TV Review: Supernatural Episode 1.16

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

From WB: While investigating a mysterious death in Chicago, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) run into Meg (guest star Nicki Aycox), who is thrilled to see Sam again. The brothers soon discover Meg is behind the murders and attempt to catch her. Unfortunately, Meg is one step ahead of them and unleashes shadow spirits on the brothers to ambush them. Sam and Dean realize the trap isn't for them, but for their father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

The Rating: 3 out of 4

This week we have a fresh new episode of Supernatural coming to us on the WB. This episode titled Shadow returned us to the main story line of this whole season to date, that being the search of the Winchester's father. While in Chicago investigating a cast of a strange death, the two meet up with Meg, the young woman Sam met when he ran off to California to find their dad on his own. As soon as the two walk away from meeting her, Sam immediately let's Dean know that he thinks her appearance there in Chicago is suspicious.

Because of this, he sends Dean off to look into her background and also into a strange symbol they found at the crime scene of their murder victim. While Dean is off doing that, Sam is watching Meg. Dean, of course, thinks there is something more to Sam's interest in Meg, and he would be right. The feelings of something fishy going on outweigh any romantic feelings Sam might have for the young woman.

When he sees her go off to an abandoned where house, he follows her. Once there, he sees her conjuring spirits using black magic. He overhears her talking to them, and then returns to Dean. He tells his brother all he heard, and they plan to return to the where house so they can be there when whoever Meg is waiting for to arrive does show up. Dean also thinks this is enough to call in their father when it appears both murder victims are from the same place they are.

Upon arriving at the where house, the brothers sneak in behind Meg, in the middle of another conjuring. However, she knows they are there, and the spirits attack the two. We then learn that the whole Chicago gig was a trap. Meg killed not one but two people from Lawrence to pull the brothers in. She didn't want them though. She was using them to lure their father in. He doesn't arrive, and Sam is able to get himself free. When he turns over the alter, it appears the spirits are angry and they yank Meg out the window where she falls several stories. She appears dead, but we see her soon again.

When Sam and Dean return to their hotel room, their father is there waiting for them. The three talk, and their father tells him they know it was a trap. he tells them the demon wants to stop him before he kills it. Sam and Dean want to join their father, but we soon see they won't be able to do that. The spirits have somehow followed Dean and Sam, and they attack the three men. They are able to escape when Sam sets off a flare. They leave the hotel, and Dean says they need to go there separate ways. Having Dean say it is especially hard to see because just earlier in the episode he was telling Sam how he wanted the three of them to be a family. Having Dean realize they can't do that at the moment was just sad to see.

In my mind, this was an okay episode of Supernatural. We had a return to the story line that hooked us in from the beginning, but it didn't quite pack the punch earlier episodes of this season have. what this episode did do once again is expand even more on the character's. Character development is one of the best things about this series, and this episode was no different. Doesn't look like we have a new episode next week. When we next see Supernatural, it will be airing on Thursday night at 9/8c, which puts it right up against FOX's The O.C.