Route 666

Excellent episode, showed Dean has not only good taste by picking Cassie for his girlfriend but also shows he does have a heart and can love just one woman, and he's not just some guy who loves and leaves em! Aweso e episode. Applaud them on this one. I only hope that some way they go back to the Cassie relationship next season (if there is a next season??) i would like to see her come back into their "supernatural" lives especially Dean's. Also I like the fact the chose an African-American woman to be the special lady in his life that got away somehow. I hope they don't screw that up and end it as he episdoe ended. The girl who played Cassie was truly a looker and it was good to see the WB branching out into what we all see in everyday life-the interacial coupling that has become common and acceptable(finally!)

I like that the show is moving further and further away from the typical haunted house tropes and going into weirder places, which is what I was hoping since I began watching. It's not perfect by any means, but the concept is interesting enough to want to stick around to learn more about it, though it's still one of the weaker episodes of season one.

Also, I saw another review mention how the daughter couldn't have known how her father died, but it's obvious that the truck had been following him since before the incident, and she just speculated on the cause of death based on the dent on his vehicle.

The thing that makes it bad is the monologue that isn't well acted, the thing that makes it hilariously bad is the fact that a truck is looming around in the retelling of the tragedy. The mystery is weak, the relationship gives us some insight and a very awkward s#x scene.

Apart from being a clever and well-marketed variation on the nowadays hugely popular horror genre and a splendid formula to attract potential new fans in general, I always somewhat considered "Supernatural" as a massively giant homage towards the genre through the decades. Although not always noticeable to younger viewers and/or people who only have an interest in more recent horror films, each and every single episode contains a few obvious and subtler references towards classic and influential titles. From that point of view, it was only a matter of time before the writers would pay tribute to the 'creepy vehicle without a driver' type of films, and even more specifically the 70's milestones "Duel" (Steven Spielberg's acclaimed debut) and "The Car". Being an avid fan of these two films, I enjoyed "Route 666" a lot even in spite of its flaws and shortcomings. The episode opens tense and atmospherically on a remote Missourian road, where a black man is hunted down and eventually killed by a menacing monster truck with seemingly no driver behind the wheel. The victim's daughter, Cassie, happens to be Dean's ex-girlfriend and she calls the Winchester Brothers in for help. The brothers can't prevent two more similar "accidents" before discovering the ghost-truck sudden presence relates all the way back to a racial dispute of the 60's, involving both of Cassie's parents as well as several more prominent inhabitants of the little town. Some of my fellow reviewers around here tend to label "Route 666" as one of the weaker entries in season one, mainly because the script is too preachy regarding racial issues and shows a different and more emotional side of Dean's character. He's usually the strong silent type, whereas here he's confronted with unfinished romantic affairs from the past here. To a certain level I agree with the racism debate, but it didn't bother me that much, really. The writers eventually had to give an explanation to the presence of the ghost truck, and racial conflict is an acceptable one as far as I'm concerned. Concerning Dean's emotional vulnerability, I can only state it's admirable to see how the writers continuously attempt to provide depth and detail to the main characters. Dean's behavior towards Cassie sheds a whole new light on him, in fact. Besides, what really counts in this episode is the wondrously sinister truck and its virulent attacks. It's an impressive and overpowering vehicle, producing blinding lights and grisly engine noises. In case you worshiped the brilliant aforementioned "Duel", you will definitely find some amusement in the compelling chase sequences depicted in "Route 666".

I liked the fact that the series tackled the issue of racism, and had felt that they would given the subtle social and political subtext of the show.

The message in the episode is far from subtle though, with the references to racism and the Civil Rights movement in nearly every scene, to the point of lecturing. I'm not defending racism, of course, just think this is a bit overbearing. Final product is rather disappointing with the social commentary and "supernatural" elements existing unevenly. In part the show is "Burning Mississippi" but then swithces abruptly into "The Highwayman". Still I'm glad that they finally gave Dean a romantic interest, and concur with the other viewer that they should keep Cassie as a recurring character. She is a good complement to Dean personality.