In the past two episodes of Supernatural, we’ve seen the return of Chuck Shurley (a.k.a. God). It seems everyone is thrilled with his appearance; on IMDB, both episodes score well over a 9. But I disagree — while the introduction of God seems fun for now, it doesn’t bode well for future episodes.
First, the inevitable showdown between Amara and Chuck is problematic. It can go two ways: either Chuck is much more powerful than Amara, or they’re evenly matched and have an epic battle. The first is a problem because the fight will last all of two seconds, and be totally boring. The second is even more of a problem — where do Sam and Dean fit into a battle of god-like forces? As bystanders, eating popcorn?
We’ve already seen a glimpse of the Winchesters’ roles, and it’s not good. Instead of getting their hands dirty, they’re relegated to giving Chuck pep-talks. Pep-talks. The Winchesters are best when they’re slashing up monsters and showing us the meaning of familial love, not when they’re motivational speakers.
Now, Sam did get some interesting action in the last episode, when he rescued Lucifer. But the culmination of the chase relied on Chuck’s rescue. Sam didn’t contribute much, other than being a good driver. Dean’s confrontation with Amara was much worse — they just talked. Is this what Supernatural looks like when two god-like characters enter the show? Sam’s left to drive, Dean’s left to talk?
And where will the aftermath of the finale leave us? If Chuck kills Amara, and decides to stay on Earth and help people, the Winchesters will be out of a job. If Amara kills Chuck, there won’t even be a show, because there will be no people, animals, or earth. This finale will be one of the trickiest in Supernatural’s history.
The only bright side is the humor — the jokes about Chuck watching TV and eating takeout are pretty funny. But even they hold a risk, as showing God as a “normal person” is somewhat offensive to religious viewers. Sure, Supernatural has been including religious elements in unconventional ways the entire time, but God is new territory. I’m not convinced that it’s worth the risk.
Supernatural needs to work hard these next few episodes to give Sam and Dean better roles, set the stage for Season 12, and justify bringing God into the mix. Right now, I’m not convinced the show can pull it off.
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