Supernatural star Jensen Ackles has turned his TV success into real estate gold by buying a super-size posh property in Malibu, Calif. for $4.8 million.

Now that Ackles, 35, who’s expecting his first child with wife, former One Tree Hill actress Daneel Harris, is expanding the family he needs a bigger pad — and the 5-bedroom, 6-bath Mediterranean in the beachside celeb enclave fit the steep bill, according to RealEstalker.

The private 4,698 square foot manse is set back far enough from the prying eyes of the paparazzi, and comes with a formal living room and dining room, stone and wood flooring, two fireplaces, large kitchen, and access to the swimming pool and terrace.

And that’s only the first floor.

The piece de resistance is the master suite takes over the entire second floor, complete with a fireplace, vaulted ceiling, private balcony, built-in hair and make-up vanity, steam shower, and soaking tub.

And outside, the parents-to-be will take in the gorgeous scenery of The ‘Bu from their lush green grounds, BBQ station and bar, or the shallow and deeps ends of their new L-shaped swimming pool and spa.

But don’t let his ridiculously good looks fool you. Ackles has actually been at this real estate game for a while, having unloaded his MUCH more modest Studio City, Calif. starter home for $700,000 in February, and sold a second home in the swanky L.A. neighborhood of Brentwood for a much more substantial sum of $3 million.

Looking back on the events of the week, can you even believe everything that happened? Some truly monumental things! Taylor Swift said Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are going to hell. (If you say so, Taylor.) Not a single thing worked out in Justin Bieber‘s favor. (Please see evidence: 1 2 3 4 5.)  The entire Internet (the Entire-net) got super-excited about Iron Man 3 and Catching Fire.

With all of that news, has anyone been able to keep up with what’s funny? (OK, some of the Biebs stuff was a little funny…) Fear not, Celebuzz has you covered.

We scoured the web to collect some of the funniest pop culture macros and videos the week had to offer.

Once you’ve perused our entire collection below, please share your own favorite memes! You can use the “Add Photo” button toward the bottom of this post, or you can use the hashtag #CelebuzzMemes on Twitter or Instagram to send it to us.

See our favorite funny things after the jump.

So what was funny this week? Here‘s a Supernatural spin on a recent Oscar-winning film:

We felt bad for Justin Bieber all week. Or did we? Did we laugh at him? I can’t remember.

We dove into Beyoncé‘s mysterious past:

A really exciting thing that happened this week was that the Iron Man 3 trailer was released. Here is the official version the studio didn’t want you to see:

But seriously: SO EXCITED!

We were all so excited to see those new Catching Fire promotional photos!

And, because we can, here‘s a fun J-Law GIF!

How many things are wrong with Twilight? A lot, apparently…

And how about this Modern Hip-Hop Alignment Chart?

Dogster showed us what the cast of Girls would look like if they were replaced by dogs. Because, you know, the Internet…

Lastly, let us all remember that time Taylor Swift said Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were going to hell for making a joke at her expense. Womp womp.

Do you have a favorite meme you’d like to share? Submit it below, or use the hashtag #CelebuzzMemes on Twitter or Instagram to submit it!

That’s all we have for you this week. Remember to leave links to your favorite memes, videos, and gifs in the comments so that we may feature them in the future.

Happy Wednesday, TV watchers. A lot happened on our TVs this week: the Grammy Awards aired, President Obama gave his State of the Union address, and… oh, hey, some of our favorite CW shows were renewed!

Celebuzz recaps many TV shows, but we also really love hearing from you. That is why we feature your comments about today’s best TV programs in a weekly feature called TV Recap: Fan Edition. If you would like to have your thoughts and opinions featured, simply leave comments on any of our TV recap posts. Then tune in next week to see if your comment has been selected. 

See some of our favorite reader recaps after the jump.

“I am so happy that Kelly Clarkson won a Grammy, she has an outstanding voice. “Catch My Breath” is addictive.” – Kajsa Josephine Andersen, a Kelly Clarkson addict and fan of this year’s Grammy Awards.

“I loved it. I’m so glad the guys finally have something they can call their own. Sam enjoying the books while Dean reveled in the simple pleasure of a shower and geeking over a sword. I liked the way last weeks As Time Goes By led to this week’s Everybody Hates Hitler. Enjoyed Aaron’s reaction to the Winchester salting and burning the Nazi necromancer. We sometimes forget how odd their behavior is to the average citizen. The Thule are a great addition to the mythology. Good on Ben remembering to mention Cas and Kevin. Hope as the season progresses we get to see more of the new home” – Cindy Shufelt Givens, who loved this week’s Supernatural.

“my favorite show is #TVD , I’ve been a fan since the first episode. I can’t get enough of it , the entire cast is just amazing ! #shoutout” – Jasmin Hernandez, fan of The Vampire Diaries and of #shoutouts.

“Lazaro is so brave and inspiring! I can’t wait to watch him in the next round! Does anyone else think Steven Tyler looks more like a girl with natural dark hair instead of the wig?” – Jennah Blau, lover of American Idol and natural, dark hair.

And that’s all we have this week, folks. Remember, if you would like your thoughts featured in next week’s TV Recap: Fan Edition, simply leave comments on your favorite TV recap posts. See you next week!

The CW’s Supernatural is gearing up for a major task on Wednesday’s episode, “Trial and Error.”

Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) have to decide which one of hem will tackle the three serious and heavenly — and potentially fatal– tests that may allow them to close the Gates of Hell forever. Naturally, the brothers are going to argue over which one will complete these “trials,” and with the stakes as high as needing to be able to kill a hellhound, a game of rock-paper-scissors just isn’t going to cut it!

On CBS’ The Amazing Race, teams of two race around the world, performing tasks to inch themselves closer to winning a million dollars. Well, there seems to be no argument that the Winchester brothers are the ultimate team of two, but unlike on The Amazing Race, Supernaturalhas never had a rule that if one brother took down whatever they were fighting that week, then next week it would be the other brother’s turn to do so.

So how can the show possibly make the decision on which Winchester is best suited to take on this enormous responsibility?

In the photo gallery above, Celebuzz looked back at some of the Winchesters’ greatest (solo) triumphs in order to shed some light. But we want to hear from YOU, too.

Supernatural airs on Wednesdays at 9PM on The CW.

Which Winchester do you think should complete the trials? Vote in the poll above and then justify your answer in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

Watch a flashback from last week’s episode below.

It’s a good day for TV lovers.

On Monday, The CW announced that fan favorites The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and freshman series Arrow will all be returning for the Fall 2013 season.

“We said last year that one of our goals was to establish building blocks to grow on, and now with our new hit Arrow and fan favorite Supernatural on Wednesday night, and the continued success of The Vampire Diaries on Thursday, we’ve been able to do that,” said network president Mark Pedowitz in a press release. ”Not only do Arrow, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries perform well on-air, they’re also extremely successful for us both digitally and socially. I’m thrilled to have all three shows returning to our schedule next season.”

Heading to its fifth season, The Vampire Diaries – which stars Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley– shows no signs of slowing down as it remains The CW’s highest rated series for adults 18-34 and women 18-34.

Likewise, Supernatural, which will be heading into its ninth season, continues to be a ratings juggernaut with a 15 percent increase in viewers since paired with superhero drama Arrow this year.

Starring Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, Supernatural was also voted as the TV show with the most dedicated fandom amongst Celebuzz readers.

“A Jew, two Genti and a Golem walk into a bar” — how many do you think should make it out alive?

That should have been the joke or at least the line of the episode when The CW’s Supernatural took on Nazis. After all, a Golem is basically just a clay creature brought to life through magic, and everyone knows that using magic comes with consequences. Though the guy controlling the Golem in this case was one of the good guys, we saw just how easy it was for someone who knew the lore and the language to flip the switch and establish some of that control. But, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves yet.

Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) went Nazi hunting on “Everybody Hates Hitler” with a little help from Veronica Mars’ Adam Rose. I have to admit I had no idea the history of Nazis included so much lore, so this was one episode in which I actually learned a lot.

Note: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t yet watched Wednesday night’s “Everybody Hates Hitler.”

I’ll admit that seeing the promotional photo for “Everybody Hates Hitler” prior to watching the episode itself, I assumed the Golem (John DeSantis) was going to be the bad guy Sam and Dean had to take down. Maybe, it’s because he towered over the boys in a scary way I never expected anyone to be able to do; maybe, it’s because I was having “Ghostfacers” creepy birthday basement flashbacks. But, the opening of the episode did nothing to dissuade those assumptions, as the Golem destroyed a Nazi camp with his bare hands.

Yes, yes, I know, anyone or anything who takes out Nazis is a good guy by default, but that didn’t change the fact that this was a Golem without a master in present day, and that can lead to a lot of (even if unintentional) destruction.

Dean and Sam investigated the spontaneous combustion death of a Rabbi (guest star Hal Linden), who had been researching Nazi necromancers and actually came across an old, though ageless foe of his from years past right before burning up. In digging into the Rabbi, Dean inadvertently stumbled across his grandson Adam (Rose), while Sam stumbled across the grandson’s Golem. And so the usual duo became a visually comedic foursome as they struggled to understand yet another new society, whose members were brought back from the dead. The juxtaposition between the Thule Society and the Men of Letters was subtextual only on this episode, but it was still something fascinating to consider. Though Dean and Sam may think all of the Men of Letters are gone, many must have thought the same about the Thule and were wrong. Who’s to say some Men of Letters can’t pop up down the line?

But what was mostfascinating about this episode was that even after the Golem killed the Nazi who had killed the Rabbi, Dean still felt he needed to be put down, too, so to speak. Aaron didn’t know how to reign in what was ultimately his, and the ease that the Golem exhibited when dragging the Nazi down the stairs and snapping his neck could spell major disaster if unleashed on other people. Aaron didn’t like someone else trying to tell him what he could or could not do, though, and managed to take control by the end of the episode to continue the work of the Judah Initiative, which was the legacy he hadn’t even realized he had rejected when he smoked his Golem owner’s manual in high school. It’s nice when they mature, isn’t it?

Though, I still kind of worry about the future of the “JI” if guys like Aaron are it, though I could not have more faith in Sam continuing the work of the Men of Letters. Watching Sam and Dean settle those headquarters was heartwarming because for once it seemed like they might actually have a real home with some peace and quiet. They’ve had places they could put their feet up before, but they were always still in the middle of the war zone, having to bathe their windows in bloody sigils just to keep the demons and monsters from showing up. With this bunker, the biggest problem seems to be where to park Baby out of sight. And maybe down the line they will have to address the fact that someone clearly has kept the lights and water on, and that person could be a foe. But for now, it was just nice to watch Sam dive into new books and Dean literally kick back and get some real relaxation in. Interestingly, the end moment reminded me a lot of when Sam and Dean ended up at Jared Padalecki’s house in ‘The French Mistake.”

Buzz Moments

OMG!: Max from Veronica Mars is all grown up and hitting on Dean!? Even though it turned out to be B.S., what will the crossover shippers think?

Thank you, TV gods.: Actually, thank you, Dean for spelling “Thule” for us. Nice to see you’re a bit more studious these days. And for saving us a 1.5 second Google.

Awk-ward: Sam sprinting up the library stairs was a moment out of a training montage in a sports film. WTH was that?

Hotness: Dean had a nice layer of scruff on his face tonight. I assume he couldn’t find any razors along with that bathrobe in the Men of Letters bunker, and I hope it stays that way.

Fab-u-lous: Though Ben Edlund pictured something with underground spiral staircases initially, the Men of Letters bunker that the show was able to build was just as magical. Anything that had more than one room would have been a palace to these guys, but this really was a palace. Watch them discover it again above.

Can. Not. Wait.: Is the lore on reanimation in this episode foreshadowing for the reanimation on “Remember the Titans?”

Celebuzz Meter (1-10): 7 – I loved the parallels of Adam’s plight with the Winchesters’; he was expected to live up to a legacy for which he didn’t have proper training, and I, of course, loved the introduction to their new “home base.” Yet, there was a lot of lore in this episode that required further research, or a second watch of the episode, to fully comprehend. If you didn’t know that Golems were made of clay in real life Jewish lore, for example, it may have come out of nowhere for you in the episode.

What did you think of “Everybody Hates Hitler”? Let us know your thoughts on the episode in the comments below.

– Danielle Turchino

All season long on The CW’s Supernatural, Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) have been on a mission to close the gates of hell forever by “decoding” special tablets with the word of God on them.

And after meeting their paternal grandfather, they both are better set up to do so. But, they’re also in more danger from important information falling into the wrong people’s (or demons’, as the case usually is) hands.

On “As Time Goes By,” Sam and Dean walked away with a very special key of knowledge and the instructions to toss into this safe house, so to speak, close the door, and walk away forever. But those instructions came from an old-timer, and not one they know, like their dad, so they’re not about to do everything by this guy’s book.

Nor should the audience assume that the advice of locking up the box and walking away should be foreshadowing on how the boys should handle the tablets. After all, when have we ever known them to just walk away from a fight?

“This all plays into the tablet business, but for instance, if Crowley got his hands on the angel tablet and could somehow decipher it, that would be a bad thing. The information that’s contained in this “Men of Letters” bunker, if it fell into the wrong hands, could be quite a powerful weapon against the boys. So it has to remain a secret and be guarded closely. As we go down the line for the rest of this year, hopefully next year, [those] sort of dramatic turns will take place because this is an important place,” Supernatural executive producer Bob Singer said.

In fact, finding this location, as the brothers planned to do at the end of “As Time Goes By,” sets them up with a pretty sweet arrangement that anyone in their position (a year on the run, a year in Purgatory —for Dean — and decades of living out of their trunk and seedy motels) would be loathe to just pass up.

“The boys need a place where they can decompress, have their bromance moments… It’s full of mysteries. It becomes kind of a home base for the boys. We’re really excited about it,” Singer said.

“When they go in there, it’s pristine. Everything’s been sort of hermetically sealed, as it was. It’s perfectly neat, and the only sign that someone had to get out of there in a hurry is a chess game in progress and an ashtray of cigarettes.”

But more than just a physical location, the meaning behind the “Men of Letters” is profound and really the driving force that sends the story on its next direction. Though Singer shared that there are no other remaining men from this society, the wealth of information that they left behind is extraordinary.

“If you took dad’s journal and multiplied it times 100, it’s got every source of information that would be interesting to the boys,” Singer said.

“Of course, when they get in there, Sam is fully immersed in the place, and Dean’s just happy to have his own room… He says to Sam, ‘If you want to do this geek stuff, that’s fine with me, but I’m just digging this’.”

According to Singer, “Sam is more the brain, and Dean is more the brawn,” and that difference of personalities will come into play greatly in the next part of the season arc in which they go after the tablets and deal with the trials.

“What you’ll what happens in subsequent episodes is another kind of conflict between them, but it’s not necessarily the conflict of ‘Do I want to do this?’ or ‘What’s my plans beyond closing the gates of hell?’ or anything like that. It’s a new kind of conflict. Like always, there’s always something going on!” Singer said.

“But I think it’s a good separation of character for the two of them that one has dreams—one allows himself to dream—and the other is much more fatalistic…I would hope that whenever we bring the curtain down, that Dean would find some peace. And if I have anything to say about it, he will.”

But as for whether or not the boys are about to encounter even more tablets to challenge their plans first? Singer confirmed they would not—at least not thisseason.

“We have the demon tablet, the angel tablet, and the Leviathan tablet; that’s about all the tablets we can handle!” Singer said.

Supernatural airs on Wednesday nights at 9 PM on The CW.

Are you excited to see the boys settle down a little bit? And how do you want to see Sam and Dean put their respective brains and brawn together to close the gates of hell? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

– Danielle Turchiano

TV watchers, what a week it’s been! 30 Rock ended. A new season of Smash premiered. It was somehow Halloween on The Carrie Diaries.

Celebuzz recaps many TV shows, but we also really love hearing from you. That is why we feature your comments about today’s best TV programs in a weekly feature called TV Recap: Fan Edition. If you would like to have your thoughts and opinions featured, simply leave comments on any of our TV recap posts. Then tune in next week to see if your comment has been selected.

See some of our favorite user recap comments after the jump.

“I doubt that many Oklahomans out of the bunch the judges saw will make it pass Hollywood week. It is unfortunate; I did not notice the seriously talented OCU college students auditioning. American Idol should host their auditions at OCU in Oklahoma should they go back there, and the college should encourage the students to audition.Many former OCU students have gone on and pursued performance related careers. I attended many musicals at OCU, and the talent was excellent. Oklahoma was not represented in the best light last night. In the future, I strongly encourage the OCU, OU, OBU and other colleges performing arts majors to show up at the American Idol auditions and represent.” – AnotherOpinion, who has strong opinions about this week’s American Idol.

“I wanted to add that I’ve read comments from fans saying that Henry doesn’t fit canon because John said he was a mechanic from a family of mechanics. I thought about this and realized that it does fit canon if John is referring to his mother’s side of the family. Why couldn’t they be mechanics? As for the older fellow in the diner in 1973 who asks young John to say hello to his old man couldn’t that be a step father? John’s mom would have likely remarried after Henry was gone for so many years?” – Cindy Shufelt Givens, making a good point about Supernatural canon.

Lastly, Blerg had this to say about the series finale of 30 Rock:

IS IT DUSTY IN HERE? YES, VERY DUSTY. WHY ELSE WOULD MY EYES BE WATERING RIGHT NOW?

Remember, if you want your comment featured in next week’s TV Recap: Fan Edition, just leave a comment on any recap post on Celebuzz. Until next week, recappers…

Last week, Celebuzz asked you to vote for your favorite TV show in our TV Lover Showdown Poll.

Today, we have the results of that poll. We received more than 10,000 votes spread across six hot TV titles,  but only one show (and its fandom) can be named victorious…

So which of our favorite TV shows has the most dedicated fandom? Is it Revenge? Glee? Supernatural? Pretty Little Liars? The Vampire Diaries? Grey’s Anatomy?

We’ll reveal the winner — and a breakdown of the poll results — after the jump.

The winner (by a long shot) is: Supernatural!

With 64% of the total vote, the Supernatural fandom deserves this victory. Congrats, guys! Sam and Dean Winchester sure are lucky to have you on their side.

Here is a further breakdown of the results:

• Supernatural – 64%
• Revenge – 19%
• The Vampire Diaries – 7%
• Pretty Little Liars – 4%
• Grey’s Anatomy – 2%
• Glee – 1%

Congrats, Supernatural fans! And thanks to everyone who voted.

The CW’s Supernatural once made an off-handed remark about how it was “top priority” for the angels that John Winchester marry Mary Campbell and have their sons, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles). Then, the show went episodes without mentioning it again. You may have forgotten about it — you may have thought the show had forgotten about it — but “As Time Goes By” paid it off big time.

Note: Spoilers ahead if you have yet to watch Wednesday night’s episode, “As Time Goes By.”

When Henry Winchester (Gil McKinney) came tumbling out of the closet in Sam and Dean’s most recent motel room, only to reveal that 1.) He was looking for their father, because 2.) He was their grandfather, and 3.) There was a demon hot on his trail, looking for a magical box he carried across time, “As Time Goes By” seemed to be just another one-off episode that was going to drive home how we can’t change our pasts, and our futures are destined, whether we like that or not. But then, things got veryinteresting.

It turned out that Henry Winchester was a “Man of Letters”– he was a scholar of literature, and more importantly, spells. He dealt with supernatural beings, but from a more educated (according to him and his time) standpoint than the mere “ape-like” hunters. When the boys stepped back to really understand the weight of all of that, this episode became so much more about vanquishing a demon who was almost as strong as Lucifer. Though John had grown up believing his father had walked out on him and his mother when he was just a kid, in truth the patriarch of the Winchester clan had zapped himself to the future with a blood sigil in order to keep the important item out of this demon’s grasp. He went looking for his son in the future, assuming he had been brought up with the same “Man of Letters” studies; after all he was a legacy. But when he got there, he found only his two grandsons, angry and aggressive staring back at him.

…Oh yeah, and he found some very advanced technology, which really just made him fill Castiel’s (Misha Collins) shoes in the “confusion leads to chuckle-worthy one-liners department”

Though Dean fell in line behind his father and therefore hated his grandfather immediately just because of the image he grew up with in his head, he of course ended up helping Henry on his mission. Even when Henry decided it would be better suited if he just zapped himself back to the 1950s to stop the demon before she was able to ride his coattails to the future, thereby potentially changing Sam and Dean’s entire existence. In the end, he and Henry even teamed up to trick the demon. And though it cost Henry his life, setting the course of John’s life back in the 50s in motion, it also set up a new story for Sam and Dean to dig further into the “Men of Letters” legacy and what other kind of greatness they have within them.

Supernatural always delivers creative bad guys or monsters or demons of the week, and this week was no different (a demon being able to compel a victim to show her what they had seen was insanely clever, and I kind of wish the show had thought about and used that years earlier). But what really set “As Time Goes By” apart was the profound line of thought it inspired around the Winchester blood line, as opposed to the Campbell blood line. John, and later his sons, got into hunting ultimately because of Mary. Her family was from that stock, and when she was killed by the Yellow Eyed Demon, John wanted revenge. And through a roundabout way, learned enough about the supernatural to go after it. But it was always his destiny to fight the supernatural; he just got off-track before he even knew it. His father time-traveling to 2013 (“Guess the Mayans were wrong!”) and getting killed there meant John grew up without ever knowing the truefamily business and therefore creating a slightly different one for his sons.

Supernatural has said Sam and John were more alike than they ever realized before, but finally, through “As Time Goes By,” we see why. It was in John’s blood line to be a scholar, to pour over books and beakers, and now that Sam realizes that, he already seems much more content with the nature of his work than ever before. Sam tried to run away from his family business by going to college all those years earlier, but who knew he was really just running toward his actual legacy? Supernaturaldidn’t know it when they first created the show, but the fact that all the puzzle pieces fit so perfectly together now, eight years later, is what makes it stronger than ever.

Buzz Moments

OMG!: There were a lot of reasons for Dean to be wary of Henry, even if many of them turned out to be false reasons, but breaking Baby’s window? Not cool, dude. I would have held a grudge a lot longer than Dean did for that one!

Thank you, TV gods.: This is apropos of nothing, but I just loved how the title of the episode related to the song that Henry was whistling that ended up being a song that John also, unconsciously, would whistle around his kids. It interconnected everything in a sentimental way without being too over-the-top about it. Watch the scene again above.

Awk-ward: Did anyone notice the motel cleaning lady hovering outside the door when Sam and Dean were cuffed together inside? What do you think she thought was going on?

Hotness: A demon who can compel memories and images out of other people’s minds? Wish I had thought of that! That’s ultimate power.

Fab-u-lous: Henry’s secret club pin, so to speak, was not only dapper on his old-timey suit and tie, but it resembled the devil’s trap just closely enough to reveal his true knowledge while still giving something so dark a more elegant look.

Can. Not. Wait.: Was the warning to Dean and Sam to toss that box away and never look back some kind of foreshadowing for what’s to come with the tablets? Just what will they find when they visit the so-called “safe haven” Henry’s old pal told them about?

Celebuzz Meter (1-10): 7 – Honestly, I would have graded this higher because of the amazing backstory we were given, but there was far too much talk about wanting to change the past for an episode that came seasons after this show explained definitively that such a thing is impossible. Or did no one take Castiel’s words seriously when he showed Dean that glimpse into 1974?

What did you think of “As Time Goes By” and are you happy with how the Winchesters’ lives turned out, versus what Henry was fighting so hard for their lives to be instead? Let us know your thoughts on the episode in the comments below.

– Danielle Turchiano

It has been known for a long time that the Winchester Brothers of The CW’s Supernatural were destined for their life fighting demons and monsters — and even at times, angels.

But for a long time, they — and the audience by extension — believed it was solely because of their mother, Mary, who came from a long line of hunters and was later killed by a demon, setting their father on a path of revenge.

What “As Time Goes By” is out to show us all, though, is that their destiny cuts so much deeper than that.

On “As Time Goes By,” Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are shocked to see a man show up in their hotel room — a man who claims to be their grandfather, Henry Winchester (Gil McKinney). He time-traveled using a blood sigil that was supposed to take him to his son, John. But since John is dead, it dropped him at the feet of his next of kin. Literally.

“We spent time with the other side of the family, and we wanted to bring it full circle,” Supernatural executive producer Bob Singer said during a special screening and Q&A in Los Angeles, Calif.

“If you remember the Cupid episode [“My Bloody Valentine”], where we said, ‘This was ordained’ that [John and Mary] should get together, now we know why.’ It was supposed to be something different…but they became hunters by necessity.”

“As Time Goes By” explores just how connected Henry Winchester — and therefore his son John — was to the world of the supernatural, because Henry needs help stopping a demon who is a “Knight of Hell.” But if you’re expecting one big, happy family reunion, you’ve been watching the wrong show.

“John was a product of the fact that he didn’t have a father growing up. And as the first of many a bad luck for him, he always sort of held a grudge against his father because he thought his father deserted him,” Singer said.

“Dean is always in defense of his dad, and John made the ultimate sacrifice for Dean, so I think he takes this stuff a little more personally than Sam at times, and that’s something you’ll see in this…episode.”

It doesn’t help that Henry isn’t the warmest guy toward Dean and Sam, either. There is contention between Dean and his grandfather because Henry doesn’t really approve of the way his grandsons were ultimately raised—as hunters, rather than what he considers to be their “legacy” (but about which they really had no way of knowing).

“He’s a guy who’s more elegant and learned and educated,” Singer said of the contrast between Henry and the boys.

Blood is blood, though, and in true Winchester form, the brothers may not like having to help this guy they don’t know, let alone trust, but they will do it for the greater good. And in spending time with their dear ole granddad, they will learn a lot about their paternal blood line that sets up a “whole new chapter” for them in the back half of this season.

We don’t want to say too much about that new chapter until “As Time Goes By” has aired, to avoid spoiling the major reveals. But let’s just say his time with Henry Winchester gives Sam a deeper understanding of his purpose in life. He may have been reluctantly dragged back into this “family business” when Dean got out of Purgatory, but now he’s in it to stay. And his drive is newly rejuvenated.

“When we get into the whole ‘closing the gates of hell,’ that becomes a real raison d’etre for Sam. I think it’s really revenge motivated; it’s about everything that killed their mom, killed their friends, and all that. I think Sam would see that there’s a certain amount of closure if they could actually close the gates off. I think he in the back of his mind thinks there’s a normal life out there. And in a way, Dean’s on board with that; he’d like to see him happy, but they have this one thing to do,” Singer said.

Supernatural airs on Wednesday nights at 9 PM on The CW.

Why are you most excited to finally dive into the Winchester side of the family tree? Let us know in the comments below.

– Danielle Turchiano

Supernatural has built a series eight seasons strong around two main characters, and that is how Executive Producer Bob Singer likes it.

“They’re traditional loners, and we wanted to keep it that way… Part of the appeal is they’re these ‘Last Men Standing,’” Singer said of Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) during a special Q&A in Los Angeles, Calif. on Tuesday.

But, that doesn’t mean that the show is ignoring the appeal of some of their recurring players and guest stars.

Of course, Castiel (Misha Collins) will be back sooner, rather than later.

“He’s really crucial to the tablet story,” Singer said. “He’s going through a trial of his own that’s personal. Naomi is very unhappy with him; Crowley is very unhappy with him; and he is a confused angel right now.”

But additionally, Felicia Day, whose immediate fan-favorite second episode, “LARP and the Real Girl,” just aired last week was announced to be returning for a third guest appearance (her second this season) before the end of the year.

“We love Felicia!” Singer said, before noting that they are just starting to break the end of the season in the writer’s room and details on her episode are still being worked out.

“This time around, she’s going to bring a case to them,” he said.

Additionally, Ty Olsson and Liane Balaban both played heavily into the first half of the season’s “flashback arc” to set up conflicts and relationships Sam and Dean experienced without each other in the year they were apart. Singer confirmed that the flashbacks are finished for the season, but that doesn’t mean so are Olsson and Balaban’s times on the show.

“He was really fighting the good fight of trying not to give into his blood lust, and I think Dean having to cut the tie is a hard thing for him. So, we’ll explore that — what he’ll be going through — we never felt that story was totally ended. It’s probably not great drama to end a whole arc on a phone call!” Singer said of Olsson.

When it comes to Balaban, Singer was less willing to commit to a how and a when of a return, only noting that “maybe” she’d reappear down the line.

“We think she’s a really valuable character; we liked her a lot; and she certainly creates a new complication in Sam’s life. Again, we’re just kind of doing the end of the season now in the room, and I know that we’ve talked about bringing her back, but we don’t have anything specific.”

Supernatural airs on Wednesdays at 9PM on The CW.

Which of these guest stars’ returns make you most excited? Let us know in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

Calling all avid TV watchers and fans! It’s time to step up to the plate and support your No. 1 show.

Celebuzz has compiled a list of our favorite series and we want to ask the ultimate question.

Which Celebuzz fave TV show has the most dedicated fans? We know it’s so hard to choose.

Are you a Gleek? A Vampire Lover? Want to see the “A” team go down? Or are you hoping for Emily’s ultimate payback? Maybe you’re into traveling the nation battling ever-changing demons? Or are the entanglements at Seattle Grace tugging on your heartstrings?

Nielsen can measure ratings, but we want to know which show has the most dedicated fan base – that’s what we care about.

Which show has the most loyal fans? Cast your vote below and come back every day this week to vote again.

The CW’s Supernatural does meta better than almost any show on television right now, but admittedly after the last time they tapped into such a thing (with “Season 7, Time for a Wedding!”) I was skeptical that they could return to the idea of a fandom without insulting, well, all fandom in general.

Felicia Day assured me that “LARP and the Real Girl” was a celebration of those who dedicate their weekends (and spare cash) to role playing, and after viewing the episode for myself, Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) weren’t the only ones converted into thinking this is a pretty fun lifestyle.

Give me a sword, I’m going to Moondoor!

Note: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t yet watched Wednesday night’s “LARP and the Real Girl.”

The basic plot of “LARP and the Real Girl” was that Dean and Sam had to enter the world of LARPing after two players died mysterious deaths. As luck would have it, Charlie (Felicia Day) happened to be a key part to the game, and they relied on her to help deliver them answers. Though she was reluctant to help them at first (you know, because the last time she helped them she had to go on the run and change her name), it was soon evident that there was no avoiding it. Besides, she could be the hero in the real world again, and that’s a victory better than being the hero in a game.

Dean entered the world of Moondoor, acting as the Queen’s “handmaiden” while Sam did his usual research thing in the “tech tent.” They both effectively came to the same conclusion: that the Celtic tree tattoo on the victims was actually a mark of pain to come. But, it was Charlie who really got the details when she was kidnapped by a fairy who had been summoned by one of the players to take out his competition.

Now, you might think that portraying one LARPer as someone who has so lost touch with reality and what’s important that he would actually kill real people just to win a game might be just as concerning as having an overzealous fan kidnap and drug the “character” she has a crush on (I will just never get over how far Becky fell). Yet, in actuality, it seemed to have the opposite effect this time. “LARP and the Real Girl” displayed all of the passion one must need to devote so much time and energy to such a lifestyle, but it also spotlighted the sense of community, belonging, and positive escapism that seems to be key in that world — and in the world of the Supernatural, as well — on-screen and off.

Think about it: there is a heaviness looming in the boys’ mission with these demon (and now angel) tablets, but diving into the world of Moondoor, diving into this case in general, allowed them to escape and have a little fun for a change. Things are still bound to get very dark very fast, for the Winchesters and the audience by extension, but it’s when you know that’s coming that it is nicest to just push it aside for a little while.

“LARP and the Real Girl” was extremely touching, mostly because of the relationship that has evolved between Dean and Charlie. They’ve both clearly been outsiders, and they’ve found their own unique ways to cope and places where they feel like they fit in, but Dean seemed to learn a lot from Charlie in this episode, even going so far as to let his hair down (so to speak) and not worry too much about looking silly in a costume as he entered Moondoor.

But it was the way that Dean’s fearless heroism rubbed off on Charlie that makes this episode the most successful. Week after week, Supernatural asks us to watch two manly men fight demons, monsters, even angels at time. They come away with a few cuts and scrapes that never permanently scar, and the way they’re able to take them without backing down makes the audience swoon. I’m guilty of that, too; I admit it. But the women have always come and gone, more often than not as sacrifices the story had to make to keep the Winchesters going.

Until Charlie. Consider this my official plea to keep her around — at least as recurring as Kevin or Castiel. Charlie knows the dangers out there now, and she has made her peace with them. She has offered to help Dean and Sam, should they need her. And let’s be honest, why wouldn’t they need her? She’s a killer computer hacker, but in “LARP and the Real Girl,” she proved to be just as badass with a sword and a magic book, too. And television needs more heroines like that.

Buzz Moments

OMG!: So the fairy kidnaps Charlie, and she is turned on enough by the dark act that she makes out with her? I mean, I get that the fairy didn’t want to kidnap her, but still; that’s a special kind of Stockholm syndrome!

Thank you, TV gods.: I just love it when Supernatural explores Dean’s love and knowledge of pop culture. And they did it again on this episode, kind of subtly, by using a Lancelot/Merlin comparison to help him understand a key relationship in Moondoor. They did it again later with “50 Shades of Gray”…but I try to ignore that that’s even a thing.

Awk-ward: Did that Celtic tree tattoo remind anyone else of the way the hunter’s mark spreads on The Vampire Diaries?

Hotness: Swordplay is sexy! Seeing Dean go at it with the fairy’s “dark master” was a new kind of fight sequence for this show and one that was too short, if you ask me!

Fab-u-lous: Sam’s ponytail. Did you catch it at the end there, when Dean was giving his Braveheart speech? If you missed it, catch it in our clip above. It is… screencap-worthy, for sure!

Can. Not. Wait.: How will Dean and Sam’s new fantasy skills help them with future cases!?

Celebuzz Meter (1-10): 9 — From the amazing one-liners (like Charlie’s version of Liz Lemon’s “Blerg” to her telling the fairy to “Call me…maybe”), to the unique methods of murder, to still repairing Sam and Dean’s relationship, this was a one-off episode at its best.

What were your favorite moments from “LARP and the Real Girl?” Let us know in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

The last we saw Charlie (Felicia Day) on The CW’s Supernatural, she was high-tailing it out of town with a one-way bus ticket and a new crop of scarring memories thanks to helping the Winchesters take on Dick Roman.

The computer genius and all around Geek Girl extraordinaire proved to be of great help to Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) once before, when they needed someone with her expertise to hack Roman’s computers. It has been over a year since the Winchesters have crossed paths with Charlie, but soon enough, they are going to need her particular brand of knowledge again when they stumble upon the death of a couple of LARPers.

“She has changed a little bit in she’s a little bit less innocent and more guarded… She’s a girl who’s kind of been on the run, so there are some issues! But she does have the same sparkle that she did when we last saw her,” Day said about her character to Celebuzz.

And wouldn’t you know it? Charlie has extensive knowledge about that world — and the particular game the two were playing when they were killed.

“I think Charlie’s a really smart girl, and whenever she would see the Winchesters, she’d probably expect there’s a danger. I don’t know that she’s thrilled [to see them], but certain circumstances collide their lives again… I do think she enjoys them  –  the guys — as people, though. I think there’s a really interesting dynamic between her and especially Dean in this episode that people are going to really enjoy.”

The last we saw Charlie and Dean together, he was in her ear, giving her flirting tips when she needed to sneak into her boss’ office. They parted ways with him calling her the “little sister [he] never wanted.” This time around, things get elevated when Dean has to go undercover, so to speak, in the world of LARPing — a world in which Charlie is kind of the Queen.

“There’s almost a budding camaraderie between the two that really has some fun moments during this episode. I just think her not being shy and not backing down and meeting people toe-for-toe [allows] for good chemistry with Dean,” Day said.

When Day got the call from Supernaturalproducers asking her to reprise her fan favorite role, the LARPing season story had already been broken and was in the press. Day admitted to following the early media on the show’s eighth season. And though she didn’t know if Charlie would be called back specifically for that episode, she certainly hoped that would turn out to be the case.

“Charlie really is an authentic fan girl without becoming a cliche. I identify with her as a person just because she loves what she loves, and she isn’t apologetic about it,” Day said.

“I love the tone of the episode because there’s a great love of LARPing in it. Really, it’s just a celebration of the LARPing community, when at the same time, obviously there’s high stakes and supernatural elements. It definitely builds throughout, and Charlie is an integral part of that.”

Whether or not you go into “LARP and the Real Girl” knowing anything about the Live Action Role Play lifestyle, Day felt the episode does a tremendous job at introducing and celebrating the lifestyle for all kinds of viewers. She called it an “event” and noted that the details from her custom-fitted Renaissance costume, to the swords and other weapons, to the background players all add layers that will make for a fun multipleviewing experience.

“The majority of the background players were real LARPers who wore their own outfits that were on par with the ones that were our costumes that the wardrobe department made. There is an authenticity that I think really shines through in the details. If you look closely in the background on your third or fourth watch, you’ll notice a lot of details that are really, really fun and that explain why people love LARPing,” Day said.

“There is a lot of care and detail taken that I, as a Renaissance nerd, really appreciated. Having a crown put on my head in a legitimate way — that’s my new headshot!” Day said.

Supernatural airs on Wednesday nights at 9PM on The CW.

Are you excited to see Charlie return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

– Danielle Turchiano

All season long on The CW’s Supernatural, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) have been working side-by-side but not seeing eye-to-eye. Finally, on the 2013 winter return, the brothers were forced to talk it out and make the tough decisions on who they’d put first going forward.

Not surprisingly, they chose each other. But it wasn’t without a whole lot of heartache first.

Note: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t yet watched Wednesday night’s “Torn and Frayed.”

Poor Samandiriel (Tyler Johnston). We thought Sam had it rough, being manipulated by his brother into thinking Amelia (Liane Balaban) was in trouble on the winter finale. We thought Castiel (Misha Collins) had it rough, being manipulated by Naomi (Amanda Tapping) ever since returning from Purgatory. But, Samandiriel was captured by Crowley (Mark Sheppard) and being tortured and experimented on by one of his minions.

The point was to see what made the angels tick. And through some kind of early-surgery-lobotomy device, the part of Samandiriel that acted as a programming board was tapped into. Crowley could potentially reset him to carry out other plans, all while learning what the angels had in store for him and others like him.

Of course, the more pain Samandiriel was in, being an angel and all, the more went wrong in the world. Freak occurrences like tornadoes and spontaneous bush fires cropped up, but not before Samandiriel could send a distress call to Naomi, who used Castiel once again to step in and save him.

Castiel called upon Dean for help, and the two of them brought Kevin (Osric Chau) into the mix, but he was too focused on decoding the tablet to be of much help. We got a good, hard look at what Kevin in college would have been like, unshaven, pulling all-nighters to study for tests that in the end didn’t really matter. Only this time, what he is studying makes all of the difference. If the demon tablet has a way of shutting the demons back in Hell forever, well, the Heaven tablet has similar instructions for angels. And Naomi will not have that. But, we’ll get there in a second.

Since Kevin was no help, and Garth (DJ Qualls) and Mrs. Tran (Lauren Tom) were nowhere to be found, Castiel dragged Sam back into things, even though he had reconnected (and yes, physically) with Amelia (Liane Balaban). The three of them headed to Crowley’s warehouse to spring Samandiriel, who unfortunately, had been “read” by Crowley already. With the help of some demon bombs, Castiel got Samandiriel out to safety, but the angel-turned-delivery boy revealed that Crowley knew about Naomi and the angel tablet. This was news to Castiel, of course, but he didn’t have time to process it. Naomi zapped him upstairs to her office to tell him to take Samandiriel out and simply tell the Winchesters that the kid was compromised.

And even though Samandiriel had warned Castiel that “they’re controlling us,” Castiel did it anyway. He has been trying to pay his penance all season long, and it just feels unfortunate that his way to do so is to listen to this so-called higher power. We have seen Naomi interact with no one else but Castiel. And every time she’s with him, she’s manipulating him, so we have no reason to believe she’s one of the good guys. Sure, any angel should worry about the tablet if it means they won’t be free to roam, but she seems obsessively controlling about it. Angels fall; just look at Lucifer. I don’t trust her for one second!

This episode was book-ended nicely by scenes of the brothers having their heart-to-hearts. In the opening, Dean and Sam were basically having it out from the remnants of Benny (Ty Olsson) and Amelia. They each had to make a choice on this episode. And after some soulful moments, they closed with a scene of them together, in this fight against all odds and all others for as long as it takes.

While it was great that each brother got an element of closure, I have to admit I’d be sad to never see Benny again. On this episode, he was pretty much any guy who belongs in AA after falling off a wagon. And he reached out to Dean for help, and Dean told him help would be no more. Not because he didn’t want to help him, not because he didn’t still care about him or believe in him, not because he had been let down one too many times by an addict — but because he was choosing his biological brother over his “blood brother,” so to speak. It hurt both men greatly, but it might only make one completely backslide and return to his old fanged ways.

Sam, on the other hand, faced Amelia and the fact that he really did love her and could possibly build a real life with her. Don might be alive, but he was always going on the road, leaving her alone. And so far, she had been kept off the radar of the angels and demons (maybe Sam made her get an anti-possession tattoo in the “lost year,” even without telling her its full meaning), so she wasn’t going to up and die on him. The two came up with a plan to meet at the motel if they both wanted to be together. But when the fateful time came, only Amelia showed up. Sam gave into the fact that he and Dean had a lot on their plate and that it really was their plate. They both have a part to play, and now they’re finally on the same page and ready to go after it.

Buzz Moments

OMG!: I think Dean might have actually made a compromise here. He’s usually pretty stubborn, in that “big brother knows best” sort of way, but his call to Benny to say goodbye was a big step. He could have just continued to help his friend and hid it from his brother, but he didn’t. That’s growth. Even if it makes us sad to see Benny go.

Thank you, TV gods: Dean and Sam’s conversation about Amelia was the perfect brother moment, but the two of them sitting side-by-side in silence on the couch after was even better. They both knew the weight of their decisions, and they also knew what was in store for them, and they were both preparing and relishing in a few quiet, somewhat normal moments first.

Awk-ward: Did anyone else think Mrs. Tran was going to walk up behind Dean when he was trying to get Kevin’s attention by saying his mother was hot?

Hotness: Seeing Sam in bed was good, but too brief. Here’s hoping for an extended/deleted scene to hit the internet tomorrow. Or the DVD in a few months.

Fab-u-lous: Sam’s hair on this episode looked like he had stepped out of the salon minutes before every scene. Seriously, seedy motel shampoos cannot possibly give highlights and volume like that!

Can. Not. Wait.: Will Sam grow to resent his decision? And seriously, what is Naomi’s deal!?

Celebuzz Meter (1-10): 8

What did you think of “Torn and Frayed?” Let us know in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

The CW’s Supernatural left off on quite the cliffhanger. Not only was Castiel (Misha Collins) taken out of rotation for a little while, choosing to stay behind and keep an eye on an old hunter friend while Dean (Jensen Ackles) went after Benny (Ty Olsson), but Sam (Jared Padalecki) chased a goose named Amelia (Liane Balaban).

Though Dean was faking Sam out for the majority of the episode, in the end, Amelia actually did show up in front of Sam, forcing him to finally face his feelings for her. And Dean had to accept that his “blood brother” Benny disappointed him like so many before him. There was certainly a lot left unsaid between the brothers, and series executive producer Jeremy Carver reminded us the back half of the season still has to see the  boys “having it out” regarding their different states of mind.

“It will happen in typical Supernatural fashion, though. It’s not like they’re sitting down and talking over tea!” Carver said when we caught up with him before hell-atus.

But before they can do that, they each have to deal with the weight of what’s been left hanging since “Citizen Fang.”

On “Torn and Frayed,” Sam meets with Amelia, who asks him to make a choice: stay with him or leave and never contact her again. Considering he walked out on her while she slept to rejoin his brother, it’s nice to see that they will both be getting closure — even if the particular kind might not make them both happy.

And of course, Castiel is back — within the first few minutes, too!

When Naomi (guest star Amanda Tapping) tells Castiel that Crowley (Mark Sheppard) is holding an angel captive, Castiel turns to Dean for help in rescuing the angel before Crowley learns all of their secrets. But Naomi has secrets of her own — and we can’t help but wonder how in line her motives might be with someone like Crowley.

Personally, we find Naomi and what she represents much scarier. These guys have gone up against Crowley before; they know how to handle him. But Naomi is new and unknown, and a question mark in a world like Supernaturalis something to be feared. After all, step one is to identify the thing you’re supposed to be hunting and then figure out how to take it down. But Naomi is using the Winchesters’ ally to give her information without them– or even really him– knowing. It’s the kind of sneak attack that seems like it will spell bad news.

Supernatural returns Wednesday at 9PM on The CW.

What are you most excited to see in the winter return? Let us know in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

Watch a sneak peek from “Torn and Frayed” below.

The Winchesters of The CW’s Supernatural have a familiar saying: “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” They use it freely—whenever one of them isn’t quite ready to deal with a particularly complicated issue  like “stopping” one’s brother back in the day or “icing” a vampire on Season 8.

But the Winchesters have never been particularly good at pushing such a thing down for too long.

Eventually it eats at them until that “bridge” comes to them. In “Citizen Fang,” Sam (Jared Padalecki) certainly followed the trend by having old hunter friend, Martin (guest star Jon Gries), track Benny (Ty Olsson). When Sam got a call that there was a vampire kill that seemed to have Benny’s name all over it, he and Dean (Jensen Ackles) were forced to deal with the situation.

Note: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t yet watched Wednesday night’s “Citizen Fang.”

Left to his own devices with Dean off hunting, Benny high-tailed it home to a small town in Louisiana. He looked up a relative– his great-great granddaughter Elizabeth (Kathleen Munroe), which became nice and awkward after Dean hit on her. He also took a job at a southern diner of sorts—the same job he had way back when, before he was a vampire pirate.

In that diner, Martin watched him have an uncomfortable encounter with an old patron who just happened to have his creepy eyes on Benny’s kin. This patron also just happened to end up killed outside the diner that night. But Dean wasn’t about to just “witch hunt” his old friend, he went to talk to Benny, who told him a tale of another vampire named Desmond from “back in the day” who was trying to get Benny’s attention.

Now, Dean was desperate to believe his friend was telling the truth, and looking Benny dead in the face seemed to be all he needed. Though Sam and Martin went after Benny, Dean went with him—to take on Desmond. Luckily for Dean, Benny didn’t betray or disappoint him but unluckily for Benny, he got a crash course in the Winchester lifestyle.

After killing Desmond, Dean warned him that he couldn’t stay—that there was no “home” anymore. Too many other vampires would come looking for him. Oh yeah, and Benny could barely control himself around the blood anyway—even when that blood was his “brother” Dean’s. But it wasn’t other vamps he had to worry about—it was Martin – who hoofed it back to the diner after being ditched by Sam (we’ll get to that in a minute) and used Elizabeth to get to him.

Benny tried really hard to control his anger and himself, so that he wouldn’t have to reveal what he was to either Elizabeth or Martin, but Martin knew enough about him already to know he wasn’t crazy. And all he wanted was Benny’s head on a stake. So Benny mulled it over for a few seconds before realizing just how defeated he was and laid his head down, literally.

Of course, it was just a trap, and he ended up releasing his vampire nature to take Martin out in the name of self-defense. Are we crazy to say that although, intellectually, Martin was making great points, we were thrilled to see him laying on the floor with his throat ripped apart because it meant Benny lived to see another day (and therefore another episode)? Are we even crazier to hope that maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t Benny at all but Elizabeth who attacked Martin, protecting her family at all costs and creating an (admittedly soapy) extra complication down the line? Yeah, okay, we may have went too far with that last part…

What was so much more powerful than what Benny did to Martin, though, was the realization he seemed to have just seconds before making the decision: he couldn’t fight his fate. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t really have a choice. And now Dean should have no choice but to add him to the list of “things” he hunts. But will he? Considering he didn’t outwardly lie but still omitted exactly what went down with Benny to his brother, we’re sure just when Sam and Dean are on good terms again, Benny will pop back up. But it probably won’t be for awhile because Sam still has a lot to get over with his brother.

See, Sam received a text from Amelia (Liane Balaban) while hunting for Benny initially and high-tailed it over to her house. When he got there, though, she and her not-so-dead, now-also-not-so-ex were cozying up on the couch. Sam didn’t take a second to ponder his sanity, though we certainly did—after all, it was just a short year ago that he was scratching at his hand every two seconds. Calling the number back, he reached Dean—on one of their burner phones in Baby’s glove box. He swapped the numbers in Sam’s phone “just in case,” and it certainly came in handy for him here.

But the thing is: as much as he used it to get Sam off Benny’s trail, he also seemed to use it a little bit for Sam’s sanity. After all, Sam checked in on Amelia and saw she was doing well. It may still hurt that she can’t be doing well with him, but at least he wouldn’t have to worry about her, right?

Possibly but to be honest, we’re still not entirely convinced we can trust everything we see in Sam’s flashbacks. Call it being overly cautious because of his history, or call it reading too much into production style of shooting the specific flashbacks, but just because Amelia is a real person (for the record, we never doubted she wasn’t) doesn’t mean Sam’s relationship with Amelia was exactly how he chooses to remember it.

We’ll be finding out soon, though, as the last moment of the episode was her walking up to him in a bar, stating that she knew it was him outside her house. And the petrified look on his face promised he’d be crossing a very important bridge, too, come the January 2013 return.

Buzz Moments

OMG!: Who knew Martin had it in him not only to stand up to Dean but to physically knock him on his ass?

Thank you, TV gods: Even when about to rip out someone’s throat, Benny is so soulful, and Olsson deserves most of the credit for that. We cannot thank this show enough for bringing him back and showing such a different side to him!

Awk-ward: It’s always distracting when a show reuses recognizable guest stars in brand new roles, so we’re just going to pretend “Elizabeth” is actually the same woman from The Kids Are Alright. After the changeling debacle, she just picked up and moved south and started a new life!

Hotness: Is it just us or was Don the most level-headed, well-adjusted guy ever? It really put into perspective just how messed up Sam and Dean both are!

Fab-u-lous: Sam’s hair was particularly on point on this episode. Perhaps it was because he didn’t do any fighting—or even much hunting at all—but it was this perfect, unmoving fashion statement.

Can. Not. Wait.: What will happen when Sam has to confront Amelia after all this time!?

Celebuzz Meter (1-10): 8

What did you think of “Citizen Fang” and more importantly, how will you get through hell-atus!? Let us know in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

The CW’s Supernatural has paved the road to its holiday hell-atus with family obligations, flashes from the past (both in the form of returning characters and literal showcasing of memories), a new kind of brotherhood, and even a glimpse into the surreal world of cartoon deaths.

The show has somehow managed to keep its sense of humor, even amidst the most arguably dark situation thus far. Dean (Jensen Ackles) returned from Purgatory a more hardened warrior than even when he emerged from Hell with PTSD and a bond with a vampire that puts him on the outs with his brother Sam (Jared Padalecki). But Sam hasn’t been having a picnic either, pining for a girl and the life that could have been had he been able to give up hunting for good.

Or, is that just what the show wants you to believe? Supernatural‘s eighth season is toying with, and therefore challenging, our idea of reality in the Winchesters’ world. Dean and Castiel (Misha Collins) each remember Dean’s exit from Purgatory differently, after all; one very important angel has already admitted to manipulating Castiel; and Sam’s last recollection of his last year was so soft in style, we can’t help but question its truth.

So naturally, we didn’t want to go into the last episode before the new year, “Citizen Fang,” with a bunch of question marks. To clear things up and get all the goods, Celebuzz caught up with Supernatural showrunner Jeremy Carver. 

“Speaking to this episode, there’s no question that where we started in the season…we’re very much at the moment here where certain things have to be dealt with, and how specifically Dean deals with this is really the heart of Episode 9,” Carver said.

“The episode is very jam-packed, and it’s very up and down as to how the boys are reacting to each other. Just when you think they may come together, there’s conflict. It’s very, very emotional.”

Sam has put an older hunter acquaintance, Martin Creaser (guest star Jon Gries), on the case of tailing Benny (Ty Olsson) to make sure he keeps his nose clean, as he promised Dean he would. When Sam gets wind from Martin that there was, in fact, a vamp kill, he implores his brother to head down there and check it out, despite Dean’s reservations of the source. Remember, last we saw Martin, he was locked up in a mental institution (In 2010′s “Sam, Interrupted”). So it certainly looks like Supernatural will be delivering answers on the “what’s reality” and “who’s sanity can and can’t be trusted” sooner, rather than later.

“Fans who have that question, that’s going to be addressed in Episode 9, as well,” Carver said of whether or not we could trust the memories we’ve seen unfold through flashback.

“Whether or not Martin’s better now is open to interpretation when you meet him [but] with what the boys are dealing with, they get to a certain point where crazy guy in the episode might be the most sane guy in the episode.”

Benny being in the middle once again could be enough to tear at the progress Dean and Sam were making in their relationship, but throwing Martin is an added complication, as Dean may be about to feel betrayed by two people now.

“Dean is very conflicted about what he learns, and how Dean deals with that—I really don’t want to get to into where we end up with Dean and Benny, but from Benny’s own back story, how that’s affected Dean, to Sam, to Martin’s own involvement, it’s all very fraught. What happens is fairly significant!” Carver said.

“I can’t promise you that the episode doesn’t end on an emotional point, but I think I can tell you there will be—in the future, to be non-specific—a coming together, where the boys really have to decide once and for all what’s most important to them in their lives, and where they each fit into that.”

Basically, prepare yourselves for one hell of a cliffhanger in “Citizen Fang,” Supernatural fans!

Supernatural airs on Wednesday nights at 9 PM on The CW.

What is your biggest question about Supernatural right now? Sound off in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

They may not be tiny or tuney, but on Wednesday’s episode, the men of Supernatural certainly were a bit loony — Looney Tunes, that is. The eighth episode of the eighth season dove into the world of animation — first with types of deaths (a heart literally beating out of a man’s chest, an anvil crushing another victim), and then even more literally, transporting characters into the mind’s manipulation.

But what was most interesting about “Hunteri Heroici” was how it played with a mind’s manipulation in other ways. This seemingly stand alone, “off the wall” episode seems to have deeper implications for the overall season’s theme.

Note: Spoilers ahead if you haven’t yet watched Wednesday night’s episode, “Hunteri Heroici.”

Fresh off his new mission, Castiel (Misha Collins) tagged along with Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) as they dodged Mrs. Tran’s calls and instead took on their new case. Two grown man in a cramped, seedy motel room should be bad enough, but add in a third, and dynamics should shift. Oddly, no one thought it was weird that these FBI agents traveled in threes instead of the usual duo partnership — then again, they were looking at some very cartoon-like deaths, so “weird” may have been relative.

The guys stumbled across a series of bank robberies in which the thief was using a black hole to get in and out. Literally. In the cartoon world, a drawing of a black hole on any surface creates a void you can slip right through, but the effects were wider than just on the one man, and while he was exerting his power, anyone within his radius found themselves living in a cartoon until he was finished and out of there. Hence the collateral damage.

All of the robberies were connected to an old folks’ home, and when the Winchesters (and Castiel) visited, they found an old acquaintance of their father and former psychokinetic, Fred Jones (guest star Mike Farrell). He was sick and slipping into his own world — which just happened to feature his personal love of cartoons — and due to his special powers, he was unwittingly projecting his world onto anyone who came semi-near him.

In the case of the robberies, it was the doctor at the home that was taking advantage of the new world Fred was creating. In order to get control of Fred’s mind, Castiel zapped himself and Sam in there — yes, in the man’s mind — to see if they could get through to him. Meanwhile, Dean fought the doctor in a series of quintessential cartoon moments that showed off Ackles’ physical comedy abilities far better than even the multiple deaths of “Mystery Spot.”

While it’s always fun to watch the Winchesters adapt to a new situation (seriously, how the writers come up with plausible things these guys have never seen before is an inspiration in itself), what we enjoyed even more about “Hunteri Heroici” were the tastes of Sam and Castiel’s emotional states.

With Castiel, we saw a forceful though somewhat scared guy who was still so ashamed of his actions when he sucked in all of the Leviathans, he couldn’t bring himself to consider facing Heaven to see the kind of mess he created up there. Instead, he was just determined to keep paying his penance, and he did so twice this episode by healing those he could. He may not have been able to save Fred from declining health, but he was able to zap away enough of his psychokinetics so his “magic” wouldn’t be used to hurt anyone again. And by using his own powers for good, Castiel got his confidence back. Unfortunately, Heaven had another plan for him, and Naomi (Amanda Tapping) told him he could not return unless she called for him.

Additionally, though, we were treated to a little more of Sam’s backstory from the “lost year,” too, in “Hunteri Heroici.” And what was most interesting about it was not that it was a completely apple pie normal situation in which he met his girlfriend’s father, but instead the seriously hazy hue over the scenes. We have seen flashbacks before, and they are always stylized, but this was so much more highly so that we had to wonder if it was because the memory was fading with time — or if it was even a true memory at all. Maybe he was softening the memory in his mind, making it more palatable for himself? After all, he did tell Fred that he knows what it’s like to live in a dream world, and that it never lasts without people getting hurt (a theme we always love to see the show revisit). Are we the only ones questioning his own sanity once again?

Buzz Moments

OMG!: Amelia’s (Liane Balaban) husband isn’t really dead? Really? Unless this show is planning to pay homage to soap operas next, we smell a set-up. Maybe she’s a little bit crazy (hey, we can hope!).

Thank you, TV gods.: Finally a bit more of a look inside Sam’s world. It may have been kind of ordinary for a show like this, but it certainly set up a bit more of an understanding for why Sam would leave Amelia behind.

Awk-ward: Castiel has partnered up with Dean and conducted fake police interviews before, but he seems to have not retained any usable skills. After all, even the rest home’s cat was mocking him!

Hotness: Even if he had a weird, open marriage, there’s something really nice about a guy who is so happy to see the girl of his dreams that his heart beats faster — and out of his chest.

Fab-u-lous: All of the cartoon effects were pretty sweet, but our personal favorite was easily the dynamite-candle-in-the-birthday-cake explosion.

Can. Not. Wait.: Though we generally prefer heavy mythology episodes over “case of the week,” it is latter episodes like this that make us eagerly anticipate the next homage standalone — what will it be!?

Celebuzz Meter (1-10): 8

What was your favorite cartoon moment in “Hunteri Heroici”? Let us know in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano