Supernatural Season Nine -- New Promo Posters

The CW is really dong a great job so far for this season. Finally! This season's promo is not sloppy. Supernatural deserves exactly this! It's the fans who are benefiting from the hottest! OMG! 

I love the fact that they have single poster for Castiel and Crowley. In fact, I think Kevin deserves one too!! I love the assemble cast idea. 

Source: SpoilerTV

Supernatural Season Nine First Promotional Poster; Aussie Air Date

I ate this with my breakfast this morning. CW has released the first promotional poster for season nine titled "Prepared For The Fall" featuring Dean, Sam, Castiel and Crowley. 

The poster has a dark undertone, reflecting this season's theme -- Dean taking care of Sam; Sam going through crap (again); Cas is without angel juice (and apparently gets a love interest played by Shannon Lucio); and Crowley too is under-going some changes as well. What's more... Kevin is gonna cosplay in pink all season. Oh wait.. what? My life isn't the same again since I saw Osric in pink at DallasCon on the weekend!

Moving on... ARE WE READY FOR SEASON NINE? BRING IT! 


Supernatural season nine premiers on Tuesday October 8 on the CW. Watch it live! Tweet it! Hashtag it!

Attention, Aussie fans! Supernatural Wiki tweeted that Eleven is going to fast-track Supernatural starting on Monday 14 October 8:30pm. Watch this space for details/ confirmation!!!

Supernatural Season 9 Premiere 'I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here'; Episode Titles Update

We are getting close to seeing the season nine premiere of Supernatural. It is a very exciting time to see the show back after months of hellatus! I am so excited to see everything -- new and returning characters, epic story line and hot promo pics and clips. ARE WE READY??

Description -- Episode 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here 

FALLEN ANGELS --- Dean (Jensen Ackles) is frantic after Sam (Jared Padalecki) collapses and the doctor tells Dean his brother won't make it. Desperate, Dean sends out an all points bulletin via prayer to every angel in the area, asking them to help his brother.  In exchange, Dean will owe that angel a favor.  Numerous angry angels race to find and kill Dean, but one, Ezekiel (guest star Tahmoh Penikett), gets to him first.  Meanwhile, Sam fights for his life and must face some familiar demons to do so. Castiel (Misha Collins) struggles to survive without powers. John Showalter directed the episode written by Jeremy Carver. Source: KSiteTV

For more photos of 9.01, check out KSiteTV.

Here's an update on the episode titles. Subject to change.

9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here
9.02 Devil May Care 
9.03 I Am No Angel
9.04 Slumber Party 
9.05 Bad Boys
9.06 Dean Dog Afternoon 
9.07 Heaven Can't Wait

Source: SpoilerTV and IMDB

Supernatural Season 9 -- New Promo

Are we ready for season nine?

ARE WE READ FOR SEASON NINE???????????

It's about bloody time we see some new footage of Supernatural season nine. This hiatus has been weird and gets weird every single frigging day! 


I am super excited to see Alaina Huffman returning as Abaddon, and Julian Richings returning as Death. Not to mention the return of Bobby, Charlie and Kevin plus a whole bunch of new characters. This is exciting!!
It isn't Supernatural if there is no guilt, secret, angst and hugs. (Pretty much in that order!) So, that's pretty much what I expect from season nine. Let's not forget the boys' good looks! Here's Jeremy Carver talks about this season.

Supernatural NEWS NEWS NEWS Plus Hot Pics, Episode Titles

I know I have been bad! I have had a very busy months. Things just hit me like a bullet train -- I didn't see things coming and leaving. When I woke up, I asked myself "what the fuck just happened?"

Enough about my personal life! There is only one thing we do when crap happens -- LAUGH.  

I am loving the new promo!! Looks like Dean and Sam want to kill Cas!

I am also loving all the Supernatural news! I mean, season nine is definitely shaping up to be epic and massive!!! The show is really beefing up in the guest stars department. Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica) has been cast as Ezekiel who Jeremy Carver described him as "a dignified warrior angel injured in the Fall."

Gildart Jackson has been cast to play a veteran member of the Men of Letters during a 1930 flashback. He will appear in 9.04 Slumber Party. THIS makes me very excited as I am a huge fan of the MoL!!! 

Here are the episode titles so far:
 
9.02 Devil May Care
9.04 Slumber Party
9.05 Bad Boys Episode 
9.06 Doggie Style 
Subject to change



Source: KSiteTV and SpoilerTV and @CW_SPN

Who's excited?!

Supernatural Season 9 News!

DUDE! Honestly, is it October yet? The CW has announced the premier dates for their fall shows. It's gonna kill me to wait a bit longer than usual, but it's gonna be so good when things happen. 

Supernatural season nine will premier on Tuesday, October 15 at 9pm at The CW. SpoilerTV has alerted fans that [spoilers] 9.01 is currently known as Devil May Care on the brief to casting agencies. Watch this space! For details, click here.

Supernatural will have a new buddy on Tuesdays -- The Originals, which also premiers on October 15. I am kinda excited about this new show. This fall is certainly looking very strong for the CW, keep in mind they also have The Tomorrow People and The 100. 

On other channels, I got Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Almost Human added to my to-watch list. I'll be interested to see all the news come out from SDCC later on this month and see the buzz from the press.

Review: Supernatural 'Sacrifice'

Sacrifice was directed by Phil Sgriccia and written by Jeremy Carver. And man, was this finale awesome?

Carry on wayward son...best finale opening ever!

So.. did we see THAT coming? I expected a few things involving Crowley's fate, Hell and Naomi's death. I have very little theories about Cas, Metatron and Heaven. But THAT ending and the curveballs are the reasons Jeremy Carve gets paid the top job to helm Supernatural! The ending of the season eight finale was nothing short of spectacular. After eight seasons, the writers still managed to inject creativity and surprises.

Let me be up front about something, Sacrifice is definitely up there with Devil's Trap and No Rest for the Wicked, which in my opinion are two of the most standout cliffhangers of all time for the show. Sacrifice shows maturity with great twists, great editing and great performance. The show has come so far from the day when we first heard Dean saying 'saving people, hunting things, family business.' 

I think the finale has resolved the season long arc. Of course, you can always look at the technicality of the story about the tablets, the translation and the closing of the gate of hell and heaven. Our heroes, Dean and Sam, made a choice about not completing the last task, and Cas was once again fooled by another angel about the real agenda. It seemed that with all that hard work, it had been a waste of effort. The notion of a task is tied to the notion of completion. A task is for whoever is doing it to complete, traditionally speaking. You have to finish where you started. We are bound by this idea. But it isn't Supernatural if there ain't curveballs! 

For a show like Supernatural, it's important not to have the technicality to overshadow the brother relationship. This is why I am so impressed with Jeremy Carver's direction, the story has been really well planned and focused -- the show/ season is about the brothers. This very core idea didn't get lost. The brothers' decision about not completing the last task to close the gate of hell was a brave one. Family is important and hunting is a two people job. Dean and Sam must do this together. Closing the gate of hell is a great idea, it can save a lot of lives but it's not worth dying for. It is personal!

Another thing is that, with Dean returning from Purgatory, Sam returning from his gap year, and Cas becoming more confused than before, the emotional and trust issues have caused further damage to their relationship. The brothers have been surviving on the 'I forget I forgive' basis. If/ when crap happens next time, they will go back to square one. I think that's why it's so important to point out -- the finale actually has resolved relationship problems. That to me is the number one season long arc.

I am so proud of Sam for everything he's done, especially in the second half of the season. I love his confession and I love how they were related to his feeling about letting Dean down. Sammy! Ouwwww…. You are such a loveable little brother! The while 'is it because of what I do in the past, you decide to trust someone else' thing is totally adorable! Dean's suggestions to Sam about his confession was half joke half serious, Dean can be so bitchy and it is funny! Sam can go through his greatest hits -- Ruby, Lucifer, being soulless, not looking for Dean. But MOST importantly, he thinks he has let Dean down and he really hates it. Sam well knows how important 'trust' is to Dean. And it kills him not to be trusted by his big brother because of his wrong doing. Hunting is a two people job! It's the family business. Sam is the one person Dean cares and loves most. No matter how bad things were, Sam and Dean will always get each other's back. It is such an epic finale with shit load going on. But when it matters, Sam and Dean have a dialogue that put an end to all the fugly feelings. It's OK, brother, just let go. Dean's last hug of the season is for Sammy. 

Dean is as brilliant as usual. I am glad Cas went to Dean for help, despite putting his trust in the wrong person again. In the previous episode, Dean and Cas have a wall between them and Dean couldn't care less about Cas. But we all know Dean will get over it. Cas is a friend and they've been through much together. You see.. as long as Cas is being honest about something, doesn't matter if he is being stupid or naive, Dean will be fine and he will always help. Good relationships never run smooth and I hope everyone will set aside their differences and misunderstanding or whatever in season nine and work as a team -- the Men of Letters. Oh shut up! I can't help it! Everyone should be People of Letters!! The on-screen chemistry between Jarpad and Jensen continue to be gold to watch! The last scene was just so good!  

OK.. Stop crying.. onto the next topic.

We knew Metatron was not to be trusted. I struggled with coming up a theory about this guy. He spent a very long time in hiding and he relied on people to bring him stories. But the ultimate revenge by exterminating the angels and casting them out of heaven was something I did not see coming. AT ALL. I just love the surprise factor presented in the episode. 

Do you think Metatron is obsessed in words and stories? I think so! A lot of more than he should! To Metatron, the ultimate storyteller is God himself but he left and it left a hole in Metatron's heart. Metatron had to leave the paradise his father left for him and his brothers and sisters because the internal conflicts. Metatron was looking for his fix and he became very obsessed with stories. Metatron let Castiel go, and I assume Castiel will remember who he is, all angels will have their memories intact. And with this, they will live a life until they die. And when they die, their soul will return to Heaven, they will tell Metatron their stories. He is a very crazy obsessed yesterday angel. It's safe to say that we will see the full impact of Metatron's doing to Earth, humanity, angels, and possibility hell in season nine. For now, I assume Metaton is home alone in Heaven and the rest of the army is now on earth.

Castiel is now a human, just like Anna was. Unless he could retrieve his grace, he will not be an angel again. And something tells me, he won't mind about being a human. In The End (season five), we have seen the human Cas. Will we see that for real in season nine? Cas continues to provide plenty of amusement and he just doesn't know how funny he is. I really love seeing him working a case, whether he is with Dean or Metatron. It's always interesting to see how his brain works and how he understands things. I hope Case will clear his confusion in season nine. It's really interesting to me how Cas will develop in season nine now that he is back as a regular.  

All things have consequences, Sam and Dean didn't close the gate of hell and Abaddon is on the loose and Crowley is…'recovering'? OK.. so, this is Mr Mark Sheppard's best performance on Supernatural. I love the transformation of his character in this episode so much! It's is really interesting to watch the kind of things Crowley has said during the purification process. We got a bit of an insight into his desire. He just wanted to be loved (and he loves HBO). While I was watching the episode, I can't help but think if all Crowley ever wanted was to be loved, then I think part of him is jealous of the bond Dean, Sam and Cas have. Apart from Dean, Sam and Cas, the only one who know them well is Crowley. He knows what make them tick. Crowley continues to be a very interesting character with a lot of growth since he first appeared on the show. Mr Crowley will be back in season nine for sure. But how? Will be return to his old self? Will he be trapped in the middle -- either good or evil? He may be in a bit of an identity crisis. I don't think Dean and Sam will let Crowley go, but where will they keep him?

What about Kevin? FINALLY! Dean and Sam gave him the key to the MoL bunker! YES! I want Kevin back in season nine. He has to! I think with Garth and Charlie out there doing their stuff, Kevin can be a great asset to the Winchester, he can really be a Man of Letters! Right? I am sure a lot of people will bring up a point about not completing the trial. From the Special K's POV, he'd lost his mother and his life for this and now the brothers decided not to go through with it? But Kevin's work is not forgotten, the stuff that he discovered from the demon tablet will help the brothers to kill many demons. Will Kevin spend time to translate the angel tablet in season nine and if so, what will he find? He still has a duty. Once a prophet, always a prophet!

The last scene with all the angels falling from Heaven is spectacular from the visual point of view. I feel like I was watching a movie. The soundtrack was amazing and it was well utilised to tell a story. It gave me goosebumps and my jaw was dropped onto the floor. I cannot process how awesome it was to tight this scene back to the MoL bunker! This will drive me crazy for months! MONTHS! Like.. the equipment just turned itself on, like Atlantis in Stargate! For a second, I thought it was going to fly away like a spaceship. 

I am not sure if the equipment was build to detect angel movement specifically, but the mass falling of angels was indeed a very powerful thing, perhaps it detected the energy reading. But why did the bunker equipment turned itself on? It was either energy related or angel related. Perhaps someone or something -- like a ghost or whatever -- was messing with the equipment and showing Kevin something. I can't process it right now! I can't process how important the MoL bunker will be in season nine. Come to think about it, there's still a lot of things we don't know about the bunkers. May be it's a mess grave for witches and vampires.. oh wait.. wrong show. Remember what the old man said about the bunker? Abaddon wanted it and he recommended Dean and Sam to just shut the door and leave it along! Why? Anyway, I really hope we will see more backstories. And I really hope this is a HQ or a home for Kevin and Cas in season nine too.

I think we have a few sightings in Australia!

For the first time since October, I am closing a review without a description of the next episode. What the hell am I going to do between now and September/ October? The good news -- we will have our season nine, we will welcome the arrival of Baby Ackles and we will have Comic Con.

Review: Supernatural 'Goodbye Stranger'

"We are family. We need you. I need you."

Dean Winchester

Thank goodness Supernatural is back and my life is back to some sort of order. I have been so looking forward to watching Goodbye Stranger. Part of me was excited, but part of me was scared. I was excited because I knew this episode would be epic and intense, I was very much looking forward to the development of the story and the return of Megstiel. Shut up! I was scared because I knew Dean and Cas would have some sort of confrontation that was bloody. If my favourite musical taught me anything, Cas has been changed for good because he knew Dean. Dean has re-written Cas' life by being his friend. This is something Naomi would never understand, no matter how many times Cas has killed Dean during his training session. The last time we saw Cas causing a catastrophic annihilation was when he killed the angels in Meet the New Boss. The opening scene of Goodbye Stranger certainly has the same effect. But you and I both knew, Cas would never kill Dean, but it was the 'how' that intrigued me the most. 

There are so many things to talk about. Let me start by talking about the confrontation between Dean and Cas a bit more. The opening scene certainly set the tone for the episode extremely well. Ever since A Slice of Kevin, I have been asking myself, what would happen when Dean found out about Naomi who had been controlling Cas? I was wondering if Dean would go all 'I can't believe you are lying to me again', but I prefer him not to, otherwise it'd be season six all over again. I was wondering if Cas would continue to be controlled and lie to Dean, but I prefer not to as I don't want this to drag longer than it should. I wanted an ending to this particular part of the story. 

I think Jeremy Carver is doing really good with the structure of the overall story, he has been giving us small arcs, solving them, and then giving us enough to move forward to the next arc. It's very Kripke like. Turned out, Naomi needed her best soldier to be re-programed and trained to do his job. Angels were soldiers, as Cas had told us in Are You There God, It's Me, Dean Winchester. I like the progression of this part of the story, it was a nice call back to the previous seasons and the angel mytho. It also moved things along to the next phase of the story. I think Robbie Thompson put his heart and soul into writing this episode and I love that. There wasn't a dull moment from the moment the episodes started. This episodes have plenty of great lines and pop culture references.

The way Cas and Dean confronted each other was epic. I am really proud of Cas, he resisted and defied Naomi the same way he responded to Zachariah in Lucifer Rising when Cas chose Dean over heaven. That scene, to me, was life-changing for Cas because of Dean. After everything that had happened since season six, after everything Cas had experienced emotionally, this was what these friends had come to -- they are family, they need each other. Yes, Cas had made Dean very angry with all the betrayals and lies, but I think Dean was pissed because Cas could've come to Dean for help -- 'why didn't you talk to me if you were confused?' 'why did you not ask for my help when you needed it the most?' -- it wasn't the case of the simple 'oh you bastard, you lie to me' like a ten year old. I think Cas wanted to experience his humanity independently without anyone telling him how to think and what to do, and he thought he was doing the right thing. But he didn't realise how complicated human emotions were and he screwed up. What saved Cas was Dean's persistence as a friend. Dean never gave up on Cas, he saved his friend from darkness, Purgatory and confusion. Naomi had underestimated the depth of BFF! 

Life won't be the same again for Cas now that the angel tablet is in his possession. Cas still feels incredible guilty but he will have time to process his feelings. Cas continues to intrigue me because he brings different perspectives and dynamic to the show. I can't wait to see the next chapter and how Cas' role will progress with the highly valuable angel tablet. The closing scene with Supertramp's Goodbye Stranger symbolised the very human side of Cas. It was somewhat very poetic too. The song was about a guy not wanting a relationship. You and I know, this won't the last time we see this angel of the lord.

So, what do you think about Naomi? One thing for sure, she doesn't take crap from Crowley. I like that she just walked away when Crowley was about to propose a deal. Working with demons were unclean. What role will she play when Metatron makes his appearance before the season ends? This isn't be the last time we see Naomi, she will return in 8.19 Taxi Driver. I don't think she will give up on finding Cas and the angel tablet. She is going to keep an eye on Dean and Sam, because they are her only link for finding Cas and the angel tablet. I like Naomi as a character on the show, I think she is a mystery box and she is the kind of character the writers want to keep in the side pocket. I like the balance between the leaders of Angel (Naomi) and Demon (Crowley), and Dean, Sam and Cas are smack in the middle of it.

Can we talk about Megstiel? Do you think she is really dead? May be Cas went back and heal her? I have sent a few tweets about this -- is it weird that I love Meg and Cas together? It's so totally wrong but it's so intriguing and…cute! I love how flirtatious Cas and Meg had been since Caged Heat. The pizza man reference was hilarious! But there is more to this relationship and this is how I interpret it. Meg has been, and I quote my friends on Twitter, the most consistent female character on the show. I add, she is one of the most underrated characters on the show. She has been around since season one, she has been super bad. She was doing all sorts of bad things to survive. She chose the right leaders to follow to ensure her own survival. But they were all defeated by the same people -- Dean and Sam.

So Meg considered herself 'good'. It's complicated, like she said. Meg turned to the fighting with the 'good side' -- the Winchesters and the angel -- because she wanted to be free. This has been a recurring theme for awhile -- putting humanity into monsters and see what happened. I won't say fans would now all forgive what Meg did to Ellen and Jo in Abandon All Hope. But she wasn't Ruby and she wasn't pretentious like Ruby. She was the second in charge for many big bads including Lucifer and Yellow Eyed, and they lost. I think Cas changed her way of thinking. May be part of her believed that she can be saved by the angel. This is weird, but this is her way being in love with Cas and the idea of being free. She did refer Cas as 'my unicorn'. After Sam told her his story, she connected her own emotional experience and it was very Cas influenced.

Rachel is tiny.

Rachel Miner's Meg is my favourite Meg. I didn't think much of Meg nor the actresses who played her. But she had been growing on me since Caged Heat. I think the Megstiel thing really got me and it's fascinating. And she was really changing. During Goodbye Stranger, I was like, OK, she is going to betray the boys now! Now! Oh wait! What about now? Ah.. now? But she never! It's a very strange 'love story' between her and Cas, one I did not see coming until season seven. I need a rewatch of their episodes.

Let's talk about Sam. I was half expected Dean will go super angry on Sam when he found out about Sam coughing out blood and didn't tell him. Not super angry anyway, I think Dean understood why Sam lied to him. Dean knew all along this won't be easy and Dean knew Sam wasn't doing great, he just didn't know what. Dean just came straight out and said no more lies. And Sam was honest about his condition. He just didn't want his big brother to worry.

One moment please...

But oh was Dean worried? At the end of the day, LOTRs saved the day, "I may not be able to carry the burden that comes with these trials, but I can carry you." Adorable! Dean was the over protected big brother but he had every reason to be. And I think that's why Sam didn't tell him half the stuff he did in the past, because he knew how Dean would react. But let's move on! And that's what this episode did… everyone moved on.

Crowley was super Crowley in this episode. Mark Sheppard was just so good to watch on screen. His one-liners were awesome and you have to be stoned to write his lines! I really like that fact that Crowley isn't like Lucifer or Yellow Eyed Demon or Lillith. Crowley is a businessman and an opportunist, and he knows how to do business. He is smart and he loves to talk. He is a lover. Yeah right! But seriously he is good. He is really good! What will he do now?

I think Goodbye Stranger was a very important and super solid episode. This wrapped the middle act I think. And now, with six episodes to go before season eight ends, I think we are going into the final act with some really materials. It's going to be seriously epic. 

Konnichiwa

Next week, Madison McLaughlin returns as Krissy in Freaks and Geeks. It looks like a filler episode on paper, but what do I know?!

8.18 Freaks and Geeks  

SAM AND DEAN RUN ACROSS A NEW AND UNUSUAL TEAM OF HUNTERS — Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) investigate some recent vampire kills and are surprised to learn Krissy Chambers (guest star Madison McLaughlin) is involved. They find Krissy and learn her father was killed and she’s been taken in by a man named Victor (guest star Adrian Hough), who has taken in a group of orphan kids to teach them how to hunt. Victor is helping the teenagers find the vampires who took their parents so they can get revenge. Sam is intrigued by Victor’s method of giving the teenagers a home life as well as a hunting life, but Dean is suspicious of Victor’s motives. John F. Showalter directed the episode written by Adam Glass.

Supernatural Returns - Goodbye Stranger

Oh hey.. Supernatural returns tonight (March 20) on the CW with Goodbye Stranger.

TV Fanatic has done a great preview interview with Misha Collins. Check it out here. It's not too spoilery. As expected Misha would never give us.. well.. anything! I really can't wait to watch this episode. It has epic and game-changing written all over it. I am looking forward some kick-ass performance from the cast, I am looking forward to brilliant dialogues and I am looking forward to how the story progresses from this point onwards.

Episode synopsis -- Goodbye Stranger:

SAM, DEAN, CASTIEL AND MEG TEAM UP AGAINST CROWLEY AND HIS DEMONS — Castiel (Misha Collins) reappears in Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) life and tells them Crowley (guest star Mark Sheppard) has unleashed several demons into a small town. The demons are looking for Lucifer’s Crypt, which holds a valuable asset, but Castiel lies to Sam and Dean about what it is. While interrogating a demon, the three discover Crowley has been torturing Meg (guest star Rachel Miner), who knows the exact location of the crypt. Sam and Meg fight to hold Crowley off while Dean and Castiel go in search of the crypt. Thomas J. Wright directed the episode written by Robbie Thompson.


The extended promo:




The preview:

Supernatural Returns March 20 With 'Goodbye Stranger'

And so we are on hiatus. Supernatural will return on March 20 with Goodbye Stranger. I usually pace very well when it comes to Supernatural, I don't get too excited too early. 

Oh wait.... I lie. My attempt to act normal has failed. It's cool to be a crazy and passionate fan of a show that is clearly one of the best writing TV dramas this decade.

Goodbye Stranger has a great buzz about it already. I think the show has been remaining tight-lipped about this episode until now. In the midst of the recent development of the story, the imminent return of Castiel and the angel tablet acr are not forgotten. What I find most interesting is this -- Sam and Dean are still on assignment to complete God's tasks to close the gate of hell based on the demon tablet, and now the angel tablets are officially their assignment. There is a LOT going on! What's more? Meg and Crowley are back! I just love Meg's strange dynamic with Castiel and Crowley is just badass awesome!

While it comes as no surprise that Crowley will stop them from closing the gate of hell, but Crowley also has his own quest to may-be-do-the-same to Heaven. If so, Castiel and Naomi will do anything to stop him. We still know very little about Naomi and the angel tablets, since Alfie died, it kinda left it there untouched. Involving the Winchesters is a good move, because we have season nine and I want season ten! It's personal! I know! Not to mention, how my new obsession -- Men of Letters -- will come to integral with the story and how Dean and Sam will utilise the MoL resources to do their job.

I think everything will come full circle, and I have a feeling the closing the gate of hell arc will carry on to next season. I think the season eight's finale will present to fans as one of the best I-loose-sleep-over-it cliffhangers since season three and four.  

Supernatural is definitely building up to something epic! Who says they can't top the apocalypse? Jeremy Carver and his 'Writers of Letters' are totally doing it!

I love this episode based on the synopsis and the promo alone already!!! The Unholy Trinity!!! There is not better term to describe it for sure!!! What's best? Robbie Thompson wrote this! Like.. seriously! OMG!

8.17 Goodbye Stranger
 
SAM, DEAN, CASTIEL AND MEG TEAM UP AGAINST CROWLEY AND HIS DEMONS — Castiel (Misha Collins) reappears in Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) life and tells them Crowley (guest star Mark Sheppard) has unleashed several demons into a small town. The demons are looking for Lucifer’s Crypt, which holds a valuable asset, but Castiel lies to Sam and Dean about what it is. While interrogating a demon, the three discover Crowley has been torturing Meg (guest star Rachel Miner), who knows the exact location of the crypt. Sam and Meg fight to hold Crowley off while Dean and Castiel go in search of the crypt. Thomas J. Wright directed the episode written by Robbie Thompson. Source: KSiteTV

Supernatural Review -- 'Torn and Frayed'

Supernatural kicked start the second half of season eight successfully with Torn and Frayed. This episode was more intense than any other mid-season premiers in the past, positioning the story exactly where it should be. 

Torn and Frayed presented a few key game-changing challenges for our heroes and set the direction for the rest of the season. This episode was really both the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Firstly, in the centre of all the madness, the best hunting family, the protectors of innocent people on Earth, the Winchester brothers have managed to stow their crap and moved on as a family decisively. This is essential in keeping the family mojo alive -- saving people, hunting things, the family business. It takes at least two to make up a family, and hunting is a two people job! Secondly, we began to scratch the surface of Naomi's secret agenda, and sadly, with Castiel being the pawn. Finally, Crowley discovered about the angel tablet through the very painful and bloody torturing of Heaven's most adorable angel, Samandiriel (aka Alfie), giving Crowley the opportunity and advantage to get in front of the game. Heaven has been compromised, and as far as the angels are concerned, not only this is the beginning of a new war, this matter is now personal.

Let's talk about brothers' relationship first. Benny and Amelia were written as support material to illustrate the emotional state of mind of Sam and Dean in the first half of this season. Sam found peace when he met Amelia, they had a life together for awhile and he quitted hunting. Sam cared about Amelia a lot, and he didn't want her to end up dead like Jess. Dean escaped Purgatory and befriended Benny the vampire who helped him escaped. Amelia changed the way Sam think about life, and Benny changed the way Dean think about monsters. While Dean didn't think it was wrong to call Benny a friend, Sam didn't think it was right. While Sam wanted a normal life, Dean thought Sam was acting irresponsibly by leaving everything behind including having no wills to locate his missing big brother.

I have not been investing in the Sam and Amelia story as much as I thought I would. The relationship had more time that it should. For the 100th time, I get it, I get why Sam did what he did. Good for him for finding a girl! But at times, the placement of their scenes were a bit out of place and slow. Having said that, perhaps it was intentionally done to remind us normal and happiness didn't belong to the Supernatural. No matter how much Sam and Amelia wanted it, no matter how hard they tried, it was never meant to work. It wasn't written to make us to believe that they belonged to each other.

Dean's friendship with a vampire has been a challenging one. I think at times, Dean felt he was obligated to help Benny because Benny was his responsibility. For Dean it wasn't so much about proving Sam wrong, but it was more the case of taking care of Benny as a friend. Dean is a big brother to Sam, but he is also a big brother to many. Dean cares about his friends in way he doesn't realise sometimes. Moreover, Dean wouldn't want any innocent people dead because of Benny. After all, it was Dean who brought Benny back from Purgatory. But Sam obviously had a big issue with Benny. I admit, I am a fan of Benny. Benny wasn't doing a 'Ruby' or 'Crowley'. It is refreshing to see someone like Benny on the show. The complicity of his character had been more well written than Amelia, Benny is more flash and blood. I think he is a very intriguing character and it challenges the tradition notion of a monster on the show. Was it wrong to befriend a vampire? At least half of the Winchester household thought it was wrong. Was it wrong for Dean to trick Sam into thinking Amelia was in danger? An apology was made, but I don't think Dean meant it. If Sam wasn't stubborn and just trust Dean on this, it wouldn't have happened. Dean was hardly wrong about choosing his friend, except Gordon. But past experience told Sam, thanks to Ruby, befriending a monster could bring upon the apocalypse. Sam only reacted the way he did based on his instinct -- what if Dean was wrong about Benny and Sam could've done something about it? It's about perspective, there is really no right or wrong here.

Supernatural continues to handle human and family relationship extremely well. The core of the show is about the brothers. Torn and Frayed reminds us a very important point -- hunting is a two people job. The brothers do their job best when they work together. They are stronger as a family. Dean didn't think he needed help, he could do the job by himself. But Castiel obviously wanted him to get all the support to get Alfie out. Good move for bringing Sam back. Both Sam and Dean had to sacrifice their relationship with Amelia and Benny respectively to keep House Winchester in order. In the end, the brothers stowed away their stubborness -- Sam chose to be with his big brother, and Dean chose his little brother over Benny. The last scene summed up the whole situation. It reminded me of the last scene in A Very Supernatural Christmas -- two brothers having a beer, watching a game. 

Let's talk about the angels. I am aware of a lot of fans are assuming Naomi is one of the villains of the story, especially after seeing what she did to Cas. That is a fair assumption. But I am not so sure I am getting that vibe just yet. Here is my theory. We still have no clue as to who she really is. She went to great lengths to cover her tracks from rescuing Alfie to killing him. All in the name of 'protecting a secret that any of them would die to protect'. She didn't want anyone to know she initiated the rescue. She also forced Cas to kill Alfie because Crowley's torture session uncovered a secret about Heaven or the angels hidden inside Alfie's 'operating system'. What is this secret, exactly? Alfie's dying words were "they are controlling us". Who? The Goa'uld? The Asgard? The Furlings?

Cas saw flashes of Naomi doing something to him. My initial thought was that she was hiding something in Cas' 'operating system'. Cas' memory was obviously intact -- he remembered what happened before, what he did, his time in Purgatory etc. Nothing is 'missing'. But if a secret was hidden in the 'operating system' of every angel, then perhaps Naomi was trying to remove it from Cas, in case he is captured by Crowley. WHAT IF Naomi is doing a 'Princess Leia' and stored something in R2D2 for Obiwon to see? What if that 'something' is like a weapon or a knowledge that protects Heaven should it be under attack? Perhaps a distress signal to God? 

It's interesting how Naomi insisted on Cas working with the Winchesters when she first appeared. Why does she care about the Winchesters? Perhaps she is taking advantage of their friendship with Cas and simply 'outsourcing' this important task to them because she is not supposed to interfere. If she was allowed to interfere, she would have come to Earth herself and got rid of Crowley long ago. Either she has an agenda of her own, or she is bounded by some rules she cannot interfere. I won't be surprised to find out she is Metetron -- who returned from wherever she was and found out the tablets was missing. If she was a loyal service for God, the first thing she would do was to recover the tablet. And because she couldn't do it herself for whatever reason, she told Cas to do it. She seems pretty powerful, she rescued Cas from Purgatory and summoned Cas whenever she wanted to. I'd be more than happy to invest in her story and I can't wait to see what she is up to! Whatever Naomi's agenda is, what will the Heaven do now? Will the angels seal the gate of hell before the demons get to them? Will Crowley attack first? But the Winchesters have Kevin, so in theory they could take advantage of the situation and seal BOTH the gate of Heaven and Hell once and for all before the apocalypse is back on the agenda again.

"Stayin alive..!"

There were some light moments in this episode. Dean and Cas continued to have this amazing 'Guy Love' chemistry. For those who watch Scrubs would know what I mean by 'Guy Love'. I think Cas did the right thing by bringing Sam back to the case. This move was very well integrated into the story. But what I really want to say about Cas is that, from the bottom of my heart, I feel really really sorry for him! The 'what if I cannot control myself and hurt people' mentality has always been floating at the back of Cas's mind. What will happen when Cas find out what Naomi did to him? As much as he wanted to be free, because of what he is, he can never be completely cut off from Heaven. As much as he wanted to do good, it seems that he will always be 'controlled' by something else. Cas is still feeling guilty about what he did before and the blood on his hand. Killing Alfie and being a pawn on Naomi's chess board will only torn his damaged soul further. To Cas, 'guilt' cuts deeper than swords. 

Torn and Frayed was a solid episode, setting the pace for the rest of the seasons. I really enjoyed it and it left me wanting for more. Last season, I enjoyed more filler episodes than the Laviathans ones, but I am fully back on board with the whole war of Heaven storyarc. I think Jeremy Carver's plan is working in an awesome fashion. Things are resolved when the moment is right. I am usually pretty reserved when it comes to new writers on the show, but having working on Supernatural for years, Jenny Klein's writing did justice to the characters, mythos and story of the show, in ways better than some of the episodes written by Andew Dabb and Daniel Loflin. (But Dabb and Loflin are stepping up and improving.) Torn and Frayed may not be the most epic episodes ever, and over-night success doesn't happen very often. But Jenny Klein put the story in a place where it should be. Sam and Dean are in the right place and the right the mindset to continue doing this family business as a team. Saving the world is a two people job. The Winchesters have Kevin, it is very likely that they will cease the opportunity and stop both angels and demons once and for all. 

What more can a fan ask for? I am happy with the episode.  
 
In rating news, Torn and Frayed had a 0.9 rating with 2.071 million viewers. Previous episode, Citizen Fang, had 2.058 million viewers. That's a gain! The CW boss, Mark Pedowtiz, recently commented on the possibility of a renewal during the TCA Winter Press Tour. While nothing has been picked up and the network is closely watching the ratings, he indicated that "there's a good shot Supernatural will get another season and that it's in a good place, creatively." Source: TVByTheNumbers and E!Online.
 
Next week, I welcome a much lighter episode. Here is the promo for next week's LARP and the Real Girl. Charlie is back, bitches!