Supernatural (TV Series) Nightmare (2006) User Reviews

A very important episode in the story arc

[zombiehigh18 · 9/10 · 29 October 2011]

Sam sees another nightmare about a man getting killed in Michigan. So he and Dean disguise as priests (which is their best disguise ever) and go see the family. When the victim's brother is killed by yet another mysterious way, Sam discovers that Max (like himself) has special telekinetic powers and he uses those powers to get revenge of his family who abused him. Furthermore,They find out that Max's mother was dead in a fire in his nursery just like their mother. Sam begins to get worried that he might turn evil like Max since they share the same background, but Dean reassures him saying "As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you."

There are some high points in this episode:

1- Sam's premonitions are getting more intense, Dean is more worried about his brother, but he is holding it together to comfort him,(But you can see in his eyes that it's way over his head)hiding his worries by a joke as always.

2- Dean is annoyed by the idea that their family is cursed. He thinks their family is awesome with some dark spots, which is childishly cute.

3- I miss the days when Sam was arguing Dean about killing humans, before he got all cold and heartless. (But the man has been through a lot,who are we to judge).

4- Sam discovers that there are other kids like him, which starts out the story arc about a bigger daemon's plan.

5- The premonition where Dean is shot in the head was shocking. Most viewers will gasp in terror. (God knows I did).

6- Sam's telekinetic surge when he saw the premonition of Dean dying was overwhelming. (I wish they used his telekinetic powers again).

7- Sam appreciating his father and the way he raised him was good. (I think that's when Sam began to accept his life)

The main theme of this episode is "Fear". Max's fear of his family for hurting him. Sam's fear of becoming an evil psychopathic killer. Dean's fear for his brother, his premonitions, the headaches and not knowing what they are dealing with.

This is an episode you don't wanna miss.

Sam's Premonitions Taken to a New Level

[hotcountry_chick · 8/10 · 23 May 2012]

For the past few episodes, it has been revealed that Sam has been experiencing these premonitions in which terrible things are about to happen to others. Sam had been keeping this from Dean, until "Home", when Sam finally admits that he has psychic abilities. Now, the younger Winchester has been experiencing more visions of people dying, but with seemingly no connections to the supernatural. Every time Sam and Dean rush to the rescue, however, they are too late. It turns out that the deaths are connected to a boy named Max, who has been abused by his family to the point that he is ready to kill anyone who has hurt him in his childhood. Here's the thing, though. Max is just like Sam. Needless to say, Sammy is worried that he is going to go "rogue" and Dean is lying to himself, trying to convince them both that Sam will never become a killer.

Though not the best episode of Supernatural, "Nightmare" is definitely a solid hour, entertaining me and providing the usual chills expected from earlier seasons. I especially enjoyed the episode's climax. Sam's latest vision is that of Max delivering a fatal head shot to Dean. Trapped in a closet with the door blocked by a heavy dresser, Sam realizes that if he does not do something soon, the latest fatality will be his brother. In fear for his brother's life, Sam uses a new power, telekinesis, to move the dresser and save Dean. It is a beautifully written moment for Jared Padalecki, who has had fewer emotional moments than his co-star. His confrontation with Max was also well done. Padalecki's delivery as he tries to convince Max that everything will be fine is stellar! Good episode, solid 8 out of 10

Undeveloped promise

[CubsandCulture · 8/10 · 4 September 2019]

On its own this is a really compelling episode. Max Miller is a believable tragic figure and he brings some great pathos to the supernatural and Supernatural. Unfortunately, the show never does fully develop the psychic kids storyline and the several episodes connected to them feel short changed. It ends up feeling contrived and plotty that Sam has a connection to the Miller family as why he had visions for them but none of the other psychic kids (or families) is left completely unexplored.

There is also a bad scene of world building in which the boys use a device that is never seen or mentioned again that just doesn't fit with in the aesthetics of the show (Too techy, not blue collar enough).

In retrospect this entire storyline could have been more.

Sam's Visions Get Worse

[katierose295 · 8/10 · 18 March 2008]

This is an important episode for the series. It establishes that Sam's not the only kid with special powers, or the only baby whose mother was incinerated over his crib. It's also the episode that shifts Dean's main mission from "hunting things and saving people" to "protecting Sam." Dean's always been looking out for Sammy, in fact he practically raised the kid. (see season one's "Something Wicked.") But after "Nightmare," Dean's concern for Sam, and his worry about Sam's powers are Dean's main focus in life. If you're watching the episodes on DVD, you shouldn't skip "Nightmare," since it sets up a lot of stuff for the rest of the season one and helps establish the story arc of season two.

"Nightmare" revolves around Sam finding another kid with physic abilities. Sam has another prophetic dream of a guy dying and insists that he & Dean investigate. The dead guy had a creepy son, named Max, a quiet wife, and an angry brother. Sam & Dean crash the funeral, dressed as priests to question the bereaved and quickly determine that it's not the work of a ghost. After the brother also dies mysteriously and Sam has a vision of it, the boys turn their attention to Max. Sam and Dean are also worried because Sam's visions are now coming when he's awake, too.

It turns out that Max was abused by his uncle and father. He killed them to get revenge and now he's after his step-mother because she just stood-by and watched. Sam and Dean try to stop him, but soon Max has them all at gun point. Sam and Max talk, and Sam realizes that Max has the same sort of mysterious powers that he does. Max's are a little different in that he can move things with his mind, though. Max also tells Sam that his mother died on the ceiling of his nursery, burning. Like Sam, Max's powers began to manifest recently and are getting stronger. Then he locks Sam in the closet and goes after Dean & the mom. Sam sees a vision of Max killing Dean and power surges out of him. He opens the closet with his mind and saves Dean, but before they can stop him, Max turns the gun on himself. Sam is upset over Max's death and the new questions he has about his own powers. Sam and Dean leave town, with Dean promising his brother that Sam isn't evil, or dangerous to anyone like Max and that they will get answers to what's going on.

There are some good parts to this episode. I like Dean's shock when Sam mutters that that their family is cursed. "We're not cursed. We've just had some dark spots." Dean has such a childlike belief in his family that it's kinna sweet. I also like Sam's conversation with Max. Sam comes to see how much harder his life would have been if he hadn't had John and Dean there to protect him. It's also the threat to Dean's safety that makes Sam break free of the closet. It's an indication of things to come, where the brothers will do incredible things to keep each other safe. Finally, I like Sam & Dean dressed up like priests. They're just cute... In a "Thornbirds" kinna way.

On the down side, is Sam's telekinesis ever going to come back again?

My favorite part of the episode: Dean assuring Sam that, "As long as I'm around, nothing bad is gonna happen to you." Then he makes a joke about heading to Vegas to test out Sam's new powers. Sam laughs and you can see that he's comforted by Dean's words. Then Dean turns and there's a close up on his face, all the worry he hid from Sam reflected in his eyes. It shows how many of Dean's thoughts and concerns he hides behind a joke and quick smile. All of their lives he comforted Sammy, by telling him he would handle it and acting like it was all under control. But beneath the surface, Dean is scared to death.

Bend this spoon for me

[shwetafabm · 9/10 · 23 May 2020]

The ep captures much of the tension that is ultimately going to be between Dean and Sam. It is intense, you are hooked on the mystery. Its a disappointment in the sense that it doesn't deliver in the future. Why not keep psychic Sam... Hmmm

Premonitions and Telekinesis

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 20 December 2006]

Sam has a premonition and sees the death of a man in Michigan. He calls Dean and they drive to the town. Pretending to be priests, they interview the wife, the brother and the son Max of the victim in the funeral. Sam has another nightmare, where he sees the death of the brother of the victim. Sooner her discloses that Max had been abused by his father and his uncle, and he is using telekinesis to revenge. Further, Sam finds also that the mother of Max was killed by the same demon that killed his mother and that he also the same ability of Max, but he can not control his telekinesis.

In this episode, Sam finds that is connected to a person that also lost the mother killed by the same fiend that killed his, and he has an uncontrolled power of telekinesis. This episode is only reasonable. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Pesadelo" ("Nightmare")

Brothers against Evil: Carrie's younger brother

[Coventry · 7/10 · 1 February 2009]

After a couple of wonderfully sinister and traditionally horrific escapades in the previous episodes (involving pagan scarecrows, ghost truckers, restless asylum spirits and even the grim reaper himself), this installment "Nightmare" brings the emphasis more or less back to Sam and Dean's very own familial curse. Sam is rudely awakened by premonitions of members of the same family getting brutally killed by some sort of invisible force. As it turns out the murders then occur exactly like illustrated in Sam's psychic visions, the duo sets out to prevent them. A short but effective investigation teaches them there aren't any spiritual forces at work in the Miller's house and the murderous acts are actually the work of the son who recently developed telekinesis. The shock gets even bigger – especially for Sam – when the son, Max, lost his real mother to the same demon the Winchesters did. As a young at heart horror fanatic, I have to admit I prefer the "Supernatural" episodes dealing with freaky ghosts and hideous monsters and, as you could already guess from the brief description, this episode has none. This episode deals with themes that are similar to those used in a couple of vintage horror films, like Brian DePalma's "Carrie" and David Cronenberg's "Scanners". The sudden development of Sam's psychic powers related to the supernatural force that killed his mother and girlfriend is a nice and interesting twist on the running plot outlines. There are a few remarkably harsh and brutal moments in this episode, like a shocking knife murder and a shot in the head. The interactions and personal differences between Sam and Dean is getting more intense all the time.

Why the sudden crying?

[hnt_dnl · 3/10 · 31 March 2022]

This is the 2nd episode in a row with way too much crying for my taste. The first half of the season did a better job mixing the serious and the humor into the supernatural mystery plot, but this episode went the Afterschool Special route much like the one before. I found the actor playing the "kid" to be very bad. I kept getting distracted because the actor looks 40! Much like the lady's annoying monologue in the prior episode, I found the long dialogue between Sam and the "kid" to be cloying. Also, the cheesy special effects really took me out of the this story. Hopefully, the writers dial down all the crying for the remaining episodes of the season.

Kind of like the old movie Scanners

[mm-39 · 7/10 · 10 July 2006]

If anyone reading these comments has the TV channel showcase, they you have probably seen the old movie Scanners. Supernatural Nightmare is a mix of Scanners and the movie Carrie. The plot is a mix of what happens to mom and trying to stop a unbalanced person with telekinesis. Supernatural has the usual balance of the two lead protagonists. A blend of the good looking girl, and the realism of the price the protagonist has to live with the sacrifice of dealing with the supernatural. How do they live? Are they rich as they do not need jobs. Do they get down time? I hope next season the show answers these questions. 7 out of 10! I wish they just keep showing the show on the same time slot in my area (Winnipeg).

First Scene Already Horrible Writing

[mcpuffin-16684 · 1/10 · 8 September 2019]

In the very first scene, in less than 1 minute of runtime, they have a guy die from exhaust inhalation, but he flails around and struggles to get out while coughing and then drops dead and his eyes are wide open for some reason. Firstly everyone in the world knows that when someone dies of exhaust inhalation they will first fall asleep, then after a number of hours they will die silently and peacefully. NOT flail around and then pop their eyes open after death. This show somehow gets worse with every episode.

Edit: Later in the episode someone's head is cut of by a thick wooden window frame exactly the way a guillotine works, but everyone knows a guillotine uses a massive heavy blade. Not a bathroom window made of wood. That would only crush his jugular which would probably still kill him if he didn't receive immediate medical attention. Clearly no thought is put into any of these scenes.

Sam is not the only one.

[snwbatz · 5/10 · 3 June 2022]

Unfortunately this episode just doesn't work for me. The plot is about as interesting as shutting a door. The only thing to take away from this episode is that it introduces the fact that Sam isn't the only one who's mother burned on the ceiling and is now having weird mind powers. Everything else is quite bland because the whole builds up to that reveal and once it's revealed the episode just deflates because that's the only reason the episode exists.