The Benders

It was inevitable that the show would eventually explore the cult murderous family that makes up a lot of the horror genre. This episode fits in with dozens of other "dangerous game" stories and nothing sets it apart. Of note, the Benders' characterization is utterly banal and predictable. Of course they hunt because it is fun. This is wasted potential.

Good episode for the simple fact there are no monsters in this one. Well,actually there are but they are human ones, which makes this one of the most scary in the series.

Vampires, zombies, demons and other assorted types of their ilk may make for interesting viewing, but we know in our heart of hearts that they are not lurking around the corner for us. Whereas with human killers, that is not the case. The brothers enter a missing people scenario thinking it the work of the type of creatures they hunt. Only to find it is all too human and with the aid of a almost friendly female sheriff, they discover the depths of evil that people can sink to.

A good 'Deliverance' type plot on dry land and a satisfying conclusion make this an excellent addition to the ongoing series.

So I am watching this series for the first time after several reccomendations from unrelated persons over a near 20 year period.

This is the first episode review i have written and i'll tell you why:

The Bakers.

That's right, NOT The Benders, but The Bakers. Anyone know what I mean yet?

I realise that I am nearly 20 years late to this party, but nearly a little more than a decade after this episode, came something else entirely.

I'm a big horror fan, but more than that I'm a horror video game fan. Namely, the Resident Evil series. That absolute likeness of this to the plot of Resident Evil 7 is uncanny.

The Bakers house looks just like The Benders. It was the very first thing that popped into my mind. The design of that house vs. The one in the game.

It blew my mind!

I don't know of this is sheer happenstance or if this somehow served as a reference or influence in some way. I just thought it was ultra cool to see the likeness.

I guess this isn't a review of the episode so much as it is a mindblowing commentary on what I have just seen.

All in all it was a good episode. Took away from the supernatural demonic theme and gave us a taste of a different kind of evil.

The "Residents" of this house bare clear similarities to that of the Bakers, but the layout of the home, unless this is a traditional home style for that region, has an insane likeness.

I'm quite enjoying the series and wish I had of been able to watch it when it first debuted. 15 seasons is a lot to catch up on.

Perhaps you are like me, watching this for the first time, are a fan of horror/games, saw this episode and were pleasently surprised.

I've seen some negative reviews for this episode, but bear one thing in mind: This series was aimed at young crowd. There is only so much you are allowed to do to keep it within the rating that the network will approve, and edited down to the time slot from week-to-week.

I'd focus more on appreciating their ability to cram what they can, heavy editing et all, week after week. Keeping us entertained and finding new ideas.

Now this show ran for 15 seasons so they must have been doing something right. Who cares if its deemed "cliché", there's only so much you can work with.

Just enjoy it man. I still give this episode a solid 8 (A 9 actually for the nostalga effect). If it were a 2-Parter, people would just make the same complaint, that its just a short-form horror flick.

I'd rather enjoy it than sit and complain. But clearly they did something right, seeing as there are vast similarities to this episode and the scariest game ever played RE7; at least up until that point in time, and i'm sure countless scores of people already agree. Just like anyone i've ever talked to who has played that game (VR, anyone?)

I was entertained, i'm sure you will be too. Give it a watch, the series is quite good so far.

The Benders is a key element to the series, simply because it reminded the audience how frightening humans can be and how similar they are to the daily monsters shown in the series.

The episode has some very terrifying villains, and it has the direction and cinematography look to that of a real crime/thriller film. It is punchy and not afraid to show the real nature of what people like this can do, and in that respect it reminded me of Rob Zombie's brilliant The Devil's Rejects. Anywways, one of the season's best and sure to please all of Supernatural's fans, even when, there is nothing supernatural about the situation.

Dean and Sam go to Hibbing, Minnesota, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a local. Once there, they realize that there are many missing persons in the place. When Sam vanishes in a parking area, Dean asks for help to Officer Kathleen (Jessica Steen), whose brother also disappear a couple of years ago. Dean and the sheriff disclose that Sam was abducted by a family of deranged hillbillies that hunt human beings.

"The Bender" is the scariest episode of this series up to this moment. In this tense story, the Winchester brothers do not face demons, ghost or fiends, but sick human beings worse than their usual enemies. I liked the open scene when Kathleen kills the father of the Benders; it is not explicit, and each viewer is allowed to have his or her own interpretation. In my point of view, justice worked through the hands of the female sheriff. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "A Família Bender" ("The Bender Family")