This vid premiered at WinCon, I believe. It's a thumbnail of, a lovenote to, and a snort of self-derision at SPN fandom, and it's fabulous. I'm posting a link to the vidders LJ just so you can take a look at the bibliography of works she included in the vid.

There's a link at her LJ--or here--to YouTube, it's best watched in high quality.

Also, I was in the room when StY was watching a TiFauxed ep of CSI: Miami last night. The new med examiner is played by the actress who played Cassie, and the actress who played Nancy in Jus in Bello was in the ep as well. One Miami ep, two ex-Dean girls. Well, Nancy *would* have been an ex-Dean girl, given the chance.

It's only been one week without Castiel. It does feel like 30, though.

Who was the actress from the 4400?

Sam Ferris. They're working on getting her back for more than one ep this season. It's a matter of giving her time to find and do other work, and not having her commit months ahead to a single episode.

I like Castiel well enough. I just don't want it to become the Dean's Angel show, nor the Sam's little devil doll show. I still think Dean and Carmen were hotter than the surface of the sun. I think Lisa is a pale substitute for Carmen. I want Dean and Ellen hotness on screen, but Kripke has decreed, "Never!"

I loved Jamie for exactly what she was. Jamie was a healthy romp, and she didn't expect it to be anything else. And she kicked ass all on her own. I like that.

ETA: Kripke and Sam are much like Joss and William. Mary was played by Samantha Smith, Ellen by Samantha Ferris, and then of course there's Sam.

but I am not feeling any love for Jamie

aww...really? i kinda loved her and her snark.

Who was the actress from the 4400?

Cassie who was Isabelle on the 4400.

I didn't realize Megalyn Echikunwoke (Cassie) was on The 4400. Samantha Ferris played Nina Jarvis on The 4400.

I liked Jamie a lot. She was game, she was brave, and she didn't expect to fall in true lurve. I also liked seeing Dean with her before Lucy came into the bar -- it's not all lines and cocked eyebrows. He *talked* to her.

How much did I love the "mission from god" scene? It was still a Blues Brothers ref, but he played it so beautifully for the truth.

Exactly. And I had the feeling, watching him sitting and listening as she paced and tried to reason the whole thing out, that he wasn't even expecting action anymore. She'd gone from a possible romp to one of the people they help, and I liked that.

I loved Ellen a whole lot, and Jo, too. But it feels to me like the series has ... moved on? I'm not sure why, because I can think of a dozen reasons for them to bring Missouri back for a guest spot, and I would jump and down at that.

They could at least make a phone call to Ellen and mention her, for continuity's sake, if nothing else.

Next week's TV Guide (Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin on the cover) has a 2-page story on Supernatural inside. Yes, it contains spoilers for the 10/30 episode. A few non-spoilery bits:

About Castiel:

The show's rabid fan base is notoriously tough on new characters, but they've taken to Castiel, whom Kripke describes as "a leader who speaks softly and carries a very, very big stick."

Concerning the question I keep having about why Castiel and Dean keep getting so hyped up over Sam's new Jedi-powers method of exorcism:

(Dean) is worried - for reasons not yet explained - about Sam using his growing powers to exorcise demons.

So that implies to me that maybe there's more to it than just the tiny bit of blood that Azazel dripped into baby!Sammy's mouth. Maybe.

And the good news:

... the cult series is enjoying something of a resurrection. Season 4 kicked off with nearly 4 million viewers -- the biggest audience since moving from the WB to the CW in 2006 -- and is averaging 3.6 million, 24 percent above last season. "Word of mouth is spreading that we're an overlooked show that's worth watching," Kripke says. "I'm proud that one of the few shows on television that's having regular conversations about God is a horror show on the CW."

[link] - extended clip of the special treat we're getting after tomorrow's episode. not spoilery, unless you want to wait for the full 90 second clip that's going to air after the ep.