Berly and LA tackle Supernatural Season 8, Episode 15: "Man's Best Friend with Benefits" - and from the title alone, you can guess why the hosts were NOT having it.

The episode opens with a cop murdering people in gruesome neck-exploding fashion, only to reveal he's been having prophetic dreams about the killings. Enter James Frampton (yes, with embroidered initials JMF), a witch-cop whose beautiful Doberman familiar Portia can also take human form. And yes, they're sleeping together, which had the hosts immediately uncomfortable with the entire premise.

Sam and Dean get called in by Portia (who literally trots into their motel room as a dog, then transforms into a woman in a LBD and heels) to help James, who thinks he's murdering people in his sleep. The investigation leads them into the witch community, complete with a bar featuring telepathic chess and a suspicious character literally named "Philippe La Chat" (the cat) - because subtlety is dead.

The hosts were thrown from the start by Three Stooges references they had to Google, and spent the episode increasingly bothered by the familiar/witch romantic relationship dynamics. The case reveals James is being controlled by his jealous witch friend Spencer, who's upset about the forbidden familiar-witch romance and uses Phillipe to frame James.

After a witch fight involving some awkward special effects, the boys use one of Bobby's witch-killing spells to take out Spencer. The episode ends with James and Portia driving off together (with her inexplicably in dog form in the front seat) to start over somewhere new.

The real payoff comes in the final scene where Dean admits he trusts Sam to handle the trials after experiencing some hell visions, leading to their "we'll do this together" moment. Sam then coughs up blood and hides it from Dean, setting up future drama.

The hosts called this one of their least favorite episodes, citing excessive exposition, problematic relationship dynamics, and a general disconnect from the show's usual tone. Even the laundry basket pratfall that made them laugh couldn't save this one. Written by seasoned TV veterans, it felt like a missed assignment that just didn't work within the Supernatural universe.

"By the way, I gotta hand it to you. It's been 15 hours since Portia mentioned her night with James, and not one bestiality joke out of you."

Sources:

• https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Man%27s_Best_Friend_With_Benefits 
• https://k-oconnell.medium.com/familiars-what-they-are-and-how-to-get-one-a5869189912f

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