TV episode review
US airdate 25 October 2007 (The CW)

In a town in Ohio, the entire population seem to be drinking and gambling just as much as they can – despite a couple of apparent suicides. Convinced this is linked to the demons who escaped from Hell’s gate, Sam and Dean find another hunter on the case already. Dean becomes concerned, though, when his old friend disappears on a ‘date’ with a seductive bartender…

Dean gets into real trouble in this episode, and Bobby gets help from an entirely unexpected source. Thus, things for this season really start to hot up and serious questions are emerging about Sam - but it is the intriguing reappearance of the Colt that acts as a central pivot here.

The main focus of the episode is on the scenes between a trapped Dean and the demon bartender as they wait for rescue. Tension is built not just through the suspense of whether fellow demons or Sam will get there first, but through the verbal interactions of Dean and the demon. Some great acting leads to convincing character moments between the two, keeping the episode lively and suspenseful.

This isn’t an astounding episode by any means; there a few slow bits and it isn’t hard to guess who the main demon is. But it maintains the pace and the quality for what is shaping up to be another great season. Brigid Cherry

VERDICT: 8/10

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