Supernatural (TV Series) Dead in the Water (2005) User Reviews

Dark Water

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 27 November 2006]

While on the road, Dean and Sam read on the newspaper about the disappearance of three people in Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin. Once there, they use forged identity and meet Sheriff Jake Devins and later his daughter Andrea Barr and her son Lucas Barr. Dean and Sam are informed that the nearby dam will collapse sooner and submerge the town and the lake, and they conclude that there is a revengeful spirit in the lake. Their further investigation discloses a hidden secret from the past of three locals.

"Dead in the Water" is a dark episode of "Supernatural" and I particularly was glad to see Amy Acker, the "Fred" of "Angel", again on video. The intriguing story is well constructed and has a good resolution. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Morte na Água" ("The Death in the Water")

Neat

[mm-39 · 8/10 · 12 July 2006]

I like the special effects! The water guy/spirit effect was great. The show does a tribute to the old Friday the thirteenth movies with the camera shots of the lake and woods. The part with the boat is a homage to the first movie. The get out of town sheriff finds out they are faking being conservation officers is a great staple of the show. (The stunt is played on every show and I love it) The mystery is resolved, and the spirit must be exorcised. I like Ratt's Round and Round track. It was a good homage for the 80's type of guy who gives the show a certain style and feel of the 80's. I guess Round and Round is what the brothers do. I like the hint of sexual frustration by the brother Dean moving on and the attractive waitress shows so much attention for him. The small town mood and setting for Wisconsin is so accurate. Brings back memories for how much I like Wisconsin when I was passing through there. Even the towns people were true to life, excellent research. Bravo a good show. 8 out of 10.

What's in the water?

[SirFreckles · 8/10 · 12 February 2015]

After they couldn't find their father, the boys find themselves in Wisconsin where people have disappeared into a lake without a trace. They find out that the dam holding the lake will burst and submerge the town. Sam and Dean meet Andrea and her son Lucas and after the same thing in the water attacks Andrea and Lucas, Sam and Dean conclude that they are hunting a vengeful spirit in the water.

I really liked this episode, Dean's connection to Lucas was amazing and this was really the first time I really liked Dean. The special effects were great in this episode. While it wasn't as scary or creepy as the previous couple, it tells a great story. Yet again, Jensen and Jared were fantastic at playing their roles. I give it an 8/10!

The haunted lake

[on-the-road-so-far · 10/10 · 30 June 2014]

This episode revolves around two families in a small town in Wisconsin. The family members keep drowning one by one in a lake. Dean and Sam investigate and soon discover that a young boy was once murdered in that lake and his spirit is seeking revenge for his death.

While this episode isn't quite as scary as the previous two, it tells a solid story and notably it's also the episode which made me fall in love with Dean. In the course of nine seasons he became my favourite character ever on any TV show or movie, and I will always fondly remember this episode. For the first time we are allowed to truly see beyond his devil-may-care attitude and discover this lost little boy, who has seen his mother die at the age of four. We learn about how scared he was after loosing his mom, how he didn't feel like talking after her death and how he pulled himself together and became the man he is today by always trying to be brave for her.

It's also interesting that Sam acts surprised when he listens to Dean admit all this to Lucas and later on, when Sam tries to ask Dean about why he never told him how he felt, Dean brushes him off. It shows even more clearly than in the previous two episodes, how Dean has always protected his little brother. Dean wouldn't ever let him see how scared he was when they were growing up. He always took on the role as Sam's protector, even when he was still a child himself. Even now, with Sam sitting next to him all grown up, Dean still can't really admit to having any weaknesses in front of him. If there's one thing that always keeps Dean going, no matter what happens, it's his duty to always stay strong for Sam and to take care of him.

Jensen Ackles gives a heartfelt performance in those scenes with Lucas. It's in this episode that we start to really get an idea of the amazing range Jensen possesses as an actor. He always comes across 100% genuine, no matter if he's acting like a playful flirt, a worried brother, a heroic hunter or a lost little boy. The transition between all those facets of his character is portrayed flawlessly and I can promise you (if you're only just starting to watch the show and haven't seen any of the later episodes/seasons), that Jensen will continue to amaze you with his ability to bring this extremely complex character of Dean Winchester to life.

Favourite quote: My mom - I know she wanted me to be brave. I think about that every day. And I do my best to be brave. ~ Dean Winchester

Sam & Dean investigate a haunted lake

[katierose295 · 14 March 2008]

Dean's personality really come into focus in "Dead in the Water." It only takes one scene, and his entire character is defined. While Sam looks on with his mouth agape, Dean sits on the floor next to a scared child, and describe how he thinks of his mother every day. How he was traumatized by seeing her death and how he tries hard to be brave because it's what he thinks his mother would have wanted. For the first time, we see behind Dean's self-assured, cocky mask, to the insecure, frightened boy who really just wants his family to be safe and proud of him. Dean's one of my favorite characters ever, so I have no problems shamelessly gushing about him. But, this episode just really sets the foundation of his growth over the next seasons. If you're watching on DVD, you shouldn't skip this episode, if only to watch him steal the episode.

This episode revolves around a haunted lake. It seems that people are dying on it and around it in mysterious ways. Sam & Dean investigate and soon discover that something supernatural is going on. It seems to be centered on two families, one of which is quickly picked off by swimming and boating deaths and a rather unique drowning in a kitchen sink. The other targeted family belongs to the local sheriff. His daughter lost her husband on the lake and now her son Lucas is acting strangely. Dean bonds with the kid, looking at his drawings and talking about dead parents. When Lucas gives him crayon picture featuring a red bicycle, Dean is curious.

He and Sam soon discover that the bike belonged to a little boy who's been missing for years. It turns out that the sheriff and his friend drowned the boy in the lake and now the dead boy is getting revenge by killing their families. Lucas is his next target and he lures the boy to the lake. Sam & Dean dive into save him, while the sheriff wades into the water to sacrifice himself in his grandson's place. The episode ends with Lucas beginning to recover from his ordeal and Sam & Dean driving off in the Impala.

There are some good parts to this episode. I like the beginning where Dean is trying to flirt with the waitress. He just looks so cute when he smiles like that. And I actually enjoy watching Sam fume about how the brothers are wasting their time, looking into mysteries, instead of finding John. He's so single minded I just have to smile. Sam and John are incredibly goal oriented. It makes them destructive and willing to ignore the world around them while they focus on their target. (See season one's "Devil's Trap") They need Dean around to remind them that -Hey!- There are trees in this forest. Dean keeps the Winchesters on track with his open ended mission to saving people. John and Sam focus on the past: Getting revenge on the demon who killed Mary & Jess. Dean focuses on the present and the future: Helping people today and ensuring that the Winchester clan survives the battles in the future. On the scary front, this episode also has some great moments. The water killing people is pretty creepy. And the kid in the lake is down right frightening.

This episode has a theme of buried secrets and pasts coming back to haunt people. The dead boy comes back to haunt the sheriff and his friend. They cannot escape what they did, even when they try to "bury" it, like they did with bike, or sink it below the water, like they did with his body. Jessica continues to haunt Sam. His impatience and desire for vengeance, which he has buried inside of his heart, eat at him. Mary's death is haunting Dean. He has never recovered from watching her die or for what it did to his family. He buries himself in his work, but each person he fails to save is another weight on him. John's still missing, holding secrets of his own and haunting the boys by remaining just out of their reach. Lucas is haunted by the death of his father. Watching his father drown traumatized the boy so deeply that he can't even speak until he is submerged in the very lake where his father died and where the town's secrets began. It's only after Dean drags Lucas to the surface -All the painful secrets exposed and confronted- that the kid begins to heal.

On the down side, does the missing boy's mother ever find out the truth about what happened? It's so sad that she might never discover how he died

My favorite part of the episode: Dean talking with the Lucas at the playground. For some reason Dean always does well with outcasts and people who are "weaker" in some way. He's a protector by nature and he identifies with anyone who doesn't quite fit in. (See season one's "Something Wicked" and season two's "Nightshifter" for other examples of this.) Dean sitting there, playing with army men and drawing a picture of his family is just really sweet. I especially enjoy the fact that he drew them all before the fire in Kansas. So his Mom's alive, his dad's there beside them and Sammy is a tiny little kid. Just a nice look into Dean's mind.

Twister

[sn-watcher · 10/10 · 21 October 2008]

it's probably no mystery that I'm giving all these episodes 10 out of 10. It's just a brilliant show like a moving piece of art. I hope it ends up being one of those classic shows in the future. Great plots, great characters and the ability for the shows creators to write and make a TV show that makes you feel like your watching a blockbuster movie.

This one is no exception. With a spirit in a lake killing people by drowning them. The back story to this one is pretty good as Sam and Dean always research what ever they are dealing with and talking to victims friends and relatives posing as different authority figures. I don't know how they get all of those fake IDs and badges.

It's great that we get to see Dean expand his character in this one and show that he is not all ways a smart arse, picking up girls like he does at the start. We get to see Dean use his charms to connect with a young boy of one of the victims.

And the scenes in this are pretty good especial the sequence with the girl in the bathtub. And the end is really well done and has a great pace on it to keep audience on the edge of your seat.

A potboiler spiritual revenge elevated by the direction

[CubsandCulture · 8/10 · 29 August 2019]

The script isn't all that sharp in this episode. There is just something about making the kid not speak that screams hackneyed technique to justify Dean opening up about his past, mother. Likewise, the repeated refrain of "It's worse than dying" it too blunt and merely converts subtext into text. Gamble ended up being on the better writers one the show but this isn't her finest hour.

Nonetheless the episode is quite good. Manners (director) was really good at defining the show's style and this episode has some the creepiest imagery of the first season. Likewise, Ackles is particularly engaging in this episode. It is nice seeing Dean have a soft spot.

Surprisingly Good

[asphodelhawthorne · 10/10 · 30 October 2017]

Wow! Finally a good episode. And when I say good, I mean an awesome episode. What a difference from "Wendigo". This time the monster of the week is really interesting and scary. The drowning in the sink and in the bathtub gave me the heebie-jeebies. And the ghost reminds me a bit of the dead boy from "The Grudge". But the best part is the ending and the sacrifice of the grandfather. I liked him redeeming himself, by giving his life for his grandson.

Brothers against Evil: Spirit in the Lake

[Coventry · 6/10 · 9 March 2007]

The third episode (already) brings "Supernatural" into the territory of mainstream nowadays horror topics, with a story revolving on the restless spirit of a young child trapped in a remote Wisconsin lake and aiming his vengeance towards the innocent descendants of his murderer(s). Sam & Dean Winchester, continuously on the road looking for their vanished father, read about the mysterious drowning of a teenage girl in lake Manitoc and decide to investigate. With the help of a local beauty and her traumatized son, they quickly discover that several people, all connected to each other by blood, drowned in the lake over the past 35 years, yet none of the bodies were ever found. It also seems like a couple of townspeople know more about the "thing" that dwells the lake, but they suspiciously keep their mouths shut. This story's content is rather reminiscent to a lot of recent Asian ghost movies (and their American remakes), like "The Ring", "Ju-On: The Grudge" and "Phone". The convoluted story slowly develops and the horrific effects are limited to POV-shots from underneath the water and/or the occasional glimpse at a blurry shape hiding in the lake. The atmosphere of "Dead in the Water" is also less intense than in the previous two episodes and the script sadly reverts to a couple of dreadful clichés, like the silent kid and 'self-sacrifice'-finale. Still, "Supernatural" remains one of today's superior TV-series, with main characters that get more likable with each episode and a spitfire of witty dialogs. The filming locations are excellent and the multiple ominous images of the still lake will surely remind hardcore horror fans of Jason Vorhees' hunting area in the legendary "Friday the 13th" films. I'm secretly hoping the show soon gets a little gorier, but probably not.

before i was born

[jadeholzhey · 10/10 · 28 February 2020]

This episode came out THE day before i was born, that just feels crazy to me. Also i love the show. Im on season 4 rn and its great. This episode was amazing

A little splash

[injury-65447 · 6/10 · 24 June 2020]

Definitely more interesting than the Wendigo episode. However, a vengeful lake spirit isn't the most original idea. Nor is a child that draws spooky drawings, done to death!

I think the acting from the minor characters was okay this time.

The highlight for me was the sink drowning. That scene was actually very effective.

I still feel compelled to keep watching, even though I don't think the show is very good yet. I have hope for the future.

It's good.

[yeahoksurethatsfine · 7/10 · 15 February 2021]

I liked it. It was good. It's a little slow and the monsters a little wack but there was more story building which was nice.

Water Day!

[zeppo-2 · 7 February 2006]

Interesting episode in this series where the main protagonists are still finding their feet and getting into character. Bit of a hoary plot of the 'ghost from the past returning to wreck revenge,' but handled pretty well and has a few twists and turns to make it extremely watchable.

Unlike a lot of child actors in American shows, the one is this isn't that annoying but then again, he's mute throughout the story! Due to shock from seeing his father killed by the wraith and can only communicate to the world via his drawings. All of which give the brothers the clues to crack the case.

Ok

[shwetafabm · 7/10 · 20 May 2020]

Has a mystery, formulic again. Dean gets some character development, Sam remains whiny,

Nice

[zombiehigh18 · 27 October 2011]

Definitely a great third episode. I like the monster in the water - angry spirit from the past theme, it is so different from the whole climax of the series and I wish they used that more often. I think the real personalities of the brothers truly showed in this one, Sam with his puppy talk and his 'we understand" attitude that sticks with him for further episodes is clear now, just like what we saw at the end of the second episode when he stood in front of that Halley girl and her brothers to protect them from the Wendigo after Dean's speech about saving as many lives as they can. Which is the true reason many viewers liked Sam for conscious, his caring attitude and his everlasting desire to save people even if he can save supernatural beings. And of course Dean, Who can charm a girl just by sitting there and his funny nature. Yet he is really a very sensitive guy from the inside. It came very clear in the scenes with Lucas. It was cute how he was relating to him and we see the real Dean, The young boy who is still traumatized by his mother's death (not the solid fear nothing guy he tries to be) a rather ordinary young man who tries so hard to make his family proud, to be brave as his mother would have wanted him to be, and to simply hold it together for the sake of his little Sammy.

This episode definitely sets the theme of the series like: their aliases and how they excel in doing their parts, the scenes with the brotherly moments where they sit and try to talk about their problems and Dean perpetual refuse to share. The cast did a great job including the supporting actors. Jensen was so believable and sincere. There was some nice moments in the episode that I enjoyed: 1- Dean expressing his anger for the first time on Sam running away to college and leaving him behind. 2- Andrea shutting Dean out. 3- The boys jumping in the lake without hesitation to save the little boy and Dean succeeding to save Lucas. 4- The scene when Dean protects Lucas when his mother was drowning. 5- the final scene with Dean at the boy and his embarrassment when Andrea kissed him. And finally Dean's everlasting guilt for every soul he can't save.