I think I haven't yet cracked the algorithm for predicting when you will and will not like an episode. (Though I was semi-spoiled and went in with an impending sense of doom about the brother, so compared to that I was quite relieved). Also, I LOVE John Winchester, so any time he's going to be central to an episode is going to be a good episode for me.

I did think this ep was excessively gory, though.