Dexter returns next month for a sixth season which brings a slew of new characters into the dangerous world of Dexter Morgan. Thankfully the folks in the Showtime marketing department have compiled a preview which introduces us to these new faces and features new footage from season 6.

The new characters include; a former criminal who appears to be rehabilitated, a professor and pupil who use religion to justify their actions, a nanny who is bringing some much needed positivity and a hard-nosed detective from Chicago. Read ahead to find out more (warning spoilers).

First up we have Brother Sam (Mos Def), who almost ends up on Dexter's table but is saved by what seems to be legitimate rehabilitation. Is Brother Sam going to have an influence on Dexter in a spiritual manner? In a season that has religion as a central focus (see the religious centric promo video here and the poster to the right) it appears that Brother Sam is showing how religion can have a positive influence. Dexter asks the question "Is this what the power of belief is all about?"

On the flip side of this we have Travis (Colin Hanks) and Professor Gellar (Edward James Olmos) who appear to be invoking God for more nefarious reasons. They are going to be a major problem for Dexter as they believe that what they are doing is for good and comes from a religious high. Colin Hanks describes the relationship between Travis, who is the student to Professor Gellar's teacher as "very mysterious and dangerous" and I would also like to throw in creepy. Dexter looks like he will be getting a lesson on religion from all angles this season, as his own code for killing has certain parameters that might match Travis and Gellar's criteria.

On the home front there is now a new nanny for Harrison; Jamie Batista (Aimee Garcia) who is also Angel's (David Zayas) little sister. Jamie is not involved with the murder business and evokes an aura of positivity and optimism. This is something that Dexter wants for his son who has encountered the darker side of life at such an early age.

Someone who does appear to be hardened to reality is new detective Mike Anderson (Billy Brown) who has come from working in Chicago. He is a serious man who doesn't want to deal with any kind of shenanigans that might get in the way of the police work and is unaccustomed to the more colourful aspects that are part of this police force in Miami. He takes a shine to Dexter who he sees as being apart from the 'funny hat, colourful shirt and witty banter' bunch that make up this team, though Dexter is quick to point out what a good detective Debs (Jennifer Carpenter) is.

What do you think of all these new faces? Who will end up on Dexter's table? Watch the promo below and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Dexter returns to Showtime Sunday, October 2 with "Those Kind of Things."

Dexter Season 6 Promo Introduces New Characters

The folks over at Showtime have produced yet another humdinger of a Dexter promo poster (see below), emphasizing this year's religious theme. It not only refers to Dexter (Michael C. Hall) as an avenging angel but the blood splatter behind him also gives this distinct impression. This is in addition to the 'Thank God' promo (that can be viewed here) and the new character spoilers that have emerged over the past couple of months.

So far we know that there will be three new players in the world of Dexter who have a religious focus; Edward James Olmos is playing Professor Gellar, a religious studies academic who may be performing some extra curricular acts, Colin Hanks is Gellar's easily influenced student Travis Marshall and Mos Def will appear as an ex-con who has turned to God and is known as Brother Sam.

At Showtime's panel at the recent TCA press tour, David Nevins (Showtime Entertainment President) commented on this religious aspect of the promotional material for season 6 of Dexter and what this means for Dexter's path this year:

"Questions of spirituality, what do I believe. And it really comes, in the case of Dexter, from what do I want to pass on to my son. That question becomes a really present issue for him. What does it mean to raise a child given the dark passenger that I’m carrying around with me? And that’s what sort of drives this season. And it ties into a a larger criminal story with Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos that has its own spiritual significance."

This year's spiritual journey that Dexter will undertake is definitely intriguing and has given the promo department a new theme that has produced a strong visual impact. The idea of Dexter going up against someone who has their own code which appears to be shrouded in religious belief should produce an interesting story and opponent. Dexter is constantly questioning his position in the world and so it is not surprising that religion will be the focus.

What do you think of this promo poster? Are you looking forward to Dexter's return? Let us know in the comments below.

Dexter returns to Showtime Sunday, October 2 with "Those Kind of Things."

Dexter Season 6 Promo Poster

Dexter is back and as we saw in the most recent teaser trailer, this upcoming season debuting October 2^nd on Showtime is all about faith.

In the exclusive Comic-Con trailer for the new season, Dexter is seen pondering over his victim’s religious tattoos and asks him, “How do you reconcile your belief with what you’ve done?”

Is Dexter on a search for God?

It seems so. Michael C. Hall, C.S Lee (Masuka), David Zayas (Batista), James Remar (Harry), Colin Hanks and executive producers Sarah Colleton and Scott Buck were on hand to discuss just that at yesterday’s panel held in Ballroom 20 as part of Showtime’s Tired of Ordinary Television panel at Comic-Con 2011.

Colleton says the upcoming season will address bigger issues as “Dexter knows what he doesn't want to pass on (to Harrison) but what does he want to pass on?” In true Dexter style, he has a deep desire to define faith which by "it's very nature is undefinable."

With Harrison obviously a bit older in this season, Hall remarked that Dex is in a place where he has finally processed Rita’s death through his involvement with Lumen and is at a point where he doesn’t feel equipped to provide his son with the guidance that he needs. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual guidance.

James Remar meanwhile said Harry would provide guidance to Dex by taking on the devil’s advocate role this season and acting as a sounding off board for Dexter to throw his ideas to and talk things out with.

New guest star Colin Hanks claimed “I can’t confirm or deny involvement in the Dexter program.” However, we did learn at least learn his character’s name, Travis Marshall and the most of his time on set is spent with Edward James Olmos. Mos (Def) who plays Brother Sam in the upcoming season appeared during the Audience Q and A portion of the panel as he stepped up to the microphone and asked “Can I come up on stage with you guys?”

Both of the actors are gracious about their roles and excited to be working on what they both feel is one of the best shows on TV. Hanks further remarked that this season we will see stuff we haven’t seen before.

C.S. Lee mentioned Masuka will have some fun and maybe get in a little bit of trouble with some interns at Miami metro where as Zaya’s Batista will continue to have a “caliente” relationship with LaGuerta.

As for the question on everyone’s mind about when and how Deb will find out about her brother’s dark passenger, Buck said “Deb is smart, but Dexter is smarter.”

Plans to wrap up Dexter and provide him with some resolution are not in place just yet. Hall stated that “everyone has their own thoughts about it but that time will come.”

Lucky for us, it doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon.

Other interesting tidbits/moments about during our favorite serial killer's panel revealed during the audience question and answer portion of the panel included:

• Michael C. Hall thanking his fellow actors for the “totally inorganic long pauses” needed for Dexter’s inner dialogue.
• C.S. Lee’s favorite season has “yet to come because Deb and Masuka need to get married.”
• When getting nervous looks from others in the supermarket, Hall gives them back.
• Hall’s favorite scene when not embracing his dark passenger took place in season 5 when Dex tells Astor he loves her as it really shows the evolution the character has made.

Showtime Panel at Comic-Con: Dexter

The folks over at Showtime have released a new promo for Dexter season 6 called "Thank God" which shows what the theme of this year will be. Previously we have revealed details for season 6 which outlined some of the new characters and that the villain this year will have a religious focus and this promo goes one step further to emphasise this point.

In the promo Dexter (Michael C. Hall) is walking down a church aisle in his 'kill' outfit knife in hand. Lining the aisle of the church is a vast collection of religious statues which contain some of the most iconic images of the Christian faith such as Jesus on the cross and Mary holding the baby Jesus. There are several statues that could be considered to have darker undertones, particularly the demonic looking figure which he passes when he is pondering his "dark passenger" saying "I always thought that my dark passenger was a need I had to fill." This soliloquy continues as Dexter questions his reasons for killing; in this environment he poses the question of whether this 'calling' comes from a higher power and it is this existential questioning that will be such a key theme this season as it leads Dexter to this seasons villain.

The promo is rather tongue in cheek as the promotional material for Dexter often is. Campaigns such as the baby/jam/blood images have previously played with the dark humor of the show. There is a shot that in part suggests that Dexter is a winged figure, an angel of death perhaps that quickly cuts to the real world crime scene. Dexter is out of his 'kill' outfit and in his regular day clothes, Masuka (C.S. Lee) greets him saying "Thank God you're here.' The wry look that Dexter has on his face as he goes under the crime scene tape would suggest that he doesn't actually see religion as the reason for his dark passenger, though I look forward to how this will be explored this season.

Using Leonard Cohen's version of Hallelujah is a great move for this promo. It is after all Cohen's song and even though the Jeff Buckley's version is perhaps the definitive performance of this song it has been used endlessly. The tone of Cohen's vocal suits the world of Dexter much more than Buckley's fragile falsettos and works magnificently in this promo.

This is just one interpretation of this promo and when religion is thrown in to the mix there are many different ways to see something. Will some consider this season to be even more contentious with religion as a central theme? What do you think of the promo? Are you looking forward to the return of Dexter? Let us know in the comments below.

Dexter will return in the Fall on Showtime.

Dexter Season 6 Promo

There are still a couple of months before Dexter returns to our screens but that doesn't mean that details for the sixth season are thin on the ground. New showrunner Scott Buck has shared with Entertainment Weekly information on new characters, plotlines and what mental state we will find Dexter in this year.

So what mental and physical state will we find Dexter (Michael C. Hall) in? First of all it is a year on from last season and his cleansing relations with Lumen (Julia Stiles). We will see Dexter in a much better place than the dark period after Rita's (Julie Benz) death that he blamed himself for. The key point that Buck reiterates in this interview is that this year, we will see a Dexter that is much like how he was when we first met him in season one, but he is better than that:

"Things are good for him. He’s very centered, strong and focused, much the same way he was in season 1, but now he knows so much more. He’s a much more self-assured person. A more evolved serial killer."

The one thing that still plagues him however is what will happen with his son, has he passed on the "dark passenger"? If he hasn't passed on this element of his being then what should he try and give to his son? It is this philosophical search to pass on something good to his child that will take him on a spiritual quest that will lead him to the 'big bad' of the season.

So who are the new characters that Dexter will be encountering this season:

Professor Gellar (Edwards James Olmos; Battlestar Galactica): Professor Gellar is a religious studies academic, who on the side is committing some of the biggest crimes that the show has seen so far. Buck compares the conviction that Gellar has for killing people to the real life Zodiac killer and believes that he is the first killer on the show who believes that he is in the right with his actions. Dexter is very curious about Gellar's thought process when it comes to these acts and why he believes that he is in the right. It is fundamentally something that doesn't make any sense to Dexter as a fellow killer.

Travis Marshall (Colin Hanks; The Good Guys, Mad Men): Travis is a close acquaintance of Professor Gellar who has fallen under the charismatic spell of the Professor. Travis has done some bad things because of his belief system and how easily swayed he can be. Travis is not a character who would intentionally seek out to harm someone but is easily manipulated and taken advantage of.

Lisa Marshall (Molly Parker: Deadwood, Swingtown): Lisa is Travis' protective big sister who helped raise him when he was younger.

Brother Sam (Mos Def; Be Kind Rewind, 16 Blocks): Brother Sam is an ex-con who found God in prison. Trying to right the wrongs he committed as a street thug, Brother Sam has set up an auto body shop that hires other ex-cons to try and help them set themselves straight. When one of these employees is accused of a crime Brother Sam will cross paths with Dexter.

Jaime Batista (Aimee Garcia; Trauma, Off the Map): After underusing Harrison's nanny Sonya (Maria Doyle Kennedy) last season, Buck has said they have decided to go in a completely different direction this year with this role. Harrison's new nanny will be Jamie, who also happens to be Angel Batista's (David Zayas) little sister. She will be part of the 'family' story and Buck has said that when it comes to Jamie "there will be no big reveals or twists that the audience will never expect." She will inject an upbeat vibe in to Dexter's home that might go against what he has come accustom to.

Mike Anderson (Billy Brown; Lights Out, Southland): Anderson is a detective from Chicago who is a bit of a hard-ass and because of this he has a difficult time fitting in with others. However, he is an excellent detective so it will be interesting to see if he causes any problems for Dexter.

There is certainly a slew of new characters that will be challenging Dexter and causing conflict this season but what about those that have been entangled in the show for sometime now, particularly Quinn (Desmond Harrington) and Deb (Jennifer Carpenter)? The couple are still living together but as this is Dexter this happy period will not last for long, particularly for Quinn who has some dark days to look forward to. Change in both her career and personal life is on the cards for Debs this season but does this include finding out the truth about her brother and his 'hobby'? Buck is refusing to answer this question, telling Entertainment Weekly that:

"When that happens, obviously it’s going to be a very huge deal.  And I will never tell you when that’s going to happen."

The key theme this year is a spiritual one; the journey that Dexter will be going on and with regards to the new serial killer that he will become embroiled with. Other new characters such as Brother Sam clearly have a religious connection and so big questions are likely to be posed.

Are you looking forward to the return of Dexter? Do these new details for season 6 excite you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Dexter will return in the Fall on Showtime.

Dexter Season 6 Details

Before we get into this, let me clear about something: I will always love Supernatural. There's probably nothing the show could do - short of permanently killing Sam or Dean - that would ever make me not want to watch it.

Does that mean I'm blind to its occasional faults?  Of course not.  I think that the show has so many incredible qualities.  It's funny, it's smart, it's dramatic and the actors who work on it regularly are fantastic and under-appreciated.

All of that being said, there were things about season 6 that could have been improved.  When I look back on the series as a whole, I repeat what I've said many times: season 4 was my favorite.  Not only for the overall season-long arc (which was terrific), but also because it had great stand-alone episodes.  I liked season 6 for so many reasons, but when I look back on the season I think I enjoyed a lot of the individual episodes (like "Frontierland", "The Man Who Would be King", "The French Mistake" and "Caged Heat", for example) as opposed to the season-long arc.

I also didn't mind the cliffhanger at the end concerning Castiel.  I'm actually not that concerned that Castiel will be permanently leaving the show.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see that happening, even if he gets less screen time.  So I've decided to come up with a list of things I'd like to see in season 7.  I asked other Supernatural fans as well, including my good friend Monnie (@squeemonster).  Some of them stem from aspects I didn't like in season 6, while others stem from the events in the finale.

I think season 7 is a terrific opportunity for Supernatural to continue to prove it's one of the best shows on television.  I think that some aspects of season 6 can be attributed to the fact that the show had finished a fairly comprehensive five year plan and needed a chance to reboot itself.

As a reminder, here's what The CW has released as a description for next season: "In season seven, the Winchesters will find themselves in an increasingly sinister, changing landscape, up against a new foe unlike anything they’ve ever fought.  They’ll find their old tricks, weapons and hiding places all rendered useless.  All they’ll have is each other.  And the certainty that, like the last of the cowboy outlaws, whatever they face, they’re not going down without a fight."

So here is my list of things I'd like to see in season 7.  Supernatural returns with all new episodes in the fall on The CW.

What do you think?  Do you agree with my choices?  Did I forget anything you'd like to see?

Update: I've been reading through all the comments and it seems like the general consensus is that Dean should get a stronger storyline next season that's directly related to the myth-arc.  You're all right and I agree completely!  As for Sam remembering Hell...what I was trying to suggest is that he doesn't have to be tormented by them constantly, but he needs to at least deal with the after-effects.  Nearly all of season 6 was focused on Sam, the wall and the Hell memories, so to completely sweep them away would be kind of ridiculous.  But yes - like many of you have suggested - I don't think he needs to wallow in them constantly.

Castiel must eventually be redeemed

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Just because I didn’t mind the Castiel cliffhanger, doesn’t mean I want to see him be lost to Sam and Dean forever. Along the same lines that Dean had to battle Sam and his darker tendencies in seasons 4 and 5, I would be okay seeing Castiel go down his own dark path and perhaps become the “big bad” for next season. But at some point Castiel needs to be redeemed. I still hold to my belief that the souls of Purgatory are making him behave in a manner he wouldn’t otherwise (unless I’m proven wrong) and that’s fine, but eventually he needs to be saved. Cas is inherently a good character, and while I can accept that he needs to work through his issues in season 7, I don’t want to see him dead or permanently “evil”. And I want him and the Winchesters to make up again because they're family! :(

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
twitter.com/clarissa373
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Supernatural Slide-Show: What I Want to See in Season 7

In our past Supernatural slide-shows we've look at our picks for best villains, favorite guest stars, and hottest Winchester scenes.  For this slide-show, we're going to take a different angle and look at what we think are several questions that have arisen in season 6 of Supernatural that haven't been fully answered (or answered at all).

Most other seasons of Supernatural have focused on one over-arching goal.  For example, season 1 was about Sam and Dean's search for John, season 2 was about killing Azazel, season 3 was about trying to get Dean out of his deal to go to Hell, and season 5 was about defeating the devil and ensuring that Sam and Dean didn't become vessels for Lucifer and Michael.  Of course, looking back at it now, seasons 1 through 5 were also about the Winchesters preventing the apocalypse.  When the show was renewed for a sixth season, a sort-of reboot was needed.

While season 6 has had some great individual episodes (including, but not limited to, the genius that was "The French Mistake"), at this point I have a lot of questions about the many individual storylines.  It's hard to see how all of them tie together.  I have no doubt that they likely will, but at this point in time, there are some answers I'd like to know.

Below is our list/slide-show of questions that still need answers.  You may think one or two of them have been answered, but there are still questions I have regarding certain loose ends.  One or two of them are also a bit spoilery given what we know of future episodes (#3 and #13, to be exact, so skip them if you don't want to read any spoilers).

Let me know what you think.  Do you think some of these questions have been fully answered?  Do you agree with my picks?  And do you have any questions about the season that weren't listed in the slide-show below?  Sound off in the comments.

Also, don't miss an all new episode of Supernatural tonight.  Tonight's episode is entitled "Frontierland".  If you missed our pre-coverage of the episode, then go read through the following articles for "Frontierland" we've posted over the last week:

• Photos for the episode
• Trailer for the episode
• 1 sneak peek for the episode
• 2 additional sneak peeks for the episode
• Our advance review: 5 Reasons to watch "Frontierland"
• Episode preview featuring executive producer Sera Gamble (and new scenes not shown in previous sneak peeks

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
twitter.com/clarissa373
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Why was Crowley really searching for Purgatory?

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Eve emerged from Purgatory after Crowley was killed by Castiel, so given what we know now, I have my doubts that Crowley was looking for Purgatory just to expand his "kingdom". I doubted his reasons even before he died. I think the reason he really wanted to find Purgatory hasn't been fully explained yet, but I hope it will be.

Supernatural Slide-Show: Season 6 Questions That Still Need Answers

Season 6 seems to be the time for returning guest stars for Supernatural.  First Rufus appeared in episode 4 "Weekend at Bobby's".  According to Jim Beaver's Twitter and some set photos we also know that he'll be appearing in episode 16 "...And Then There Were None".

We know that Genevieve Cortese (who played the second Ruby) will also be making an appearance in episode 15, called "The French Mistake".  This will be the meta episode (read more details here).

Those of you who lamented that Ellen and Jo didn't return in the episode when the Winchester boys went to Heaven and were reunited with Ash will be happy to learn that Ellen will be returning.  Samantha Ferris confirmed via Twitter that Ellen would be making another appearance on the show.  She didn't provide any details, so I guess we'll have to speculate as to Ellen's return.  Will she be a ghost?  I don't think it will be an alternate reality because the episode she'll appear in will be pretty close to the meta episode which will take place in an alternate reality.  Ferris didn't mention anything about Alona Tal returning as Jo, so I'm not sure whether we'll be seeing her again.  But you can catch Tal on new episodes of Pretty Little Liars.  She'll be making an appearance starting on tonight's episode.

Rob Benedict was also recently interviewed before the Golden Globes and hinted that Chuck may likely be returning later this season.  Let's assume that Chuck is indeed God.  Will they bring him back to address the war that's going on in Heaven, since Castiel and that situation will be dealt with a lot more in the second half of the season?  Will the answer to whether he is God finally be put to rest?  You can watch the brief interview here.

Finally, actress April Telek has also confirmed via Twitter that she will be making a guest appearance on the show.  It looks like she'll be appearing in the Western episode, since they just finished filming episode 16 and the Western episode should be up next.

Supernatural returns with all new episodes on January 28.  Watch a promo for the upcoming episodes here.

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
twitter.com/clarissa373
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Supernatural Casting Spoilers: Guess Who's Coming Back

Instead of me writing up an opinion piece of how I think season 6 of Supernatural is going, I decided to bring in my friend Tamara, who also follows the show religiously, to provide you with two occasionally differing opinions on the show.

Tamara and I sat down for what was supposed to be a short discussion earlier this week - after the midseason finale of Supernatural (read our review) - and ended up spending nearly two hours discussing the Winchesters, how we think season 6 measures up to previous seasons, and crazy theories about souls.  We also went off on a huge tangent about Dante, Purgatory and a deeply theoretical debate on whether or not destiny was actually God's will, but I didn't bother including most of that because it made even our brains explode with the philosophical possibilities.

On a broad note, I like season 6 in general.  I hate using the word "reboot", but the season 6 premiere can essentially be considered that.  I think the episodes have gotten progressively more engaging.  The season just needed a little bit of time to find its footing again.

Below is our conversation about our thoughts, opinions and theories on Supernatural's sixth season so far.

Season 6 in General

Tamara: The season has gotten better, despite the fact that I wasn’t loving it at the beginning. My hesitation about the season wasn’t because I dislike the acting or even necessarily the stories, but I was really tiring of the brothers’ fractured relationship and how that continued. The reasons for that fracture have been for different reasons (and were obviously for a new reason in season 6), but that was tiring me after so long.

Clarissa: That frustrates (and saddens) me too, but season 4 - or maybe even season 3 - really marked the beginning of those cracks between the brothers. Even with Sam’s soul back now, I’m convinced that it can never be like it was in the earlier seasons and that makes me sad. But I agree that the season has been improving. Even though things might have seemed slow at the beginning of this season, I’m very impressed by how quickly things are actually progressing. Dean left Lisa after two episodes. Crowley died and his hold over the brothers ended very quickly. Sam got his soul back within 11 episodes when I thought they might drag it out over most - if not the entire - season. I know I was telling you “it’s not going to take all season!", but I wasn’t actually sure about that.

Tamara: You were lying to me so I wouldn’t put my fist through the television!

Clarissa: Yes, I was. I’m impressed by that, because with other seasons, it’s taken the entire season for the big things to happen. It took all of season 3 for Dean to go to Hell, or it took all of season 4 for Sam to raise Lucifer and for all of the seals to break. So for many big moments to come so quickly this season is a very good thing. I know that there’s a season-long arc here, but I like that the big moments aren’t taking all season.

Tamara: I completely agree. I thought that Sam getting his soul back would be the season-long arc, but it wouldn’t have been worth it for me, because I’m missing what I consider the essence of this show: the Sam-Dean connection. I agree that it can’t go back to the way it was and I’m fine with that, but what I need to have happen is that the brothers get their trust back and Dean needs to stop distrusting Sam for multiple reasons.

Clarissa: Dean’s distrust of Sam seems to have been pervasive for so many seasons. It seems like Sam is always the bad guy (addicted to demon blood, raising Lucifer, etc). What’s with always making him the bad guy? Hasn’t the poor guy gone through enough?

Tamara: That’s my big problem too - Sam was the bad guy for a bunch of different reasons. Like how he started listening to a demon over his brother and then it all escalated in season 4. Then this season starts and Sam’s back from Hell, but Dean’s watching him all the time and not trusting him.

Clarissa: Nine times out of ten, Dean is right about not trusting him, because Sam can’t always be trusted, but why can’t they cut him a break?  I want to hug the poor guy.

Tamara: Some of what Sam has done has been his choice, but some has been out of his control. Sam doesn’t have to be a perfect angel all the time, but why does Sam have to be the bad guy and why is Dean always preaching and being all “I know better and you should be listening to me!”? I know that Dean’s right most of the time, but I’m mad that we went from living in a world where they were different and they butted heads, but they were both good and they could both be right. But then it developed into how Dean was always right and Sam was always wrong. I’ve said this before, but it’s like Sam’s a bad puppy that Dean is always hitting on his nose with a rolled-up newspaper because he doesn’t know any better.

Clarissa: I also find it interesting that in past seasons we really knew in the first or second episode what the season was going to be about. In season 1 it was the search for John, season 2 was about killing the demon, season 3 was about getting Dean out of his deal and so on. But in season 6, we really have only been getting bits and pieces about what it’s about. First it was about bringing Dean back to hunting, then it was about how something was wrong with Sam, then about Crowley and Purgatory and now it’s about the souls. There’s no clear, defined plan that we know of yet. In some ways it’s frustrating, because it’s unlike what we’ve had in the past and I’m wondering how they’re going to be able to tie in all of the different storylines in a way that doesn’t feel rushed. But I also like the mystery aspect, even if it makes me want to pull my hair out.

Tamara: What’s been busting my brain is that I'm trying to put the pieces together without knowing if they’re supposed to go together. We always had a unifying theme for each season, but now I don’t even know if the multiple storylines are supposed to fit. What I liked about the most recent episode is that I think there seems to be a connection - like when Death told Dean he was onto something and how getting Sam’s soul back helps connect the different ideas.

Continued on next page...

Supernatural Midseason Report Card: How Does Season 6 Measure Up?

For many How I Met Your Mother Fans, Robin's Canadian pop star alias, Robin Sparkles, is a treat whenever she is one the screen. Well, fans are in for another treat this season in the form of another 80's pop star named Jessica Glitter. Glitter will be played by former Dancing with the Stars alum Nicole Scherzinger. This comes after Scherzinger herself tweeted "Just had table reading for HIMYM this morning. The cast is hill-friggin-larious! I can't wait to shoot next wk! HOLLA!". One can only hope that a sing off will occur between these two legend, wait for it... dary 80's fictional pop stars. Let's hope Robin is ready to relive her past again.

And, speaking of Robin's past, what better time to take a look back at her songs. First up is the video for "Let's Go To The Mall". I have to admit that this video really was very out there. It was first seen in the second season episode entitled "Slap Bet". Most viewers know that not only did this episode launch Robin Sparkles, but it also launched the slap bet (to which Marshall only has one slap left). The video for "Let's Go To The Mall" was aired at the end of the episode, and boy was it good. To an extent it embodied most of the 80's, or at least what I have seen of the 80's. You can view the music video, via youtube, here.

The second video of Robin Sparkles was her quintisential sappy 80's song entitled "Sandcastles In The Sand". The video was aired during the third season episode with the same name. The episode dealt with Robin trying to get over a past fling she had with an old boyfriend named Simon (played by James Van Der Beek). The mood of the song sung by Sparkles, hits the right tone for how Robin is feeling during the 80's, but also how she is feeling during the present. Once again, the song did a great job of recreating teen pop in the 80's. To create a better 80's feel, the writers decided to throw in pop star Tiffany. This was a great touch, as no one in real life embodies the 80's version of Robin Sparkles more than Tiffany. You can view the video for "Sancastles In The Sand" here.

How do you feel about another Robin Sparkles episode, or better yet how do you feel about Nicole Scherzinger guest starring on How I Met Your Mother? Sound off in the How I Met Your Mother boards.

Nicole Scherzinger to Guest Star on How I Met Your Mother

This is the last spoiler article I want to publish about Supernatural before the premiere tomorrow night (September 24).  I don’t want to read or write anymore – I just want to watch the premiere!

But before we all hang up our hats, I do have a compilation of information and spoilers about season 6 from two very good interviews.  The first is a long USA Weekend interview new showrunner Sera Gamble (USA Weekend also recently posted a sneak peek from the season premiere, which you can view here). 

Sera reveals the following information:

• They had a plan in place for season 6 back in early season 5.  But she doesn't want to commit to a definitive length of how long they will continue the storyline (ie. like Eric Kripke did with his "five year plan").
• The vampire episode (episode 6.05) is a lot of fun and will be a poke at recent vampire popular culture.  The episode will contain a few very important character moments for Sam and Dean, but they're taking advantage of the fact that pop culture has a different view of vampires nowadays.
• Sam and Dean's relationship will continue to evolve over the first few episodes of the season.  We'll also see some bombshells in their relationship. Sera likes the fact that the brothers have been apart for a year - this gives them an opportunity to develop their characters. 
• The season premiere is primarily from Dean's point of view and is a kind of sequel to the original pilot episode.  After the premiere, we'll learn more about Sam's story over the next few episodes.
• Dean's relationship with Lisa is less about him being in a romantic relationship than it is about him being part of a family unit.
• Lisa and Ben will not be disappearing after the season 6 premiere, but Dean's relationship with them as a family won't be easy after his brother returns.
• Expect season 6 to focus on a post-apocalyptic world where monsters are behaving differently (as suggested by the promo here).  We'll see episodes with creatures we've never seen before and we'll see monsters we thought were extinct.  The big question this season is why they're behaving in this manner, as well as their origins.
• Sera says episode 6.02 is really funny.  Sam and Dean get saddled with a baby for most of the episode (see photos here). On a side note, it's nice to see that despite the new darker feel of the show that it won't be giving up the comedy aspect.
• Castiel will still be torn between his duties in heaven and his desire to help Sam and Dean on earth.  He is back to being a full angel with all of his powers and new responsibilities in heaven.  We may only see him in bits and pieces in the first half of the season, but as the season progresses we'll see Castiel more and he'll tie in more with the overall storyline.
• In addition to the reappearance of Grandpa Samuel Campbell, we'll also see some distant cousins of Sam and Dean, including Christian (Corin Nemec), and another female cousin named Gwen.  There will be tension between Sam and Dean and their family.  Despite always wanting a family connection, Sam and Dean have a tendency to only trust each other.
• They have written (but not yet shot) an episode about fairies.  The script was penned by Ben Edlund and Sera says it's hilarious - but this isn't surprising since Edlund has written a lot of funny episodes for this show.
• The season will once again be a balance between serious issues between the brothers and funny episodes/moments.

The second interview comes courtesy of  Eric @ IGN, who is currently touring the Supernatural set (and the sets of other WB shows) up in Vancouver with some other bloggers.  They had an opportunity to sit down with Jared and Jensen to get their opinions about the season 6 storylines and a few tidbits about what's in store for their characters.

Jensen says it was difficult playing this new version of Dean (the domesticated family man).  On a side note, a lot of people are taking this to mean that he's complaining about Dean's new storyline, but those in Vancouver have said that the boys are really excited about how challenging it is to play their characters differently this year.  And for those fans who are complaining that this new version of Dean will be so out of character and sucky, let me remind you that Dean has always been loving with his family.  As for sensitivity, this is the guy who the term "one perfect tear" was practically invented for.  I used to argue with a co-worker about who cried more: Dean Winchester or Jack Shephard.

Season 6 will not be exactly like season 1, according to the boys.  While we're going to be seeing more monsters of the week (including vampires, djinns and skinwalkers), expect these monsters to fit into an overarching storyline.

Jared thinks Sam's time in hell was worse than Dean's, because he was trapped inside the cage with two archangels.  Whether this turns out to be true is anybody's guess.  Jared does confirm that Sam's going to become more of a hardass. 

Expect the boys to come to blows!  Jensen confirms that the scene at the end of this promo where Dean is hitting Sam isn't edited to look like something else - Dean really beats up his brother.  But they have their shared hunting history tying them together.  While there is a strain in their relationship, they will get closer again.

So that's all I've got, folks.  There's a little over a day until the new season of Supernatural premieres.  Check back tomorrow night for a recap and don't forget to watch!

Supernatural Season 6 Spoilers from Jensen, Jared & Sera

I'm bored, it's a slow news day and I'm very sad I'm not among those who are currently touring the sets of various WB shows in Vancouver (even though I live in Canada...though not in Vancouver).  But Laura Prudom (who I met at Comic Con at the Supernatural press room and is a very nice girl) IS touring the set of Supernatural as we speak and took a shot of something that she says "miiight be relevant soon".

So what's the cage for?  Speculation's abound (seriously, it's a slow news day).  Will Dean lock Sam in the cage since he seems to think there's something wrong with Sam since coming back from Hell? 

Speaking of that, that's an interesting question.  My fellow writer Jon speculates that all is not well with Sam.  In his craziest moments he said to me "what if the whole season isn't real and Sam's up in heaven?" to which I replied "and that's the moment I check out of the Supernatural fandom".  Well, I used more swear words, and made a few obscure references to the final season of Lost, but whatever.

In any event, the question is who gets put in the cage.  Does Bobby get possessed?  Does Sam turn on Dean and lock him up?  Or does Sera Gamble give us another wonderful present and stick Sam in the cage?  Yeah, I've seen all the crazy photos going around of Jared doing shirtless pull-ups from this promo.

UPDATED: Oh, the plot thickens.  Natalie Abrams posted a clearer photo and says it's an electric chair with fake blood for episode 6.07.  Interesting...

By the way, Laura just posted a photo of herself in the Impala.  *sigh* So jealous...

Go check out a sneak peek from the upcoming season premiere, set to air on September 24.

Supernatural - Who's in the Cage?

If you'd like to get caught up on how Supernatural left off last season and some spoilers about what's in store for season 6, read the "Previously On... Supernatural" summary I posted earlier today.

The CW has released a sneak peek for the upcoming season premiere of Supernatural, which is set to air on Friday (September 24).  It's pretty spoilery in terms of guest stars (at least, the guest star who's not Mitch Pileggi, who has already been spoiled), but I'm inclined to believe it's a dream, which would probably mean that the scene from this promo with Lisa getting moved up the wall is also a dream.

On the other hand, I could be completely, utterly wrong.  But that's ok, because I'm just happy about the return of Supernatural on Friday.  Check out the sneak peek below and then go take a look at the promo photos we previously posted for the season premiere.

MITCH PILEGGI (“X-Files,” “Sons of Anarchy”) RETURNS AS DEAN AND SAM’S GRANDFATHER

It’s a year later and Dean (Jensen Ackles) has given up hunting and is living with Lisa (guest star Cindy Sampson) and her son Ben (guest star Nicholas Elia).

Mysteriously freed from his cage in hell, Sam (Jared Padalecki) finds Dean and tells him he needs to rejoin the fight and introduces Dean to a world—a family—he never even knew existed: the Campbells, his mother’s family, lead by none other than their Grandfather Samuel (Pileggi).

Sneak Peek - Supernatural 6.01 "Exile on Main St"

Supernatural Season 6 Premieres on Friday, September 24 at 9:00 p.m. on the CW

Despite series creator Eric Kripke stating that he had always planned a five year arc for Supernatural, the show will be returning for its sixth season on Friday, with a new showrunner in producer/writer Sera Gamble, and a new focus for the show to explore.

What You Should Know

The End of the Five Year Arc - Kripke said the finale was the natural ending to the storyline he had spent five years building.  Throughout season 5 we thought there would be a showdown between the brothers as Michael and Lucifer's vessels, which would lead to the apocalypse.  But things didn't turn out as the archangel and devil had planned.  Sam first managed to convince Dean not to become Michael's vessel after losing all hope that the brothers could find another way to stop the apocalypse.  Instead, the boys found another route to killing the devil - trapping him back inside Hell using the rings of the 4 horsemen.

Sam, likely driven by guilt for breaking the final seal to let Lucifer out of his cage, volunteered to become Lucifer's vessel in an attempt to trap him back in hell.  Of course, things didn't go as the boys had planned and once Sam had given his body over to Lucifer as a vessel, the devil took off before Dean could put him back in the hole.  With Dean refusing to become Michael's vessel, the archangel turned to the boys' half-brother, Adam.  A rather tame showdown occurred in a cemetery outside the brothers' hometown, with Sam/Lucifer facing off against Adam/Michael as Dean arrived.

After killing both Castiel and Bobby, Sam/Lucifer looked poised to kill Dean and destroy the world.  Instead, Sam managed to break the devil's hold on his body and opened the portal to hell, jumping in and pulling Adam/Michael in with him at the last minute.  Resurrected, Castiel healed Dean and brought Bobby back to life.

Back to Heaven - Castiel had spent the last season as Heaven's outcast, having rebelled against his fellow angels in order to follow Sam and Dean's cause.  Having lost most of his angelic powers as a result, he still accompanied Dean and Bobby to the final showdown and was killed by Sam/Lucifer for managing to get rid of Adam/Michael momentarily and giving Dean a chance to get through to his brother.  After being brought back to life (by God, Cas believes), he told Dean that he planned to return to Heaven, which is now in disarray with the loss of Michael and many other top angels.

Dean in Suburbia - After Sam went to Hell, Dean accompanied Bobby back to his house, only to say goodbye to him and, presumably, not see him again for a long time.  Despite wanting to find a way to get Sam back, Dean decided to honor his brother's last wish for him and returned to his old flame (well, weekend flame), Lisa, and her son Ben.  When we last saw Dean in the season finale, he's morose, staring off into space, until Lisa seemed to shake him out of out and he, Lisa and Ben sat down for a nice family dinner.

Bobby’s Vertical Again - After choosing to hurt himself instead of stabbing Dean in the season 5 premiere, Bobby spent most of the fifth season confined to a wheelchair.  Until the final episodes, when Crowley healed his injury, allowing him to walk again and help the brothers’ in the final apocalypse showdown.  Before all that happened, though, Bobby choose to offer up his soul in exchange for the location of one of the horsemen.  When Dean became angry at Bobby’s sacrifice, Crowley informed the boys that he planned on giving Bobby his soul back, but we ended season 5 without Crowley fulfilling his promise.  After Dean and Bobby parted ways in the finale, Bobby continued to live the life of a hunter.

Sammy’s…Back? - Despite having gone through a lot of changes since the series premiere - including becoming addicted to demon blood and going off on some pretty crazy benders - Sam found the strength, and the love, to sacrifice himself for the world and for his brother.  Thinking that his brother was lost to him forever, Dean decided to set up shop with a new family.  In the final moments of the season 5 finale, we see Sam has somehow returned from Hell.  As the streetlight flickers (indicating something supernatural?), Sam stands outside of Lisa’s house, looking in on Dean with his girlfriend and her son.

The God Question - We may never know the answer to this, but what had fans in a tizzy after the season 5 finale was the question of whether the prophet Chuck, who we first met in season 4 was actually God.  Chuck narrated and wrote the story of the apocalyptic showdown in the finale, and provided a key bit of information to Dean, allowing him to get through to his brother before he let Lucifer destroy the world.  At the end of the finale Chuck disappeared, prompting fans to question whether he was God all along.  Despite arguments concerning Dean’s God-finding amulet, I believe Chuck was God.  There’s no word whether we’ll ever see Chuck - or God - in season 6.

Continued on next page…

Previously On... Supernatural