This was supposed to be a comment in the discussion on spn_bunker but I decided it needed pictures! Lots of pictures! Because the defining characteristic of this episode, for me, is that it's so damn pretty.

( Click to see the pretty... )
And there are so many wonderful moments. The introduction of "Christo," which we remember and love even if the writers don't. Sam's voice, which is pretty soft through the episode, turning loud and powerful when he's Latinating. Little pieces of characterization and story arc, like the way Dean looks at Sam when Jerry says John was proud of him, the fact that Sam still isn't sleeping, the way Dean sleeps withna weapon under his pillow, Dean's pride in his homemade EMF reader, the reveal of John's voicemail message. It's just one of those great classic episodes that's a little bit MOTW, a little bit grand story arc, and a whole lot of pretty.