." (Heh. "Susan.")

 

That line and

 

Dean's line: "I could go into more detail...but I won't..." made me laugh pretty hard but mostly due to Jensen's deadpan delivery.  That was great.

[7kstar]

 

And, um, Supernatural is the only show I'm willing to forgive for constantly calling women bitches and

whores.  It's not funny, CW.

 

not really forgiving them either, it's getting tiresome.  I won't be watching and this isn't a supernatural spin-off other than they said so.

 

Funny when I was a kid, I had no problem watching older people in my shows, so I don't get why they think this needs to be done.  But I won't be watching this and I've watched Reign a few times but other than that, nothing else draws me to this network.  Once Supernatural goes, so will I.   

 

on a side note, need to by a new keyboard because no longer able to do caps without caplock and that makes typing tiresome.

Edited May 3, 2014 by 7kstar

[Prospero]

I'd posted my previous sceptical comment before actually watching the episode in question. I just did. It fucking sucked.

 

I honestly wouldn't be so pissed if this would just be another shitty episode. But if this is a sign of where they are planning to go with handling shapeshifters on this show - then it's a complete disaster. The gory shapeshifting was one of the best things in Supernatural mythology ever. I mean, seriously - you are making a backdoor pilot about shapeshifter. Would it have killed you to watch a handful of episodes the parent TV show has about shapeshifters? How lazy and/or incompetent can a TV writer be and how come NOBODY on the cast/crew had pointed this out and fixed it before this garbage went on air?

 

Supernatural = gore. I give this episode an F and rest in hope that this spin-off is never picked up and the episode is not included in the season DVD boxset.

[Zanne]

The gory shapeshifting was one of the best things in Supernatural mythology ever.

 

 

I liked that it showed that being a monster wasn't necessarily glamorous - it could be messy and disgusting and unpleasant. It made you feel a tiny bit of sympathy because you realized their lives must have sucked. I feel no sympathy for the Bloodlines' monsters because they are all utterly fabulous - hair cemented in place, make-up perfect, and wearing the latest fashions. If I wanted to watch pretty people wearing pretty clothes and leading pretty lives, I'd watch every other show on the CW.  

[Prospero]

I liked that it showed that being a monster wasn't necessarily glamorous - it could be messy and disgusting and unpleasant. It made you feel a tiny bit of sympathy because you realized their lives must have sucked. I feel no sympathy for the Bloodlines' monsters because they are all utterly fabulous - hair cemented in place, make-up perfect, and wearing the latest fashions. If I wanted to watch pretty people wearing pretty clothes and leading pretty lives, I'd watch every other show on the CW.  

Exactly. It was one of the main things that made Supernatural stand out among other WB/CW shows. And now they are using Supernatural to launch a show of the worst possible kind that Supernatural would probably be mocking a couple years ago in some crazy meta episode.

[Pete Martell]

 

I honestly wouldn't be so pissed if this would just be another shitty episode. But if this is a sign of where they are planning to go with handling shapeshifters on this show - then it's a complete disaster. The gory shapeshifting was one of the best things in Supernatural mythology ever. I mean, seriously - you are making a backdoor pilot about shapeshifter. Would it have killed you to watch a handful of episodes the parent TV show has about shapeshifters? How lazy and/or incompetent can a TV writer be and how come NOBODY on the cast/crew had pointed this out and fixed it before this garbage went on air?

 

Didn't SPN already move on from that concept in season 6 anyway? They dropped most shifting outside of the Alpha, who didn't shed his skin. I don't think there have been any shifters since. I tend to wonder if it's another budget-saving thing.

Well, that was just horrible. Oh well, my expectations were low, so I wasn't actually disappointed. 

 

When did these guys got from making a quirky, unique little show to making the same boring crap this is every other show on the CW? I'll never understand people's desire to make more of the same rather than taking the opportunity to try something different.  

 

I tend to think this episode was more the CW's concept than anyone else's. Mark Pedowitz had already said about a year and a half ago that no SPN characters could carry a spinoff. The heavy Vampire Diaries-flavored casting (although I actually ended up liking most of those actors here) also makes me wonder. If this is picked up they claim they will have SPN characters cross over. I doubt it will be picked up, but if it is, I would enjoy the crossovers.

 

The episode mostly bored me. I think they should have just had Ennis and David, and dropped the romance, and most definitely dropped the fridging. 

Edited May 4, 2014 by Pete Martell

[DittyDotDot]

Didn't SPN already move on from that concept in season 6 anyway? They dropped most shifting outside of the Alpha, who didn't shed his skin. I don't think there have been any shifters since. I tend to wonder if it's another budget-saving thing.

 

Actually, in S6, only the Alpha shifted without shedding his skin. In Two And A Half Men, the shifter that comes after the baby at the beginning of the episode shed his skin just like all the others--Dean grabbed a bit of it in the grocery store and there was a pile of goo outside of the cop car after he shifted into the cop (he/she, what is the appropriate sex of something that can be anything?) Also, the baby splat goo all over the wall when it shifted. Sam killed that shifter with a silver bullet, just like all previous shifters, in the motel room and then the Alpha came for the baby at the Campbell Base Of Ridiculousness. The Alpha was the only one that could do "new" things.  And just because I was watching this episode last night, I'll throw another little tidbit at ya...the previouslies have clips from other shifter episodes where they flat out tell us that shifters shed their skin when they shift (I thought it was kinda funny in light of the debate about shifters in Bloodlines.)  Also, remember that in S6 the monsters were more monster-y due to Eve's influence, after Eve died I assumed that the monsters went back to status quo--so any "new" abilities that cropped up in S6 should be null and void by now.

 

Honestly though, I'm not too worked up over a few canon changes with a new show, as long as they stay consistent within their own universe. It did slightly annoy me here because this was supposed to be an episode of SPN, which means they should have stayed consistent with Supernatural's established rules, but it wasn't the worst thing that they did so... .

 

Whether it was a CW concept/mandate or not, these guys made it and stamped their names on it, it's theirs now. And, I would imagine that the CW asked for certain things, but I also can imagine how one could take the things that the CW asked for and still manage to twist it into my own original creation. To me, this stunk of them throwing everything in the pot knowing that people would show up and eat it no matter how crappy the stew turned out.

[SueB]

On shifting ability precedence (as it relates to why it makes sense for seamless shifting in Bloodlines):

Skin - Gooey

Nightshifter - Gooey but MUCH faster

Monster Movie - Gooey but we only saw the ear come off, not the entire body. 

Two and a Half Men - Baby: Explosive Gooey, Alpha: Seamless transition/no goo

Caged Heat - Alpha seamless shifting

Note:  The Jefferson Starships were hybrids but their shifting seemed less gooey.  We never saw them actually shift and only the failed betas were technically gooey as far as we saw. 

 

The guy from Skin and the Monster were social outcasts. The Nightshifter was a murderer and the baby was just new.  All three adult shifters appeared to be loners.  If you look at shifting as a "natural" supernatural ability, seamless makes much more sense.  Seamless shifting allows them to hide from predators.  In sum, I think it is a reasonable hypothesis that seamless shifting is a learned behavior that improves with practice.  Some of the outcasts were better than others.  Under this hypothesis, David/Sal seamless shifting is the norm vice abnormal or special behavior.

 

Note 2: It would also stand to reason that outcasts or those who did not have seamless shifting were more likely to be caught by hunters than those that did.  Hence, most hunters thought shifters came with goo. 

Edited May 4, 2014 by SueB

[DittyDotDot]

Sure it can make sense, but does it make it interesting?

 

Also, I think it's a big hurdle for them when there are no limits on the monster's abilities. It makes no sense that werewolves that can control their nature or shifters that can be anything at any given time or any other monster that has no limit to it's ability hasn't taken over the world. This is why I generally loath vampire stories as well. Humans should be living in pens like the leviathans were planning if these clans of organized monster families exist. Also, they can't really put them in any real danger because, I for one, will not believe they actually are in danger. This is exactly why the writers have been complaining about Castiel for the last four years.

Edited May 4, 2014 by DittyDotDot

[bluebonnet]

I could have easily bought the idea of a seamless shift if it was addressed.  Two lines of dialogue would have done the trick.  David presented to the boys as a shifter, one of the boys mentioning the ew gooey factor, David commenting that there are different types or just different methods.  This also has the benefit of explaining why hunters haven't been aware of at least the shifters in Chicago.  They aren't outcasts, are kept in line by the family and they don't shed.  The way they did it, it made it seem like they wanted to just latch onto the Supernatural brand without any of the ugly that goes along with it.  My age and background put me outside the targeted demographic for CW, but I still really enjoy CW shows.  I likely would have watched Bloodlines with great glee, but it's hard to feel interested when it's sold as a spin off without truly being a spin off.  I'm not sure this show will get the green light, but if it does, I hope they address some of these things that make it feel like a totally different universe instead of Supernatural.  

[catrox14]

I would have grudgingly accepted an explanation to the shapeshifter...shift. But it sure as hell isn't cool anymore nor interesting. Shapeshifter Dean was fucking creeptastic and bitter and resentful and lonely. I always though the Alpha shifter could shift without goo was okay because he was "special", the one and only.

 

Can anyone imagine Nightshifter without the gore?  Seriously.  Half the awesomeness of Nightshifter was finding the goo all over the bank. And the fight Dean had with the female shifter? He wouldn't have figured it out without her fucking skin peeling off in his hand! That was awesome.  Also, in Monster Movie.  There would be no great joke when Sam is trying to pull the guy's ear off and he says "It's supposed to come off!" Guy: " No, it it's not".   Where's the fun without all that? BAH! /throws arms up in disgust and dismay.

 

And MY GODS the mind games! I don't know what the new show will do with the mind games part of the shapeshifter life but if it's as dull as the introduction to the shapeshifters, color me bored to death.  Seriously. How could they take such an awesome concept and wreck it with no explanation?  And no, waiting until the actual series airs is not sufficient. It needed to be addressed in the pilot, especially since the pilot was an actual episode of Supernatural. 

 

For me, the key to Supernatural is the craft of the show.  How it is filmed, the dark colors, the shadows. Sam and Dean in half shadow, half light all the time. GORGEOUS.  All of that reflected how creepy it was and how creepy their lives were.  So much texture and nuance in the cinematography and practical effects and the acting, even with the guest actors.  I thought the shapeshifters skin peeling off reflected that sensibility. I realize that a lot of that dark, desaturated look went away in later seasons but at least we still had some of the creepier things and mind games like Hallucifer and it didn't get overly pretty (although Dean's wardrobe this season looks like he's been hanging out at Prada (I'm not complaining mind you it's just weird!)

Edited May 4, 2014 by catrox14

[Zanne]

This did give me an option for how I want to see Supernatural end...The Boys driving into Chicago to clean up the town.

[Jediknight]

Well, the CW didn't pick this up, which means this episode was entirely pointless.  Yet another reason to hate it.

[Reishe]

It did slightly annoy me here because this was supposed to be an episode of SPN

 

Agreeing with everyone--It felt like our boys guest-starring in someone else's show. Casting, lighting, atmosphere--this wasn't SPN.

[DittyDotDot]

Well, this was even more pointless on re-watch. I don't know, as an episode of Supernatural; pretty poor, IMO. As a pilot, I don't think it was bad, per se, just not a show I think I would watch--I guess I'm just not interested in a monster-mob soap opera. I've seen many far worse pilots though.

 

Good to end on: I'm nearing the end of this re-watch, YIPPIE!!! What, not about this episode? Sorry, got nothing right now.

[sarthaz]

My brain had successfully suppressed this steaming pile of shit until today when an unrelated article unearthed the horrible memory that was this episode.  I'm going to go vomit now.

[RulerofallIsurvey]

This wasn't so bad - not as bad as I expected from the bad reviews.  However it was NOT a Supernatural episode.  Even with appearances by Dean and Sam, which were basically only guest appearances, it did not have the tone of even the worst SPN episode to date.  If I hadn't already heard that this was supposed to be a backdoor pilot, I would have guessed from watching it myself, and from the 'cliffhanger' ending -what?  Ennis' dad's alive?  Ooh...suspense[//sarcasm.] Which, I'm sure will never be addressed in the future.  I'm okay with that actually.  And I'm glad this was never picked up as a spinoff.  It would have been terrible.  There was already too much Vampire Diary type crap on tv when this originally aired.  

• C'mon - FIVE monster families running Chicago?  What?  They couldn't decide on only three?  I guess the Mafia were the shapeshifters (Sal, is a typical Italian name.)  So, it's not bad enough that Italians have a bad reputation from the Mafia (even though they are not all Mafia), now they are also Supernatural Monsters.  Speaking as a descendant of Italian immigrants, Thanks for shitting all over me, show.  First the Southern insult, now Italians.  
• Boo to Sam and Dean not even getting to kill a monster this ep or have a save but having their thunder stolen by a newb.  Nope.  I don't buy it.  
• The best part of the ep was Sam and Dean making their way through the factory.  That was actually suspenseful for about a minute.  Then it wasn't.  
• Something good to end on: Sam's hair looked kind of nice blowing in the wind when he got out of the car at the factory.

[pixelcat]

Me, watching this episode for the first time:

I've skipped it since.

9 hours ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

C'mon - FIVE monster families running Chicago?  What?

This episode not only treated us like idiots, but the Supernatural hunter community as well.  NO hunters knew about Chicago's "monster problem" before Sam & Dean show up?  The MoL files should take up an entire room, but they were clueless as well?  Even if the monsters completely outnumber hunters, you can bet there'd be at least a few crazies with grenade launchers/rockets/vamptonite going after them. 

And flipping through it again, I got so angry.  Dean pronounces Peart (drummer for Rush) as Pert (should be Peert), and him being a Rush fan WOULD KNOW THIS.  Second time this has happened in the show, but I can forgive the first since it wasn't actually Dean bringing up the name.  You would think that classic rock fans + show filmed in CANADA would at least get this right.

9 hours ago, RulerofallIsurvey said:

The best part of the ep was Sam and Dean making their way through the factory.  That was actually suspenseful for about a minute.  Then it wasn't.  

You sure they were really in this episode?  Maybe it was shapeshifters!

[RulerofallIsurvey]

On 8/12/2016 at 8:45 AM, pixelcat said:

I've skipped it since.

Lol!  I was thinking the same thing all the way up until Dean and Sam finally made an appearance.  I might have even checked to make sure I was actually watching SPN, not some other show by mistake.  

I won't bother watching it again.

On 8/12/2016 at 8:45 AM, pixelcat said:

This episode not only treated us like idiots, but the Supernatural hunter community as well.  NO hunters knew about Chicago's "monster problem" before Sam & Dean show up?  The MoL files should take up an entire room, but they were clueless as well?  Even if the monsters completely outnumber hunters, you can bet there'd be at least a few crazies with grenade launchers/rockets/vamptonite going after them. 

Oh geez, such a good point - and one I'm ashamed to admit I didn't really pick up on much while watching.  But upon further reflection, it makes less and less sense that monsters are completely running Chicago.  But not completely under the hunter radar, since apparently Ennis' father (Wait !  I just remembered!  Ennis  - pronounced EE-nis, not eh-nis - was the stupid cop from Dukes of Hazard...hm...) warned him at the end about monsters killing him.  Plus, he had the silver bullets, so he obviously knew about the monsters, but didn't bother calling in any backup from the larger hunter community?  Right...

Cause Bobby would have never heard about any of this when he was alive.

And Sam and Dean split town to follow the latest Metatron lead and clue no other hunters into the Chicago Monster problem either.  

Right...

On 8/12/2016 at 8:45 AM, pixelcat said:

You sure they were really in this episode?  Maybe it was shapeshifters!

You know, that would actually explain a lot.  Especially the part about them splitting town and leaving monsters in charge...

Either that, or I'm going to have to go with it was all a bad dream - a Halluciferation by Sam or Mark of Cain side effect by Dean.

[Dobian]

This episode had "pilot for a spin-off" written all over it.  And regardless of the show, there are no episodes I hate more than pilots for a spin-off.

Sam and Dean were great in their cameo roles.  Uh...yeah.

Now monsters don't operate on the fringes and mainly in rural areas, but are running major cities behind the scenes.  Methinks this series is overstepping its bounds a bit. 

[Dobian]

I have to add, this gets my vote for worst Supernatural episode ever.  I would watch that horrendous Wizard of Oz episode or the one with the Rat Pack witch club ten times before watching this one again.

[DittyDotDot]

1 hour ago, Dobian said:

I have to add, this gets my vote for worst Supernatural episode ever.  I would watch that horrendous Wizard of Oz episode or the one with the Rat Pack witch club ten times before watching this one again.

Yeah, I think you're right, this is probably the worst episode of Supernatural simply because it wasn't Supernatural, IMO. TBH, the witch club episode didn't really bother me all that much. Sure, it's pretty lame, but it's just a silly one-off I can easily ignore. I kinda hate Torn and Frayed way more because I can't just say it didn't happen.

I'm just working my way through S8 again and debating if I should just skip this one when I get to S9.

Edited August 29, 2016 by DittyDotDot