User reviews

This is ultimately a failed experiment and I generally ignore it in continuity of the Winchester story. The central concept of a gangster saga between families of monsters is itself compelling, as evidence that several shows like this have come and gone. I think the bones of a such a series are present and the episode does enough to make me interested in checking out a few additional episodes. Have I come across this as isolated from 8 years of Winchester history I would have more or less liked it. Yeah it is a bit silly and yeah the writing is predictable. But the cast they got had potential and I like the vibe the tone the script was trying to set.

But no it is not *Supernatural.* A gang war over the control of a major US city is too central to society to fit in with the drifter, on the road vibe that the show has had over the years. It also raises a whole host of logical questions-why haven't hunters heard of these crime families? The Winchesters are barely involved in this episode-nothing critical in their story happens here-so at least it is easy to cut out of the series. The writer entirely ignored this moving forward for a reason.

Shapeshifters are strange "monsters", turf for what? they don't eat people...i thought it was fine tho.

The intro to this episode was essentially a Constantine club scene redux, including but not limited to the amorphous 'witch doctor' (in this case, the djinn). Honestly, they should have gone for homage and had an APC song playing in the background. The rest of the content alluded to other shows that have been established recently, or old tropes. For instance, the intro murder scene and interrogation read like Law and Order SVU, while the mysterious hunter that doesn't know that he is a hunter is almost an exact (albeit shortened) transposition of a recent Grimm episode. All of that is not to mention the simplistic 'Werewolves vs. Vampires' plot, which has been rehashed entirely too much. The reason that it bothers me is that it's not necessary for the plot of this episode, but for some reason, it just can't be let go. Oddly, the romcom tagline of 'meet me; this place, this time' gets thrown in for about five seconds of the episode when much better dialogue could have been utilized. Ignoring the fact that this storyline is a complete departure from the overall arc of the season, the characters of Sam and Dean fall flat in this episode; they come across as total badasses that just want to help a kid 'stay out of the game'. That being said… Supernatural is my jam. Still love it.

This "spin-off" episode left a bad taste in my mouth. From the new characters to the weak story line, it all feels empty, forced, and amateur. All the Supernatural characters we've grown to love have always had a gritty edge that makes them believable. Now they're switching to overly attractive college aged, rich kids with blank stares? Sure, Sam and Dean are attractive, but they're much more than that. They are multidimensional, personable, and not afraid to get dirty. Bobby was a fan favorite for that very reason. Crowley, Cass, Garth, even Lucifer are examples of regular looking people that pack a punch. They each add to the story in a unique and organic way! I would take a character with heart and imperfections over some boring pretty boy with a score to settle any day.

Also, this episode forced Sam and Dean to break all their own rules. A shape-shifter riding in the back of the Impala without so much as a shakedown NEVER would have happened. EVER. If you recall, Dean wouldn't even let a dog ride in his car in season 8. A shape-shifter would have had a special place in the trunk. He probably would have a sore jaw as well.

This spin-off has come across as a weird excuse for a soap opera with comparable acting. The writing is juvenile (at best) with holes in the story that just don't add up. 5 monster families go unnoticed by Bobby, Cass, Rufus, Crowley, *and* Samual (the Grandfather). All these old, seasoned veterans/main players and they stayed under the radar? Hell no! Not to mention Dick Roman (the Leviathan). He would have known about them and used them as muscle! Chicago would have been the ultimate battle ground.

Bottom line is, I wouldn't have a problem with a spin-off if they changed 3 things: *Incorporate believable characters that are rough around the edges. *Stick to the rules of the game that YOU SET! *Don't leave holes in the story.

Samual Colt in the old west. He built the devil's trap around hell's gate! That would be a captivating story to follow!

If this is the spin-off that's set to come, you can count me out. It just feels like the writers are catering to teenage girls. Just my opinion...

I always liked this episode. Never wanted a spinoff just a follow up of the characters of this episode. They never leave characters out of a second episode and this one is due.

I am so glad i gave it a shot. It has an a really bad rating and i read some reviews so i was preparted for it to suck, and understood it was very winchester light. I skipped it originally and only watched it after the season finally. As a backdoor Pilot taking everything out in the way of supernatural, its absolutly great. I would have happily watched it as it own show, but I can see its placing was wrong it was put in in the middle of the run up to seasons' end and if i had whatched then i think i would have disliked it but on its own, I love the back story and ideas of exactly that 'Bloodlines' it is absolutly some thing i could see either written in its own right. much like Vampire diaries, but the heavy subject matter and setting jars with SPN. so so long as you view it separately its a great episode, (can't believe i am saying this but having the Winchesters in it took away from the story.

I am sad it was never picked up.

I'm not sure what the producers were thinking when they decided to release this back-door pilot so late in the season, because they obviously weren't. Essentially what they did, is they released an episode that was 100% based on material that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual storyline that we've been watching for the past 20 episodes. On top of that, they decided to release it three episodes away from the season finale. When we're so close to the end of the 2nd last season, we simply don't have the patience for an episode like this when it literally doesn't contribute to the storyline whatsoever.

I haven't even begun to review the episode yet. If the producers' goal was to spark interest in a new, refreshing, and separate spin-off TV show, they failed. The main character was literally so uninteresting that after watching the episode, I can honestly say I don't know anything about him. In fact, every character in that episode just decayed of such generic garbage I almost thought I had bought an episode of Vampire Diaries on accident. All the monsters aren't monsters anymore, they're essentially just handsome, wealthy men. It's not interesting, it's just a pathetic attempt at the producers trying to implement a new idea to in their storyline to support their new show. It's just stupid.

At this point, I honestly think the only hope Supernatural has left is if they replaced the entire team of writers, directors, and producers.

This was such a low point for the show... a Monsters 90210 sideline that just deflated any hint of what good is left in Supernatural for fetishized rich and pretty 'monsters'. The last few episodes haven't been bad at all, but this one... sheeesh! What a STINKER!

I can take Supernatural the writers messing with the formula... the Men of Letters stuff is mostly fun (except for that OZ nonsense and the excessive amounts of Felicia Day, hopefully she won't be back)... but this mess totally subverted the overall infrastructure of the show to inject... pure crap. Is it intended as fodder for some spin off? I though the MoL were that? This Chicago nonsense is not something I'd watch, not something I want to ever revisit. If I wanted monster soap opera I'd watch True Blood!

I actually did really enjoy this episode when it aired and was shocked to see it have a lower rating than the finale. I liked the parallels between this couple and what happens later in the show.

..... A bad episode of television period. It's very "CW", which is hardly a compliment, the actors are all very samey though they do a fair job with a terrible script.

Bloodlines makes Route 666 look like Shakespeare.

I dont normally take time to write reviews but this was just bad. It not only feels like every generic teenage romance/monster movie out there but it does a bad job at doing it. Alot of those you can at least laugh at because of the cheesiness of them whail this episode is just boring. All it does is introduce a bunch of irrelevant characters that you never hear from again and that have no connection to the rest of the season at all. I understand it was suppose to be a spinoff but that doesn't excuse the horrible acting and writing.

By skipping it you miss absolutely nothing and save yourself the boredom.

You know... It's not a great pilot that's for sure and the plot is like whatever other series is. But I like the main story, the love story and the betrayal was good.

I take it over the finale thank you.

Feels like a pilot episode of a show that's not gonna be good. Characters are not interesting, storyline wasn't good enough. Shame it was included in this series full stop.

This episode was good! The characters were interesting, the plot was well written. It was a great look into what the world of supernatural looks like outside the perspective of seasoned hunters. It's a shame this never went forward as it's own series.

This review is long time coming. Yes I still rate in low even after 15x20. You can't just put an Originals- like story in the middle of Supernatural without any explanation of how these gangs survived being hunted by Crowley in Season 6, the Leviathans in Season 7 & the Men of Letters. This kind story could work with the proper build up like Wayward Sisters had. I think Bloodlines would have worked better in Season 6 with the Alphas, monsters & Eve. Probably these gangs could've been a safe haven for those who were hunting them in Season 6 but that a should've, would've, could've. Too bad it could've been good.

I'm honestly shocked at how much hate this episode has received. At the time I watched it, I immediately though "hey they should spin this off into its own show" before I knew that was the plan. Yes it was light on Winchester appearances, but so were the fairly popular Ghostfacer episodes, which in my opinion were far worse. The acting wasn't bad at all. The only problem is how unlikely it would be that all those gangs could run Chicago without the hunters finding out.

I have always loved Supernatural and how it always had the ability to stay fresh and interesting, no matter how many years it's been on. It's always been a phenomenal show to watch from week to week with hardly ever a problem with keeping it's audience interested... until this episode came out. I have never been so bored and uninterested in characters ever in the entirety of this show. I kept wanting to know what was going on with Sam, Dean, Cas, and everything else, but instead they focus endlessly on what seems like is a monster soap opera for teens. This episode just continued to angered me. I was wondering where the hell Sam and Dean were and why I was supposed to care at all about all these new boring and shallow characters. I finally got sick of it and turned it off. It really has no relevance at all to the Supernatural Season 9 storyline and you really shouldn't waste your time on it at all. I would just skip to episode 21 and get on with the story. Seriously, you'll thank yourself for the brain cells you'll save by never seeing it or the spin-off show it's based from.

I remember that this spin off was actually super intriguing in its own right. Genuinely anything would be better than Carry On tho honestly.