Well, another season of Supe has come and gone and I am suddenly realising that I have never been as faithful to a show before in my life as I have been to the Winchester Brothers' Variety Hour. Seven years! I still find Jensen Ackles as downright attractive as ever, and there's much that's still right with the old darlin' show. But not all is well for me, although hope remains for better days. I have to say that, overall, I can't think of a show that has retained so much quality for so long, and many of my gripes are matters of taste, nothing more. As always, what follows is entirely subjective and does not constitute any kind of revelatory certitude whatsoever. It's just me, banging on.

( Finale fulminations )

Yes, I realise the heading is not one to garner advertising dollars, dammit, but nonetheless, there it is; after four weeks of being without computerage, I also realise I really am crashingly old-fashioned.

Hellloooo! Did you miss me? Of course not; such is the world in which we live that so much that is fabulous and facile, enduring and ephemeral has already blasted across my flist's screens. I don't for a second flatter myself that another voice, with a somewhat cultured Australian accent (in this context, culture speaks of mould) has been for a second missed in the hubbub. But I did miss reading and speaking with you, very much.

And I also realised how very old fashioned I am. Here's how that realisation reared up like a death adder with haemorrhoids (and not thanks to my unhealthy regard for Rudyard Kipling oh-my-god-that-man-ould-write-even-if-sometimes-he-needs-a-slapping, which really ought to have been a clue - along with the use of ought just then); I came to understand even more fully that I am quite content to Ruminate Awhile before publishing. I don't mind that it takes me a week or so to gather my thoughts. Or rather, I gather my thoughts very quickly; it takes me at least a week, often a month, until I decide whether or not they're worth inflicting on the world.

And that's where I'm out of step with modern thinking; it seems to me that for many, no sooner has a thought scrabbled across a Brocan type area of the brain than it must be made public, regardless of whether or not that thought reflects well upon the thinker, or shines enlightenment upon the world. It is not so much 'I think, therefore I am'; it is, "I think, therefore I utter." Hence, I am utterly OF and without worth whatsoever. Hey, I still don't have a mobile phone. (That - um, that was probably a clue, too.) (Sigh).

So, goodo. I have just downloaded the latest Supe ep, shall enjoy that anon. I hope you are all well, and happy, and functioning splendidly in a way uniquely yours. I've been working hard, and enjoying much - have adored the second series of Sherlock, and am just starting on Southland, excellent show judging by the first series. (Ben McKenzie/Jensen Ackles in some type of familial drama when Supe finishes? Y/y?)

And the Aussies have excelled in the cricket. Truly, all is well with the world. Except that - you know, a mix of faeces and foam is challenging for the White House, according to my Google searches. What an *interesting* world we do live in.

May happiness and quandary provide the sweet and spice of this life of yours,
Corby

Since I don't want to spoil anyone...

( ruminations on telly type things )

I'm a very privileged, very spoiled woman. I've cooked a yummy meal, of scallops and prawns and chillies and white wine, followed by strawberries and creme fraiche. Washed down with a few glasses of pinot grigio, which I began drinking some years ago in honour of the very gorgeous Jensen Ackles and his marvellous gag reel moment when he asked for "Two pinot grigios" instead of two beers, and for which I've developed a real fondness (it was a Monkey Bay one, very nice). A big thank you to him for adding so much pleasure to my year - and I don't just mean with wine recommendations!

It's stinky hot here,going to be over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow. Really feeling like summer, now.

I've just watched 'X Men: First Class' for the first time, and loved it. I'm not an X Men fan per se, found the other films pretty forgettable, but this was terrific. Probably because I'm a bit of a James McAvoy fan. I don't know what it is; his expression, I think, the intelligence in his eyes he can't hide. He's certainly not classically good looking, but there's something I find tremendously appealing, and they wrote his character well. Prof X could have been quite bland, but they gave him a bit of ego, bit of swagger, but only a touch. The scenes between him and Mad Mickey Fassbender were just an absolute treat. (And a h/c blowout at the end! Yay!)

Then I watched the last episode of S4 of Merlin. Shan't spoil it for anyone not yet up to date; just saying I thoroughly enjoyed this entire season, after the terrible choices of S3 that just about made me give up on it.

So now I'm waiting for the new year. I told my little girl I'd "See her next year" when I kissed her goodnight. She didn't quite roll her eyes, but it was close. We'd spent the day watching and thoroughly enjoying the Horrible Histories DVDs our gorgeous friend (Aunty) Cazz sent. She can now make jokes about George 4th of England. It's miraculous.

This has been a tough year, in a lot of ways, but we're all still here and that means we've been incredibly lucky. To all of you who have suffered losses this year, may the new one bring you some measure of peace. I am grateful for family, friends, fandom and just for existing. May we all be here again to celebrate in 366 days' time.

I am welcoming in the New Year with my three favourite new songs of 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDAKk3GfXxo&feature=related

Lanie Lane; pure rockabilly fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fztmXL9INY
Geoffrey O'Connor: Whatever leads me to you.
Sounds like a song Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark would be writing if they were starting out now. I love this one, very bitter-sweet, very dreamy.

And my favourite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY6CWGGYO9I

Deep Sea Arcade: Girls

Just spreading the love for the Aussies.

Peace, love, brown rice, and may your Pretty Boy or Girl keep 'emselves nice ('n dirty) next year,to keep the muses flowing!

Aiyee! Christmas, and bocce in the hallway at work, and my boss pouring Prosecco and so much love for the people I work with... and here I am, barely been near this computer for the last three days, so the Twelve Days of Supernatural are going to come to a rather quick end here, because I'm about to get in the car and drive to be with my Small One and my family for Christmas. I'm cooking this year, so who knows how that will go. This afternoon I'll be floating around in the family pool, looking out at the garden and bush that surrounds us and thinking of nothing but love and harmony and good Aussie chard and a nice Texas bum in a pair of dusty western jeans... I hope you are all as happy in your Christmas/holiday celebrations.

So on to the last Days of Supernatural for this year.

Twelve Days of Supernatural: Day the Sixth

My six favourite moments from the gag reels. There's some particularly rich pickings in the early gag reels, very hard to choose.

1) Season 1: The feeble attempts at synchronised car door slamming. Jensen's laugh just does me in. Also loved: JDM's helpless laughter, the Star Wars' light sabre.

2) Season 2. Jensen cleaning the gun, that wonderful Texan accent, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Would you like to do your lines and handle a million props? Guns!" And sure enough, he breaks the gun and Jared can't handle getting the top off the beer bottle..

3) Season 3. Jared's girly scream from the Sin City shoot. Cracks me up every time. Also loved Sterling K Brown's "Mmm. Acting." And the affection in Jensen's face and voice as he reminds Jared that Dean's still got a line, after Jared leapt out of shot and made crazy whoops.

4) Season 4: Leaving the subtitles on revealed that the first line is, according to the subtitler, not "Kneel before Todd!" but "Nail the Vorta!" BWAH! But my favourite moment is probably the entire lift sequence, when we get to see the dynamic between the boys so clearly.

5) Season 5: Misha Collins: "Confetti! It's a parade!" So funny. And Jim's "There's a bottle of Old Fuck You in the cabinet." But how can I resist Jensen's mimed blow job? How is that not on every promo they do for the show? Seriously.

6) Season 6.: The subtitler struck again, rendering Padalecki as 'Very lucky'. I think the moment I loved the most here was Jensen's Elmer Fudd impression. "A Twailer!"

Sigh. Oh, boys.

Twelve Days of Supernatural: Day the Fifth.

My five favourite uses of a song on the show. There were so many candidates for this, and I know not everyone will agree with those I've eventually chosen, of course. How cold I leave out 'Carry on my wayward son?" Love that! But I had to, given the numbers. The first two were the ones that I found outstanding.

1) O Death. The entire slow motion sequence of Death walking the street, with this poignant, plaintive song above it. Brilliant.

2) The End: 'Do you love me?' by The contours. Dean alone in the post apocalyptic streetscape, running for his life, and then the violent deaths of his pursuers in a macabre choreography with this upbeat song. Good as anything I've seen in film.

3) No Rest for the Wicked: 'Wanted Dead or Alive' by Bon Jovi and the boys. That utterly poignant, heartbreaking scene, with Dean trying to give his brother some comfort and distraction even as the smile dies on his lips and his eyes show his despair...

4) Devil's Trap: 'Bad moon Rising' by CCR. Again, a contrapuntal use of music and mood, the lyrics threatening but the music upbeat as the Impala is destroyed and the Winchesters might be dead.

5) Nightshifter: 'Renegade' by Styx. A brilliant episode, finished by this moving a cappella first verse as the boys escape and face a bleak future.

Twelve Days of Supernatural: Day the Fourth

Four favourite brotherly moments. Not the hugs, not the heart-to-hearts; four moments when they were such blokey blokes being bratty brothers.

1) Everybody loves a clown: Dean diving in to make sure Sam had to sit in the clown seat.

2) The Pilot; the boys slapping at each other as they sat at the computer console.

3) Lazarus Rising: Dean's comments about the way Sam had treated the Impala: "I didn't say you could douche her up!"

4) A cheating one, in a way, but oh-so-much of Tall Tales: anything in the hotel.

Twelve Days of Supernatural: Day the Third

The three gross out moments that really had me looking away from the screen:

1) Home: the hand down the garbage beastie. Sandra Lee meets Christopher Lee, although Sandra would scare the crap out of anyone faster than old Hammer Horror himself.

2) Malleus Maleficarum: Do you want maggots with that burger?

3) It's the great pumpkin, Sam Winchester; I said "bobbing for apples', not boiling. Yeesh!

Twelve Days of Supernatural: Day the Second

Time to go all classy, and this is a category I wish they'd introduce at the Emmys; Best use of "Son of a bitch!"

1) I forget the episode that Bella first appears - is it Bad Day? But the scene at the end, when Dean lets fly with an explosive "Son of a bitch!" and Jared breaks up, never gets old. And I love that they left it in there.

2) Jump the Shark: Dean's second one, after he realises he's trapped in the crypt. It's sort of soft, just beautifully judged - a world of expression in those three little words.

Twelve Days of Supernatural: Day the First

And lastly, my favourite Supernatural moment. What an impossible choice! But one came immediately to mind, and on reflection, and after thinking it over for a few weeks, it's still there. So my number one Supernatural moment, and the one I leave you with as I head off for my favourite time of the year was simply this:

1) Point of no Return: Dean's wink. I honestly did not know what was going to happen in this episode. I didn't know where they were taking it. I was completely captured by the story, the desperate state of things, frantically going through my head about what it would mean when Dean said yes. And then - Dean looked at Sam, and winked. And everything was okay again.

So with that joyous thought, may you all have a safe and happy and healthy celebration, and I'll see you at New Year's, or thereabouts!

After the gone but not forgotten recurring characters, I was thinking of my favourite one-shots who I'd love to see back somehow, someday. I've cheated on one of them - because it's my list!

1) Casey from Sin City. I really liked this demon; she was sexy, and smart, and somehow just really likeable. I adored all her scenes with Dean, thought they had terrific chemistry, and I love what they brought to the show - a fresh perspective about the possibility of demon morality. She added ambiguity, and her death was genuinely regrettable.

2) Deputy Kathleen Hudak from The Benders. Jessica Steen did the best portrayal of a cop I reckon I've seen anywhere. Practical, calm, sensible - not an ounce of drama about her. And yet she also showed, through Jessica's brilliant acting, her pain and grief and fear. She remains a highlight from Season 1 for me.

3) Missouri Moseley. In part because she was so much fun and awesome sauce, in part because what the hell has she been doing all this apocalyptic time??

4) Jamie, from Monster Movie. What's not to love about her? Another funny, down-to-earth, smart woman who as so good for Dean. More Jamie. But not in a killing her off way, please!

5) Walt and Roy. Here's my cheating bit - two for one. They shot the boys. *. Dean vowed vengeance. I'd like to see it.

6) Jesse from I Believe the Children Are our Future. What's happening with that kid? Is he turning out okay? Has he died, buggered off to another dimension, become a contestant on Australia's Got Talent?

7) Tamara from The Magnificent Seven. Such a sad story for her. I wonder what she's doing, whether she's making it.

So they're just a few of my one-shot folk who I'd love to see return. What are yours?

Righto, so this one's a pure treat on me. The eight sexiest moments of Supernatural for hetero women of the Dean persuasion. I wouldn't presume to say these are the eight sexiest moments of Supernatural per se, just the ones that worked for me.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me as s/he panted and drooled and did ungradely things to the nearest cushion:

1) Heart. First one I thought of when I thought 'Sex on legs'. Pan down from the moon above; Dean, standing down on the street, bent-legged leaning against a wall, gun ready, music pulsing beneath him. Ooooouch.

2) Frontierland. Dean in a duster, with hat. Don't care which shot, name your poison. It's all good.

3) Heaven and Hell. It's the tenderness of Dean's love scenes that butters my muffin. I'm not one for the animalistic pulling of hair, muscling up kind of thing. Gentleness, tenderness, careful and loving - Dean and Anna have it, in the back seat of the Impala. Coming on top of the revelatory little moment between Dean and Anna that broke my heart... Not to mention, shoulders. Just sayin'.

4) Route 666. Widely reviled as an episode thanks to a dreadful monster of the week, but I liked Cassie, and her scene together with Dean in bed, the chat afterward - again, tenderness will win me every time.

5) Long Distance Caller. Gun porn. I admit it. There it is. After the fight with the bloke Dean mistakenly thinks is the bad guy, right at the end, when Dean takes the gun, opens it, removes the bullets, clicks it back together and tosses it aside... strange things afoot in my southern Circle K.

6) Hollywood Babylon. A rocking trailer, and then a sated woman standing on the steps as Dean struts down to the words, "You're a hell of a PA." My mind went there. Many, many times. And he's never looked so *pretty*.

7) Houses of the Holy. Dean in a vibrating bed, earplugs in, breathing a little strange. Oh come on, has no one else looked at that footage and imagined him doing something else? No? It's just me then? Oooookay...

8) Devil's Trap. And a non-Dean entry; John possessed by the YED. His voice, that mocking smile - guh. Something about that man...

Many others could argue for various women, or Sam, or Castiel, or whoever happens to fire your torpedoes, and I'll happily hear any and all of them. Just - for me, it's Dean. (Almost) every time.

I got quite specific with this one, so here are my conditions; I thought of all the characters who have had a recurring role, however briefly they recurred, and who now seem to have been removed from the playing board. So Death doesn't appear here, because there's a chance he could come back, along with Bobby's survivalist paranoid mate (whose name I can't quite recall but who I enjoyed rather a lot). I suspect Castiel and Bobby will be back in some form, and since Ellen and Jo have popped in from time to time I didn't include them, either. Basically - these people put in some hard yards, copped one for the team, and I'd like to see them back somehow. That said, there's no real expectation that any of these folk will surface again.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love hit the defibrillator and declared, "Stand back!"

1) Pamela Barnes. I'm typing that now and thinking - was this a Dallas reference for Jensen's benefit? Anyway, I loved sexy, sassy, cool as hell Pam. She can come back any time.

2) Rufus. What's not to love? Supernatural has always been great at introducing characters like Crowley and Balthazar who basically take the piss out of Our Boys, and Rufus was another who insulted his way into my heart.

3) Gabriel/ Trickster. Richard Speight has a face like a joker - he is the epitome of mischief. But he could also do a nice line in menace. I loved every second he was on screen.

4) Alpha Vampire. Rick Worthy has a face and voice I love, and I just want to know what the hell's going on with Alpha Vamp.

5) Chuck. I miss him. I don't think he was God, but who knows what that was about. I just enjoyed his brand of timorous, weirdly wise commentary.

6) Victor. I always thought it a shame he got offed, but I do see that having a convenient law enforcement officer in your pocket could screw up the dynamics a little. I think that's what happened a little with Castiel, anyway. Too many helpful friends in high places would have sullied the show, eventually. But I loved Vic. Loved his snark, loved his smarts.

7) Ash. Crazy redneck genius that he was. His mind worked in weird ways its wonders to perform.

8) Eleanor Visyak. I liked Dragon Lady. I know, I know - we all have rocks with swords in them downstairs in the library. But how many of us have come from another dimension? (Yeah, yeah, siddown, a_phoenixdragon. Apart from you).

9) John. Just because in so many ways, he rocked. And because I would *love* to see the conversation that he and his boys would have. How would they play it? A hug and a shrug and business as usual? Would Dean unload on him? I'm not sure Zen!Sam would... I'd just love to see it.

So - who would you like to see just one more time?

After yesterday's heart-ripping entry I thought of about another twenty moments of heartbreak I could have added (Dean teaching Sam how to look after the Impala when he's gone...wibble). But onto better and happier things.My favourite funny moments- and this one proved to be truly difficult, because it's rare that there's not at least one laugh in any particular episode. It's One of the things I love about the show; it doesn't need to be grim-faced all the time, even when the subject matter is bleak. And I think that brings an element of truth to it all, too; the biggest laughs I've ever had in my life were when things were most critical, and the funniest people I've met have been those involved in life-or-death jobs.

So, on the tenth day of Christmas my true love brought to me as s/he crossed their legs and sprayed the keyboard;

1) Changing Channels. What to pick here? "No guts no glory"? Surgeon Sam? The credits? All of the above, but the one that will remain with me as a catchcry and as a beacon of fabulousness to which all gameshows should aspire; "Nutcracker!"

2) Frontierland. There were a lot of great moments, but I liked the delivery on Dean's, "Huh. Probably should have see that one coming" as the phoenix shot the guy in the cell.

3) Tall Tales. Oh,so many great lines. Being probed again. And again, and again,and again, and again, and then once more. Dean's suave recollections of his pick up scene. "It's like staring at the sun..." Ah, too many. But I think Sam wins this - either with his "Blah blah. Blah blah blah. BLAAAAH." Or "I feel your pain."

4) Playthings. When Dean wants to poke the old woman with a stick, and Sam's reaction.

5) A Very Supernatural Christmas. The way the whole thing just dumped all over the Fifties nostalgia of Christmas was a complete treat.And I cannot recall ever hearing any other character in any other TV show ever saying "Sweet Saint Peter on a Popsicle Stick." But Sanat's porno and "Mistle my toe" probably wins for me, along with the lads' feeble attempt at carol-singing.

6) The French Mistake. Dean's horror at wearing make-up, Sam's bad acting, Serge swaying away from the bullet, Kripke getting gunned down. But I think Misha won this one. Everything he did was so spot-on, the texting, the squeal of terror, and the way he pushed the make-up girl aside (an ad-lib, apparently) was perfect.

7) Monster movie. Dean in lederhosen? "Big pretzel!" Male re-hymenation - ah, there's a concept for the ages. So many good things, but the Dracula wannabe offering a coupon for his garlic free pizza probably wins.

8) Phantom Traveller. Dean trying to calm himself on the plane was a wonderful subversion of the character's previous badassery.

9) Bobby's kiss with Crowley. Crowley makes me laugh, he's so crashingly camp, and the way he insults the boys is always a delight ("Good thing you've got your looks."). And the line that wins for me; "But why did you have to use tongue?"

10) Provenance; a silly little thing, and I'm sure no one else has this one, but I always giggle when Dean calls Sam "Jared." I just love that it got through!

Now I've left out a thousand great moments - I lost my shoe, Morons!, antiquers, clowns or midgets - so many. Thank you, Kripke and co, for so many laughs along the way.

So what do you think? What are your funniest memories?

As I was sorting these out in my head, I had 'heartbreak' at about Day 7, initially. I soon realised there were so many moments of heartbreak, I really needed Thirty Days of Christmas. Here, in no particular order, to tear your heart out, spit on it, kick it with a boot and salt and burn it, are my Eleven Most Heartbreaking Moments of Supernatural.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me as s/he lay curled in a foetal ball whilst sobbing uncontrollably;

1) A Very Supernatural Christmas. Little Dean, having stolen the presents for Sammy, and his face when they're the wrong sort. Such an argument for gender neutral prezzies! Dean buying a present for adult Sam, even though Sam said he wouldn't do Christmas this year. For Dean, it's Christmas if Sammy has a present. But the moment that flayed me in this one was the way Dean delivered the line, "Well, yeah. It's my last one." And Sam saying he couldn't, just couldn't...

2) AHBL 2. I could put one and two here, because it's the same scene; Dean screaming Sam's name, murmuring nonsense to him, cradling him as Sam's eyes slide back in his head... I actually cried when I first saw AHBL1. Just wrecked me.

3) Croatoan. Dean locking the door and sealing himself in to die with Sam, so soul-weary with the weight of that terrible promise that he can't go on...

4) Ellen and Jo dying. As a mum, watching Ellen as Jo slips away, hearing her say, "That's my good girl..." Bloody hell, my throat is getting tight now.

5) Heart. Sam, crying, as he goes to shoot his girlfriend (which is taking 'bros before hos' to new heights, but whatever). And then - is this the first appearance of the OPT (One Perfect Tear)? Dean's face. Apparently, Jared good-naturedly chided Jensen on stealing the scene from him - and so he did.

6) Home. Dean's phonecall to his father. The way his voice cracked, his chin wobbled, as this young bloke who has carried so much reveals to us, for the first time, how vulnerable he truly felt beneath the veneer.

7) No Rest for the Wicked. As Dean was eviscerated on screen, I was eviscerated off. But the true heartbreak scene was when Dean is admitting to both himself and Sam that there's truly no escape, and his final adjurations to Sam to remember what Dad told you... remember what I told you... I don't remember ever being so invested in a show.

8) What Is and What Should Never Be. The cemetery scene. According to the DVD commentary, even the crew were wiping away tears as they watched Dean rail against Fate, begin to say, "It's not fair" but stop partway through with a resigned, "Yeah."

9) Children shouldn't play with dead things. The roadside confession, first and probably still my favourite. "What can you possibly say to make that better?"

10) Heaven and Hell. Although this roadside confession worked, too. Dang, he cries purty.

11) Swan Song. Sam sacrificing himself; Dean left bloody and hopeless. Dean with Lisa, slowly lifting a whiskey to his lips, clearly shell-shocked still; Sam watching inscrutably from outside the house. It was all so glorious and epic and goddamned sad.

And there were Mystery Spot (Sam's torment), Dark Side of the Moon (Dean seeing Sam's 'best of' were about being away from him, as Dean saw it), On the Head of a Pin (Dean giving up, in hospital), the giving-up-Lisa one, Fresh Blood (Sam owned this one; "Because you're my brother", and the catch in his voice, as he explains to Dean that he knows exactly how self-destructive he's become), Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (Jodi Mills' child, Bobby's wife), The End (the final confrontation), In the Beginning ("Don't get out of bed.") - bloody hell, I keep going with this, I'll need a stiff whiskey - and it's only 7.30am.