Two and a Half Men (602)

[Madwelshboy]

SAMUEL CREATES CONFLICT BETWEEN DEAN AND SAM — Sam (Jared Padalecki) investigates a case about missing babies whose parents are being murdered. At one of the crime scenes, he discovers a baby that was left behind and calls Dean (Jensen Ackles) for help. Reluctant to leave Lisa (guest star Cindy Sampson) and Ben (guest star Nicholas Elia), Dean finally agrees to meet Sam and surprises his brother with how parental he has become. The brothers take the baby to Samuel (Mitch Pileggi), who decides to raise it as a hunter, which infuriates Dean. However, before they can decide the baby’s future, a shape-shifter breaks in and attempts to kidnap the baby. John Showalter directed the episode written by Adam Glass.

Please use the report feature to request the thread to be opened

[Crichiel]

SEE?!!! THIS is why you don't give up your show after a few disappointing episodes!! OMG, I had TEARS (of joy), running down my face when our beautiful, beautiful Impala was uncovered. Fan-FRICKIN'-tastic!!

I'll be back with a real review when I have a computer (just my phone right now).

[CKO]

mmm best part of the ep... Dean takin the tarp off his baby ;) hell yes.. Cas is back in next weeks ep.)

[the fifth man]

My wife, my dad, and I all enjoyed this episode tonight. It was kind of cool that we got to see the "Alpha" Shapeshifter. Boy is he a lot more powerful than his offspring.

I wonder who Samuel was talking to on the phone at the end there? He is definitely working for someone, collecting specimens. Not good at all IMO.

It is great to know that the Impala should be back in action next week. I look forward to that, and the return of Castiel.

[warrior_chic]

OH.MY.GOD!!!
Ok 1) Love Jensen and babies :)
2) Samuel just gets creepier every minute.

I was happy when Dean was rootin' around in the trunk in the beginning, then when he put the keys back in the toolbox- I starting yelling at the TV and my roommate told me not to narrate the whole ep:) And as mean as it made him look, I'm glad we got to see a little individual Dean/Ben time. Got to see a little of how Dean would really raise him and kinda got a glimpse of how much he hated the way he grew up, even though he kept defending it (I'm watching the pilot now).

And I think some of the funniest things I've ever seen on this show were they boys with the baby, especially in the store. And since "Three Men and a Baby" is a movie I grew up on, all the subtle references and similarities just made me laugh :)

I'll need to rewatch, but I didn't think this ep was as unsatisfying as the last. Starting to pick up some momentum. And what's with that phone call of Samuel's at the end? Def something wrong and creepy going on with him. And I guess we can start crossing Campbells off the list. Kinda glad that one is gone. I really don't want the actor to leave his other show. I wonder how long the girl will last. Can't stand her.

And that Alpha thing is a new twist on the shifters. I wonder how much they'll tweek about other monsters we've seen.

Anywho, I think what I got most out of this ep is that they need to have more babies around Dean :) I'll have to pay more attention the next time around.

[warrior_chic]

Oh, and of course that last scene. I told my roommate she wouldn't believe the amount of squealing going on across the country at that moment.

[the fifth man]

Oh, and of course that last scene. I told my roommate she wouldn't believe the amount of squealing going on across the country at that moment.

Yeah, I am sure there was definitely a lot of that. It was nice to see Dean back in his element.

[warrior_chic]

Yeah, I am sure there was definitely a lot of that. It was nice to see Dean back in his element.

And the fact that he was smiling the whole time makes me happy. He doesn't seem too upset that he's having to leave Lisa and Ben "unprotected".

[Mariellelita]

Ugh. I missed a few parts of this ep, but glad to see Dean back to his old self. :)

[the fifth man]

And the fact that he was smiling the whole time makes me happy. He doesn't seem too upset that he's having to leave Lisa and Ben "unprotected".

Oh, I am sure it was hard. He has mixed emotions about leaving. He wants to rejoin the fight, but he also wants to stay and be with and protect Lisa and Ben.

[starg8fans]

AWESOME stuff! You just gotta love TPTB and their wicked little ways. At the beginning, I was thinking, 'Okay, they're laying it on a bit thick - the hunters all cool and collected and in charge, and Dean flailing and angsting trying to keep his little family safe'. And then - WHAM - they bring out the Impala at the end. Pure genius. And what a tune to bring her back too, especially after the 'lullaby'.

What is it about six months old babies? I thought there was some demonic stuff involved when Samuel (of Sam?) said that was the profile.

Excellent mix of everything that makes this show great. Well, except for the Cambells. Man, I hate that girl. But I guess we're supposed to. Hopefully she'll be the next to go. And Samuel is catching monsters for somebody else, huh? Is Sam somehow involved in that too? Because Dean's comment at the end was certainly valid. And the way Sam brushed it off was... unsettling. Plus one other thing that puzzled me - in the opening scene the baby was all dressed all in pink, but when Sam had it it was a boy. So it may have shifted once before, but then where was the skin? And again, did Sam know what it was from the beginning, and was just playing Dean? I just hope they'll deal with the trust issue between the boys as quickly as they dealt with Dean's apple pie life.

Three cheers for Lisa too. That woman has a really good head on her shoulders. As she said, life isn't black or white, and it looks like she and Dean have found a shade of grey that works for them. And us. :D

[warrior_chic]

Excellent mix of everything that makes this show great. Well, except for the Cambells. Man, I hate that girl. But I guess we're supposed to. Hopefully she'll be the next to go. And Samuel is catching monsters for somebody else, huh? Is Sam somehow involved in that too? Because Dean's comment at the end was certainly valid. And the way Sam brushed it off was... unsettling. Plus one other thing that puzzled me - in the opening scene the baby was all dressed all in pink, but when Sam had it it was a boy. So it may have shifted once before, but then where was the skin? And again, did Sam know what it was from the beginning, and was just playing Dean? I just hope they'll deal with the trust issue between the boys as quickly as they dealt with Dean's apple pie life.
I think they the first one under the bed was a different baby than the one the boys found. They made it sound like the alpha had a bunch of kids by posing as a bunch of different men. i think the kid from that mom that pulled from under the bed was taken by the alpha to who knows where. The second family Sam found, after they realized the security system pattern, had Bobby John.
I don't think Sam knew until he talked to that guy that separated from his wife, but I do think he kinda used Bobby John. He made it seem like Samuel's little compound was the only place to go, but just a little while ago, they wouldn't even have thought of going to Bobby, they just would have done it automatically.

And I got the feeling that Samuel isn't really trying to kill anything. It's like they're making a collection of baddies, and apparently for someone else. And that phone call kinda makes me think he knows more about what "pulled him down" than he's letting everyone believe.


Three cheers for Lisa too. That woman has a really good head on her shoulders. As she said, life isn't black or white, and it looks like she and Dean have found a shade of grey that works for them. And us. :D

I wouldn't mind if they kept her around a little. Especially since Jo and Ellen are gone. The boys need some estrogen to put them in their place every now and then.

[Crichiel]

Ok, ok. I know I said I was going to wait until I could do a decent review, but I had to make one more comment on Bobby John; How cool was THAT for his name?!! And interesting that Sam chose John while Dean chose Bobby.

Don't get me wrong, I love John to death, but I always thought Bobby was such a perfect dad for Dean. And I have also always seen Dean as being closer to him than Sam, so I liked that this supported my theory!

[JadedWraith]

Yep, I did like the episode. Things and people are starting to fall into place. It's interesting to see how the recently created distrust between Dean and Sam will develop in the next episodes. And exactly what is Samuel's agenda. It also raised an interesting question:Is a baby monster still a monster?
Why was my favorite line of this ep...but I am a freaking head case? Maybe because I am one.

Suggestion:How about running a pool to bet which Campbell will die next?Just for fun.

I loved the soundtrack choice.

[warrior_chic]

^ I'm in for the pool! Well, 2 down 20 to go. Something's bound to happen somewhere in there. Although, I'm no good at predicting where TPTB take the stories.

[Crichiel]

My bet's on Gwen....PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE! Don't like her.

[warrior_chic]

My bet's on Gwen....PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE! Don't like her.

I hate her. She's only had like 3 lines, but everything she's said has been insulting and abrasive. And I honestly don't think she adds anything to the story. I'm thinking this week. Since whats-his-face bit the dust yesterday.

[starg8fans]

I think they the first one under the bed was a different baby than the one the boys found. They made it sound like the alpha had a bunch of kids by posing as a bunch of different men. i think the kid from that mom that pulled from under the bed was taken by the alpha to who knows where. The second family Sam found, after they realized the security system pattern, had Bobby John.

You're right, I saw it too when I re-watched it yesterday with my daughter. Don't know why the position of the bodies on the floor seemed to look familiar, I mean the dad was sitting in the chair instead of lying on the floor. Brain fart, I presume.


I don't think Sam knew until he talked to that guy that separated from his wife, but I do think he kinda used Bobby John. He made it seem like Samuel's little compound was the only place to go, but just a little while ago, they wouldn't even have thought of going to Bobby, they just would have done it automatically.

Exactly. And how come Dean didn't think of it when Sam asked him if he had an alternate plan? Or is he still miffed at Bobby for not telling him that Sam was back?


I wouldn't mind if they kept her around a little. Especially since Jo and Ellen are gone. The boys need some estrogen to put them in their place every now and then.

I agree. She adds that element without taking away from or messing with the boys. Oh, and as mother to two teenagers, I really like the way she dealt with Ben's mood at the beginning of the ep. The way she talked about 'hating it' and 'open mind' was just the right mix of understanding and no nonesense.


Ok, ok. I know I said I was going to wait until I could do a decent review, but I had to make one more comment on Bobby John; How cool was THAT for his name?!! And interesting that Sam chose John while Dean chose Bobby.

Don't get me wrong, I love John to death, but I always thought Bobby was such a perfect dad for Dean. And I have also always seen Dean as being closer to him than Sam, so I liked that this supported my theory!

Yes, that was a nice little twist.


Yep, I did like the episode. Things and people are starting to fall into place. It's interesting to see how the recently created distrust between Dean and Sam will develop in the next episodes. And exactly what is Samuel's agenda. It also raised an interesting question:Is a baby monster still a monster?
Why was my favorite line of this ep...but I am a freaking head case? Maybe because I am one.

Suggestion:How about running a pool to bet which Campbell will die next?Just for fun.

No need to spoiler things that deal with this episode, only with others (eps. future ones). This is the discussion thread after all, and you can assume everybody here has seen it, or wants to be spoilered. My favorite line was from the same scene: "They may get a little upset when it turns Asian."

That is a good question, whether a baby monster is still a monster. Especially in the case of a shifter. Actually, is a shifter who doesn't harm anybody even a monster? Is the term defined by what you are or what you do? They touched on this topic before, in Metamorphosis. Well, that guy ended up going all 'long-pic-eater' after all, but if he hadn't? The question is anyway, does a shifter HAVE to shift from time to time, like the baby did without actually meaning to? Which raises another question - if the Alpha 'makes' all the new shifters, why did the two we met earlier grow up with people who were horrified and disgusted with their offspring and pushed them into a life of crime? Why weren't they claimed by their 'father'? Or is this a new agenda, collecting the babies instead of just spawning them?


My bet's on Gwen....PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE! Don't like her.

Same here.


I hate her. She's only had like 3 lines, but everything she's said has been insulting and abrasive. And I honestly don't think she adds anything to the story. I'm thinking this week. Since whats-his-face bit the dust yesterday.

I figure they may keep her around a while, just to annoy us. BTW, does anybody else think she's kinda channeling Meg? OMG - you don't figure she's back, do you?

[eviladam]

Since the Impala was uncovered at the end and Lisa (think that was her name any way) told Dean to go I'm going to give it like 3 more eps maximum to impress me. I'm hoping the nexy episode will blow me away. But honestly so far I'm considering cancelling this season on my dvr.

I just don't care for the way the boys are being charecterized this season to date.

And a little piece of my soul died every time the Impala could've been used and wasn't in the last two episodes.

[iolanda]

And a little piece of my soul died every time the Impala could've been used and wasn't in the last two episodes.

I think the Impala was used wise and on spot during the last two episodes. She is the symbol for Dean being a hunter, and since she was covered, Dean wasn't a hunter at that time. He wanted to be one again, in the bottom of his heart, that`s why he opened the trunk from time to time and offered the car keys to Sam. I also wished the Impala to be there, but for the story as presented it was the absolutely right thing to chose to leave her under the tarp until Dean was ready to go on the road again.

[starg8fans]

I think the Impala was used wise and on spot during the last two episodes. She is the symbol for Dean being a hunter, and since she was covered, Dean wasn't a hunter at that time. He wanted to be one again, in the bottom of his heart, that`s why he opened the trunk from time to time and offered the car keys to Sam. I also wished the Impala to be there, but for the story as presented it was the absolutely right thing to chose to leave her under the tarp until Dean was ready to go on the road again.

I agree completely. IMHO it would have been even more wrong to watch Dean carting construction materials and grocery bags around in the Impala's trunk than seeing her under a tarp. And it was important to deal with the issue of Dean having stepped away from that life for a year. It's one thing I love about this show that they don't gloss over ramnifications like that.

[LoneStar1836]

The Impala under the tarp was some major symbolism. Like the song they chose for the opener montage with Dean...it wasn't the standard fair that we get in SPN eps. They were done for a reason.

That's why I've quite enjoyed the first two eps. They are setting up this season. You knew the Impala would make its grand reappearance eventually. And the Campbells have a part to play as well which is why at this point I have no problem with them...MP and CN's characters anyway. They can toss Gwen anytime they want.

I like this new story arc so far. Last year's was starting to wear on me, especially with the seemingly constant rehashing of dialogue to really drive home the parallel of John/Dean/Sam and God/Michael/Lucifer...as if I didn't get it the first time. Anyway I like that they are going back to their roots with the monsters and building up whatever this mystery is with them and then with the deal with Samuel and his return.


As to specifically this episode, I do think Sam kind of knows what's going on. Sam's too smart a guy to have the wool completely pulled over his eyes. So yeah I think he was lying to Dean there at the end, and I think Dean suspects he's lying as well because well Sam's never been that great a liar.

Yay!! Cas is back next week. :D

[JadedWraith]

^ I'm in for the pool! Well, 2 down 20 to go. Something's bound to happen somewhere in there. Although, I'm no good at predicting where TPTB take the stories.


My bet's on Gwen....PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE! Don't like her.


I hate her. She's only had like 3 lines, but everything she's said has been insulting and abrasive. And I honestly don't think she adds anything to the story. I'm thinking this week. Since whats-his-face bit the dust yesterday.

Uhm, I think since Christian is the one who shows more antagonism with Dean, he'll be the last to go (before Samuel) , but I am known for being wrong about these thing.


You're right, I saw it too when I re-watched it yesterday with my daughter. Don't know why the position of the bodies on the floor seemed to look familiar, I mean the dad was sitting in the chair instead of lying on the floor. Brain fart, I presume.

No, that's an interesting point. Not sure what it means, though.



No need to spoiler things that deal with this episode, only with others (eps. future ones). This is the discussion thread after all, and you can assume everybody here has seen it, or wants to be spoilered. My favorite line was from the same scene: "They may get a little upset when it turns Asian."

Well, I came from a different thread, where they were people really sensitive (a.k.a. whiny ]:) ) about the spoiler tags, so, when in doubt I use them.;)

But dully noted, thanks.:)




That is a good question, whether a baby monster is still a monster. Especially in the case of a shifter. Actually, is a shifter who doesn't harm anybody even a monster? Is the term defined by what you are or what you do? They touched on this topic before, in Metamorphosis. Well, that guy ended up going all 'long-pic-eater' after all, but if he hadn't? The question is anyway, does a shifter HAVE to shift from time to time, like the baby did without actually meaning to? Which raises another question - if the Alpha 'makes' all the new shifters, why did the two we met earlier grow up with people who were horrified and disgusted with their offspring and pushed them into a life of crime? Why weren't they claimed by their 'father'? Or is this a new agenda, collecting the babies instead of just spawning them.

Metamorphosis was a great ep. It seems to indicate there is indeed a change on how the Alpha deals with his "spawn".



I figure they may keep her around a while, just to annoy us. BTW, does anybody else think she's kinda channeling Meg? OMG - you don't figure she's back, do you?

She does channel Meg. Who knows? Literally, all Hell broke loose.

My question: is why did the Alpha not kill Dean, besides the obvious fact we'd loose our favorite character ( well, mine)?

[starg8fans]

I like this new story arc so far. Last year's was starting to wear on me, especially with the seemingly constant rehashing of dialogue to really drive home the parallel of John/Dean/Sam and God/Michael/Lucifer...as if I didn't get it the first time. Anyway I like that they are going back to their roots with the monsters and building up whatever this mystery is with them and then with the deal with Samuel and his return.

Yes, same here. It's refreshing to have stand-alone(ish) episodes without the major myth arch.


As to specifically this episode, I do think Sam kind of knows what's going on. Sam's too smart a guy to have the wool completely pulled over his eyes. So yeah I think he was lying to Dean there at the end, and I think Dean suspects he's lying as well because well Sam's never been that great a liar.

Yay!! Cas is back next week. :D

I agree with Sam being smart, but I don't think he has everything figured out. After all, Sam told the boys in Exit on Main Street to take away without the boys noticing.

And you may want to spoiler that last bit, since it refers to next week's ep.


Well, I came from a different thread, where they were people really sensitive (a.k.a. whiny ]:) ) about the spoiler tags, so, when in doubt I use them.;)

But dully noted, thanks.:)

Freudian slip, or am I boring you to tears? :p


She does channel Meg. Who knows? Literally, all Hell broke loose.

My question: is why did the Alpha not kill Dean, besides the obvious fact we'd loose our favorite character ( well, mine)?

I think the actress reminds me a bit of S5 Meg too.

I was about to say because he had what he came for, but then why would he kill the kids' parents? He could have just incapacitated them as well.

[iolanda]

Just my 2 cents concerning the episode:

This was pretty much exactly what I hoped for after the last episode. Everything is slowly falling into place, the boys are back, the car is back, the thing with Lisa found a solution I really like, because it just makes sense this way. And I don't want to forget, that the humour is back. Seatbelt? Magic fingers? The colour shaping baby? And the music, which was missed last episode, just came at the right time. What a beautiful scene!

The writers really now how to pull my strings. We get a lot of answers, but there are still enough big ones which I'd really like to know.
So, what happened to Sam and Samuel? And was Samuel really pulled down? And who is the mysterious guy on the other side of the land line?

My theory:

I guess that somehow Crowley is involved in this, and that there is someone superior to Crowley who is also holding Bobbys contract now. And this someone is the cause for Sammy and Samuel coming back. Maybe Samuel got the chance to get back to earth if he helps that mysterious someone.

Something which occurred to me last night is how grown up Dean became. He cares about Lisa and Ben, and I love him this way. The way he looks after the baby was just adorable (except the whiskey part of course, but that is just Dean ;) ).

So,now we get an Alpha shifter. That is interesting! Maybe there is a chance for the baby shifters to not become bad persons. You already mentioned Jack from Metamorphosis, but I also want to put the shifter from "Monster Movie" into the plan. He was a killer, but his history was also sad. What if someone like him doesn't get told that he is a monster for all of his live (I know this sentence is grammatically odd, but I don't know how to put it better). He could have grown into a decent person.

BTW: Didn't they cast the cutest babies?

So, do I have something on the negative side? Not really. There are trust issues between Sam and Dean, which I don't like, but I think they are just important for the story. I re-watched the episode today, and Sam wasn't there when the shifter told about their dads, but he knew for sure that this creature existed, and I don't think that it's impossible that it was the plan all along to get the baby to Samuel.

Oh, someone asked why nobody thought about Bobby: Dean didn't want to bring the baby to any hunter at all, and maybe Bobby was just too far away. It looks like the hunters camp is in Illinois or Indiana and Bobby is somewhere in North/ South Dakota. On the other: distances were never really the problem in SPN ;)

[warrior_chic]

Since we seem to be touching on the topic of monster/not monster, I agree that "Monster Movie" needs to be thrown into the equation. Purely by nature of what he was becoming, Jack in "Metamorphosis" was a monster- he had to eat human flesh. Shifters on the other hand don't have to do bad things just b/c they shift. They could be the ultimate undercover cop or something. So I think of all the monsters we've seen, that baby probably had the greatest chance of not becoming a true monster.

And now that I look back at it, I'm happier with the premiere. Dean has been out of his element until now, so TPTB kinda put us out of our element as well- no Impala, no classic rock. We were supposed to feel weird with the situation just like Dean was. And like someone said, things are starting to fall into place again.

And now I'm starting to think back to those couple eps from the past with Samuel. That phone call kinda sounded like they were superior (?) to Samuel. I'm wondering, in the case of a Deal, who would have wanted Samuel back, and who would have had that type of relationship with him. Now my head is a spinnin' with theories :)

[JadedWraith]

Freudian slip, or am I boring you to tears? :p


No, my English is crap and I am sucker for a dropping double consonants everywhere!:D :lol:


I was about to say because he had what he came for, but then why would he kill the kids' parents? He could have just incapacitated them as well.

That's my point, exactly. He might have thought that Dean was only trying to protect the kid, but so were the child's parents and they were not spared. Or maybe there is a bigger picture I am not seeing. One where Dean is needed alive, for now.

[iolanda]

I was about to say because he had what he came for, but then why would he kill the kids' parents? He could have just incapacitated them as well.

Maybe they hope that the search for the baby will be stopped after hitting enough dead ends. Parents won't be stopped by that.

[Crichiel]

Again, I got tears in my eyes (and running down my face) when he uncovered the Impala. That kind of visceral reaction was a direct result of him NOT driving the first two episodes. So I think it was absolutely the right choice.

[LoneStar1836]

I agree with Sam being smart, but I don't think he has everything figured out. After all, Sam told the boys in Exit on Main Street to take away without the boys noticing.

And you may want to spoiler that last bit, since it refers to next week's ep.I don't think Sam knows everything that's going on with Samuel (like who the mystery person was on the phone), but I do think he knew about the Alpha and that he was in on the plan to try to lure it to the compound with the baby. Sam's just not that gullible anymore to spend about a year with these people and not have some idea of what's going on with them. Obviously he couldn't tell Dean about using the baby as bait because Dean would have never agreed.

MC is a main actor so him coming back isn't a spoiler per GW spoiler policy. :) I'd have to spoiler why he's back though...which sounds interesting based on the ep description, btw. :cool:



Since we seem to be touching on the topic of monster/not monster, I agree that "Monster Movie" needs to be thrown into the equation. Purely by nature of what he was becoming, Jack in "Metamorphosis" was a monster- he had to eat human flesh. Shifters on the other hand don't have to do bad things just b/c they shift. They could be the ultimate undercover cop or something. So I think of all the monsters we've seen, that baby probably had the greatest chance of not becoming a true monster.
I agree. But it all depends on who raises the kid. Not exactly sure this group of hunters is the right choice though. Maybe somebody like Bobby who wouldn't abuse the kid's ability.

[warrior_chic]

I agree. But it all depends on who raises the kid. Not exactly sure this group of hunters is the right choice though. Maybe somebody like Bobby who wouldn't abuse the kid's ability.

That's what I was thinking when I asked why they didn't take him to Bobby. Bobby does value the non-hunter life, based on the reason he told Dean he didn't tell him Sam was back. While Bobby may not have been able to raise him, he at least could have found someone who could. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to see how different Samuel and Christian are to our boys.

[Heaven]

There are trust issues between Sam and Dean, which I don't like, but I think they are just important for the story. I re-watched the episode today, and Sam wasn't there when the shifter told about their dads, but he knew for sure that this creature existed, and I don't think that it's impossible that it was the plan all along to get the baby to Samuel.

Dean was totally looking at Sam like he has Lucifer in him
it would be interesting to hear about Sam's time in hell, I wonder if he had Michael and Lucifer as cell mates down there

[starg8fans]

That's what I was thinking when I asked why they didn't take him to Bobby. Bobby does value the non-hunter life, based on the reason he told Dean he didn't tell him Sam was back. While Bobby may not have been able to raise him, he at least could have found someone who could. Oh well. I guess we'll just have to see how different Samuel and Christian are to our boys.

I guess not even the writers were able to come up with a plausible reason why they couldn't take the baby to Bobby, so they left him out of the equation.


Dean was totally looking at Sam like he has Lucifer in him
it would be interesting to hear about Sam's time in hell, I wonder if he had Michael and Lucifer as cell mates down there

It must have been quite short, but it's still intriguing that Sam is so blasé about it. When he brushed Dean off about talking about it he didn't seem the slightest bit traumatized or shaken.

In any case, he was in a cage, ergo cut off from the rest of hell and its inhabitants, so he wouldn't have ended up on the rack. And maybe Michael and Lucifer were so busy yelling at each other, arguing who messed up the deal that they had no time for Sam. :p

[LtColCarter]

Another solid episode. Gotta love race changing, exploding skinned babies!

[Crichiel]

FINALLY!! I have a chance to get my two-cents in....aaaand, it looks you guys have covered everything. But, since I was the one who was Little Miss Whiny last week, I thought it only right to get on here and give equal time to how much I LOVED this episode. So sorry, I might repeat a lot of what you guys said.

Ok, here is what they did RIGHT with each of these things this week made me fall in love with this show all over again.

Lisa:

How cool is she? Seriously. I still might not say she is "The One" for Dean, but that is only because I don't think there is such a thing for him. I think this is as close as he will ever be able to be. Here's why she is so awesome (and again, don't confuse this with a real-life relationship. I would slap any woman who just accepted a guy that 'drops in whenever he can and we'll be waiting'!)

-She moved for him. She uprooted her own life and her son's as well, trusting completely that Dean was right in doing so.

-She doesn't get fooled by him. She knew what he was doing when he ordered the pizzas. But she also understood and didn't call him out on it.

-She is so patient with his PTSD symptoms. She knows he is being overly paranoid in some cases, but she quietly (without nagging or yelling), tries to get him to talk about it (which he does more than most other people in his life!), and failing that, she lets it go.

-She asked first what BEN did, and then asked Dean what he did. Most mothers jump to the (sometimes right, sometimes wrong) conclusion that THEIR child didn't do anything. It shows how much she has accepted Dean into her life that she doesn't leap into Mother Bear mode, but accepts Dean as Ben's other caretaker.

-Her solution for them at the end. And basically the whole conversation. She saw everything that was going through Dean's mind and didn't feel resentful or possessive, she is trying to do what' s best for him.


Samuel (and all the Campbells):

-They killed one off, that's a good start! :D

-Realistic that Samuel would be clueless with a computer. Nice touch to remind us of his origins.

-While they were still these kick-a$$ hunters, making Dean look like a softie, this time, they made it look like maybe that isn't a good thing. They showed us that Dean IS special among hunters because of his (sorry Dean) sensitivity.

-BUT, Samuel also had a point when Dean said "There's just a little too much mystery with this family for me to get comfy." I agree with Dean 100%, but like Samuel said, "Then don't. But don't put it on us, all we're trying to do is invite you in." So, it does make you think that while Gwen can go and Christian is a jerk, maybe Dean shouldn't assume Samuel is all bad. (to go back to Dean's side, though: I absolutely wouldn't have handed the baby over to Samuel myself and wanted to kick Sam when he took Bobby John and IMMEDIATELY handed him to Grandpa!).

-Christian. I am liking hating him. ;) What a jerk! But I like that. He does it much better than Gwen. And, if he DOES turn out to be on our side, that would be kinda a cool twist. I follow Entertainment Weekly on Twitter and the recap of this episode was great saying that she is just WAITING for a Dean/Christian smackdown. I would love to see that, too (assuming Dean comes out on top! :D).

-Christian taking the baby. Might just be me, but from the way he was acting, it seemed like a clue right there that it was all an act for Dean, he knew he wasn't REALLY going to be raising the baby because they were just waiting for the alpha to show up. If he were going to take the baby for real, his "The crap I do for this family." would have been a little harsh for the new 'daddy' to say! Though, I did like his quick, "Go to hell, Dean." when Dean questioned it.

Dean:

Everything about Dean was perfect this week1

-I liked how his OCD ramped up to putting down salt lines at night. Totally understandable, and sad at the same time.

-I liked HIS relationship to Lisa. "Dean, no offence, but if you don't walk out that door? I'm going to shoot you." And his response to that? Not anger or hurt, just Dean; "Bet you're missing your ex right about now."

-Like I said in the spoiler thread I LIKED how uncomfortable he seemed in Sam's car. That's as it should be!

-Jensen and babies. *melt* Nuff said. ;)

-His whole predicament with how to raise Ben safely, without resorting to John's extremes. It's a really good question, that maybe they didn't answer, but I think that's true to life, there IS no good answer to this dilemma. Sam had the best comment here about it, "Dad always said is was temporary. Said it for 22 years."

-Continuity with the Magic Fingers. :)

-Dean's "I'm a freakin' headcase." I know others mentioned this line. But for me, what I loved was that it wasn't said in a funny way. Dean was deadly serious and was making that point to Sam that saying Samuel is like Dean only proves he is probably messed up. Dean is self-aware enough to know that his mental health probably isn't all that great.

-I like how he REALLY stood up to the Campbells this time. Not wanting to hand the baby over, questioning everything, every motive. Telling Grandpa, "You really don't want me to answer that question." When Samuel is talking about their mom as a baby, the look on Dean's face shows that he's not quite buying this 'bonding' moment. (sidenote: check out Sam's face here. He, too, kinda looks like he is questioning why Samuel is telling them this.)

-Mostly? DEAN'S HUMOUR CAME BACK!!! Yay!! From him choosing Smoke on the Water to sing to a baby, the way he held the baby up to inspect it in the store, his crying back at the baby :D, and politically incorrect or not, I was laughing so hard when he gave the baby whiskey, "Good, innit?"

Sam:

This is a tricky one. Right now, I don't trust Sam any more than Dean seems to. And while I do get a little tired of the CONSTANT distrust, I am actually kind of curious to see how this one plays out. I don't LIKE how Sam is acting, but it makes it interesting. And, to be perfectly honest, since I am a DeanGirl, if one of them is acting less than kind or sensitive, I prefer to make Sam the bad guy. :o *runs from the SamGirls*

Sam AND Dean:

So, Sam's mystery is making for a whole lot of interesting moments for the two brothers and their relationship.

-When Dean says, "We don't know them." (about the Campbells), Sam quickly answers back, "I do." That is so fascinating, because what HAS Sam been up to this past year?

-Samuel asks Dean why he can't trust them even a little bit. What I want to know is why Sam seems to trust them completely! It reminds me of his blind trust of Ruby. Careful, Sam!!

-Sam's saying "Take it easy, man. He's my brother." to Christian. That line makes me bristle a bit each time. I think because it makes Sam seem like the older brother, protecting his younger brother from a bully, or trying to cinvince HIS gang that Dean is cool enough to join. And the look Dean gives Sam when he says this is interesting.

-Sam even goes so far as to side with the others against Dean when it comes to giving them the baby. "You have no business raising anything." (Dean) "Why, Dean? Cause he's a hunter?" Ooh, I wanted to slap Sam.

-Did Sam tell them about Dean torturing people in hell???!!!! That is so far out of line to me. That's not something that is EVER Sam's place to tell people.

-I completely agree with Dean's thought that Sam was absolutely using the baby like the rest of the Campbells. I don't think he was maybe as heartless as the others about it, but still, best intentions...(see above comment on Ruby). And while you may not be able to see him outside the motel room when the shifter talks about their father, it doesn't mean he wasn't standing outside the door listening. Either way, I think he was in on it.

-Love though that Dean can see through him. That at least is the Sam and Dean I know. Like in season 4, Sam isn't a good liar, and Dean isn't naive.

Quickly on the rest here.

Story:

-I thought the story itself was really interesting. Different, but used previous mythology.

-Like that we're doing monsters again. The myth-arc was getting a little too heavy lately, this is a good back-to-basics with a twist.

-Loved how the alpha-shifter changed so easily. (btw, poor Jensen, he can't get away from episodes where he has to play against himself! :D But, I gotta say, I think his little bit as the shifter was the best 'evil' Dean he's done!).

-The baby shifter basically exploding to change was great!

-In the 'didja notice' column, didja notice the pretty classic black Chevy behind Sam when he was interviewing the surviving father?

-And as I said multiple times already, the unveiling of our baby, to the tune of Smoke on the Water no less!! :):):)

Lastly, the best quotes in this show that FINALLY found the funny again (many you've mentioned already):

Quotes:

Samuel: Either we got monsters grabbing babies to make baby stew, or we got a bunch of yokels grabbing babies to make baby stew. Either way? It's baby stew.

Dean: I've been on a few milk runs.
Sam: Huh.
Dean: Shut it.
Sam: I just said, "Huh."
Dean: And I just said "Shut it."

Dean: I gotta be honest, I'm not really seeing the family resemblance.

Dean: We can't actually drop it off at an orphanage. They might get upset when it turns Asian!

Dean to Mark: No? All right, you just stand there and think at me."

Dean: You can't Angelina Jolie a shapeshifter.

Samuel: Congrats, it's a boy...sometimes.


Apologies for the length, and for the mess of typos I am sure are here, but I have ignored the kids long enough!!

-

[warrior_chic]

Very well said. On every point (i think). I wouldn't really mind a Christian/Dean smackdown. i think it'd be more of an ego thing than anything else. And as a combination of some of your points, the quote from the baby aisle about Dean having done baby runs shows a little bit of the brothers' old harmless nagging relationship coming back.

I am excited to see how they treat/fix the relationship. I feel like without the Apocalypse to shift focus, it's something the boys will now have to face head on. And Sam trusting the Campbells so much just adds more fuel to the fire.

[Melia]

I'm willing to give Gwen a bit more time. They really only have had two episodes to introduce the Campbell's and that really isn't enough time to really flesh out these new characters. Though on the other side of that is I probably won't be all that upset if/when they get rid of her.

As to Christian, I got to admit I kinda like him. At this point he can either be a good guy, who is having the wool pulled over his eyes by Samuel and doesn't know what is really going on and Samuel told him something reaguarding the Djinn. Or, he is in league with whoever Samuel was talking to on the phone at the end of last weeks episode. Corin Nemic is really doing a great job with this character and it's cool to see him playing something so different from past rolls(Jonas, SG-1).

Speaking of Samuel. Did anyone else notice that he didn't exactly seem pleased to be on that phone. To me it almost seemed like he was less then willing to be taking orders from the Mystrey Phone Guy. I'm still going to hold out hope that Samuel and Christain are good guys being forced to capture all of these creatures. But maybe that just wishful thinking. Oh well I an dream.

[the fifth man]

I'm willing to give Gwen a bit more time. They really only have had two episodes to introduce the Campbell's and that really isn't enough time to really flesh out these new characters. Though on the other side of that is I probably won't be all that upset if/when they get rid of her.

As to Christian, I got to admit I kinda like him. At this point he can either be a good guy, who is having the wool pulled over his eyes by Samuel and doesn't know what is really going on and Samuel told him something reaguarding the Djinn. Or, he is in league with whoever Samuel was talking to on the phone at the end of last weeks episode. Corin Nemic is really doing a great job with this character and it's cool to see him playing something so different from past rolls(Jonas, SG-1).

Speaking of Samuel. Did anyone else notice that he didn't exactly seem pleased to be on that phone. To me it almost seemed like he was less then willing to be taking orders from the Mystrey Phone Guy. I'm still going to hold out hope that Samuel and Christain are good guys being forced to capture all of these creatures. But maybe that just wishful thinking. Oh well I an dream.

I totally agree about Corin. I sure hope he doesn't turn out to be a bad guy. That would not end well for him, that is certain. Do not cross the Winchesters.

[padr49904]

Someone pointed out that they found cute babies to play in the episode, but aren't the shifters supposed to be freaks of nature with horrible deformities?? I know when they introduced this idea they were just random but it seems all of them come from the alpha so shouldn't they all be kind of ugly, it is possible the baby did look bad but first changed up near the 6 month mark making it a target for the alpha. I would really like to see the shifters in an office somewhere keeping track of all the babies they have planted.

And in a different thread I posted that the Campbell's were going to be killed off and I was right. Whenever they add a super person or people that can help out the main characters they almost always die soon. I wonder if there are more alpha monsters because there are a lot of monsters not explained origin wise. I hope we get to see an alpha werewolf, it would be super bad ass.