“Changing Channels” – So, You Like?
It’s episode day! Finally, everyone gets to see the incredible episode I did six days ago. I have to admit, given the amount of media people that were included in that preview, I’m a little disappointed that there’s so pre-show buzz about “Changing Channels” at the major media outlets today. I hope people don’t miss out because of that.
Okay, for those that are impatient, I’m sharing a spoiler. It is written below in the same font as the background. It shares a plot twist, but no major plot twists. Just a little something more to wet the appetite until you can see the episode. Highlight at your own risk!
In the Dr. Sexy MD show, Sam is forced to perform lifesaving surgery on Dean after he’s shot for real (not funny). The funny part happens over Sam’s improvising skills during the surgery.
Okay, that’s it!. Happy episode everyone and I really hope I didn’t overhype this. I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.
Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
Only at the new title card and I’m already dying- Tandem bike riding! 😆
First reaction: OMFG!!!!
Second reaction: I don’t know if the brothers realize how powerful they are in this equation. They feel like slaves to destiny, but what we’re seeing is that nothing’s gonna happen unless and until they say so.
And the whole destiny business aside, why can’t one of the other angels off Lucifer anyway?
Wow. That was a great episode! I think Richard outdid himself this time – excellent performance. Off for the second re-watch. Need to absorb all this information.
THUNDERSTRUCK!!!!!!! to borrow a word from this site. WOW!!!!
I don’t know what to say first. This was the best epi so far. I only watched it once but I LOVE the boys. They are so good together. I never liked the trickster, and when they killed him, I jumped for joy. Sorry trickster fan…but I don’t like those who hurt the boys. But it ended even better than him dying. Beating at his own game was even better. Imagine Dean saying Gabriel is afraid to stand up to dad. Always can see in others what uou can see in yourself. Still Dean and Sam, wouldn’t be who they are if they hadn’t gone down this exact path.
I guess now the boys have a another ‘weapon’ to help them. Either way…I can’t see the trickster bothering them again.
I loved the creative way they used the games. So Dean’s into soap operas huh? So funny. I loved KITT. That was a riot! I think I like that the best.
Lot of info Gabriel gave, but how much was true and how much wasn’t. Guess there will be a lot of speculation now, but for me as long as the boys have each other’s back…I don’t care. Even if they go down, they do it together.
WOW!!!! Did I say I LOVED this episode.
I’ll shut up now. I just going to wallow in the bbeauty of it all.
I saw this episode twice on a small little computer screen (the full screen option was too fuzzy). All I can say was this was even more AMAZING in full HD. Wow! The facial expressions in this are incredible. So many great lines, just like Mystery Spot. The end though has gotten me everytime. They honestly don’t know what to do.
Yes, the little Knight Rider montage, the theme song, the swooshing red lights on the Impala, Dean with his Hasselhoff glare while driving, and Sam as the computer (Bwah!) was just perfect. Especially when Sam was uncomfortable with Dean fiddling around in the trunk. “Let’s just say we pulled it out of Sam’s ass.” 😆 😆 😆 😆
Okay, a few more sound bites. “Son of a bitch.” “Since when did you start menopause?” “It’s a guilty pleasure.” “Stat!” “You know who wears sunglasses at night. No talent douchebags, that’s who.”
Also, when I saw the “rough cut” of this, they had the actual Who song “Won’t Get Fooled Again” in it. They used another version in this one. They must not have gotten clearance before airing.
Oh! One more thing. Jeremy Carver, I am still your bitch. Awesome dude!
The Trickster seems to always get the best if not the funniest episodes of the season. Love it.
The plot twist was jaw dropping… or maybe that was just me. But I loved just as much as the TV references this episode was filled with. I certainly need to watch this episode again to properly soak in that crazy plot twist and talk about it more. I’m with Jessy on this one. First reaction was OMFG!!!
Town to town, two lane roads, family visit to haunted roads Living the life just to get by…. As long as we’re moving forward there’s nothing we can’t do…
Together we’ll face the day. You and I won’t run away. When the demons come out to play, together we’ll face the day. 😆 😆 😆 😆
Kripke (or Jeremy Carver), you sick yet magnificent bastard.
Alice, I don’t know how you could have kept all this a secret. I would have blabbed to everyone! I hope you have that entire song in your recap!
Wonderfull epi!
Wow was that good. The Trixster as Gabriel?…hey why not. I hope he decides to help the boys. Expanding on the idea that the angels are a family, perhaps the way to “pull the plug” on the apocolypse is not through a fight, but through a reconciliation. We shall see.
The funny parts were awesome. Jared and Jensen were spot on perfect. I can’t believe Jared doesn’t think he is good at comedy.
“You sorry sons of bitches. Why do you think you two are the vessels? Think about it, Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father. And Lucifer, the little brother, rebellious of daddy’s plan. You were born to this boys, it’s your destiny. It was always you! As it is in Heaven, so it must be on earth. One brother has to kill the other.â€
Oh man, this kills me! :cry::
Second watch done – and I’m still flabbergasted. Probably needs a third watch tomorrow – but for now I’m off to bed, though I’ll probably spend more time thinking about the episode than actually sleeping.
I may go blind from repeatedly rewatching this episode. sonofaBITCH 😆
There was an Earth shattering kaboom, even without the Pu-36 explosive space modulator.
Gah – rewatch is mandatory.
Ok i nearly died of laughing during the “credit’s sequence” the tandum – oh i love you so much kripke and carver! Just an amazing episode, i know there are some people who think that the trickster being outed as gabriel is not in keeping with the character but if you think back to mystery spot and the lesson he tired to teach them then it does fit. And i’ve been on other sites and people are up in arms about the question dean answered – he didn’t understand the question so his answer actually tells you more about gabriel/tricksters pov then deans.
just amazing episode, funny, gripping and more than a little heartbreaking at the end.
did i mention that i love this show….. i so be watching this episode a million times over this weekend!
still laughing about the herpes advert…
Bethany – I heard the controversy over the question Dean answers too and I’m with you – he had no idea what was being said, so let’s not war about this.
Oh boy, what a great installment. I can’t stop giggling.
Kleenex severd a dual purpose this time, because I have the head cold from hell. I laughed so hard during the opening credits I nearly sufficated. Too much information to absorb right now, I’m going to watch it again tonight. At least this time I’m prepared!
I just had a really… disturbing thought. If Dean is Micheal and Sam is Lucifer, wouldn’t John be God? In that case God is gone because Azazel killed his vessel. Thet would make sense in a… twisted sort of way. Or is this the lack of oxygen speaking?
Holy freaking shit, what a stupendously magnificent episode. Knight Rider – good thing they didn’t give Dean Hasselhoff hair, that would’ve been *too* creepy – Nutcracker (as the only dude ’round these parts, I laughed, then OUCH, then I cried, then I laughed some more), sonofabitch (how impressive is it for great actors to act bad convincingly?), that godawful 80s schlock cheese sitcom theme (I think Mr. Carver watched Bosom Buddies a few times), The Trickster is one of THOSE jackasses and it makes perfect sense given past behavior, and Dean all but telling him to stick it. And can’t forget Dr. Sexy, MD. Now I remember why I never watch those damn doctor shows. Who writes that melodramatic music? Kudos to whichever of the dudes did this week’s tunes. 😎
Alice, you didn’t overhype, this pushes all-time top five easily. So vital to the mytharc, but it flowed, not heavy-handed in the least, certainly helped by Richard, who is goddamn brilliant.
Oops, almost forgot the well-deserved dig at the 500 procedural cop shows. Thank you!
And no clearance for the Who? C’mon guys, there’s only two of you left, and no one bought the last “Who” album anyway. Do it for The Ox!
Damn! No I haven’t see the episode yet, in fact is not even downloading yet (I’m doing that only at my lunch hour), but I couldn’t resist! It was stronger than me! I’ve read all the comments *beats herself hard for doing such a stupid thing* and now I’m more anxious to see it then ever!
It’s gonna be a loooooooooong day! Damn! *beats herself again*
O MY F*CKING GOD!
FUNNIEST.EP.EVER!
Ok, breathe. *deep breaths*
Now, that I have blasted most of the SQUEE out of my system *SQUUUUUUUEEEEEE*, I think I can have coherent points about this ep…
WRONG! Oh.My.God.
That is all 😉
Don’t understand why there is controversy over Dean’s question and answer. First he didn’t even know the question or answer. Second, if either of the boys hadn’t been born, John and Mary would be alive. As far as the angels are concerned, and they have been manipulating this from the start, they needed brothers. As far as the boys are concerned, if they angels want a war…they do it in their own bodies on there own turf!
Ok, third time’s the charm *seriously* 🙂
I LOVEDLOVEDLOVED this ep… The best ep of this season ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY, and one of my all-time faves for sure..
The title.. Oh, god, me and hubby laughed SO hard, I felt I was gonna die. They had to have so much fun doing that… and the whole ep 😉
The Nutcracked was hilarious too (except. the questions were sad *wibble*).
The best part for me was the Herpexia add, good lord I laughed so hard I cried, it was the very best thing.
Close number two was the CSI-bit which was sooooooooo funny and I LOL’d like crazy. The Knightrider bit was also hilarious, and the Greys too, and the sitcom..
Shit, this whole ep was so made of AWESOME that I can’t still find anything sane to say 😉 There are no words cool enough to descibe this.
Richard was great, that man has so much talent! Glad to see Castiel back too, even if it was just a little peek. Can’t wait to see him interact with Gabriel later (I mean I hope they do)… or other angels for that matter… And with Lucifer!!!
But the saga for the boys just keeps getting sadder and sadder… And ’cause I’m a little twisted, that’s just the way I like it *evilsmirk*
It was very good episode. I’d say everything was awesome!!! expect the mytharc part.
Don’t hit me!
I think I just don’t have real angel-loving-heart, because all of the angels have been disappointments to me. I loved Uriel, but he was blatantly bad and got killed. I liked Anna as angel-radio-girl, and was strongly disappointed when she turned up to be another angel. I liked Castiel’s first scenes, but he turned out to be just stupid, not merciless and terrible /what I expected him to be, when he burned out Pam’s eyes eyes/.
Raphael did not convince me with his “we just want this to end”-speech, he seemed simply having serious adjustment problems with changed situation. Childish, really. Zacharia is boring and rather impotent – like colonel Lynch in the A-Team, you know, the guy who did never and will never catch the A-Team. (As Zach never did and never will catch the Winchesters.)
Lucifer was pretty cool until the End, where he too acted out some stupid 1000 0000 0000 years old jealousy-drama.
Like, really. How old are you? Older than the world?! Get over it already!
And now, when one of my favorite guys – the Trickster – turned up to be an angel he also turned up to be kind of whiny and fatalistic and the lesson he tried to give Sam in Mystery Spot just lost it’s positive meaning and became absolutely pointless and cruel.
So the episode was still very very very pleasant. So good I even keep options open about the fact do I still like Gabriel/Trickster or not. I laughed a lot and made other weird noises like “OHMYGOD! EEEEEEEE!” etc.
But you know, I happen to _like_ when people hurt Sam and Dean (can’t very well call them “boys”, as Dean is older than me and Sam is not very boyish anymore), I like that Winchesters are not able to deal permanently with everyone they dislike, and I really hope Gabriel won’t come back to them crawling but has the old arrogant attitude back.
Even as I hope he WILL come back soon and also hope all of them be on the same side.
What can i say…AWESOME!!!
I loved the whole thing
wanted more…..and more
Thanks
I don’t want to be negative overall, so my highlights (in addition to opening credits and ALL THE TV-SHOWS which were too great to describe):
the oh-so-funny meta with herpex-add. How they all (Sam too, really) tried to be responsible, but failed. And do now their best to put out the fire.
the oh-so-funny meta with pretty-brunette-maddison-and-other-dark-samgirls-lookalike-doctor’s speech how Sam started the end of the world and is now too afraid to act independently. But he is still great… doctor? …mmm, hunter? brother? something! …and should just find some new courage to work and to LOVE!
Dean’s girl is wearing the same type of bikini top that I bought this summer to myself (:o Do I have a chance with Dean??? Even when my bottom-part of bikins is different?) (And were the girls in 80-s sitcoms wearing bikinis when it was not summer and no beach was nearby? I’m too young to know.)
The Music!
And Sam wanting to talk with Trickster and Dean’s monster’s and Facebooke-friend’s answer.
Really, I loved it. Just not so sure about the angels.
Oh, sorry for babbling!
I realized two more thing.
When Trickster says brothers must play their roles or stay in TV-land forever – is this Kripke-meta to say they have to end bloody or the show will transform our everyday soap-opera?
And I loved the return of “Don’t say I never did anything for you!”
…tho it gets kind of predictable and also a little boring that at all the passionate speeches are coming from Dean… and also, this was another episode ending with Sam saying “Yeah, me too!” :roll::
I loved this episode. Couldn’t stop laughing with the Herpes commercial, especially given to what the he-witch did to Sam last week. There is soooooo much to absorb from this episode. I’ve viewed it twice and I need to watch it several more times to create any order in my mind of all my thoughts in relation to the mytharc.
One thing I do know is that I am tired of the Angels continuing to say that Sam (and Dean) were responsible for the apocalypse. They (the angels) are just as responsible – they let it happen, when they could easily have stopped it. And to continually lay that blame at the boys – I wish either Dean or Sam would snark back and put them in their place (kind of like how Dean put Gabriel in his place at the end of the episode).
Another thing does have me worried though, When Gabriel told Dean and Sam that the end will be bloody and that endings aren’t all nice and neatly packaged up like a TV show. Was that a foretelling to the final battle? It has me concerned over what will happen to the boys and other favorite characters in the final days.
All in all, great episode. My favorite TV bit was the play on CSI: Miami. Jared’s imitation of Horatio Caine was so spot on – he even stood like him. Loved, loved, loved it. 😛
I loved this episode, I laughed so hard at the opening credits. My daughter and I had re-run that part a couple of times, before continuing on.
I love the trickster, but it was great that the brothers got one on him this time.
Jared and Jensen once again,blew me away.
The only thing I’m confused about is Sam and Dean destiny. Was the trickster saying they were destine to being Lucifer and Michael vessel from birth.
I don’t understand how that could be.
From my understanding Dean only became destine to be Michaels vessel when he broke the first seal. “And it is written, that the first seal shall be broken when a righteous man spills blood in Hell. As he breaks, so shall it break,†“The righteous man who begins it, is the only one who can finish it.â€
How could anyone of predicted that Dean would not only sell his soul and go to hell, but by being the righteous man to break the first seal.
As for Sam, if he was always the chosen one, why did Azazel create other children and even started a new generation. I always thought it was because they could never predict when the first seal would be broken,as it could of taken decades or even centuries.
If someone could clarify this for me it would be greatly appreciated. I’m worried if I start over thinking this my brain will explode. Thanks.
😯
I think that it was always meant to be them but no one really knew that. Everybody can look back right now and say “Those 2. Of course. Every little thing fits.”
But before things really started, guys and girls in heaven and hell had to choose between so many people that they could not spot the right ones for sure.
And also – Azazel did never know everything.
Karen, I agree with vana naine here. I don’t think it was their destiny from birth. Azazel was looking for someone with psychic ability to open hells gate, not a vessel for Lucifer. And Sam really didn’t win. He died. So, he really wasn’t the strongest of the group. Also, and I will have to go back and re-watch the psychic kids epi to be sure, but I really don’t think any of the other kids had brothers….only Sam. So, I think the angles picked them somewhere along the line. Maybe after Dean made his deal, they spotted the opportunity. If they had been picked from birth, no need for Azazel.
Also, it was supposed to be John that broke the first seal according to the plot, not Dean. And AFAIK, John doesn’t have a brother.
The ‘destiny’ word is just angel talk for what they would like to see happen. The angels just want toys to play with, and with God giving humans free will, they are having problems getting the toys to cooperate.
Just finished seeing it and…. OMFG!!
That’s my first reaction, I’m gonna need several more viewings during the weekend, but I think I’m gonna keep saying omfg!
Never laugh so much, the credit sequence was brilliant, Dean sees soap operas? I always said that boy sees to much tv!
I’ll take Jared and Jensen playing Horatio any time (Sam and Dean dressing suits and wearing sun glasses *sqeee* *sights* *squeee(again)*)
Sam as kitt, oh dear! Still can’t stop laughing! Can I have Sam as my car too, please mr. Kripke?
I nearly die laughing with the herpex add, can anyone say gag real? I’m wondering how many takes were needed to film that one, I’m betting that everyone in the filming crew laugh their hearts out with this episode.
The trickster was Gabriel all the time? Damn! I definitely didn’t see that coming! Hope that he stops being a dick with wings and decide to stand up to his family (you heard Dean, now do something about it instead of running away and hide again) and help the boys.
All in all this is one of the bests episodes ever and, at least for me, it’s a tie with MS if not better.
Brilliant, not as good as Mystery Spot, and the Trickster took a nosedive in my estimation when he was revealed to be an angel (so much for an interesting antagonist who’s not tied to either ‘angel’ or ‘demon’ camp), but hilarious and intriguing.
I have nothing to say about the spoofs that hasn’t already been said, but the opening credits? HAH. So much amazing. I’m still recovering from my split sides.
(and the “nutcracker” show? Ouch. I didn’t know whether to laugh or stare in horror.)
I wish Sam had had a little more involvement in the last scene where Dean tells Gabriel off.
Oh, and that motel room? It’s the same from the one in “Mystery Spot”. Quite sure of it (especially considering I’ve seen MS about a billion times).
Wonderful from start to finish. I actually think better than Mystery Spot, where I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the structure: I think Sam’s long hunt on his own and the final scene with the Trickster were not quite as well integrated with the rest of the story as they should have been. (Please don’t shoot me, I know you all love Mystery Spot and I’m not trying to persuade you otherwise.)
Sam as Kitt was just awesome. And Dean in caretaker mode at the end: Sam back with opposable thumbs and Castiel back from wherever (just wish he could have added Bobby’s legs as well).
And both Jensen and Jared did an awesome acting job throughout. They inhabit Sam and Dean so thoroughly it’s easy to take their acting skills for granted, but something like Changing Channels really showcases what they do.
Folks,
I don’t know when I started breathing again… I guess it happened secretly after I finally was able to sleep… This was a masterpiece. Damn you Jeremy Carver! 🙂
I’m pretty sure, all I’m going to do this weekend is re-watch this episode again and again and again… and then one more time…
Poor Sam really got it this time – he was punched in the jewels by a nasty Japanese bludgeon, was forced to promote medication for genital herpes and became a car (getting touched my Dean in an uncomfortable way… wonder which body parts correspond to the trunk…? Oh, shut up, Jas). It was hilarious, though.
And – finally another archangel showing up. I’ve been wandering what happened to the dudes… Now – one question doesn’t leave my mind: When did the Trickster become Gabriel? Was he an archangel all the time? With Mystery Spot it would seem quite plausible, I’m not sure about Tall Tales, yet, need to re-watch it to be sure.
Thank you Supernatural-Teams for this episode!!!!!!!
This is as entertaining as it gets!!!
And – next week – convention time… Did I see the right trailer? Are we going to see a chubby Dean-fan and a geeky Sam-fan re-enacting scenes? More OMG moments coming up, I guess.
Love, Jas
Thanks Sablegreen, vana naine and Mae.
The way the Trickster had worded it, just didn’t make sense to me.
I made the mistake of watching this after working a 12hr night shift and had been up for over 20hrs. I just couldn’t wait to watch it so my brain was just alittle sleep deprived.
With this show, it was well worth it.
😀
Only just saw watched –
Absolutely adored the opening credits sequence!
Loved all the Fun tv set ups –
But very uncomfortable with the direction the mytharc seems to be going in?
I really didn’t get the Trickster being Gabriael thing –
I must be dim –
But the Trickster being an angel kinda (I don’t know how to phrase it ) but it takes away some of the Awesomeness that Tall Tales and Mystery Spot are – I can’t reconcile myself with the Trickster really being an Angel in Tall Tales – I guess I’m trying to say that this revelation spoils whats gone before for me –
I wish this had just been a fun episode – Then it would have reached Classic status for me but the underlaying mytharc has left me feeling more than slightly uncomfortable.
Sorry to be such a downer :cry::
I agree about the Tricker. I would prefer it if they had it that Gabriel was not the Trickster during those episodes, but later.
It was a big mistake to try and watch on Saturday morning when the house is like Picadilly Circus and I got interupted every 3 minutes so I need a serious re-watch to get my head round the finer points …
Sam and Dean in TV Hell were brilliant, cringe-inducing but really funny ( I particularly like Sam as a car … Brroom, Brroom, Toot, Toot … ) On the other hand I’m totally underwhelmed by the Trickster being another bloody angel. Enough, already! I liked the Trickster being a free agent, the place is armpit deep in disgruntled members of the Heavenly Host sulking in corners and getting underfoot. Does this mean that when God finally pitches up in episode 22 to clip everyone round the head he’s going to be wearing Big Daddy Winchester? ( this would kind of make sense as Old JW always acted like he was God anyway so he’s halfway there already … )
Didn’t know God was making an appearance in SPN. I just don’t read enough on the net. Anyway Suze, JMD as God? That Makes Sam and Dean his sons! That interesting! I’m guessing Dad will just show up to help his sons make the right choice. And so Dean can understand why he does idolize his Dad.
Mae I agree with you, these episodes, at least some, should end up more on a up beat. We all know the boys have problems, but some good things do happen! And really both boys now have stated that they are going to deal with what comes day by day. It would be nice if one epi had someone telling them their decision to say ‘No’ was correct.
Faellie, just so you know your not alone, I really didn’t like Mystery Spot either. Everyone else seemed to love it, and the artistic content was great, but I found the story to be cruel, and pointless. We already knew losing Dean would be VERY tramatic for Sam…I really didn’t think we need to watch him experience it 100 times. Sorry all.
To find out trickster is an angel seems to fit. After all, they depict most of the angels as bad as the demons, that seems to fit the trickster too.
ngh.kdjhfchfuewohomxsgerfkdhgbfvg
*cant.brain.* *too.much.squee.*
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! *thud*
(sorry..incapable of anything else at the moment)
Hi ell2,
Great recap! I love YOUR love of the show…I share it. I have watched the procedural cops shows for many years. It’s true; they don’t whole a candle to SPN. I have watched CSI for years, and I can’t believe how WELL Jared nailed David Caruso. His voice even sounds like Caruso. Dean as Hasselhoff was classic, and I loved when Dean closed the trunk and Sam said that hurt. That little detail is something only Jeremy Carver would think of. That was my favorite as all three show stars were playing the game!
Richard Speight Jr. was great. The way the ‘fun’ attitude changed to despair in the end was great. Also like the greeting between Cas and Gabriel. It said so much with so few words.
I am glad the boys didn’t leave him there to rot. That would be sinking to the bad guys level. Sam and Dean are definitely above that. Also liked the way Dean was leading again. Even Cas followed his lead. That’s what I wanted to see!
Such a good epi. Hope Kripke can follow up with another this week! Guess this is the last for two months.
:cry::
still laughing over the herpexia ad…..