Ep 15. Beyond The Mat

Dean and Sam get to work once again as they check out a new case in Beyond The Mat, the fifteenth episode of season 11. In this episode, the show explores a rather interesting topic; the world of wrestling. The episode starts with a wrestler being kicked right out of the ring and flying into the crowd, where he lands perfectly on a chair, ready to take on his opponent. However, when the wrestler walks off the stage, he suddenly collapses. After the unfortunate incident, a group of wrestlers gather to say their goodbyes at a funeral, where Dean and Sam are trying to blend in so that they can investigate the situation.

It turns out that a lot is going on beneath the surface in the world of wrestling, including the existence of a fantastic supernatural creature called a "Wrestling Deity," a kind of godlike being that gives power to wrestlers as they perform. However, as the Winchester brothers investigate further, they find that this creature might have a darker side. There's a sense of danger and urgency that pervades the whole episode, even in moments that seem like they might be a little more lighthearted.

Throughout the episode, we see various characters get caught up in the power that wrestling holds. There’s a wrestler who can’t give up his loved hobby and keeps fighting, even if it means he could die. There’s also a manager who is trying to keep her wrestler safe and, along the way, tries to betray the Winchester brothers. With each reveal, Beyond The Mat builds up the tension, as the brothers try to figure out what's going on, and what they need to do to stop it.

The episode's best moments come from seeing the Winchester brothers interact with wrestlers and trying to keep up with them. Sam becomes a big fan of wrestling; whereas Dean is still just trying to fit in. It's a lot of fun to watch them try to go undercover in a way that isn't quite as typical as their usual disguises. It's also nice to see them getting to have fun, even though they're investigating a dark and dangerous case.

As the brothers continue to investigate, we see supernatural elements start to come into play. The Wrestling Deity, clearly a being of vast power, seems to be recruiting wrestlers to either receive their power or make them his followers. There are also gruesome moments that effectively tip the balance between supernatural and horror.

Overall, Beyond The Mat is one of the most fun episodes of Supernatural in season 11. It manages to find a great balance between horror and camp, with lots of twists and turns that keep the plot interesting. There are some legitimately scary elements that manage to build tension nicely, while the storyline adds humor and action to the mix. The writers have created a smart blend of humor, action, and horror, crafting an episode that feels like a fresh take on the Supernatural formula. With Beyond The Mat, Supernatural delivers a solid episode that will have viewers entertained until the very end.