'Supernatural' returned not with a bang but a whimper, with Dean happy with his new home life and Sam back for no reason. Of course that last part would be what drives the narrative this season but we haven't really gotten around to it yet.
Thankfully though, "Weekend at Bobby's" signals a return to form for the series, and it doesn't even have the Winchester brothers in it that much. The episode focuses on Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver), the man with all the answers, showing what he goes about doing when the Winchesters aren't around. He even gets a catchphrase, 'balls'. Of course.
"Weekend at Bobby's" deals with Bobby trying to get his soul back from the crossroads demon Crowley (Mark Sheppard), the fallout of shoving Lucifer back into his cage at the conclusion of season 5, after he welches on their deal. But with the return of Rufus (Steven Williams) and his new neighbour trying to get his attention (in the biblical sense), this episode finds the balance of comedy, action and drama that the series is known for.
While the episode might not be a favourite with fans looking for some Sam/Dean perve time, Bobby's home life is genuinely interesting, with just as many demon attacks and comedic moments (and the brothers help to provide some monster action). It turns out he is the backbone of many different hunting operations and doesn't just sit around waiting to help the Winchesters out. This episode was great, as Beaver easily has the acting chops to carry it himself, with the other characters involved really elevating the story upwards.
It was nice to see the series regain the high quality it's known for again, and I can only hope the next installment "Live Free or TwiHard" keeps on keepin' on so the sixth season doesn't feel like a tacked on waste of time compared to the fantastic five season run it had in it's pocket. This episode didn't really do much for the overall narrative of the season, but it was nice to depart from the regular formula to have some fun with everybody's favourite secondary character.
Keep and Eye out for: Bobby and Crowley's impressions of each other. Inspired stuff. And Crowley insulting Sam. Basically everything involving Crowley.
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