SPOILERS AHEAD

Over the years, Supernatural has done an amazing job with their parody episodes. They recreated the world of the Universal monsters in Monster Movie, complete with black and white photography and fake-looking sets. One year they pulled out the hand-held cameras and took out the crew for a perfect recreation of a ghost hunting reality show.

This season it’s personal, as Supernatural pokes fun at some classic TV shows in an episode called “Changing Channels.”

When I heard rumors of Supernatural as a sitcom complete with laugh track and a visit to Dr. McDreamy, I was worried. I should have remembered the motto — In Kripke We Trust.

“Changing Channels” is mostly brilliant. It’s loaded with sharp dialouge, double-layers of meaning and terrific performances by the Supernatural crew. Oh, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are good, too but they really aren’t the stars of this episode. It’s the camera man, the lighting guy, the director and the editors that get the kudos for this little gem.

The show opens as a typical 70’s sitcom complete with bright lighting, playing to the studio audience and very broad jokes. We know Dean likes to eat, but in the sitcom world his sandwich is three feet tall.

“I’m going to need a bigger mouth!” he exclaims, then offers a patented sitcom smirk directly into camera. As they often do with these parodies, the typical Supernatural logo card is pulled out and replaced with an appropriate piece, in this case a full sitcom theme that tells the story of two ghost hunting brothers. It’s your basic humorous montage that includes (fangirls get ready) riding a tandem bike together, playing football, and racing mini-scooters.

It’s so spot on, it’s scary.

From there, we do spend a little time in the real world as the boys begin investigating a very unusual “bear” attack. Then it’s on to the next show, an excellent Grey’s Anatomy spoof complete with overly dramatic nurses, a face-transplant, Dr. McSexy and a ghost.

As Dean explains to Sam, the actor on the real show plays a ghost who can only be seen by one of the doctors who was in love with him. (Sound familiar?) To which Sam replies, THIS show has ghosts? Go figure.

With Supernatural fighting the ratings race against Grey’s Anatomy for so many years, and then losing Jeffrey Dean Morgan to the show, the barbs are well deserved and well placed.

By this point in the show, I began to realize how much the lighting, camera angles and the music contributed to the feel of what I was watching. It might be Sam and Dean on screen, but that sappy Norah Jones-esque music screams nighttime soap.

But don’t think it’s all about the laughs. The nurse in the piece may be talking about her imagined love affair with Sam’s Dr. Brilliant, but everything she says has a double meaning and then it takes a turn for worse.

Like all good Supernatural parodies, this one gets serious and none too soon. The Japanese game show NutCrackers (yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking) was pushing the joke a little too far but I did love the spoof commercial that fell in where the real one should be.

Next, we cue the slowmo, dim the lights and slap on the sunglasses — the boys are pushed into CSI Miami and that’s where Kripke takes a moment to really shove home his opinions about the lack of original programming on TV. The funny thing, there’s a moment where Dean is completely into the CSI character of it all and he fits. Or, I guess more accurately, Jensen does. It’s a fantastic parody inside a parody.

I don’t want to give it all away but I know the fangirls are going to love Sam’s “uncomfortable” reaction to Dean digging around in the trunk, Castiel being referred to as a “Pretty boy, angel,” and several mentions of brotherly love.

For me, “Changing Channels” hits the spot, but then I’m a diehard TV junkie and have been since I was little. I got all the jokes. Younger viewers, and international viewers aren’t going to pick up on the nuances and I’m sure some people will put the episode on the bottom of their favorites list.

I say, go in watching for what it’s meant to be — another great Supernatural homage that also happens to be one of the big pieces of the puzzle.

“300 channels and nothing on,” says the Trickster.

I beg to differ.

Watch Supernatural: Changing Channels, next Thursday at 9:00 on The CW.

Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Led by the brutally ruthless Cad Bane, bounty hunters and merciless mercenaries hijack the series’ spotlight in “Holocron Heist” and “Cargo of Doom,” the one-hour premiere of which airs tonight at 8:00 on Cartoon Network.

Here’s what the network has to say about the return of this popular animated series.

Introduced in the first season’s explosive finale, Bane returns for more mischief and mayhem – and he’s bringing his impressive arsenal to bear on the very heart of the Republic itself. Hired to infiltrate the Jedi Temple and steal a valuable Holocron – an ancient memory storage device – Bane won’t let anyone stand in his way. And when Ahsoka is assigned to Jedi Archive guard duty as punishment for disobeying orders, her seemingly mundane duty places her directly in the path of Bane’s objective…

“If you saw last season’s finale, you know that Cad doesn’t have a problem strolling right into the lion’s den. He’s bold and he’s fearless, and that’s really going to stir up a lot of trouble for the Jedi,” said Dave Filoni, supervising director of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. “These episodes really recall the spirit of adventure that I’ve always loved about Star Wars. There’s a big war going on outside, but the focus of the conflict is much more intimate and personal. And when you throw someone like Cad into the mix, the stakes are raised. It’s intense and a lot of fun.”

The character of Bane has allowed the Clone Wars team to recapture their love of the original films, something made possible by Bane’s conceptual roots that date back to George Lucas’ original vision of Star Wars.

“The concept [for Cad Bane] actually dates back all the way to the first film, which drew inspirations from all sorts of genres, including westerns,” says Lucas, creator and executive producer of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. “When it came time to introduce the idea of a ruthless bounty hunter type for the series, it was a natural fit. He’s a classic gunslinger – mysterious and also merciless. It’s been a thematic part of Star Wars since the beginning.”

Following the classic Star Wars trajectory established by the original trilogy, season two of Star Wars: The Clone Wars deepens the story of the conflict itself, exploring heretofore unseen aspects of the war. Much in the way that The Empire Strikes Back was able to add depth and complexity to the classical archetypes established in A New Hope, Rise of the Bounty Hunters peels back layers to reveal complexities and intensity only glimpsed in the series’ first season. Cad Bane and his cadre of bounty hunters are on-hand to ratchet up the action…and the artists at Lucasfilm Animation are only happy to follow suit!

Trademark information for STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS images: TM & © 2009 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Air Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009,  9 PM on Syfy

Tonight, it’s a very special episode of Ghost Hunters as legendary performing artist Meat Loaf joins the team for an investigation at one of the finalist locales from last year’s “Great American Ghost Hunt” search, a haunted private island in Thousand Islands, NY.

Stretching over 4 acres, the island boasts a towering 10-bedroom mansion and boathouse. The area was formerly part of the Underground Railroad and was also used as a monastery. The Claudia family has owned the premises for the past 50 years; however, they may not be the only ones inhabiting the island.

Floating heads, phantom music and glowing figures have scared the Claudias and their houseguests senseless. It’s up to the Ghost Hunters to flush out the spooks and stop them from disturbing the peace.

Will the team solve the riddle of America’s most haunted island? Tune in to find out. (Pictured: (center) Meat Loaf — Syfy Photo: Don Heupel)

After Ghost Hunters, stick around on Syfy to see the TAPS team help Josh Gates out on a new Destination Truth.

Destination Truth: Ghosts of Chernobyl / Sal’awa

Special Guest Appearances by Ghost Hunters’ Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson

Air Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 @ 10 PM

In this chilling episode, the team embarks on a paranormal investigation at the desolate site of the world’s worst nuclear accident: the Chernobyl power plant, located in what is now the Ukraine. The tragic disaster in 1986 resulted in numerous deaths, and today, some locals living on the edge of the disaster zone tell stories about apparitions of the deceased still present among the affected towns, particularly in the abandoned town of Pripyat, the former home for the Chernobyl workers.

The Destination Truth crew is the first film crew ever to obtain permits and film inside the Chernobyl reactor zone overnight. After gathering their research, Josh and team use high tech anti-radiation suits and travel through several remote checkpoints before entering the abandoned towns. Armed with high-tech dosimeters and Geiger counters to measure radiation, the team begins a nail-biting investigation of one of the world’s most devastated destinations. Ghost Hunters Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson make a guest appearance to help analyze the team’s footage.

Then, the team heads to the blistering sands of Cairo, Egypt, where locals claim to be attacked by a monstrous canine creature thirsty for human blood: the Sal’awa. (Pictured: Josh Gates — Syfy Photo)

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In “Metallo”  John Corben (Brian Austin Green) is hit by a truck then wakes up alone in an abandoned apartment as a man-machine with a Kryptonite heart.  Corben realizes he now has superhuman strength and sets out to exact revenge on the Red-Blue Blur, who he perceives to be an irresponsible vigilante.  Against Clark’s (Tom Welling) wishes, Lois (Erica Durance) involves herself in the Red-Blue Blur’s investigation, and winds up getting kidnapped by Corben.

Want to see a clip? Click through the cut.

“Metallo” — Brian Austin Green as John Corben in Smallville on The CW. Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

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Air Date: September 24 on FOX

A highway construction worker in rural Pennsylvania goes missing when he is mysteriously drawn into an underground tunnel filled with human remains. Meanwhile, back in the lab, Walter is attempting to simulate travel between realities on frogs. When it’s discovered that the disappearance in Pennsylvania is not an isolated incident, the Fringe team travels to the crime scene to dig up evidence.

Peter (Joshua Jackson, C) and Olivia (Anna Torv, L) investigate a missing-persons case in the FRINGE episode “Night of Desirable Objects” airing Thursday, September 24 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Liane Hentscher/FOX

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Air Date: September 24 at 8:00 on The CW

MYSTIC FALLS IS ROCKED BY VIOLENCE — Elena (Nina Dobrev) tries to ignore Bonnie’s (Katerina Graham) warnings about the disturbing vibes she got from Stefan (Paul Wesley). Tyler (Michael Trevino) tries to embarrass Stefan by throwing a football at him, but Stefan effortlessly catches and passes the ball back, impressing everyone with his skill. Mr. Tanner (guest star Benjamin Ayres) reluctantly lets Stefan join the football team.

Elena invites Stefan and Bonnie to dinner, hoping that the two will bond, but the evening is disrupted by the unexpected and unwelcome arrival of Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Caroline (Candice Accola). Finally, the town is shocked by an act of violence.

Photo: Quantrell Colbert/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Air Date: September 24 on The CW

Old friends and new looks take center stage on this upcoming episode of Supernatural.

Not sure he trusts himself anymore, Sam (Jared Padalecki) decides to give up hunting, but a late-night visitor (guest star Adrianne Palicki) won’t let him off the hook that easily. Dean (Jensen Ackles), intent on stopping the Apocalypse, continues hunting on his own and teams up with Castiel (Misha Collins) to find the Archangel Raphael, as Castiel believes Raphael knows God’s location. Mark Pellegrino guests.

Miller Tobin directed the episode written by Jeremy Carver (#503).

Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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The End

Sam (Jared Padalecki) tells Dean (Jensen Ackles) he wants to rejoin Dean in the battle of the Apocalypse, but Dean tells Sam that they are better off apart.  Later, Dean awakens five years in the future in an abandoned city and is attacked by humans who have been infected with a demonic virus that turns humans into Zombies.  Zachariah (guest star Kurt Fuller) appears to Dean and explains that this is the world that exists as a result of Dean saying no to helping the angels fight Lucifer.  Dean meets up with Future Dean, who tells him that the virus is the Devil’s endgame for destroying mankind.

Photo: David Gray/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Warehouse 13: MacPherson

Air Date: September 22 on Syfy

MacPherson, after a failed attempt to take Artie’s life, is now selling dangerous artifacts, stolen from the Warehouse shelves, on the black-market. Artie and Leena (Genelle Williams) also suspect there’s a mole in the Warehouse who’s secretly aligned with MacPherson – could it be Claudia? Meanwhile, as the team hunts down MacPherson, they realize too late that his capture is a carefully orchestrated trap to destroy them.

Pictured: (l-r) Roger Rees as James MacPherson, Eddie McClintock as Pete Lattimer, Saul Rubinek as Artie Nelsen — Syfy Photo: Ken Woroner

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“SUPERNATURAL“ — (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET)

“Fallen Idol“

PARIS HILTON GUEST STARS — Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) decide to start hunting together again and their first case leads them to a small town whose inhabitants are being killed by famous dead icons like Abraham Lincoln and James Dean’s car. However, after two teenage girls come forward and claim their friend was kidnapped by Paris Hilton (in a cameo role as herself), the brothers aren’t sure what they are hunting anymore. Jim Conway directed the episode written by Julie Siege (#505).

No photos from the episode are up yet, so here’s an oldie from “Heart.”  Photo: Sergei Bachlakov / The CW ©2007 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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