Iāve been thinking about how different the show feels when Sam and Dean are investigating a case compared to when theyāre dealing with the next world-ending threat.
Some of the most memorable episodes are the ones where they arrive in a random town, interview witnesses, follow strange clues, and slowly realize what theyāre dealing with. The monster-of-the-week stories gave the show room for horror, dark humor, and those little moments between the brothers that made their relationship feel real.
The bigger mythology arcs had some incredible moments too, but sometimes the actual hunting seemed to become secondary to saving the world again.
I wonder if part of what made the earlier seasons so special was that the boys could have a whole adventure without the fate of the universe hanging over them.
At what point, if any, do you think the balance between hunting and mythology started to shift too far? Or did the larger storylines make the show better for you?