Unpopular opinion: “Bugs” is actually a good episode.
Okay it’s not actually an example of very high quality television, however it is good and here’s my explanation as to why.
It feels like the puberty of supernatural, the awkward transition between the early episodes where they’re trying things and getting their footing, to the later episodes where they’ve got a style and a mood and a flow established.
Like, in the episodes leading up to Bugs there’s a bunch of shots that are way too desaturated, like even for SPN, to the point where certain things in the focal point of the shot can’t be differentiated because it’s all just medium to dark greys. But right off the bat, watching Bugs I could see the difference in the visual filters/alterations they put on it, and they were much better and much more SPN. Same with some sweeping shots that were like waaay too close. There was one where the camera was behind Dean’s back to reveal a body on a table and it was too close to him so you got like a whole 3 frames of just pitch black shirt, which is too many.
The boys’ mannerisms and roles are also more solidified, though obviously not exactly the same, as those change over the course of the whole show, but they seem to fit their progressions better.
So yeah, Bugs is actually very good and important because it was the necessary awkward puberty of Supernatural.
