It’s been a long time since a new episode aired, and absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder. Dean was even more enjoyable of a scoundrel this time around, and Sam managed to intrigue me with his choices. Both brothers continue to demonstrate a complex psychology of pain and regret, which gives this series an emotional depth. Considering that this is another episode with a relatively standard approach to a horror film staple, it really was all about the characters.
That includes John Winchester and Meg. As these two characters step into the picture, the series’ premise complicates in some interesting and unexpected ways. The executive procedures have the pedigree to make it work, and by establishing a credible and stylized basis for things that would otherwise seem cliché, the writers make the idea of warring generations of good and evil a fun prospect.
There’s a “sins of the father” mystique inherent to the show’s premise, so I’m not surprised that Dean and Sam will find themselves at war with the children of their demonic tormentor. Is this an indication that Meg’s father was a human at one point, and that he struck back at the Winchesters as a spirit after death?