Supernatural (TV Series) The Man Who Knew Too Much (2011) User Reviews

"You know me, you know why. I'm not leaving my brother alone out there."

[zombiehigh18 · 9/10 · 26 December 2011]

Those words right there are exactly why we would fall in love with the show once again. Much like season five when the brotherly love was the one thing that saved the day, now Sam has to fight his inner struggles to be there for his brother, ending up being saved himself from his eternal Hell.

Though I'm still unsure about season six, (I think it was good not great though but not bad either) I find myself marvelling again by the ability of the ever amazing Kripke to fascinate us. I was confused on how to rate this episode so I went back to revise my rating for the five previous finales and I found out this one might not be that emotionally charged like the others yet it was different and unique all the same. Eric Kripke, you are one magnificent man, I hope you stick around more on season seven, your presence was sure missed on season six and I'm still longing for the classic rock scores and the amazing Dean one liners.

I have to take off my hat to the amazing Jared Padalecki, I started the show a little unsure about his acting skills but the guy had gone a long way through the seasons and proved himself as a very fine actor on more than one occasion. He takes us one a tour exploring the fractured aspects of Sam brilliantly.

As for Cas, I don't know whether to be angry or glad. I'm glad the nerdy angels outsmarted both Crowley and Raphael taking the latter down and preventing him/her from bringing back the apocalypse. I'm also angry with the guy for being that corrupted with power and refusing to listen to his friends going as far as killing Balthazar. I remember feeling heartbroken last episode when the Winchesters accused him for being involved with kidnapping Lisa and Ben. Now I'm even more heartbroken to see him doing a far worse cruel act as breaking down Sam's wall to force Dean to step down. Oh my God Cas, How could you do that? You could have killed Sammy, and then there would never be any forgiveness. Cas now is like season four's Sam, Blinded by power, unable to see how corrupted he has become, going on a self destructive mission for what he views as the greater good. I hope Cas would find redemption on season seven as Sam did before.

Finally, and I say it for like the millionth time, Please stop hurting the Metalicar.

Extremely Weird Season

[Zetal · 8/10 · 23 February 2014]

Supernatural was designed with a five-year arc. You could tell it in Season 6, as they struggled to find their way forward.

There were a *lot* of interesting ideas. The return of the Campbells, them working for Crowley, Crowley looking for Purgatory, the Mother of All, Castiel working with Crowley, the War in Heaven. And that was the problem.

This felt like two or even three years' worth of mytharc crammed into one. And while believe me I cannot stand the idea of one more second of Soulless Sam having been written, the season ends up feeling disjointed, rushed, and confusing. Imagine if season 3 had been "Intro to Ruby, Dean Dies and Returns, Meet the Angels, Let's Find the Seals, Oops Lilith's Dead, Apocalypse Averted." Would we care about Castiel? Would we recognize Raphael for the badass he's supposed to be? I would've liked to spend more time with the Mother of All, and with the Campbells. So Season 6 - first half about getting Sam his soul back, leave that the way it is because oh my Cas it could not have gone any longer. Second half, focus on the Mother of All, with the big showdown happening in the last episode where they learn that Crowley is alive. Season 7 - first half getting more involved with the War in Heaven - I have to ask, Raphael knows Cas's big weak spot is the Winchesters, right? So why not go after them? I know they have that sigil on their ribs, but they can't get around that with other methods? Second half, investigating opening Purgatory and dealing with Cas's betrayal.

And with all that, how do you end the season? Castiel as God is interesting, and I put it up there with the other cliffhangers we've gotten. His character has certainly gone off the rails, though. Breaking down Sam's wall was cruel and that, above all else, has me wondering how in the world Dean and Sam can ever forgive him. Dean, Sam, and Bobby have been through hell and back together and forgiven each other just about everything imaginable. I can only hope that season 7 brings Cas to a place where he can start to earn their forgiveness - a good start would be to realize that he needs to ask for it.

I do have to say, I'm glad that for once, the season is ending with Dean and Sam both still alive and in a good relationship with each other. While I hope to see Sam struggling with his memories in season 7, it seems like he'll make it through alive at least.

Season 6 is definitely my least favorite season so far. I will probably rewatch it once, to look for early clues about Cas, and then never again.

a good solid concluding episode.

[mm-39 · 10/10 · 31 May 2011]

A good solid concluding episode. Who is the bad guy here? Dean has to deal with someone who uses his own reckless methods, and wonders what to do with him. Sam has to go threw a personal battle as his wall has been taking down and must deal with his hell experience. Dean, and Bobby must try and stop the opening of purgatory! The ending is a shocker! Leaves room for another season. I give this episode a 10 out of 10. With such a open ended question for the season final the viewer is left hanging. I wonder what is in store for next season? Is the cage going to be open in the next season? Will there be any new characters added?

A pretty good end to a rocky season

[CubsandCulture · 8/10 · 9 April 2020]

The Sam putting himself back together stuff is a real highlight of the season and it justifies a lot of the Soulless Sammy stuff that makes up the first half of the season. Likewise the resolution of the purgatory story largely works-some clunky reversals of fortune aside. And if nothing else it sets the stage for season 7 to be a lot more focused. This episode is only not fully satisfying because the season it concludes is rocky and uneven.

It's pretty clear that writers didn't have one main story for the season but had a few smaller stories that they slapped together-i.e. Soulless Sammy, Crowley-Cas's deal, Mother of all, Campbell clan, the domestication of Dean-that just never congealed the way, say, Dean's deal does in Season 3. This prevents the season from really taking shape and it largely lacks narrative drive.

This is the main reason why season 6 is such a step back from the prior 4 seasons. Fortunately the season's high points are high enough to make up for this, mostly. It also helps that the low points are more mediocre than aggressively bad. Overall this season is the 2nd weakest of the shows first 6 years-only season 1 is as rocky and uneven. However, it is still an enjoyable season.

Average episode score: 7.90909 out of 10

3 best episodes:

1. Weekend at Bobby's 2. Frontierland 3. The French Mistake

3 worst episodes

20. Mommy Dearest 21. Family Matters 22. Mannequin 3: The Reckoning

Very disappointing finale scene!!!!

[revba · 8/10 · 21 September 2021]

Why oh why did the writers had to corrupt Cass?? He was the ONLY Angel worth the character of saving morally speaking before he decided to accept Crowley's offer. It ultimately had to go down the drain.

All I can say is I hope there is a redeeming value for all affected in this episode in Season 7. I will be looking for it.

I'm Your New God

[AnDread_The_Blind · 9/10 · 13 November 2019]

Sam's wall breaks down, betrayals left and right, and Castiel going dark side. Quite a few intense elements coming together. Too bad about Balthazar biting the dust; he was one of my favorite characters this season, which has its ups and downs. It's been a weird, uneven season, but I like how it's wrapped up.

Power Corrupts

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 26 December 2012]

Sam wanders with amnesia and chased by the police. While he tries to remember who he is, Dean and Bobby watch Sam that is in coma lying on a bed in Bobby's safe house.

Dean and Bobby drive to the location where Castiel is; however, Crowley arrives with his new partner Gabriel and requests the blood of the Demon from the Purgatory to open the gate. Meanwhile Sam wakes-up and heads to meet Dean and Bobby.

The overrated and disappointing "The Man Who Knew Too Much" spends too much time with the inner journey of Sam. The way that Castiel lures Gabriel and Crowley is too naive and predictable. The good part is the very end, with Castiel corrupted by the power he has achieved. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Homem que Sabia Demais" ("The Man Who Knew Too Much")

Horrible Trainwreck

[Johnny_West · 2/10 · 25 August 2023]

What a pathetic trainwreck episode. Castiel keeps coming back to Sam as if arrogant Sam was god. I guess Castiel likes getting verbally abused? He should have tossed both Sam and Dean back into the pit or the cage (which one is it? Dean was in the pit, Sam was in the cage?). That would have put a stop to their meddling.

Instead, Castiel destroys the barrier in Sam's mind, and we end up with the incredibly annoying Lucifer character (played by the obnoxious Mark Pellegrino) constantly dropping into every scene of this show for the entire rest of this series. Worse than opening Purgatory and unleashing the Leviathans, bringing back Lucifer was the ultimate sin.

Castiel really disappoints. He killed his number 2 angel a few episodes ago, then he kills his best friend, Balthazar, and just continues to turn heel as a character. He even turns on Crowley right before they are going to open Purgatory, which was a major cataclysmic event. That seemed like the dumbest move in a season full of really dumb moves by every character.

Naturally, Crowley turns to Raphael for help, and thus we end up with Purgatory and the Leviathans inside of Castiel without the support of Crowley. All the aftermath is like just another domino falling due to the previous dumb mistakes.

So So

[laje1970 · 7/10 · 14 October 2022]

I gotta grade this one on a curve. Rating it compared to past (and future) season finales.

Didn't care about Sam's storyline here. I know there is more of that to come so I'm in for a rough time when it comes to this.

Never like seeing Castiel as the bad guy. I know there is a lot more of this in my future as well so some tough going for me as it relates to this great character.

However... overall I just found this episode anti-climactic. Especially compared to other finales that were so terrifically written and paced. This not only lacked the action I expect but also the drama as well as the character arc wrap-ups that the show usually produces in the finales.

7/10.

Was that even a full episode?

[sportsguyclg · 5/10 · 3 November 2022]

Certainly didn't seem like it. We were warned for half a season, you sure don't want to see the hell-side of Sam's soul if that wall was to come down. Yet it was barely a hiccup from the kitchen table to Sam joining them for the final showdown. And, boy, wouldn't you think opening a portal to Purgatory would be so bad that the boys would spend all season trying to convince Cas not to do it, only we don't hear a peep. There was no mystery, no intrigue into how they would stop the portal being opened or how to close it again. There were better climaxes in other episodes this season, like Dean outsmarting the Mother of Alls. Nope, this was a dud.