Review

Dean reads about the death of some dude who fell on his power saw in a freak accident. Event went down in Cicero, Indiana where Dean just so happened to have spent a wild weekend with Lisa Braeden. Sam is reluctant to head to Cicero but Dean plays the "dying man's last wish" card again and the Bros head on over to Indiana. Dean, looking for a repeat marathon sex episode, arrives at Lisa's place to find a birthday party is in full swing. Seems Lisa has a son who has just turned eight and who is mini-me Dean in outlook, music taste, and interests. Lisa denies Ben is Dean's son, which we all believed right?

Sam meanwhile is doing a bit of digging into how to save Dean and is joined in a diner unexpectedly by Ruby, the blonde chick with the demon killing knife who was introduced last episode. Ruby knows a lot more about Sam's family than Sam does, she drops a whole bunch of cryptic comments and tells Sam there's a job in Cicero. Dean meanwhile has discovered the gated community Lisa lives in has had a rash of fatal accidents over the past few weeks. Even worse Moms are sprouting weird bruises on their necks and the kids are going Midwich Cuckoo in chilling fashion. Can the Winchester Bros work out what is going down and will Dean break the ice with Lisa?

Finally a new Supernatural review after we have spent a number of months reproducing the reviews from an old site I used to write for. Actually I've got more work cut out for me than a team of Hunters could handle as season freaking seven landed on the queue yesterday! On the bright side it means I get to reconnect with the franchise, one of my current favourites. We're all up to date with the story arc right? - Dean has a year before Hell claims him, Sam is looking for a get out of jail free card, let's rock and roll with the third season.

I was rocking with what Writers Eric Kripke and Sera Gamble threw into the trunk of the Impala this episode. Besides the main story, will get to that shortly, there's exploration of Sam's past and the circumstances surrounding his mother's death, and also the enigmatic Ruby who seems to know a lot more than she is prepared to divulge. The three plot threads twist around each other but surprisingly aren't overly complex and don't impact on each other. So we get the main story, some arcs being built, and fun was had by all.

The main story reminded me of John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos, which in itself is pretty much a trope really. Perhaps more pertinent would be Invasion Of the Body Snatchers. Regardless, the basis for The Kids are Alright is pretty much a standard dark genre storyline, though the Writers here throw in a twist. Don't ask, not about to pop the cherry on that particular plot development, no chick moments or spoilers here y'all. So while on the face of things we are on pretty recognisable horror ground, there's enough going down to keep our interest and add additional flavouring with a couple of plot twists.

We get to know who Ruby is, bit of a shocker, but not what her agenda with Sam might be.

I was also mightily impressed with the inclusion of Dean's relationship to Lisa and Ben, who no doubt might become repeat characters. Dean might be all gung ho in his approach to his last year, but this episode slipped under his facade to show a character concerned about what he has left behind, and what his final statement to the world might be. Remembering here that the Crossroads Demon warned Dean that any attempt to weasel out of the deal would result in Sam reverting to dead status. Considering Dean doesn't normally hit chick moments, this episode was important to remind the audience that the character is far more complex than we might think. Nicely conceived and pulled off by Director Sgriccia in a couple of scenes that shone on through with rock solid conception and execution.

Speaking of Director Sgricca, we were right? - nice light hand from the chair. There's no technical ecstasy being employed, the episode is pretty much point and shot, but the approach worked like a brought one for what we were viewing. The Kids are Alright was all about kids and parents, and Sgricca kept that focus throughout the episode without tarting things up, and thus stayed on target with the central premise.

I should also mention the makeup effects, outstanding! Our Cuckoos can be seen in their true light via reflections, with the effects people not holding back on creating pretty creepy looking monsters. Not sure what the comparison would be, haven't seen this particular creature before, maybe the closest would be the Flukeman from that X Files episode The Host.

In terms of mullet rock we get Steve Carlson's "If It Ain't Easy" and Goodnight City "40,000 Miles". Actually that's not a huge return on investment to be honest, what no Black Sabbath?

The episode garnered 3.16 million viewers in North America, no figures available from Downunder, which pretty much matched the average achieved through season two. Unfortunately the viewing figures are down from the 5 million heights of the first season. Clearly a lot of people tuned into the new show, stayed around as things progressed, but for whatever reason there was a falling off through the next couple of seasons. Still a pretty solid support base moving forward for mine.

Overall I dug The Kids are Alright and have watched the episode a number of times over the last couple of years. It's one of those that you sort of groan when you get to it, but then decide it's a lot better than you remember it being as the final credits roll. Unfortunately if you aren't riding shotgun in the Impala then you will have no hope of following some of the plot intricacies as they relate to what has gone previously. If a Winchester fan then pull the recliner up to the television and rock on out to an excellent episode of goodness.