When Misha Collins, who plays Castiel, the rogue angel, is asked about his acting techniques, he sighs. "Here's what it is. Usually it's just me, going in there, and as Jared fondles my balls, I try not to laugh. That's my approach to nuanced acting."

and

"When Jared and Jensen Ackles are both in a scene," he continues, "that's when it gets really hard. When you're trying to do your closeup and another actor has his foot in your crotch, it's complicated. Castiel's characterization is just me trying to muscle through being molested, honestly. It happens often. I just need to vent: argh, Jared!"

Sweeties.

Who other than Misha has had regular status in addition to the boys? Did Genevieve or Lauren get that? Jim never did, right? Just recurring?

How so adorably loony, Misha Collins? (I'd totally put one of those hearts there if I knew how to do it.)

I had no idea Misha was listed as a regular. Shows you how much attention I pay to the credits. Usually I'm just looking for episode title and who wrote and directed.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

There, enough for both of us.

(♥, by the way)

I'm fairly sure Misha was a regular S5. I'm definite he is this year, and it's only J2 and him.

♥

Oh, that was a dangerous thing to teach me.

That's interesting about Misha. Seems odd that Jim's not, and hasn't been, but I guess that stuff is determined by number of episodes?

My expectation had been that Castiel would show up in every episode last season, and then I read somewhere it was supposed to be 17, but he didn't make that many, I think.

If memory serves, I think he will get paid for 22 anyway.

I'm still a little miffed that Misha gets "regular" billing and commensurate pay, while they stubbornly continue to bill and pay Jim as "recurring". Misha may be cute, but Jim has been a lynchpin and a touchstone of the series since S2. Neither sexy nor cute enough for fic writers, he's a craftsman, excellent at his job, and he's earned his place in the credits.

Granted, it was Collins and Castiel that ignited and has maintained fan interest in S4 and since, so I suppose that's why he gets the big bucks (for what that signifies in small network series pay) and the billing. Still, seems unfair.

On the issue of number of appearances, I can see how Misha fit in to the series regular model better as the overarching plot was angel-centric and his character was able to pop up and visit the Winchesters on the road with no advance notice. I'd say Bobby is at least as important to the emotional arc if not the actual plot, but there were grumblings of "... and then Bobby shows up to save them in the last 5 minutes AGAIN" that weren't exactly unfounded in Season 3. I think TPTB did a better job of incorporating him so that his appearances were more varied and essential to the plots in Seasons 4 and 5.

There's more change inherent in Castiel's relationships with the boys, which makes him more fertile ground than Bobby. I think, in fact, they brought up the idea of change with Bobby and then backed out of it, with Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid--and I kinda get why they did.

They can't play with that interaction the same way they can play around with Castiel. Bobby may get snappish with Dean, but he can't beat the shit out of him. We don't get to see him call Sam an abomination one week and kill to protect him another.

Giving regular status isn't about thanking the actor for what they've done for the show, but about investing in what they can still do for the show. And Castiel (and Misha) are very milkable. Jim's great fanwise, but I sit back and wonder about what they may or may not do with Bobby next season.

Jim's great fanwise, but I sit back and wonder about what they may or may not do with Bobby next season.

He worked really well as a surrogate father and pretty much the only friend the boys had, for a long time. And I don't want him gone, at all, but I think a lot of last season was about both boys growing up, so that dynamic is going to wear thin. For me, anyway.

that dynamic is going to wear thin

Yeah. I would have grieved his death, but I agreed with PMM when she said she could envision the end of that particular arc, and that it was time for them to lose another father figure.

At the very least, they need to transition to him as a peer more. Which makes him a little less special--do they hunt with him now that he has legs? Or do they hunt on their own?

At least I can see where Cas might have a ton of character development-related stuff coming up from the end of S5. Bobby-wise, I need to know what happened with his soul. Other than that, hmm.