Supernatural Review: Mint Condition (Season 14 Episode 4)
Shows are formulaic at their core. It happens.
Fewer shows bring me more joy, though, when returning to their regular formula than Supernatural.
Supernatural Season 14 Episode 4, “Mint Condition,” is an excellent return to saving people, hunting things, and the formula that has been working for the show for 14 years.
All of the serialized stories that are currently in play on Supernatural are great, but “Mint Condition” proved to be exactly what the show needs: Sam, Dean, and a good old-fashioned ghost hunt.
Even after 14 years, “Mint Condition” manages to make the age-old Sam and Dean hunt feel fresh and new. It adds the old-fashioned ghost hunt to a newer territory for the brothers Winchester: nerd culture.
With cracks about stealing Pokemon, you’d think that “Mint Condition” is a dig at super-nerds. Upon further reflection, though, it recognizes the nerdy side of every person through Sam and Dean.
Dean insists at one point that he’s not like Dirk, even though they have pretty similar taste in horror films. Similarly, Sam and Samantha (aptly named) share both a soft spot for idiots and problem-solving skills.
What follows is a good-old-fashioned ghost hunt that brings Dean out of his Michael-induced funk by letting him live out his horror movie fantasy. He gets to fight David Yeager thanks to a strange ghost possession situation.
Supernatural has always relied heavily on the monster of the week episodes to fill out its oft-heavy episode orders.
“Mint Condition,” though, feels like a welcome return to the comfortable series that fans know and love. It’s filled with Dean’s one-liners, creepy moments, and new characters finding out for the first time that monsters exist.
Monster of the week episodes can be tiresome in excess, but at this particular time, it’s a welcome helping of comfort food.
A few stray thoughts:
- I appreciate their handling of Stuart’s character for a few reasons. Even though he’s a stereotype angry nerd who lives in his mom’s basement, his friends recognize his redeeming qualities and that he still has value as a human being. Good message.
- Much like Sam Winchester, I am not a Halloween person. But, this episode is a clever way for a year-round scary show to do something special for the holiday.
- Having no more than a throwaway line about Castiel and Jack at the beginning of the episode is necessary to the integrity of the standalone hunt, but I miss them terribly.
- Just hearing Dean say “Pokemon” aloud brings me great joy.
- The best episodes of Supernatural are when at least one character incredulously asks “Monsters are real?”
It is heartening to see Dean get back on the horse, and even more so to know that after all these years, Supernatural can still do an homage and a great standalone episode.
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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Nick Hogan
Nick Hogan is an experienced podcaster and writer (particularly on media topics), who loves discussion and analysis of TV and is always looking for new shows to watch. He is also a parent who loves buffalo wings, blowing raspberries, and his beloved Cincinnati Reds.