What Happened?

A very good question, indeed.  As good a question as Charlie’s “Guys, where are we?” from early in Season One.  With about as clear an answer.  Let’s look at ten things we learned from the Season Six premiere.

Swap Meat

"If you like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain..."---have I got a guy for you.

Continuing with the “give the fans what they’ve been clamoring for” theme this season, Episode Twelve gives us a Winchester body swap, although not quite the way most imagined it. Honestly, watching Jared and Jensen parody each other’s characters probably would have taken us all out of the story a little too much—so instead we get Sam forced out of his form by a teenage wannabe warlock. There are a couple things that bug me about this episode, but the body switch isn’t one of them. It gives us an opportunity to see Jared play yet another character, albeit only for the first couple of minutes. Yes, the same man who weekly gives us angsty, intelligent, troubled Sam, who also gave us a creepily calm yet menacing Lucifer, this week does a deft turn as an awkward seventeen-year-old clueless dork. Let’s meet him, shall we?

Reflected in the mirror behind a bar, we see what appears to be Sam almost bounce into the scene to confidently and gleefully display his ID to the bartender and order a banana daiquiri. On the next stool over, a bored blonde thirty-something named Crystal introduces herself; the Adonis in denim with the fruity drink is Gary. She comments on his stunning looks, and he can’t help but agree, even checking himself out in the mirror. As he slurps on his daiquiri with great enthusiasm, she suggests they leave together, causing him to almost swallow his straw. “Are we talking about sex?” he whispers hopefully. When she confirms, he practically explodes. “Crystal, I would loooove to have the sex with you.” His glee and flirty excitement, along with everything else in this scene are so Not Sam, that it’s little surprise when the camera pans from the mirror to the actual Gary, the aforementioned awkward seventeen-year-old clueless dork, in Sam’s clothes.

Sam, Interrupted

"BOOP!" Sorry, there's just no way I can top that. It's this season's "I lost my shoe."

How it got to be Thursday again already, I have no idea. So I’d better get cracking on this recap, eh? The return from hiatus(finally!) finds us at the Glenwood Springs Psychiatric Hospital in Ketchum, Oklahoma, where one Susan Fletcher is trying to explain to her doctor that there’s a monster stalking the hospital’s halls, and it killed her roommate. Of course, the good doctor believes the monster is all part of her schizophrenia. Thus leaving poor Susan at the mercy of the very real monster when it sneaks into her room through the air ducts and kills her, the sole witness being the patient across the hall who saw her sheer terror as she was yanked away from her door. When a nurse eventually unlocks Susan’s door in answer to her cries, Susan is no more, blood pooling beneath her slit wrists.

Straight From the Horse’s Mouth

Winchesterbros.com has an important video clip from Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, in which they state unequivocally that neither of them have accounts on Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace, and any users of those social networks claiming to be them are not to be believed or trusted.  Recently there was an incident in which a fan was duped into meeting one of these so-called “Jensens”, and while no harm was done, the guys want to make sure that their fans are aware there are imposters out there.  So follow the link to winchesterbros.com, watch the video, and let’s be careful on the wide world of webdom.

Damsel Opinionated: In this day and age, it’s easier than ever for the predatory types in the world to not only stalk celebrities, but also innocent and naïve fans. Thanks to social networking sites, the lines between CelebrityWorld and FanWorld are harder and harder to define. That’s good in some cases. Jared and Jensen, for example, have said fan reaction online and at conventions gives them feedback to their work that is more immediate than they would otherwise receive, as they work in Vancouver, well away from the majority of their industry and audience. On the other hand, those who would prey on others now have a much wider field of targets to choose from, whether their ploys be monetary, emotional, or physical. Celebrities have their fair share of stalkers and scam artists, but non-celebrities are targeted just as frequently, if not moreso. They just don’t have the media coverage.

It’s only a small thing, really, a video less than a minute long. But as P.T. Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” The guys didn’t have to record this message. While it’s understandable they would want to keep imposters to a minimum for their own protection, they certainly shouldn’t feel responsible for what their fans will buy into. And yet they took a little time out of their day to do this. No, it wasn’t necessary, but it certainly speaks to what kind of men these two are.

The world can be a dangerous place–be safe.

The People Have Spoken

Come on, guys, smile! You won an award! Maybe you can smash Lucifer over the head with it or something. Gotta be just as effective as the Colt, right? Oh, wait...

Congratulations to Supernatural, winner of the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Sci Fi/Fantasy show, awarded this evening!  The Winchesters beat out the likes of Lost, Heroes, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries.  You can see all the results here.

Holiday Well Wishes from Damsel Undistressed

Here’s hoping…

...you had fun decorating your tree...

...enjoyed all the goodies...

...got a kick out of exchanging gifts...

...and having avoided any blood-thirsty pagan gods in the vicinity...

...are now kicking back to soak up the Christmas spirit.

And don't forget, take down your decorations after New Year's, or you'll get fileted by a hooker from God. ;D

Extra! Extra!

Cheers to Supernatural!

Early word is coming from The Futon Critic that  Supernatural will begin airing weekdays on TNT, starting January 4, 2010.  They’ll start from the beginning, and in addition, will air a 10 hour marathon on February 15, 2010.  There’s no official word from TNT yet, but go ahead and pencil it on your calendars just in case.  I know this is exactly how I got into Highlander: The Series; do you think it will bring more new viewers to Supernatural?  Will you be watching daily and twice on Thursdays?

Let’s Get This Party Started

Well, we’re not quite there yet, but in the early months of 2010, Supernatural will reach a milestone not every show sees—its 100th episode.  In recognition of that achievement, WinchesterBros.com has organinzed a charity fundraiser.  It’s a party, there are prizes(books, pictures, merchandise!), and all funds raised benefit A Dog’s Life Rescue, a group dedicated to helping stray animals in need in the Los Angeles area.  It’s near and dear to one Jared Padalecki, who has been known to help with rescues from time to time.  The fundraising is going on now, and will continue through the airing of the landmark episode in April, so there’s plenty of time! 

(Don’t forget there are hundreds of animal shelters across the country and across the world, so if helping animals in LA seems a million miles away, look around for your local shelter.  Adopt, donate supplies, volunteer your services at the shelter itself, or as a foster home.  It will all be appreciated.)

 Another way to celebrate:  send a congratulatory card or postcard to the cast and crew!  They’ve been collecting these and posting them in the production offices since Season Two, and love to see them come in.  Send to:

 Supernatural Cast & Crew c\o
Supernatural Films Inc.
8085 Glenwood Drive
Burnaby, B.C.
V3N 5C8
Canada

It’s an End of the World, Day of Doom type of thing

The Winchesters--poster boys for Digging In Your Heels and Telling the World to Cram It

 

So, the Apocalypse. Debate has raged around the Internet about how exactly Kripke and Co. will not only present the end of the world, but what the epic final battle that seems inevitable will mean for Dean and Sam. Will the guys stick to their guns and refuse to be vessels for Michael and Lucifer? What would happen to the world as a consequence? Will they be swayed somehow into playing into their “destiny”? Not to mention, how would it all translate into a sixth season if the show is renewed? It does make a fan ponder. Naturally, I have a few thoughts bouncing around my head. 

Note: My possibly crackpot theories are not based on any inside information. I do not know, or have ever interviewed, any of the cast, crew, creators, or any of their extended family, friends, or acquaintances. All my random musings are a result of viewing the season thus far, and hints dropped by Eric Kripke and Sera Gamble in interviews. If any of my wild hares turns out to be right, it’ll be pure spooky coincidence, and I will probably break my jaw when it hits the floor. Also, consider yourself forewarned if you’ve avoided these interviews because of possible spoilers. One or two may be referenced herein.

Supernatural: Abandon All Hope…

The "Give 'Em Hell" Crew

…Or, Just When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Any Worse… 

The Apocalypse roller coaster ratchets back up to speed this week, and it’s a hell of a ride. There’s hope, family, suspense, battle, bravery, love, loss, tragedy, a couple frightening truths, and one really, really big explosion. Things kick off with a crossroads deal of grand proportions, taking place beneath a giant cloverleaf intersection. A Mr. Pendleton, an aging, homophobic, desperate bank owner, is there to strike a deal that will save his failing bank, and having second thoughts when the female crossroads demon he first talked to is replaced by a smooth-talking British guy. This is Crowley, apparently the Head of the Crossroads Demon Department, and the right-hand man of Lilith that Becky mentioned last week. Witness to the reluctant kiss that seals the deal is Castiel, who’s on the phone with Dean and awkwardly attempting human slang such as “the deal is going down.” When Crowley strides away casually to vanish behind a pillar, Castiel intently follows, also vanishing in the same spot. He’s able to follow the demon home, but the house is covered in the same Enochian angel-proofing symbols Alistair used last season when he was on his reaper-hunting spree. In other words, Castiel can go no further and must wait for the Winchesters.