9.16, or, Snookie, we hardly knew ye were so tiny until we saw ye next to the Js
Ah, 9.16. I've been influenced by y'all's reactions (many of which seem to revolve around delight at the brief duration of Dean's involuntary servitude to Cuthbert, because we SPN fans are perfectly normal and prefer depictions of normal, healthy relationships that don't involve sex slavery or anything at all resembling it), so I'm going to try to go back, back before I started reading your responses, and remember what my initial reaction was.
These days, I consider it a good episode when I feel joyful and entertained throughout (as opposed to the old days of SPN, when for that precious hour, I forgot there was any other reality) despite any of the now-all-too-common issues with canon or character consistency, and I was, I enjoyed it.
Loved simpering, human-blood-addict Crowley, who adores Sam because not only was he his human-blood pusher, but he was his very first taste of the drug. They say it's never again as good as the first dose .... I really admire actors who can switch between making a character despicable and sympathetic, and Shepard does it with ease.
As much as I was dreading Snookie, it was actually a good role for her (UNLIKE the Paris fiasco) within the context of the show, and she ... wasn't that bad! She couldn't transition from one thought/sentence into another and make it sound natural (which a lot of beginner actors struggle with), but her individual lines weren't half bad! (You know Jarpad likes Jersey Shore, right? I can't help but wonder if that's how she ended up on the show.)
I thought Lola was fantastic. And I LOVED the Cuthbert actor! Wow!! He gave a real sense of the history of the MoL, and genuinely seemed like a '50's throwback. Plus, he played his character just right--Cuthbert is off just enough that all his brilliant-but-horrifying ideas just seem good to him.
I loved Dean's helpless moment as Cuthbert sucked away his will, the way the First Blade is taking hold of him (and I guess ALL our monsters-of-the-week, from Crowley to Cuthbert, reflected the addiction/obsession/control theme, if unsubtly). I loved Crowley's heroics and adorable eagerness to please.
I'm not going to say it's the best episode ever, but there was so much to love. I guess even if Show is kind of a mess these days, this episode's winning charm and spirit of fun and how packed it was with Supernatural-ly goodness warmed my fannish heart.