Anne, thanks for the fic rec, you're right, it packs a punch.

I'm *days* behind in LJ, it would have been Wednesday (okay, maybe Monday) before I'd have found it.

Word from spoiled sources is that the early sides had Sam in them. The scenes were rewritten to accomodate JP's contractual obligation to do pickup filming for his movie. I think it would have worked had both brothers been along for the time-travel ride. But it worked as well for them to be separated.

That's interesting because I can't imagine how it would really have worked with Sam along for the ride. It would change a lot if Sam were privy to all that information and had been told the YED had had even greater plans for him. I feel like it would take the entire story in a different direction.

It would have changed the dynamic a bit--more than a bit. But as I'm determinedly unspoiled, I didn't discuss it, or read the discussion. I can imagine how it might have gone with both of them back in time--oh, the mugging over the names, for example. And Sam freaking over Azazel's presence, guilting even more that he was the reason for the family catastrophe, perhaps to the point where he tried harder to intervene and *Dean* had to be the one to prevent him. Ultimately, I think this has shortcut their diverging storylines, though, and may prove to be a blessing in disguise.

I don't Sam's going back in time would have been very effective, in terms of the long-term story. If he went back, it would have been a very dark version of It's a Wonderful Life. "The angel showed me the error of my ways! I shall be good!" In this case, they have Dean watching for ways to keep Sam from being part of the apocalypse.

I had a thought yesterday -- if Azazel and Castiel and Lilith and all of them need a body to be earth-bound, maybe Lucifer does, too.

I think Castiel only need the vessel to avoid blinding and deafening humans.

prior commitments or not, I think the writers have the right to make that kind of call

Absofreakin'lutely.

I, too, am anticipating some Sam-heavy/Dean-lite eps. Unspoiled spec.

And the Castiel thread at TWOP is loaded with screencaps of Castiel . . . you know, as an aid to understanding his character.

Well, of course. What possible other reason could there be...?

Exactly - that is why I reposted the links here.

I have been mildly amused at the groundswell growth in the audience of this little CW spooky show in its fourth season. Due, I believe, largely to vociferous fandom, SPN managed to cling on and squeak out S2, to be rewarded by S3 cut short by the writers' strike, and then the ratings picked up so S4 & 5 seemed like a gimme, even though the budget for S3 & 4 was slashed. And then there were rumblings of "no S5."

Made no sense. Until I was just made aware that it's not the show in jeopardy, but the *network.* The CW may be tanking, which is why it's cutting shows on the cusp and slashing budgets for the ones it's keeping. And if the network goes down, SPN has no home, thus no S5.

At least that's how it was explained to me. Edited because I can too count to five.

I have a camera, but ya'll have to raise the money for salaries. We'll put it on the internet.

Signed, Bad Horse.

That makes a lot of sense, Bev. I'd love to see SciFi or another cable channel pick it up, if that does happen, but I don't know how realistic that is.