Review

Monument, Colorado and the Winchester Bros are hard the trail of Bela, who stole the colt a few episodes back. For those with low attention span, the colt kills anything human or supernatural. Naturally Bela is one step ahead of the boys who suddenly find the motel room they are searching is being gate crashed by the forces of law and order. Unfortunately for Sam and Dean their old friend FBI Agent Hendrickson is leading the assault. The boys are soon in custody at the local jail, chained and being made ready to be flown out to a high security detention facility by chopper. Hendrickson is gloating, which lasts about as long as it takes a demon horde to arrive on the scene and lay siege to the Police station.

Former foes are forced to band together as things look pretty rough, with Hendrickson forced to confront the truth that there is a supernatural. Ruby makes the scene and warns that there's a new boss demon, Lilith, on the way up and she's targeting the Winchester Bros. Our resident demon has a way out but it involves sacrificing a virgin, something Dean finds unacceptable but which Sam isn't saying no to. Dean devises a last ditch stand, Ruby decides to get out of Dodge, and the boys along with the surviving law officers make what could be their last stand. Hang about when did Sam find out about Lilith, did I miss something?

The name of the episode, Jus In Bello, defines acceptable wartime conduct under International treaty, and it forms the moral backbone of the episode. Throughout this season, and the final couple of episodes of last season, the Producers of Supernatural have made it clear the Winchesters are fighting a war against a demonic horde with the Bros having very few allies. Ruby offers a clear escape route from the Police Station, but it would involve the sacrifice of the innocent secretary Nancy, something Dean thinks is simply not acceptable but which Sam is at least not against. Ruby argues for total war against the demonic, Dean argues by his actions that their humanity must be retained regardless of the cost. Interestingly Sam is at best ambivalent to the choice thrust upon them. As it turns out we learn Ruby was probably right, though to be fair hindsight gives perfect vision and what would the ultimate cost have really been to the Winchesters?

However the episode goes further in a brief telephone conversation Dean has with the errant Bela, just prior to the Bros learning Bela is nearly always going to be one step ahead of them. Dean accuses Bela of stealing the colt to sell to the highest bidder, and points out this will cost lives. Bela is evasive in her answer, and reading between the lines I pretty much know Bela has other plans for the colt, which no doubt hinge on her as yet undiscovered past.

In effect the episode asks a couple of times whether the means justifies the ends, and points out even the most morally correct decision may in the long term be the wrong one. Can you drop your humanity and thumb your nose at normal morality if it has a desired outcome? Pretty awesome stuff for what is viewed as just another horror show, and it should be added one of the questions good horror constantly asks. Pity more Politicians don't watch this show; they might learn that pragmatism to win votes ultimately destroys their humanity and ideals.

This episode could have been so much better if Philip Sgriccia had of kept the kinetic action in his pants and off the screen

While the show is humping the leg of some solid thematic purpose I was somewhat less than impressed with Director Philip Sgriccia during the action scenes, which come thick and fast during the episode it might be added. Dean and Sam, along with their allies, are fighting pretty much a demonic army and Sgriccia goes kinetic with the camera. Things are happening fast, we're getting quick cuts all over the show, and we get glimpses of individuals fighting. This is head ache inducing in feature length, so you can imagine my shock when the Director hits this crap in 45 minutes. I was actually yelling at the screen to slow it down and actually show me what was happening. I get it, Sgriccia wanted to show the chaos of battle, but come on, I'm here to watch the Winchesters and get me some Supernatural monster of the week. Art for art's sake comes to mind, with no real purpose to the approach in this context.

I guess the other interesting scenes in this movie, besides the violence that threatens to go ballistic at any moment, are those that gradually show Dean and Agent Hendrickson have a heck of a lot in common and are going through similar issues. Oh course Hendrickson doesn't have a date with the pit, though the FBI bureaucracy might be the closest thing to hell on earth one could imagine. Director Sgriccia handles this aspect of the episode pretty solidly enough.

In one of those weird things that you will probably only notice if you hit the DVD at a reasonable pace is that the season pretty much sees every black foe the Winchesters have built up in the two previous seasons biting the dust. Well okay we're only taking Agent Hendrickson and Gordon Walker, but still worth noting. At least the Winchesters don't have Hispanic sidekicks; those dudes would be dropping like flies this season.

Don't dial in if after some mullet rock, we get nothing due to the Producers not noting this aspect of the show is a major selling point. Surely we are overdue a Black Sabbath track or some one hit wonder we'll all suddenly remember. Not happy over here Jan.

Jus In Bello scored almost a season high of 3.23 million viewers in North America when first telecast. Just goes to show if you get the trailers right and have something interesting happening the Audience is there to tune in. Given the Writer's strike that's a great result, though no doubt the rednecks and middle class have their television on for most of the day regardless.

Regardless of a couple of issues I really rocked out to the episode and was surprisingly on the edge of my seat as the demonic horde descended. I'm also rocking on to the concept of Lilith, take one innocent looking little girl, mix in a demonic force on the rise, and you have the recipe for an awesome concept. Actually think they'll hold Lilith off till next season, the whole pit and hound hell thing no doubt is going to take precedence here. Recommend to fans of the show, you have to know the stakes in play and how the characters are being developed this season as opposed to previous seasons.