TV episode review
US airdate 31 January 2008 (The CW)

Bobby is discovered comatose in a hotel room, plagued by dreams of being attacked by a screaming woman from which he doesn’t seem able to wake. Going through Bobby’s current research, Sam and Dean track down a doctor specialising in sleep disorders – but it seems he too went into a coma and died. A test subject puts them onto a rare plant that produces a potent drug, but the Winchesters have to rely on Bela to get it for them…

This is an episode obviously influenced by the Marvel comic Sleepwalker, with Sam and Dean having to enter Bobby’s dream and help him battle both his inner demons and the person causing it all. But it’s a neat take on the scenario with shamanistic overtones and a neat trick or two up its sleeve.

The episode reaches the usual high standard of character interaction, and the boys’ attitude towards Bela certainly brings a bit of comic relief to counterpoint the heightened tension. What with all the in-jokes and cultural references, this adds appeal to what otherwise seems to be a fairly standard, standalone episode.

Running under all this – and what really turns this into a classic episode – is the focus on Dean’s inner turmoil and revelations about how he really feels about the whole pact with the Crossroads Demon. This is stunningly moving material that demonstrates just what this show does so well. Brigid Cherry

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