“Supernatural” is a show about two brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester, who hunt the monsters, such as ghosts, ghouls, demons and other supernatural baddies, that haunt the night. “What Is and What Should Never Be” is the 20th episode of the second season, the last episode before the two-part season finale. Created by Eric Kripke, “Supernatural” first aired in 2005 and is now in its ninth season. The show was confirmed for a tenth season in January 2014.
When Mary Winchester (Samantha Smith) was killed by the Yellow-Eyed Demon, her sons’ lives changed forever. Any dreams of normalcy — college, friends, even a home — were consumed by her husband John’s single-minded pursuit of the demon that killed his wife.
Even now, months after their father’s death, Sam and Dean continue in the life he raised them in, hunting and killing evil before it can take anymore lives.
Saving people, hunting things — the family business.
So, what would happen if Mary never died? What would life look like if the Winchesters grew up in suburbia, living a normal, apple-pie life?
And what if Dean was the only one who could remember their lives as hunters?
When Dean goes alone to hunt a djinn, a genie from Islamic mythology, he is attacked and wakes up in a brand new world with a burning question:
Could the djinn grant a wish hidden so deep within him that he didn’t even know he was wishing it?
Unwilling to threaten the change by digging too deep, Dean settles into his new world. He has a job working on his beloved cars at the garage, a beautiful girlfriend and, for the first time in 23 years, his family is happy.
But soon this world begins to fall apart, creating questions he can’t ignore. Who is the girl he keeps seeing? Why doesn’t Sam seem to like him? And what is the cost of this new life?
Dean has been a hunter since he was four years old and only recently have the burdens and costs of the hunting lifestyle begun to weigh on him. As he struggles with his father’s death and John’s final order (You have to save Sam or kill him, Dean), he’s been finding it harder to hold on to the reasons behind the hunt.
And, faced with the possibility of a safe life, where happiness is more than a dream, Dean has to ask himself what his old life is worth.
“What Is and What Should Never Be” reveals a completely new aspect of Dean’s character, one that even he barely acknowledged until the djinn unveiled it. As Dean struggles with his heavy decision, viewers are reminded of the reasons they fell in love with this self-sacrificing, fiercely loyal character.
This episode has many of the beloved elements that characterize the show and its characters. From humor (as Dean attempts to convince those around him that really, he hasn’t been drinking) to supernaturally-tinged mystery (how did he get here and how does he get back?), this is one of the show’s most powerful episodes. Jensen Ackles (Dean) gives us a strong performance that reminds us of the softer side that his character hides beneath his tough, smart-aleck facade. One of the strongest moments of the episode is Dean’s heartfelt conversation with his dad as he tries to hold on to the fairy tale he’s been given.
"Why is it my job to save these people?” he asks. “Why do I have to be some kind of hero? What about us, huh? What, Mom’s not supposed to live her life, Sammy’s not supposed to get married? Why do we have to sacrifice everything, Dad?"
Classic songs set to the perfect scenes (such as when Joey Ramone’s “What A Wonderful World” plays as Dean begins settling into his new world and mows his mother’s lawn for the first time in a hilarious fashion) continue to be a fan-favorite.
This is the first episode that focused on only one of the boys, but the new dynamic never felt off-balance or lacking. And really, it was nice to see Dean be the damsel.
***As you've probably noticed, this review is quite different than the others. In a recent class, I was required to write a review and decided to use the opportunity to tackle a new medium, television, with my favorite show, "Supernatural." I plan to continue reviewing "Supernatural" and other TV show episodes, but I haven't yet decided what format these reviews will take. None will be as in-depth as this one, for sure, but we shall see what form they take. Thanks for reading!***
