There's always been talk in the Supernatural fandom that would indicate that the characters of Sam and Castiel should be rivals.  For what?  Dean's affections, storyline prominence...take your pick.  I don't want to engage in that particular debate, except to point out that these two characters are not all that different from each other as you may think.  Because of that, I think it can only serve to strengthen their relationship.

I'm going to cap off my week of Supernatural speculation (which has consisted of a roundtable review for season 7, wishlists for Sam and Dean in season 8, a discussion of why Purgatory is different from Dean's Hell storyline and the creatures that might be down there) with some thoughts that I've been pondering for a long time, but haven't really had the right opportunity to discuss.

I don't think there are many fans who would dispute that Castiel's devotion to his father (God) is very similar to Dean's earlier devotion to his own father.  Of course, it is in an angel's nature to be devoted to God, so you can hardly fault him for that.  But Castiel and Sam's similarities really lie in both of their falls from grace, as well as their subsequent attempts at redemption.

Castiel's arc in season 6 about opening the door to Purgatory has always struck me as incredibly similar to Sam's arc in season 4 involving his quest for vengeance against Lilith.  Castiel was faced with a previously unexpected situation (chaos in Heaven), while Sam was faced with the same (Dean in Hell).  What's important to remember is that in both situations, our protagonist believed the old adage "the end justifies the means".  For Sam, drinking demon blood and even killing a few people along the way was acceptable, because the end goal of destroying Lilith for her part in killing Dean was worth it.  For Castiel, opening a door to Purgatory and lying to his friends was also worth the risk if only Raphael could be destroyed and Heaven stabilized.

In each case, both protagonists were manipulated by outside forces: Sam by Ruby (and the overall plans of the Devil, to a lesser extent) and Castiel by Crowley.  I'll admit, Castiel's body count in his quest was far larger than Sam's, and he did commit a terrible act against Sam himself by breaking his wall (although he had intended to fix him, the outcome was reckless and unexpected).  And while each of their stories are not technically about Dean, per se, both of them clearly betrayed Dean's trust with the actions that they took.

In the end, both Sam and Castiel realized that their actions were wrong.  Sam worked hard to redeem himself, although Castiel hasn't had much of an opportunity yet to do so, but that's as a result of his current storyline.

One recurring theme in Supernatural is that everyone deserves a second chance, and anyone can be redeemed if they genuinely seek it.  Dean has sought redemption for what he believes are his sins in Hell.  Sam has sought redemption for his actions in season 4.  Castiel will - I believe - continue to strive for redemption for his own actions in season 6 and the beginning of season 7.

Some fans have asked "why did it seem like Sam was so quick to forgive Castiel?"  They call him weak for it.  I don't believe it's weakness.  I believe it's these similarities between Sam and Castiel that are the explanation.  Sam is quicker to forgive...or, perhaps, "understand" is a better phrase...Castiel because Sam knows what it's like to really make a mistake and feel remorse for it.  It's these similarities between them that can form the basis of a strong friendship between the two men that's completely independent of Castiel's "profound bond" (I really hate that term - AN: I hate that particular "phrase", NOT the friendship itself) between Castiel and Dean.

As a result of this discussion, I've decided to throw out a short wishlist for Castiel in the eighth season of Supernatural.

Redemptive Arc.  Like I mentioned above, everyone deserves a second chance if they feel genuine remorse for their sins (blame it on my inner-Catholic).  Castiel taking on Sam's Hellucinations haven't really afforded him much time to seek redemption, but there's every indication that he wants to find it.  If they writers have time, I would really like to see this happen.

A Place for Castiel. Some fans have insisted that there's no place for angels in the show anymore.  I don't believe that's true, but I can understand their point.  More specifically, with regards to Castiel, Misha Collins did acknowledge at the recent JIB convention that "I think they’re trying to find ways to make Castiel less powerful.  It’s sort of a problem in the show if Sam and Dean have a friend who can snap his fingers and solve any problems.  It’s partly to make it so the boys don’t have such an easy time."  This is precisely why Castiel took on Sam's Hellucinations instead of simply healing him.  There's a place for Castiel in Supernatural.  I've said that I would prefer to see Dean fighting his way through Purgatory alone for his own personal storyarc, but I don't want Cas to abandon him there (perhaps he's pulled out for some reason).  Despite not wanting Dean's journey to be the "Dean and Cas" journey, I still want the angel to remain on the show.  If there's an arc to be found that teams up Cas with both of the Winchesters again so that they're working together instead of at cross-purposes, then that's what I would like to see.  What that arc is, I'll admit that I don't know.  Then again, I'm not a writer on the show.  But given the fact that the writers and actors seem to recognize the difficulty - as well as the presence of a new showrunner who was present at the heyday of the angel storyline - I think they'll come up with a good arc.

Healing from the Crazy.  I've enjoyed Misha's "crazy Castiel" performance.  He's a good actor who plays different incarnations of his character very well (a talent also shared by Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki).  That being said, I would like to see him reach some sort of balance.  To be quite honest, I'm completely unsurprised that he's not feeling the same effects as Sam.  Castiel is an angel and we all know that they have nearly unprecedented healing abilities, so feeling lesser effects from Sam's trauma isn't unexpected.  That being said, I also believe that he's using the crazy as an opportunity to avoid dealing with his guilt.  In the season 7 finale, he said broke down in front of the Winchesters and said "I can't help. You understand? I can't. I destroyed everything...and I will destroy everything again. Can we please just leave it at that?".  I think that his current symptoms are real, but I also think they may be exaggerated in an attempt to avoid future mistakes.  If he doesn't have to fight because he's crazy, then he won't risk making another terrible mistake like lying to his friends and trying to open the door to Purgatory.  It wasn't until the end of the finale that a talking-to by a Dean, and a trip to Purgatory, really seemed to bring the old, "normal", version of Cas to the forefront.  I think there's a balance that can be achieved here.

Renewed - and Deeper - Relationships.  I understand Dean's reluctance to forgive Castiel for his actions.  First, it took him a while to forgive - and trust - his own brother after the events of season 4 and Sam is really the single most important person in his life (sorry, Cas fans - AN: I've been told I don't have to apologize for that, so thanks for pointing that out).  Further, Castiel committed what Dean believes is the biggest sin: hurting his brother.  Should Dean forgive Castiel eventually?  Yes.  Because he forgives the people he cares about so long as they feel remorse (which ties in to Cas' redemption arc).  But I would also like to see Sam and Castiel develop a stronger relationship.  Like I mentioned above, there are a great many similarities between these two characters and, while their relationship might be different than the one between Cas and Dean, I don't believe it's any less important.  Castiel is not just Dean's friend.  He's developed friendships with both Winchesters and Bobby.  But that doesn't mean that a friendship with Sam couldn't use some additional cultivating on the part of the writers.

So there you have it, Supernatural fans: all the speculation I have to give until some information starts pouring in about season 8.  I've mentioned it before, but I am thoroughly exited about next season.  Everything I've read lately indicates that the people who can help shape the storyline acknowledge some shortcomings they've had for the show for the past few seasons and are looking to correct that.  With a new showrunner in charge, I think we'll see a reinvigorated show.

Feel free to share your comments below but, please, don't turn this into a Castiel vs. Sam war.  My intention with this article was to show you that they're not all that dissimilar to each other and I hope we can engage in a legitimate debate about the merits of storylines.

We'll be covering Supernatural throughout the summer as new information about season 8 comes in, so make sure to browse and bookmark our Supernatural page.

Supernatural: The Similarities Between Sam & Castiel. Plus, My Season 8 Wishlist for the Angel

Yesterday I posted a wishlist for Supernatural season 8 involving Sam and what I hope he accomplishes while Dean is in Purgatory.

I wasn't actually going to write this particular article now, because I've spent time this week talking about why Dean being in Purgatory is different than being in Hell and the lessons I hope he can take from Purgatory.  But then some fans thought I was failing to explain potential storylines for Dean.  That's rather inaccurate, but that's fine.  I gave more thought to what I've said before and decided to set out an expanded wishlist for Dean.  Trust me, folks, writing about Dean is never a hardship for me.

See Purgatory.  The first thing I want to see about Purgatory is to actually SEE Purgatory.  I completely understand the budgetary concerns that Supernatural has had in the past about showing Hell.  A lot of viewers will have their own ideas of what Hell looks like and you probably need to "go big or go home" in order to show that.  But Purgatory can look like anything, really.  I don't have a preconceived notion of what that dimension will look like.  As someone jokingly mentioned, it looks just like a Canadian forest.  Even in LOST, Purgatory actually looked exactly like the world we all know.  And if Supernatural can show us Heaven looking rather ordinary with roads, gardens, homes and fields, then Purgatory can be done as well.  I think it would be a bit of a fake-out not to show us Purgatory, given the rather stellar cliffhanger the show set up in the season 7 finale.  We've done the "oh, they're in another dimension, then they come back without us seeing it" thing before.  Spending some time in Purgatory can only be a good thing, because the learning experience for both brothers in this situation make for good storylines.

Death-match in Purgatory. In the Purgatory vs. Hell article, I mentioned that Dean often fails to understand the value of fighting to save himself and generally sticks with hunting out of an obligation to fight for others.  Purgatory can be a very good way for Dean to recognize his self-worth.  Learning to survive this dimension is a must, especially since Dean is likely alive down there, instead of being dead like he was in Hell.  I've also mentioned that I would actually like to see Dean surviving it alone.  I don't really want to see Castiel abandon him down there, but if Cas disappeared because he was pulled out of the dimension by unknown forces, I wouldn't be displeased.  There's a place for the angel in season 8, but learning to survive on his own will be, in my opinion, a very good learning experience for Dean.  I want to see the reemergence of the badass hunter that we know Dean is.  Dean's recent apathy (which we discussed in detail in our multi-page review of season 7) doesn't mean he's not a strong hunter - because he so clearly still is - but he's lost a bit of the fire that used to define him.  If slaughtering his way through Purgatory is the way to reignite that, then I'm all for it.  Besides, Sam can't help Dean out of Purgatory if Dean isn't down there fighting to survive.  Someone mentioned to me that Dean shouldn't act like a damsel in distress down in Purgatory.  Dean's never been a damsel in distress a day in his life, so the likelihood of that happening is nil.

Defined Time Period.  I definitely want to see Dean explore Purgatory, but I think this can only be done for a certain period of time.  I'll admit that it's a novel concept to separate the brothers, since they really haven't been separated for more than 1.95 episodes ("Free to be You and Me" until the end of "The End").  But there's only so long that can happen before the central relationship of the show gives way to separate storylines.  I think two to three episodes is time to establish Dean in Purgatory and give Sam an opportunity to find a solution and open a door to help get him out, since, as far as we know, you can only really open the door from the Earth-side.  After that, I'm eager to see the main story arc for the season and see how the boys will deal with that.  I don't think Purgatory can be the main storyline unless Sam travels there as well and I really see no reason why that should happen.

The One Person in Purgatory I Definitely Want To See. I wrote out my thoughts on which people - or beings - Dean could find in Purgatory and I really have one person on my wishlist: Gordon Walker.  More than anyone else, this is one deceased character I'd love to see again in this context.  Dean and Gordon always had an interesting "relationship".  Gordon went from Dean's BFF to his enemy in the space of one episode and Gordon became a very formidable enemy to the Winchesters as season 2 progressed.  Since he died a vampire, I think he would end up in Purgatory.  It would be fascinating for Dean to see a blast from his past that hasn't resurfaced on the show yet.

The Importance of Relationships.  I've always felt that Dean has been defined by his relationships, which is why family has always been so consistently important to him.  He's one of those people who doesn't really do well on his own, which is fine. Humans are generally social creatures, so there's no shame in that.  Lately, however, Dean's apathy has seemed to affect his relationships.  It's not that he doesn't still love his brother or Bobby, because he clearly does.  I just don't know if he derives the same satisfaction from his relationships.  In some respects, Dean has become a bit of an island...floating by on the conviction of duty and nothing else.  It breaks my heart to reconcile the man with the boy we first met in season 1.  It's understandable, because he - and Sam - have suffered so much over the years.  But I would like to see Dean really firm up his relationships and derive joy from them again.  With a renewed sense of purpose from his time in Purgatory and stronger relationships, I think Dean will be unstoppable.

I wish I could go deeper into my wishlist for Dean in season 8, but until we have a better idea of the overall storyline (which could really go anywhere at this point), then it's difficult to predict what will happen.  Overall, however, I think the writers set up a terrific cliffhanger in the season 7 finale and I think Dean has an opportunity to go through a real transformation down in Purgatory.

Go take a look at our wishlist for Castiel and a discussion on why he and Sam are more similar than you might think.

We'll be covering Supernatural throughout the summer as new information about season 8 comes in, so make sure to browse and bookmark our Supernatural page.

Supernatural Season 8: My Wishlist for Dean

I've just begin to explore the "Dean in Purgatory" angle in the eighth season of Supernatural (here and here), but now I want to turn my attention to the other important player in this whole wacky scenario: Sam Winchester.

Dean being down in Purgatory is clearly a bad situation for the elder Winchester, but that doesn't mean Sam doesn't have a big role to play in this potential storyline.  So here's my wishlist for what might happen with Sam while Dean is down in Purgatory fighting monsters.  Of course, I keep assuming that they will be showing Dean in Purgatory and Sam back on Earth instead of using a time jump.  It's such an interesting potential storyline I really hope it happens!

No Repeat of Season 4. Let me be clear, I thought Sam's demon blood storyline was very interesting, dark and well acted by Jared Padalecki, but that's not how I want to see him handle the situation this time.  Technically, there's no real person to blame for what happened to Dean (ok...maybe God, for failing to put this important information on the tablet), so there's no reason for Sam to strive for revenge.  Instead, I want to see him focused on finding his brother without resorting to drinking demon blood in order to "bolster his powers".  Although, to be fair, that's not a solution he's turned to for some time, so I think it's unlikely to happen.  Like I said in the first article I linked to above, this is a very different situation than when Dean was in Hell and I think Sam has come so far from the man he was in season 4 that he won't be making the same mistake again.

Focus vs. Crazy Single-Mindedness Determination.  "Mystery Spot" is one of my favorite episodes of Supernatural, and just so happened to be written by new showrunner Jeremy Carver.  Remember when Dean "died" for the final time in that episode and Sam set out to bring him back?  He was like a robot, focused only on his goal.  This is also sort of like Sam in season 4, although it's also slightly different.  I don't necessarily want to see "Mystery Spot" Sam again, if only because I feel so bad for him when he shuts off his emotions like that.  It's not a good place for Sam to go, especially when Dean isn't around to help ground him.

Sam Saves Dean.  This is non-negotiable.  I don't need the brothers to be at each other's side 24/7, but Sam being the person to help Dean (and Castiel, if he's still down there) out of Purgatory is crucial.  Not only will it help alleviate any remaining guilt Sam may still carry for not being the one to save Dean from Hell, but it really will help bolster the brothers' relationship.  Given the problems they've encountered over the years, this will be a very good thing.

No Dealing with the Leviathans...At Least Until Dean Returns.  I think I need a bit of a break from the Leviathans.  As we discussed in our round-table review of Supernatural season 7, we loved Dick, but the Leviathans didn't always work for us as villains, if only because they failed to have a very strong connection to the Winchesters (we explain why Bobby's death wasn't enough).  I know that Crowley warned that the Leviathans were still a threat, but I'd like to see them sit on the side-lines while Sam tries to figure out where Dean is, and how to save him.  If the show introduces a new big bad for next season (and I hope it does), it's my hope that the Leviathans will be a smaller sub-plot until they're defeated.

Get Help From Humans, Not Demons.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore Crowley, Meg and some other recurring demons on the show who have helped the Winchesters from time to time.  But I think this is a time for Sam to rely on good old-fashioned human ingenuity.  We all know there's a way to open a door to Purgatory.  As someone helpfully reminded me in the comments, H.P. Lovecraft did it.  Yes, it's very dangerous and could let out some nasty monsters (see: Castiel in season 6), but it's possible.  Some fans have bemoaned the Winchesters' lack of ingenuity over the years.  I don't necessarily think that's true.  I thought Dean's defeat of the Shojo in "Party on, Garth" and his defeat of Eve in "Mommie Dearest" were very clever.  But I'll admit that the brothers could use some prodding to get back to the way they used to solve cases: heavy research, trial-and-error, and a little help from some allies who weren't always Bobby.  Sam not involving demons in saving his brother is not only smart (since working with them always comes with a price), but gives him the opportunity to put his big brain to good use.  It also gives us the opportunity to see him interact with some fun recurring guest stars, like Sheriff Jody Mills.  I loved watching the two of them work together to locate Dean in "Time After Time".

On the flip-side, read my wishlist for Dean for season 8 and our wishlist for Castiel and a discussion on why he and Sam are more similar than you might think.

And, you know, if he just happens to do some shirtless chin-ups from time-to-time in order to keep himself in shape, that probably wouldn't hurt either.  He might need to fight off some monsters while he saves Dean, after all.  Better to be prepared!

We'll be covering Supernatural throughout the summer as new information about season 8 comes in, so make sure to browse and bookmark our Supernatural page.

Supernatural: My Wishlist for Sam While Dean is in Purgatory

There's so much I want to know about Purgatory on Supernatural now that Dean has landed there.  Yesterday, we posted a large, multi-author review of the seventh season, covering topics from the Leviathans to the Winchesters' storylines to the guest stars.  But Purgatory itself - and what it could mean for Dean - is basically a subject onto itself.

A few comments I saw from fans after the finale aired is that Dean ending up in Purgatory is very similar to the season 3 finale, with Dean ending up in Hell.  Whether Castiel is with him down there or not (and my preference leads more towards "not", if only for the individual character development arc for Dean if he's forced to survive alone), I think Purgatory is a very different storyline than Hell.  Let me tell you why.

Updated: Read our thoughts on who (or what) Dean could meet in Purgatory.

Alive vs. Dead.  This is almost deserving of a 24 joke, where Jack Bauer saves the world in an entire day but never stops to eat or go to the bathroom.  I have to assume that Dean is alive in Purgatory, which is obviously vastly different from his situation in Hell, where he was a soul.  In Hell, he could be destroyed over and over again (and he so obviously was), with his "body" magically being stitched back together.  I don't want to call that a luxury, because it isn't, but if he's alive in Purgatory, then it makes for a very different situation overall.  If he's alive, then his situation is complicated by not only the need for survival (more on that later), but also the need for such mundane human necessities as food, shelter and sleep.  I actually hope that being in Purgatory won't negate the need for those types of necessities.  If he dies in Purgatory - or gets "ripped to shreds" as Castiel had ominously said - then I have to assume that he's dead.  Which is obviously not the outcome anyone wants (I hope).

Accident vs. Choice.  For Dean, Hell was a choice.  He made the choice to sell his soul in order to save Sam's life and, even when he was so clearly terrified to go to Hell, he was willing to do so in order to make sure Sam didn't die.  Even when he came back, he was afraid that Sam had found a way to break the deal, thereby putting Sam's own life on the line.  We know that didn't happen, but it was a concern for Dean at the time.  Back then, Dean was fully prepared to bravely accept an eternity in Hell.  This time, ending up in Purgatory was obviously an unexpected - and unwelcome - accidental side-effect of killing Dick.  Dean didn't choose it, which is why I think his attitude down there will be vastly different than when he was in Hell.  I think his desire to escape that place will be because he doesn't belong there, instead of a desire to escape Hell, which was more of a desire to escape misery.

Survival vs. Punishment.  In some respects, I hope that Purgatory can be a learning place for Dean.  It sounds a bit cruel, but it's true.  Like I said in that review, Dean's reasons for fighting often stem from his desire to protects others - Sam, Bobby, humanity, etc. - rather than a real desire to fight for himself.  If he's forced to be alone in Purgatory, then he's fighting for his own survival, which I hope will help bolster his self-worth.  I also hope that when he does get out of Purgatory, his feelings toward that place will be very different than his feelings of Hell.  Obviously both dimensions are a very cruel place, filled with monsters (and who knows what else).  But while Dean felt terribly guilty about the actions he took to survive in Hell, I hope that he doesn't feel guilty about what he does to survive in Purgatory.  If you're fighting for your life against a dimension full of monsters, that's far different than torturing other souls to escape torture yourself.  Even with his actions in Hell being understandable given the circumstances, I think his attitude about what he does to survive Purgatory will be different.

Sam's Determination vs. Sam's Desire for Revenge.  The Supernatural season 4 episode "I Know What You Did Last Summer" filled in the gaps of what Sam was up to while Dean was in Hell.  At first, he desperately tried to figure out a way to get Dean out of Hell.  When that didn't work, a grief-stricken Sam, heavily influenced by outside forces such as Ruby and his growing addiction to demon blood, turned to revenge against Lilith instead.  In fact, we know that the whole situation was manipulated so that Sam would break the last seal, even if we didn't know that at the time.  We also later learned that there was, apparently, nothing Sam could have done to get Dean out of Hell, and that only angels could have dragged Dean out of there (according to episode 4.02, I believe).  But Purgatory is an entirely different situation.  Given the fact that Dean did not choose to go to Purgatory like he did with Hell (or even like Sam chose to go to Hell), I believe that Sam will stop at nothing to save his brother.  Not only that, but we know that Castiel was able to open up a portal to Purgatory which, to me, indicates that it's a bit more accessible than Hell, although obviously still very dangerous.  Further, without the outside influences of Ruby, Sam's reaction to this situation will be completely different.  I think this is the missed opportunity for Sam to save his brother, which he and the writers weren't able to do last time.  I think that if Sam does save Dean (and I really hope he does), then it will go a long way towards healing any remaining cracks in their relationship that has unfortunately built up since season 4.  I want to see a happy brotherly reunion where Dean has managed to survive Purgatory and Sam gets him out of there.

Updated: Read more about my wishlist for Sam while Dean is in Purgatory.

Thoughts?  Do you agree or disagree?  Supernatural moves to Wednesday nights for its eighth season and will return in October.

Supernatural: Why Dean in Purgatory Is Different From Dean in Hell

The CW has officially renewed Supernatural for an eighth season, the network announced today in an email.  Originally premiering on The WB network in 2005, Supernatural became a cult favorite and gained a fast group of devoted fans.  While many shows can suffer from fan fatigue in later years, the Supernatural fandom keeps going strong.  In its seventh season, the show's fans voted Supernatural the People's Choice Best Drama Series and Best Sci-Fi Series.

Supernatural moved to Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET in its sixth season, originally being re-paired with Smallville when that series was still on the air.  This season, it's lead-in has been Nikita.  While the show's ratings have, admittedly, declined year over year, The CW seems to be satisfied with its performance on Friday nights and has decided to give it another year.  Stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki are signed on for an eighth season.  It's likely we could see Jim Beaver (Bobby) and Misha Collins (Castiel) on the show next year as well, although that has yet to be confirmed.

In its seventh season, Supernatural has been all about stripping away at the Winchester brothers' resources and allies.  After a group of monsters - the Leviathans - were released from Purgatory, and caused the disappearance of their friend and ally Castiel, the brothers have had to deal with the destruction of their home-base - Bobby Singer's house - and the hiding of their beloved Chevy Impala.  Later, they tragically lost their father figure, Bobby, but he has returned as a ghost in recent episodes.  The Winchesters have only themselves and a quickly dwindling group of allies to reply on in order to defeat the Leviathans.  Complicating matters has been the return of Sam's memories from his time in Hell, which has left him with hallucinations of Lucifer that have had a severe impact on his mental state.  That was recently taken away by Castiel, who transferred the hallucinations to himself, but now we have to wonder about his mental state.

Rumor has it that season 7 will end on a cliffhanger, so it's likely that we'll have to wait until next season for the conclusion of the story arc from the finale.  But that's just a rumor, so who knows that the finale will bring.  With One Tree Hill having aired its series finale, Supernatural will now be The CW's longest running show.  The season 7 finale of Supernatural will air on Friday, May 18.

It was also recently announced that co-showrunner Sera Gamble has stepped down, and former co-producer and writer Jeremy Carver will be running the show in season 8, along with executive producer Robert Singer.  We're very excited to see the mark that Carver will put on the show next season.

For more about Supernatural, browse through our showpage for all of our previews, sneak peeks, spoilers, photos and recaps for the show!  A new episode of Supernatural airs this week on May 4.  Check out a clip from the episode here.

Supernatural Renewed for Season 8 by The CW

This should come as no surprise, but Fox has renewed Bones for an eighth season.

Bones will be having a shortened season this year due to star Emily Deschanel's pregnancy, but the show is performing very well for the network.  Bones remains steady with 8 to 10 million viewers each week, making it an even stronger performed than Glee, which has already been given a greenlight for another season.

"Over the past seven seasons, Hart Hanson, Stephen Nathan and the incredible BONES cast and crew have redefined the traditional crime procedural with an irreverent and adventurous sensibility and I’m really happy to have this distinctive, fan-favorite on our schedule for another season," said Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment at Fox.

Bones will be moving to Monday nights as of April 2 to finish this season's run, with some additional "bonus" episodes airing at a later date.  No word yet on how many episodes will air for its eighth season, but it's a safe bet it will go back to the regular length of about 22 episodes.  Bones will be celebrating its milestone 150th episode in season 8.

Bones: Fox Renews Series for Season 8

The final season of Desperate Housewives will result in a major death.  Normally these types of spoilers are kept under wraps, but this one just so happened to slip out.  Nicollette Sheridan is currently in court, suing Marc Cherry and the studio because of wrongful termination as a result of her character's departure from the show.

To determine whether or not the death of Edie Britt was a big deal or something that typically happens on the show, Desperate Housewives line producer George Perkins said that other major characters have died - or will die - on the show.  More specifically....

(seriously, don't read any further if you don't want to be spoiled)

...a major character will be killed in the upcoming March 11 episode of Desperate Housewives.  The unlucky character to meet their demise is none other than James Denton's Mike Delfino.  After the information was revealed, one of the lawyers joked that maybe they should quarantine the press in attention, but the judge got in on the joke and said she couldn't make those kinds of orders.  Now the information is out and the element of surprise is gone.

According to the testimony, the producers and writers have talked about killing off so the major main characters over the course of the series, including Carlos, Susan, Lynette and Bree.

A new episode of Desperate Housewives will air on Sunday, March 11 at 9:00 p.m. EST on ABC.

Desperate Housewives: Major Death Spoiler Revealed in Court Testimony

Showtime is jumping on the Dexter train. Yet again. Two more times, in fact.  The network has just announced that it has renewed Dexter for two additional seasons, which means the show will see a seventh and eighth season.

Considering the show is currently in its sixth season, its ratings are pretty solid for the cable network.  Showtime says that "season-to-date, the series is averaging 5.12 million weekly viewers on all platforms (including On Demand, replays and DVR), making it the highest rated season yet".

David Nevins, president of entertainment at Showtime said "Dexter's enormous success is a real tribute to the great achievements of its cast, producers, and the powerhouse performance of Michael C. Hall.  The series is bigger than it’s ever been in its sixth season, both in terms of audience and its impact on the cultural landscape.  Together with Michael, the creative team on the show has a very clear sense of where they intend to take the show over the next two seasons and, as a huge fan, I’m excited to watch the story of Dexter Morgan play out.”

The sixth season of Dexter is currently airing on Sunday nights.  The season 6 finale will air on December 8, 2011.  Based on past precedent, the seventh season of Dexter will likely premiere towards the end of September 2012.

Dexter Renewed for Two More Seasons

On Sunday, September 25, Desperate Housewives will return for its final season.  In the season 7 finale, Carlos killed Gabriell's stepfather to protect her from him and the other women were all involved in covering up his crime.  The season 8 premiere of Desperate Housewives opens with the group disposing of the body.

But burying the body won't solve their problems.  Carlos, in particular, will feel extremely guilty for killing the man, while Gaby will desperately be trying to reach out to him and pull him from his depression.  Lynette will have to deal with her impending separation from Tom, which her family will have to deal with this season.  Susan will start pulling away from her loved ones due to her guilt.  Bree will be walking a tightrope between her relationship with Detective Chuck Vance and keeping the crime a secret.  Meanwhile, a new neighbor moves to Wisteria Lane - Ben Faulkner - and he immediately catches Renee's eye.

Guest stars for the season 8 premiere will include Joshua Logan Moore as Parker Scavo, Darcy Rose Byrnes as Penny Scavo, Michael Blaiklock as Father Benson, Sam McMurray as Father Dugan, Wendy Benson as Mrs. Henderson, Richard Keith as Jeff, Emily Happe as Ally and Tony Plana as Alejandro.

Below are five sneak peeks from the season premiere.  You can also view photos from the premiere episode here.

Desperate Housewives' eighth season premieres on Sunday, September 25 at 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Desperate Housewives Season 8 Sneak Peeks

Desperate Housewives will return for its eighth and finale season premiere on Sunday, September 25.  In the episode (which is scheduled to run an extra minute long, so adjust your DVRs), the group must deal with the outcome of Carlos committing murder.  In the season finale, Susan, Gaby, Bree and Lynette were all involved in Carlos killing Gaby's stepfather in order to protect his wife. In the season premiere, they work on disposing the body without getting caught.

But soon the entire group is suffering from guilt.  Susan deals with her guilt by withdrawing from her family and friends.  Gaby tries to reach out to her husband, who is depressed about his role in the incident.  Lynette not only has to deal with her own guilt (which results in her making some wrong choices), but also has to deal with her impending separation from Tom.  Bree is also put in a delicate situation when she has to ensure her role and the actions of her friends is hid from her new boyfriend, Detective Chuck Vance.  Wisteria Lane is also getting a new character: sexy Ben Faulkner arrives in town and he catches Renee's eye immediately.

Below is a sneak peek from the season premiere of Desperate Housewives.  You can also click the arrows above to view photos from the premiere.

Desperate Housewives Photos & Sneak Peek: Season 8 Premiere

The eighth season of Grey's Anatomy will be premiering on Thursday, September 22 with a special two-hour episode.  Thanks to ABC, we've got details about the upcoming season premiere.

Episode 8.01 “Free Falling” (9:00-10:00 p.m.):  The fifth-year residents return to work for a year that could make or break their careers.  Meredith must suffer the consequences of her actions last season and will be terminated from Seattle Grace for tampering with Derek's clinical trial.  April, who has been appointed the new Chief Resident, will try to prove that she's worthy of the job as the residents deal with a giant sinkhole in the middle of Seattle.  Cristina and Owen's relationship continues to be tested as they are "still at odds over their drastically different feelings for their unborn child."

Guest stars for this episode includes: Mackenzie Astin as Danny, Amy Price-Francis as Susannah, and Robin Weigert as Karen.

View photos from the season premiere.

View sneak peeks from the season premiere.

Episode 8.02 "She's Gone" (10:00-11:00 p.m.): Meredith and Derek's relationship is currently unsteady after recent events and when news of this makes its way to Zola's adoption counselor, she wonders whether going through with the adoption is a good idea.  Alex is punished for ratting out Meredith when the rest of the group outcasts him for being a snitch. Teddy is alarmed when Chief Webber asks Henry to come in for a last minute surgery and Cristina is forced to make a tough decision about her pregnancy.

Guest stars for this episode includes: Mackenzie Astin as Danny, Amy Price-Francis as Susannah, Scott Foley as Henry, and Mitch Pileggi as Larry Jennings.

Below is a trailer for the new season. Don't miss the premiere of Grey's Anatomy on September 22.  For the premiere dates of all fall network shows, click here.

Updated: View photos from episode 3.03 (airing September 29).

Grey's Anatomy: Spoilers for the Season 8 Two-Hour Premiere

ABC presented its TCA panel today and confirmed the news that had been making the rounds since Friday: Desperate Housewives will be coming to an end in May 2012.

The eighth and final season of Desperate Housewives will be premiering on Sunday, September 25 at 9:00 p.m.  The network has released a few details and spoilers about the upcoming season.

At the end of season 7, Carlos had accidentally killed Gaby's stepfather in order to stop him from attacking Gaby.  Bree, Susan, and Lynette arrived in the aftermath of the murder and agreed to help the Solis' clean up the accident.  Season 8 will focus on the fallout from the murder.  Carlos will feel increasingly guilty and Gaby will be working hard to reach out to him.  Susan's guilt causes her to withdraw from her family and friends.  Lynette and Tom's marriage will continue to deteriorate and Lynette is "having trouble making the right choices ever since she participated in the cover-up".  Bree, meanwhile, will have to do a lot of side-stepping around her new boyfriend, Detective Chuck Vance, in order to keep the secret.

At today's TCA panel, Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry said that this was the right time to end the show and know that it will end will allow them to "end this in the classiest way possible."  Cherry promises season 8 will go back to its roots: "The mystery of what's going on this season harkens back to the first season [and the mystery of Mary Alice]."  Fans also shouldn't expect a spin-off in the near future.  Cherry wants to focus on retooling his pilot Hallelujah, which wasn't picked up for the 2011-2012 season but is being worked on for the future.

Desperate Housewives: Season 8 Spoilers & Details

Curb Your Enthusiasm and Larry David return this Sunday, July 10 at 10 P.M on HBO and it looks like we can look forward to more awkward situations from Larry when he brings the show to New York City.

Prior trips to the Big Apple for The Producers and for a role in a Martin Scorsese film have resulted in endless problems for Larry including issues with tipping and tourist interaction (played brilliantly by Stephen Colbert). This trip looks like it will be no different as Larry David returns to our screens nearly two years after the Curb season 7 Seinfeld reunion. So why the long gap between seasons?

Favourite Curb potty mouth Susie Essman (Susie Greene) spoke to Vulture and explained David's process when it comes to agreeing to do another season:

"Well, after every season, Larry says, 'That’s it, I’m not doing another season.' After every season. And then he’ll finish editing, and the show will air, and then I’ll get a call, and he’ll say, 'I’m not promising anything, but I am letting you know I’m working on a couple of outlines. But until I get at least eight outlines, I’m not promising. I’m just letting you know I’m working on it.' And then another couple of months later I’ll get another phone call: 'I’m still not promising anything.' And then finally he’ll call me and say, 'All right, we’re doing it.' So, you know, every season he says that, and we’re the longest-running series on HBO."

The freedom to not have to come back every year with a new season is probably what helps keep Curb fresh, giving David the chance to come up with new and more outrageous scenario's for Larry to become embroiled in, even if as an audience we know that the comedy will often come from Larry breaking polite social conventions. In fact one of my favourite things about this show is that you can see how Larry will get in to bother before it has even happened, but it is watching this unfold with the knowledge of what Larry is like that makes this show a joy (albeit an awkward joy) to watch.

From the four episode descriptions you can already try and figure out what might happen in the episode, episode 3 is one that stands out as one that will see the uncomfortable humor go off the chart. Here are the descriptions for the first four episodes of season 8:

Episode 8.01 "The Divorce" (July 10):

Larry learns his lawyer isn't kosher, and rescinds a cookie order from the Girl-Scout daughter of a beleaguered sports owner.

Episode 8.02 "The Safe House" (July 17):

Larry becomes an unlikely role model for battered women; Richard Lewis' relationship with a burlesque performer is put to the test; Leon survives a case of mistaken identity.

Episode 8.03 "Palestinian Chicken" (July 24):

Larry plays 'social assassin' to the hilt at a dinner party, on the golf course, and at a Palestinian restaurant with chicken to die for.

Episode 8.04 "The Smiley Face" (July 31):

Larry vows to topple a sacred dating taboo, and regrets making concessions to his new office neighbor; Jeff's alibi to get out of a dinner backfires.

Larry is indeed a 'social assassin' who will encounter many a famous face this season, from regulars such as Wanda Sykes and Rosie O'Donnell to new members of the Curbverse such as awkward humor pro Ricky Gervais, The Sopranos Aida Turturro and legend Michael J. Fox. Fans will also be happy to know that J.B. Smoove is back as Leon and will be venturing to the East coast with the rest of the regular cast.

What we don't know is whether Larry is back with Cheryl and if the divorce in the title for episode 1 refers to them. The Seinfeld reunion special that was the focus of season 7 was orchestrated by Larry to win Cheryl back, a ploy that looked like it had worked. Unfortunately for Larry he might have ruined the whole plan by finding out the Cheryl might not "respect wood", after she left a stain on his new coffee table, did this moment remind Cheryl of why she broke up with Larry in the first place? Or is another couple getting a divorce?

Below is the promo for season 8 which shows some of the mishaps that Larry will cause and be involved in with both the general public and with those nearest and dearest to him. There is also a behind the scenes look at season 8 featuring many of the seasons regular cast and guest stars, including my own personal favourite Marty Funkhouser (Bob Einstein).

Are you looking forward to season 8 of Curb Your Enthusiasm? Let us know in the comments below.

Be sure to tune in to HBO this Sunday, July 10 at 10 P.M. to catch the latest Larry David antics.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8 Spoilers: News, Episode Descriptions and Promos

The long-running ABC show Grey's Anatomy will be entering its eighth season in the fall, but one of its stars is already looking to the future.  According to TV Line, Patrick Dempsey, who plays Derek (a.k.a. McDreamy), has told Italian Vanity Fair Magazine that he will be departing after season 8.

“It’s gonna be my last,” he told the magazine. “I do not know what’s going to happen to the other characters, but for me it’s done.”

This might not be surprising for a lot of viewers.  Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is actually expecting this news.  In fact, she's already told TV Line that other original cast members, including Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, Sandra Oh and Justin Chambers, could very well leave after season 8 is finished.  Rhimes is prepared that some or all of these cast members could be entering their final season and is prepared to set up storylines accordingly.

The question is how fans will respond when Dempsey leaves (and if the others leave as well).  Obviously Grey's Anatomy wouldn't be the first long-running show where the original cast members depart.  Look at The X-Files or various Law & Order spin-offs.  This will also happen to Glee in coming years as the current characters graduate and leave the school.  Sometimes the show continues and sometimes it doesn't.  But only time will tell for Grey's Anatomy.

Update: Dempsey's publicist has told EW that Dempsey was only talking about the end of his contract: “He was referring to the fact that his contract is up at the end of next season and we have no idea what the future holds.”  That doesn't actually contravene Dempsey's original statements and it's possible they're just trying to backtrack now.  In any event, we'll have to wait and see whether he resigns or chooses to leave.

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
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Grey's Anatomy's Patrick Dempsey: Season 8 Will Be His Last