Supernatural Review: Regarding Dean (Season 12 Episode 11)

Sometimes it might be nice to take a mental vacation – forget everything and anything you’ve ever known, and shut down your brain for a bit.

For Dean Winchester, it certainly seems to start that way.

On Supernatural Season 12 Episode 11, “Regarding Dean,” an innocent food run ends with Dean waking up in the woods, no memory of the night before, or what events led to his wakeup.

The comedy is front and center. We’ve seen  Jensen Ackles show off his funny side before – but never to this degree. Jared Padalecki lends a hand as the straight-man, eyes wide every time Dean says something shocking and ridiculous.

And while it’s always funny when Dean’s love of pie, pudding, and now waffles, is front and center, the cracks begin to show in his memory in a way that rattles Sam – because Dean isn’t acting like himself. Not even a drunk version of himself.

As the story slowly shifts from a comedy to tear-inducing, both Ackles and Padalecki show off their acting skills, and leave me wondering how continually each year these two are passed over for at LEAST a nomination for an Emmy. In just a single hour they experience emotions that go from one end of the spectrum to the other, never once in an unbelievable way.

Not just any old actor can do what these guys do each and every week on Supernatural. They haven’t been around for 12 years and counting just “because.”

Dean’s fear begins to manifest as he starts to forget little things – like what a light is.

It becomes heartbreaking as he stares himself down in the mirror, repeating over and over again what his name is, who his family members are, who his best friend is – until finally he can’t remember anything at all, tears streaming down his face.

Sam’s task during the hour is to solve the mystery without his brother, and relies on his only choice for backup – Rowena, who’s back in action once again. I guess Sam really does have her on speed-dial. Do they not know ANY other witches?

Rowena’s role during “Regarding Dean” is actually phenomenal. I’ve flip-flopped so often on my feelings about her as the years have progressed, but I think stripped of Crowley, and working on her own is the Rowena I prefer.

She’s got a hidden agenda, of course. She’s still Rowena.

But as she “babysits” a rapidly declining Dean, she shares intimate fears with him, and her sadness over rejection – along with her desire to be a good person. Why would she allow herself to be so vulnerable to a Winchester? Easy. He won’t remember what she’s said anyway.

And that’s where forgetting the terrible things you’ve done comes back into play – because Rowena sometimes wants to forget them as well.

It becomes a sweet partnership – knowing that Dean can’t remember from second to second, Rowena sets him up with little notes to remind him what to do next in order for them to save Sam from the witches who’ve cursed him.

Dean’s declining memory doesn’t even allow him to remember who Sam is, or why he’s saving him. Dean just instinctually feels like he’s supposed to – proving once again that the bond between the brothers is practically supernatural in itself.

The memory scavenger hunt works and the day is saved, but not before we see the real fear that the Winchesters had that one of them would finally be taken down, after everything they’ve been through.

Castiel and Crowley are missing from the scene, but honestly, as much as I complain each week that there just isn’t enough of them, I’m grateful for their absence here. I like seeing the Winchesters in the spotlight. It’s nice to strip the series down to its roots once in a while, and remind us why we love these guys so much.

Episodes like “Regarding Dean” are palate cleansers, helping us to wipe our own memories of some of the more ridiculous aspects of the season before returning to the heavier story at hand – in this case, the Lucifer baby-mama-drama (say that five times fast).

I feel refreshed after this hour – and excited about what the rest of the season will bring. Where’s that bull? I can totally ride it.

It turns out that some quality time with the Winchesters is good for the soul.

What did you think of this episode of Supernatural? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Supernatural airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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