I'm somewhat concerned about how they will have Castiel involved in the Season 6 monster-of-the-week stories yet avoid him becoming a deus ex machina,

This. Yeah, Cas is cute, and Misha's a hoot, but I'm not invested in angelic backseat driving. Or in the character as more than ancillary, or in his character arc, or in deepening relationships, with the possible exception of Sam and Cas' friendship. That feels like something that was let slide in all the rush to Armageddon, and I'm curious. Otherwise I'm pretty much filing my nails and getting snacks till he's offscreen.

I'm fairly confident they won't have Cas rescuing the kids all the time. Now, they're going to have to explain why not--but I'll just go with the majority of fics and assume some conflict between what he might like to do on Earth and what he's responsible for in Heaven.

I think they let Dean and Cas slide a lot post about 5x18, and I'd like that resolved, one way or another--are they that tight? Does the undercurrent of emotion that generated that beaatdown and Dean's snapping at him still exist?

... but I'm not invested in angelic backseat driving.

Nor I. I'm flummoxed as to what more Castiel can do. No offense to Misha (cuz I think he's fab), but quite honestly, I thought they did a nice job of tying things up with Castiel in Swan Song. I wouldn't mind a visit or two, but I'm trying to figure out Cas's post-Apocalyptic earthly value.

I'm trying to figure out Cas's post-Apocalyptic earthly value.

I don't think there's any way to know that until we see how they handle S6 overall. How and why we get Sam back, what Dean's doing, etc.

I like the idea that Cas is invested in Dean to the extent that he does come down once in a while to see what's up, and I'd like to see their issues resolved a little more concretely, too. I think giving Dean (and Sam to a lesser extent) a friend who isn't a sort of default, the way Bobby is, really worked. For me, anyway. Dean and Cas grew to respect and like each other far beyond any heavenly dictate.

I'm somewhat concerned about how they will have Castiel involved in the Season 6 monster-of-the-week stories yet avoid him becoming a deus ex machina

That's my problem too. I don't dislike Castiel. I find him intriguing, but not as a constant presence. And having him around on a regular basis would lessen the badassness of the Winchesters, due to Castiel's ability to transport and explode things and all his other magical/mytical abilities. Really, if he's hanging around with all his superhuman capabilities, what's the point in our guys slogging their way through the case of the week? Castiel can just snap his fingers and fix the problem.

I thought they did a nice job of tying things up with Castiel in Swan Song

I thought they did a crap job! And I'm not just saying that because I slash them. I thought him vanishing and Dean's general lack of reaction really didn't look like it was playing out the depth of emotion they'd shown a few episodes earlier.

They could have wrapped it up in that ep with a few well chosen lines, but it's really the part of it I'm most dissatisfied with.

I can only guess he won't be allowed to be with them much because he's too busy fixing shit in heaven, and maybe he randomly saves them and sometimes randomly messes things up more or randomly gives them quests to go on that angels can't do. That sort of involvement.

I vaguely remember Jim Beaver posting something about not wanting to be a series regular last year because he didn't want to be away from his daughter that much. I'm not sure if I'm conflating my stories though as I know he has turned down some cons for that reason.

How old is his daughter? Not that old, right? Man, I feel bad for Colin, leaving his shit behind. I can't even imagine what it's like for a single parent.

I'm not sure, I think maybe 8 or 9. I know she has a nanny and "siblings" from that family that he's talked about. So I think she has a pretty stable home life when he's gone. I'm sure it helps to have a larger family to be part of when he's gone.

Ugh. My father travelled a lot, but at least we were left at home with my mother when he was gone. Also, I was a heartless bitch, so that helped.