 I have 99 problems and one of them is actually trying to decide how to rate this episode. Ooh, that's a hot mug, guys! Hey guys, this is Jeremy here with my review of Episode 17 of Supernatural Season 5, 99 problems. This episode is kind of a bit on the fence for me. I remember enjoying it. I like the whole horror Babylon idea. I like the idea of the town being manipulated and kind of the worst of humanity coming in on each other. It's kind of very reminiscent of, you know, just everything that's happened in the last few years. But the problem is, this episode also kind of is a reflection, if not a carbon copy of a few episodes we've already had before. Obviously, Crotone being one. Good God, y'all! That was another one. Essentially, we've had the same kind of story twice in the same season, except this time there's a catalyst. A different person manipulating people. Rewatching the main crux of the story, it's not the strongest bit. If anything, the main narrative of the horror of Babylon is actually the very boring factor of this episode, because the parts that you're really invested in is Dean's completely breaking faith of everything, Sam trying to pull his brother out of this dark depression, and then Castiel being drunk. Castiel almost single-handedly saves this episode from being a negative. His humor, drunk Castiel, is very forward and very abrasive. The opening line of, I found a liquor store and I drank it, and then she's a whore, or the other part is, well, you're an angel. Very bad example of ones. And, well, you're an abomination. I find these elements very funny, and they are very welcome amongst the story. There are some ideas in this episode that I don't mind. I love that we've got some Stargate alumni in this episode. He's just kind of here. Now, you've got to understand Stargate was one of the biggest shows to ever come to Vancouver. Really, some would say the beginning was X-Files, and that is true, but Stargate was a 10-year-long show that was out here. Richard Eganerson, Amanda Tapping, who we know from this show both has an actor and a director. Stargate was huge. Stargate had a massive following. It had a massive impact on the film industry out here. So, to see one of their alumni in this episode, he's just kind of here. I thought that was odd, but, again, Supernatural has always had this mass of alumni of actors and actresses from different walks of life, different shows, different movies, different productions. Again, I kind of thought it was a little odd. It's a little bit kind of like Wesker, back in Good God, y'all. There's this huge prominent person in here, and they're just kind of here. They're just relegated, but that's just how they wrote them in the show. What I think is kind of the disappointing factor about it is while the town is being manipulated and kind of converging on each other, it reminds me a lot of Storm of the Century. If you've never seen that as a Stephen King series, I've probably mentioned that a couple of times in my reviews over all over the years. It's a very good mini-series about a town kind of being manipulated by one man and having to make very difficult decisions. I think it's kind of funny with how quickly they figure out who it is. They are able to solve the issue so fast. That was the bit that kind of got to me a little bit. It was very, very much so. A carbon copy of Good God, y'all. In terms of the episode, the narrative itself, I can't really give this any kind of a positive rating because it just is a boring retread. Maybe the production design is a little bit more interesting than this because the church that they shoot at is in Fort Langley, but then when they go inside, that is a church that is in Maple Ridge. It's one of the oldest churches in BC. It actually came down the river to this place. It definitely is over a hundred years old. So the fact that when I got to go into this building recently, about last year, I remember looking around and thinking, I recognize this church from somewhere and behold, it's from this episode. So that's the negative aspect. But again, the positive aspect is Dean and Sam and Castiel. Dean is absolutely freaking broken. Sam is the one who's the more positive upbeat. It's a good change of the level here. Dean's just completely hopeless in this episode. And when he's able to kill the horrible Babylon because he's supposed to be a servant of heaven, Sam obviously immediately puts his hackles on me, realizes that something's wrong. And then Dean deeks out to go and see Lisa one last time. And that conversation is very heartfelt. It's very breaching. It's very breaking because you know that Dean is talking about Michael. We know that. She has no idea. So she's completely out of the loop. But you know that they're setting up something here and they did kind of with how the show ended or at least sorry, this season ended. It's this element that saves the episode, honestly. If they didn't have drunk Castiel, if they didn't have broken Dean this episode, I don't think this episode would have been a positive. I actually think this would have been on the same level of SWAT lead. But it's those saving races that help pull this episode out from a negative score. So in the end, I'm going to give 99 problems a four out of seven and it squeaks by guys, it squeaks by. Officially now you can definitely say there are two not really great episodes of this show or the season SWAT meeting this one. Fallen Idols is much better than this episode. Now one's still got a four out of seven. Anyways, now that I've said my piece about this episode, let's see what you guys have to say about it. It's a pretty decent monster of the week episode. The horror of Babylon is an interesting idea and Kaylee Mae Maloney was terrific in the role for as this character. I saw a liquor store and I drank it. This has to be one of my favorite Castiel lines, which is funny considering how broken he is in this episode. Actually that is, that is also one of my favorites as well. I like the progression this episode made with Sam Dean and Castiel, especially Dean, he really is the most tragic character at this point. Dean meeting Lisa at the end was the best part of the episode for me. This was a nice part of foreshadowing for Swanson. Overall I give it a five out of seven. You're definitely a little bit nicer on the episode than I am. There are some decent parts to it but that really only happens in like the last five minutes of the episode and can't really say the last five minutes of the episode is the best part, is a good part anyways. This episode is probably most remembered among fans for the horror jokes and drunk Castiel. Both have aged well but it actually is a decently written well shot episode with a number of memorable moments. The fire hosing scene at the start, hunters clashing with demons and the boy dragged under the car. Oh I didn't like the boy dragged under the car bit, I thought that part was dumb. There's a lot of building with Dean's character and setting up for the 100th episode. God's message in the previous episode was fully processed and he's slowly edging away from the continuing to battle the angel's plan. I found myself also questioning whether or not Sam and Dean's resistance to Michael was truly the right decision. Granted Zachariah and Michael are doing evil to accomplish their goal but their goal is paradise which is something I believe a lot of people would choose over the suffering of this world which is the greater value, peace or freedom. Good note to what Castiel says at the end of the season. And is it worth to fight for freedom when the risk might be the destruction of everything? Someone commented on the last video that Supernatural would be unnecessarily cruel or could be unnecessarily cruel and I felt that way about the Red Head's common Dean. Why single him out? She is the most irritating part of this episode although she is a sympathetic character given her grief and desperation. Yeah I find that her turnover is kind of expected but she doesn't really get any kind of comeuppance for what she's done. Like she outright murders a guy at one point. This isn't a strong episode as hammer, dark side or point but I still rather enjoyed it. As I said throughout this review I like the last five minutes of this episode. There are some interesting moments maybe here and there sprinkled through but the fact that so much of this episode is kind of pointless to me. 99 Problems is a decent filler episode. One of the better filler episodes for sure. I love that they made the monster something from the bible to do with Christianity. Sam and Dean seeing the team ready to fight the apocalypse was awesome. I do really love the ending where Dean kills the whore of Babylon and Sam finds out that he's a servant of God and the ending cliffhanger where he goes off to Lisa and then he had to wait until next week to see what would happen. That actually also kind of bugs me as well. I find it's one of the more weaker aspects of the episode because there's nothing to really show. There's nothing that Dean does until after the episode is done. Throughout the episode we never get any kind of conviction that he passes over onto it. It just happens and that's one of the other little issues I have with the episode. 99 Problems for Sam and Dean and it turns out a bitch the whore of Babylon was the cause of it all. I love the title of the episode mainly because I like to think that a lot of this is happening all over the world due to Judeo-Christian apocalypse. Even though it's likely titled this way with the numerous problems that are in a town are caused by a bitch. This episode shows an interesting way if a community would make religious laws above politically established laws and why a theocracy doesn't work in a modern day. Putting that aside it's an interesting episode of where everyone's faith is tested in unique ways. The reward is a town saved more confused from their convictions. A father preacher who is fatherless and free will is now broken up and divided. The appearance of Lisa and Dean confessing hurt to his love to her feels a little shoehorned in. I would have loved it much earlier for the season but it also makes sense his feelings for her and Ben since season 3. All in all I love the jokes, the struggle for the characters and seeing the setup for the 100th episode is really well done. Yeah actually you know you can make good points actually I like the idea I never thought about the idea that there would be other towns going through the same problem but that doesn't make sense actually. This episode is good nothing spectacular but really good. The highlights for me are the funny moments specifically Castiel's bender and be how they just said the word whore so casually. I don't know I thought it was so funny. Also I didn't notice him the first time but Michael Schenkes aka my boy Daniel Jackson this episode. It's amazing how many similarities Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis have with Supernatural from the same actors to the same story bits and ideas just executed in different styles. Was Brad right friends with Eric Kripke? Don't know but they were both shot out here. Stargate was a big show out here in Vancouver. I actually worked at the studio that it was shot at both actually Stargate Atlantis and the Stargate Universe show as well as SG-1 of course. Okay guys thank you for your comments now we're going to go on to the actual 100th episode of this show. I made the mistake of thinking that was in the last season that was my bad but now we're going on to point of no return the 100th episode of this show so please let me know what you guys think about that episode in the comments below and I'll read those off in the next review. Until then if you liked the video leave a like and if you're interested in more subscribe and 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.