I agree wholeheartedly. I see this season as a transition, and I think it deserves more credit than AV club gave it. Seasons 6 and 7 were pretty far from bad television, but following the glory of season 5, they were quite a step down. 
Now they've changed writers, and season 8 seems, to me, to be their way of patching…

Oddly enough, I've heard from a lot of people that DEAN doesn't get enough focus. Sam is the one who stuff always happens to (Jessica's death, his struggle wanting to have a normal life, the demon powers, Lucifer madness, and now the trials), and Dean's usually there just figuring out how to protect Sam. I think I…