I was wondering if dodging-bullets-guy was supposed to be Someone. He was sitting next to "Robert Singer" making decisions when the boys first crashed through, right? I'm not all up on behind the scenes, so I have no clue.

So glad that didn't turn out to relate to the plot. Or did I miss some sort of pun?

Did you see Blazing Saddles? It's a reference to the scene where they smash through the set into an actual set of another movie.

I had a laugh and a half and then not a laugh but still a good time. The funny was painfully funny, but I also liked the gravitas of the angel plot, and didn't have any problem with their combination. I'd have been disappointed if it had been only cracky. They don't do that.

So, for me, I got meta, comedy, heaven's civil war plot advancement, and some nice illumination about the boys and their place in their world. Typical Dean, to want to be dissastfied with being home, even though he had no intention of staying there--framing it all as "Sam had a good life there." And Sam, ever for fighting the good fight anyway.

Sam/Gen! Canon.

I was ouchie that they killed Misha, but then they killed Kripke and it was funny. And then they killed Bob, and the other guys, and it went back around to appalling. But in a good way.

Con men being bad actors doesn't even slightly surprise me. It's not the same thing as lying, and the degree to which you inhabit a character is completely different. I doubt the skill sets translate.

See: Sophie.

Did you see Blazing Saddles? It's a reference to the scene where they smash through the set into an actual set of another movie.

oh duh! I was googling 'The French Mistake' looking for a video clip from Blazing Saddles when I first found out what that term means.

That wasn't Clif their bodyguard. He was Tiny in Folsom Prison Blues.

Clif Kosterman played Tiny as well.

Right, Clif played Tiny. And Clif is their bodyguard and driver, but he didn't play the driver Clif in the episode. For one, Clif is bald, but he's also a hell of a lot bigger than whoever that guy is.

The other half saw in TV Guide that none of the crew played themselves, so I'm not sure what vancouvernights meant.

Huh. Maybe she got confused. She was probably pretty giddy just seeing the show.

So, for me, I got meta, comedy, heaven's civil war plot advancement

I find myself lacking almost all interest in the heaven's civil war plot. We haven't been told enough about it to hang our emotional investment on, and as far as the Winchesters go it's just another round of them being pushed around like pawns while they can't really affect the outcome of the battles. Sam and Dean will side with Castiel because he's their friend, but we don't even know what his "side" is. Seriously, while phenomenal cosmic powers are slugging it out, two mortals wouldn't be able to do anything about it, particularly since they aren't even the Vessels any longer.

Sam and Dean will side with Castiel because he's their friend

I'd like to think they're siding with Castiel because he's trying to prevent most of humanity from being wiped out, and they'd do that even if they didn't like him. Raphael's been pretty clear about what he wants to accomplish, and the collateral damage that would ensue.

But it doesn't even matter why they're siding with him. They don't really have the ability to make a difference in a war between the angels. All that will happen is that they'll keep getting used as pawns between the angels -- Castiel, Balthazar, Raphael -- and I find it frustrating to see them put in that position. I'd rather see them in storylines where they have more agency.