Supernatural, 4x16, “On the Head of a Pin”

Episode Title: On the Head of a Pin
Writer: Ben Edlund

Director: Mike Rohl

Originally Aired: 03/19/2009
Grade: A-

Castiel is awesome. I wish I had the power to turn off other people’s car alarms with my mind. I knew this was a Ben Edlund episode from that moment alone.

Also, I know that the bizarre scene with Castiel and Anna was just intended to highlight his distaste for her fallen angel-ness, but Julie McNiven hit an odd note with her performance that made it feel like Anna was kinda maybe coming onto him. Ew.

Uriel is a complete psycho. Surprise! He gives Sam shit for using his evil demon powers, but he wants to raise up his old BFF Lucifer, who is the very being in charge of Hell. Great reasoning, there, Uriel.

And yay, Alistair is dead! Good riddance!

There was a ton of Anna and Castiel and Uriel in this episode without a Winchester in sight. And I didn’t mind one bit. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think there’s ever been an episode with this many scenes that didn’t involve at least one of the Winchesters. I know the fact that the show only has two main characters ends up wearing Ackles and Padalecki down, and that, combined with rumblings about Ackles and Padalecki wanting out and the fact that Edlund faked out Castiel’s death twice in this episode, makes it clear Cas is going to be around for season five. Which I really don’t have a problem with. I love the Winchesters, but after four seasons, their family drama is growing stale. That might not be the case with a different set of writers, but it is what it is.

Oh yeah, apparently Misha Collins has been contracted through season five (which is most likely the last season). I’m mostly thrilled, because I find the actor’s portrayal compelling and interesting. And he’s pretty. But it’s also a bit odd. All the demons we’ve seen have switched bodies pretty regularly, and angels use human bodies just the same. Yet Castiel gets to keep the same one up until some point in season five? Not that I can blame them--the actor is handsome, quirky, capable of acting, and the fans like him, so keeping him around is a no-brainer--but it’s kind of pathetic that this group of writers can’t manage to come up with a new female regular that the fans will accept, but they can come up with another dude that’s pretty well-liked. I’m not sure if this is because the writers suck at writing female characters (they so do) or because the highly vocal female fans have strange jealousy-based reactions to female characters on the show (also true). Maybe it’s a potent combination of both.