Supernatural

I don’t know about you but I’m going to be thinking about that last shot the entire summer. I feel like I read an Eric Kripke interview where he said we weren’t going to see hell. But we got a glimpse of it. Oh my. Everyone was wondering whether Dean was going to actually die and go to hell. He did. I really felt that this season had to end this way. And poor Sammy – he was going to do anything he could to save his brother. Unfortunately, Dean didn’t let him. And speaking of Sam, Lilith couldn’t kill him. Have you wrapped your minds around that one yet? She couldn’t kill him. What does that mean? Just how powerful is Sammy? I had a feeling he was powerful, but Lilith’s mojo didn’t work on him. That kinda scares me for next season. The only thing I really wanted to see in this finale, but didn’t get was Sammy going dark side. But hmm…I guess we can look forward to that in Season 4, right?

I still have to process this finale so I’m not sure it outdid "Devil’s Trap," but it came close. This episode was creepy and suspenseful and funny and sad and just plain awesome. The brotherly moments were plentiful; it was a great way to close out what was such a weird season for so many reasons. The main reason being it was shortened by the writers’ strike. I did find "No Rest for the Wicked" difficult to watch at times. Here’s why:

• Stubborn Dean Winchester: I know it was his life on the line, but when Dean wouldn’t cave into Sam and Ruby, I just wanted to scream at him. I know he had good reasons, but I just wanted him to let his brother handle things. If Sam could use his abilities for something good, to save him, he should have let him. I get why he was so apprehensive about it, but I still wanted him to trust Sam to do his job and save Dean. Plus, the way he talked to Ruby and ended up punching her first, that was hard to watch. So was Ruby kicking Dean’s ass.

• Dean Winchester on the run: I always think of Dean as confronting everything head on. But in the beginning of "No Rest" – I know it was a dream – but watching him run from the hellhounds was just scary. To know he was scared enough to run was so sad.

• Dean’s death: I know I’m harping on Dean right now, but bear with me. Watching those hellhounds tear at him – that was beyond disturbing. To see one of the lead characters ripped to shreds like that is not something you see every week. To top it all off seeing him all tethered in hell ended things on the scariest possible note.

Let’s get to Sam. First of all, Jared Padalecki totally stepped up to the plate and knocked one out of the park with his performance. The pain was so evident on his face after he lost his brother. I really thought at that moment his eyes were going to turn black, his smile would transition into a sexy smirk and evil Sam would be back. It didn’t happen, but I’m still holding out hope for whenever the show returns.

Awesome Moments:

• There was Lilith’s “shore leave” with her new “family.” It was a different little girl playing her this time, but the results were still as creepy. I felt like I was watching an episode of the Twilight Zone. And that’s a huge complement. And later, as Ruby, she kissed Sam. After all, Lilith’s a destroyer of children and seducer of men. Wonder what’s going to happen between Lilith and Sam in Season 4.

• "Carry on Wayward Son" made a comeback – loved that they once again set the recap to what’s probably the show’s unofficial theme song. Every season finale should kick off with that song.

• And speaking of music: OMG. The Bon Jovi portion of the show was totally unexpected and totally rocked! I really wanted Sam to sing along with Dean and he did. That was just hilarious in so many ways, truly one of those scenes that instantly became a classic. However, that look on Dean’s face when he stopped singing "Wanted Dead or Alive" was crushing.

• Bobby supporting the boys was a thing of beauty, especially when he didn’t let the Winchesters go to Indiana on their own.

• Bobby rigging the sprinklers to spray holy water was inspired.

• How sad was it when Bobby got Dean to reveal he was having hallucinations. Sam seemed surprised by that. And the progression of it was scary. He saw Sam’s face turn hellhound like "Crossroad Blues." A few hours before deal time, and Dean could spot demons like the cop, or the neighbors. A few minutes before and he could even tell Ruby wasn’t really Ruby.

• Ruby called Sam out on his insecurities. He didn’t want to be different and he knew when Dean looked at him like he was a freak. I wish he had defied Dean and tried to tap into his abilities anyway. It’s funny how Sam never listened to BDW, but in the end, he listened to Dean.

• Jensen Ackles was nine kinds of awesome in this episode as well. From acting out Dean’s stubborn ways, his inappropriate humor, those crushing looks of despair and doom and Dean's death – the man can play it all.

Other thoughts:

• Where was Bobby while Sam and Dean were facing Ruby/Lilith?

• So glad to see that the Colt was gone for good (well, for now) and the boys had to rely on Ruby’s killer knife. I love that knife.

• The demon cop thought Dean’s last name was Hagar. As in Sammy "I Can’t Drive 55" Hagar…love it. (And oh yeah, he fronted Van Halen for a while too.)

• What did you think about Dean leaving Ruby stuck under that Devil’s Trap?

• Of course Dean would ask Sam to take care of his wheels.

• Sam almost had to kill a little girl. So glad he didn’t have to go through with it.

• Ruby/Lilith told Sam that it would take time to go all dark side. I wanted him to not listen to her and try anyway. After all, demons lie. I know, earlier Ruby said she never lies to Sam, but Sam has his own mind. I think he would’ve or at least should have tried.

• Part of me wanted Dean not to just scream "Sam" at the end, but "Sammy." That would have ripped my heart out even more.

•There were elements of "Devil’s Trap," "Salvation," "Crossroad Blues" and "Mystery Spot" in this episode.

• There were definite moments between the brothers but unfortunately no hug or "no love ya, bro" or anything like that. That's so not the Winchesters. Fortunately, Sam and Dean show they care in other ways.

• At what point did Lilith take over Ruby?

OK, this is going on way too long once again, so I’m going to continue with the favorite lines in the first post. I wanted to also tell you guys that after three seasons, this is my final column as the Supernatural blogger. I’m hanging up my keyboard and I’m going to become a civilian Supernatural fan once again. I just wanted to say I loved every second of writing this blog. You guys are the best posters – I’ve loved reading everyone’s wild theories, reports from conventions, and of course, your in depth analysis of each episode. Thanks for the good times and don’t worry, I’ll still be watching our show. Once again, congrats to Supernatural on getting the early nod on a Season 4. Looking forward to seeing how Dean gets out of hell (or wherever he is), whether Sam is going to realize his full potential and how in the world Mary Winchester fits into all of this. So what did you think of "No Rest for the Wicked?" What did you think of Season 3?

This is my annual "get ready for tonight's season finale" post. The episode's called "No Rest for the Wicked." This is what we've been waiting for all season. What's going to happen to Dean? And how will Sam deal with it all? Unfortunately it's episode 16 and not 22, but whatever. The time is finally here. Season 3 is about to come to an end. And as Eric Kripke said, we're going to be left with a cruel, cruel cliffhanger. Can't wait to see just how cruel. Here's a little somethin' somethin' on the episode courtesy of tvguide.com. It's not really that spoilery.

Happy Supernatural Thursday!

Hopefully you guys will be back here tomorrow morning for tons of analysis.

So, this is an episode I think I'm still processing. First things first: the way Bela was written off was well done. And if any of you hadn't heard, or couldn't tell from the way "Time is on My Side" ended, Ms. Talbot won't be back in Season 4. The way Sera Gamble wrote her out, I didn't see coming. She made a deal with a demon to kill her parents when she was young. Lilith held her contract and even though Bela stole the Colt for Lilith, it wasn't enough to extend her deal. Lilith even tried to get Bela to kill Sam, but the boys finally got one up on her and that was all she wrote. Dean said it right. All she had to do was ask them for help and they would have been there for her. It was as simple as that. But in the end, there was nothing they could do. I understand why she made the deal; her father did awful things to her. But things didn't have to end this way for her. It's too bad. I'm actually someone who really liked Bela, especially in the beginning. Selling Sam and Dean out in "Jus in Bello" was just too much. But I think Lauren Cohan did one hell of a job as Bela and I especially loved the way the character was introduced in "Bad Day at Black Rock." That is, up until she shot Sam. I think that was another mistake the show made with this character. She could have been antagonistic and badass without having to shoot Sam.

Now on to Sam and Dean: their differences led to another separation for these brothers. Sam knew Dean couldn't resist this hunt if zombies were the MOTW. But really, it was a creepy doc who was immortal. The guy literally stitched himself together using body parts from the people he kidnapped and sometimes killed. Apparently, BDW had "taken" care of the guy a long time ago, cut his heart out. Guess that didn't work since he was back stealing livers and kidneys and eyes. Guess cutting off his head wouldn't have worked either like it did in Highlander. He'd probably just walk around all headless until he ripped off someone else's head. Anyway, Sam knew he had to lie to Dean because there was no way his older brother would react favorably to Sam's real reason for taking on this hunt. Sam wanted to find Doc Benton's secret to immortality in order to help save Dean. He should have known Dean wouldn't go for that. Dean doesn't want to become a demon, why would he even entertain the thought of having to replenish his organs once they gave out in order to stay "alive?" Sure, Sam said this move would just buy them some time, but it was a crazy idea. Although, I loved how he said he would take the magic pill too. Could you imagine two immortal demon hunting brothers? Hope the guys wouldn't end up lookin' all patchy and stitched up like Doc Benton there. That definitely would not be a hot look on anyone, not even Jensen and Jared. Now, let's say the shoe was on the other foot. Do you think Dean would have gone after this solution if it were Sam's life hanging in the balance? It just seems like Dean would do anything for his brother, but not for himself. Those differences popped up again when it was time to take care of Doc Benton. Sam was all about learning the formula for immortality, Dean was about getting rid of the evil thing. Dean won.

Two guest stars drew my attention: Billy Drago, the perennial bad guy, of course. Much like Jeff Kober in "Folsom Prison Blues," it was just a matter of time before Billy Drago ended up on Supernatural. He was freakin' creepy. His presence really upped the scare factor. The other guest star was a total surprise – it was Steven Williams, the captain from 21 Jump Street. I loved that he played a worn out demon hunter into Johnny Walker Blue and knowing everything about everything including Dean's little predicament. He gave Dean the 411 on Bela "I used to be Abby" Talbot. Hope he turns up again in Season 4. He could prove to be a quirky but really interesting ally to the boys next season. Hope I'm not getting my hopes up too much, since most of the guest stars I really like, their characters end up dead for one reason or another.

Steven Williams-talk brings me to the conversation between Rufus and Dean. Rufus told the Winchester the Colt wasn't going to save him; he also told Dean that even if he lived through this particular situation, there's just going to be something else down the road. Now, was he just bitter and talking about all hunters in general? Or does he know something about Dean? Is Dean doomed? That just makes me think of something one of the Supernatural blog posters (racestaffer) said about how this show might end with Dean no longer being part of this world. I told her that thought depressed me, but it's certainly something I have thought of before. I can always envision a future for Sammy, even with the target on his head and his abilities. I can never envision a future for Dean. Rufus said: "Folks like us? There ain't no happy ending." Is Eric Kripke preparing us for something here or what?

Did you catch the previews for next week's season finale? OMG was the only thing that came to mind after I watched it. I'm on vacation right now so I watched it with my sister, she screamed after the preview was over too. Of course I rewound and watched the preview four times. And I'll probably go back again and watch it a few more hundred times before next Thursday. If you're not into watching the end-of-the-episode sneak peeks, please skip over the next paragraph. I'm basing some of my speculation on what we saw in the preview:

I'm still wondering why Lilith wants Sam out of the picture so much. Sam doesn't want to go dark side, but she probably feels he has the potential to go dark side at any time should he have a reason. Maybe, and this is just speculation based on next week's preview, she wanted Sam dead before Dean's deal was up. Let's say Dean goes to hell. That event may trigger Sam's powers or abilities and he may go dark side just to get his brother back. He could end up ridding hell of Lilith, I believe Sam has the power to do it. If she gets rid of him first, then he's taken care of. Dean goes to hell and she wins. There are probably a lot of holes in that theory, but I'm anxious to see how everything pans out next week.

Other thoughts:

• I love Dean and his fixation with food.

• Was anybody's audio slightly off when Sam and Dean were talking to cranky kidney guy? The audio seemed to be a tad wacky during the last line of the scene. Don't know if it was just my TV.

• Sam's having some bad luck with the MOTWs as of late. In "Ghostfacers" he was kidnapped by the lonely guy spirit. In "Long-Distance Call" he was nabbed by the phone company baddie; and now Billy Drago almost gouged his eyes out. Poor Sammy.

• Not only does Lilith hold Dean's contract, she holds everyone's contract. What do you guys think about that?

• Dean went all "Devil's Trap" for that exorcism in the beginning of "Time is on My Side." Didn't he look all rageriffic like he did facing Meg at Bobby's house? Sam had no problem exorcising the demon this time around.

• Dean's really looking freaked out now. Anybody would in his situation. When the demon getting exorcised said a bunch of his pals were waiting to meet up with Dean, I got really scared for him.

• Dean did bring up the welching clause. I really would like this to be spelled out for me. Exactly how involved does Dean have to get in order to violate this demon policy? Torturing a demon with holy water in order to find out who holds Dean's contract is OK?

• Sam drove a rental two weeks in a row. I don't know why I'm pointing that out, I just am.

• I can't believe Bela burned her fingerprints off. Did anyone know about the ear thing? I was totally clueless about that.

• They wrote the Winchesters smarter this time around. I wondered what Dean had spied in Bela's hotel room. Devil's shoestring did he say? Whatever it was, it was to ward off the hell hounds. Wonder if Dean's thinking he may have to pick up some soon.

• How far was Dean from Erie, Pennsylvania on the way back from Vermont? I never know how much time lapses on this show. One second Dean's in the car, the next he's at Doc Benton's lair of doom saving Sam. Again, so glad Sam's eyes were not touched.

• Speaking of the dastardly immortal doctor, I don't know about you, but I can't watch any graphic scene that involves operating on a patient. When I used to watch Nip/Tuck, I had to skip over all the surgeries. I watched Dr. 90210 today and I couldn't handle watching those surgeries. Doc Benton's TV surgeries didn't get too awful, but I was still grossed out.

• Doc Benton's buried alive forever. Kind of what Connor wanted to do to his vampire dad on Angel.

I liked this episode, but I always get impatient when it's time to set things up for the season finale – I just want the action amped up from beginning to end. But the penultimate episodes always set up Supernatural's finales and out of "Salvation," "All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1" and "Time is on My Side," I think I like this one the best. Although the scenes at the end of Salvation and AHBL 1 were awesome and some of my favorite scenes of the entire series.

I've gone on way too long, so I'm going to use my first post for my favorite lines. What did you guys think? Did you like it or love it? Something else?

For more Supernatural stuff, check out our Online Video Guide.

So at least we got to hear Jeffrey Dean Morgan, even though we didn’t get to see the late great Big Daddy Winchester. That’s something right? I figured we’d only be hearing him since the episode was called "Long Distance Call," but a girl could have a tiny sliver of hope. How crushing was it at the end when Dean had to admit to Sam that he was right, the BDW he was getting phone calls from really wasn’t BDW? It was some crazy soul-sucker who worked at the phone company.

Having Dean admit to his brother he was really scared was pretty crushing as well. I don’t know about you, but it was nice to see Sam and Dean talking about the deal for an extended amount of time. I feel like the topic has been on simmer for the entire season. And now the show and these characters can’t avoid it any longer. Dean’s getting scared and he can’t hide it. Having him believe the caller was truly BDW, that’s not a move I really think he would normally make. I know he’s always had a blind spot when it comes to his dad, but I do feel he would have been skeptical if he didn’t have a death sentence hanging over him. It was difficult to see him instantly believe the caller was his dad and it was even harder to see Sam have to be the voice of reason because I wanted the caller to be John and I wanted them to really have a lead on the demon that’s holding Dean’s contract. Speaking of which…What did you guys think about Dean going after "Dad’s" lead? After all, at the time, he didn’t know it wasn’t real. I thought if he did anything to try and get out of the deal, Sam would die. Plus, at the end, Dean said he was the only person that could get him out of this deal. Again, if he truly believes that then he’s putting Sam’s life in danger. What’s changed? Don’t get me wrong, I’m hoping Dean takes a more active role finding a way out of the deal.

What else we got in "Long Distance Call" was Sam and Dean arguing, teasing and investigating. Dean even had time to check out a girl. But seriously, leave it up to Dean to continue on with the family business even in the face of Hell. That was really good to see because that was so in character for him. He never was in this for revenge; he was in it to help people. And the case they were investigating was so well done and creepy. I loved seeing Sam help that teenaged girl with her "dead mom" calling and IM-ing her from the "beyond." He was really there for her and I loved seeing that, plus he got to be all heroic when he saved her little brother.

Here’s the problem with a shortened season: it’s shorter so the writers had to come up with a way to let us know Sam and Dean have been trying real hard to come up with a way to save Dean. They had to condense six episodes of could-have-been action and story developments into a couple lines of exposition explaining that they’d talked to every professor, witch, soothsayer and two-bit carny act to figure a way out. We didn’t get to see any of this. That makes me very unhappy.

Other thoughts:

• Dean finally told Sam Ruby said she couldn’t save him. One secret out. Sam’s turn to pony up.

• Was that the same college where they shot the "Tall Tales" episode?

• Loved Sam getting tough with the crocata (I’m really not sure how to spell the MOTW. If anyone wants to clue me in, be my guest.). Loved that he got himself out of the situation.

• I love how Dean knew the wife of the suicide guy in the beginning was withholding information.

• Loved the red herring of Thomas Edison’s spirit phone. And that annoying tour guide reminded me of Bonnie Hunt in Dave. “And we’re walking…”

• What exorcism did faux John really give Dean?

• Sam actually drove a rental car. Wow. No need to wonder how Dean got to one location and Sam ended up somewhere else.

• Loved Dean giving advice to the fly guy about the porn site. That was so Dean.

• Sam and Dean ended up back in Ohio, Eric Kripke’s home state. Milan, Ohio really is the birthplace of Thomas Edison.

• When the MOTW was talking about how everyone’s so connected but have never been so alone, I thought of Pulse, that movie with Kristen Bell that’s based on a Japanese horror flick.

All in all, I really liked this episode. There were nice Sam and Dean moments and conflicts; a good, creepy investigation and definitely a chick flick moment. It also stirred the pot for the two-part finale that starts next week. I hope you guys are ready, because I am. You know how "Long Distance Call" ended on a quiet moment between Sam and Dean? Well, I’m hoping nothing about the next two episodes is quiet. I want loud, hardcore, pulse-pounding action, angst, scares and screams. I want it to be Sam and Dean versus the supernatural universe. I’m sure we’ll get something in the vicinity of awesome.

One final thing and I know I’m a total geek for doing this but it’s May 2, Sam Winchester’s birthday. Happy B-day Sammy! (Yes, I’m totally aware that this is a character just humor me…)

Favorite Lines:

"So you two were talking about the case?" "No. We were actually talking about our feelings and then our favorite boy bands."

"Since when does a phone guy drive a rental or wear a cheap suit?"

"Dad?"

"What did he sound like?" "Like Oprah. Dad, like dad. What do you think?"

"What’s with the quote-y fingers?"

"You’re my boy. I love you. I can’t watch you go to hell, Dean." (Again, words of love that came from a faux John. "Devil’s Trap," anyone?)

"After everything, you’re still just going on blind faith." "Yeah, well maybe, you know maybe that’s all I got OK?"

"I see they improved your face." "Right back at you."

"Well pack your panties Sammy, we’re hitting the road."

"My ass is too sweet to let out of sight."

"I can’t expect dad to show up with some miracle at the last minute. I can’t expect anybody to you know? The only person that can get me out of this is me." "And me." "And me? What? Deep revelation, havin’ a real moment and that’s what you come back with? 'And me?'" "Do you want a poem?" "Moment’s gone. Unbelievable."

For more Supernatural goodies, check out our Online Guide.

Wow. Was that a long two months or what? This latest hell-atus is finally a thing of the past and we can now get down to the business of the remaining four episodes of this shortened season. I have to say I would have preferred if "Ghostfacers" (GF) had aired in the middle of a complete 22-episode season instead of what we got, but things happen. We don’t always get what we want. After a long hiatus, I would have preferred to jump right into the action and the angst and Dean’s deal and the whole Lilith vs. Sam showdown. But I will say this: I’m just happy that our show is back on the air with new episodes. "Ghostfacers" was a cool experiment – a funny homage to SciFi’s Ghost Hunters and movies like the Blair Witch Project. And it was great to see Sam and Dean from an outsider’s perspective.

It was also good to see Harry Spengler and Ed Zeddmore – the geeks from Season 1’s "Hell House." "Hell House" was the very first Supernatural that went strictly for the comedy. Oh there were plenty of laughs before – take "Phantom Traveler" for instance. But you show Sam and Dean pulling pranks and introduce two awesome yahoos like Ed and Harry and you’ve got instant comedy. This show has come a long way since then. It has often abandoned the formula in the name of entertainment. Eric Kripke and his writing team occasionally turn the show over to feature concepts like "Tall Tale’s" Weekly World News angles; or throw in something on a much smaller scale like breaking into the regularly scheduled recap in "Night Shifter" to cut to a Milwaukee bank robbery that just so happened to involve Sam and Dean; or even the way they paid respect to those holiday specials of yore in this season’s "A Very Supernatural Christmas." So it's no surprise that this whole "show within a show" theme worked really well.

GF was an episode I could just sit back and be entertained. I didn’t take many notes, but I totally found myself laughing out loud numerous times. It seemed like it was probably really fun to film. What I loved:

• The chaotic camera work.

• That it was a leap year ghost.

• Harry and Ed referencing the writers’ strike. Genius.

• All the bleeping that went on every time someone cursed. And then there were the tiny skull graphics that popped up at the same time. Hilarious.

• The GF Theme Song: Somebody please tell me what that theme song sounded like. I know I’ve heard something like it before, but I can’t place it. And we finally got Jared and Jensen to be part of an actual open instead of the usual 5-second Supernatural title page (which is awesome in its own right). I especially loved Dean flicking the camera.

• Even while our eyes were on the GF gang, you could hear the Impala arriving on the scene. Beautiful.

• I liked the dynamics with Harry’s adopted sister Maggie, Spruce and Corbett (poor Corbett!). Good for Harry, he got to hook up with Maggie.

• The music: Classic rock made a comeback to the tune of the Impala blasting Grand Funk Railroad’s "We’re an American Band." There was also a bit of a western-themed instrumental piece towards the beginning. It just reminded me of interviews where I hear one of the Supernatural cast or crew mention this show is part Western.

• The creepiest part was that birthday dinner full of dead people and Sam. That MOTW was a sicko freak, wasn’t he? And, of course, there was Corbett getting killed. When they ended the GF episode with his picture in memoriam, I was sad!

• The show’s credits were at the end; I totally forgot that we didn’t get that in the beginning.

• The entire episode I kept thinking how Sam and Dean were going to let the GF-ers get away with filming them since they’re supposed to be dead. So that ending where the Winchester brothers sabotaged everything was so cool. It put my mind at ease.

• The Ghostfacers bumps to break were also a nice touch.

• Poor Sammy had to wear a birthday hat.

• I loved when cranky Dean would just address the camera.

• When Harry was scared he sang the GF theme song. Awesome.

I just had one minor issue: When I really wanted to see more of Sam and Dean, we were forced to watch the GF gang. We were at the mercy of where they were pointing the camera. And except for a couple of times it was mentioned that Dean had two months to live, we didn’t have any quality Winchester conversations. I’m spoiled. That’s one of my favorite parts of the show. But I would have felt different had this been episode 13 of 22 instead of 13 of 16. We have precious little time left to this season; we haven’t had a new Supernatural in a couple of months; I missed Sam and Dean’s classic avoidance and abandonment issues.

Favorite lines:

"Listen here, chiseled chest!"

"Rats are like the rats of the world."

"We know you’ve had it hard during the crippling writers’ strike." "Lazy fat cats." "Who needs writers when you’ve got guys like us?"

"Ghost. Ghostfacers. We face the ghosts when the others will not."

"Good morning Ghostfacers." "It’s 7pm, dude." "It’s morning to a Ghostfacer."

"There’s some salt in my duffel. Make a circle and get inside." "Inside your duffel bag?" "In the salt!"

"Wow, you’re strong."

"Seriously. You’re still shooting?"

"All this time you were teaching us about heart and dedication and about how gay love can pierce through the veil of death and save the day."

"You know I think it was kind of half awesome."

"Don’t be Facer haters…"

One more thing: Did you catch the previews for next week? Um, the clock is ticking. I cannot wait. I’ve watched it four times already. Also, please add any great lines I may have forgotten.

There's more Supernatural to be found. Just check out our Online Guide.

Hey there! I just wanted to post a blog gearing up for the final episodes of Season 3. Just a reminder: "Ghostfacers" premieres this Thursday on The CW.

I also wanted to provide a link to a segment on TV Guide Network's hour-long, celebrity-driven show called Hollywood 411. It features Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff and Supernatural's very own Jared Padalecki. TV Guide's calling them TVs Sexiest Stars.

Since my day job happens to be a senior producer for TVGN (and the resident Supernatural expert), I'm actually the one that interviewed Jared at his photo shoot. It was the first time I ever met or interviewed Jared. I have to say he was great and really, really nice. He didn't give any spoilers away, but he did tell me that this year's season finale is possibly his favorite episode of Supernatural ever. Which is saying alot, since he was so freakin' awesome in BUABS.

If you want to see more of this photo shoot, Jared will be part of a special I'm working on that coincides with TV Guide Magazine's Sexiest Stars Issue. Look for that Sunday, May 4th on TV Guide Network.

We also have another special currently running on TV Guide Network. It's called Returning Favorites and talks about all the shows that are finally back on TV. It talks about plots and goes to various sets to visit the actors. Towards the end of the special, there's a segment on The CW which features Gossip Girl, Smallville and yes, Supernatural. In fact, TVGN actually visited the sets of Smallville and Supernatural in Vancouver. It's really quick, but still worth seeing. Look for this Returning Favorites special in the TV listings here on tvguide.com or check your local listings. Hopefully it's still running...

EDIT: Here's the link to Eric Kripke's great Q&A...

We're two weeks away from the first of four new episodes of Supernatural (yay!). Guess what time it is? It's time for another Q&A with Supernatural's awesome creator Eric Kripke.

So post any questions you've been dying to ask Mr. Kripke. But please keep them to two per person. You'll have until Friday 4/11 @ 7PM Eastern to give us your questions.

Did you guys catch the repeat of a "Dream a Little Dream?" Ya gotta love that ending and anything that has to do with Bobby. And did you see the promo for the new episode? Finally!

Now post away people. I can already think of a question I want to ask. How about you?

So what'd you think of the Supernatural double feature? "Night Shifter" introduced the obsessed FBI Agent Victor Henriksen. "Jus In Bello" signaled the end of what could have been a really great ally for the boys in seasons to come (more on that later). An evening of shapeshifters and demons took front and center along with the Winchester brothers. Before we get to the new episode and the newest big bad wanting to make life hell for the brothers, let's count down the top 5 moments from "Night Shifter." This is just according to me, feel free to list your own.

• The "Renegade" ending: Sam and Dean were in S.W.A.T. uniforms running from the law with this Styx tune nipping at their heels.
• Dean validating Ronald's crazy conspiracy theories: He was right about everything except for the mandroid thing. Too bad Ronald was vindicated just in time to be killed. Poor Ronald.
• The introduction of Henriksen. Right off the bat, this guy was a thorn in the Winchesters' side. He was a formidable and entertaining opponent.
• The "news" broke into regularly scheduled programming that just so happened to be the recap. Very clever.
• Sam and Dean's showing of their badges to Ronald at the same time: It was a small moment, but a good one. And didn't Sam make a good FBI agent?

For those of you newbies, here's the original blog for "Night Shifter." Now on to "Jus In Bello", which was a great action-packed episode that furthered the mythology along; freed Sam and Dean up from a life of being chased by the feds (for the time being); and introduced Lilith. After "The Kids Are Alright", I wonder if the producers and writers figured to go with what they're good at: creating kids that are freakin' scary. Her eyes turned white. Have we seen this before? We've always seen the black-eyed thing. What does this mean?

This really did have a very Assault at Precinct 13 kind of vibe to it. But instead of gang members (in the 1976 original, corrupt policemen in the 2005 remake), Sam, Dean, along with Henriksen, Nancy the Virgin and a deputy (think Enos from The Dukes of Hazzard) had to face down a slew of demons. Instead of bullets, this battle was fought with salt, holy water and Latin. First Sam and Dean were prisoners, then after Henriksen was possessed himself, he came around to the way of the Winchesters. They joined forces to defeat the possessed humans camped outside. I knew our favorite FBI Agent could be cruel but the stuff he said about BDW and brainwashing Dean was unusually cruel. But how nice was it to see them come together to fight the good fight? There was a scene between Dean and Henriksen, where Henriksen questioned his existence and saw the merit of doing what Sam and Dean have been doing for years. Jensen and Charles Malik Whitfield had such great chemistry as adversaries and briefly allies.

Unlike Dean in "Sin City", Sam was able to recite the exorcism as if he were reciting the alphabet. This was cool as it was when we heard his voice for the mass exorcism and demon exodus. Loved the little moments between the brothers in the jail cell when Henriksen was taunting them. At first Sam was sitting back nonchalantly, but once the fed verbally attacked Dean and their dad, the way he sat up as if to stand ground with Dean and support him was awesome. Also, it's amazing how Sam can go from sincere to scary in two seconds flat and all to wisely get Nancy's crucifix for instant holy water. As for Dean, he showcased his knack for joking at the most inopportune of times.

I did have a few issues with the show, however.

• Bela sold the boys out. You know what? If the show keeps Bela an antagonist, I'm cool with it. If she's going to be their enemy forever, more power to her. Then I've got no problem with her making Sam and Dean look stupid once again. I just hope the show in the future does not try to redeem her because Bela crossed the line with this one. Leading the feds to the Winchester boys was not cool.

• The death of Henriksen. The whole time I thought it was going to happen, but once it got to the end of the episode, I thought maybe I was wrong. Unfortunately, I wasn’t. What’s the deal with this show killing off really great characters? I understood offing BDW and Gordon, I really did. But I really wanted Henriksen to live. I thought maybe he’d quit the FBI and become a demon hunter – it sounded like that’s where he was heading. Next season Sam and Dean could have run into him in a vampire’s nest or something like that.

• My third issue has to do with guest stars. I love it when the show gets name guest stars. In my world Peter Deluise isn't possessed Deputy Director Steven Groves. He's Officer Doug Penhall from 21 Jump Street. I hate when these type of guest stars get roughly a scene or two scenes then are killed off. Can you say Mercedes McNab or Gary Cole? I enjoyed seeing Deluise, who's no stranger to Vancouver where Supernatural films. He's been a director for both Stargate: SG1 and Stargate: Atlantis.

Other thoughts:
• Phil Sgriccia did a great job directing both "Night Shifter" and "Jus In Bello."

• We got to see Dean's blue steel mugshot again. Awesome.

• I loved how uncoordinated Sam and Dean were in their chains at first. Until they got a system down.

• Didn't Deputy Director Groves look like he was aiming straight for Dean? What was all that about? I thought these demons wanted Sam dead.

• Who knew Sam and Dean would have a stash of those necklaces that prevent possession? They kicked those to the curb in favor of nifty tats that do the same job.

• I now really do think Ruby was behind what the trickster did to Sam. Originally, this episode was supposed to air before "Mystery Spot." Let's say Ruby had seen Sam side with Dean in "Jus In Bello" first. She'd have seen all the casualties that resulted from not going with her original plan of killing the virgin. So, how else to get Sam to start thinking her way? She got the trickster to put Sam through hell. Sam was thisclose to draining the blood of a human in order to bring Dean back. Just a thought. Let me know what you guys think. Let me know if this even makes any sense.

• Ruby gave Sam and Dean something that would throw Lilith off their trail. I imagine they'll have to lose whatever she gave them considering there are only four episodes left in the season. That is, if Eric Kripke and the Supernatural gang decide to wrap up Dean's deal and Sam vs. Lilith this season. I can't wait to find out when those episodes start airing on the CW April 24th. Until then, see ya.

Favorite Lines:
"Hi guys! It's been a while."

"Why all the sourpusses?"

"Sorry, Dean. Truth is your daddy brainwashed you with all that devil talk and no doubt touched you in a bad place."

"How are we going to Houdini out of this one?" "Good question."

"How's your shoulder?" "It's awesome."

"Would it kill these cops to give us a snack?"

"It's kind of wild right? It's like they're coming right for us. Never done that before. It's like we got a contract on us. Think it's because we're so awesome? I think it's because we're so awesome."

"I shot the sheriff." "But you didn't shoot the deputy."

"I owe you the biggest I told you so ever."

"Smart, how long have you had those?" "Not long enough."

"So it turns out demons are real." "FYI ghosts are real too. So are werewolves, vampires, changelings, evil clowns that eat people." "OK then."

"So yeah. Sign me up for that big mug of wasted my damn life." "You didn't know." "Now I do."

"I got virtue."

"Stop! Stop! Nobody kill any virgins."

"I got a plan. I'm not saying it's a good one. I'm not even saying that it'll work. It sure as hell beats killing a virgin."

"When this is over, I'm going to have so much sex. But not with you."

"Excuse me, I'm looking for two boys. They're brothers. One's really tall and one's really cute." "What's your name, sweetie?" "Lilith."

Need a Supernatural fix during the two-month post-strike hiatus? Check out our Online Video Guide.

It's time to break into our regularly scheduled programming, namely the "Mystery Spot" blog, in order to get everyone geared up for the Thursday night Supernatural double feature.

The CW first airs "Night Shifter" - one of the best episodes of Season 2 hands down. It introduced cranky FBI agent Henricksen - a man that ended up making the brothers' life hell on earth. It's also the episode that featured what I think is my favorite use of classic rock after "Carry on Wayward Son." That would be Styx's "Renegade."

Then it's the last new episode of the pre-strike era: "Jus in Bello." Just like last week, the CW provided me with the opportunity to see this one in advance. Henricksen's back and let me tell you it's a good one. It's action-packed, furthers the mythology along and I'm betting a lot of you guys will have an emotional reaction after the episode. I'm just not going to tell you which emotion - I'll let you guess for yourself. I really understand why they ended up switching "Mystery Spot" and "Jus in Bello" so they could end it with this one.

So again, just like last week, let's spread the love and the word for Supernatural. Once again, it's going up against some tough competition.

I'll see you guys back here Thursday night/Friday morning for some in depth analysis. Although, how are we going to top the debates, speculations and analysis that went on for "Mystery Spot"? That was some serious stuff. I love reading everyone's opinions...

You know I always have the intention of making my weekly recap/review short and to the point, but it never ends up that way. Lots of analysis and gushing usually follows, this week is no different. So just bare with me guys. First impression of "Mystery Spot": I loved it. Wholeheartedly. This Groundhog Day concept is not usually my cup of tea. I liked the movie enough, but it was never one of my favorites, I've only seen it once. Add Sam and Dean to this universe, and suddenly I'm all for it. Kudos to writer Jeremy Carver and director Kim Manners for creating an all-around excellent episode that was sad, tragic, funny and intense.

The trickster did it. The trickster! It was odd to see the Winchester's foe from "Tall Tales" in the recap. But I didn't think much of it because the djinn from last season was also in the recap. I think the djinn was thrown into the recap mix to throw us off of the trickster's scent. Because I never guessed the sneaky god was responsible for throwing Sam into the most hellish time loop he could ever experience. I'm sure you guys figured things out before I did, however. The trickster said the joke was on Sam, that it was not about killing Dean. So do you think it was acting on orders from something bigger and badder? Sam's supposed boy king rival in the West? Or was something more benevolent but twisted the cause?

It kind of felt like "Croatoan" to me. That this was all some sort of test for Sam to see how he would react; to see what he would become; to either see what it would take for him to become devoid of feeling, that would result in him becoming a badass, soulless demon hunter. Kind of like what Ruby was telling Dean Sam would have to become after Dean was gone. Was this all to get Sam on the right track sooner rather than later? Will he be forever changed after experiencing endless Tuesdays? I guess we'll all have to wait until next week to see if that's the case.

Let's step back a bit. The recap showed Bobby, Ruby as well as the Crossroad Demon. But the episode simply ended up being about Sam and Dean. The love one brother has for another and the trust between siblings was front and center for me. Sam tried to keep his emotions in check, but you could tell they were about to erupt like lava out of a volcano at any minute. Still, he managed to get Dean on the same page trying to figure out a way out almost every time. Dean was totally thinking Sam was nuts, but it didn't matter. He believed his brother and wanted to help his brother get to the bottom of this. The trust Dean looked at Sam with was so great. So the brotherly love was my favorite part of this episode and it all culminated in that hug Sammy gave Dean after the loop/alternate reality was broken and it was Wednesday.

"Mystery Spot" was also really funny. I believe Eric Kripke said there were going to be some laughs. I didn't believe there would be a way I could laugh at a character dying over and over and over and over times a hundred. But I admit I did. There was a montage of Dean's different deaths and I admit to laughing because everything was so preposterous. Dean would die and then things would cut straight to Sammy in bed, we'd hear "Heat of the Moment" and then the madness would start all over again. The least favorite way Dean died (if you can call it favorite): the desk falling on him and all you saw were his legs jutting out from the desk. Way too Wile E. Coyote for my tastes. The toughest to watch was the drunk driver hitting him out of nowhere with the car. There was also the death that happened off screen where I think Sam accidentally ended up killing Dean when they were fighting over the ax.

Loved these Dean moments. He was so funny in this episode:

• Dean lip synching to Asia's "Heat of the Moment." It was dorky but so cute.
• Dean gurgling was hilarious.
• I also loved him holding up the bra and asking Sam if it was his.

Dean seems to enjoy the little things in life. Saying "pig 'n a poke", for example. It was great to see that with all the darkness and having the life sentence hanging over his head, he was still able to appreciate those little things.

Other thoughts:
• They actually showed what Sammy would do after Dean died. I guess, that's when this episode became a little like "What Is And What Should Never Be." Like I said before, this alternate reality Sammy just plowed through life like a soulless soldier, bringing down the bad guys. Did you catch him tending to his own wounds? The music was psychedelic; he killed "Bobby" although he was only partly sure it wasn't his friend. By the way, loved hearing Jim Beaver's voice over the montage of Badass Sammy the Hunter. It was so sad to see what would become of the younger Winchester. In "AHBL2", Dean was broken, but he was ready to give up hunting.

• The trickster was really trying to give Sam the hard sell on him not being able to save his brother. Why? There has to be a reason. I know everyone and everything keeps saying it's about Sam. But there has to be a reason they're trying to drum it into his head that Dean can't be saved. Thankfully Sam's got a stubborn streak about a mile long.

• It was fascinating seeing Sam flipping through a myriad of emotions: frustration, helplessness, fear, desperation, confusion. Then of course he hit crazy town when he was tearing down the Broward County Mystery Spot with an ax.

• Dean only remembers Sam being whacked out and meeting up with the trickster. I hope Sam ended up telling his brother what else happened.

• "Chuckleheads" seems to be a term of endearment the supernatural world has for the Winchester boys. First Meg, now Mr. Trickster.

• Not only did Asia's "Heat of the Moment" get a lot of play but Huey Lewis' "Back in Time" a song made famous in Back to the Future.

• Travis Bickle = the character Robert De Niro played in Taxi Driver.

Questions:
• Is living through this hellish time loop going to change Sammy?
• Who was the trickster working for if anyone?
• Will Sammy ever tell Dean about the time loop? (He's got some 'splaining to do)
• How awesome was this episode?

Favorite Lines:
"Hey, Tuesday. Pig 'n a poke!"
"Dude, Asia."
"My god, you're a freak!"
"Did it look cool like in the movies?"
"You peed yourself." "Of course I peed myself. A man gets hit by a car you think he has full control of his bladder? Come on!"
"Rise and shine, Sammy."
"Sammy, I get all tingly when you take control like that."
"Hot sauce."
"Judge Myers? At night he puts on a furry bunny outfit."
"Not today. Not today. This isn't supposed to happen today. I'm supposed to wake up."
"There's a lesson that I've been trying to drill into that freakish Cro-Magnon skull of yours."
"Dean's your weakness. The bad guys know it too. It's gonna be the death of you Sam. Sometimes you've just gotta let people go."
"Right you’re a mind reader. Cut it out Sam. Sam. You think you’re funny but you’re being really, really childish. Sam Winchester wears makeup. Sam Winchester cries his way through sex. Sam Winchester keeps a ruler by the bed and every morning when he wakes up. OK, enough!" (Sam and Dean in unison)

Need more Supernatural in your life? Check out our Online Video Guide.

Hey there guys - just wanted to get everybody geared up for tomorrow night's episode of Supernatural.

Thanks to the CW - I was given an advance look at the episode and I have to tell you guys it's good. I'm not going to give any spoilers or hints because I want everyone to enjoy the experience. But, as you know from last week's preview, it's the show's twist on the movie Groundhog Day.

What I will say is that it's good, angst-filled, there are many funny elements to it, at times it's surprising and has the potential to be a great source of debate and/or analysis.

Just want to get the word out there about the episode and hopefully you guys will tell everybody you can to tune into it as well.

In other news: Yay to the strike being over. If you want to read some info about it tvguide.com has the news. You'll also find links to show status and more. Looks like we'll definitely be getting new episodes of Supernatural this season.

Also Ask Ausiello has a little Supernatural news in today's edition (no spoilers). There's a little blurb in his Ausiello Report from Monday.

Whew - lots of business. Remember to spread the word about tomorrow's Supernatural. And I'll meet you guys back here on Thursday night/Friday morning for what I know will be some in depth analysis. And once again, let's all celebrate the end of the writers' strike!

Sam and Dean coming to the aid of Bobby Singer was awesome. He's the closest thing they have to a father — Dean admitted as much — so it was refreshing to see them rescue him for a change. I mean, it's usually the Winchesters that are calling him up whenever they need an exorcism ritual, some expert information, a case or a way to save their asses. It was different seeing Bobby act so scared in his dreams. His screaming out "help me" just wasn't him. He's the stoic, in control one. He's the scruffy, kind of cranky demon hunter who knows everything about everything and can keep the brothers in line and on the right track. Sam and Dean dreamwalking to save their friend was a beautiful thing. Plus, it helped us learn more about Bobby. He was forced to kill his wife who happened to be possessed at the time. You can tell Bobby felt this tremendous amount of guilt. This was the act that propelled him into the demon hunting business. He didn't know what he knew now. He didn't know there were ways he maybe could have saved her. Kudos to Jim Beaver for getting more to do this time around. Plus, we didn't see him with a hat for a good portion of the episode.

My favorite part of the episode had to be when a dreamwalking Dean met his evil twin, black eyes and all. I know we've seen his insecurities thrown back in his face time after time. But seriously, it doesn't get old for me. Especially when it finally helps him come to the realization that he doesn't want to go to hell. It was difficult to watch some of the double-Dean stuff. The Evil One was talking about how worthless Dean is. He was basically expanding on what the Yellow-Eyed Demon said in "Devil's Trap." He went way past the "your family doesn't need you as much as you need them" bit the Demon said while in Big Daddy Winchester's meat suit. This time, his own nasty self hit some pretty angst-inducing territory and confirmed some of the things I knew he thought about himself:

"You've got nothing outside of Sam."
"Do you even have an original thought?"

And he revealed a couple things I didn't realize he was thinking:

"He's the one who couldn't protect his family."
"He's the one who let mom die!"

I think the scenes between evil Dean and our Dean were seamless, yet painful to watch. Jensen, once again, did an amazing job. The two Deans looked different, acted different and carried themselves differently. And once again, just like in "Skin", Dean shot himself. That has to mean something in a dream sense as well. I liked to hear that Dean had issues with BDW. He wasn't just a mindless soldier. He really thought he was doing the best for his family.

Things I want to know:
Last week, we got to see Ruby and Dean interact. This week, we saw Sam and Bela interact in a whole different way. I was kind of shocked when Sam fantasized about Bela without having taken any of that African dream root yet. What does this mean? Is he simply horny? Or does a drooling Sam really have a thing for Bela? I mean, the girl shot him once upon a time. And all it took was for Dean to mention her name and presto, he's fantasizing about her while he's sleeping. While I was confused by this occurrence, I have to admit I thought it was funny when Sam needed a second before he could go over to help Dean. And when he saw her in person, he was such a geek, it was kinda funny. Jared did a good job with that scene.

What can we interpret from Lisa being in Dean's dream? She mentioned Ben and had a picnic set up for him. And she said: "Dean, I love you." Is that what Dean wants from life? Does he just want some woman he loves to love him back? Does this mean that he loves Lisa? Or is she just a representation of the kind of life he wants? Does he want a family of his own? Sammy got to see Lisa too. I was kind of disappointed that that was all Sammy got to see while dreamwalking through Dean's mind.

Other thoughts:
• I know a lot of Supernatural fans are wondering where the classic rock went. I know it hasn't been the fourth character that it has been in the past two seasons. But we did get a Doobie Brothers song ("Long Train Runnin'") when Sam was drinking at the bar. By the way, we got some drunk Sammy again — that hasn't happened since "Playthings." He was all broody and lamenting the fact he doesn't think he can save Dean. His helplessness over not being able to rescue his brother caused him to get inebriated to the tune of whiskey. Poor Sammy.

• Speaking of the music, I do have to say I totally miss the classic rock recaps at the beginning of the episode. We're due another one. I hope they make a comeback eventually.

• I'm feeling a couple different things about Bela stealing the Colt. Let me preface this by saying, I'm not as much of a Bela-detractor as a lot of other Supernatural fans are. I didn't even mind Sammy having that fantasy about her (that) much. But I do get tired of her stealing crap from Sam and Dean. It makes them look ridiculous. On the other hand, I really never liked the Colt being back in action. I thought it was too easy. For me, the Colt was always this larger than life weapon that the demons were afraid of. I wish the Colt had stayed gone after John sold it along with his soul to the Demon in order to save Dean's life. Now, demons can stop the bullets mid-air, it doesn't have the same mystique. Having Ruby resurrect the gun isn't one of my favorite aspects of this season. I hope the thing stays gone. I'm really into Ruby's demon-killing knife. Sam and Dean need to make that knife their own. After all, Dean just killed Tammi the suburban demon with it in last week's episode.

• Loved caffeine-freak Dean. Kind of like I loved a whiskey-fied Sam. Loved Dean being Bobby's emergency contact.

• That messed up test subject that turned out to be the dreamwalking, bat-wielding bad guy really beat up on Sam, at least until Sammy conjured up the guy's abusive dad. Why do you think Bobby asked Sam if he were able to manipulate things in Dean's dream because of his psychic abilities? Is this alluding to something in the future? Sam hasn't been exhibiting any of his psychic-ness for a while. So why mention it now? Could the visions and telekinesis and whatever else possibly make a comeback sometime soon?

• Having to drink Bobby's hair along with the African dream root = gross!

• I watched next week's preview, and I have to say that it just about broke my heart. I can't wait until next Thursday!

Favorite Lines:
"Dude, it's Bobby." "Yeah, you're right."
"Crap." "What?" "Bela." "Bela? Crap."
"Who were you dreaming about?" "What? No one. Nothing." "Come on, you can tell me. Angelina Jolie?" "No." "Brad Pitt?" "No! No!"
"Nice to see you. Bela."
"You're not gonna die. I'm not gonna let you die. You're like a father to me."
"Dean you didn't." "I was thirsty."
"Thanks for the news flash, Edison."
"I mean your car, that's dad's. Your favorite leather jacket? Dad's. Your music? Dad's. Do you even have an original thought? No."
"My father was an obsessed bastard! All that crap he dumped on me about protecting Sam. That was his crap!"
"I didn't deserve what he put on me. And I didn't deserve to go to hell."
"I don't want to die. I don't want to go to hell." "All right, yeah. We'll find a way to save you."

All right, let's have it. What did you think about Sam and Bela?
Did you like learning more about Bobby?
How about Dean - what did you think about his confrontation with himself?

Until next week, catch some Supernatural in our Online Video Guide.

"There's no saving me from the pit, is there?" "No."

That one line was pretty devastating to hear. It makes me wonder if Dean will have to at least make a temporary trip down to hell before Sam figures out a way to save him. I don't know about you guys, but I'm really happy our show is back, even if it is for four episodes. It felt good to be able to watch a brand spankin' new Supernatural after almost seven weeks off the air. At times "Malleus Maleficarum" reminded me of a horror movie, a bizarro episode of Charmed with a little Desperate Housewives thrown in for good measure; a sort of demonic Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood if you will.

First of all, I've said this before, I've got to say it again. This season is more bloody and more violent than it's ever been before. Janet pulling out her teeth; Amanda's wrists getting slashed; necks being broken; maggot sandwiches; Winchesters getting slammed against walls; Dean spitting up blood on the floor of his motel room...TPTB have really upped the ante on the horror portion of the show. Normally, I'd be running the other way, but I'm seriously enjoying how sick this show gets when killing off the victims-of-the-week. Does that make me a bad person? At this point I'm wondering how much fake blood the crew goes through on any given episode.

Before I get to the awesomeness that is Sam and Dean, I've got to talk about Ruby. I really thought the character was a plausible addition to this particular episode. Other than me being annoyed with her for nicknaming Dean "short bus" (because apparently the entire demon universe can all agree on one thing: Dean's knowledge-challenged. Whatever.), learning about Ruby was cool, because of what it meant for Dean. It opened up the possibilities of what's ahead should Dean actually have to hit "the pit." It turns out Ruby was human during the days of the plague. She sold her soul to a demon. And it also turns out that once you go to hell, you usually end up becoming a demon. So all the demons she's known? Were once human. Dean needs to find out a way to have that not happen to him, thank you very much. Dean finally meeting Ruby was handled well. The two have an interesting dynamic.

The Winchester bros ruled of course. Who cares if they were arguing in the Impala or almost coming to blows over Ruby. They always have each other's back in the end. When Dean starts doubling over from a massive amount of stomach pain (poor Dean!), it was Sam to the rescue. When he couldn't find the hex bag, he grabbed the Colt and took off to track down those rhymes-with-witches. Did you catch Sammy break down that door? Loved it. Dean's worried about Sam's current black-and-white outlook on life. Sam's all of a sudden subscribing to Dean's point of view that evil is evil and needs to be put down even if it comes in a human package. But there was a reason for his change of tune.

"I'm worried because you're not acting like yourself." "Yeah, you're right. I don't have a choice!" "What do you mean?" "Look, Dean you're leaving, right? And I've got to stay here in this crap hole of a world alone. So the way I see it, if I'm going to make it. If I'm going to fight this war after you're gone, then I gotta change." "Change into what?" "Into you. I've gotta be more like you."

So I'm trying to figure out how I feel about Sam accepting that after Dean's gone he's going to continue to fight the good fight. We've seen this attitude change gradually developing, but to actually hear him finally talk about the future and fighting the war, that's huge. I mean, remember back in Season 1's "Shadow" where he told Dean after the YED was killed he was going back to having a life? Wow. Poor Sammy. If he's going to become more like Dean, he's got lots of really cocky and severely insecure days ahead of him. Although, he'll find a lot of time for the ladies.

Back to Ruby and Dean: She wants Dean to help her get Sam ready to fight the war once he's gone. Ruby seems to be on their side of things, doesn't mind turning on her fellow demons. Why? Because she's one of the few that hasn't forgotten her humanity. Usually hell burns away your humanity and makes you forget who you are. I really hope she's making Dean think about what's going to happen to him. And then maybe he'll muster up the energy to help save himself. Just a thought: do you think Dean's destined to die in order for Sam to fulfill his destiny? Maybe Sam's destiny isn't to be the boy king, but to be the one who brings down the demons looking to destroy humanity on Earth.

Other thoughts:
• I've been waiting for that knife of doom to make a return — glad Dean's the one that got to use it on the big bad demon.

• Dean seemed to enjoy the two chick demons facing off a little too much. Hilarious.

• Sam and Dean find Amanda's dead body. Good for Dean for not leaving any fingerprints at the scene of a crime.

• Marisa Ramirez played Tammi the demon. She was appropriately devilish and catty. If you think you've seen her before you're right. She played "Gia" on ABC's General Hospital; "Carmen" on Young and the Restless; and was in the short-lived supernatural series Miracles that also starred Skeet Ulrich.

• The use of Poison's "Every Rose has its Thorn" totally rocked. Let's just say I may have attended a Poison concert back in the day. I'll leave it at that.

• Speaking of rock 'n roll: Sam and Dean's fake detective names were Bachman and Turner. As in Overdrive. The classic rock references keep on coming.

• The book club fronting for a covern was hilarious as well.

• After Dean yelled at Sam for trusting Ruby, I love that Sam gave it right back to him. All he had to do was mention Dean's sympathy for demon Casey in "Sin City."

• A new demon boss is replacing old Yellow Eyes. Don't think Tammi's the only one that'll be trying to off the YED's chosen one.

Favorite Lines:
"I hate witches. They're always spewing their bodily fluids everywhere. It's creepy. It's downright unsanitary."
"Why does the rabbit always get screwed in the deal." "Poor little guy."
"We're pretty sure she was using the wrong bible."
"Mrs. Renee Van Allen."
"Maybe because he's my brother you black-eyed skank."
"That's a curveball."
"Kill her with what? the gun she fixed for us?"
"Are you feeling okay?" "Why are you always asking me that?"
'You really telling me you threw your chips in with Abbott and Costello here?"
"I saw Hellraiser. I get the gist."
"We're supposed to drive in the freakin' car. And friggin' argue about this stuff. And you know you go on about the sanctity of life and all that crap."

What did you guys think of the episode?
What was your reaction to Ruby?
What are your theories on Dean going to hell? Will he or won't he?
How about Sam's new attitude?

Watch clips of Supernatural in our Online Video Guide.

By Ileane Rudolph

There are only four episodes of Supernatural to go before the writers' strike puts the demon-hunting Winchester brothers on hiatus. But fans of the CW spookfest will get to enjoy the show in an alternative format this spring when WildStorm, an imprint of DC Comics, launches Supernatural: Rising Son, a six-issue miniseries. Following up on last year's well-received Supernatural: Origins, this new arc debuts April 23. Set a few years after Origins, the story.... See Interviews & Features for the complete story, then come back here to talk about it!