Supernatural - Season 1, Episode 10: "Asylum"

Another day, another episode of Supernatural, and I'm starting to think that I've hitched my wagon to a rather mediocre star. When I first decided to start reviewing this show, I figured that I would grow to love and adore it, like another Buffy, but instead, it's something that I throw on when I'm doing the dishes or folding laundry. It holds the attention enough to be genuinely curious about where things are going to end up, but there's been no evidence yet that it'll be worth it when we get there.

In this episode, the Winchester boys head to a haunted, abandoned asylum after receiving a text message from who they believe to be their father. When they get there, they meet a cast is disposable characters who help them (meaning get in the way) to uncover the mysteries of the asylum. Amazingly, however, Sam comes under attack by the spirit of a wacky psychiatrist who has devised a kind of rage therapy, with the idea that if their anger is let out in controlled bursts, they will be able to better control their psychoses. Instead, as it turns out, the patients went loco and killed everybody. So, the doctor, despite being dead, is continuing his research, and when he gets ahold of Sam, he flicks Sam's rage switch, allowing him to vocalize all of the feelings of resentment that he's had toward Dean. In fact, it's rather a lot like in the episode "Skin" when Dean is given the liberty to voice his frustrations, if only through a shapeshifter who has adopted his body and personality. But, as these are stoic, Kansas lads, once the threat is over, they revert to not talking about it, giving the damaging behaviour permission to continue.

Dean is "on" for this episode, throwing out one-liners and cultural references like a mad man. If "this is why I always got the extra cookie" means anything to you, you know what I'm talking about.

Then, there's the required Daddy Winchester tease at the end. Just like the last episode, "Home," it's suggested that father and sons will soon be reunited. Let's hope that I'm wrong, and it's worth it when they are.

Rating: 3.0 stars