You Would Think...

...I'd have learned not to trust my computer.

Not too long ago, I started getting a message every time I opened Adobe Acrobat Reader that there was a known compatibility issue. I periodically clicked the button to check for a solution, to no avail. But then I lost the ability to print on my color printer. It would start, then stop and scream until I shut it off and pulled the paper out. I thought for a long time it was the printer, until I found that it printed other color things perfectly fine. After a while, I realized it was just AAR, so I went to the Adobe site, and guess what?

It's been lying to me for weeks. There was a new AAR, which I downloaded and installed, and viola, it prints fine now.

Can't trust anyone.

Now. How about the things I loved so much about last night's show? (That would be Supernatural, of course)

I'm going on memory, since I won't watch it again until later. But here are the things that stick out in my mind:

1. Sam's eyes, giant-sized, when he wakes up to Asia. Over and over again.

2. The excellency on the part of every actor in this episode, when it came to repeating their lines and actions exactly, every time, only modifying when forced to by Sam's or Dean's changes. The waitress's "oh, crap" was my favorite. The words and inflection were the same no matter whether the bottle was on the floor or already back on the table when she said it. I'm guessing Kim Manners' direction had a lot to do with it.

3. That they could take something so horrific--Dean dying--and make it so damned funny. "This taco taste funny to you?"

4. Of course, the simultaneous conversation in the diner. "Sam Winchester keeps a ruler next to his bed..." !!! I hope this episode gets a making-of on the DVD. I so want to see behind the scenes!

5. Jared Padalecki's acting.

6. Jared Padalecki's hair.

7. Jared Padalecki's abs, even though they weren't really his abs, they were latex put over his body so he could pretend to stitch his own side. Seriously, I loved that whole montage. They basically sped up all the changing he will have to do to "become" Dean, to be strong enough to "face what's coming," to fight the war on his own. I loved Bobby's comments about the vampires and stuff, showing us that Sam is continuing to hunt and being frickin' good at it.

8. His intensity and weariness after he'd been through a hundred Tuesdays, and the determination that is unflagging, no matter how exhausted he has to be.

9. The series where they're walking down the street and he's reciting everything that's about to happen. His tone and delivery are perfect.

10. The trickster. A lot of people seem to be unhappy with his part in all this, questioning why he would care about teaching Sam a lesson. I think it's pretty clear. First, that's what the trickster is about. He teaches people lessons. Usually they seem to be to more to amuse himself than to actually effect change in the person, granted, but Sam and Dean are a special case. They're the only ones who tried to do something about the trickster's manipulations. They're the ones who have a higher purpose, who are trying to do something ultimately good. That may or may not matter to the trickster, of course, but they are a different kind of challenge. I think Sam intrigues him, and he wanted to see what he was made of, how he would react to his biggest fear coming true. It's also possible (though there's no evidence as yet) that he's aware of the war and was doing his part to get Sam ready.

11. The HUG, OMG, the hug. Sam getting out of bed and practically bodyslamming Dean. And Dean just taking it, understanding, and not making a joke or deflecting.

Well done. Just very well done.

One thing confuses me. When they changed the airing dates, supposedly switching "Jus in Bello" and "Mystery Spot," the reason I read was that "Jus in Bello" was a better break point than "Mystery Spot." The listing on my TiVo says for "Jus in Bello" that the boys break into Bela's apartment (of which there was no hint that I could see in the preview for next week, but it does look maybe like they're arrested in Bela's apartment, so that part may fit). In "Mystery Spot," Dean says he'd rather go after the Colt than investigate this lame-ass mystery, and Sam says they have no idea where Bela is. So that seems to fit the timeline the way it's laid out now. Did they shoot a little extra when they knew they'd be changing things around, and insert that bit? Or would the break-in fit either time frame? I guess I just need to wait until next week to find out.

Jericho was offered free at iTunes, so I'm watching that tonight! Can't wait!