The Positively Positive

Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Richard Speight, Jr in Supernatural, season 5, episode 8 “Changing Channels”. Image from www.daemonstv.com

If Supernatural doesn’t stop topping itself every week, I’m gonna end up sounding like a broken record here. “Best episode ever” loses its ring after you’ve said it a few times. Yet what else can I say about “Changing Channels”? Here was an episode that allowed the show and the guys to once again have lots of fun and entertain the hell out of us fans. Then in the end it flipped over on its backside to expose its tender underbelly. We found out more about the horrible future that appears to be the only end for the lives of the two men who’ve never had a say in their destiny. And though I still have no idea how this will all end, I’m sure enjoying the ride.

Highlights….

Brain overload. Too much funny stuff in opening scene.  “Supernatural was filmed before a live studio audience”, “I’m gonna need a bigger mouth”, “Sonofabitch!”, Dean and Sam on a two person bike, the theme song, playing football……ahhhhhh!!! *brain explodes*

Being able to spot the Greys reference after watching the previous season non-stop this week. What a coincidence.

Dean clarifying which Hulk the woman saw. If you’re gonna go with one, you gotta pick Ferigno. He’s the classic after all.

Sam wanting to use The Trickster to help with the Apocalypse. Interesting, that doesn’t sound like a horrible plan, really.

The music they used for the “Doctor Sexy, MD.” set. After a while it totally drove me insane. But I have to admit, it was strangely appropriate.

Sam and Dean spotting “Johnny Drake” the ghost living in the mind of one of the “sexy, but neurotic” doctors. Very nice reference to Jeffrey Dean Morgan (aka their father) playing a ghost on Greys. Awesome!!

Finding out that Dean must be “McSteamy” (since Dr. Sexy asked him about doing a face transplant and we all know who specializes in plastic surgery on Greys). It is really quite sad how much I know about that show.

The return of The Trickster. Yay! I love Richard Speight, Jr.

Sam taking the bullet out of Dean’s back using tooth floss and a fifth of whiskey. When in doubt, you go with what you know, right?

The fact that they replayed Sam getting hit in the balls in slow motion. Ouch. Hilariously funny, but ouch.

Cas showing up on a Japanese game show….and then disappearing in the flash of a channel.

Dean making up the answer and getting it right. I also got a kick out of noticing how serious the questions were, despite the silliness of the show.

The false commercial break. That was freaking brilliant! I totally believed it and it had me cracking up, reminding me of some great SNL fake commercials they used to do back in the day (I haven’t watched that show since I was a kid).

You know, I felt sorry for Sam. Getting slammed in the balls with a giant mallet, having to talk about herpes…..then I remembered that Dean got shot in the back in the first show. So hey, suck it up Sammy.

Cas showing up again, battered and bruised. Poor Cas is having a really bad day. Made me wonder though, just how powerful The Trickster could be, to knock an angel on his ass.

The Trickster telling the guys that they should just say yes to their prospective hosts. Whoa. Didn’t see that coming. Once again though, I have to admit that I still kinda want to see that. Even if it’s just a dream sequence or something. I’m dying to see Jensen act as Michael inside Dean. We’ve already seen Sam as Lucifer, so I’m not asking for something too off the wall.

Sam and Dean playing CSI. I’ve only seen that one a couple times but it looks like they nailed it. Especially when they stabbed the dude and we saw it go into his heart. Nice!

Sam ending up……in the Impala!!! LOL!! To freaking cool! They even got to use the original Knight Rider music and all the camera angles were spot on. LOVE IT!!

Dean with his hands in Sam’s…..um trunk.

Whoa, The Trickster is an angel. Always been an angel – the archangel Gabriel, in fact. That is some amazing writing right there.

Once again this show goes from hilariously funny to drop dead serious in an instant. Gabriel saying “it’s about two brothers who loved each other and betrayed each other. You’d think you two would be able to relate.” Can I just mention here how much I adore Richard Speight, Jr? He played that part so well.

The Trickster describing Michael and Lucifer and the uncanny similarities to Sam and Dean. Now it makes so much sense why it had to be those two and not just anyone else as vessels.

Dean threatening to “deep fry ourselves an archangel” if Gabriel didn’t bring Cas back. I just love it when he gets all protect-y over his favorite angel.

The fact that they ended the episode with Dean saying “I’ll tell you one thing. Right about now I wish I was back on a tv show.”. I just had to pause at that. Because really, that’s all this is, right? But it’s not. We’re invested in these guys now. We need to know what happens next. We need to know how it will all end. Yes, technically, it’s all just a tv show. But I still need to know what’s going to happen with Sam and Dean.

Overall another fantastic episode that walks, no jumps all over, the line between funny and serious. It gave us some hysterically funny moments along with some poignantly serious ones and made us think.

More Supernatural…..
Supernatural, Season 5, episode 1 “Sympathy For The Devil”

Supernatural, Season 5, episode 2 “Good God, Y’All”

Supernatural, Season 5, episode 3 “Free To Be You and Me”

Supernatural, Season 5, episode 4 “The End”

Supernatural, Season 5, episode 5 “Fallen Idols”

Supernatural, Season 5, episode 6 “I Believe the Children Are Our Future”

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