TVSquad

(S03E08) "Oh my goodness me! Somebody owes a nickel to the swear jar." - Madge Carrigan

After three Thursdays without a new episode to watch, it was great to see Sam and Dean back with the last Supernatural for 2007. There were no revelations about Ruby, no progress on getting Dean out of the deal, and not a hint of Dark Sammy to be found. And that's ok. It was the big Christmas episode, and even the most impatient of fans can set aside those stories in the spirit of the holidays.

As you would expect from a holiday themed episode, family plays a big part here as Sam recalls a Christmas from the past that sheds some light on how he came to know about the family business. I thought this was the weaker part of the episode. Not that it was horrible, I do enjoy getting more backstory on the boys, and the way it paid off at the end of the episode was great. I just wasn't really buying young Sam and Dean. Those scenes felt a little clunky and ultimately were better for what they told, rather than what they showed.

It did paint a good picture of what life on the road with their father was like. The fact that Dean was sleeping with a gun under his pillow at that age says a lot about how he came to be the person he is in the present. As does his description of John as a superhero. What really sold me though was that scene in the hotel at the end of the episode. The little wrap-up conversation is certainly nothing new, but it was just nice to see a warm and happy moment between the two of them. And while FROLICS magazine and a quart of 10w30 probably aren't on a lot of holiday wish lists this year, it showed once again that it really is the thought that counts. All together now. Awwww.

Now, that other part of the episode, our story of the week involving the anti-Claus, that was just solid from every angle. The legends of the various companions of Santa Claus are a perfect fit for the show. Whether you are talking about Knecht Ruprecht, Krampus, Pelzebock, Rumpelklas, Zwarte Piet, or any of a number of others, there is some pretty creepy lore mixed in there. And that worked very well here, even though that didn't end up being the answer to the mystery.

That answer, the long-lived gods in the form of Madge and Edward Carrigan, were what ultimately made the story. This was an example of the show getting the casting just right. Spencer Garrett and Merrilyn Gann (Everwood) were perfect for their parts. Their whole shiny happy Ward and June act made for a good cover, and also offered up a showdown that was both very comical, and a little bit creepy. With my penchant for foreign horror, I've seen humans disemboweled, dismembered, drained, and just about everything else in every way you would want to think of, but seeing Sam's fingernail get pulled off still made me wiggle in my seat and crinkle my nose.

My only complaint with the story would be that I would have liked to see Bobby on the other end of that phone call Sam made. But, given just how big the cast already was for this episode, and how small his part would have been, I suppose that's understandable. His role has been so increased this season though that I've just become accustomed to seeing him there.

So, that wraps up 2007 for the Winchesters. While this one was short on big picture stuff, it was long on entertainment, and it did have a nice message about family mixed in with all the bloodletting. And that's something we could all use a little more of this time of year. The nice messages about family I mean. I'm sure we all have all the bloodletting we want already.

With that, Merry Christmas to you all. I'll meet you back here in 2008.