Supernatural 1.16: "Shadow"

Written by Eric Kripke
Directed by Kim Manners

In which the Brothers Winchester are drawn to an unusual murder and run into Meg, who they soon discover has a connection to the murders and the demon they have been hunting…


Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say, and in this case, it is more than a little true. The Brothers Winchester are finally confronted by one of their enemies, and it’s not pretty. (Well, in point of fact, it is pretty, even if I’m not a big fan of the short-hair look.) The final act does threaten to derail the episode somewhat, but overall, this advances the story in some interesting directions.

I like the fact that Sam was attracted to Meg, because Dean is usually the one with the leering eye. (Evidence: that babe of a bartender!) Where Dean seems to go for the looks and the one-night stand, Sam is attracted more to the emotional resonance. Meg told him everything he needed to hear when they first met, and it left him vulnerable as a result. Even though he kept his head in the game for the most part, that attraction clearly kept him off balance.

Meg is a complicated and powerful adversary, and part of me wishes that she had remained a more subtle enemy. She doesn’t give away much in this episode, other than the fact that John is the main target and the sons are considered good bait, but there’s no chance of complicating the relationship between Sam and Meg after this episode. Sure, there will be lingering attraction and references to such, but Sam won’t remember her as someone he had strong feelings for and then lost.

The first half of the episode is very well done, especially the banter between Dean and Sam. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions, and as usual, Dean was the one who made it happen. From a comedic point of view, Jared is a great straight man, and it allows Jensen to throw out his dialogue with near-perfect timing.

But as has been the case since the beginning of the series, the psychological aspects of the relationship provide some of the best material. Dean can’t stand the idea that Sam wants to go live his own life once the battle is apparently over, and Sam can’t understand why his broad definition of family dynamics isn’t enough for Dean. Add John to the mix, and it’s scarred emotions all around.

Speaking of scars, the physical damage incurred in this episode would definitely result in some, which leads into my main issue with the episode. The idea of invisible “shadow” killers is interesting, and I like how they linked it with a deeper mythology, but aspects of it annoyed me. For one thing, a symbol that simple wouldn’t be so unique, since religious iconography tends towards basic and enduring patterns. But more to the point, the legends speak to savage, relentless killers, and they seemed to hold back a bit too often, especially when the story needed a break to move forward.

The concept of the demonic entity itself would seem to suggest that the blinding flare was a stop-gap measure only, and as such, these things should be hunting John, Dean, and Sam into the future. I’m not sure that’s going to happen, because it’s not practical. Sooner or later, the brothers will need to find a way to kill the demons and move on, or the situation becomes untenable from a storytelling point of view. Time will tell, but for now, I can’t help but think that the writers waved their hands at the ending and hoped the audience would buy it.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4

Final Rating: 8/10