TV News: Supernatural Breaks With A Bang

After a series of chapters that left us giggling like fangirls, Supernatural cranked up the dial on seriousness last night in "Abandon All Hope." We were just getting accustomed to Sam and Dean in comically awkward situations, thanks to their brilliant cowardice in "Changing Channels," geriatric goofiness in "The Curious Case of Dean Winchester," and copycat nerddom in "The Real Ghostbusters," but who saw this coming? Spoilers follow!

Supernatural won't be back with a new episode until January 21 but we'll need all that time to catch our breath after last night's events. The Winchesters set out on a journey to face the Devil, and the writers played it up like it may be the boys' last night on Earth. It was a little bit much since we all knew Sam and Dean weren't going anywhere, but we can't say the same for their hunter compadres Jo and Ellen.

The mother-daughter combo blew themselves to smithereens to give the brothers a shot at saving the world, and what could have been a sappy and drawn-out or unfeeling and curt moment thankfully wasn't either. It lasted just long enough for viewers to really feel some tugs at the heart strings, but was short enough to make the gals' sacrifice seem noble and heroic, as they wasted no time in sending the hell dogs back from where they were let out. Great stuff, and yes, great timing on some character deaths for the series. The stakes have been raised.

But the real deal here was Sam and Dean versus Jacob Lucifer. The boys scored the Colt—the mystic weapon that can kill anything—from the same-sex kissing Crowley with the hopes of putting some lead in the Devil. Crowley was all too eager to let the boys have it; apparently not all demons are in cahoots with Old Scratch, and thus the mythology expands. But when Dean pulled the trigger on Lucifer with a shot right to the forehead, Lucifer fell to the ground and got up, uttering one of the season's best lines: "Owwww well that hurt!" Holy crap. Now what are they going to do?!?!

I hope everyone realizes the level of brilliance that actor Mark Pellegrino is bringing to the table. As Nick, he was a convincing troubled soul, desperate for revenge. As an early Lucifer, he was a convincing misunderstood angel, manipulating others with a sympathetic voice that people wanted to hear. Now, with his plan in action, he's simply becoming a confident jerk—while his reasoning remains the same. And Pellegrino nails it every time.

The episode ended with the Devil raising the Angel of Death, and millions of Supernatural fans clamoring for more.

VIA: ATOWNSCORE