Wednesday’s episode of Supernatural isn’t your ordinary episode, because the man known as The Trickster/Gabriel is returning. Before fans get too excited, let me clarify. Actor Richard Speight Jr. is coming back as the director of the episode. That’s right, like Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins have done previously, Speight is stepping behind the camera for Episode 8, titled, “Just My Imagination.”
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While chatting with Speight via phone about the episode, it’s clear he went above and beyond to score the directing job and to ensure he did the show justice. Ever since starring on Supernatural, Speight’s been very interested in directing.
“It was a show I was kind of stalking, in terms of I know the stories, I know the characters, I know the executives,” he says. “The problem is, it’s not an easy job to do, and it’s an even harder job to get.”
After talking with Supernatural executive producer Robert Singer, directing spots for Pepsi and Mountain Dew, taking about eight months of classes as part of the Warner Bros. directing program, EPs Singer and Jeremy Carver gave Speight the go-ahead.
“It was a super huge honor and thrill to get that phone call and an amazing challenge and experience to actually do it,” Speight says about directing for Supernatural.
So, what can fans expect from his episode? Well, as viewers might have seen during the promo, it follows Sam’s imaginary friend from childhood, who just happens to reappear. As Speight puts it, “We get to meet Sully, who is Sam’s imaginary friend from his youth.”
However, as funny as that sounds, and it will most definitely be, there’s more than meets the eye with Sully, Speight teases. There is a reason he’s back, and it’s not just because he misses Sam.
“We get to see two things with [the episode]: We get to see what [Sam’s] relationship is like with Sully when he was young, and then we also get to see why Sully is approaching Sam in the modern day and what situation has arisen recently that now requires his former imaginary buddy to reappear and enlist Sam’s services,” Speight reveals. “It’s a really a great mix of fun and tension in the episode.”
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If fans are hoping to see an episode that has the same feeling as past episodes featuring The Trickster, they might be a bit disappointed. Speight says this episode is different, but there are similarities when it comes to humor.
“The similarity would be … there are some fun comedic elements to this episode, which are similar to those of The Trickster episodes as well,” he says. “However, where this story goes is very different than where Trickster episodes go or Gabriel episodes. It’s got its own flavor and flair, and its own cast of characters telling the story. It’s different in that regard. There’s definitely a little bit in the overlap of the humor department.”
Now the question most Supernatural fans are probably asking themselves: Seeing as Speight is back on Supernatural, does this mean Gabriel will soon return? Well, Speight doesn’t want to spoil anything, nor does he probably want to get in trouble by revealing if he indeed will return.
“If I tell you no, I might be lying to you,” he jokes. “If I tell you yes, I might be lying to you. If I tell you no, and I really mean yes, then I’m just saying it to confuse you. If I tell you yes, and I really mean no, well that’s just cruel. The real answer is you don’t want to know the answer, because what makes Supernatural great is what you don’t know.”
So, what about Chuck? Will Speight’s good friend and Supernatural costar Rob Benedict pop up? After all, now that there’s been mention of God and some fans think Chuck is God, Benedict could easily return. Again, Speight won’t say either way.
“If I knew that Rob was coming back as Chuck, I don’t think he’d want me to tell you,” he says lightheartedly. “But, I know that Rob goes to the gym a lot these days, so maybe there’s something I don’t know.”
With that said, Speight is all about Chuck being God and hopes to see that this season or at some point.
“Listen, I love where they’re going with this story line, and I know how they planted that seed that God is sort of the answer to this problem [with The Darkness],” Speight confesses. “I know the ‘Chuck is God theory,’ which certainly I believe.”
Basically, Speight can’t say either way if Benedict will return to Supernatural, but he did say this: “As a fan, I hope so. As a guy who is on the inner circle of the show, none of your damn business.”
Leave it to Speight to play up his Trickster role in real life.
Supernatural airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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