REVIEW: Supernatural 8.22 – “Clip Show”

Man. Sometimes it’s easy to forget just how messed up Crowley is. He’s quippy and funny and likes to question hetero-normative society. But in “Clip Show” we are reminded why he is the King of Hell.

I will admit to not recognizing the kid in the wicked gory teaser. In fact, I would think of it throughout the first couple acts of the show and wonder why it even happened. I couldn’t, for the life of me, figure out what a Wendigo killing had to do with the third quest, a new and improved exorcism, and the saving of a demon. Nor could I understand what it had to do with Booger Metatron and Castiel scheming to close the gates of Heaven. And after we were all diverted by an episode of terse writing, which included a non-gratuitous use of black and white cinematography and an interesting sub-plot regarding a Young Frankenstein’d Abaddon, Crowley was pulling off his greatest trick yet: He’s killing the only thing the Winchesters have to live for. Their saves. Good GOD, man!

The “really?”:

  • Is Castiel really being set up for yet another bad-decision plot that will leave him in Dean’s bad graces? I really hope not. I really really hope not. Misha Collins is going to be a regular in season nine, not a guest star. I would hope that the show would figure out a standard for this character. One that is not the Ben Stiller Movie Character of the show. We fangirls love to compare Cas to a be-trenched kitten, but don’t make him that kitten anymore, yeah? Cas gets to be a hero sometime. Please.

The NUH-UH!!!

  • I seriously just realized that the woman that plays Abaddon is the Black Canary from Smallville. Awesome!
  • And speaking of, Abaddon is starting to grow on me. I have high hopes for her part in the finale, and think we got a huge clue tonight regarding her relationship with Crowley.

The Awesome:

  • Doc Cottle spotting!
  • Cas’s grocery shopping. Raise your hand if you said aloud “Don’t forget the pie, Cas” and then let loose with an Annie/Britta/Shirley “AAAAAWWWWWW” when he didn’t. *raises hand*
  • Mark Sheppard for the win! Crowley’s speech was nothing short of mesmerizing. That gruff voice, those horrifying ideals, all shot in a Godfather-like edit with Sam and Dean trying to save a life for the second time. Every once in a while, Supernatural crosses over from genre TV into hardcore drama, and tonight was one of those nights.

The “oh. Well OK.”

  • The general emotion I ascertained from the internet when the third trial was announced was “pissed off.” We fans were upset that the one demon who would be worthy of a redemption story, whose story would be relevant to future episodes, and who we liked – dammit – had just been killed. We were kind of pissed. We didn’t care about some random schmo being saved, and we maybe a little cared about the Abaddon idea. But then, we saw the previews for next week. Oooooooooh, we collectively sighed. Innnnnteresting, we collectively said with raised eyebrows.

So what do you think, fandom? Do you think Crowley will be saved? Will he be an ally to the Winchesters next season, and do we even want that? Who will take the throne in Hell? Abaddon? Or will Cas’s scheme go horribly awry only to cast him down as a fallen angel? I’m excited to hear your thoughts!

PS: “>Seven days….