More Dean?

In Season One of Supernatural, even though Jared Padalecki started out with top billing, and the story was purportedly about Sam, both Sam and Dean really had pretty equal screen time. They were almost always together until "Scarecrow," when they split for the first time. Even then, we saw them the same amount. "The Benders" gave us a little more Dean—logical, with Sam locked in a cage...*pauses to remember Sam in a cage*

Where was I? Oh, yeah. Fairly even screen time, alternating focus on the two main characters, like "Something Wicked" was redemption for wee!Dean, then Sam got some action in "Provenance".

Season Two launched the same way and stayed fairly even until "No Exit," when we got very little Sam. Of course, that's because of that foron playful Padalecki requiring surgery on his broken hand, so not exactly story-driven. And I thought "The Usual Suspects" made up for it, demonstrating how the boys play off each other, practically sharing a brain, even though they weren't together. (I know MJ doesn't agree—no need to say so, MJ! LOL)

The brothers started to separate in season 2, with Sam going off on his own all the time ("Hunted," "Born Under a Bad Sign") and the boys realizing some of their fundamental differences ("Houses of the Holy"). But still...equal screen time.

Perhaps season 3 broke the Js. They were consistently together throughout the season, united in a common goal, sharing the camera. Interviews and articles talked about how the two main actors had such a demanding job, being in nearly every scene. They tried to bring in some new recurring characters to share the load, with mixed/debatable results.

Then came season 4, and an unprecedented event.

Jared got to go to Hawaii.

In the amazing episode "In the Beginning," Castiel sends Dean to the past. Sam is only seen in the opening shots, going off with Ruby to do something we know he shouldn't be doing. Then Jensen Ackles knocks it out of the park as Dean trying to save his family from events that can't be changed.

So wouldn't it have been fair for Jensen to get a vacation while we get an episode that focuses on Sam? If the goal was to give the guys a break so they didn't, you know, break, then we'd expect an even distribution of episodes or scenes focused on one character. Flashbacks in "After School Special" helped, and we saw a little bit more of Sam, but not enough to send Jensen out of Canada during filming (or at least not further than LA).

Season five, then, right? It's all about Lucifer wanting Sam's body. So we must get an episode with mostly Sam. Poor Jensen needs time off that doesn't mean hiatus for us! But even though the boys break up and go their separate ways, even though we see lots of Sam in "Free to Be You and Me"...*pauses to think of lots of Sam...in bed...shirtless...*

Don't worry. I remember where I left off. And I DO have a point, I promise! (I can't help rambling a little as I work my way up to it. It's such delicious territory in which to ramble.)

Arguably the best episode of the first half of season 5 is 5.04, "The End," where Zachariah sends Dean forward in time in an attempt to convince him the only way is to say yes to being Michael's vessel. And not only is there very little Sam in that episode, we get DOUBLE Dean.



Now, honestly, who's going to complain about getting double Dean? Except the Samgirls. The rabid ones. But that's beside the point.

I think this episode explains exactly why Dean gets all these solo turns.

Even though Jared Padalecki is a good actor and has made huge strides since his earnest Gilmore Girls days, he still drops back into the flared-nostril school of acting from time to time. I'm going to toss out a highly unscientific stat and say that in roughly 50% of his scenes, he still strikes me as putting on the character.

In contract, I almost never feel that way about Jensen. I always feel that he has fully embodied Dean, that the character is being projected from inside himself. Sure, he hardens/deepens his voice a little, but that's an element of character, not a mask or prop. In "The End," we not only saw Dean confront himself, he was two totally different people. The same guy, but tempered by different experiences, living different lives, making different decisions. And I never, ever confused the two. It wasn't just that Future!Dean wore the Army green of war while Present!Dean got to wear hopeful blue. It was the look on his face, the way he held himself, the way he spoke. Technology made it seem like they were in the same room, interacting with each other, but acting made us believe it.

So bottom line...here's how I see it. I don't think the writers deliberately choose to showcase Dean because Jensen is a better actor. But I do think Jensen being a better actor gives the writers freedom to showcase him.

What do you think? Agree, disagree, think I'm off my nut? Do you have a different theory? Post in the comments! Help us get through the homestretch to the return of season 5!

Merry Christmas

We here at Supernatural Sisters wish you a Very Merry Supernatural Christmas.



Build your own Blingee

Apocalyptic Movies

The apocalypse is upon us. God has lost faith in mankind. An angel comes to help a handful of humans to fight against the angels, including Gabriel.

Sound familiar?

Nope, not Supernatural. The new movie Legion, starring Adrienne Palicki (LOVE!), Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid. (Looks like Kate Walsh, too.)

So is Kripke ahead of his time here? Is it serendipity? There do seem to be a number of apocalyptic movies out now—2012, The Book of Eli, The Road and now Legion.

I still wonder how much Kripke knew about this season when he started. I imagine he knew it would be brother v. brother, that he knew it would be apocalyptic. I know he didn't expect to go with angels. Will this movie boost Supernatural, or will the reverse happen? I know I want to see it. (Adrienne Palicki--yay!)

Supernatural News

TV.com has put out its list of their top 20 favorite new TV characters of the year. Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) from Supernatural is among them.

http://www.tv.com/the-best-new-tv-characters-of-2009/story/20278.html?tag=news_list;title;0

Terri recently noticed some Supernatural-related Tweets on Twitter. Chad Lindberg announced that Ash will be back! He starts filming in January. And Colin Ford (young Sam) will be on Private Practice.

There are three new Supernatural novels coming in 2010:

Heart of the Dragon in February

Unholy Cause in April

War of the Sons in June

This column in The Huffington Post includes Supernatural in an alternative Top 10 list of best TV programs on TV in 2009.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-martin/isupernatural-the-middle_b_395016.html

My Supernatural-related Christmas Wishes

I had lunch yesterday with the friends I’m attending the New Jersey Salute to Supernatural convention with in July.  I’d like to say we’re beyond excited, but at this point we’re just apprehensive.  I mean, I love AJ Buckley and Travis Wester, and look forward to seeing them, but I wouldn’t spend $369 plus travel and hotel to see them.  The con is a long way away, and at this point last year, for the con in March, they didn’t have many more guests booked.  But they did have Jared Padalecki.  So we’re kind of resigned to not having either of the two biggies at the con.  They’re booked for LA in March and Vancouver in August, so…our hopes aren’t high.  Which sucks.  But we made the decision to go for it anyway—there’s always hope, right?  So we were discussing who we’d want to attend.

The Big Obvious

The ones we agreed we want most are:

1. Jason Manns

2. Misha Collins

3. Jim Beaver

Forget Steve Carlson and Christian Kane.  Actually, I’m okay with Christian Kane, but only as a consolation prize.  It’s got to be Jason.  And I don’t like country music.  So.

Misha’s awesome on stage, and I imagine he’ll be even better, now that he has a couple of conventions under his belt.  And Jim Beaver knows exactly how to handle us fans.

Second Tier

These guys are almost as obvious:

1. Richard Speight Jr.

Besides being just a super-nice guy, very smart, and very funny, he has an expanded role this season.  I think both he and we would enjoy having new topics for questions.

2. Todd Stashwick

Again, stage genius.  We don’t need anything new that’s show-related.  He’s just fun.

3. Mark Pellegrino

No party is complete without Lucifer, right? (said firmly tongue in cheek—calm down, P. Diddy)

Any of the rest

I’d love Gabe Tigerman (Andy) and Chad Lindberg (Ash) again.  Besides the fact that redacted spoiler, which would make Chad even more interesting, Gabe is RSJ part B.  Sweet and fun and super-nice guy.

Any of the women of the show would be cool.  Other cons have put Tracy Dinwiddie (Pam), Alona Tal (Jo), and Julie McNiven (Anna) on stage, to good report.  Samantha Smith (Mary) and Samantha Ferris (Ellen) would be even better.

How about Jake Abel (Adam), Malik Whitfield (Henricksen), or Steven Williams (Rufus)?  Of the three, I’d ask for Williams.  He seems like he’s got lots of tales to tell. :)

So, to Recap…

My letter to Santa begs him to line up Jared and Jensen.  Barring that, I want as many actors as they can get, plus Jason Manns.  But what about you?  What’s your dream convention line-up? :)

Making Lists & Checking Them Twice

We're coming up on not only the end of another year, but another decade, so naturally everyone and their brother's magazine are releasing all kinds of lists and superlatives--influential people, biggest catastrophes, best dressed, sexiest man alive... (Look, I loved Captain Jack, but I've seen the cover of People, and no way is that photo sexier than Dean Winchester.) And as you probably already know BuddyTv.com compiled their top 50 television episodes of 2009, which featured both Changing Channels and Monster At The End of This Book --which both rocked, not only because they were hilarious but because they weren't just throwaway funny, they furthered the story in big ways.

It's not uncommon for us to do lists here at SPN Sisters. In just November, MJ listed her fave and not-so-fave eps and I'm pretty sure that in our archives there's a list of great Impala moments. So I wanted to share a few slightly more obscure lists and superlatives. (These are, of course, strictly my opinion. Feel free to agree, disagree, and share your own in comments!!!)

Horror, violence, and the occasional sex--Supernatural is definitely not children's television! And yet, from that early scene in the pilot when young Dean has to carry baby sam out of the burning house, kids have always had an impact on the show. Best child actors on Supernatural (in no particular order):

1. Nicholas Elia--this potential mini-Dean stole my heart and certain scenes in Season 3's "The Kids Are Alright."

2. Margot Berner-- The girl who played Katie on the same episode, however, was chilling enough to make me nervous around my own daughter the next day. (Hey, I'm not proud of that, I'm just sayin'.)

3. Sierra McCormick-- Of course, the creepiest child they've ever had on the show, IMO, is this adorable little blond girl who was possessed by Lilith in the season 3 finale "No Rest For the Wicked." YIKES.

4. Ridge Canipe-- First seen in the flashbacks of Season 1's "Something Wicked," this younger version of Dean portrays his emotional conflicts about his dad and brother just as compellingly as the adult Dean we all know and love!

5. Gattlin Griffith-- This season's "Jesse Turner" and the potential lynchpin for the apocalypse, this kid was utterly believable, a little eerie, and a lot heart-wreching. I hope they bring him back for more episodes!!!


But of course, it's not only the under-eighteen guest stars who shine on the show. Here are my five favorite (old enough to vote) guest stars:

1. Richard Speight Jr (Trickster/Gabriel)

2. Mitch Pileggi (Samuel Campbell, aka Dean and Sam's grandfather!)

3. Charles Malik Whitfield (Agent Henricksen) This determined FBI agent truly thought his was the side of justice when he pursued "dangerous fugitives" Sam and Dean, finally catching them in Jus In Bello, where he learns the truth and sets up the best line in the whole episode when he stammers, "I shot the sherrif."

4. Samantha Ferris (Ellen Harvelle) While we didn't see her as much as the boys' awesome father figure recurring character Bobby Singer, this tough but caring maternal character was a great addition to every episode she was in!

5. Lauren Cohan (Bela Talbot; Hey, it's my list, I can include her if I want to!)

Honorable mentionts to Julie Benz (season 1) and Amy Gumenick (season 4).


Clearly the producers have no trouble getting great guest stars! But we fans can't help hoping that some other actors we enjoy land on the show. Here are the five people I'd most love to see pop up in a well-written role:

1. Alan Tudyk- This guy can be either terrifying or hilarious, both areas in which SPN excels and I love seeing him on TV! (Which is looking less likely since his guest character was killed off on ABC and the show in which he had a guest character was cancelled on FOX.)

2. Jason Dohring

3. Lee Pace

4. Alexis Denisof

5. Mary McDonnell - BSG Alumni Callum Keith Rennie, Tricia Helfer and Mark Sheppard have all appeared, so why not madame president herself?


While it's no secret that I am a weenie and Supernatural IS part horror-flick, every once in a while, the gore just seems a bit more nauseating than it had to be. I give you my top 5 Dude, was that really necessary? episodes:

1. Skin

2. On the Head of a Pin (the violence and blood was definitely plot-related, but this one was seriously difficult for me to watch)

3. Wendigo (to be fair, I'm guessing on this one--my eyes were covered for a lot of it)

4. Time Is On My Side

5. No Rest For the Wicked

It would have been nice to list my favorite Sam and Dean moments, but I'm not sure I could narrow that down to the top fifty! What are a few of yours?

Supernatural News

A couple of tidbits for you all today...

Want to watch all those wonderful Supernatural episodes but don't (gasp!) have the DVDs? Get ready to set those TiVo machines or park yourself in front of the TV each morning beginning Jan. 4.

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=8423

Jim Beavers' book detailing his wife's illness and death has made a USA Weekend list of unique books for book lovers.

http://www.usaweekend.com/09_issues/091213/091213books-unique.html

I found this fan-shot behind-the-scenes footage of an upcoming episode.

http://www.examiner.com/x-20868-Dayton-Supernatural-TV-Examiner~y2009m12d13-Supernatural-behind-the-scenes-video--watch-now

Why You REALLY Don't Want a 67 Impala for Christmas (But I DO!)

Eric Kripke himself said the Impala looks really cool but “handles like a shopping cart.” Nevertheless, I have wanted one since…well, since Croatoan.

8) Finding one in any decent shape is near impossible. She's over 40, you know, and if the outside's good, the inside probably isn't. The ones I've found in my price range have ratty interiors or rust spots on the undercarriage.

7) No airbags—though she probably does more damage than she receives

6) No electric windows/locks—but it's easier to pick the locks when you lock your keys inside

5) No cup holders—remember the plastic things you could buy at the gas station and hook on the windows? Classy.

4) No. Air-conditioning. That leaves me OUT.

3) Getting parts will be a nightmare.

2) She guzzles gas like damn and whoa. But probably not worse than those SUVs.

1) She’ll attract a lot of attention, especially with those 8 cylinders. Look in your rearview mirror for flashing lights.

Christmas fun, Supernatural style

It's the holiday season, and I still have presents to wrap, a Christmas letter to write, cards to send...well, you get the idea. I have all those things to do that those crazy Winchesters aren't encumbered by. (Insert frowny sad face here.) So in the (funny) spirit of the season, here are some fun Supernatural-related Christmas vids for you to enjoy. Hey, if it's cold, dark and dreary where you are like it is here, maybe these will even help lift your mood.

First up, from the Ghostfacers...


Then we have the classic scene of Sam and Dean attempting to be carolers...



This video isn't Christmas related, but it's one I stumbled across while playing on YouTube. So, think of it as my Christmas gift to you.



So, have yourself a Very Supernatural Christmas...

Mostly Spoilery News!

Shooting hiatus apparently means increased promotional activities, because we’ve got a bunch of interviews this week.

First, though, some casting and contest news:

FlashForward viewers might have gasped, “Hey, it’s Kubrick!” during the so-called fall finale.  He plays the infamous D. Gibbons, someone with an apparent connection to the blackout.

According to this article, Alona Tal joins Daneel Harris in the voice cast of Night of the Living Dead: Origins.

Buddy TV is having a holiday trivia contest, with prizes including signed DVDs and photos.

The episode 11 promo (“Sam, Interrupted”) can be found here.

Okay, interviews galore. Spoilers are marked with **, and I didn’t read those! :)

Misha Collins (I read this one, no spoilers)

More Misha**

Eric Kripke** (referencing a Nov. 20 USA Weekend article)

Sera Gamble** and another Sera Gamble** (might be same stuff)

Upcoming Episode Titles** (5.14 makes me squee. :) )

Misha Collins and Julie McNiven**

Here is a short vid interview with Jensen Ackles.  It looks like it’s old, from nearly a year ago, but who cares?  It’s Jensen on film, and we can pretend it’s recent and he’s talking about season six. :)

Ask Ausiello on the 100th episode.

Scroll down in this article for Four Horsemen spoilers.

A "Supernatural Magazine" review for 100-page issue #12 (I might need to get my hands on that!).

This thread posts a casting call for episode 5.14 (SPOILERS) and also posts a recent TV Guide article about the episode.

There you go!  Hopefully that will tide you over for a while.  Or at least today.  Two weeks down, we won’t say how many to go…

Letter from Dean Winchester

Dear... (damn it, I feel like a moron) Santa,

Look, I gotta be honest. I don't know if I believe in you. These days, I don't know what I believe in. God? The greater good? I for damn sure don't plan to listen to any angels on high. No offense, but they pretty much suck. Except for Cass. And I guess I have a few decent memories of Anna. But, hell, even if you do exist, for all I know, you're some Anti-Claus who's up at the North Pole sacrificing Comet and Blitzen and Sneezy and Sleepy in dark rituals.

That said, when Sam was a kid, he believed that Christmas was a time of miracles and all that feel-good "It's a Wonderful Life" crap. Truth is, we could use a miracle. Now, I realize there's no way I made the nice list. I'm violent and I swear too much (although, technically, does douchebag really count as profanity?) But I figure sucking up my pride and asking you for help beats the hell out of trying to make deals with demons--that never ends well.

Since we're on the road too much to hang stockings, you can just toss the presents in the back of the Impala. This Christmas, please bring us some kind of weapon that actually freaking works on Lucifer, since the Colt was a bust. We'd like to kill the son of a bitch once and for--er, we'd like to help with that whole peace on earth thing. Also, a twelve pack for me and Sam, some new shocks for my baby and the collector's holiday edition of Busty Asian Beautys would be appreciated.

Happy New Year--assuming any of us live that long,
Dean

My Life According to Supernatural

I found this meme and thought it was perfect for a little Wednesday fluff. Share yours in the comment area!

Use only episode names (no repetitions) from one TV show to cleverly answer these questions. Repost as My Life According to (show).

Describe yourself: Nightshifter

How do you feel: Dead in the Water

Describe where you currently live: Heaven and Hell

If you could go anywhere where would you go: Mystery Spot

Your favorite form of transportation: On the Head of a Pin

Your best friend is: Heart

What the weather is like: Red Sky at Morning

Favorite time of day: The Rapture

If your life was a TV show it would be called: What Is and What Should Never Be

What is life to you: Sex and Violence

Your fear: Scarecrow

What is the best advice you have to give: Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

Thought for the day: Time is on My Side

How I would like to die: Changing Channels

My soul's present condition: Metamorphosis

My motto: Free to Be You and Me

Supernatural News Lite

Not a lot of news that I can find this week.

Huffington Post called Supernatural the best show on the CW.

Jared and Jensen are named in the top 50 Teen Idols by aol.com. (Jared #21 and Jensen #36. Not sure I agree with that!) But they're listed there with teen idols from years past, so any showing is good!

Ghostfacers was named one of the top 14 greatest format-breaking episodes ever by SFX, the science fiction magazine.

It's so good to see the show get wider coverage!

Since I couldn't find much in the way of news, I thought I'd help you with your shopping this year. There are some cool Supernatural-themed products at Cafe Press. I asked for this:

And this:

This is fun too:

And this magnet:

Then there are calendars. This year Creation Entertainment will let you choose Sam or Dean, or if you can't, you can have both!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We at Supernatural Sisters wish all of our fellow fans in the United States (and other Thanksgiving-celebrating regions!) a happy holiday!

Tune in next week for more news, commentary, and show discussion!

Supernatural Sisters Presents...Richard Speight, Jr!

After his tremendous performance in "Changing Channels," I contacted Richard Speight, Jr.'s manager to ask for an interview. A fan favorite and definitely my favorite Supernatural guest star, Richard is gracious, intelligent and funny. So without further ado...

Richard, thank you for agreeing to do this interview for the Supernatural Sisters! First, let me join the cacophony of praise for your performance in "Changing Channels." The show keeps telling us angels don't feel emotion, but Gabriel's pretty torn up over his family's situation, and you portrayed it beautifully.

Thanks a lot. That’s nice of you to say.

So, what was it like going back to the show? What did you think when they asked you back, and when you saw the script? Did you have any inkling at the time of your past appearances that there would be a revelation of such magnitude about your character?

I was thrilled to be asked back. I had no idea I’d be a part of such a big revelation until I read the script. I was blown away. I thought the “Changing Channels” script was outstanding. And it gave me some fantastic turns to make as an actor – which is rare when you’re guesting on a show.

This revelation seems to open up greater possibilities for a return, maybe for the expected big showdown at the end of the season. Is there anything you can say about that, or any thoughts you might have?

Here is some fascinating inside information: I have no idea. Seems I’m always the last to know if/when I’m going to be on the show and what exactly I’ll be doing. Even some of the fans find out before I do. I need to get a better agent. (Just kidding, Sheree).

What have you been working on between your Supernatural appearances? What can we look forward to seeing you in? (Especially, do you have any pending TV appearances?)

I just completed shooting what should be a funny scene in an otherwise very dark film called “Crave.” And I am a recurring character in the upcoming Showtime series “Look” set to air in early 2010.

I had the great pleasure of meeting you at the Salute to Supernatural in New Jersey earlier this year. If my memory is correct, you said that of all the things you do (writing, acting, music), you like writing best. Does writing take a back seat because you've been so successful with acting? What are you writing now (if you don't mind telling us)?

I do write a lot and I love it. I have a few projects in development right now. I don’t like to discuss them in detail because so much can go wrong before a project goes into full production. I don’t want to jinx it, nor do I want to look like a goon by talking about something like it’s a sure thing only to have it collapse. As of now, acting is what pays the bills. Eventually, I hope acting and writing split that duty.

You've talked about how you got your start in show business as a dancer. Do you still do any tap or ballet? How about performing with the/a band?

Good news for the dancing community – I don’t dance anymore. I stopped tapping when I was around 13. Truth is I wish I’d stuck with it. I love to watch great dancers, especially tap. If I had stayed with it, I’d probably be pretty decent by now.

I don’t perform with a band regularly anymore. I don’t want my weekends taken up playing music and not playing with my kids. I still play guitar for them all the time, though. There are the rare occasions when I get to play with a band. For example, the TV show “Life” had a band made up of Damian Lewis (the lead actor and an old friend from “Band of Brothers”) and some crew folks. They were playing a few songs in a bar in Culver City and needed someone to sit in on lead guitar, so Damian asked me. That was a blast. I was hoping to play with them again, but “Life” got canceled and Damian moved back to England. So much for rock stardom.

Preference: Movies or TV? Why?

Movies – although TV has gotten significantly better over the last ten years. Why Movies? I like watching one story – from beginning to end – in one sitting. I don’t watch enough TV to be able to enjoy shows with long arcs. It means I miss out on some good stuff, but that kind of TV just doesn’t fit my lifestyle right now.

For your (arguably) three highest-profile roles (Trickster/Gabriel on Supernatural, Bill on Jericho, Skip on Band of Brothers), what is the biggest element each has brought to your life and career?

“Supernatural” has brought me a relationship with fans unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. The cons, on line… even this interview – all things completely foreign to me until I worked on “Supernatural.” I love the reception my characters get. Actors work in a bubble. You shoot, you go home, you watch it or not, you go on to the next gig. The ongoing experience my role on this show is creating for me is amazing. I love it.

“Band of Brothers” brought me some of my closest friends in LA. More importantly, it instilled in me a greater appreciation of what it means to be free, to be an American, and to be a man. I hope I can impart a fraction of what I’ve learned from “Band of Brothers” to my sons.

“Jericho” made me realize that no matter how hard I try, I look like crap in a tan Deputy Sheriff’s uniform.

You do regular updates on your Facebook page, and get tons of comments on your Wall there. Social networking gives fans unprecedented access to our favorite celebrities--we see that as a good thing. What's it like from a celebrity/working actor perspective, and do you think it's good, bad, or a mix?

I think it is awesome. For years, I had a website where fans could check out my stuff and post comments. But it wasn’t like Facebook. On my Fan Page, I can chat with folks, comment on stuff – I feel like I am a part of the dialogue. And I’m able to answer fan questions in a timely fashion. I really enjoy being able to do that. The fact that I have “fans” trips me out. I feel like if someone takes the time to join my page and post something, then I need to read it/look at it/answer it. It is the least I can do.

By the way, anyone wishing to visit my Facebook Fan Page, it is listed as Richard Speight Jr.

Before last week's episode, your appearances on Supernatural were limited in terms of screen time. Yet the impact is pretty powerful, considering it's drawn you to live appearances all over the country well after the episodes originally aired. Is this insane, or gratifying?

Insanely gratifying.

Speaking of conventions...can we hope to see you at any over the next year? Like, say, oh, maybe Parsippany, New Jersey, in July?

I certainly hope so. I had great time in New Jersey last year. If I am invited and it works out with scheduling, etc., I’ll be there.

And for a touch of silliness:

Would you survive the Zombpocalypse? Why or why not?

Yes I would. I’m pretty pale, so they’d think I was already dead and leave me alone.

Soda or pop?

Neither. I’m from the South. We call everything “Coke.”

Typical conversation heard at a restaurant in the South:

Guy
You thirsty?

Gal
Yeah.

Guy
Wanna Coke?

Gal
Sure.

Guy
What kind?

Gal
Sprite.

Guy
Got it.

Y'all or you guys?

“You guys.” Not all Southerners say “Y’all.” But we do all say “Coke.”

Favorite NFL team? (In anticipation of your answer, this Patriots fan would like to offer an apology for 10/18. If I'm anticipating incorrectly...never mind.)

No apology necessary. I don’t really care about the NFL. If I had to answer, I’d say the New Orleans Saints because of Reggie Bush. Truth is, I only watch college ball. I’m a big fan of the USC Trojans – and a proud alumnus. Fight on!

Chips or fries?

Chips.

Broccoli or Brussels sprouts?

Both – diced up and crammed into a casserole.

Most recent book you read:

I’m just about done with Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey. Great book.

Most recent TV show that you got hooked on:

Ironically, “Supernatural.” I watched a bunch of recent episodes on DVD to prepare for “Changing Channels.” It’s a damn good show! Now I TiVo it. I’m a little behind, but I’ve got 'em saved.

Most fervent hope for the future (that you're willing to share with strangers):

A strong health care plan with a public option that covers all Americans and doesn’t add to the deficit.

Thank you so much, Richard, for doing this interview! I hope it wasn't torturous, and we look forward to seeing you on our screens for a long, long time to come.

Are you kidding? It was my pleasure!

SPN Monday News

I know, I know, this post should have been up hours ago. But, knowing there will be no new eps until January, I have sunk into a lethargic depression and am moving at half my normal speed... With no new episodes for weeks on end--and Nat announcing Jensen's engagement last week--I found that this was a slightly slower week. Almost everything I saw tended to focus on the 100th episode. (And the controversy over a possibly premature rumor that Jensen is directing it.)

Here's a quick summary of the 100th episode (with, I suppose, vague spoilers) from Ausiello over at EW: http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/23/supernatural-scoop-100th-episode/#more-4288

Also from EW, this apology for scooping that Jensen was directing said episode and takeback that maybe he's not, as no one from CW as confirmed: http://huntersaddict.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/is-jensen-ackles-directing-the-100th-episode-yes-or-no/

Honestly, my best announcement today is that you will not want to miss Natalie's post on Wednesday! I won't steal her thunder, but little birdies report that she has an actual interview with someone who's appeared in a few SPN episodes. (Said someone, IMO, is awesome, as I'm sure her interview will be!)

See you here Wednesday...

Abandon All Hope

ABANDON ALL HOPE opens at a metropolis cross roads where rich Mr. Pendleton eagerly awaits a beautiful demon to kiss so he can seal the deal to get his bank bailed out. Unfortunately, for the extremely homophobic geezer, Crowley has decided to land this big fish himself. The pucker takes place and Pendleton is left disgusted, but debt free. Lurking in the background is Castiel. The celestial spy, code named “Huggy Bear,” has tracked down the demon with the colt. Cas follows him to an impenetrable house and calls in reinforcements.

Later that night a beautiful and distraught woman—it’s Jo Harvelle!—rings the house for help after her car breaks down. The guards let her in and just as they’re ready to pounce, Dean and Sam swoop in.

“The Hardy Boys finally found me.” Crowley

It seems Crowley has been waiting for the Winchesters, but instead of putting up a fight he does the damndest thing…he kills his own guards and hands over the Colt. Er, surely it’s not that easy?

“Take this to Lucifer and empty it into his face.” Crowley

Then again. Seems Crowley believes it’s just a matter of time before Lucifer turns on his own. First the humans, then his minions. If Lucifer is dead, Crowley will survive. The boys reluctantly believe he’s on the up and up and taking their strange luck a step further Sam asks, “You wouldn’t happen to know where the devil is perchance, wouldja.” Crowley tells them he’s got an appointment in Carthage, Missouri.

“I think I’m starting to feel something.” Cas

Ellen is trying her hardest to get Cas drunk, while Jo watches in amazement and Sam and Dean argue about splitting up. Dean doesn’t want Sam to go to Carthage because he fears they’d be handing over the vessel. Sam insists they have to stay together. Dean finally agrees but calls it a stupid freakin’ idea. Then he goes and hits on Jo with a last night on Earth speech. Just as it looks like she’ll capitulate she laughingly denies him, saying she’d rather die with her dignity. (Stupid woman!) Out of nowhere Bobby demands they all take a picture together, but their reckless silliness morphs to an “oh, shit” moment when Cas says, “This is our last night on earth.”

The boys, Ellen, Jo and Cas arrive in Carthage to find an empty town and no cell phone signal. The brothers decide to check out the PD and leave the other three to look around. Cas quickly discovers the town isn’t empty, but completely over run with reapers. He goes off to investigate and finds himself imprisoned in a fire circle by Lucifer.

“You’re not taking Sam Winchester. I won’t let you.” Cas

Satan’s skin is growing thin, his vessel isn’t strong enough to contain him. Cas tells him he’ll never allow him to get to Sam. Lucifer doesn’t understand why Cas won’t side with him, but the angel said he’d die before letting that happen.

Meanwhile Meg has shown up and unleashed a pack of hellhounds on the Scooby gang. Dean pulls a horror movie heroine move and trips. Before he can be devoured Jo fights off the mutt but is disemboweled. The Winchesters and the Harvelles hole up in a store and everyone comes to the realization that Jo is not going to survive her injuries. Contacting Bobby by CB Dean learns that Lucifer is intending to unleash the Angel of Death. The reapers are waiting for their big boss to show up at midnight.

“Can we be realistic about this, please? My guts are being held in by an ace bandage.” Jo

The boys need to get out and use the colt to kill Lucifer. Jo suggests building a bomb, which she’ll trigger, while her mom and the boys escape through the roof. She’s not going to make it anyhow, and if they don’t do something the hellhounds will never stop hunting them. The boys and Ellen are horrified by her suggestion, but come to the sad reality that it’s their only option. They cobble together explosives from propane tanks, lanterns, nails, salt, wire and a doorbell and then fold Jo’s hand around the trigger.

“I’ll see you on the otherside. Probably sooner rather than later.” Dean
“Make it later.” Jo

Dean gives Jo a tender kiss goodbye and then Ellen announces that she’s staying with her daughter. Someone has to open the door and she will not leave her little girl alone. She tells Dean to kick it in the ass. The boys leave and Ellen unchains the door and goes to sit next to her child. She tells Jo, “I will always love you, baby” and then realizes Jo has passed away. Ellen starts to cry and then the doors open. She can hear the scrabbling of invisible dogs coming her way. One arm tight around her daughter she poses her finger over the trigger and waits until she feels a hellhound’s breath on her face.

“You can go straight back to hell you ugly bitch.” Ellen

Kaboom! The Harvelle’s and hellhounds are no more.

The Winchesters find Lucifer shoveling dirt onto something while an audience of townsmen (who are actually demons) watch. The boys forego any last words and tricking Lucifer manage to shoot him in the head. Yesss! Nooooo, he gets back up again. Seems there’s only five things in creation the colt won’t kill and he’s one of them. He knocks Dean out and asks Sam if he’d just give himself up now. Sam says never, but Lucifer says he’s pretty sure he’ll surrender in the next six months in Detroit. Then he reveals that he’s covering a mass grave, women and children first, and he offers their lives, blood and souls, along with some demons to complete his tribute.

While he calls the Angel of Death forth, Cas manages to get the best of Meg and break out of his circle. But it’s too little, too late.

“Oh, hello, death.” Lucifer

That right there would’ve been a helluva cliffhanger for this hiatus, but the show inexplicably ends with the Winchesters back at Bobby’s place where he morosely takes the last keepsake of the Harvelle’s, the pic they all took, and throws it in the fire.

The End.

I have mixed feelings on this episode. Hated the ending. Why burn that picture? And Lucifer’s line gave a stronger, punchier finale. I also didn’t like that the boys, when faced with what they genuinely thought might be their last moments, had no final words for each other. I loved the emotional farewell for the Harvelle girls. It was tender and kick ass at the same time. They were the best part of this episode for me and I think this is just the beginning of the self sacrifice we’re going to see. Loved how Pellegrino played Lucifer as smarmy and petulant, but unyieldingly confident. And I look forward to seeing what happens next. Too bad we have to wait so long. So what did you think? Was it a mixed bag for you too?

All-Time Favorite Episodes

I've made some adjustments to my all-time favorite episodes this season. I couldn't QUITE get it down to a top ten (good, right?) See if any of yours match.

1) Changing Channels

2) I Believe the Children Are Our Future

3) Croatoan

4) The Monster at the End of this Book

5) Monster Movie

6) Jus in Bello

7) What Is and What Should Never Be

8) A Very Supernatural Christmas

9) Bad Day at Black Rock

10) Hell House

11) Hookman

12) Faith

13) Scarecrow

14) The Pilot

However, I also have some episodes I'd happily never watch again.

1) Metamorphosis

2) Bugs

3) Red Sky at Morning (and I was SO looking forward to this one)

4) The Usual Suspects

5) Everybody Loves a Clown (except for the last scene)

6) Route 666 (except for the love scene)

What about you? Are you a bigger fan than I am? Will you watch an episode over no matter what?

Supernatural News

TV Guide's Hot List for 2009 is out, and Misha Collins as Castiel made the list as Hot Wings. :) Have to say I agree.

And Supernatural is one of TV Guide's favorite shows of 2009.

TV.com has a sneak peek at next week's episode, "Abandon All Hope," which it is also reporting is the last new episode until Jan. 14. (However, IMDB.com has an episode titled "Sam, Interrupted" listed for Nov. 26, but that's Thanksgiving, right? And then another episode titled "Back to the Future II" without a run date.) The clip from next week is also available on the CW's site.

This one isn't a news item, but MJ found this Supernatural animation story on YouTube. Worth a view if you have about 3 minutes. It's the first installment of what appears will be a series.

Breaking Down "The Real Ghostbusters"

Unless you were 100% capable of avoiding spoilers of any type, you knew tonight's episode was going to take place at a Supernatural convention. I thought it was super-cool that rotation put me in charge of the recap for this ep, since I've been to a Supernatural convention! So I can honestly say...this was nothing like the real thing.

I could feel much of fandom (i.e. the people who love the show) holding their collective breath at how Kripke and Co. were going to handle this. I caught a glimpse, via Google alert, of a question posed on a blog, about whether Kripke knows that not all fans are super crazy. Well, yeah, of course he does, but we're not very good TV fodder. And come on. Honestly, who doesn't have an inner Becky?

The show opens with the Impala racing...somewhere. Screeching up to an old-fashioned hotel a la "Playthings." Sam and Dean hurry out of the car and go charging across the parking lot, except Dean is brought up short by...three more Impalas! They find Chuck pacing in front of the hotel, all nervous and stuff, and surprised to see them even though Sam says he texted them an emergency call and they drove all night. Without actually talking to Chuck to find out what was wrong. Hm. That's pretty strong loyalty, boys.

Turns out Becky borrowed Chuck's phone. From his pants. I don't know why she thought it was so important to get the guys there, since she doesn't rush to out them or anything, but...oh, wait. Super-mega-crush on Sam. Delusions fed when he remembers her name and she believes she's been in his every waking thought, the way he's been in hers. Okay, that's pretty powerful motivation.

Sam and Dean follow Chuck and Becky into the building, and we see more signs (after the Impalas) that this convention is really patterned more on the general sci-fi/fan conventions than the Supernatural-centric ones. There were no Impalas in New Jersey. Besides the guests, there were maybe 5 men in attendance, but on the show, it was mostly men. In real life, a few people dress up, some amazingly well, but on the show, everyone was someone. I think poor Fritz-the-hookman was my favorite. He questioned details of the show, and Becky scolded him with the real-life wank-builder, "If you don't like it, don't read the books!"

Sam and Dean watch for a few minutes, long enough for me to wonder why they bother, but I guess there's a car-crash quality to lingering. They're ready to bail when the real ghosts show up, and I have to say, I think most of the mystery was handled well.

Instead of coincidence, there's logic built into what happens. The convention people want authenticity, so they pick a hotel that is rumored to be haunted. Because Supernatural is real, the haunting is, too. (Did anyone else have moments of surreality during all this? Fake under fake real under real real and I lost track of what made sense and what didn't!) The haunting is pretty basic, with a couple of twists. Crazy woman killed kids, now they all haunt the place, they salt and burn the crazy woman's bones, but it turns out the kids were the real problem, so they have to dig them up, too. You always know there's going to be a twist when they're burning skeletons at 9:27 p.m.

The kids were creepy/scary, the mother/orphanage director wild/scary, the ghost effects gave the willies. But threaded through it was a lot of poignancy. We've got Barnes and Demian, Sam and Dean wannabes, comical with their lowered voices and struggles to stay in character (did anyone else imagine the actors going "Score! Conventions, here we come!" when they got the parts?). Dean at first disdains them, Sam feels sorry for them, and they irritate Dean so much, acting out his real life, that he kind of blows up at them. Sam and Dean's lives suck, he tells them, and they're nuts for glamorizing or romanticizing it. Later, Demian points out to Dean that he gets to wake up every day knowing he makes a difference. It's a reminder Dean needs every so often, because his life does suck, but he has a brother who'd die for him, and that's more than a lot of people have.

Dean and Sam also discover that these regular people, these dorks with sad lives, have a lot more to them. They're brave. Even after faced with deadly reality, they're willing to help because all those people are in danger, and they end up saving the boys' asses. That perspective is valuable when facing the apocalypse, too. Dean's able to stand so firm against accepting Michael into him because he's on humanity's side, but it's got to be easy to lose sight of what that means when you're surrounded by a) angels and demons who disdain humanity, and b) examples worthy of that disdain. Barnes and Demian and the Hooters waitress and even crazy Becky help ground the boys in their purpose.

The humor in this episode wound up being a lot more subtle, I thought, than it could have been. They made Barnes and Demian partners, tweaking the whole Wincest thing in a new, sweet way. They gave Chuck a crush on Becky, and when Chuck went all manly and swept the (iron?) microphone stand (or was it a hat rack?) through the ghost, he caught Becky's attention. Sam's response to her "easy" let-down was probably a lot nicer than Jared would like to be to some real-life fans.

And then, as the episode closes, it launches us back toward the apocalypse. Becky, avid reader that she is, knows what Bella did with the Colt back in "Time is on my Side." The boys must not have read that far into the series, and Chuck didn't remember. But now they have a lead, a true lead on the one weapon they think can kill Lucifer.

Next week, we get Mark Sheppard, aka Badger from Firefly! Lucifer is back, and it looks like so is the darkness in which we dwelled in the beginning of the season. Given that we're going to be just shy of halfway through, I'm guessing the Colt's not gonna work. Thoughts?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photo credits The CW. I wish they'd stop teasing us with rehearsal footage. Sam in a T-shirt...mmmmmmm.

Recap written without the influence of much-needed cold meds, aka fuzzy brain, so please don't hesitate to comment with corrections or clarifications or additional thoughts that I feel are swimming elusively somewhere in my head but didn't make it out.

SPNews

Misha tells the Huffington Post that Castiel has a dubious skill he’ll be showing off, along with an upcoming showdown with Lucifer. If you don’t mind mild spoilers, read the interview here.

Buddy TV wonders if there’s more to Dean’s question "Would your Mother and Father still be alive if your brother was never born?" than just allowing him to avoid the nutcracker.

According to this poll, Supernatural is the #1 favorite imported show in Japan.

Tom Surette of TV.com calls Supernatural “the best show on television that nobody watches” and says it’s “one of the most daring and entertaining shows on television.”

Casting News: (Slightly spoilerish) Producers are looking for an actor to guest star as a 17-year-old Gary in episode 12 "Swap Meat". The character is described as being "Puny, gawky, bespectacled, smart and geeky, he’s a naive, amateur Satanist who works at a fast food joint and longs to break free from his wealthy, stifling parents". [SpoilerTV]

Finally, news that will thrill some and make others weep, Jensen is engaged! That’s right, he and longtime girlfriend, Danneel Harris, will be tying the knot. Here’s a pic of them at this weekend’s Breeder’s Cup. And you can read more about the official announcement here.

Changing Channels

Tonight’s episode opened with a voice-over from Dean: “Supernatural is filmed before a live studio audience.” LOL! “Supernatural: The Sit-Com” had Dean mugging and Sam making exaggerated movements and the bitch-face. I have to say, the theme song was fun—two hunting bros, when demons come out to play—LOL. Also, the bicycle built for two!

Two days earlier, Sam and Dean are investigating a man killed by the Incredible Hulk (Lou Ferrigno, not Bana or Norton. I loved Dean’s matter-of-factness following this line of questioning). Sam is pretty quick to identify the Trickster as the baddy, based on the punishment fitting the crime (the vic was a hot-head, you wouldn’t like him when he was angry) and candy wrappers at the crime scene. Sam wants to recruit the Trickster’s help, thinking the Trickster isn’t going to want the world to end, and will work against the demons and angels. Funny that Dean didn’t know MySpace a couple of seasons ago and now asks Sam why he wants to be Facebook Friends with the Trickster.

A fake call on the police radio sends them to an abandoned warehouse. When they walk through the door, they’re suddenly wearing doctor coats and are in the halls of Seattle Mercy Hospital, the setting of “Dr. Sexy, M.D.” Sam is accosted by a female doctor who slaps his face and says “seriously” a lot. Dean points out the characters, including Johnny Drake, who’s a ghost in the mind of the sexy-but-neurotic female doctor. The brothers riff about why the show has ghosts, and then Dean goes all fan-boy when Dr. Sexy himself approaches. Dean knocks him off for wearing tennis shoes instead of Dr. Sexy’s cowboy boots, and Dr. Sexy morphs into the Trickster.

Sam tries to talk to the Trickster, who says if they survive the next 24 hours, they’ll talk. He disappears and Dean and Sam try to escape. When Dean tells a patient at the fake hospital that none of it is real, he shoots Dean in the back. Dean ends up on the operating table with Sam as the surgeon, who asks for a penknife, dental floss and a fifth of whiskey to operate.

The brothers then appear—as in, suddenly—on a Japanese game show called “Nutcracker.” They’re standing, legs spread, while the host asks questions in Japanese. Sam can’t answer, so he gets smacked in the groin by a giant spring-loaded ball. When Castiel appears to save them, he disappears. The host chides them, saying he doesn’t want pretty boy angels. Dean decides to play the role and gets the answer right—in Japanese.

Their next appearance is in a commercial for genital herpes. Sam doesn’t want to, but the boys realize they have to play their roles to survive. He says his lines, then does a nice lay-up in the basketball game his character is playing.

Back to the sit-com. The Trickster shows up and wants the brothers to take their roles (ahhh) as Lucifer and Michael to get the show on the road, to accept the roles destiny has chosen. If they don’t, they’ll stay in TV Land.

Next is a procedural cop show, a la CSI. The brothers are dressed hot as hell, in suits, blue shirts and shades. At night. They adopt gravelly voices and toy with the glasses. They joke over the body with a CSI tech who’s eating a lollipop, and stab him with a stick. Turned out to be the wrong guy, but when the Trickster shows himself, Sam is there to stab him and the brothers return to reality.

Or….not. Suddenly Sam is the voice of Metallicar, in a Knight Rider take-off. Sam-as-the-car and Dean discuss whether or not the stake didn’t work because their nemesis is something else, not a Trickster after all. The Trickster shows up and Sam and Dean light a circle of flames around him. Turns out he’s the archangel Gabriel who had left heaven and was happy until the apocalypse began. He blames the brothers for HIS brothers killing each other. He says there’s not stopping this, that this war is about 2 brothers who loved each other and betrayed each other.

He says the brothers were born to be the vessels: the big brother, loyal to an absent father, the little brother, rebellious, and that one has to kill the other. Heaven has always known it would come to Sam and Dean.

Gabriel tells them he wished this was a TV show with easy answers, but it’s going to end bloody. Oh, dear, not a good sign for the end of the season!

Dean is defiant, but Sam looks worried. Dean does get Castiel back, and accuses Gabriel of being too afraid to stand up to his family of angels. He puts out the fire and the brothers and Cas leave. The ending was a little weak, with the brothers climbing in the car asking what they were going to do and not having an answer.

I really wanted to like this show more. Maybe on a second viewing. What did you think?

Are You Watching?

All of us here at Supernatural Sisters love Supernatural, sing its praises, and wish more people were watching. So when I stumbled onto some fan-made promo clips on YouTube tonight while trying to come up with a topic for today's blog (I'm doing about 10 things and have a big case of brain fry), I was intrigued by them and started watching. What fun! They all are tied together under the theme "Are You Watching?" and each gives great clips, reasons for watching the show.

This is the one I saw first, which led me to the others. Great combination of clips, music and just general awesomeness.

You can click through on YouTube and find them, or you can go to their site and click either on the "download" or "youtube" links for each of the 61 different promos to view them. The one linked above is the 61st one, called "The Famous Winchester Boys." I haven't watched them all, but a couple of others I liked were:

No. 10 -- "Sharp-Dressed Men"

No. 41 -- "Dean's Geek Brother"

And for more fun on YouTube...

If you haven't seen the gag reel from last season, here it is in its entirety.

But I honestly think these clips from it, shot at ComicCon, are funnier because of the crowd's reactions.

So, seen any good Supernatural-related vids lately that we haven't already discussed here before?

November 1 News

I don't know if it's the time of year, or just me, but there's a dearth of good news that doesn't involve spoilers for upcoming episodes or recaps of past ones.

I've got an interview with Misha Collins that's been all over the Internet already.

Some episode stills including next week's, which WARNING are SPOILERY.

Oh, here's something! There's an announcement that Jensen Ackles will be attending the Jus in Bello convention next year. Shortly after that announcement, Creation announced he's attending the LA (in March) and Vancouver (August) cons. Jim Beaver was added to LA, too.

Buddy TV asks when SPN became a comedy, a question that boggles my mind since the show has never not had comedic lines and episodes, starting with the pilot!

So. That's all I got.

*looks around*

*whistles a little*

*sigh*

Okay, let me troll around a little. *trolls*

Fangirl Says got to see this week's episode early. Her post is only spoilery if you didn't see the preview at the end of last week's episode. She's definitely got me intrigued!

Let's see...

Nothing on TV Addict... (unless you count stills for an upcoming episode I won't even name or describe because the very idea fills me with enough squee to make me glow, but will probably disappoint and piss off so many people...)

The CW Source hasn't done their recap yet...

Let's look up some guest stars, see what else they're doing. Gattlin Griffith, aka The AntiChrist, has three movies in post-production: The River Why, The New Daughter, and Blood Done Sign My Name. Chad Everett, "Older Dean," has Death Keeps Coming on his IMDb page, listed as in pre-production. That looks like a Western. Hal Ozsan (the ambiguously moraled male witch) has Groupie coming out apparently this week, again according to IMDb. This looks like a thriller. Heee. I love seeing this obscure stuff "up in popularity 15% this week" and knowing it may be due to Supernatural. Silly rabid fans. :)


Well, okay, I think that fills us up for this week! Oh, wait, one more thing. Let me check Ask Ausiello, see if his column has anything on the show...

OMG OMG OMG

*thud*

(Please note, if you decide to find out what at Ask Ausiello threw Natalie into a tailspin, it is a very short, very mind-blowing spoiler for episode 12. You've been warned.)

The Curious Case of Dean Winchester (Recap)

Spoiler! Spoiler! Spoiler!

Pro: This ep features Bobby, who I always love.

Con: Less Jensen Ackles than usual! (Although, I have to give guest-star Chad Everett props, he was a fantastic senior citizen Dean.)

We open on a man coming home, rushing by his wife to lock himself in the bathroom. Where he proceeds to age horribly and die.

Flash to morgue where doctor is having trouble buying the bros. as CDC agents because they arrived in such an unpredented timely manner. She shows them the 25 year old who died of old age. (Yeah, weird). This is followed by an older woman who reported her kindly old husband missing...and the bros track him to an Asian brothel. Since he's now young, generically hot, and sporting a six-pack, they identify him by a tattoo and birthmark.

After threatening to tell his wife that he's paying for threesomes instead of having shuffled off his mortal coil (which he would like her to presume), the man admits to having played a hand of paranormal poker and betting years of his life. While the first dude we saw in the show clearly lost, this one won.

A phone call to Bobby confirms that there is lore about a traveling card player making deals. The phone call also prompts Bobby to decide that all his best years are behind him, so what does he have to lose? A lot of years apparently, because the next time we see him, he's leaving a two man poker game with not much time left. (I was having trouble with the CW all night. There were a lot of scratchy sounds in the audio, so I'm not sure whether Bobby bet 25 yrs, 35 or 45). Dean meets up with Patrick, an Irish accented 900 yr old "he-witch" and demands to play for Bobby's years. And, as anyone who saw the previews knows, he promptly loses.

Sam comes back to their hotel room to find Bobby and Dean bickering and pronounces them "Grumpy Old Men." (The interactions between them did crack me up.) When they break into Patrick's place to steal poker chips, they're caught by Patrick and his powerful girlfriend (who may have been helping him scam people in a bar earlier). She and Patrick let Dean and Sam go after Dean insists that Sam cannot play for Dean's years (dudes, break the cycle of co-dependent martyrdom already). But first the he-witch gives Sam a slow round of applause that he calls a "parting gift." Dean deduces when leaving that Sam was just given the Clap.

Bobby and Dean bicker some more but they both agree Sam isn't a badass enough poker player to bring down someone of Patrick's caliber. Suddenly they receive help from an unexpected quarter--Patrick's girlfriend who while, perhaps not quite his 900 years, says she looks really good for her age. She gives them a powerful reversal spell to undo everything he's done (although it will only help people actually alive.) Dean and Bobby (whom Dean is now calling Ironsides) start working on the spell part. Sam, seemingly going rogue and ignoring Dean and Bobby's advice (what is this, season four?), shows up to play poker with Patrick. In an odd little moment, we see Patrick deliberately fold to an older guy who wants to live to see his grand daughter's Bat Mitzvah. Not sure what the takeaway from this was supposed to be, but I did find Patrick to be a refreshing change from black eyed hell demons.

About halfway through the game, when Sam exits with Patrick's toothpick, we learn that he's there on behalf of Dean & Bobby because they need Patrick's DNA to make the reversal spell work. Unfortunately, Patrick has played Sam in more ways than one, because the toothpick he let him take had no DNA and Patrick is not happy that people are trying to cheat. In fact, he seems poised to kill Sam when his loonnnnnnng-time girlfriend (did she have a name? anyone else catch it?) interrupts that she gave the Winchesters the spell in the first place and that he "knows why."

So not everything gets reversed, but Sam actually wins his poker game--4 fours to 3 Aces--thereby winning Dean back his life. And Jensen Ackles is adorable as he comes out of the building doing a jig.

We go back to Patrick and girl whose name I didn't catch and he's protesting that he doesn't want to play her but she insists--apparently she had a daughter once who aged and died and the girl misses her family and has grown tired saying that there way of life just isn't natural. (Well, duh. See the name of the show.) Parts of this storyline (such as her randomly appearing with the spell) seemed almost anticlimatic to me (although kudos that it wasn't the deux ex spell-china that saved them) but this little bit at the end with the two distraught and apparently not purely evil lovers was decently acted.

Finally, a scene where Dean and Bobby "feel their feelings" and Dean insists that just because Bobby can't walk doesn't make him any less of a solider and that furthermore, he's family and Dean needs him.

All in all, not a bad 'sode. Certainly it won't be making the list of my top ten favorites (especially when I am so anxiously awaiting next week's, which looks very promising) but I liked it. It was more sibling bickering and funny exchanges than brooding brotherly angst and guilt over who broke the first and last seals etc. Also, do love Bobby!

What did you guys think? Favorite lines? Did you think that this week's "bad guy" wasn't quite scary or evil enough to give us the usual drama or was it a nice new take? (Hey, I just realized, I made it through a whole ep and didn't have to peek through my fingers once! Of course, with Jensen conspiciously absent, my motivation to look at the TV wasn't as strong either...)