The second episode of Beauty & The Beast airs on Australian TV tonight at 9.30pm on Channel 10. In this weeks episode, Vincent helps Cat out solving a case in which a ballerina has fallen to her death. This in turn makes Vincent’s best mate, J.T, start to worry that Cats involvement with Vincent will lead to Muirfield discovering where they are. Read the full synopsis below:

CAT INVESTIGATES THE MURDER OF A BALLERINA — When a rising young ballerina mysteriously falls to her death, Vincent (Jay Ryan) senses that the understudy, Victoria (Elizabeth Blackmore), is hiding information about the dancer’s murder. Cat (Kristin Kreuk) and Tess (Nina Lisandrello) discover that the victim tried to file a police report for an assault. Meanwhile, Cat seeks out Vincent’s help to decipher a medical paper found in her mother’s belongings, and J.T. (Austin Basis) worries that Cat’s visits to the warehouse loft leave Vincent vulnerable to discovery by Muirfield’s agents. Catherine encourages Vincent to help her investigate deeper into the Muirfield project, but when Vincent refuses, Cat investigates on her own, until her computer is wiped clean by a malicious virus. Tess tries her hand at dating again, but soon discovers that she’s unknowingly involved with a married man. Heather (Nicole Gale Anderson) moves out of Cat’s apartment after growing uncomfortable with her sister’s quest for more answers about their mother’s death. Rick Bota directed the episode written by Sherri Cooper & Jennifer Levin.

Supernatural: Season 8 Review
Note: Full spoilers for Supernatural: Season 8 follow.

While the previous season of Supernatural was a disappointment, they at least had the good grace a year ago to leave things in an interesting spot, which gave Season 8 a good chance of starting things off well. And the show did not drop the ball. What we got was a solid season-long mythology storyline, some great supporting characters, and of course, a lot of the always reliable backbone of the show – Sam and Dean Winchester.

Beginning a year after the events of the previous season, things kicked off with Dean’s return from Purgatory. While Dean was gone, Sam had given up hunting, fallen in love and was living a normal life. During the first half of the season the separation between the brothers in terms of what they wanted out of life was reminiscent of the first year of the show, with Dean fully committed to the hunting lifestyle and Sam yearning for what he had with Amelia.

The visuals were especially great in the flashbacks to Dean’s time in Purgatory with the washed out colors giving the place a bleak, war-torn look. Another element that worked well was the introduction of Benny (Ty Olsson), the vampire who helped Dean escape. The friendship he forged with Dean during their time fighting side by side was fascinating, since Dean was not the Winchester brother who would have been likely to work alongside a vampire in the first place. After such an intriguing set up, it was disappointing when halfway through the season Dean told Benny that he couldn’t be there for him anymore. It was even more disappointing when Benny was sacrificed, ending up back in Purgatory. If they don’t rescue him somehow in Season 9 it will have been a frustratingly early end to that character.

While the Purgatory storyline with Dean was pretty successful overall, Sam’s break from hunting to live with Amelia had its problems, problems that continued to bring this plot thread down as the season progressed. The first issue was the fact that Sam had abandoned Dean. Sure, Dean would have wanted his little brother to live a happy life, but there was no getting around the fact that Sam didn’t put much effort into trying to find out what had happened to Dean. Even putting that aside, Sam also left Kevin behind which only compounded the problem. It was a tough spot for the writers to put Sam into. If the story with Amelia (Liane Balaban) had been worth it, maybe it would have been easier to see past Sam’s actions, but in the end there was no chemistry between the two. As much as it would have been great to see Sam happy, it was a relief when we saw the last of Amelia.

I appreciated that the writers must have been looking for new ways to explore the relationship between the brothers, but hopefully in the future they can come up with something that isn’t quite so tough on one character or the other. Luckily Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are both so damn lovable that when the brothers reconciled it was easy to forgive along with them and move on.

The idea of being able to shut the gates of hell permanently was an intriguing storyline right from the beginning. It effectively tied back into the first five seasons of the show, which were their strongest years, while avoiding the trap of trying to create a villain that was somehow scarier than Lucifer.

Keeping Crowley as the main adversary had its benefits – Mark A. Sheppard’s fantastic work in the role being one of them. No one can throw insults at the Winchesters as well as this guy. Sheppard was never better than in the final episode of the season, when Sam’s attempt to cure Crowley put him through the emotional wringer. It will be interesting to see whether the experience changed Crowley permanently when we see him again next season. I for one am hoping there will be a change, if only to keep things interesting. When you have an actor as compelling as Sheppard playing the villain, there is a danger in keeping him around too long. It’s likely any other demon would have switched bodies at least once in the amount of time that Crowley has been on the show, but Sheppard has made the role his own and it’s almost unthinkable to have any other actor playing Crowley at this point.

The introduction of the three trials that would shut the gates of hell was good in that it set up some tangible goals for the second half of the season, but there were some glitches with the execution. The second trial in particular was problematic, with its fairly boring vision of hell and the fact that Bobby was so easy to find. When the trials were discovered, it was assumed by Dean that they were a suicide mission, although Sam promised he’d find a way to survive. For them to spend so much time on the trials, only to drop it at the very end when Dean realized that it really was a suicide mission after all was odd. This is not to say that I’m unhappy that both Winchesters survived the season. That they chose to abandon closing the gates of hell in order to continue fighting together was a classic Winchester brotherly love moment.

Castiel’s (Misha Collins) return and his involvement with both Naomi (Amanda Tapping) and Metatron (Curtis Armstrong) were strong elements of the demon/angel war. Naomi’s mysterious introduction and sinister methods made her an effective villain and Metatron was also successful as an adversary, although he got there in a much different way. His helpfulness gave way to betrayal, one that was set up well but also surprising. The twist in the end of making Castiel human was a good one; it is one of the things I am most looking forward to watching unfold next season.

Although Kevin (Osric Chau) spent the majority of the season cooped up and stressed out, his best moments to date were in “The Great Escapist.” Between the mixture of anger and desperation in his message to Sam and Dean and his refusal to back down when facing Crowley, Kevin really came into his own. He was still around at the end of the finale, so here’s hoping he continues to be part of the team.

“As Time Goes By” was significant for introducing a young Grandpa Winchester and the Men of Letters organization whose headquarters were co-opted by Sam and Dean. It was surprisingly wonderful to see them finally have a place to call home. The episode also did that awesome Supernatural trick of taking what we know of the past, tweaking it and expanding the show’s horizons. I was happy to see that they could still accomplish that in the eighth season.

Felicia Day, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki in Supernatural.

As usual, the mythology episodes were spread throughout the season, which meant that there were still a lot of monster-of-the-week episodes. Every season has some good and some forgettable installments, and while Season 8 didn’t have any instant classics, there were some fun episodes. With “Bitten” the show did a found footage episode, which had the unique twist of showing Sam and Dean almost exclusively from the guest actors’ perspectives. Other successful stand-alone episodes were “Hunteri Heroici” with its Road Runner style action, and “LARP and the Real Girl” and “Pac-Man Fever” which both featured Felicia Day as the likable Charlie Bradbury, who is as close to being a sister of the Winchesters as anyone has ever gotten.

Although there were some missteps along the way, for the most part Season 8 of Supernatural delivered the goods. It ended on a high note with the excellent finale “Sacrifice” which left us with a handful of cliffhangers to think about while we wait for Season 9.

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After eight seasons, “Supernatural” continues to deliver epic season finales that leave fans salivating for new episodes. Season 8 culminated with a deranged Metatron revealing his twisted desire to evict the angels from heaven. As the show’s newest big baddie, Metatron is still quite mysterious, but he seems to share Joe Carroll’s quest for revenge and insatiable hunger for fresh stories.

Twisted misters

On “The Following,” Carroll is a professor, charismatic cult leader, and serial killer who uses the works of Edgar Allen Poe to inspire his murderous devotees. Carroll comes unhinged when his debut novel flops and his teaching career stalls. He wants revenge and critical acclaim, but a raging case of writer’s block, the stigma of public failure, and his own ineptitude impede his attempt to pen another book. Desperate for material, he uses his unfortunate followers as fodder for his writing.

While working as a lowly angel in the secretarial pool, Metatron becomes the celestial scribe. He works closely with God until the deity decides to leave Heaven. The loss of his prestigious role and beloved stories leaves Metatron alone and vulnerable. Fearing the Archangels want to pick his brain, he flees to Earth. He believes humans become gods of tiny dimensions when they create stories. An avid reader, he loves stories and uses them to escape reality. His complete plan is unclear but includes revenge against the angels.

Simple solution?

Carroll’s obsession with Ryan Hardy’s core motivation emphasizes his paralysis and inability to develop rich characters. (Surely, an English professor can think of a way to drive a flawed hero.) Instead of creating stories, he needs someone to spill the details for him. Meanwhile, Metatron’s voracious appetite for stories makes him act like a toddler who missed naptime.

There is one obvious solution for these two villains in search of stories: Garrison Keillor. An American treasure and public radio fixture, Keillor’s attention to minutiae creates rich yarns that mesmerize audiences. Carroll’s obsession could shift from Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” to Keillor’s peppy red sneakers. Metatron could dig into a caramel apple crepe while Keillor soothes him with tales of life in Lake Wobegon.

Clearly, Keillor will not become the hero of either TV show. But the villains’ shared lust for stories and vengeance is a bizarre coincidence that almost makes it seem anything is possible. It will be interesting to see if Metatron follows Carroll’s path, playing puppet master in order to cultivate new tales.

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In this episode of Supernatural, called “Sacrifice,” Sam and Dean get down to business on the last Trial, Castiel and Metatron get to work on their second Trial and everyone races to the finish line to close their respective Gates.

The Gates of Hell

First up, just have to say that I was happy that the boys were able to call off Crowley before he killed Jody Mills. We already lost Sarah and I would’ve been none too pleased to lose Jody, too. We all knew that they were going to trap Crowley, but I love that it wasn’t a huge trick so much as Dean just slapping cuffs on him and showing the demon the business end of his first. Once Sam got through confession and started the injections, I was amazed that it seemed to be working, but I guess we should’ve known that it was too good to be true. Sam having to give up his life to close the Gates makes sense and I’m sure glad that Dean stopped him before it was too late. Or did he? The Gates may not have closed, but Sam sure didn’t look good at the end there, did he?

The Gates of Heaven

To all those who didn’t trust Metatron, I tip my hat. I had my suspicions but maybe I’m too much like Cas because I just wanted to believe him, you know? Finding out that Metatron was using Cas as his own little puppet to get the revenge he wanted was a revelation. He may not have exactly closed the Gates, but he basically did the next best thing by throwing all the angels out. One thing he kept saying did turn out to be true – he actually did need Castiel to complete his task, but only so he could slice out Castiel’s grace as the final piece of his spell.

Falling Angels

The first thing I thought when the Castiel fell was “FINALLY” I feel like I’ve been predicted him falling from Heaven (me and a good portion of the fandom) for years. Back when everyone was complaining that Castiel was too powerful, I kept saying that they should take away his grace and – poof! – now they’ve done it. The possibilities for him next season are so endless that my mind can barely start to think with it yet. I think I’ll wait to decompress and then put a Wishes for Season 9 article up once I figure out a few fun options I’d like to see.

The King of Hell

Crowley (and Mark Sheppard) blew me away in this episode. I was hopeful that they might turn him human, but I kept thinking that it probably wouldn’t actually happen. I mean it’s just too yummy for words, isn’t it? Having Crowley turned even partially human, with Castiel also in the same boat, is beyond amazing. Though a part of me wonders if Crowley will revert since the Sam never finished the ritual, I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll see both Human!Crowley and Human!Cas next season.

For now, it’s time to sit back and ponder on what just happened and wait patiently (okay, not so patiently) until season 9.

My favorite bits..

“It’s not a date until I’ve cried.”

Crowley’s ringtone being “I Like Big Butts.”

Cas asking what God was like.

“You show us yours, we’ll show you ours.”

Crowley rolling out his massively long… contract.

“Nice try, Squirrel.”

“You’re gonna move your lips all the way up here, aren’t you?”

“Trust me; I’m friends with friends who do this for a living.”

The look on Metatron’s face when Castiel read about nurse role-playing and light domination.

“You’re not the most subtle tool in the shed are you?”

Dean offering suggestions to Sam for what he should say in Confession.

“How about what you did to Penny Markle in the sixth grade, why don’t you lead with that?”
“That was you.”
“Carry on.”

Castiel showing up and asking for Dean’s help. I wish he’d done it sooner, but I guess it’s better late than never.

Sam jamming that needle in Crowley’s neck. Youch and also.way to go, Sammy!

Cas getting up close and personal to point out to Kevin what his job description was as a Prophet.

Crowley biting Sam? Ah, I knew he must have a reason for it. Turning it into a demon phone? Brilliant.

“Do you really think it’s wise to be drinking on the job?”
“What show you been watching?”

Dean checking in with Cas to make sure he was okay with boarding up Heaven and locking the doors behind him.

Kinda loving seeing Dean and Cas having a quiet chat in a bar over some beers.

“Holy crud, this is like the first five minutes of every porno I’ve ever seen.”

Hang on; did Cupid just touch who I think she did? Awesome! The look on Dean’s face was beyond classic.

Crowley asking if it was about time for the next love injection. That was just..wrong. And also freaking hilarious.

“Hello boys.”
“That’s my line.”

Dean reminding Cas to talk first and stab later.

Sam turning Abaddon into a demon torch.

“I’ll deny it if you ever quote me, but I’m a proud man. I’m proud of you.”

The look on Crowley’s face when Sam started repainting the devil’s trap. He looked like such a little kid for a second there.

Nice! A Band of Brothers reference. Makes me miss Gabriel (aka Richard Speight, Jr.) again.

Crowley going all soft. Not sure who was more surprised – him or Sam.

Really wanting to believe Crowley as he became more.. human, but I just don’t know if I can.

Crowley asking what Sam had said in confession.

“Where do I start.to even look for forgiveness?”

All of Dean’s expressions while Naomi and Cas talked.

“Our mission was to protect what God created. I don’t know when we forgot that.”

Cas informing Dean that he wasn’t wrong and was going to fix his home, before flitting off.

“You should’ve listened to the bitch.”

“You finish this Trial, you’re dead, Sam.”
“So?” – Oh, Sammy.

Metatron encouraging Cas to make the most of his life, make babies and when he died to come back and tell his story.

Dean telling Sam that he couldn’t do any of it without him and Sam replying that he could barely do it with him. So. Many. Feels.

Literally squeaking when Sam asked if Dean was going to turn to another angel or another vampire.

“Don’t you dare think that there is anything, past or present, that I would put in front of you.”

SO MANY FEELS.

The hug. THE HUG.

Dean screaming for Cas’ help as Cas was waking up in that field.

Dean watching the angels falling from Heaven. That was both beautiful and frightening.

What did you think of this episode of Supernatural? Got any favorite bits or least favorite bits of your own? I’d love to hear from you!
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