Ya know, it’s really hard to get a show on TV. And even if you do manage to capture lightning in a bottle and get that first season, it’s just as hard to get the next one. The fact that Supernatural has managed to make it to the big 100th episode is a remarkable accomplishment worth noting. It’s certainly not something I expected when I tuned in for the premiere back in 2005, but man am I ever glad it’s been able to hang on. What a ride.
However … if I had one complaint about “Point Of No Return” it was that it didn’t live up to those expectations that come with a landmark episode. That’s not to say there was anything wrong with the episode. Quite the contrary, actually; I’m more than pleased with where it left us in the story. Years of television have just taught us that 100th, or 200th, episodes are showstoppers. This didn’t have that, but it did have an awful lot going for it.
First and foremost, we did reach that point of no return that the title suggested. Maybe not exactly where Dean and Michael are concerned, because you can still spin a scenario that might have Dean considering it again. Rather, we reached that point between Sam and Dean. I’ve wondered before if this was the turning point where things get back on track for the brothers, but this time, I really think it was. (I know … there’s one born every minute.)
Getting there was not a comfortable ride. A beaten down Dean who looked all too ready to give up fit with what we’ve been seeing for a while. And it really gave Castiel a chance to shine. The sarcastic comments about the angels wrongly assuming Dean would be strong were one thing, but the screaming beat down something entirely different. “I rebelled for this?” Combine it with Dean telling Sam that he doesn’t believe in him anymore, and at that point, I was really starting to believe they might be headed down the “Yes” path.
The return of Adam (Jake Abel) just reinforced the idea. Dean sacrificing himself to save his brother, that’s plenty believable. It’s interesting how they played Adam’s story too, because it leaves us guessing. Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) seemed to dismiss the idea of him as a vessel when he told Adam that he was just bait to lure Dean in. But I can’t get past the fact that Castiel seemed to think the idea of Adam as Michael’s vessel was doable. He’s got some level of expertise, right?
So we end up finishing this round of the fight with a few big questions. First, is Adam the vessel? Will we be seeing him rejoin his “brothers” in the fight against Lucifer? Second, where the heck is Castiel after all that? And probably most importantly, is this the turning of the corner for Sam and Dean? I really have no idea on those first three, but I’m leaning heavily toward yes on that last one. Dean’s line at the end seemed to seal it. “If you can find faith in me, least I can do is return the favor.” I think the boys really are back as a team now, and they’re going to be facing a whole lot of crazy in the last few episodes.
Finally, a reminder. The GhostFacers web series has gone live.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Apr 15, 2010 @ 22:34 EST5EDT
Keith and I were saying the exact same thing about the 100th episode. Great episode on its own, but we really expected some shout-outs with it being the 100th. The writers are so crazy clever, surely they could have worked something in for the faithful followers who’ve watched all of the previous 99… but I still loved it.
Supernatural’s so good at bringing in things from past episodes, things you thought were contained within that episode, and making them relevant and impactful. Episodes 19 & 20 from last year are perfect examples.
In “Jump the Shark,” I thought they were just going to use Adam as a way to show how the constant hunting from their childhood had affected Sam and Dean. Then, they brought Adam back in a way that was logical and pushed everything forward. Now, I hope we get to see Adam as Michael’s vessel, because Jake Abel has done well as a ghoul and a human, now I want to see him go angelic.
And in episode 20, “The Rapture,” I thought it was a good look at how the vessel for Castiel’s choice to let Cas in had affected his family. Turns out, the whole saying yes thing is the basis for this whole season.
Since they’re so close to the intended end of the series, I’ve got no problem with them not trying to make it all majestic, but I can see why people would expect that. Compared to other episodes this season, I think this stands up there with some of the best. Cas kicked ass, Sam showed a lot of maturity, and Dean’s out of his funk. It was bitterseet to see Zach go, because Kurt Fuller was so amazing. He’s right up there with Hendrikson and YED as my favorite recurring nemesis
It was an awesome episode, really. I really didn’t have the same expectations that you guys did, Supernatural never plays the same as the other series, why these would be an exception???
I really think that these was the turning point for the boys (for real these time), it was getting too depresing to see unhopeful Dean, so i’m really ok with that.
I too think that Adam will be some kind of temporary vessel for Michael (the same way that Lucifer has one). It really never ocurred to me the idea to bring him back, but now that it happened, was…. kind of an obvios way to go (and it bother me that i didn’t think of it first!!! lol)
Great episode, can’t wait to see how the rest of the season plays out.
What worries me is that next week’s preview looked like a ‘monster-of-the-week’ episode. Those are great, but they’re not gonna focus on finding Adam and Castiel? Oh, who am I kidding, questioning this show gets me nowhere, they always do it right.
“Cas, not for nothing, but the last person that looked at me like that, I got laid.”
That, and the expression on Cas’s face –> BEST. LINE. EVER.