It just didn't feel like Supernatural to me, more like some parody on steroids, with caricatural versions of characters and dumbass twists every two minutes.
Yeah, I just don't agree with this. Earlier in the summer, I got through rewatching the entire series. It's changed, obviously, but I'm not remotely seeing where you're coming from in terms of a parody. Ketch coming back ins't jumping the shark or anything. Sam and Dean and Cas have come back over and over again, it makes sense that someone like him who is so deeply ingrained in the culture would have a backup plan.
And I don't think that's just me clinging to an old version of the show, because the previous episodes did not feel like that at all. They felt more focused, dealt with each character's state of mind a lot more, and generally just felt a lot less insane.
This was a hectic episode but they've had a few episodes over the past two years that made it a point to focus on a larger cast, rather than just Sam and Dean, and I've enjoyed it. I think that 13 years in, that's a good thing to do. It's honestly what I've been hoping for.
I'll just be waiting for the show to go back to its normal self, which thankfully shouldn't take too long, should be as early as next week. Buckner-Leming are just doing their own thing this season
They're known to be the worst writers on the show and I agree. But I mean, this episode was very much in line with the ongoing arc this season. It wasn't their own thing. Hell, my fiancee ended up saying it was one of her favorite episodes in seasons. Haha.
and something tells me Asmodeus (poor man's Crowley), washed-up Lucifer and Ketch will go MIA until episode 13.
To be fair, that's literally how the show has always been. They go back and forth between the ongoing arc and the MOTW stuff. That being said, the mid-season finale is the week after next and that's part 1 of a two-parter so we should be seeing those people before episode 13.
As for Asmodeus, he is definitely a poor man's Crowley in a way but he's also actually threatening, which Crowley obviously wasn't for a long time. Honestly, I think Crowley is going to come back and kill him instantly and it will be very satisfying.
I feel like you're negative on the show a lot though. :P