Based on this review’s title alone, I think it’s very clear that I am not a fan of “Red Meat.”

Supernatural tries its hand at heart-stopping drama but unfortunately, they fall incredibly short.

This episode comes on the heels of “Safe House,” an episode that was outright incredible, with exemplary direction and guest stars that longtime fans of the series know and love.

So why did this episode fall short? Let’s look at five things that could have changed my opinion of “Red Meat.”

Make This a Bottle Episode

In order to really amp up the tension of Sam being shot, the warning that Billie continues to give Dean with each of their meetings, and really just to increase the overall danger of being locked up with a werewolf, the characters should have stayed in the cabin. This could have opened the door up for a lot more moments of suspense. Seeing characters shift all over the place, especially with the injuries that they sustained, really takes the viewer out of the danger realm.

Silence is Golden

Nothing is more frightening and tense than the absence of noise. I may have been more inclined to worry about Sam’s mortality if the only soundtrack to the episode was his labored breathing, his painful grunts, and his anguished strain as he tried to save himself.

Cast a More Charismatic Villain if You Want Me to Believe A Main Character is Dead

This was really my biggest issue with the episode. That guy, I don’t even remember his name, was a total dud! He SUFFOCATED Sam? Really? The writers want us to believe that Sam Winchester, the guy who’s survived multiple trips to hell, zombie sickness, Yellow Eyes, having an angel take over his body, etc… is going to be taken down by THAT guy? Come on. Even if the music was gone and the episode was in a bottle, I couldn’t buy into those fabricated stakes. Had that guy been more menacing, creepy, or dangerous looking, I may have bought into it more. But a dude who basically stepped off the Hart of Dixie set is not going to be the one who ends Sam Winchester’s life. It’s just not happening.

Don’t Use Werewolves When Your Villain is God’s Sister

This is the sixth time we’ve had a werewolf story on Supernatural. Listen, when a show has been on for 11 Seasons, there’s bound to be some recycling. But man, I am tired of werewolf stories. Remember the Darkness? God’s sister? The Big Bad of the season? Why couldn’t Sam’s supposed death come at the hand of some circumstance surrounding her? Have the writers just given up on telling us anything about Amara anymore? I enjoy seeing Sam and Dean suffer consequences during a Monster of the Week story, I really do. But we’ve now had quite a few MOTW stories in a row, and no sight of Amara. Heck, we haven’t seen Casifer in while either. With so many other stories happening, there was a way to tie a more prominent villain to Sam’s death.

Go for the Big Brother Moment…At Least Give Us That

Dean unnecessarily killed himself to save Sam, which lead to a really disappointing conversation with Billie. Shouldn’t Dean have TOLD Sam that when asked directly what he did when he thought Sam was dead? Remember change and honesty? The brothers have been doing so well. Why backslide on that now? Dean absolutely SHOULD have said, “Yeah, I tried to save you. I did a stupid thing. Because I love you and I’ll always save you.” That would have been a far better ending for the brothers other than Dean’s, “I thought about redecorating your room…”

All in all, this one was disappointing for me. I look forward to seeing Amara, Casifer, and Crowley again. After “Red Meat,” I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to see Crowley more. That’s saying something.

What did you think of this episode of “Red Meat”? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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