The Winchesters Season 1 Episode 7 Review: Reflections
Finally, The Winchesters takes the battle to the Akrida.
It’s been six episodes in the making but The Winchesters Season 1 Episode 7, “Reflections,” deals with lingering issues. It also leaves us with plenty more questions.
This is the show’s midseason finale, so many significant moments happen to get us through a long break. Unfortunately, despite that excitement for big reveals, things feel rushed.
Let’s start with John and Mary’s first kiss. For weeks, they have both been pushing the other away. The denial of feelings has been going strong between them.
The kiss surprises us because it seemingly happens without much build-up at that moment. The scene wants to give John and Mary fans their chance to clap and cheer with this scene.
However, the execution doesn’t match the anticipation. It feels more casual than momentous. The scene almost has the tone that we have been unaware that John and Mary have been secretly dating for months.
One can assume that the kiss comes because it feels like a do-or-die situation for them. However, the weight of this situation doesn’t translate effectively to us.
It just seems like any regular battle resulting in their first kiss. The slow-burn nature of John and Mary is enjoyable, but it also seems the show cannot decide how to prolong their friendship status.
Likely, this confusing dynamic between them will continue into the new year.
The kiss doesn’t mean that John and Mary will now become a couple. It means the show needs to find new angst to keep them apart.
The things the audience doesn’t know play a key role on “Reflections.”
For example, the series leaves us with a big question mark about Henry Winchester until this episode. Unless the show subtly confirms his death on a previous episode, we didn’t know about his death until now.
Supernatural confirms his death, but The Winchesters plays it ambiguous with whether he is alive or dead until “Reflections.”
The reveal that he died feels like a curveball that needs more explanation and exploration.
The resolve of John and Millie’s complex emotions towards Henry also needs more exploration.
The show opens the door for him to return as a ghost, and obviously, that’s a good thing because we have many more questions for Mr. Henry Winchester.
Hopefully, the second half of Season 1 explores the lingering feelings of seeing Henry again and answers major ones surrounding his death and disappearance.
“Reflections” almost seems like it has a time jump. Last we see the crew; they are still trying to figure out things about the Akrida. However, on this episode, they are ready for the first battle round.
It seems like this crew jumps from step 5 to step 155 overnight. However, the time between The Winchesters Season 1 Episode 6, “Art of Dying,” and this episode must not be that big because Ada returns from her time with Tony.
Unless she spends months with him, it may only be, at most, a few weeks between this episode and the last one.
Logically, I understand that this is The Winchesters‘ midseason finale, so the stakes are high. The viewers have to end this episode wanting more. However, we didn’t earn these moments yet.
We need more time to get here. This is just the start of the Akrida battle and the beginning of chapter 2. However, we still need a few more in-between steps to get to where this finale ends.
“Reflections” does a great job of raising the stakes. This episode gives us blood pressure-raising moments and pumps up the adrenaline. We care about this battle.
It also makes us anxious to discover the answers to many main questions.
We need to know the identity of the queen: Is she a giant bug or in human form? Will Carlos get revenge on the rest of those ghouls that kill his parents? How will John and Mary remain romantically apart? So many questions.
“Reflections” does more than enough to leave viewers wanting more. However, the hope is it knows how to balance the lead-up to big moments with satisfying payoffs in future episodes.
—
What did you think of this episode of The Winchesters? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
The Winchesters returns January 24, 2023, at 9/8c on The CW.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Jerrica Tisdale
Jerrica Tisdale is your favorite neighborhood pop culture junkie. She will annoy you with random TV and film facts, while complaining about whatever is the hottest new book. She has been a TV fan all her life but writing about it for over a decade. You may find her work all over the internet especially reality TV rants. She is a senior writer at Tell-Tale TV.