Berly and LA tackle Supernatural Season 8, Episode 20: "Pac-Man Fever" - where Charlie returns, Dean's emerald eyes are absolutely stunning, and Sam's demand avoidance kicks into overdrive.

The episode opens with a fun time-travel misdirect before revealing it's actually Charlie's nightmare. Meanwhile, Sam's barely recovered from the second trial - he can't even hit the gun range target and just shoots the walls instead. Charlie shows up with a case about victims with liquefied insides (djinn!), and after proving her shooting skills and enduring a "Walking on Sunshine" montage, she partners with Dean while Sam stays behind to rest.

Plot twist: Sam ignores orders and shows up at the crime scene anyway. The coroner turns out to be the djinn who kidnaps Charlie, trapping her in a nightmare video game where she's desperately trying to save hospital patients. The emotional core: Charlie's been secretly caring for her comatose mother, and her nightmare reflects her fear of losing her.

Dean drinks African dream root to enter Charlie's nightmare, leading to THAT scene where he looks absolutely gorgeous in army green against neon walls - the hosts were very appreciative of how the lighting made his eyes pop. Dean helps Charlie confront her fear and let go, breaking the djinn's hold. Sam meanwhile handles the djinn's teenage son back in the real world.

The episode ends with Charlie saying goodbye to "my boys," then reading The Hobbit to her mother one last time before letting her go. Dean hugs Sam instead of lecturing him - a genuinely touching moment that had Berly tearing up during both the episode AND the recap.

"Real life role-playing is hard."

Sources:

• https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Pac-Man_Fever 
• https://pacman.fandom.com/wiki/Map_256_Glitch 
• https://www.buzzsprout.com/2076426/episodes/12389228-what-is-and-what-should-never-be-2x20

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