So, I watched the episode twice, once last night, when my impression was "not good, not bad", and again today. Let me just say that I was not *more* impressed upon second watching.

There were some things to like about this episode. For instance: other, "pagan" gods, getting together to complain about the predominance of that upstart Judeo-Christian faith and its threat to destroy "their" world (admit it, they're right, they were here first). Gabriel. Lucifer. Elephants. A very powerful feminine figure, quite possibly the most powerful god in the room, even if she was a little too "destroy first, ask permission later". Dean and Sam trying very hard to work together; at least they seemed to be on the same page again. The whole Hotel California-type setting, which should have been better handled. The fact that other religions were represented at the highest levels is only fitting since they have previously been represented by supernatural creatures (Vanir, Tulpa, and others come to mind).

There were some things to dislike about this episode. I tried very hard, after Dark Side of the Moon, not to cringe when I read Dabb&Loflin's names in the credits, but they have disappointed yet again. It was not entirely their fault, since the directing was also seriously lacking. For example, the show should have ended with the final gasp of Casa Erotica 13. The last scenes with Pestilence were not only unnecessary for this episode's story but *seriously* overplayed.

It appears that ALL of the old-school pagan gods subsisted by eating humans. Now, we've seen the Vanir which needed human sacrifice, and the pagan gods in A Very Supernatural Christmas who also took their "tribute" in the form of sacrificial human offerings. But this episode would have us believe that even the Greco-Roman gods, the Oriental gods, all historical mythologies with the apparent exception of Judeo-Christian -- all of them EAT PEOPLE FOR DINNER. All of them. Anybody else have a problem with that?

I love that Gabriel finally stepped up to the Team Humanity plate. That he finally realized that he needed to stand up to his family. Love it. But I hate that it was because he was so smitten by a former love that he entered into the fray at all. And I am really really sad that one of my favorite recurring characters, after Bobby and Castiel, is now (apparently) deceased.

I loved that Lucifer had what appeared to be actual remorse when he killed his brother. But he did it anyway. I love the irony in Dean lecturing Gabriel about being unwilling to kill his own brother (hello Pot, meet Kettle). I was highly irritated by not being able to see enough nametags to make out more than a few gods; I frankly didn't care enough after the episode ended to go through the "convention" scenes frame-by-frame, as I did last week with Dean's letter, to see if I could read their names, so I have no idea who half of the contestants were supposed to be. None of them seemed particularly godlike anyway. With the exception of Kali, and possibly Ganesh, the casting of the gods was not plausible to me. I DID see the irony in all of the old gods appearing to be kinda run-down, kinda creepy, kinda used-to-be-somebody folk. To an extent that actually worked. But I would have hoped, for example, that Baldur or Mercury might more strongly resemble the historical depictions of them. Seeing Mercury as a bow-tie-wearing desk clerk (yeah, I know, messenger of the gods, whatever)... maybe I just don't get the joke, but it was a huge disconnect between the outward appearance of the actors and the gods they were supposedly portraying. I'd like to think Show was deliberately making a statement by such casting choices. If so, the statement is apparently that the Judeo-Christian religion is the only worldview that matters or has any real power (or as Lucifer implied, has seized the real power), and that just leaves a funny taste in my mouth. Please, no religious wars in the comments, and do not attempt to save my soul. I am not declaring myself anti-Christian or pro-pagan gods. I just think that Show could be more sensitive. But as Kali said, Westerners are arrogant, and think theirs is the only religion that matters. That could have been fixed by a few additional lines (they could have found the time by cutting Pestilence's appearance). Perhaps Lucifer could have explained, as he was so easily stomping on the other gods, that he draws his powers from the chaos brought forth by the Judeo-Christian-themed apocalypse, and is therefore now the most powerful player.

In all, I found this a disappointing episode. I know that, after last week's 100th episode win, it was unlikely to be awesome in comparison, but it could have been so much better. I guess I'll focus on the good and look forward to the next new episode. Is it Thursday yet?