Supernatural Season 11 Episode 12 Review: Don't You Forget About Me
Sean McKenna
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We’ve seen Sam and Dean go to hell and back, face pretty much every monster in the book and then some, deal with secrets, lies and brotherly fights… but having to participate in giving the sex talk?
I bet the Winchesters would much rather face off against the Darkness or Lucifer in the cage before partaking in a dinner conversation that deviates to discussing the birds and the bees again.
Though, that whole dinner scene was definitely the highlight of Supernatural Season 11 Episode 12.
Not only did it bring all the characters together like a family and illustrate just how appreciative Sam and Dean were to get food that isn’t just a patty, the moment also provided some hilarious reactions and uncomfortable responses as Jody tried to get some backup from the brothers while doling out her motherly and informative advice when it came to sex.
And was it me or did Sam and Dean feel far more like adults in this episode? Sometimes I forget that Sam and Dean aren’t quite the young ones joining the older hunters anymore. It’s been over 10 seasons since Sam was in college, which is where Claire is age-wise, so it’s kind of funny to see him on the other side of the spectrum.
It does make you wonder if Sam and Dean will ever be some up-and-coming hunters’ Bobby or Rufus.
Ultimately, “Don’t You Forget About Me” was a detour from the season-long arc to focus on a case of the week, but bringing back Jody, Claire and Alex allowed it to have a bit more weight than most one-off episodes.
Clearly, the whole family life hasn’t been easy for any of the ladies, but each has been trying to work through it on their own terms.
Plus, it was good to see that Jody hadn’t crafted her own little house of hunters while caring for Alex and Claire. Sure, Jody could take on monsters if she wanted to, but it would be far more in protecting others rather than seeking them out. She seemed more keen on making sure Claire and Alex were cared for and that they knew they had a family.
As for Claire, she was determined to find monsters, even if that meant innocent people getting in the way along the way. And I was glad to see she wasn’t some super hunter, but still learning.
But there were still plenty of times in the episode where Claire really got on my nerves, which I guess was the point, because she's the rebellious teen, but I hope her character gets to move past that the next time we see her.
Then there was Alex, who was trying to go the opposite direction and attempt to find a normal life. It’s just too bad her past caught up to her.
Really, it was pretty easy to see the whole growing up experience of Jody, Claire and Alex as a parallel for the brothers. And for the ladies, it came down to them being a family, even if they had their differences and squabbles some times.
The monster of the week wasn’t anything mind-blowing, though the vampire’s past and connection to Alex made him more than just some evil bad guy. Still, I found myself not really caring about the case itself when all was said and done.
For vampires, they seemed rather bland.
Though, it was good to see that all three ladies did manage to make it out of the episode alive. Was anyone else worried one of them was going to get killed off?
There also felt like some clunky dialogue at times and scenes that just held on for too long.
That cold open with Claire holding the sword to the guy’s throat? I kept waiting for it to cut to the title card. But it didn’t. And nothing really happened. And then finally the title card.
And then there was the moment after Claire, Jody and Alex had been captured. The vampire got to say his clever line before cutting to the commercial break. Except then, instead of actually going to commercial, the scene cut to a wide shot of the characters in the abandoned pool area. Then there was the commercial.
It just felt jarring.
I definitely liked the concept of Jody trying to raise the girls, and their varying interests and directions, and even seeing how they've progressed since we last saw them. But as the focus became more about the vampires of the hour, I was far less engaged.
Though I do wonder if the next time we see Claire, she'll get to meet Casifer. Wouldn't that be interesting?
What did you think of the episode? Do you want to see more of Jody, Claire and Alex? Sound off below, and make sure you watch Supernatural online!
NOTE: Supernatural Season 11 Episode 12, "Love Hurts," airs February 10 at 9/8c.
Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.
