Supernatural: Don't Call Me Shurley (11x20)

This episode was pretty darn awesome. It wasn't what I expected, but it was exactly what this show needed. Let's jump right in.

Cons:

This episode had very little for me to complain about, but I do have a couple of little things. The stuff with Metatron and Chuck/God, while amazing for 99% of the time, may have been a little exposition-heavy up top. It's a small thing, and maybe it's only a problem for those of us in the fandom who already knew that Chuck was God, but I got a little bored with the explaining stuff that went on in the first few scenes with these two characters.

Okay, so this is a weird one: Sam and Dean's plot was really basic, and focused on them encountering a town falling victim to a fog that infected people just like the infections from the start of the season, only worse. As the fog rolls through the town, Sam gets infected. My complaint is that there was something weird going on with the sound editing or something, because Sam was talking to Dean and I could barely make out what he was saying over the screams of the other infected people and the ambient noise. From what I can gather, Sam says to Dean: "You're going to choose Amara over me. Over everyone." And then he apologizes, saying "sorry, I didn't mean that." These are really important and significant lines, because we know that this infection causes people to feel the full impact of their bleakest, blackest thoughts. It might have been nice to hear what Sam was saying a little more clearly, and also to dwell more on the words themselves. Sam fearing that Dean is going to leave him, whether by his own choice or no, is a really interesting idea. It feeds in to Sam's earlier insecurities about Dean not trusting him, and seeking companionship from Cas and Benny instead of him. It's a small thing, but it did feel like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Pros:

But let's talk about the good stuff. Sam and Dean's section of this episode was very basic, standard, and propelled the story forward in a meaningful way. Sam and Dean show up for a basic case, thinking that it might be a lead on Amara. But instead of following leads and finding out how to solve the problem, Sam and Dean are quickly overwhelmed by Amara's evil fog. They do what they can to help people get inside and seal the doors and windows, but it's hopeless. They're done for. Dean is immune because of Amara's obsession with him, but Sam quickly succumbs, as does everybody else. There's no getting out for them. I like this because it really elevates the tension and makes me believe that these two are way out of their depth. Realizing that they've only been spared this long because Amara is infatuated with Dean is kind of a serious blow. She could get them at any time.

Of course the Winchester brotherly feelings were strong with this one - Dean's loyalty to Sam was not unexpected, but still undeniably awesome. "I'm not leaving you. Ever." This is such a powerful line for Dean to say because we all know that his connection to Amara might not leave him a choice. At the very least, when it comes down to it only a very, very strong connection to Sam and/or Cas is going to break Dean away from Amara's control. This scene set up that future tension very well.

And then... Deus Ex Machina. But, like, literally. I'll talk more about God in a second, but suffice it to say he comes through in the end. From inside Sam's pocket, the Samulet glows bright in God's presence. Dean takes it. Sam looks down at his arms. The markings are gone. Everybody is cured, even those who had died while infected. Sam and Dean walk outside, and they see Chuck. I just love Sam and Dean's reaction to God showing up at the end. They are both in awe, of course, but it's more than that - after all of the irreverence they've both showed for God in the past, especially Dean, there's no denying his unbelievable power now, in the moment. There's this sense of terror mixed with mind-melting relief when they walk outside and see their old friend Chuck. They're saved.

The best parts of this episode aren't in Sam and Dean's plot thread, though. That honor goes to Metatron and Chuck. The plot, insofar as there is one, basically just follows Chuck as he attempts to write his memoirs, and Metatron as he helps him edit his story. Chuck has given up on humanity and seems willing to let Amara destroy everything. But with Metatron's urgings, Chuck decides not to give up, and he shows up to save everybody from Amara.

Obviously there's the humor component, as Rob Benedict and Curtis Armstrong really played up the meta elements, and the absurdity of seeing this seemingly benign dude claim the power of the Almighty. It takes a delicate touch to not overdo meta and fourth wall comedy. This show is usually pretty awesome at it, particularly in the hands of writer Robbie Thompson, who knocked it out of the park as usual.

But the in-jokes and comedic moments weren't the real strength of the episode. The strength, strangely enough, was in God's character arc. This obviously isn't the first time a piece of fiction has made a complex character out of God himself, but I can't think of another example that mixes this sort of irreverent tone with the obviously awe-inspiring power that God still possesses. There's this sense that God here is all-knowing, but not all-understanding. He thought he was doing what was best by stepping back and letting his creations work things out for themselves, but consequently he only sees the destructive tendencies of his creations, and not the goodness. Specifically, he's pissed at Sam and Dean. If Sam had left Dean as a demon, or let him keep carrying the Mark of Cain, Amara wouldn't be an issue right now. He's tired of cleaning up the Winchesters' messes.

Rob Benedict killed it in this episode. He could go from being Chuck, the dorky hipster artist guy, to God, an intimidating ancient figure with the weight of the world on his shoulders, in one small shift of expression. He made me laugh, and he also made me a little afraid of him, which was quite a feat.

Another big surprise in this episode was Curtis Armstrong as Metatron, giving his strongest performance as this character yet. He has a speech that, in the hands of a less skilled performer, might have come across as irredeemably cheesy. He reminds God that humans, his greatest creation, are better than him. They destroy, and they fail, and they make huge mistakes, but they also create, and love, and they never give up. God, on the other hand, has turned into something of a coward. This speech is nothing we haven't heard before, but Armstrong's performance is absolutely amazing. When he asks why God abandoned him, he starts to tear up, and I felt really weighted down by his despair. The idea of God abandoning his children is one that this show has dealt with a lot, but to hear an angel, one who we have grown to despise so much over the years, pleading with God for answers is actually really emotionally affecting. And that's another interesting component: we don't suddenly forgive Metatron for all the wrong he has done, but we do understand him better by the end of this episode. Much like Lucifer, much like Amara, he just wanted to get God's attention. However, he is humanity's staunch defender, unlike Lucifer, who despises humans. I didn't think there was any way to rehabilitate Metatron's character, but lo and behold. It has been done.

I must briefly squeal about the return of the Samulet. Turns out, God had simply "turned it off" so it wouldn't burn bright in God's presence. Kind of a dick move, but okay. There's this moment where he says "you won't believe where this has been the whole time," and then later Dean finds it in Sam's pocket. Are you telling me that the Samulet has been with Sam this whole time?! A symbol that proved God's love and support for Sam Winchester, even if he didn't know it? The very idea kind of makes me want to burst into tears. Bless you, Robbie Thompson. Thank you for fixing plot holes whenever you get a chance to write an episode. We truly appreciate that.

Finally, there's the moment at the end when God decides to get back into the game, dispel Amara's infectious fog, and save all of the afflicted people. Chuck picks up a guitar and starts to sing "Dink's Song" by Bob Dylan. I feel stupid for not realizing that Rob Benedict could sing like this, but wow. It was really powerful stuff. After all the more light-hearted moments with his character, this was a moment when I felt like he really was God. Like he really did have the power to create souls, and he really did have the capacity to love his creations. Even though I know the next few weeks will be brutal for Sam and Dean, hearing that song, seeing God show up, made me take a breath of relief for our boys.

As I finish this review, I just have one more thing to say: God is a confirmed polysexual. He's had girlfriends and he's had boyfriends. A+, Supernatural. A+.

This episode was interesting because it moved Sam and Dean to the background, put them in a hopeless situation, and then had an actual Deus Ex Machina fix their problems at the very end. And yet the rest of the episode was spent explaining that Deus Ex Machina, showing us where God was, and what changes he underwent that would lead him to finally intercede. I'm so excited, yet so scared, to see what this show has in store for us for the last two episodes of the season!

9/10