 Yeah, I guess we all could use a good chin-wag now and then. Ooh, that's a hot mug, guys. Hey guys, this is my review for episode 15 of Supernatural Season 4, Death Takes a Holiday. This is a good return to the story-centric plot of this season. This is a great episode for a lot of good reasons. The first and biggest one to me is that even though the boys win, you still feel like they lost, and I love episodes like that. This is also the introduction of the Allister that I know and remember. This actor is only in two episodes, because I think the next one, he's gonna bite it. But he was just so goddamn memorable, from the accent to the chin, to just how he played Allister. Obviously he's gonna really come into his own in the next episode, but this was just such a good introduction to the character. And it's because he's trying to take down Death, Reapers, more to say. This episode is about the brothers coming to a town that Death has just disappeared. People are not dying from events that should, in fact, kill them. So they essentially pull a Patrick Swayze, and they become ghosts. I love that this is a reminiscent episode to that of the opener of season 2, not only with the Reaper who reappears that Dean has a relationship with, but also just learning how to use powers, how to move things, as well as a relationship with a kid who was the last person to die in the town, but he's still there because he wants to try and take care of his mom. But again, it really goes back to the stuff that was established back in the opener of season 2 about the idea of how ghosts are people who can't move on, they refuse to move on, and by doing so they actually make things worse. They latch themselves on to the people that they're trying to protect, they're trying to look over, and they curse them almost in a way, and then when those people die, they become ghouls and monsters and everything that the boys have been hunting for a long time. I really like that aspect with that kid. I thought that this kid, while I don't even remember his name, he's always stood out to me, one because he just looks like a ghoul, very good makeup, admittedly, but he is a very important aspect of the episode that being a kid, dying so young, and just he died, but everyone else is getting a temporal pass is a real hardship on the episode. And then Pamela, god damn, Pamela has such a bad time in this season. She gets her eyes burnt out in the first episode. She almost gets killed by Anna, the angel redhead Jessica Chastain, and then in this one she actually dies. The poor woman, I swear, she will go through so much hardship in this one season. I really like how they made you care for her in this episode, not only just with her dying, but also when she's in the room and she's trying to defend Dean and Sam, but she's blind, and just that whole situation is just really terrifying, and I really like that part. And Castiel's in it. Castiel appears for one scene in this episode. I completely forgot that he was in it, but it was great to see Cast being kind of really talking about Dean's shit and saying, y'all don't listen to me when I tell you what to do, so I had to trick you. I really like that little bit. Misha Collins definitely nails his very one, his one scene there with that, looking off in the distance sort of look, but it's still a very good scene. I like the relationship with the Reaper, I like seeing her back. It's not a nostalgia or a fanfare sort of idea that would be obviously later on in the seasons of Dabs and even Carver's Era as well, but I really just enjoyed her addition to the story. And all around though, this is actually a really damn good episode. It's a very refreshing return to the story-centric sort of mentality of the season. It's a really good double-sided episode. Like I said, they win, but at the same time they lose, and I really enjoy that aspect and its seriousness. So in the end, I'm going to give Death Takes a Holiday a 7 out of 7. This is a solid episode. This is a solid, solid, solid episode, and I can't wait for the next one because I know which one that is and this was the one that really stood out in my mind, aside from the chin. And as mentioned before in the last episode review, this was the episode that had the immemorial for Kim Manners. Kim Manners passed away on January 25th, 2009, and he had been one of the most pivotal people in the development for Supernatural. After having directed 52 episodes of the X-Files and somewhat going into semi-retirement, he was brought on for Supernatural and directed a total of 16 episodes. In that time, he directed some of the best episodes in the history of the show, including My Time of Dying, Mystery Spot, Lazarus Rising, and All Hell Breaks Lose Part 2. While Season 4 and 5 definitely kept with the show's critical acclaim value, Manners' absence was definitely felt as the show would continue on past Season 5. Part of me does kind of wonder what he would have thought of the show now, considering how long it went, as well as how far it went down the rabbit hole, in my opinion. Either way, Kim Manners was a heavily valued director, and they even made a reference to him when they brought X-Files back by having a gravestone with his name on it in his honor. Back when Reapers were distinctive from all other creatures and were used to explore compelling narratives. Also, this episode was one of the two episodes that explored the life of ghosts in death. The other being of grave importance in Season 7. Each Reaper episode had an interesting morale. Faith, Season 1, explored the problems with playing God. In My Time of Dying, Season 2, showed the dangers of holding onto life after death. Death Take the Hull Day explores how haunting our loved ones can do more harm than good. The appointment in Samara in Season 6 teaches the obstructing, that obstructing the grand plan of death can result in worse outcomes. It was also interesting to note how Reapers and Death tried to caution the Winchesters. Tessa warned Dean about the Angels in Season 4, and Dean warned Death, or Deathworn Dean, about the souls from Purgatory in Season 6. Jeremy Carver was a far greater showrunner than Dad, but I still have significant gripes with some of his heiress decisions in Supernatural. Tessa's suicide in Season 9 and the death of the OG Death are two of the biggest choices of Supernatural where I have issues. Tessa would have been a far better female Death than Billy, but still, I would have preferred if Julian Richie's Death not died at all. I 100% agree on that. I do not dislike Jeremy Carver or his Era of Supernatural, but I am a fan of Julian Richie's Death and Tessa, and I have some grievances with Carver's Era of Supernatural. Admittedly, I'm probably going to be going into some of those when I go into my own Season 6 and 7, but yeah, you get good points about how Death was a really big moment of the show, like kind of this grandstanding kind of element of the show that eventually kind of departed. I'm featuring this comment because it's actually a pretty good idea. Jeremy, please do a video ranking of all the showrunners Supernatural had that. Actually, I might actually just do that. Death Takes a Holiday is one of my top five episodes exploring the spirit world of Supernatural. The way it handled Cole's mom grieving for her son was saddening to watch. I wish we could see the brothers doing more of that. I miss Pamela and I'm sad she got killed. This episode also introduces my favorite vessel of Alastair, and it shows how Death can be killed. It's interesting that this is the first we see of Dean Seith and Alastair mentioning the Four Horsemen. It's a very overlooked foreshadowing of Season 5. My only nitpick for the episode is Sam and Dean's exchange about Sam remembering Tessa. I just needed a little bit more expedition dialogue than that to me, but I really love how Tessa brings up Dean's return from hell more than just giving him a second chance. Her line, there's no such thing as miracles, really gives me chills every time. That is a good line. And yeah, I do like what you pointed out. I do like the elements of this episode. And yeah, maybe they could have put a little bit more of an explanation with Tessa, but I feel that they were already trying to cram in so much already that they were doing pretty good on time. After a series of disappointing fillers, we are back on track with my third favorite episode of the season. Death Takes a Holiday is just so damn well written and executed. It's amazing how well they managed to use the tribute for Kim Manners into the plot. I personally didn't know his work, but I can respect someone who put effort into his craft. And if it were up to me, I'd wish that Death Takes a Holiday is in his case too. What really stole the show for me, however, was the performances particularly from Dean, Tessa, and Alastair. This is why I wish Tessa had become the new Death unlike Billy, who is the worst character in the show. There's a few up there in that category. Tessa understood the situation and the fact that not everything is about killing people. And of course, the guy who plays, I'm not going to try and pronounce that because I'm going to butcher it, the guy, the gentleman who plays Alastair, who does a pitch perfect impression of Alastair, is just awesome. All in all, this episode is emotional and fulfilling and that's all that matters. Side note, for those who are going to say that Reapers can only be killed by the Scythe and not by the Angel Blade, you are wrong, the Reapers are based on the Angel of Death mythos and is established that they are essentially Angel's cousins. So it makes sense that the Angel Blade can kill them. Jeremy Carver is not an injured dad, that's all I'm saying. I don't even know if there was a thing about that. No, no, that was good to know, no. Next episode is head on a pin, so make sure to give me your guys' comments about that episode and I'll read them off in the next review. Anyways guys, I hope you enjoyed the review. If you did, leave a like and if you're interested in more, subscribe. Otherwise, I'll see you guys next week. Thanks for watching the video. My name is Knitz and you might remember me from the animated cult classic TV show Undergrads. It's been a while, but I'm happy to say the click is finally getting back together in an all new movie thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. But we are still asking for your support. To see any and all updates about the upcoming Undergrads movie, be sure to check out and like the Bring Back Undergrads Facebook page. And with any luck, we'll see you guys soon.