I have to admit that I haven't been entirely enthusiastic for Supernatural this season. I've been nostalgic for seasons one and two which had better characterization and plot development. You can tell that executive producer Eric Kripke is done with the show even though there are rumors that Supernatural will be renewed for a fifth season due to it's viewership all time highs. (which several episodes even beat out Smallville.)Kripke has said in past interviews that he didn't want the show to go on too long because you get into "Jumping the Shark" and he didn't want to go there but unfortunately, we have seen some of that going on this season. (i.e. Monster Movie, Yellow Fever, Wishful Thinking)
I agree with Kripke that the show should end on a high note instead of being drug out until you get so sick of it you quit watching. That happened with me and ER and I couldn't bear if that happened to my relationship with Supernatural.
4.4 Metamorphosis
Sam and Dean help out a fellow hunter by tracking down a man who may turn into a Loupgarou. Dean also finds out about Sam using his ability to exorcise demons and kicks his little brother's butt. (Go Dean!) However, Sam gets a wake-up call by witnessing that even the best of men can turn into something evil if given the chance. This revelation convinces Sam to stop using his ability which gives relief to Dean since the angel, Castiel, told Dean to stop Sam or the angels will.
4.5 Monster Movie
Sam and Dean investigate a series of murders at an Oktoberfest in Pennsylvania. What was cool about this episode was that it was completely shot in black and white and very reminiscent of the old 1930's horror films. This was a feel good, humorous episode that had nothing to do with the central plot.
4.6 Yellow Fever
Sam and Dean investigate a series of deaths in which perfectly healthy men die of heart attacks. It's only when Dean's behavior changes and he begins to be paranoid and fearful do they figure out that ghost sickness is causing these deaths. This episode was terribly funny especially watching Dean, who is usually very bad ass, scream like a little girl when a kitten leaps out of a locker during the boys' investigation of an old lumber mill or running away from a "killer" Yorkie. They even had a special after the episode of Jensen Ackles lip syncing "Eye of the Tiger."
4.7 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester
First, it was the Christmas episode last season and now they had a Halloween episode. While investigating a man chocking on razor blades while eating Halloween candy, Castiel shows up in the town with fellow angel, Uriel, basically to tell Dean and Sam to get out of dodge because they are going to smite the town Sodom and Gomorrah style in order to kill a witch whose intent is to raise Samhain and break one of the sixty-six seals for Lillith in order to release Lucifer on Earth. Dean tells both the angels to stick it because he wasn't going to allow all those people to die when he and Sam can find the witch and stop her before she raises Samhain. Unfortunately, they were unable to stop the raising of Samhain but Sam was able to send him back to hell using his power.
4.8 Wishful Thinking
While searching for a new case, Sam comes across a news article where a woman states she was attacked by a ghost in a women's locker room. Dean gets excited about helping naked women and the boys head for Concrete, Washington. Instead of finding ghosts, the boys find a series of strange sightings and occurrences that seem more odd than supernatural. They soon find out that the wishing well at the local Chinese restaurant had been turned into a real magical wishing well with the help of an ancient Babylonian coin. One problem with getting what you wish for is getting what you wish for. The wishes turn bad like Dean's hoagie giving him food poisoning, little Audrey's life-size teddy bear turning into a bi-polar alcoholic, Wesley's love, Hope, turns into a obsessive doormat...
Sam and Dean figure out that Wesley was the first to experience the "good" luck and decide that he was the first wisher and thus the coin belonged to him. But in order for the wishes to revert back, Sam and Dean need to convince Wesley that getting what you want will eventually lead to chaos before something really terrible happens.
4.9 I Know What You Did Last Summer
If we didn't know what Sam was up to while Dean was in hell for four months, we do now. This episode is the first we see Ruby since Sam decided not to use his ability (4.4 Metamorphosis). Ruby tells the boys that there is a woman the demons want alive and they want her bad. Then, lo and behold, the angels want her too... dead.
4.10 Heaven and Hell
The continuation of the previous episode, Sam and Dean are protecting Anna who discovers she's an angel who lost her grace and was reborn as a human. (Can you see me roll my eyes...?) Just before a standoff between the angels and demons, Dean and Anna engage in some (if the Impala is rockin', don't come a knockin') hanky panky since it just may be her last night on Earth... as a human, so Dean feels obliged to help.
Of course, the good guys win with the help of Ruby; Anna gets her grace back and Sam and Dean are left to pick up the pieces. Dean confesses to Sam that he wasn't entirely truthful when he said what he remembered of hell.
4.11 Family Remains
Not the best story to come back with from the Holiday hiatus and at the end you're left scratching your head and completely grossed out.
Sam and Dean investigate a man being murdered in his locked house in a locked room. Thinking that it must be the work of a vengeful spirit, the boys check out the vacant house assuming that it is still for sale. However, it wasn't. The new home owner's show up and the boys, unsuccessfully, convince them not to move in and what transpires afterwards is creepy and gross. It seems the previous owner had a dirty little secret he kept in the basement and in the end, it made Dean feel even more like a monster.
4.12 Criss Angel is a Douche Bag
I'm surprised they didn't get in trouble for the title of this episode. Sam and Dean investigate a mysterious death at a magic convention in Ohio. All the cocky young magicians are dying after having altercations with an aged magician who is a bit past his prime and can no longer perform at the level the young ones can.
What was important about this episode was that Sam and Dean evaluate their lives and contemplate the possibility of living to old age. Ruby again appears to persuade Sam to use his ability in order to fight Lillith and end it once in for all. He tells her to get lost but at the end seeks her out, telling her that he changed his mind because he doesn't want to be hunting when he's 60.
