Re: ooc: volume 2
Spoiler-free whinge follows.
Individual stories are still good, there's some gems and some average ones, but there's also too many episodes dedicated entirely to the season arcs, as usual now. But the season stories are just floundering. The first five revolved around demonic schemes, from the Yellow-Eyed Demon's plan to the Apocalypse and were well-structured, but after that, it's just after-effects and increasing problems. They're triggered only by Sam and Dean or Castiel just making obviously really dumb decisions that have obviously catastrophic consequences, or just ignoring and overriding each other's wise decisions because they can't bear to be be without each other. It's particularly egregious now: Dean's got a handle on his curse, has accepted it, is in control, is patient about finding a cure in their own way, and is at last happy and content with his life as a hunter. So Sam sees him as spiralling out of control, on the verge of succumbing, and is panicking and desperate to find a cure, whatever the risks. And it's just the reverse of last season's problem anyway. Each big problem of a season is just the reverse or repeat of one in the last.
A whole new mob of bad guys have appeared in the last few episodes of the season (and one of them has already appeared in this game ;) ), like they were getting to the end and needed something to end the season on. Like with Metatron when he appeared at the tail end of Season 8. Meanwhile, villains at the beginning who could have been interesting new threats are resolved early on.
It's good not to keep upping the ante on threats, but this new pattern is just tiring and doesn't reflect well on the characters. But then, I'm just not a fan of season arcs and big over-season stories. Good, independent stories are what you build a series on and attract viewers with. But every TV series needs an arc these days, even if the writers are out of ideas what to do with them. Ten years is an impressive run, but it's understandable they'd run out of ideas. I think a shake-up is in order: a new format (the city-based Bloodlines spin-off could have been a good set-up), new regulars (Sam & Dean take on apprentice hunters, say), and a new villains with a plot that doesn't come out of the actions of the regulars. In 2012, they could have done the Mayan Apocalypse instead. Unfortunately, Sam, Dean, Castiel, and Crowley are too popular with fans and the writers know it, and keep turning back to them to carry the seasons.