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The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for "Dream A Little Dream of Me," the latest episode of The CW series "Supernatural."

"No one can save you because you don’t want to be saved." - Sam to Dean

Dean (Jensen Ackles) finds his brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) in a bar drinking whiskey in the middle of the afternoon ... very strange behavior for the younger Winchester. Sam can’t understand why his brother doesn’t seem interested in getting out of his deal that will send him to hell. "How can you care so little about yourself? What’s wrong with you?" he asks Dean.

The impromptu pre-wake of the doomed older brother is interrupted when they receive a call informing them that their friend and surrogate father Bobby (Jim Beaver) is in an unexplained coma.

When Sam and Dean rush to Bobby’s side, they investigate the case he had been looking into.

A doctor was experimenting with an herb known as African Dream Root to treat patients suffering from a disorder that prevents them from dreaming. However, Dr. McNightmare’s practices were unsanctioned, unknown and eventually took a very dark twist.

One of his patients turned on the good doctor and killed him in his sleep -- putting him into a coma from which he never woke up. Sensing a disturbing pattern, the brothers decide to ask Bella (Lauren Cohan) to procure the root so they can enter Bobby’s dreams and rescue him. She does and they do.

However, after they all wake up, they discover that the evil dreamwalker holds the DNA key to re-enter Bobby’s and Deans’ dreams at will. After staying highly caffeinated for two days, Dean decides to sleep and get the confrontation over with. Unwilling to send his brother into nightmareland alone, Sam accompanies him.

In the ensuing battle, Dean comes face to face with his greatest desires, greatest fears and his greatest enemy -- himself.

What Worked

Just about everything worked. The cinematography alone would have made this episode. While a storyline involving extensive dream sequences does give creative license to the director and director of photography, there is never any guarantee that they will do so well with it ... unless the show is "Supernatural."

To play so effortlessly with light and dark, shadow and illumination, black and white and brilliant Technicolor takes talent, vision and courage. It is too bad The CW doesn’t trust this creative team enough to allow them this amount of creative freedom every week.

Discovering Bobby’s fiery baptism into the world of the supernatural was a treat for fans who have been dying to learn more about their favorite recurring guest star. While the story of his wife is not totally unexpected, the sight of a Bobby who doesn’t seem to know everything was almost shocking.

And the interaction between Bobby and Dean was revealing, especially when Dean breaks through his panic by verbally confirming what fans of the show have suspected all along -- that Bobby has become a surrogate father for the boys.

Dean’s dreamwalking revealed more depth to his long-suspected self-loathing, but Sam’s culminated in a foray to the darker side of his soul: he killed Jeremy, the dream root-junkie killer.

Self-defense? Certainly. Justified? Absolutely. Un-Samlike? Completely. At least, the Sam we came to know and love before he died. Since his unholy resurrection, however, we have seen glimpses of a darker Sam, fanning the flames of Dean’s fear that his brother came back different.

On a comedic note, Sam’s erotic dream involving Bela was a welcome and hilarious moment of levity, especially when he woke up and Bela paid the brothers a real visit.

However, the revelations involving Dean upstaged everything else in the episode. Sam’s discovery that his brother would like more out of life -- a wife, children, happiness -- exemplified how much Dean routinely conceals from his brother ... and himself.

Dean’s confrontation with himself finally brought him to the turning point he needed in order to muster the strength to fight his fate. The old adage that depression is merely anger without enthusiasm has been Dean’s theme for Season 3, but that seems to be changing.

Finally, he had the cathartic opportunity to confront his demons -- so to speak. Considering the blind loyalty and devotion he has always exhibited towards his father, hearing him rail against him was heartwrenching, yet satisfying. And Ackles carried the scene beautifully. I felt a surge of hope when he yelled that he always looked after Sam and he didn’t deserve to go to hell. And then, we were treated to a glimpse of a possible future -- demon Dean.

While that would change the tone of the show drastically, the possibility is intriguing. The writing team is talented enough to pull it off, and with Ackles considerable acting talents, it could work.

What Didn’t Work

In a word: Bela. While her theft of the Colt provides a credible reason for them to cross paths again, the situation still feels too forced. Surely, if Bela hadn’t been squeezed into the margins of the mythology, the resourceful Winchesters would have found another source for the rare herb. It’s rare, but it’s a plant. Someone has to grow it.

And if a local doctor was using it in experiments, they could track down his supplier with all the records the teacher assistant provided. Sam and Dean have gotten by just fine for two seasons (not to mention their entire lives) without her, but suddenly they are rendered incapable of even the simplest tasks when Bela needs to appear.

Cohan is a fine actress and I would have enjoyed seeing her appear in some other capacity, but turning the brothers into Laurel and Hardy in order to justify her appearance doesn’t seem to be it.

That said, regardless of any constraints placed on Kripke and company -- or additions forced on them by a network terrified of an hour of television not providing sufficient girl-power action figure Barbies -- I have faith that they can find this character’s niche. I hope the strike concludes in time for that to occur this season.

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

"Dream A Little Dream Of Me" teleplay was written by Cathryn Humphris with story by Humphris and Sera Gamble. It was directed by Steve Boyum ("Criminal Minds"). Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki star on "Supernatural," which airs on Thursday nights at 9/8c on The CW.