The Light on Spoilers, Heavy on Squee Preview of Supernatural 10x04 "Paper Moon"

I totally nearly forgot to do my preview this week! I think with the buzz from the last episode, and the live tweeting and all that stuff, ChiCon (I wasn't there, just gazing longingly online), podcasting...I forgot! *face palm*

But here I am, just in the nick of time!

So here we go, let's take a look at this week's new Supernatural!

THEN

SAM FIXED DEAN

That is all.

NOW

I DON'T KNOW AND HOW COOL IS THAT!

What I mean by this is...I have no clue where the season is heading now that the demon issue is fixed. And by fixed I mean fixed with a bandaid! We know that the Mark of Cain issue is not fixed and I think that's going to be playing on Dean's mind, like a lot! But beyond that...where we are going...IT'S A BIT OF A MYSTERY!

This week sees the first monster of the week episode, as the first three episodes of the season dealt with Sam's fight to save Dean and gave us a look at where Cas and Crowley are at.

So let's check out the synopsis for "Paper Moon".

WEREWOLF KATE RETURNS WITH TROUBLE – A recent string of werewolf attacks points to a surprising culprit – Kate (guest star Britni Sheridan), the werewolf Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) let live. Written by: Adam Glass , Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc

The last episode Jeannot directed was "#Thinman". "Paper Moon" will be the fourth episode of the show he has taken the helm for.

Adam Glass is of course, one of the Executive Producers of the show, as well as writer and has been writing since season 6. This is his 14th episode.

Adam wrote the last werewolf story we saw, "Sharp Teeth" which centred around Garth having become a werewolf and now living a clean life with a family of werewolves who no longer feed on human hearts. It was Robbie Thompson, however, who created the character of Kate, who was turned against her will in the found footage episode "Bitten".

I know for a fact some people haven't even watched "Bitten", put off by lesser Winchester time on screen. It was a divisive episode. Personally, I liked it a lot. I liked the origin story, I liked the characters and I particularly liked getting an outsiders view of the brothers going about their job.

Sam and Dean let Kate walk, on the hope that she would stay true to her word and not become a killer of humans, tying very much into the theme of the season, and certainly what we've been looking at in relation to Sam and Dean through the first 3 episodes, and also confronted often in the show's history, what constitutes a monster. Interestingly, as has happened with Sam and now Dean, Kate became a monster not through any choice of her own. Parallels baby, this show loves them!

So here we are... let's hope Kate stayed true to her word, (I bet she did.)

Let's take a look at the promo...

Well, that doesn't tell us any more than the synopsis! So let's look at the sneak peek!

All I can say about this, is that they look super cute in those uniforms!

So the boys are back to the family business...and I gotta say, this scene made me feel good. I love clashing Winchesters and I loved the hunt for Dean, and all that happened in the last three episodes was awesome. Amazingly awesome. AWESOMELY AWESOME. (Do I say awesome too much?) But I won't lie, seeing the bros doing what they do best, side by side, gives me a huge happy!

It'll be interesting to see how the boy's issues and what they went through last week - and since the end of seaon 9 - is dealt with. I know that Adam has said there are broments in his episode that will give us feels, and I do know that he truly loves the Winchesters, so around the case I expect there will be conversations to be had. Yay!

I wonder where we'll pick up? I wonder how Sam will be feeling about all the things his brother said to him while still blackeyeing it, and all the lines he crossed to get Dean back. I wonder how Dean will feel about having all his feels back. How will he deal with what he said to Sam, what he did as a demon etc. I hope we start to touch on all of this stuff and I hope that this begins a journey back to a tiny weeny bit of harmony...for at least second.

But we shall see! I'm pretty sure "Paper Moon" is going to be way more emotional than the promo and sneak peek indicate. It's the stuff they're keeping secret from us that I can't wait to see!

By the way Paper Moon was a 1973 film starring father and daughter, Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. Tatum won an Oscar or her performance. It's also the title of a song; It's Only a Paper Moon, orginally released in 1933 and later rerecorded for the movie of the same title. You can read the lyrics here. I have no idea if any of that is relevant!

So there we are. The boys are working together, looking hunky in new uniforms (I love it when they dress up), and revisiting an old case that may or may not be about to bite them on their pretty butts...though not literally...though with those uniform shirts tucked in like that their butts will be on display for the biting! Just sayin! ;D

I'm so looking forward to this one, because I'm busting to know where we go now!

Enjoy, everyone!

-sweetondean

Review - Supernatural 10x03 "Soul Survivor" - I Like the Disease

Season 10. Wow. It’s shot out of the gate at high speed and with maximum emotional impact! This week’s “Soul Survivor” took us on another rollercoaster ride as the Winchester brothers continued to deal with the aftermath of Dean’s death and consequent resurrection as a demon. I loved every minute “Soul Survivor”. Yes, every last minute.

Episode 3 of the season, was actually shot first. This is because Jensen Ackles directed it, and to ensure he had time to do all the necessary prep a director needs to do, as they have with the past episodes he’s directed they moved this one to the front of the shooting schedule. So there were two things going on here, which were interesting – Jensen’s continued evolution as a nuanced director and the fact that this was actually the first time he had to play Demon Dean. Jensen had to work on this new character both in front of and behind the camera. What an imposing task.

It’s been a joy to see Jensen evolve as both an actor and director over the years. I feel blessed to have taken this journey with him. As a director, this episode must have been the most complex episode he’s had to shoot. The shots through the maze like bunker halls. The fact that there was a lot of Dean in this episode, and a lot of particularly challenging, high energy Dean scenes. I can’t even imagine how daunting that must have been. 

The tension in the scenes between the Winchester brothers never missed a beat. The slow push ins with the camera – or maybe that was in post, but it looked in camera to me – made the brother’s conversations feel that much more intimate – if that’s the right word – and added to and ratcheted up the anxiety. The shot choice to have Dean look up – to be shot front on, practically gazing down the camera barrel, almost challenging us – added to the threatening tone. I feel like Jensen's taken a leaf out of the late Kim Manners' book with his excellent use of close-ups. The big shots out on the road, made the lost and failing Cas seem more alone and more vulnerable somehow. But I think, outside of Dean stalking the halls, my favourite shot was of Sam in the hallway talking to Cas, with his brother at a distance, through several doors, bound and semi-conscious. The framing on that shot was not only beautiful, it was powerful.

In my meet and greet with Jensen in Vancouver, he spoke about some of the challenges of shooting this episode. With the bunker hallway scenes, he had to give the appearance of scale to the bunker layout with only and few set ups to play with. He relied on Hitchcockian techniques in how Sam and Dean walked the halls with the antagonist always turning one direction, while the protagonist always turned the opposite direction – he’s a Hitchcock fan by the way. He also spoke about how he had to be particularly prepared for this episode, because he knew as actor Jensen, he was essentially setting up a brand new character in Demon Dean and he needed to be able to hand off his director’s notebook and trust that he’d covered everything, and that his team would be able to work off his notes while he concentrated on performance.

And he pulled the whole thing off magnificently. This was my favourite episode that Jensen has directed. The guy sure has an eye for it. He never ceases to stun me, both in front of and behind the camera. 

He’s an awesomely, talented S.O.B.! ♥

If we had any lingering thoughts as to whether Demon Dean retained any of his humanity, “Soul Survivor” blew those away. Actually, I think he made the transition away for his last tenuous ties to humanity during the scene in “Reichenbach”, where he sat at the piano cutting his hand and watching it heal. Prior to that, there was still a hint of Dean in Demon Dean – but in that moment, I think he picked a side. And when he did that, Dean ceased to exist. The Dean we saw in this week’s episode only resembled Dean in appearance – and maybe snappy snark – everything else of Dean was gone. This was both thrilling and terrifying.

In the aftermath of this episode, I found myself pondering why I'd enjoyed the hell out of Demon Dean so much. Sure, he’s smokin’ hot in that evil, uber bad boy way, but what the hell? He’s really awful! Then I realised, it wasn’t that I was enjoying the hell out of Demon Dean, so much as it was that I was enjoying the hell out of watching Jensen play Demon Dean. Watching Jensen chew up the scenery with such aplomb, seeing him do something with Dean that we’d never seen before was an absolute joy! I mean I knew the guy was good, but wowzers! I think that’s why I enjoyed the character of Demon Dean so much…because of the actor.

When Dean was taunting Sam, it reminded me of this conversation from “Born Under a Bad Sign”?

JO: I know demons lie, but ... do they ever tell the truth too?

DEAN: Uh, um, yeah, sometimes, I guess. Especially if they know it'll mess with your head.

What Dean said to Sam was particularly painful, because Dean knew exactly what to say. He knew exactly where to hurt Sam. He knew Sam’s insecurities. He knew what would get under Sam’s skin, and get into his head the most. Demon Dean was trying his hardest to throw Sam off his game. It was the only way he could retaliate in that moment.

When Demon Dean told Sam to let him go, he’d leave Sam alone, let him live his life, he almost challenged Sam with, “What do you care?” He then threw the, if family is all we’ve got, then we’ve got nothing line in Sam’s face. To me, both of these things seemed in direct relation to what Sam said to Dean in “Sharp Teeth” and “The Purge”. Demon Dean was using Sam’s own words against him. Every single barb Demon Dean used was for maximum impact, tapping into where Sam is most vulnerable – as only someone who knows Sam better than himself, could do. 

I think Dean’s made it pretty clear how important Sam is to him; I mean, stone number one, nothing past or present, I’m proud of us. For better or worse, Sam is Dean’s everything, which is why hearing Dean say these words, hearing him throw family – something so important to Dean - away, hearing him blame Sam for pretty much every shitty thing that ever happened in their lives on Sam’s shear existence, made Demon Dean’s words hurt so damn much. In that moment, Demon Dean tossed away everything that Dean and Sam held sacred – and tossed it right into Sam’s face. And it was so damn painful to watch. So painful. Man, did those scenes hurt. Because all those things are important to us too. We know the level of love that exists between these two brothers. We know what they’ve done and what they will do for each other. We know how important to each other they are – regardless of what has been said in anger in the past. Over and over they prove their dedication to each other and hearing one of them rip apart everything they believe, everything we believe – whether via an extremely pissed off Sam or a no longer Dean Dean - cuts us, as fans, to the bone! It really, really hurts!

But Sam wasn’t having a bar of it. 

I don’t know if I’ve every loved Sam as much as I did in “Soul Survivor”. Watching his strength and determination take over, and how he shook all the nastiness off him and just soldiered on… Argh! I loved him so much! I mean I always love him, but I was loving him sick! Yay Sam! Everything that was thrown at him, and he stood firm. He was beyond awesome in the face of his nasty-ass demon of a brother. The way he was angrily jabbing those needles in – but the way he still panicked when he thought he’d lost Dean - everything was perfect. 

In fact, the scenes between Sam and Dean were flawless. Jensen and Jared always excel when they get to bounce off each other – but these scenes were really something special. Jared has done an amazing job at conveying Sam’s strength, determination, sadness and vulnerability through his search for Dean, just as Jensen has done a amazing job of showing the different shades of Demon Dean that have thrown all of us off kilter as we desperately search for any hint of what he once was and grapple with what he might have become. And I never doubted for one second that Demon Dean was going to kill Sam. Never for one second. Beautiful work. If I weren’t typing right now, I’d give the boys a standing ovation!

You know what surprised me? How relieved I felt when Dean was finally cured. Here I was digging Demon Dean like everyone else. As he stalked his brother in the bunker halls…coming after him with a hammer – I mean, A HAMMER! I loved it. It was so scary – probably the scariest the show has ever been, because it was Dean. I loved it and I loved every second of Demon Dean…every single second. But when Dean looked up and his black eyes cleared, I sort of exhaled. I felt like I’d been holding my breath since the end of season 9. Since Dean died and I went into some weird, prolonged, mourning! I mean, I knew it was all going to be okay (Jensen even told me that himself!), I knew Demon Dean would be gone(ish) by the 5th episode – because you can't do a love letter to the fans ep when one of the brothers wants to bash the other’s head in with a hammer! I knew all of this – so I was expecting Dean to be cured in either episode 3 or 4. And yet when it happened, I felt this wave of relief rush over me that surprised the hell out of me. I swear it was like I’d stopped breathing for 6 months! I guess I was just glad to have him back. I do love Dean…

Of course, it’s nowhere over yet for Dean – we know those boys won’t get off that easy! That Mark of Cain is going to rear its very ugly, angry and violent head. Dean’s going to be living on tenterhooks, waiting for something to overcome him again. And let’s not forget Crowley has the First Blade… that is not good at all! Not. Good. I think we have a long and bumpy road ahead and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the Dean we think is gone, makes himself known to us again. But for right now – at least he’s not a demon. 

I know some fans were bummed there was no hugging Winchesters and the end of “Soul Survivor”, but I wasn’t. Having them hug after all they just went through would've seemed ludicrous to me and smacked of fanservice (one of my least favourite things). Having Sam as excited as a puppy, going to get his brother food, but then, showing that it’s not all happy times by admitting that he was going to get drunk, felt right. Having Dean feeling awkward about what he’d just try to do and feeling worried that he’d blown it with his brother, and also obviously pondering the aftermath of being a demon, felt right. I liked the hell out of that ending, it was fittingly uncomfortable and I may be swinging out on the breeze on my own here, but a Winchester hug would have felt so out of place after those scenes. And you know me, I love a bro hug. But in this case, I think Show did good and to be honest, a hug never even crossed my mind until I saw chatter about it.

Ooo, I’m naughty…I haven’t even talked about Crowley and Cas! I enjoyed Crowley’s scenes in Hell and his ongoing battle with “is this all there is”! Talk about disenchanted! But I guess, after tearing up the town with Dean Winchester, anything would seem boring! I’m still enjoying Cas and Hannah’s awkwardly burgeoning relationship. I like that Cas has learnt how emotion can cloud your judgement – geeze, I wonder where he learnt that lesson! I’m so very happy he’s fully powered up again, even if it’s only going to be temporary. I wonder what Crowley has planned for Cas – what will be the favour? He’s like the Godfather or something! I was also glad to see Cas show up to help Sam in those final moments of Dean’s recovery. As far as I’m concerned, Sam saved Dean. All of it, every last bit, was on Sam. But Cas is a friend to the brothers and having him not be there at such a pivotal time, and when he was needed and called for, would have felt odd. I saw someone say, Crowley saved Cas, Cas saved Sam and Sam saved Dean. I’ll go along with that. I like that Sam and Cas have become closer. I like it a hell of a lot. 

And then there was that teaser! Is anyone watching The Flash? At the end of every episode they do this little teaser about an element of the plot surrounding one of the characters, and I really like how they’re structuring it. It’s almost like a Marvel Easter egg. This felt very similar to me and it made me go, “Ooooooooooo!” And hey, I’ll pass judgement on this new ginger and who she is and what she means to the story when we know more…and not before…because that’s how I roll.

After the episode was finished, I was a little haunted by Dean’s face post Cas telling him to take some time, things are quiet (HA!). Obviously the last thing Dean is going to want to do is take some time! Because that will mean thinking – God forbid. He won’t want to be doing any of that! But as he sort of looked around the room, I started wondering how happy he’s going to be that he’s no longer carefree Demon Dean. Like Cas said, it’s totally understandable why he wouldn’t have wanted to be cured, because not feeling can be a hell of a lot better than feeling too much. It was why Soulless Sam didn’t want to be cured. Though I never got the sense that Sam pined for his soulless days, I wondered to myself if Dean will pine for his demon days. And I think he’s going to be scared shitless that with the Mark of Cain on his arm, one false move and he could go darkside again. I can’t wait to see how all this plays out. How much of what Dean said to Sam will Sam retain? How much of what Sam did – the Lester thing – which, wait I should talk about that I guess. I thought to myself, “Well that’s not TOO bad.” But then I thought, regardless of whether it was Sam’s intent to not have Lester go through with the deal, he preyed on a man who was not only vulnerable, but drunk to boot! He knew this guy was in a dark place and he played that to his own end. Now, he may have intended for Lester to walk away – but – he gave Lester the tools to go and summon a demon whenever he liked. He taught Lester how to do it. I actually think it was a pretty crappy thing to do, to prey on this loser like this. It doesn’t look so bad at first, but in hindsight, I think Sam probably did cross a line, but I think more importantly, Sam will think he crossed a line and how that plays out for both him and Dean will be interesting. 

I could go on and on, there was just that much goodness in ths ep. I loved “Soul Survivor”. It was kickass. It was scary. It was upsetting. It was exhilarating. It was so many feels! The cat and mouse through the halls of the bunker had me on the edge of my seat. Those scenes were epically good. EPICALLY. GOOD. Both the boy's moments when they sat and looked at the family photos...MY HEART! I’m happier than I thought I would be that Dean is no longer a demon. I’m excited about the exploration of what that means to him, how what has happened will influence him and what will happen with that thing on his arm! I’m excited about the exploration of where the brothers go from here. I want them to be saving people, hunting things again. Not status quo, not bitch/jerk, but doing what they do best and finding a way to do it together and be relatively happy about it. Relatively. I’m a realist. I like their twisty, gnarly relationship, the ups and downs, and all the drama that brings with it, but I also look forward to seeing them find a little balance in their existence. Just, you know, for something different.

Season 10 is knocking my socks off and one thing I like the best is – I have absolutely zero idea where it’s heading.

Oh, one more thing… Jensen tweeting the episode was the best thing ever! He tweets how he speaks! I loves him. I happened to be home early that day and watched the epi as he tweeted it. I joked to my friend Hazel, that I’d just watched Supernatural with Jensen! Heee! The back and forth between him and Jared and Misha and Mark…so much fun. Damn we're lucky fans! This show. This cast. Lucky.

Thanks for reading my thoughts, let me know yours!

-sweetondean

SPOILERS SWEETIES! Supernatural 200th Episode Synopsis!

(Me outside the 200th episode location with the shooting sign!)

Okay, I kind of knew what this episode was going to be - kinda. Well I knew there were songs! But this sounds damn well hilarious! A high school musical! HILARIOUS! I can not wait to see what the boys make of this one!


“Fan Fiction” 

SUPERNATURAL CELEBRATES ITS 200TH EPISODE — When Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) investigate the disappearance of a teacher, they are stunned to see the school is putting on a musical based on their lives. Familiar faces abound in this milestone episode. Phil Sgriccia directed this episode written by Robbie Thompson (#1005). Original airdate 11/11/2014.

I feel like Robbie may have outdone himself! And I'm so glad that Phil Sgriccia is directing. It's great to have someone so involved in the show directing the 200th!

I was in Vancouver for Vancon while the 200th episode was underway. I swung past the location a couple of times - well, twice in one day actually - to have a bit of a look at what was going on and catch up with some friends. There were quite a few fans camped out under the trees outside the school - it was very hot - but the action was happening inside the school auditorium, so there was nothing to be seen in the way of shooting. Though I know that my pals had a great time chatting to crew, saw the Js coming and going a couple of times and on the final day, were rewarded for their tenacity when Jared came out to say hi to everyone!

But let's just say that the 200th was being kept well and truly under wraps and you could see absolutely nothing of the action!

This episode sounds like it's going to be helluva fun! And it will probably come just about when we need it, after a super cool but emotionally tumultuous start to season 10!

I have to say - being as I went to an all girls school - if Sam and Dean had rocked up at my high school....OMG! Just sayin'!


200 EPISODES! I couldn't be prouder of our show.
-sweetondean

SPOILERS SWEETIES! Promo Pics for 10x04 "Paper Moon"

WELL! As we are about to see 10x03 "Soul Survivor" these promo pics for 10x04 "Paper Moon" dropped...and they are spoilery in that stuff is happening that implies stuff happens in this week's ep! OMG! I just became Jeremy Carver for a moment! Stuff happens!

Anyhoo... check it out for yourself... I squee'd here and there.

Remember this one involves werewolf Kate. The wouldbe monster Sam and Dean let walk, hoping she stays true to her word of not being all werewolfy and monsterous. I really hope she stayed true to her word.

Okay...here we go!

I freaked out a little when I saw this one. Dean driving baby! But Sam's in the back! GULP!

Then I saw this and...PHEW!  Sam's face tho....

Hey, Sam's being strangled...must be Tuesday!

Where's Dean's demon when you need it!

Sammy trying to defuse the situation? 

That face. Scary. (And scary hot). Been a while since anyone's knocked him on his pretty ass!

Kate the werewolf and other.

Okay...this is when I squeed! REALLY LOUD! How great is this pic! SQUEEEEEEEE!

And this one! SQUEEEEEEEEE!

That dude's hair is an absolute shocker.

You can see Jared's mark on the floor! Also, seriously dude, your hair.

Dean's face...I so can't wait to see how much of what's happened to him lingers and informs who he comes out the otherside as. So excited!

Werewolf Kate and other injured person.

So there you go. Particularly interesting set of pics because of where we currently are for this week's episode. 

I'm so excited! About everything!

-sweetondean

The Light on Spoilers, Heavy on Squee Preview of Supernatural 10x03 "Soul Survivor"

OHHHH MY GOSSSSHHH! Here we are at episode 3! Eeeeee! After last week's episode I want this episode real bad! Okay...so where are we at?

THEN

Dean is living it up as a Demon...and by that I mean, being a violent ass! Though...an incredibly hot violent ass. Mmmmm....hot ass.... Wait. Was that my out loud voice? 

Sam got away from Cole...who actually let Sam get away so he could follow Sam to Dean. Sneaky!

Crowley sent Dean on a mission, but Dean killed the wrong person...OR DID HE?

Crowley and Dean had a fight. OR DID THEY?

Crowley handed information to Sam about Dean's whereabouts.

Dean mocked Sam's puppy eyes! NOOOOOOO!

Cole finally met his nemesis, Dean and got his butt kicked.

Sam captured Dean with some strategically timed Holy water and is dragging his blackeyed bro back to the bunker.

Now Crowley has the First Blade.  NOT GOOD. NOT GOOD. And most definitely his plan B!

And Demon Dean was hot...and very mean to Sam...but also hot...and terrifying...and hot. Did I mention hot?

NOW

PAIN. SO. MUCH. PAIN.


Yep, we're getting down to the pointy end of the Demon Dean vs Sam battle! Let's look at the synopsis.

“Soul Survivor”

JENSEN ACKLES RETURNS TO THE HELM AS DIRECTOR — Sam (Jared Padalecki) continues his efforts to save Dean (Jensen Ackles) from the Mark of Cain. Crowley (Mark Sheppard) realises Dean’s demonic antics are starting to cause problems for him in Hell so he searches out an unlikely ally – Castiel (Misha Collins). Jensen Ackles directed the episode written by Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming (#1001). 

Eeeeee! It's the Jensen directed episode that they previewed at Comic-Con! You know the one where Sam and Dean chase each other through the halls of the bunker! This is going to be cooooool! Also, it's directed by Jensen...so double yay! I hope he tweets it! (She says, even though she will be at work gnashing her teeth!)

I'm so excited for the Demon Dean v Sam showdown. I can't wait to see them go head to head. I can't wait to see Sam cure Dean. Whether that happens this episode or not, who knows, but it's sure going that way and I can't wait!


Let's check out the promo...

So we get all our characters in this one. Crowley is in Hell sorting things out. Sidebar: the lad standing next to Crowley's throne is Mark's son! And something is also going down between Cas and Crowley. The synopsis says that Crowley turns to Cas as an unlikely ally...not the first time. And the promo pics show Crowley with what looks like a bottle of Grace!

And then we have Sam and Dean. Sam's got Dean tied down...but somehow Dean escapes and starts hunting Sam through the bunker halls. I can't wait to see these scenes! Seeing Jensen growling at the camera like that is something else. Some. Thing. Else. Dean has definitely picked a side. 

Let's look at the sneak peek. Hang on to your feels...

GULP! I gasped. Gasped loudly and put my hand over my mouth, and then gasped again when Dean said all that stuff about their mum *sobs* I know he's just doing his demony best to hurt Sam, make Sam angry, possibly make Sam make a mistake...he is kinda evil now after all...and he's definitely picked the demon side of himself...but still, it's all SO SHOCKING AND HURTY!

This is going to painful as hell...but it's also going to be fantastic to watch! I mean, getting Jensen and Jared together to do scenes like this, bouncing off each other, is going to be magical. And Dean talking about his alter-ego human side like that. My God. It's so horrible and yet...I can't look away and I can't wait to see more! This show has turned me into a masochist!

(look at that face!)

Like I said in last week's review (you can read it here), I love Demon Dean. He's smart and sassy and as sexy as all hell, so sexy...soooooooo sexy... and quite frankly, terrifying. I love him...but the longer he stays around, the more Human Dean has to deal with in the aftermath. I think if he's not healed in this episode, he will be in the next. Maybe...because I'm usually wrong about stuff like this! (Though at Vancon Jensen didn't have Demon Dean hair and they were shooting the 5th ep then, so.....) But I'm betting on this ep, if for no other reason than the title alone! And I'm cool with it, because I'm looking forward to seeing how the brothers deal with what they've done. I'm interested to see how Dean deals with it...what his take is on his stint as a demon. How it's changed him. Has it changed him. Seeing as Jensen has said it's a much lighter Dean in season 10...I think we may be surprised!

If you're interested in a bit of a spoiler and some rampant speculation, I spoke with David Nykl over the weekend, who played the ill fated "Lester" in "Reichenbach" and he told me some stuff pertinent to this episode! You can read that chat here!

And here's a little nugget from Jensen at the 200th ep party about Soul Survivor!

And here's Jared talking a little about Soul Survivor

Eeeeeeee!

So...the spendiforous season 10 continues and it looks like we're in for another wild ride! Carver wasn't kidding when he said it's all very personal. Having episodes like the last two, which were both so damn good...makes you wonder why we ever need a big bad, when the stories of the characters we know and love are so juicy!

Let me know your thoughts...feel free to squee! Squee is encouraged here!

See you after the ep! Enjoy!

-sweetondean

A Little Chat to "Lester" AKA David Nykl - Possible Supernatural Spoiler Tidbit for 10x03

This weekend in Melbourne, Australia I attended the Armageddon Expo convention. Armageddon is  a multi-fandom convention with the usual panels, photos and autos with various TV/Movie/Animation guests, but it also offers a couple of pretty cool events to get up close and personal with the stars in attendance.

I was specifically going this year to see Alaina Huffman, and The Ghostfacers AKA Travis Wester and AJ Buckley. I actually had dinner with these guys last night as part of a dinner experience Armageddon offers. I attended the Supernatural guests dinner along with 7 other fans (including my buddy Jules, from the Superwiki, who put me up for the weekend!) and Alaina, Travis and AJ. It was a super fun night with chats about the state of TV, Broadcast vs Cable, kids, grand-kids (Alaina wants to build a compound for her 4 kids and all their kids to live near her!), the history of Culver City (Travis is a bit of an expert), the public transport system in LA (Travis is a bit of an expert), Koala chlamydia (it's a problem - look it up), the glamorous life of an actor lying around in a pool of blood in below freezing conditions and various other assorted and random topics! It was a fabulous and entertaining night! Alaina, AJ and Travis are lovely, lovely people.

The previous night I attended the VIP drinks party. This is an event in a bar, where a number of the guests from the convention come and mingle with the fans who bought a Gold pass to the con. It's super casual and always a lot of fun.

I chatted to AJ for a bit - who bought me a beer, bless his very jet-lagged heart - and I also chatted to David Nykl, who played Lester in last week's episode, "Reichenbach".

WARNING...BELOW BE SPOILERS!

I was standing at the bar, and I looked to my left and saw this guy and thought, wait, is that freakin' death-by-Demon-Dean Lester? I quickly pulled out my phone to double check the convention guest list and sure enough, there he was! He was in attendance as part of the Stargate guests.

He was wandering around chatting to people and I was just kind of perusing the scene - I was on my own so feeling a bit like a shag on a rock - when I suddenly noticed he was alone, so I casually walked over to where he was and kicked off a very brief, but interesting conversation.

It started something like this:

"Hi David, I really enjoyed you turn in Supernatural"
"Thanks, sweetheart...wait...in what?"
"Um. Supernatural?" (I suddenly felt awkward).
"Oh! Right! Did that go to air already?"
"Yes, it was this week's episode!"
"Oh! How was it?"

I told him it was a fantastic episode. That it'd been pretty much Universally embraced as one of the best the fans had seen for a while, and for many of us, a series standout. I told him it's become an instant fan favourite. I said, "You were in an episode that was pretty much the show at the top of its game...a truly great representation of how brilliant this show can be." He was kind of beaming!

I told him the scene in the Impala with Dean was super fun to watch. He laughed and said it was a lot of fun to do.

He asked how he came across. I said, "Really sleazy!" He said, "Oh great! That's exactly what I was going for!" At which we both laughed! Job well done, David!

I asked if anyone else had spoken to him about the show yet and he said, "No! You're the first person I've spoken to about it! You're the first person I know who's seen it!"

We then spoke about how he couldn't believe how big Supernatural was. That he had no idea. But after the episode he got people talking to him on twitter about it and he now knows that show and the fandom is huge. He said, "You guys are everywhere!" I nodded my head thinking, "Yes. Yes we are."

He said he also didn't realise it'd aired in Australia so soon and I told him that it airs on Monday *insert shifty eyes*  He was all, "Oh really? Well then how did you see it?" *insert smirk* I said, "I'm magical." He laughed. Seriously, awkward downloading questions are the worst!

Then he said...and here is the possible spoiler nugget... "What scenes did you see?" I said, "In the car and in the house with Lester's wife." David laughed and said,  "Oh yeah, the wife scene, that was fun."

Then...

"So not the bar scene?"
"No, just the two scenes...maybe the bar scene didn't make the ep?"
"No I think that's a different ep."
Me..stepping forward...
"So, you're in more than one ep?!"
"Yes, the bar scene must be the next episode."
Me...leaning in closer...
"Really?"
"Yes, I did two different episodes."

He then went on to say, that the first scenes he shot included one in a bar and he was directed in them by Jensen. Then he came back and shot more scenes - the car scene and the wife scene - with a different director. I was desperate to ask about being directed by Jensen, but we'd already had a chat about the fandom (he may think we're a little crazy),  and I didn't want to come across all uber fangirly - which happens when I talk about Jensen!

I told him how they shot the third episode first, because of Jensen needing to prep and we chatted about that for a second, because suddenly everything started to make sense to him!

Then I said, "So you pretty much gave me a spoiler! Lester will some how be back!"

And he went, "Oh, yeah. I think I did!"

He said he'd been a bit confused as to how all the scenes were going to come together because of how they'd been shot over two episodes, but now he gets it.

I asked him if it was a flashback scene and he said he didn't really know.

At that point, much to my chagrin, another fan came over to talk Stargate and it broke up our chat. So I didn't get to ask what the scene involved - though I probably wouldn't have put him on the spot like that anyway...or maybe I would have. Yeah, I probably would have!

So I don't know what the scene is. I automatically thought it must be a flashback to when Lester made the deal with Crowley for some reason...but then David said something about how he'd just met Mark Sheppard the weekend before...we were saying what a nice guy he was.

But I didn't have a chance to backtrack and confirm any more information... Damn it!

So that's why his IMDB entry says he was in "Black". It's wrong. He WAS in episode 1 of the season - but it's episode 1 in shooting order.

So that's it. It's not a biggie, but I did go... huh! Unless the scene didn't make the cut, according to David Nykl, his character Lester will reappear in the Jensen directed, "Soul Survivor". How/why/what... well you can go ahead and speculate on that!
- sweetondean

UPDATE!

Here's a screencap from an early season 10 promo. (Thanks @cherylmaclean4 for sharing it.)

Lester has a note in his hand - betcha that is some Latin right there - Sam's in a Devil's trap - giving Lester lessons? He has a shovel - burying a crossroad's deal box? 

Looks like Sammy is complicit in Lester's deal making. All part of his efforts to get to Dean. 

What's a bet Lester meets Sam in that bar David Nykl was talking about, and his deal springs from that conversation. Sam needs a demon, and none will come when he summons them, so he talks Lester into making a deal - to sell his soul, so Lester can bring a demon forward, which Sam can then trap and torture for info?  Well, that's my theory anyway!

We know Sam did dubious things to find Dean which we will be revisiting...this may be dubious thing number 1!

And what's a bet, that's the "something else" that Crowley told Dean. That's how Dean knows and challenges Sam on who the real monster is!

So interesting!  Feel free to add your speculations below!

-sweetondean