Supernatural “Family Feud” was written by the team of Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Fleming and was directed by PJ Pesce. The episode actually reunites Pesce as director and Theo Devaney as Gavin McLeod from “King of the Damned.” The episode does a nice job of weaving together the thread of family discord through each of the storylines. However, the best moment of the episode had to be Crowley declaring that the Mark Pellegrino vessel was Lucifer’s final home!
The episode begins with a nice scary teaser. I liked the fake out, making us think the ghost was in the closet and then having it suck the victim into the bed – anyone else get a nice
Nightmare on Elm Street vibe? Of course, it turns out the monster of the week is a vengeful ghost, and I thought there were some particularly good special effects, particularly when Fiona (Candace Woods) first appears to Gavin.
We get the usual somewhat clunky exposition to explain Cas’s (Misha Collins) absence from the episode and to remind us of the Kelly Kline (Courtney Ford) situation. Sam (Jared Padalecki) has intel on their new case and Dean (Jensen Ackles) suggests calling Mary (Samantha Smith) in to help. But of course, she’s already busy.
Cut to Mary, killing a Rugaru with a special BMoL gun while Ketch (David Haydn-Jones) looks on approvingly. Mary brushes Dean off, leading Ketch to compliment her on her excellent lying. There were two really creepy things going on here. First of all, did anyone anticipate that Mary would share the same motel fetishes as Dean? Secondly, Ketch is clearly hitting on Mary, underscored by his asking her if she wants to go for a drink. Smith does a nice job here as her voice changes completely while talking to Dean, but then as a hunter, she should be able to pull off various roles.
Let’s not forget that Dean is also a hunter – and a shrewd poker player. He knows when he’s being conned. I loved the exchange in the Impala when Dean suggests that he thinks something is up with Mom. Sam is in complete denial, suggesting she’s really tired and that hunting takes a toll.
Ketch drops Mary at her hotel, and I loved the gorgeous winter scenery!! Ketch tells Mary that it would be best if she were to “disengage” from her sons. For Ketch, the MoL IS his family, but Mary is a Winchester – nothing comes before her family. Ketch wants to know if that’s really the truth or just what she wants to believe.
He tells her that she’s different when she talks to them. Softer, weaker. He says it’s not an insult – just an observation – but it’s also clear that it is an insult and they both see it as such. He also tells her that she’s one of the best hunters he’s ever seen. Ketch is clearly turned on by hunting Mary. He tells her that he thinks she knows that’s the best “her” – and that it scares the hell out of her. And he’s not wrong.
Crowley (Mark Sheppard) has Lucifer chained with chains made out of the same material as the cage. He modified Rowena’s spell to bring him there rather than to the cage. They had found Lucifer’s discarded vessel, repaired it and made it better – so it can be a final home. YES MARK PELLEGRINO is here to stay as Lucifer. He’s just made it so much his own! Of course, Crowley says they found the discarded vessel some time ago – and logically it makes little sense for them to have kept it all this time – most of which Lucifer was safely in his cage. But I guess we’ll have to wave our hands at that. I’m at least happy that they made an attempt at explaining it.
Lucifer knows Crowley did it for his “sad little revenge” – and that it’s going to end badly. I love that Lucifer is always enjoying himself. And he’s so good at manipulation! Lucifer tells Crowley that his baby is still out there. It was also hilarious to watch Lucifer’s delight in telling Crowley that they were both single fathers!
Kelly is at a diner where an angel is her waitress (Jennifer Kitchen). After she leaves, waitress and another angel (Bola Omodara) try to kill her, and she’s rescued by Dagon (Ali Ahn), who spirits her away to a safe warehouse.
Like all good demons, Dagon is a master manipulator and goes right to work on Kelly: “I’m a demon – you’re Rosemary!” Dagon begins winning her over – Lucifer was once an archangel – and it’s clear that Dagon is a fan. She goes on to tell Kelly, “It’s not all black and white or good and evil. Angels are not quite the harps and halos you thought. No one is born good or bad – it’s all in the upbringing. Your child? He could save us all.” And what mother doesn’t think that of their child? Kelly is also kind of delighted it’s a boy. Dagon promises to protect her and her son. Kelly wouldn’t have to run anymore. I quite liked Ahn. She’s got a bit of the same vibe as Pellegrino, and I’m looking forward to the two of them getting to share some screen time. It certainly seems likely that Dagon is on Lucifer’s team.
Meanwhile, Sam and Dean arrive at the museum in Des Moines, Iowa. There’s an exhibit on the ship The Star. The EMF is going crazy but Sam points out that while it might be a ghost it’s not definitive. It turns out the victims are all people who supervise kids. We get a little physical comedy from Ackles – playing with and dropping some knives on display – he muses hopefully about an Aztec ghost! Sam gets Dean back on point and it’s Dean who remembers the ship and realizes it was Gavin’s ship when Sam says it left from Leeds, Scotland.
Dean calls Crowley looking for help to find Gavin, and Crowley calls them on not killing the baby. Dean and Sam then call in Rowena (Ruth Connell). I love the fact that she’s about the same height as Sam sitting when she stands! They promise her something she’ll really like if she helps – family. I was completely taken in that Rowena was sincere given what she said to Dean about family in “Regarding Dean.” It’s a very good performance from Connell.
Gavin arrives by bus, thinking that Crowley is sick. The brothers knew he wouldn’t come if he thought it was just them asking for his help. Rowena’s sincerity seems genuine when she even comments that Gavin looks just like her father at your age.
Gavin is excited to see his ship and he tells them who was on board, including a teacher! Then he goes through the list of things in the collection and finds the locket he gave to Fiona. He was leaving for America and she wanted to come. She was the love of his life, but he told her it was too dangerous. The night he was supposed to leave, Fiona was supposed to come and see him – but Abaddon got there first! Gavin is sure that she would have stowed away.
Gavin is appalled that Fiona is a ghost, and of course, the locket is missing from the collection. We’ve already seen the locket put in a teacher’s pocket, so it’s now at Pembroke, Day School for Girls. Sam, Dean, Gavin, and Rowena show up just in time to save one teacher. Gavin uses one of Rowena’s spells to call Fiona. She materializes to him and is furious that he abandoned her. She’s clearly a vengeful spirit at this point. She was abused and raped on the ship – the other passengers did nothing and the teacher was the worst. Others will pay her debt!
The plan is to put Gavin back on the ship with Fiona so that he can protect her so that she doesn’t go vengeful spirit when she dies. Rowena doesn’t want him to go to his death – and again seems totally sincere. But Gavin never fit in the present, and he wants to save the people who already died. Gavin called Crowley – who shows up and says no way Gavin is sacrificing himself. Rowena tells Crowley that Gavin’s not like them – he believes in things. Let him do what he thinks is right. Rowena uses a spell to stop Crowley from stopping Gavin – how is it suddenly that easy for her to control him???
Sam prepares a spell back at the bunker. It’s the spell that their Grandfather and Abaddon used – and wasn’t it great to see Abaddon again, even briefly?! Dean says it’s a tough one – and Sam says that Gavin is a good guy. I loved Dean’s “Beam ‘em up Scotty” – particularly fitting in this context. It was also nice to see the guys touched by Gavin’s sacrifice.
Dean and Sam check and history is back on track. Mary stops in with burgers and beers. Dean says it’s been a long, long, long time – and Sam jumps in to say “You know he’s dramatic – what he meant to say is that we missed you.” It’s hilarious to see Dean characterized as the “dramatic one” – but it’s so true! Mary finally comes clean about what she’s been up to. Sam is dumbfounded, but Dean was ready for it. Sam points out that they have a bad history with the BML. Mary insists that they can learn from them – that they can save a lot of people.
Perhaps my favorite moment in the episode was Mary calling Dean on “the face” – such a great mom-moment! I’m sure I’m not alone in having been accused of having “that look” on my face, right? Sam insists that the toolkit they already have works just fine – and he brings up his own torture – they don’t trust the Brits. Dean wants to know where that leaves “us.” Mary insists that hasn’t changed – they’re family. And the implication is that that is always first, but she does ask them to hear her out.
Crowley joins Rowena at the bus station. Crowley tells Rowena that was a low even for her. And then Rowena reveals that the reason she sent her grandson to his death was for revenge for making her kill Oscar to remove the Mark of Cain. “I’m your mother dear. Who better to crush your shriveled heart?” I really did love how fierce Connell is in this scene.
The episode ends with another musical montage – Mary with Sam and Dean. Crowley alone at the bus station, Lucifer alone, chained to his chair. Dagon and Kelly leaving the warehouse together. Lucifer’s last word is Dagon – he knows she’s on the job. The song is “Playing with Fire” by the Rolling Stones, and the lyrics point out: “Don’t play with me, cuz you play with fire.” And they beautifully echo how Mary is playing with the British Men of Letters, Rowena is playing with Crowley, and Crowley is playing with Lucifer – and they are all in danger of being burned.
What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
