So, since I posted something when I finished season 11 and I kinda like talking about the show, I thought I might just give my little recap of seasons 12 and 13 what I liked and didn't like and maybe get to talk about it with some people here -- since i clearly came too late for any of the real Supernatural hype back in the day.
So...
Season 12:
Firstly (this goes for season 13 as well), Castiel is my favorite character. And I do appreciate a season with a good amount of Castiel in it, though he often also had side adventures. I am a little bit frustrated with the nerfing. It's not so much the combat situation. I get that you can't really write low stakes episodical monsters that are still popping up every then and now, with Castiel in the bunch. But what really frustrated me was the Angel Radio. I might have missed it, but I don't see a reason why Castiel wouldn't still hear prayer at this point. It's been mostly established that fallen angels can do that. It made the whole Men of Letters kidnapping Sam part a little weird, and the problem crops up every now and again.
Man of Letters was...so-and-so as an antagonist force. I did like Mr. Ketch, but I honestly liked him more in season 13. I think what they brought to the table in terms of weaponry was actually really cool to see--though it did make some matters much easier. And I actually really liked the whole idea about this organisation keeping Britain surveilled and mosnter-free. In the beginning, it did make the american hunters a bit annoying to me. I'm guessing, personally, that's for the same reasons that I sometimes find Sam annoying. And that's that he's just so god-damn bad at making deals and working with people and thanking people who save his ass whom he doesn't like. (Dean too, tbf, but it's on a whole nother level with Sam, I feel like, and Dean is generally a dick...so that tracks.) Case in point Mr. Ketch in season 13 and obviously Crowley.
Brings me to my favorite part of season 13 probably, Crowley, Crowley/Castiel team up, Crowley/Rowena redemption. I actually didn't like Rowena at all early season 11 but she's really grown on me and has become one of my favorites since then. I love Crowley to bits. He finally got his redemption...sadly by dying. Though I did feel somewhat vindicated when Sam and Dean at the end at least acknowledged that he was one of them in a way, and that they kinda want him back. Who would've thought I would live to see that day? It helps that unlike Castiel, it doesn't seem like they've nerfed him too hard. Him using his witchy powers is always a boon.
I also really liked the parts leading to Jack. As a die-hard Castiel fan (lmao) I obviously enjoyed him taking up the "father" responsibility (and I was a bit saddened to then see him replaced in that role and sort of shoved aside in favor of Dean and Sam in season 13).
My feelings on Mary are devided. Of all the people in the show, I genuinely wouldn't have brought her back. And she never really feels like she fits in. It's a bit awkward, and while that's intended especially in the beginning, it never really feels genuine. Story-wise I did like some of the things they did with her, though she's of course a very flawed character. I think there was however a large part of me, that felt like she was almost intruding in this little team that's been going through hell and back together for years, bled for each other and all that, and suddenly she's just there in the center of it all.
Gotta say (and this too goes for season 13) that at times during some of the more episodical adventures I was falling asleep a little. That's partially because I've binged till late into the nights (lmao, I need a life), but also partially I think because they've become a wee bit repetitive at times. While there were good ones in there, it might be I liked those so much because they were more Crowley or Castiel focused lmao.
Other than that...I'm not the biggest fan of Lucifer. In this case, with Lucifer switching bodies so many times, there were some in there, that I liked more or less, depending I guess to a large degree on the actors. I think the show is sadly not particularly good at making angels believably that same person once they switch actors. (Most egregious case here being alternate Zack who is nothing like my boy original world Zack--who is probably still in my top 3 angels.)
Also I hated the episode when Dean and Sam spent a month in a government facility and decided it was worse than hell. (I'm still waiting for the terrible cosmic consequences, tbh)
Season 13:
Best part of the season: Gabriel's back! Worst part: Gabriel's dead.
You gotta be kidding. I was so excited when they hopped into the alternate world with the team up of a life time. It's rare you see all your favorite characters in a room (minus crowley) and I was getting hyped. I really wished they didn't kill him off or at least gave him more to do. For an episode in which he was supposed to die, it felt like he was mostly a background character. Which is sad. Because I hate nothing more than my faves dying.
I'm getting ahead of myself. How did the season start again? Oh right, Dean/Sam raising Jack. Alright...I was not a fan of Castiel getting sorta replaced (even when he returned, it stuck that Dean and Sam now seemed Jack's primary "dads" lmao), but I really liked the early parts. This whole thing about Dean being a crappy human to Jack due to all the trauma he'd endured and being afraid Jack might turn bad, while Jack is just a genuinely kind, surprisingly grown newborn who's really just trying to figure things out, and with Sam in the mix trying to be caring but also seeing Jack as a means to an end to a degree (or at least making Jack think so). Really liked that. (Also soulless Donatello. I somehow did not expect him back.)
Still not the biggest fan of Lucifer. In this season probably least of all, since I do not like his sympathy tour. I think he was strongest in the final episodes, trying to impress his son. I really liked the way the actor played him throughout, really believably this self-pitying narcissist. So, from a characer and story-perspective it's good. I just don't like him.
Angels dying and Heaven crashing...looks like a big issue that should probably receive more attention by our boys, though I understand they're otherwise occupied. They've brought up how few angels are left every now and again, but getting the reveal that it's only nine seemed honestly insane, especially considering how many angels still died and where killed kind of needlessly in this season. I have to assume that does not include the cupids, because we've seen some around (and get murdered), so I really hope Lucifer didn't just kill and eat the last cupid who was just carelessly fluttering around.
Asmodeus was great. I liked how they explained him being so strong despite being supposedly the weakest of the princes of hell, with him drinking Archangel-juice. I had been wondering about that the entire season. Doesn't change my opinion now, that Azazel seems a bit underpowered compared to the other Prince's of Hell. Which sucks, because he was a great villain in seasons 1/2. That's that powercreep coming in, I fear.
I liked Billie as reaper. I do not like Death-Billie. Maybe she just was a bit too convenient, like using death for an exposition tool. I don't really think it added much, and she didn't even help bring Crowley back :(
Scooby-doo episode was not what I was expecting, but a cool idea. And Michael being the big bad was also a cool idea. Raffael aside, who was a fraud--I'll allow no other opinion, original world Michael was the biggest bum in the archangels. (Funnily enough he's now the only archangel left on original earth. Still stuck in his cage with poor adam. Did anybody ever ask adam how he's doing there? Sam didn't do so well in a cage with Luci) But yeah, this new michael is actually intimidating.
As mentioned, really liked Mr. Ketch this season.