SPN 5x20 "The Devil You Know"

[wealhtheow]

It's so weird, Supernatural can actually be really fun if all the characters are white dudes.  I just spent all day doing disaster preparedness for--get this--flu epidemics, so I couldn't sit back and enjoy the Swine Flu bits (my partner looked at me the second the guys in lab coats came on and said, "please don't yell"), but overall I thought it was funny and dark and had some good character moments. 
Crowley is now my favorite demon forever and ever ("I might have let slip that we're lovers in league against Satan").  This episode belonged to him.  I found him to be hilarious and deeply disturbing at the same time, which is precisely the balance I like my demons to walk.  
I liked the revelation that the Yellow Eyed Demon had been messing with Sam for years--it didn't feel like a retcon, and it added a little extra to the void that is Sam's Time at Stanford. 
And how interesting it is that now Dean is the one trying to be thoughtful and deal with demons, and Sam whose logic is "it's a monster, kill it" full-stop.  Oh how times have changed.  I'm glad Sam still has a brain, though--his cold "Interesting theory" line was exactly what I needed to hear after watching him behave like a furious thug for most of the episode.  It's funny, I started watching this show in part because I find Jensen Ackles so dreamy, and for the first few seasons I was definitely on Dean's "side".  But Sam has really grown on me as a character.  I hope we keep getting progression in his characterization, as opposed to another season of "you've got demon blood!  That means you're evil!  Feel bad about it!"

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

I found him to be hilarious and deeply disturbing at the same time, which is precisely the balance I like my demons to walk.

That's a good way of putting it!

[wealhtheow]

Haha, thanks! And as you've said, Mark Sheppard is of the awesome--it's really hard to go wrong when he's playing the character.